Herrick, Josiah B.

Born: 1821-01-08 Maine

Died: 1850-07-14 Sacramento, California

Flourished: Vandalia, Illinois

Younger brother of William B. Herrick, Josiah B. Herrick received his early education at schools in his native state until he moved to Hillsboro, Illinois, where he continued his schooling at Hillsboro Academy. Upon completing his secondary education, Herrick commenced studying medicine first in St. Louis, Missouri, and later in Chicago, Illinois, graduating from Rush Medical College in 1845. He moved to Vandalia, Illinois, where he practiced medicine. In 1848, he accepted the position of demonstrator of anatomy at his alma mater. In April 1848, he married Antonia Thornton, daughter of General William F. Thornton of Shelbyville, Illinois, and the couple had one son. In 1849, Antonia Herrick died, and Josiah and his infant son moved to Sheboygan, Wisconsin. In the spring of 1850, Josiah joined a party headed for California by way of Panama. Upon reaching Sacramento, he died of peritonitis.

Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, Shelby County, 25 April 1848, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL; George H. Weaver, "Beginnings of Medical Education In and Near Chicago: the Institutions and the Men," Bulletin of the Society of Medical History of Chicago, 3 4 (September 1925), 404.