Eastern State Hospital

"The Publick Hospital for Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds" at Williamsburg was first proposed by Royal Governor Francis Fauquier in 1766. A committee was authorized to prepare a bill to provide for the founding of the hospital, which it did in 1769. In April 1770, architect Robert Smith was chosen to design the new hospital and an act formally establishing the hospital was passed by the General Assembly in June 1770. Construction of the hospital building in the center of Williamsburg took several years. The first patients were admitted in October 1773. The first hospital employee appointed was the keeper, who was directed to call the visiting physician as needed because there was no resident doctor on staff. The first visiting physician at the hospital was Dr. John De Sequeyra.

The Galt family of Williamsburg worked closely with the hospital for much of the first 100 years of its existence. The first keeper of the hospital was James Galt who was succeeded by William T. Galt in 1800. Dickie Galt also served as keeper during the 1830s. In 1841 Dr. John Minson Galt, II, was appointed the first hospital superintendent by an act of the General Assembly. Additionally, Dr. Galt's grandfather, Dr. John Minson Galt, and also his father, Dr. Alexander D. Galt both served as visiting physicians prior to the establishment of the superintendent position. Dr. Galt served as superintendent from 1841 until 1862 when the hospital was overtaken by Union forces during the Civil War. Dr. Galt died shortly after being forced to leave the hospital grounds.

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