Shippen, William, Jr., 1736-1808

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William Shippen Jr. (October 21, 1736 – July 11, 1808), was the first systematic teacher of anatomy, surgery and obstetrics in Colonial America and founded the first maternity hospital in America. He was the 3rd Director General of Hospitals of the Continental Army.

Born in Philadelphia, he studied at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), graduating in 1754. He studied medicine first with his father, then went to England and Scotland and in 1761 earned his medical degree at the University of Edinburgh Medical School. Shippen followed his father William Shippen Sr. into a medical career. At his father's encouragement, William Jr. commenced America's first series of anatomy lectures in 1762. He became one of the first professors (of anatomy, surgery, and midwifery) of America's first medical school (the College of Philadelphia, now the University of Pennsylvania), which he co-founded in 1765 with Dr. John Morgan.

During the American Revolutionary War, Shippen served as Chief Physician & Director General of the Hospital of the Continental Army in New Jersey (1776) and as Director General of the Hospitals West of the Hudson River (October 1776). Ultimately, he served (April 11, 1777 – January 1781) as Director of Hospitals for the Continental Army, a precursor of the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army. Shippen had connived to replace Dr. Morgan, his predecessor in that position. Later Morgan, with the assistance of Dr. Benjamin Rush, brought about his forced resignation. He was subsequently court martialed for misappropriating supplies intended for recovering soldiers and underreporting deaths, but was acquitted on a technicality.

Shippen was among the founders of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and served as its president from 1805 until 1808. He died of anthrax in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. William Shippen papers, 1752-1780. Library of Congress
referencedIn Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790. Benjamin Franklin letter to Sir Alexander Dick, 1760 September 17. Western Reserve Historical Society, Research Library
creatorOf Andrew, John A. (John Albion), 1818-1867,. Lee family papers [microform] 1652 [1769-1870] 1890. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. Dr. William Shippen letter, 1780.
creatorOf Notes from medical lectures by Dr. William Shippen, Jr., circa 1762. University of Delaware Library, Hugh M Morris Library
referencedIn Benjamin Randolph ledger, 1768-1787 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf William Shippen prescription book, 1789 Oct. 1-1791 July 10, 1789-1791 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Bannister, John, fl. 1785,. Shippen family papers [manuscript], 1788-1816. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
creatorOf Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. Letter, 1788 May 08, Paris, [France], to Dr. [William] Shippen, n.p. William & Mary Libraries
referencedIn Shippen family. Shippen family papers, 1797-1860 (inclusive), [microform]. Yale University Library
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Shippen, Thomas Lee, 1763-1798. Letters, 1783-1790. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library
referencedIn Ledger of Philadelphia merchants, 1768-1787. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Marian S. Carson collection of manuscripts, 1656-1995 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Benjamin Franklin Papers Part 1 -- Letters to Franklin, 1730-1776 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Minor, James, 1785-1828. Papers of James Minor, 1801-1817. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn James Hutchinson papers, 1771-1928, 1771-1928 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Stauffer, David McNeely, 1845-1913,. Collection, ca. 1644-1884. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Shippen, Joseph, 1732-1810. Papers of Joseph Shippen, 1727-1783. Library of Congress
referencedIn John Morgan Correspondence, 1779-1780 History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine
creatorOf Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1800. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Rush, Benjamin, 1746-1813. Collection : of lecture notes, 1783-1810. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Biographical information on John Morgan and William Shippen, undated. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Laurance, John, 1750-1810. John Laurance papers, 1694-1835 (bulk 1770-1809). Churchill County Museum
creatorOf Ethel Armes Collection of Lee Family Papers, 1671-1936 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Champneys, Ben (Benjamin), 1774-1814. Lecture notes, ca. 1794-1810. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Lee, Richard Henry, 1732-1794. Autograph letter signed : Chantilly, to Dr. William Shippen, Jr., 1771 Apr. 20. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn American Philosophical Society Archives. Record Group IIa, 1743-1806 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Papers, 1776-1777. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
creatorOf Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. [Manuscript lectures; a collection of manuscript notes on various medical topics, in the same hand, [18--?]. College of Physicians of Philadelphia
creatorOf Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. Prescription book, 1789 Oct. 1-1791 July 10. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Deeds, 1703-1798, for land in Pennsylvania. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Ethel Armes Collection of Lee Family Papers, 1671-1936 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Richard Henry Lee Papers, 1763-1823 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Notes from medical lectures by Dr. William Shippen, Jr., circa 1762 University of Delaware Library - Special Collections
creatorOf Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. Papers, 1786-1791. Duke University, Medical Center Library & Archives
referencedIn Morris family. Papers, 1684-1935. Hagley Museum & Library
creatorOf Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. Notes taken from the anatomical lectures of Doctors Shippen and Wistar, in the University of Pennsylvania, by Wm. Darlington, student of medicine [manuscript] : [followed by notes of William Shippen's "Lectures on midwifery"]. McGill University Library
creatorOf Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. A course of anatomical lectures delivered in the College of Philadelphia by William Shippen / notes taken by Jonathan Elmer, 1766. National Library of Medicine
creatorOf William Shippen journal, July 19, 1759 - January 22, 1760, 1759-1760 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Rush family papers, 1748-1876 Library company of Philadelphia
creatorOf Shippen, William, 1736?-1808. Journal, 1759 July 19-1760 Jan. 22. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Deeds, 1703-1798, for land in Pennsylvania, 1703-1798 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn American Philosophical Society Library. Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection. 1668-1983. American Philosophical Society
referencedIn McHenry, James, 1753-1816. Papers, 1780-1814 and undated. Duke University, Medical Center Library & Archives
creatorOf Shippen, Edward, ca. 1703-1781. Shippen family collection, 1750-1810 (bulk1750-1783) Princeton University Library
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relativeOf Shippen, Edward, 1729-1806 person
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nieceOrNephewOf Shippen, Joseph, 1732-1810. person
parentOf Shippen, Thomas Lee, 1763-1798. person
associatedWith Sparks, Jared, 1789-1866 person
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associatedWith Washington, George, 1732-1799. person
associatedWith Waterton, Charles, 1782-1865 person
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associatedWith Willing, Thomas, 1731-1821. person
associatedWith Wistar, Caspar, 1761-1818. person
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Birth 1730

Death 1808

Birth 1736-10-21

Death 1808-07-11

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