Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

and placed into permanent record valuable
information regarding- the American
silk manufacturing industry, and living
conditions of silk workers.
One December 21, 1882, Elwood Starr
Ela married Jennie, daughter of Maro
Spaulding Chapman, a descendant of a
New England family which dates back
to 1635, in which year Robert Chapman
came from Hull, England, to Boston.
Children: 1. Jeanette, married in 1906,
Charles Denison Talcott, of Vernon. 2.
Lucy, married, in 191 1, Dr. William L.
Cramer, of Manchester.
HIGGINS, Joseph Ambrose, M. D.,
Physician.
Dr. Joseph Ambrose Higgins, a well-
regarded resident of South Manchester,
and a prominent young Connecticut phy-
sician, graduate of the College of Physicians
and Surgeons of Baltimore, and
experienced by staff work at some lead-
ing hospitals, was born December 8, 1883,
at Westerly, Rhode Island, the son of
Michael Joseph and Mary E. (Burke) Higgins,
the former a native of Ireland, born
there in 1852, and eventually a resident of
Westerly, Rhode Island, where he engaged
in an independent mercantile business.
He was evidently a man of good
education and business adaptability, for
he later became a druggist, continuing
in that profession at Westerly, Rhode
Island, until his death. Mary E. (Burke)
Higgins, the wife of Michael Joseph Hig-
gins, was born in Westerly, Rhode Island.
She became the mother of nine children
, who became the wife of Charles
Mattingly, now a resident of Cleveland,
Ohio, and a graduate of Trinity College,
Washington, D. C. ; Margaret A., Rosalie,
Charles Leo, Cyril, who is now studying
theology at St. Mary's College, Baltimore,
Maryland ; Edwin, Walter, Made-
:
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
214
line, and Joseph Ambrose, mentioned
below.
Dr. Joseph Ambrose Higgins gained
primary knowledge in the schools of
Westerly. He advanced to the grammar
and high schools of that place, and his
education thereat completed his pre-
medical instruction. Having decided to
enter professional life, and selecting the
branch of medicine, he proceeded to the
College of Physicians and Surgeons of
Baltimore, where he matriculated in 1903
and graduated four years later with the
degree of Doctor of Medicine. The cur-
riculum was rigid, taking both theoretical
and practical phases of medical science,
the third and fourth years including con-
siderable clinical and practical observa-
tion, but, so as to be thoroughly profici-
ent in practical knowledge of medicine
before entering private practice, Dr. Higgins
sought experience in hospitals. He,
by competitive examination, secured appointment
to the resident medical staff of
the Baltimore City Hospital, where he
served a valuable interneship, later get-
ting further hospital experience at St.
Francis' Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut,
in all serving a post-graduate course at
these two institutions of two years. In
1910 he opened an office at North Manches-
ter, and some time later opened another
office in South Manchester, the latter
being in the House and Hale Block,
which in 1912 became his chief office. He
is well thought of in Manchester, and has
the confidence of an increasing clientele.
He does not enter much into political
activities, the best possible execution of
his professional responsibilities being his
chief concern. He is constantly under-
taking research, and indicates by his
handling of cases that he follows clearly
the development of medical science. Fra-
ternally, he belongs to the following
orders : Knights of Columbus, Foresters