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RONTEY, Pierre A.,
Physician, Surgeon.
The younger generation of the medical
fraternity of Greenwich is ably repre-
sented by Dr. Rontey, who has in the
course of a few years built up a satisfac-
tory practice and an assured reputation.
For many years before coming to Green-
wich, Connecticut, he was prominent in
musical as well as professional circles,
and he is now active in the Masonic affairs
and social life of his home city.
(I) Pierre Rontey, grandfather of
Pierre A. Rontey, of Greenwich, was born
in Tours, France, a city which had been
for generations the home of the Rontey
family. The name was originally spelled
Rondtete, meaning round head, and in
the latter part of the fifteenth century
was abbreviated to Rontet. In 1821,
when Pierre Rontet (as he then spelled
the name) was about to marry Adelaide
Chevalier, he took out his marriage li-
cense, and the clerk, by mistake, spelled
the name Rontey and this form has been
retained to the present time. Pierre Ron-
tey had a brother who settled in Califor-
nia and his descendants still spell the
name Rontet. The Ronteys were Hugue-
nots, and were numbered among those
who suffered martyrdom for their belief,
the entire family, with the exception of
one member, having been killed at the
massacre of St. Bartholomew.
(II) Marcelin Rontey, son of Pierre
and Adelaide (Chevalier) Rontey, was
born September 9, 1848, in Tours, France,
and at the age of three years was brought
by his parents to the United States. The
family settled in Tremont, which is now
a part of New York City, and there the
boy attended school and grew to man-
hood. His father was engaged in the
merchant tailoring business, and the lad
grew up in the store, succeeding to the
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
303
business which he carried on as long as
he lived. Mr. Rontey married Emma
Frances Smith, born in 1841, daughter of
Edmund L. Smith, of Port Chester, New
York. The death of Mr. Rontey occurred
June 26, 1913, and his widow passed away
in December, 1915.
(Ill) Dr. Pierre A. Rontey, only child
of Marcelin and Emma Frances (Smith)
Rontey, was born June 27, 1883, in Tremont,
New York, and received his early
education in New York public schools,
passing thence to the Morris High School,
and then entering the Medical College of
the University of Bellevue Hospital, from
which he graduated in 1909 with the de-
gree of Doctor of Medicine. The five
years following were spent by Dr. Rontey
in Fordham Hospital, New York City, at
first as interne and later as a member of
the medical clinic, out-patient department.
During that time he was an instructor in
clinical medicine at Fordham Medical
College. He was for a time connected
with the Bronx Eye and Ear Infirmary.
After practicing in New York City until
191 5 he removed to Greenwich, Connecti-
cut, where he has successfully established
himself mainly as a specialist in the treatment
of diseases of the eye, ear, nose and
throat.
The study of music, combined with an
enthusiastic love for the art, has played
an important part in the life of Dr. Rontey.
He early evinced a talent for it, and
at nine years old began to study under
the guidance of Felix La Mond, of Trinity
Chapel, New York. At fourteen he re-
ceived his first appointment as church
organist. This was followed by others,
and for thirteen years he played in
churches, being forced, at the end of that
time, to retire in consequence of an in-
jury to the end of a finger which he
received during a surgical operation about
five years ago. Among the churches he