Person:Abraham Baily (2)

DR. ABRAHAM BAILY, son of Joel and Elizabeth (Marshall) Baily, was born in West Bradford township, Chester Co., about one and a half miles south of Marshallton, Sept. 5, 1760. He received an English and classical education from teachers employed in the family. He studied medicine under Dr. Nicholas Way, of Wilmington, Del., and was a fellow-student with his cousin, Dr. Moses Marshall. While a student he had an opportunity of becoming practically familiar with surgery immediately after the disastrous battle of Brandywine, in 1777. He attended lectures at the medical school of Philadelphia, but took no degree. Shortly after leaving lectures Dr. Baily went as surgeon in a privateer vessel-of-war, and during the cruise visited France. On his return he engaged in the practice of medicine at his native place, until about the year 1789, when, in company with Humphrey Hill and Cadwallader Evans (under the firm name of Baily, Hill & Evans), he engaged in the iron business. They rented the Andover Works, in Sussex County, N. J., where they continued five or six years, but the enterprise resulted unfortunately. While in Jersey he was chosen captain of a troop of horse, and in 1794 marched with his troop over the Alleghany Mountains in the expedition to quell the so-called Whisky Rebellion. Soon after this he returned to Chester County and resumed the practice of medicine, until the year 1800, when he opened a store in Marshallton and continued a limited medical practice for a number of years. While the seat of government was at Lancaster he was elected a member of the House of Representatives, after its removal to Harrisburg he was elected to the Senate. Some time after his term in the Senate he was appointed a justice of the peace, which appointment he held until his death. Dr. Baily was twice married. His first wife was Phebe Carpenter, and his second marriage, Oct. 22, 1802, to Rachel Carpenter, both daughters of John and Hannah Carpenter, of West Bradford. By his first wife he had six children, and four by his second. Eliza A. Baily, the eldest child by his second wife, married Jonathan Gause; Margaretta (now Harlan), theh second daughter by the second wife, married Joel Harlan, of Newlin township.
   When Gen. Lafayette visited the Brandywine battlefield and West Chester, July 26, 1825, Dr. Baily was one of the committee appointed to escort him, and being on horseback nearly all day, occasioned an irritation of the neck of the bladder, which produced a painful and obstinate retention of urine and inflammation of the parts, that resulted in his death, Aug. 13, 1825, at the age of nearly sixty-five years. Dr. Baily was a respectable physician, an upright magistrate, an enlightened public citizen, and an honest man.