City Readers Digital Historic Collections at the New York Society Library

Samuel Bard, a physician and teacher, was born on April 1, 1742, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied classics at King's College (later Columbia College), and medicine at Edinburgh University where he received his medical degree in 1761. He went into practice with his father in New York City in 1765, and in 1772 took over the practice when his father retired. He was a co-founder of New York's first medical school, at King's College, in 1767, where he was first a lecturer and then in 1792 dean of the faculty of medicine. He advocated for the establishment of the New York Hospital in a commencement address at King's College in 1769, and was its first attending physician when the hospital opened in 1791 (Deutsch 578). He was appointed president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1813, and held the post until his death. Bard retired from his practice in 1798 to his family estate in Hyde Park. His Compendium of the Theory and Practice of Midwifery, published in 1807, stood as the standard reference work on obstetrics in America for many years(Horrocks). He was one of the founders and a physician at the City Dispensary; an original member of the New York Society for the Promotion of Agriculture, Arts and Manufactures; a trustee of the New York Society Library from 1769-1776 (serving as secretary), 1788-1793, and 1796; and one of the founders (and later an honorary member) of the New-York Historical Society in 1804 (Horrocks).

Bard was the son of John Bard, a physician and friend of Benjamin Franklin, and Suzanne Valleau. In 1770 Bard married his cousin Mary Bard; they had three children.

Bard was a Loyalist during the American Revolution; however, he returned to New York City after leaving during the war, resumed his practice, and served as President George Washington's physician when the federal government was located in New York City (Horrocks). Bard operated on Washington in the Executive Mansion in the City in 1787, removing a large carbuncle in his left thigh, which Bard thought was a symptom of anthrax ("Our History").

Bard died on May 24, 1821.