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(From The Pioneer Women of Wyoming - By Frederick C. Johnson)
The Wilkes-Barre Advertiser, of April 15, 1814, notes that Mrs. Eunice Sprague died on the 12th, aged 82 years, but beyond the mere statement that she was one of the first settlers of this place, gives no particulars as to her interesting career. Her maiden name was Eunice Chapman, and she was a native of Colchester, Conn. Dr. Hollister thus describes her in his history: "She was a worthy old lady, prompt, cheerful and successful, and at this time (1785) the sole accoucheur in all the wide domain now embraced by Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming Counties. Although of great age, her obstetrical practice as late as 1810 surpassed that of any physician in this portion of Pennsylvania. For attending a confinement case, no matter how distant the journey, how long or fatiguing the detention, this sturdy and faithful woman invariably charged one dollar for services rendered, although a larger fee was never refused if any one was able or rash enough to offer it."

By an earlier marriage at Sharon, N. Y., Mrs. Sprague was the mother of Phoebe Poyner Young. The latter was one of the fugitives from the massacre of Wyoming, and was one of a party of seven women and children who escaped down the river to Harrisburg in a canoe. Mrs. Young died in 1830 at the age of 89 years. Her recollections were largely used by the earlier historians of Wyoming Valley.

I quote from a newspaper article written a few years ago by the late Wesley Johnson:
"Mrs. Sprague was in all probability the first female doctor to practice medicine in these parts. I do not myself remember her, but often when I was a small boy, heard the old people speak of 'Granny Sprague' as a successful practitioner of midwifery and of the healing art among children. Mrs. Dr. Sprague's residence and office, which I well remember, was a one-story log house on the corner of Main and Union streets, then known as Granny Sprague's corner, where the Kesler block now stands. The old log house was demolished long years ago, but the cellar was plainly to be seen up to the time of erecting the present block of brick buildings. Mrs. Sprague was the mother of 'Aunt Young,' who lived in a small one-story frame house on Canal street, still standing, a short distance below Union street, who used to tell us boys how she often listened to the cry of wild cats and wolves in the swamp in front of her place, about where the line of several railroads pass up the valley."


Dr. Sprague's widow did not long remain in Connecticut after the expulsion by the Pennamites, but she returned to Wyoming and joined with her old friends and neighbors in renewing a home in the wilderness. The influence of her husband's medical skill was not lost on the wife, and when thrown on her own resources she engaged in midwifery, and practice among children, for which by nature she was well fitted. Dr. Hollister says of her:
"Dr. Sprague's widow, known through the settlement as Granny Sprague, returned to Wyoming in 1785 and lived in a small log house then standing in Wilkes-Barre on the southwest corner of Main and Union Streets. She was a worthy old lady, prompt, cheerful and successful, and at this time the sole accoucheur in all the wide domain now embraced by Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming Counties. Although of great age, her obstetrical practice as late as 1810, surpassed that of any physician in this portion of Pennsylvania. For attending a case of accouchement, no matter how distant the journey, how long or fatiguing the detention, this sturdy and faithful woman invariably charged one dollar for services rendered, although a larger fee was never turned away if anyone was able or rash enough to pay more."

Previous to her marriage to Dr. Sprague, Eunice Chapman had been married to a Mr. Poiner at Sharon Nine Partners, N. Y.

After a long and useful life she died in Wilkes-Barre April 12, 1814. In accordance with the usual brevity with which the newspapers of that day disposed of interesting happenings, the Wilkes-Barre Advertiser of April 15, 1814, says:
"Died in this town on Tuesday evening last, Mrs. Eunice Sprague, aged 82 years. She was one of the first settlers of this place."

What a thrilling story could have been written then of the life of a good woman, who may most fittingly be included in the pioneer practitioners of medicine. She was 46 years old at the time of the battle and her recollections of early times were largely utilized by the earlier historians of the valley.


The following concerning Mrs. Sprague, is from the pen of Wesley Johnson, Esq., in the Historical Record, Vol. 3, page 165 :

"Mrs. Eunice Sprague, was in all probability the first woman to practice medicine in these parts. I do not myself remember her, but often, when I was a small boy, heard the old people speak of "Granny Sprague" as a successful practitioner of midwifery and of the healing art among children. Mrs. Dr. Sprague's residence and office, which I well remember, was a one-story log house on the corner of Main and Union Streets, then known as Granny Sprague's corner, where the Kessler block now stands. The old log house was demolished long years ago, but the cellar was plainly to be seen up to the time of erecting the present block of brick buildings. Mrs. Sprague, if I am not mistaken, was the mother of "Aunt Young," who lived in a small, one-story frame house on Canal Street, still standing, a short distance below Union Street, who used to tell us boys how she often listened to the cry of wild cats and wolves in the swamp in front of her place, about where the line of several railroads pass up the valley. I remember that in going to Mrs. Young's place, out Union near the Van Zeek house, we had to pass a water course about where Fell Street joins Union, which at times, after heavy rains, would be quite a formidable stream for children to ford. It was here, as I have heard said, that old Zimri, the town fiddler, was drowned on a dark night as he was on his way home, perhaps slightly boozy, after having delighted the boys and girls during the first part of the night with the exciting dancing music of 'Money Musk' and 'The Devil's Dream,' drawn from his miraculous violin."