Pliny Earle II, MD (American Psychiatrist)
Ink, Inheritance, and Influence: A Family’s Legacy Through the Memoirs of Dr. Pliny Earle
In a copy of Memoirs of Pliny Earle, M.D.,
published posthumously in 1898, a collage of labels, cards, and handwritten
notes reveals a layered story of family ties, intellectual heritage, and
regional impact. This particular volume, edited by sociologist F. B. Sanborn,
contains diary excerpts and professional writings from one of America’s most
influential psychiatrists and it passed through the hands of three generations
of the Earle-Voorhies family.
A
Slip of Paper, A Lineage Preserved
At the heart of the book lies a white
business card used by the estate of Dr. Pliny Earle to distribute copies of his
memoirs. The handwritten note on it, penned by Jeanie Lea Southwick, his
great-niece and executor, confirms the book was gifted to Hannah Maria Earle
Voorhies, a distant relative descended from the same Earle lineage. Southwick,
a civic-minded custodian of family history, ensured that Dr. Earle’s legacy was
preserved and shared with kin.
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Dr. Pliny Earle: Psychiatrist and Reformer
Born in 1809 in Leicester, Massachusetts,
Dr. Earle was a pioneering figure in American psychiatry. He led major asylums,
advocated for humane treatment of patients, and helped professionalize mental
health care. His works The Curability of Insanity (1860), A Visit to Thirteen
Asylums for the Insane in Europe (1841), and statistical contributions to the
U.S. Census cemented his reputation as a reformer and intellectual force.
From Hannah to Amos: A Family of Builders
Hannah Maria Earle Voorhies (1841–1912),
born in Michigan, married John Nelson Voorhies in 1865 and had two sons,
including Amos Earle Voorhies (1869–1960). Amos moved to Oregon in 1891 and
began a storied career in journalism. Known affectionately as “Boss,” he worked
at the Portland Sun and later became foreman at the Oregon Observer in Grants
Pass.
In 1897, Amos partnered to purchase the
Rogue River Courier, later renamed the Grants Pass Daily Courier. He introduced
Oregon’s first typesetting machine and leased a newswire service, transforming
the paper into a modern media outlet. His influence extended into radio and
television, co-owning KAGI-AM and KBES-TV2.
Bookplates and Commemorations
Two stickers in the book add further
texture to the story. One, in gold, reads:
Private Library of
Amos Earle Voorhies
Grants Fall Oregon
The other, a metallic blue-and-gold label,
commemorates the Daily Courier’s 50th anniversary on April 3, 1935 a milestone
Amos helped shape through decades of leadership.
A Legacy in Print
This volume of Memoirs of Pliny Earle is
more than a book it’s a time capsule. It connects the reformist spirit of a
19th-century psychiatrist to the entrepreneurial drive of a 20th-century
newspaperman. Through handwritten notes, embossed stickers, and editorial care,
the Earle-Voorhies family preserved not just a publication, but a legacy of
public service, intellectual rigor, and regional pride.
Text Sources
Additional historical and genealogical details are supported by:
Memoirs of Pliny Earle, M.D. (1898), edited by F. B. Sanborn Available via HathiTrust Digital Library and Internet Archive
Pliny Earle biography:
American Psychiatric Association Archives
His contributions to asylum reform and census statistics are documented in 19th-century medical journals and APA retrospectives.Amos Earle Voorhies and the Grants Pass Daily Courier:
Southern Oregon Historical Society – Media History
Oregon Encyclopedia – Rogue River CourierImage Sources
Image Sources
Wikipedia
