Oliver Ketcham “O.K.” Sammis Dr.

OK Sammis was born 1815 in Brooklyn to Daniel and Maria Sammis. Afteryears of research, it is my assumption that he was married to FrancesSarah Webber, had children Nathaniel, David SS, John H. and twinsJennie and Fannie, got divorced and married her sister Jeannie Webber,subsequently having Olivia, Kate, Oliver, Daniel, Cordelia, AnnaChristina, Whitefield and Raphael . He played with Walt Whitman as achild and knew Henry Ward Beecher, baptist preacher and his sister,Harriett Beecher Stowe. During the Civil War, he worked with ClaraBarton. He was also a lecturer at Harvard in Boston, MA and is quotedin some books about phrenology.

1851 Henry's Directory for Morrisanie-Woodstock, NY-Oliver K. Sammis,residence Prospect Avenue near Wall St. occupation physician

Oliver K. Sammis attended P&S/Columbia University Medical School in1851-1852 (address given as Brooklyn, preceptor (mentor) was S.Pomeroy White, MD) and 1853-54 (address given as Long Island,preceptor New York Preparatory School (this is somewhat unusual, aspreceptors were generally established physicians.) After 1854 hevanishes from the catalogs, and the alumni directory indicates that hematriculated, but NOT that he graduated. It may be that he continuedhis studies in private, as apprenticeship was still a common trainingmethod for doctors at the time.

1852 New York Times
Divorce recorded between Oliver K. Sammis and his wife Francis T.Sammis

April 6, 1860 listed in book about Walt Whitman as a correspondent ofhis, letters in this book.

Columbia university officers and alumni, 1754-1857 listing Oliver K.Sammis 1851-1854

1860 Census-New York, Kings Co., Brooklyn, 1st Div. 7th Ward, p. 10
Oliver K. Simmons (wrongly written)-44 yo, male, occupation physician,value of estate 1000, born NY
Jane OB-26, female, born NY
Nathaniel W.-17 yo, male, clerk, born PA
John KH-13 yo, male, born NY
Davis SS-11 yo, male, born NY
Frances & Jane-both 9 yo, female, born NY
Olea(really Olivia)-5 yo, female, born NY
Kate-3 yo, female, born NY
Oliver H.-1 yo, male, born NY
Edward A.M.-11/12 yo, male, born NY

1862 joined the Medical Society in Wampsville, NY.

May 1865 listed in Babylon, Huntington, Long Island tax records asphysician

1870 Census-Huntington, Suffolk Co. (p. 179, 562)
Oliver K Sammis-54, male, white, physician, born NY
Jennie OB-34, female, white, keeping house, born NY
Catherine-13, female, white, at school, born NY
Oliver K-12, male, white, at school, born NY
Daniel-6, male, white, at school, born NY
Cordelia-4, female, white, at school, born NY
Anna CM-2, female, white, at school, born NY

According to Shirley Sammis Foulds:
The 1880 census was done just 10 days before the sinking of theNaragansett and Dr. Oliver K. Sammis' death. It listed Daniel at 16,Cordelia at 14 (also listed as a "helper" in the home of the MuncyFamily (relatives), Christine at 11, Win at 7 and Raphael at 4 yearsold. Shirley also remembers hearing that Oliver K. wanted to name oneof his children after his great grandfather Peleg Ketchum, but Jeanniewouldn't hear of it and said that no child of hers was going to benamed Peleg. There is apparently a book about the 1st PresbyterianChurch in Babylon which states in some historical notes that theelders were called to the home of OK Sammis whose daughters Kate andOlivia were dying. Olivia died but Kate lived to the age of 84 andraised 4 children.

City Directories New York, NY, OK Sammis listed as physician:
1836-37-listed as teacher on Prospect n Green Lane
1845-57 Market Street
1846-310 Broadway
1847-Dr. OK Sammis at 189 Concord
1848-49-OK Sammis on 102 Concord
1852-53-Dr. OK Sammis at 200 Pearl St.
1853-54-Oliver K. Sammis, Prospect Ave. near Wall St., physician
1854-75 White h. Yorkville
1855-31 East B'way

The census records list him in Brooklyn and Long Island, so I thinkthat he took the ferry across and kept 2 residences all those yearsand practiced medicine in Brooklyn. While being listed in the citydirectories in Brooklyn 1879-1881, he was not listed in the censusthere.

From the Brooklyn Daily Eage July 16, 1880-
When the body of Dr. Sammis, who perished in the Narragansett, wasfound at Bartlett Reef at Waterford, New London County, CT, on June27, the pantaloons pockets were turned inside out, and undoubtedly thecorpse had been robbed. The body was headless and the flesh had beeneaten from the hands.