Table of Contents

Biographical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Separations List

Administrative Information

Collection Inventory

Subject Headings

Inventory of the Hough Family Papers

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Biographical Note

Garry DeNeuville Hough (1861-1927) was a doctor and resident of New Bedford, Massachusetts. A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Hough’s medical career focused on serving the New Bedford community and surrounding areas. Appointed in 1898, Hough acted as the medical examiner for Bristol County serving a term of seven years. In 1917, Hough, acting as the Chief Surgeon for the Massachusetts State Guard, was called to direct a unit of the American Red Cross to respond to the Halifax Disaster. Hough was responsible for setting up and directing the Halifax Infirmary and Bellevue Military Hospital to aid in the relief efforts. In 1918, Hough would return to New Bedford to head the relief committee combating the Influenza Epidemic.

Hough’s immediate family included his wife, Margaret Howard Hough (born Soule) and their four children. Margaret’s father, Rufus A. Soule, was a prominent businessman within New Bedford. The Soule Family lineage is directly linked to George Soule, a Mayflower passenger. The Hough family lived in New Bedford, attended the public schools, and partook in various community activities. Hough’s eldest daughter, Dorris Soule Hough (1889-1985), would become an active, prominent member of the Girl Scouts of the USA.

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Scope and Content Note

The papers within this collection primarily focus on Garry DeNeuville Hough, his medical career, and professional endeavors (1891-1918). Included are his published articles in scientific journals (1898-1900) concerning entomology for medical discovery. Also included are Hough’s speeches and addresses to various medical societies displaying his status within the medical community of New England (1905-1916).

Hough was called to give medical testimony in two local trials. Within the court transcript for the Commonwealth v. Dr. Ann H. Chase (1891), Hough performed the autopsy for the victim of a failed abortion and provided the medical reasoning for her death due to unclean surgical utensils. In the second trial, Hough was called to testify as the medical examiner in the Howard Murder Trial (1908-1909). These records are compiled into a large scrapbook of newspaper clippings following the trial and Hough’s expert testimony.

A large portion of the records concerning Hough, focus on his involvement with the American Red Cross (A.R.C.) during the Halifax Disaster of 1917. In June of 1917, Hough was appointed by the governor to act as the chief Captain and Surgeon of the Massachusetts State Guard. After the explosion at Halifax in December of the same year, the Massachusetts Guard was among the first units to offer medical aid. Hough was dispatched to Nova Scotia to establish and direct the Halifax Infirmary as well as manage the Bellevue Military Hospital. These records cover the period of December 10-20, 1917 directly following the disaster. The records include Hough’s correspondence with the A.R.C., daily reports from doctors, supply lists, and patient records.

Also included in the collection are the papers of Hough’s children. This includes their report cards from New Bedford public schools as well as their schoolwork. Most notably, the collection includes papers from Hough’s eldest daughter, Dorris. This includes her childhood diary, schoolwork, and newspaper articles documenting her as the salutatorian of her graduating high school class. Dorris would go on to become a respected member of the Girl Scouts of the USA. There is also one record pertaining to the family of Hough’s wife, Margret Howard Hough. This includes her father’s (Rufus A. Soule) appointment to the position of Customs Collector for New Bedford (1905).

Additionally, the records hold great insight into the town of New Bedford during the early twentieth century. Included are calendars depicting local scenes from the town, postcards, and publications celebrating New Bedford history. Also of note, is the series containing a collection of local newspapers with dates ranging from 1832-1890. Included are editions of The Youth’s Companion, The Vineyard Gazette, The Daily Evening Standard, Evening Standard Newspaper, The Daily Mercury, and a mini copy of Boston Globe Daily. Also included in the series is a Peterson’s Ladies National Magazine (1874) and a playbill from the Cyclorama of the Battle of Gettysburg (1886). Of note, the editions of The Vineyard Gazette (1859-1860) hold information regarding the Hough family such as the marriage announcement of Hough’s parents as well as advertisements for Hough’s father’s medical practice.

Arrangement of Collection

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Information for Researchers

Access to Collections

Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.

Preferred Citation

New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss Mss #, [sub-group, series, sub-series, folder/volume as appropriate], [item]

Copyright Notice

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 United States Code 552a) governs the use of materials that document private individuals, groups, and corporations.

Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a reproduction if the document does not infringe the privacy rights of an individual, group, or corporation. These specified conditions of authorized use include:

If the researcher later uses a copy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," the researcher is personally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement and agrees to indemnify the New Bedford Whaling Museum from any legal action as a result of the error. Permission to obtain a photographic, xerographic, digital, or other copy of a document does not indicate permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, sell, distribute, or prepare derivative works from the document without permission from the copyright holder and from any private individual, group, or corporation shown or otherwise recorded.

Permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, prepare derivative works from, sell, or otherwise distribute the item must be obtained separately in writing from the holder of the original copyright (or if the creator is dead, from his/her heirs) as well as from any individual(s), groups, or corporations whose name, image, recorded words, or private information (e.g. employment information) may be reproduced in the source material. The holder of the original copyright is not necessarily the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is not legally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement when materials are wrongfully used after being provided to researchers for "fair use."

This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if fulfillment of the order is judged in violation of copyright or federal or state privacy law. This institution also places restrictions on the use of cameras, photocopiers, and scanners in the research room.

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Separations List

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Administrative Information

Provenance

The Hough Family Papers collection was a gift of the Garry DeNeuville family given to the New Bedford Whaling Museum on August 4, 2017. The collection is part of accession 2017.54.

Processing Information

Processed by: April Pascucci, 2017

Encoded by: April Pascucci, 28 November 2017

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Collection Inventory

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Subject Headings

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