David Lawrence Morrell Comings

Dr. David Lawrence Morrell Comings

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Dr. David Lawrence Morrell Comings

Asst. Surgeon David Lawrence Morrell Comings, Field & Staff, 4th New Hampshire Infantry, born in Cornish, NH; resided in Swanzey, credited to Swanzey; appointed 2nd Assistant Surgeon Aug. 13, ’62; mustered in Aug. 21, ’62; appointed Asst. Surgeon Oct. 8, ’62. Died, disease. Aug. 1, ’63, Swanzey, NH. Burial: Comings Cemetery, Cornish City, Sullivan County, New Hampshire.

Birth: Oct. 14, 1825
Cornish City
Sullivan County
New Hampshire
Death: Aug. 1, 1863
New Hampshire

From the New Hampshire Sentinel

Keene, NH September 24, 1863

SWANZEY.–The late Dr. L. M. Comings.–The recent death of Dr. Comings would seem to deserve more than the passing notice which has appeared in the papers.–The many warm friends whom he left behind, will long cherish his memory; and some particulars of his life may not be wholly uninteresting to those who knew him only by reputation.

Dr. Comings was born in Cornish, N.H., Oct. 14, 1825. He pursued a three years course of study at Norwich University, then under care of the lamented Gen. Ransom. In 1847 he commenced the study of medicine, and graduated at the Medical School at Castleton in the spring of 1850. Soon after he began the practice of his profession at Plainfield, where he remained for nearly two years. In the spring of 1852, he came to this county and located at the village of West Swanzey, where he continued in the practice of his profession with increasing success until he entered the military service of his country.

Those who knew him best during his active practice in this vicinity, remember him not merely for his devotion to his profession. They remember him as the upright and conscientious citizen, who did not turn from the path of duty through fear or favor; but interested himself in whatever pertained to the peace and good order of society. He was ever found faithful to the great cause of education, temperance, and social improvement. His kindly and Christian bearing in the domestic circle can be fully appreciated only by those few who had the opportunity to observe him at his own fireside surrounded by those whom he most loved and trusted.

The perfect control which he maintained over his feelings, the self-discipline which never allowed an angry or unkind word to escape his lips, gave him a serenity of temper which hardly belonged to his ardent temperament.

At the breaking out of the rebellion, although not politically in sympathy with the administration, he cheerfully put forth his best efforts to put down armed treason, and to uphold the government of his country. He did not stop to enquire what course others intended to pursue, but chose his position promptly and maintained it to the end. And nothing gave him more pain on his dying bed than what he deemed to be the folly and madness of some of the men of the North as evinced in the late New York riots.

When further surgical assistance was required in the department of the South in the spring of 1862, he cheerfully offered his services, and he was commissioned as Assistant Surgeon of the 4th regiment N.H. Volunteers. He remained in sole charge of that regiment for some time, much to the satisfaction of the soldiers and officers, as the writer of this has reason to know, when he was ordered to the General Hospital at Hilton Head. After some months of faithful and devoted service to the sick and wounded, his health gave way, and he was reluctantly compelled to leave the scene of his active and useful labors. After a protracted and painful journey he reached his former home in Swanzey, accompanied by his faithful companion in life, who was at his side from the first of his illness. After the lapse of some weeks of suffering and weakness which medical skill could not overcome, he closed his earthly career without a murmur, and with a consciousness of his condition. Dr. Comings died on the first day of August, 1863, leaving to the world the example of a man who had performed his duties with integrity and fidelity. In the language of one who knew him best, and was with him to the last, “He died as he had lived, a Christian.”

Parents:
Uriel L Comings (1793 – 1878)
Sarah Robinson Comings (1793 – 1876)

Sibling:
Warren F Comings (1819 – 1850)
David Lawrence Morrell Comings (1825 – 1863)

Burial:
Comings Cemetery, Cornish City, Sullivan County, New Hampshire