From History of Sonoma County
Dr. Absalom Boyles Stuart, the son of James Wesley and Mary Ann (Boyles) Stuart, was born at Williamsburg, Pennsylvania, August 27, 1830. He was educated in Lewisburg University, Berkshire Medical College and Bellevue Hospital Medical College. He was graduated from Berkshire Medical College with the degree of M.D. in 1856, and ten years later from Bellevue.
Upon receiving his first degree in medicine, Dr. Stuart commenced practice in West Hampton, Massachusetts. He soon after moved to Doddsville, and thence to Macomb, Illinois: in Doddsville he married Miss Anabel McGaughey in 1859.
In August 1861, he was commissioned Assistant Surgeon of the Tenth Missouri Regiment United States Infantry: In the winter of 1862-63 was appointed by General Rosecrans Medical Superintendent of Hospitals at Iuka, Mississippi. In April 1863 was promoted to Surgeon and assigned to the First Alabama United States Cavalry—a regiment raised in that state, and commanded by northern officers.
While voluntarily assisting in the construction of defenses, Dr. Stuart received accidental injuries from which he never recovered, and the effects of which compelled him to resign and retire from the service in January 1864.
Returning to Macomb, he shortly after moved to Winona, Minnesota, where he soon attained a very extensive practice and took rank among the first physicians of that State. The rigors of that northern climate proving too severe for his enfeebled health he immigrated to California with his family in 1876, settling in Los Angeles. Not receiving the desired benefit, he removed to Santa Barbara which afforded him temporary relief. Finding it necessary to again seek for climatic benefits they came to Santa Rosa in 1881, and here passed the last six years of his life. At all these points Dr Stuart practiced his profession, and was highly esteemed both as a physician and a gentleman of irreproachable character and life.
Like all men who win the respect and confidence of their fellows, Dr. Stuart was possessed of a strong individuality and inflexible integrity in adhering to his convictions of the right. All worthy moral and educational enterprises received his hearty support, as well as that of his esteemed professional and life partner, his wife.
Mary Stuart Hall, one of the buildings of the California Baptist College, was named for their lovely deceased daughter in memory of a munificent contribution of $10,000 given by Doctors Stuart to that institution of learning.
While engaged in active practice, Dr. A.B. Stuart gave especial attention to surgery, in which he achieved considerable renown among the profession by a number of capital operations he performed. He was a member of the Winona County Medical Society, and its president in 1872; first vice-president of the Minnesota State Medical Society in1876 and 1876; served as secretary in 1873 of the section on State medicine and public hygiene. He was instrumental in organizing the Minnesota State Board of Health in 1872, and was its first president. In the same year he was elected teacher of surgery in the Winona Preparatory Medical School, and its president in 1873. In 1876 he was chosen a delegate to the International Medical Congress at Philadelphia.
Dr. Stuart was quite a liberal contributor to the press on subject pertaining to medical science, among the most important being the “Annual Report of the Minnesota State Board of Health for 1873;” “The Upper Epiphysis of the Radius,” published in the “Transactions of the Minnesota State Medical Society”in 1876.
After years of severe suffering, Dr. Stuart passed away July 30, 1887. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. S. S. Fisk, pastor of the Baptist Church of which Dr. Stuart had been a consistent member for many years; and the burial rites were conducted by the Masonic order and the Grand Army of the Republic.
Of Dr. Absalom Boyles Stuart it could be said none knew him but to respect and admire him.
Service records compiled by Glenda Todd and used with her permission. This and other information about the history of the First and the men who fought with the unit
can be found in her book, First Alabama Cavalry, USA: Homage to Patriotism.