Wayne County Biographies



Part of the Indiana Biographies Project



Robert Furnace, M. D.

Robert Furnace, M. D., was born in Warren County, Ohio, in 1830; a son of Setb and Dinah (Kindley) Furnace, his father of English and his mother of German descent, he being able to trace his ancestry to 1630 on the father's side and to 1680 on the mother's. For many generations the ancestors have been Friends, his grandmother and mother both being ministers in that society. He, for many years, has been an acknowledged minister and since coming to Richmond has been prominently identified with and has labored efficiently for the society. The family has figured prominently in political circles, a great uncle, Wilkinson Furnace, having represented Ohio in the United States Senate. The Furnace family settled in Ohio from South Carolina in 1803, in Miami and Warren counties, our subject's grand-parents locating in the latter county. His mother was a native of that county and his father of South Carolina. To them were born four children — Davis, Robert, Mary, and an infant (deceased). Dr. Furnace was reared a farmer, but began reading medicine in Waynesville, Ohio, and in 1863 began the practice of his profession. He graduated from the Homeopathic department of Pulte Medical School, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1875, after having practiced thirteen years. He came to Richmond in 1881, where he now has a good practice. He was married in 1853 to Bethiah Mosher, a native of what is now Morrow County, Ohio. To them have been born eight children, but five of whom are living — Mary, wife of William T. Frame; Seth W., Eunice, Phoebe and Robert H.

Source:
History of Wayne County, Indiana. Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co. 1884. Volume 2