Richard Huson (12 August 1798 – 23 October 1881) was an American orthodox physician who converted to homeopathy. Huson was a pioneer of homeopathy in Yates County, New York State, and was acknowledged as the person who introduced homeopathy to neighbouring Schuyler County. He later practiced in Lawrence, Kansas.

In 1853, Richard Huson was one of the founding members and a Vice-President of the Homoeopathic Medical Academy of the State of New York, one of the earliest homeopathic medical societies in the state, his son Samuel serving as Secretary. Richard Huson was also elected as President of the Homoeopathic Medical Society of Kansas.

Two years before Huson’s death, a comprehensive biography of his life was included in The United States Biographical Dictionary, Kansas Volume, 1879:

Son of Nathaniel and Anna Huson, was born in Hillsdale Township, Columbia county, New York, August 12, 1798. His father was a Revolutionary soldier, his mother, who was always spoken of as a most estimable woman, died at his birth.

With the exception of one term at a high school, Richard had merely the advantages of a common school education. From thirteen to twenty years of age his health was very feeble and he was supposed to be incurably consumptive. When about twenty years old the family removed to the vicinity of Seneca lake, where the climate was more favorable to his health, and he gradually recovered strength.

His inclinations were strongly in favor of the medical profession, but on account of his father’s opposition did not commence his studies until after he was of age, when he left the farm and entered the office of Dr. Hosea Palmer, a practitioner of the Allopathic school. After two years diligent study, during part of which time he assisted his perceptor in his practice, he entered Fairfield Medical College, Herkimer county, New York, where he finished his preparatory studies, and soon after received his diploma from the State Medical Society of the Allopathic school, at that time (1820) the only medical school in the State. After two years practice in Bradford, Pennsylvania, Dr. Huson removed to Dundee, Yates county, New York, where he continued to enjoy a large and lucrative practice until his removal to Kansas in 1857.

For the first twenty-five years of his professional life Dr. Huson practiced in accordance with the principles of the school in which he had studied. When the Homeopathic system began to attract notice Dr. Huson began a careful study of its principles, read extensively on the subject, and, after thoroughly testing its efficacy, adopted it as his chosen practice, and has since followed it exclusively.

After nearly thirty-five years medical practice in Dundee he removed to Tecumseh, Kansas, continued his practice there until the spring of 1864, when he came to Lawrence, formed a partnership with his son, Dr. Samuel Huson, and has since resided in that city, actively engaged in the duties of his profession. This partnership was continued until the death of Dr. Samuel Huson, January 2, 1875, and, owing to the ill health of the son, during most of this time the responsibilities and burdens of a large practice fell upon the aged father.

About two years after the death of his son Dr. Huson associated with himself Dr. Charles N. Hart, and the medical firm is now Huson & Hart. Dr. Hart was a former student in the office in which he is now a partner, and graduated with high honors at St. Louis Homeopathic College.

Dr. Huson was surgeon of the 2o6th Regiment, New York militia for eight or ten years. He has accepted small local offices, but would never serve in any position of importance, as it would interfere with his medical practice. He is the present city physician of Lawrence by appointment of the mayor and city council.

Dr. Huson has been a mason for fifty years, and has taken all the degrees up to and including that of Royal Arch. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years, as was also his Wife, but of late years has usually been called a Spiritualist.

He was a member of the Democratic party until 1856, when he voted for John C. Fremont. He voted for Lincoln, in 1864; for Greeley, in 1872, and since then has generally acted with the party of which he was originally a member.

His wife, Rebecca Kress, was the daughter of Samuel Kress, of Yates county, New York, and of their four children none survive. They were Dr. Samuel Kress Huson, before mentioned as his father’s medical partner for many years – a man of marked abilities both in public and professional life. He was at one time Mayor of Lawrence, and for several years its postmaster, and was not only influential in municipal affairs, but was universally esteemed as a noble, generous man, his character, being exceptionably manly; the other son died in infancy; Eliza Ann married Hon. Edward Hoogland a lawyer and editor of superior ability; Catharine Louisa also married a lawyer, Hon. James Spicer, a man with a first-class record.

Dr. Huson’s “golden wedding” was celebrated in Liberty Hall, Lawrence, by a large attendance of the best citizens, amid much enthusiasm and generous congratulation, emphasized by many substantial tokens of the confidence and esteem in which they are deservedly held. They still live in the enjoyment of reasonably good health, the Doctor continuing to practice with great energy and skill at the advanced age of eighty years. Mrs. Huson is one of the most amiable of old ladies – an example of all that is good in her sex, and a patron of all that is praiseworthy in humanity. She has not only contributed largely to her husband’s success in business, but has blessed him with a life of domestic happiness seldom paralleled; a noble wife, a good mother and a true Christian.

In the proceedings of the American Institute of Homeopathy for 1865, page 366, we find the following notice from the pen of Dr. Edwin W. Lewis:

For the first introduction of the principles and practice of Homeopathy in Schuyler county, much credit is due Dr. Richard Huson, then living in the village of Dundee, county of Yates, adjoining. About the year of 1842, the Doctor, an old and successful practitioner of the Allopathic school, became a convert to the doctrines and principles of cure as enunciated by Hahnemann and his contemporaries, and this conversion was effected by a series of careful tests and actual experiments, scientifically applied and practically carried out. Flattered and elated with his success, he planted his feet firmly on the rock of experimental truth and became a zealous and unflinching advocate of the system. He possessed considerable talent for public speaking and an inexhaustible fund of humor and sarcasm, so that his lectures on the “little pill system,” (as many at that period chose to name it,) generally procured him full houses at short notice.

Dr. Huson is a veteran practitioner and a pioneer Kansas physician as well. Coming into the new Territory in his sixtieth year – when most men think seriously of abandoning work – he has continued the vigorous practice of his profession for twenty-one years and is now fully of “age” as a citizen of this State. He is a most genial and companionable friend, and hosts of good people – east and west – have no worse wish for the hearty octogenarian Doctor and his noble wife than thạt they may live to celebrate their “diamond wedding.”

A brief memorial to Richard Huson was published in the Transactions of the Homoeopathic Medical Society of the State of New York.

Of Interest:

Samuel Kress Huson M.D. (1828 – 1875), son of Richard Huson, followed his father in becoming an homeopathic physician. Samuel K. Huson would go into partnership with his father in Lawrence, Kansas, until his own untimely death in 1875, aged 47.