Dr. James Rousseau: San Bernardino’s Most Notable Pioneer Physician
Dr. James Alexander Rousseau was an early settler of San Bernardino, California, and one of their most highly esteemed pioneer physicians. He even had a street named after him… until 1930, that is.
Arriving in 1864 by Covered Wagon Train
Dr. James Rousseau (1812–1882), a former student of the Louisville Medical Institute, began his medical practice in San Bernardino, California, in January 1865 after enduring a lengthy and harrowing covered wagon journey across the Great Plains, the Great American Desert and the searing Mojave. His wagon summited the San Bernardino Mountains on December 18 of 1864 on a “very cold freezing morning,” where he led his family a reported 22 miles through Cajon Pass, “down hill all the way to San Bernardino.”[1]
At the time of his arrival, he’d been a country physician for the past twenty-two years with a sterling reputation from his work in Iowa. His granddaughter later wrote in a 1934 essay for the Daughters of the American Revolution that this means, “making his visits on horseback, at times under great difficulties.”[2] She continued, “I was told of one instance when his horse dropped dead after a long, hard, hurried ride to a patient.”
In Southern California, Dr. Rousseau finally let his wild rides come to an end. In what is now the downtown area on the southwest corner of D & 4th Streets, he established a shared practice in his first medical office with four walls and a surgery table (with a Dr. Andrews).
By the close of 1868, Dr. Rousseau launched a solo practice at his personal residence on the northeast corner of Utah (presently D Street) and 2nd Street.
His Home Office & Noted Place of Luxury
Dr. & Mrs. Rousseau’s home likely had several large rooms and/or attachments to be able to accommodate this practice (including a carriage house and other necessary outbuildings like an outhouse, ice pantry, or dry food storage). In addition to the medical office he maintained there, his wife, Sarah Jane Rousseau, an extremely talented pianist and music teacher from London, taught private lessons at the house to those who could afford them.
Customers to either business could access the property from Rousseau Ave., a turn-off from 2nd Street. The Rousseau home was considered a place of grand finery, so much so that, over the years, wealthy and influential people requested the use of it for special events such as parties and picnics, and even rented it out as a wedding venue.
Dr. Rousseau’s Specialty
From articles and advertisements posted in the Iowa papers, we know he claimed to specialize in “all the diseases and peculiarities incident to women and children” (Iowa State Gazette, 11/18/1843). Does that make him an OB/GYN? Or a Pediatrician? Not necessarily. Physicians back then tended to all types of issues as directed by need and their personal studies. If they wanted to specialize in a certain field, it was up to them to learn through textbooks, lectures, and observations of others who had demonstrated successful practices.
We also know from his wife’s 1864 diary from Iowa to California and other news articles that Dr. Rousseau performed cupping and developed his own liniments, tinctures and balms for various patient ailments. Again, does that make him a naturopath or a pharmacist? Not necessarily. All of these tasks were expected of him at any given time and the more skills he could acquire, the more services he could charge his clients for. Evidence of Dr. Rousseau’s ambition to eventually treat any and all afflictions is seen further down in his Iowa advertisement.
He is believed to have continued his medical practice until at least 1877, though not much has been said or reported about his activities in these later years other than him taking up an interest in public education. He was prominently featured in an article encouraging the tourism and settlement of San Bernardino County. In the Daily Times, they reported: “Health-seekers may be assured that in visiting this town, if desirable, the most skillful medical attendance is available. We have an educated and skillful medical corps in Drs. Evans, Fox, Rene, Rousseau, Condee, Winchester, Peacock, Campbell, etc.” (02/12/77).
Dr. Rousseau Begins a New Career
In 1875, at the age of 62, Dr. James was elected as County Coroner and remained in that position until 1878. At the same time, he also began serving as a member of the County Board of Education and by 1877 was elected to a full-time position as County Superintendent of Public Education with his office being diagonally across the street from his home at the County Courthouse.
Dr. Rousseau took this new career move very seriously and made some important changes to the public education system, including advocating that school buildings must be maintained by tax payer dollars and that textbooks must be provided to all students at no charge (again, by tax payer dollars). This inclusive attitude upset many early residents of the County and he endured some serious political backlash for standing his ground on the importance of equal access to a quality education in common schools (public schools).
Dr. James humbly dropped his title in his new role and faithfully served the County for the next five years as “just” J. A. Rousseau. In 1882, at the age of 69, he likely suffered from a heart attack or stroke and died while working at his desk. He and his wife are buried side by side in the Pioneer Memorial Cemetery near other notable pioneers such as Virgina Cooksey Earp (Nicholas Earp’s second wife). Various tributes, press announcements and obits for him have reported the following kind words:
Erasing the Legacy
While Dr. and even Mrs. Rousseau obviously left quite an impression on the County of San Bernardino during their residency of 1864–1882, and it should be noted that their descendants in San Bernardino, Redlands, Colton, and Los Angeles were notable contributors to city development, railroad transportation, and culture for the next four generations… their claim to a little piece of the original downtown area was stripped away.
In 1930, the City of San Bernardino conducted a widespread street renaming project. In this process, there was an effort to recognize important early pioneers and as a result, “Rousseau Ave.” was renamed “Stoddard Ave.” This naming is in tribute to a Canadian immigrant, Sheldon Stoddard who arrived in 1849 and built the first log cabin outside the original Mormon settlement in 1851. That cabin was located at 1st (Rialto) and I Streets.[3]
Though Stoddard left his original mark five city blocks away from where the Rousseau’s settled a decade later, their street name was replaced. How strange…
About the Author:
Janelle Molony, M.S.L. is an award-winning freelancer and nonfiction author from Phoenix, Arizona. She has a particular interest in women-centric stories and local history. Her writing has been featured in magazines and journals such as History Nebraska, The Michigan Historical Review, Minnesota Genealogist, Annals of Wyoming, Women’s History, and more.
Her latest book, Emigrant Tales of the Platte River Raids (M Press, 2023) just launched as the Number 1 Hot Release for Biographies of the American Civil War on Amazon. It features the Rousseau Family’s 1864 journey across the Great Plains and the life-or-death battle that awaited them mid-way.
See more from the author by following on Medium and on social media. More publications by Molony can be found on her official author webpage.
Notes:
- These comments come from the 1864 Diary of Mrs. Sarah Jane Rousseau which was published in 2023 and is available for sale.
- Evelyn Anderson-Strait, “Genealogy of the Anderson-Rousseau Lines,” Knoxville Journal-Express, August 30, 1934.
