Phineas Parkhurst Quimby Resource Center

~ George Albert Quimby (son) 1888 ~

Phineas Parkhurst Quimby was born on February 16th, 1802 in Lebanon, New Hampshire.  He was the sixth of the seven children of Jonathan Quimby and Susanna  (White) Quimby.  Jonathan was a skilful blacksmith by trade and relocated his growing family to Belfast, Maine in 1804. The original Quimby home was located on the current site of the Belfast Free Library on High Street.  The Quimby blacksmith shop was situated directly across the road from their home and together they perched on Quimby Hill with a splendid view of Belfast Bay.  After many changes and alterations the original Jonathan Quimby house was razed ca 1970.

 A sample of Quimby's handwriting may be viewed in a pop-up window by clicking on the image below.

 

Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, known as "Park" to his friends and neighbors possessed an extraordinary, inquisitive, perceptive and inventive mind.  Although the availability of a local public education was meager at best during his formative years, he continued to educate himself by focused observation and reading many books.  He had a natural aptitude towards anything mechanical and followed his oldest brother William into the world of clock making.  William Quimby apprenticed with the first clockmaker in Belfast, Abel Eastman, and took over Eastman's business about 1820.  Park apprenticed with his brother William and made beautiful clocks.  An original P. P. Quimby clock is a rare and highly desirable treasure.

From 1847 until his passing on January 16th, 1866, Phineas Parkhurst Quimby devoted his life to healing the sick.  In the Fall of 1859 he opened an office at the International House Hotel in the city of Portland, Maine.  His youngest son George Albert Quimby worked as his office clerk.  Additional secretarial services were supplied by two of his new patients, the sisters Emma and Sarah Ware.

Dr. Quimby, as he was now known, treated over 12,000 patients during those years.  Most notable were Warren Felt Evans, a practitioner and author of mental healing; Julius and Annetta (Seabury) Dresser, early organizers of New Thought; and Mary M. Patterson (Mary Baker Eddy), of the Christian Science movement.

This website was created March 7th, 2002 and is maintained by - fellow clockmaker, student and a friend of "Park".