Peter Bard was the first member of the Bard family in the United States. A Huguenot, Peter Bard was born in France in 1679, and was eventually forced to flee with his father due to religious persecution under Louis XIV. Arriving in the United States in 1706, he settled down in New Jersey, near Philadelphia, where he bought a large tract of land in the Burlington township in 1714. It was here that he met Dinah Marmion, who he married in 1709. Peter Bard would continue on to serve on the Colonial Council for New Jersey, become a Commanding Colonel of a foot regiment in 1722, and became a judge for the supreme court of New Jersey. Together, Peter and Dinah had eight children.

The eldest son of Dinah and Peter, John, was born in 1716. John married Susanne Valleau in 1737, and together they moved to Hyde Park, New York. John became a physician, and even served as a family physician to George Washington when he was a General. As a physician, John recommended the purchase of Bedloe's Island (now the Statue of Liberty), as a quarantine site for the isolation of contagious diseases. He also served as the first President of the New York Medical Society. John and Susanne had six children. Their daughter Susanna married Nathaniel Pendelton, who was Alexander Hamilton’s second in the famous duel with Aaron Burr in 1804. Of their children, the most notable was Dr. Samuel Bard.

Samuel was born in Philadelphia in 1742. A sickly child, he had to be removed from school when he was 14 years old. However, this did not stop him from pursuing higher education and he went on to attend King’s College. In 1761, Samuel left to go to England and spent time in London before moving on to study medicine in Edinburgh; but on the second of November, his ship was captured by the French, being thought to be British during the seven years war. Samuel was imprisoned in Bayonne Castle in the small town of St. Jean De Luz, France. Samuel quickly wrote to Benjamin Franklin, who then intervened on his behalf and Samuel was released from the French prison in April of 1762. Later that year, Samuel began college in Edinburgh, studying natural philosophy, anatomy, and chemistry. After graduating as a physician, Samuel returned to New York. In New York, Samuel launched and served as the first president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the first medical school in New York City. This medical school was attached to King’s College, later Columbia College. The College pf {physicians and Surgeons was the first medical school to grant the Doctor of Medicine degree in American. Here, he also served as a professor of the theory and practice of medicine, chemistry, natural philosophy, and astronomy. He also served as a Trustee of Columbia College from 1787 to 1804. Along with the college, Samuel founded New York Hospital in 1771.Samuel was not only a leader in American medical education, he also wrote multiple medical books, including one on Midwifery. He also served as George Washington’s personal physician. Samuel was not just a successful physician, he also accumulated large amounts of land in the Hyde Park, New York area, renting large amounts of the land out to tenants and experimenting with sheep farming. He married his cousin, Mary Bard in 1770, and had five children together.

Susannah Bard was the eldest daughter of Samuel and Mary, born in 1772. In 1792, she married John Johnstone. John Johnstone was Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Dutchess County. Together, Susannah and John had twelve children. Susannah was a caring mother and a devoted Christian, often worrying about her children and protecting their souls through the church. Susannah and John often had money problems, and could only afford to send one child to college. They chose their eldest son, Francis Upton Johnston, born in 1796. Francis Upton studied under his grandfather, Samuel Bard, attending the College of Physicians and Surgeons. He graduated college in 1820, and by 1828, he was the attending physician at the New York Hospital. In 1822, he married Mary Williamson, and together they had nine children.

William Bard, the youngest son of Samuel and Mary Bard was born in 1778. He attended Columbia college and graduated in 1798, later becoming a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. In 1802, he married Catharine Cruger and together they had fourteen children. Their son, John, born in 1819, was also a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. John married Maragaret Taylor Johnston in 1849, and together they had 4 children. John founded St. Stephen’s College in 1860, which would become Bard College in 1935. Margaret died in 1875, and John remarried in 1876 to Annie Belcher, with whom he had one child.

Peter Bard was the first member of the Bard family in the United States. A Huguenot, Peter Bard was born in France in 1679, and was eventually forced to flee with his father due to religious persecution under Louis XIV. Arriving in the United States in 1706, he settled down in Delaware, near Philadelphia, where he bought a large tract of land in the Burlington township in 1714. It was here that he met Dinah Marmion, who he married in 1709. Peter Bard would continue on to serve on the Colonial Council for New Jersey, become a Commanding Colonel of a foot regiment in 1722, and became a judge for the supreme court of New Jersey. Together, Peter and Dinah had eight children.

The eldest son of Dinah and Peter, John, was born in 1716. John married Susanne Velleau in 1737, and together they moved to Hyde Park, New York. John became a physician, and even served as a family physician to George Washington when he was a General. As a physician, John recommended the purchase of Bedloe's Island (now the Statue of Liberty), as a quarantine site for the isolation of contagious diseases. He also served as the first President of the New York Medical Society. John and Susanne had six children. Their daughter Susanna married Nathaniel Pendelton, who was Alexander Hamilton’s second in the famous duel with Aaron Burr in 1804. Of their children, the most notable of whom was Dr. Samuel Bard.

Samuel was born in Philadelphia in 1742. A sickly child, he had to be removed from school when he was 14 years old. However, this did not stop him from pursuing higher education and he went on to attend King’s college. In 1761, Samuel left to go to England and spend time in London before moving on to study medicine in Edinburgh; but on the second of November, his ship was captured by the French, being thought to be British during the seven years war. Samuel was imprisoned in Bayonne Castle in the small town of St. Jean De Luz, France. Samuel quickly wrote to Benjamin Franklin, who then intervened on his behalf and Samuel was released from the French prison in April of 1762. Later that year, Samuel began college in Edinburgh, studying natural philosophy, anatomy, and chemistry. After graduating as a physician, Samuel returned to New York. In New York, Samuel launched and served as the first president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the first medical school in New York City. This medical school was attached to King’s College, later Columbia College. The College pf {physicians and Surgeons was the first medical school to grant the Doctor of Medicine degree in American. Here, he also served as a professor of the theory and practice of medicine, chemistry, natural philosophy, and astronomy. He also served as a Trustee of Columbia College from 1787 to 1804. Along with the college, Samuel founded New York Hospital in 1771.Samuel was not only a leader in American medical education, he also wrote multiple medical books, including one on Midwifery. He also served as George Washington’s personal physician. Samuel was not just a successful physician, he also accumulated large amounts of land in the Hyde Park, New York area, renting large amounts of the land out to tenants and experimenting with sheep farming. He married his cousin, Mary Bard in 1770, and had five children together.

Susanah Bard was the eldest daughter of Samuel and Mary, born in 1772. In 1792, she married John Johnstone. John Johnstone was Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Dutchess County. Together, Susannah and John had twelve children. Susannah was a caring mother and a devoted christian, often worrying about her children and protecting their souls through the church. Susannah and John often had money problems, and could only afford to send one child to college. They chose their eldest son, Francis Upton Johnston, born in 1796. Francis Upton studied under his grandfather, Samuel Bard, attending the College of Physicians and Surgeons. He graduated college in 1820, and by 1828, he was the attending physician at the New York Hospital. In 1822, he married Mary Williamson, and together they had nine children.

William Bard, the youngest son of Samuel and Mary Bard was born in 1778. He attended Columbia college and graduated in 1798, later becoming a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. In 1802, he married Catharine Cruger and together they had fourteen children. Their son, John, born in 1819, was also a member of the Society of the Cincinnati. John married Maragaret Taylor Johnston in 1849, and together they had 4 children. John founded St. Stephen’s College in 1860, which would become Bard College in 1935. Margaret died in 1875, and John remarried in 1876 to Annie Belcher, with whom he had one child.