John Jeffries

Biography

John Jeffries earned distinction as one of Boston’s leading physicians, dedicating himself to inoculation, public health, and the care of soldiers during the war, while also bringing scientific curiosity to the wider world. In 1785 he joined famed aeronaut Jean-Pierre Blanchard in the first balloon flight across the English Channel and kept meticulous records of air pressure and temperature that enriched early meteorology.

Back in his beloved city he served as the surgeon of record for hospitals, offered care to Boston’s poor, and collected books and instruments so that future healers could learn from his work. The public remembers his devotion to science and charity as he rests in Granary Burying Ground.