Richard Bayley

Biography

Richard Bayley (1745–1801) was a pioneering physician whose arrival in New York coincided with the challenges of building a public health system in a bustling port city. As the first health officer of the City of New York, he championed quarantine regulations, inspected incoming ships, and promoted vaccination and sanitary reforms, laying the groundwork for a more resilient community.

He is buried at St. Andrew's Church, where his legacy survives in the continued emphasis on public health and the safety of seaport towns that he so faithfully defended.