Alfred Southwick
Death: 1898Alfred P. Southwick was a Clinical Professor of Operative Technics and Mechanical Technics in the School of Dentistry when it was founded in 1892. Along with the other clinical professors, Southwick provided instruction in the laboratory and infirmary and was responsible for the practical education of the students. As Clinical Professor of Operative Technics and Mechanical Technics, his duty was to supervise all manual work of the students.
Alfred P. Southwick also served in the roles of Secretary and Treasurer of the School of Dentistry. According to Julian Park's "History of the University of Buffalo," Southwick's efforts as Secretary and Treasurer were distinct contributions to the early success of the school.
In the late 1880s, Alfred Southwick was a member of the New York State Commission on Human Execution, which was tasked with finding a more humane way of carrying out capital punishment in the state. Nicknamed "Old Electricity" by some due to his scientific experiments using that medium, Southwick was strongly in favor of electrocution replacing hanging as New York State's method of execution. In 1888, the Commission gave its recommendation in support of electrocution and in 1889, Governor David Hill signed the Electrical Execution Law.
Alfred P. Southwick died in 1898 and is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in the City of Buffalo.
Affiliation(s): Dentistry
Record Group(s): 38
Biographical File Contains:
- Obituary