Unknown - portrait of David Hitchcock

This miniature portrait is unsigned. The sitter is David Keyes Hitchcock born 9 May 1813 at Brookfield, Mass. On 21 Sep 1837, at Brookfield, he married Abigail Hastings.

In the 1860 census David and Abigail were living in Newton, Middlesex, Mass. with their eight children and several servants. His eldest son Thomas was also a dentist. Dentistry was obviously a profitable occupation as David disclosed $15,000 of real estate and $2500 of personal assets.

In the 1870 census, his real estate assets had increased to $50,000 and personal assets to $25,000. Most of the children still lived at home and there were three servants.

By the time of the 1880 census, David and Abigail were still living in Newton, with three of their children and one servant. David again described himself as dentist and so was presumably still active. 607

A more recent Internet search has revealed that  Dr. David Keyes Hitchcock (1813-1895) was a surgeon dentist with a practice in Boston at 98 Court Street. 

He was the author of Preservation of the Teeth: A Family Guide, published in Boston in 1840. He also began publishing annual almanacs around 1839.

Below is a contemporary cartoon, or possibly an advertisement, depicting him at work;