People: Calvin B. Orcutt

In the earliest days of organized healthcare in Elizabeth, NJ, doctors and nurses were the people most citizens came in contact with, but there were many other dedicated individuals who stepped up to aid the cause. Calvin B. Orcutt was one of those people, and his efforts played a key role in the hospital's ability to start in a home on Jaques St. (near Elizabeth Avenue) and ultimately build a vast facility on E. Jersey St. and Reid St. and several other adjacent facilities.

Interestingly, Mr. Orcutt was President of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the world, yet he was called to help with the formation of the Elizabeth General Hospital and Dispensary.

While the medical professionals were concerned with one-on-one care for their patients, individuals like Mr. Orcutt, Lebbeus B. Miller and J. Augustus Dix, among others, were tasked with locating and purchasing properties, securing funding and overseeing the construction, completion, staffing and supplying of the physical locations that were needed to deliver the care that was necessary.

His business career began in Jersey City, and led to a job in the wholesale drug business, then on to a job in 1864 in a bank called Fisk & Hatch (where he literally started at the bottom by washing windows in some cases). Then, in 1878, as the hospital's "Free Dispensary" was transitioning to the Jaques St. home that became Elizabeth's first hospital, Mr. Orcutt became involved in marketing and shipping coal. This led to an interest in shipping that led him to Richmond and Newport News, Virginia, and work as the President of the Old Dominion Land Company.

Calvin B. Orcutt was an amazing businessman whose successes were immense and had a significant impact on the growth of the country. And, while all of this was happening, the formation of the Elizabeth General Hospital and Dispensary was something he felt compelled to contribute to in league with other executives and community leaders.

As noted elsewhere, Mr. Orcutt and Lebbeus B. Miller were able to find and purchase lots and properties in and around E. Jersey St. and Reid St. that led to the construction of the Elizabeth General Hospital and Dispensary complex that included the Blake Memorial Hospital for Women.

Calvin Orcutt was married in 1872 to Harriet M. Willett of North Granville, NY, and the hospital's Leadership page notes that a W. W. Willett was a member of the Board of Managers from 1899-1913 and President of the Board of Managers from 1908-1913. While it is not known at this time if there was a family relationship between Harriet and W. W., it points to the possibility that Mr. Orcutt's influence and direction continued during the tenure of W. W. Willett.

Suffice it to say that Calvin B. Orcutt was an international figure who made his fortune in New York and Virginia, but had an interest in Elizabeth, NJ and the founding of the first hospital. His business accomplishments were touched upon on pages 410-411 of a publication called "The Successful American" that provided profiles of prominent American business leaders. A significant portion of this page's information was culled from the Successful American profile.

Through many decades and location changes, a grandfather clock has survived that was donated "In Memory of Calvin B. Orcutt" that still works and is located at the RWJBarnabas Health/Trinitas Regional Medical Center's Comprehensive Cancer Center and is one of the rare artifacts that has survived through all the changes over the past century and a half.

The New York Times published a death notice on January 31, 1911 stating that Mr. Orcutt passed away the day before on January 30, 1911. They also noted he was an expert in shipbuilding and his advice was often sought by naval architects. It said he passed away at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where he had gone for an operation.

This information was last reviewed or updated on March 25, 2026. Adjustments may be made to this page as new information is added, making this a continual work in progress