John Charles Rock1,2
b. 24 March 1890, d. 4 December 1984
| Father | Frank S. Rock3 |
| Mother | Annie J. Murphy3 |
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John Charles Rock was born on 24 March 1890 in Marlborough, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.3,2 He married Anna Thorndike, daughter of Paul Thorndike and Rachel Ewing Sherman, on 3 January 1925 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. The ceremony was performed by Cardinal William O'Connell, Archbishop of Boston.1 He died on 4 December 1984 at Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough, Hillsborough Co., New Hampshire, at age 94 from heart failure.4 He was buried at Forest Hills Cemetery and Crematory in Jamaica Plain, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.5
Before entering college he worked for the United Fruit Co. in Guatemala from about July 1909 to February 19106,7, then in construction in Rhode Island. In each of those jobs he was promoted, but then fired after nine months.6
He graduated from Harvard University in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, with a B.S. in 1915, and from Harvard Medical School with his M.D. in 1918. He went on to become a pioneer physician and researcher in human fertilization and reproduction. His initial work was focused on infertility issues, but he is most well-known for his work in the 1950s with Dr. Gregory Pincus, a biology professor at Boston University, that culminated in the development of the birth control pill.8 He was the first person to propose in-vitro fertilization, in 19374, and he and Arthur Hertig were the first to actually demonstrate it, in 1944.8 He was also one of the first to successfully freeze human sperm cells.9
He began his career in obstetrics at the Boston Lying-In Hospital in Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, in 1919. From 1922 to 1956 he was a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, ultimately being appointed clinical professor of gynecology. He also served as director of the Fertility and Endocrine Clinic at the Free Hospital for Women in Brookline, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts, from 1926 to 1956, and founded the Rhythm Clinic at the Free Hospital in 1936. He left Harvard and the Free Hospital in 1956, and founded the Rock Reproductive Clinic, also in Brookline.8
He was a devout Roman Catholic, and his work naturally resulted in conflicts with church officials, starting as early as 1931 when he signed a petition for the repeal of a Massachusetts law banning contraceptives. He also wrote the book The Time Has Come, published in 1963, arguing for a change in the church's position on the use of contraceptives.8 He maintained that the pill's effect was "completely physiological and therefore in accord with nature," and thus consistent with the church's position. He also testified to committees in Congress and gave many presentations throughout the world warning about the problem of overpopulation.9
He spent most of his life living in the Boston area, and he and his wife Anna are listed there in the 1930 census with their children and two servants.10 He fully retired in 1971, at age 80, and moved to Temple, Hillsborough Co., New Hampshire.8
Before entering college he worked for the United Fruit Co. in Guatemala from about July 1909 to February 19106,7, then in construction in Rhode Island. In each of those jobs he was promoted, but then fired after nine months.6
He graduated from Harvard University in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, with a B.S. in 1915, and from Harvard Medical School with his M.D. in 1918. He went on to become a pioneer physician and researcher in human fertilization and reproduction. His initial work was focused on infertility issues, but he is most well-known for his work in the 1950s with Dr. Gregory Pincus, a biology professor at Boston University, that culminated in the development of the birth control pill.8 He was the first person to propose in-vitro fertilization, in 19374, and he and Arthur Hertig were the first to actually demonstrate it, in 1944.8 He was also one of the first to successfully freeze human sperm cells.9
He began his career in obstetrics at the Boston Lying-In Hospital in Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, in 1919. From 1922 to 1956 he was a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, ultimately being appointed clinical professor of gynecology. He also served as director of the Fertility and Endocrine Clinic at the Free Hospital for Women in Brookline, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts, from 1926 to 1956, and founded the Rhythm Clinic at the Free Hospital in 1936. He left Harvard and the Free Hospital in 1956, and founded the Rock Reproductive Clinic, also in Brookline.8
He was a devout Roman Catholic, and his work naturally resulted in conflicts with church officials, starting as early as 1931 when he signed a petition for the repeal of a Massachusetts law banning contraceptives. He also wrote the book The Time Has Come, published in 1963, arguing for a change in the church's position on the use of contraceptives.8 He maintained that the pill's effect was "completely physiological and therefore in accord with nature," and thus consistent with the church's position. He also testified to committees in Congress and gave many presentations throughout the world warning about the problem of overpopulation.9
He spent most of his life living in the Boston area, and he and his wife Anna are listed there in the 1930 census with their children and two servants.10 He fully retired in 1971, at age 80, and moved to Temple, Hillsborough Co., New Hampshire.8
More Information / Background
Citations
- [S6768] "Miss Thorndike A Bride", The Boston Herald, 4 January 1925, p. C1, col. 4, cont. on p. C2, col. 3.
- [S6834] World War I Draft Registration, John Charles Rock.
- [S624] Massachusetts Vital Records, 1841-1910. Birth record for John Rock, Vol. 32, p. 27 (amended).
- [S6774] Obituary, John Rock, The Springfield Union, Springfield, Massachusetts, 5 December 1984, p. 20, col. 3.
- [S1871] Find A Grave. Memorial for John Charles Rock (Mem. No. 66061733), Forest Hills Cemetery and Crematory, Jamaica Plain, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. Created by Vita Brevis, 23 February 2011.
- [S6776] "Dr. John Rock: I Always Obeyed My Conscience", The Boston Herald, 7 October 1973, Sect. 5, p. 8, col. 1.
- [S6835] U.S. Passport Application, John Charles Rock, 23 March 1920.
- [S6836] John C. Rock personal and professional papers, 1921-1985 - Biographical Note, https://id.lib.harvard.edu/ead/med00064/catalog
- [S6775] Obituary, John Rock, The Washington Post, Washington, D. C., 6 December 1984.
- [S6767] 1930 U.S. Census, John Rock household, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts.