Rev. Rufus B. Tobey (1849–1920) was a Congregationalist pastor who founded the

Floating Hospital for Children Tufts Children's Hospital (formerly Floating Hospital for Children) in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts was a downtown Boston pediatric hospital owned by Tufts Medical Center, occupying the space between Chinatown, Boston, Chinatown and the Bosto ...

in Boston, which was later renamed

Tufts Children's Hospital Tufts Children's Hospital (formerly Floating Hospital for Children) in Boston, Massachusetts was a downtown Boston pediatric hospital owned by Tufts Medical Center, occupying the space between Chinatown and the Boston Theater District, which ...

at Tufts Medical Center. Rufus Babcock Tobey was born in

New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast region. At the 2020 census, New Bedford had a population of 101,079, making it the state's ninth-l ...

, on May 6, 1849, to Charles Tobey and Maria Robbins. Tobey attended

Phillips Academy Andover Phillips Academy (also known as PA, Phillips Academy Andover, or simply Andover) is a Private school, private, Mixed-sex education, co-educational college-preparatory school for Boarding school, boarding and Day school, day students located in ...

and then

Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...

, graduating in the class of 1877. He then graduated from

Andover Seminary Andover Newton Theological School (ANTS) was a graduate school and seminary in Newton, Massachusetts, affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA and the United Church of Christ. It was the product of a merger between Andover Theological ...

in 1880. Tobey first served as a pastor in

Harwich, Massachusetts Harwich ( ) is a New England town on Cape Cod, in Barnstable County in the state of Massachusetts in the United States. At the 2020 census it had a population of 13,440. Harwich experiences a seasonal increase to roughly 37,000. The town is a ...

, before founding a Congregational church in

Helena, Montana Helena (; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat, seat of Lewis and Clark County, Montana, Lewis and Clark County. Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold ...

. He then returned to Harwich before leaving to serve as a pastor at Berkeley Temple in Boston. While at Berkeley he developed a friendship with Dr.

Edward Everett Hale Edward Everett Hale (April 3, 1822 – June 10, 1909) was an American author, historian, and Unitarian minister, best known for his writings such as " The Man Without a Country", published in ''Atlantic Monthly'', in support of the Union ...

, and with his support, Tobey founded Floating Hospital for Children in Boston harbor. Tobey also was a co-founder of Ingleside Home at Revere for young girls, and he was active with the Mount Pleasant Home for Aged Men and Women. He served as a pastor of Berkeley Temple church in Boston. He was married to Carolina Gifford until her death in 1890. He then married Genevieve Gifford of Nebraska and left a daughter upon his death in 1920. Tobey died on January 6, 1920, in

Middleborough, Massachusetts Middleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,405 as of 2023. The census-designated place of Middleborough Center, Massachusetts, Middleborough Center corresponds to the main village and commercia ...

, and was buried at

Mount Wollaston Cemetery Mount Wollaston Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery at 20 Sea Street in the Merrymount neighborhood of Quincy, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1855 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. History In 1854 when Hancock ...

in Quincy.''Amherst Graduates' Quarterly,'' Issue 3; Issue 35, p. 194

References

{{reflist People from New Bedford, Massachusetts People from Middleborough, Massachusetts American Congregationalists Tufts University Amherst College alumni Phillips Academy alumni