Cephas Little Bard, born April 7, 1843 in Pennsylvania, was a well-known physician and prominent citizen of Ventura County in the late 19th century. Bard co-founded Ventura's first hospital and was also a prominent medical researcher. His collection of curios was also the foundation of what would later become the Museum of Ventura County. Dr. Bard passed away on April 20, 1902 due to complications from a surgery. His collection includes correspondence, monographs, legal documents, and ledgers created by Dr. Bard and his relatives regarding business and family matters. There are also several medical monographs written by Cephas Bard.

Cephas Little Bard, born April 7, 1843 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was a well-known physician and prominent citizen of Ventura County in the late 19th century. Bard co-founded Ventura's first hospital and was also a prominent medical researcher. His collection of curios was also the foundation of what would later become the Museum of Ventura County. Many of Bards family members were doctors on his maternal side, and on his paternal side he had relatives who were founders of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York. In addition, his paternal relative, Dr. Samuel Bard, was General George Washington's physician and, his maternal great-grandfather, Colonel Robert Parker, was a colonel under Washington and received special recognition for gallant services.

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Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where the Museum of Ventura County do not hold the copyright.

COLLECTION STORED ON-SITE AT MVC Research Library: Open for research. All requests to access on-site special collections material can be made in advance using the contact information located on this page.