Daily AncestorBonesetter
A bonesetter was a folk healer, usually without medical training, who set broken bones and put dislocated joints back in place.
Bone-setting is very old and was practiced all over the world long before modern medical training. Most bonesetters were self-taught, and the skill often passed down in families, some of which practiced for generations.
Before chiropractors, osteopaths and physical therapists, bonesetters were the main providers of this kind of treatment. In a record the title marks a local healer rather than a licensed physician.
As seen in a recordOccupation column of the 1850 to 1880 census
Ezra Platt, 61, Bonesetter
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Bonesetter." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/bonesetter. Last checked 2026-10-10.