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Death of Dr. Henry B. Buehler
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on March 9, 2012
Death of Dr. H. B. Buehler
LYKENS, 5 February 1904. — After an illness lasting almost two years, Dr. Henry B Buehler, one of Harrisburg’s best known citizens, died Monday evening at his residence, No. 227 North Second Street. The direct cause of his death was dropsy born of the lingering illness that struck him down years ago.
Dr. Buehler was prominent in military, musical, social and business circles in Harrisburg for many years. When a young man he graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, the city of his birth. He was born on 27 September 1835, the son of William Buehler and Henrietta R. Buehler, and in 1848 came to Harrisburg with his parents, his father taking charge of the Buehler Hotel, the present Hotel Bolton. Dr. Buehler, after graduating at Jefferson Medical College, established a practice in Arkansas, but on the breaking out of the Civil War he returned to Harrisburg and entered the army as a surgeon in the Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers [11th Pennsylvania Infantry] serving conspicuously until the close of the war. After the war he practiced his profession for a while at Lykens, but left there to assist his father in a large insurance business which he had established in Harrisburg at the corner of Second and Walnut Streets. On the death of the elder Buehler, the con took up the business and continued it until he retired about two years ago, his illness preventing him from active duties. He was one of the best known insurance men in Pennsylvania and was noted for his accuracy as an insurance adjuster, having but few equals in that particular.
Dr. Buehler in his younger days was prominent in society, and for years he was renowned as a vocalist, being possessed of a deep rich bass voice, which was often heard in choirs and at public concerts. He was a member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Choir from his boyhood until he was stricken with illness, and was exceedingly popular. An Odd Fellow for many years, and one of the charter members of Post 58, Grand Army of the Republic [G.A.R.], he was well known in secret society and military circles.
Genial, affable, courteous and always polite, he resembled his father, who Dickens said, in his American notes, was the politest man he met in the United States.
Dr. Buehler is survived by his wife, his daughter Eloise Buehler of Baltimore, and the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. Robert A. Lamberton, Harrisburg; Mrs. H. Stanley Woodwin, Bethlehem, deceased; Rear Admiral William G. Buehler, U.S. Navy, retired, Philadelphia; Mrs. George Douglass Ramsey, Harrisburg; Edward H. Buehler, wholesale druggist, Chicago, Illinois.
The funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon, at 2 o’clock, from St. Stephen’s Church, North Front Street, the Rev. Hasting conducting the services, assisted by the Rev. Leroy F. Baker, and interment was made in Harrisburg cemetery – Harrisburg Telegraph.
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Dr. Buehler practiced medicine at this place before and not after the war, as stated in the above article, and will be remembered by the older residents of this section. He and the senior editor of the Standard, with one or two others, composed the choir of the Episcopal Church when services were held in the old school house which stood on the premises on North Second Street where now is located the store and dwelling of J. B. Fisher, or close by. The late S. H. Barrett and Dr. Buehler took turns in reading the service, and those were the first Episcopal services held in this valley. This was in 1860 and the following year Dr. Buehler went to Harrisburg.
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The above article appeared in the Lykens Standard on the date indicated. Dr. Buehler was previously mentioned in a post entitled, Gratz During the Civil War – Dr. Isaiah Schminky, Physician. In that post, it was stated that Dr. Schminky partnered with a Dr. Buehler for a time during the 1860s. Similar information was also reported in A Comprehensive History of the Town of Gratz Pennsylvania. At that time not much was known about Dr. Buehler, but the obituary from 1903 now clears up the mystery. The Dr. Buehler who for a time was a partner of Dr. Schminky was the same Dr. Buehler who was such an influential citizen of Harrisburg and was also a surgeon during the Civil War.
Dr. Buehler’s information card from the Pennsylvania Archives is presented above. He was commissioned as an Assistant Surgeon in the 11th Pennsylvani Infantry, Headquarters, 26 April 1861. He only served until 1 August 1861.
For his Civil War service he received a pension and after his death his widow continued to receive the benefits until her death.
Dr, Buehler was also instrumental in raising funds for the Dauphin County Civil War Memorial. The story of the how the Dauphin County Civil War Memorial came to be erected will appear beginning Tuesday, 13 March 2012.
The portrait of Dr. Buehler is from an on-line volume of MOLLUS (Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States) photographs, the copyright of which has expired. The complete book of military portraits is available as a free download at the Internet Archive.
I have a letter from Buehler’s hotel and inn 1841….from my gggreat Aunt Eleanor Osborn Russell….to her sister in Erie Pa. There was a Buehler Hotel in Erie as well run by George Buehler….I also noted in the Rawl Diaries of Harrisburg, his friend William from Philadelphia in connection with the hotel…1833. I think the mail was delivered and picked up there.
My ggrandfather’s CW letters are at the Clements U of Mich….15th Pa Cavalry Anderson Company…his cousin was Walter Wilson of Philadelphia…lot of controversy, court martial, imprisonment, etc and help from important people in Philadelphia….Can you shed any light on Walter???? He invented the animal crackers that were baked for the kids at the Expo ’76 Zoological Pavillion. Walter’s parents were Theodore and Louisa Wilson. I have many letters from them through the 80’s. Just trying to figure out the relation connection. Thanks
Was Dickens reference to Charles Dickens?