Notes
Note N2894
Index
Home was Colba, on the river Saale, in Lower Saxony. Held the office of secretary of Colba,and was widely known.
Notes
Note N2895
Index
Born on his father's farm, at the foot of the Kittochtinny or Blue Mountains, about five miles from Harrisburg, in Susquehanna township, Dauphin Co, Pa.
Notes
Note N2896
Index
Baptized by Rev. Christian H. Kurtz.
Notes
Note N2897
Index
In the year 1811, being then of the age of fourteen years, he moved with his parents into the town of Harrisburg, where he continued to reside until his death. Although afforded but limited facilities of acquiring an education by attending the schools of that period, yet, having the advantage of the instructions of his father, who was a man of thorough education and culture, and being himself an indefatigable student, reading and studying whenever and however the opportunity promoted. He grew to manhood with his naturally fine mental endowments admirably cultivated, and liberally developed. Of studious habits and love of knowledge, these characteristics adhered to him throughout his life. A man of original thinking powers, and of mental capacity of a high order, he gave, notwithstanding to extensive and laborious medical practice, diligent investigation to all the leading questions of the day, and careful study in the wide and diversified field of general knowledge. He was consequently upon all the leading subjects of information a natural scholar, and throughout his whole life was recognized by his fellow-townsmen as in the front rank of general knowledge and a Man of very general powers. His special field of usefulness, however, was that of medicine. In his preparation for his profession, his preceptors were his-father. Dr. Samuel C. Wiestling, Sr., and an older brother, Dr. Samuel C. Wiestling, Jr., both thoroughly educated physicians of skill and wide experience. He attended the course of medical lectures of the University of Pennsylvania. His father becoming disabled to continue in active practice, by reason of a paralytic stroke in the year 1817, he succeeded him in his practice, first in partnership with his brother, Dr. Samuel C. Wiestling, Jr., which continued for a few years and subsequently alone. This was about the year 1821 or 1822. Acquiring a large and extensive practice, both in town and country, he prosecuted the duties of his profession with a degree of faithful devotion and judicious skill, which won for him the admiration and high regard of the medical fraternity and the unlimited confidence of the whole community.
In his religious convictions Dr. Wiestling was well grounded and faithful. While yet a young man he was confirmed into full membembip of the Salem Reformed Church, of Chestnut Street, Harrisburg, and in the study and interpretation of Holy Writ relied implicitly upon the teaching and doctrine of the Heidelberg Catechism, the symbol and standard of Reformed faith, and in it he unwaveringly lived and confidently died, cherishing its principles and truth with tenacious fidelity.
In politics Dr. Joshua Wiestling was, as parties were then divided, an ardent Whig, being a great admirer of Henry Clay, and a firm advocate of a protective tariff for the fostering of our diversified resources and industries. In political contests he took a lively interest, and was active and efficient during campaigns, and for a year or more he was the chairman of the Dauphin County Whig Committee, and issued a published address to the voters of the county, in which he discussed the views of the day with logical force and statesmanlike ability.
In stature he was about six feet in height, broad-shouldered of large head, erect in carriage, full- chested, rather stout in figure and person, and dignified.
Notes
Note N2898
Index
From Fran comes the comment: "In 1785, Dr. Wiestling married Miss Anna Maria Bucher, and his friend Fritchey married a sister. As years rolled on and a family gathered around him, the tender ties of wife and children gradually caused him to dismiss from his mind the thought of returning to Germany. But his love for his native land was strong as life itself, and oft times the yearning to see once more the home and friends of his boyhood was intense. His family deeply sympathized with these attacks of "heimweh", and sought by loving care to dispel the clouds that overshadowed his spirit".
Quoting from "a family history transcribed by Annie M. Wiestling, from notes left by her father, George P. Wiestling, son of Samuel C. Wiestling, about 1885", comes the following description of the circumstances of the Wiestling arrival in America: 'At this time, an expedition started out from the Netherlands to America under the Ambassador from Holland, Baron (unreadable), with two ships laden with linen, a frigate and a cutter. He was ordered to duty on this expedition in the capacity of Naval Surgeon, and set sail "on June 4th, 1783,with a favoring wind." His record says, "We left Trexel and on October 4, 1783, reached the Port of Chester on the Delaware River, Delaware County, state of Pennsylvania. The voyage was not all smooth sailing, as we encountered high winds and rough seas. On one occasion one of the vessels came very near swamping. But, with hard work, good management, and the interposition of a kind Providence, we kept above the water, and arrived safely on 'terra firma'."
'As it was obligatory upon all students and artisans in Germany to travel and see the world before they could pursue the practice of their chosen profession or trade, our young doctor decided to see something of this New World before returning to his native land. He accordingly left the vessel in company with a chum and friend, Godfrey Fritchey, and started on foot on a tour of investigation of this new land of civil and religious liberty. They traversed middle Pennsylvania, which was not then as now, "the garden spot of the world,", but was sparsely settled, and the whole country deeply impressed with the desolation and devastation consequent upon the Revolutionary War. How far they journeyed we do not know, but their funds gradually becoming less as they travelled on and vision of the "home beyond the sea" beckoning them to return, they turned their footsteps toward Philadelphia, with a view of finding a vessel to carry them thither.
'But small and comparatively trivial circumstances will sometimes change mens' purposes, and turn their footsteps into other directions which under Providence work out far different results from those aimed at. Thus,it happened to our two travellers. In Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, they met a gentleman by the name of Messemer or Minskee who kept a hotel in the vicinity of Trappe, who learning that one of them was a thoroughly educated German physician, succeeded in persuading him to tarry with him as he had with him a sick wife who had been bedridden for a long time and upon whom he had expended quite a sum of money to physicians to no purpose. This was an episode in his life that shaped his destiny for the future.
'The gentleman offered to pay him twenty dollars in hand, boarding for himself and friend, and find the medicine. He undertook the case, which was a serious and difficult one, but with which he was entirely successful, and this fortunate turn of affairs afterwards proved to be the foundation of a large and paying practice at the Trapps. His fame spread through all the region, and such a large and paying practice was the result, that for the time, he abandoned his journey home." '
From Egle's "Notes and Queries" we read "Samuel Christopher Wiestling was born in Colba, on the river Saale, in the Duchy of Magdeburg, Lower Saxony, on the 4th of June, 1760. After the usual preparatory studies, he entered the University of Leipzig, where he remained seven years. Going to Amsterdam, after examination, he received the appointment of assistant surgeon in the Dutch Navy. Sailing on a man-of-war for the West Indies, an accident befell the vessel, but with others was rescued by a passing ship and taken to Philadelphia. Here, in company with a medical friend and comrade named Hoerner, it was proposed to visit the frontier German settlements in Pennsylvania. They subsequently retraced their way to Philadelphia, but found a vessel on which they were to sail had departed. At this juncture, a gentleman from near the Trappe, Montgomery county, learning of the presence of Dr. Wiestling, sought him requesting him to visit his home. Here he began the practice of medicine, and two years after, in 1790, married Anna Maria Bucher of that locality. About 1792 he removed to Dauphin county and located on a farm at the foot of the first ridge of the Blue mountains, five miles from Harrisburg. There he continued his profession until 1811, when finding a large country practice too laborious, he came to Harrisburg. In 1817 he was stricken with paralysis, which terminated his medical career. He died on the 2nd of April, 1823, in his sixty-third year. Dr. Wiestling was an experienced physician, and his practice was extensive and successful. His life was active and useful, and his loss at the time was considered an irreparable one, such was the confidence and esteem in which he was held. He left three sons in the profession, Samuel C., Joshua M. and Benjamin J., the latter of whom survives, as also his son George P.
The notes quoted by Annie M. Wiestling appear to be from "History of Dauphin County". Additional text from "History of Dauphin County" follows. Samuel Christopher Wiestling was born at Oschatz, in the Canton or District of Meisiechen, on the 4th of June, 1760, during a visit of his mother to her parents. The home of his parents was Colba, on the river Saale, in Lower Saxony. Inasmuch as the military law of Prussia required all Prussian officers and citizen to have the name of eery child recorded in the church book of the town wherein it was born, this was done in his case. The record was also made in the military canton-book or soldiers' roll of Oschatz. he was baptized soon after, his sponsors being Samuel Ludwig Goldman, Christopher Henry Ahren, and Mrs. Catherine Elizabeth Wiestling, all resident of Colba. His parents were Christopher Martin Wiestling and Dorothea Elizabeth (Goldman) Wiestling. His father, who held the office of secretary of Colba, and was widely known, died in 1769. The widow afterwards married Michael Horst, a justice of the peace, of Acken, on the river Elba, in whom Samuel found a kind parent; was sent to school, and carefully educated. Subsequently, being influenced and guided by the counsel of his preceptors, Herr Ruprecht and his brother-in-law, the Honorable Inspector Gebring, his step-father persuaded him to study theology, and through the recommendation of those mentioned he was received into the Hallische Weisenhaus. But this life was irksome to him, and unsuited to the natural bent of his mind, and becoming discontented, he returned to his home at Colba.
"In April, 1774, he was placed under the instruction of the State Surgeon and "Land Physician," Dr. Ungor, but the doctor having died on the 1st of May 1776, he with a good recommendation went to Halle and put himself under the care and tuition of Field-Surgeon Ollenroth, with whom he remained until 1778. This gentleman very kindly secured for him regular college privileges, under Professors Makel Nestaky, Dr. Younghaus and others. As war broke out about this time between the Emperor Joseph and King Frederick II., --the bone of contention being Bayern--and a part of the Prussian army being stationed in Alsace, under Prince Henry, he was recommended by his principal for the position of lazar-surgeon, and was accordingly examined and appointed on June 3, 1778.
On July the 1st, the army marched to Dresden,a and the field hospital was removed to Thorgan. In the beginning of October he was taken sick, in consequence of which he obtained leave to return home. On recovering his health, in November, he went to Halle and resumed his studies under the professors already named until the year 1779, when he went to Dresden for the purpose of continuing his studies in anatomy in the then existing preparatory institutes, under the care of the Elector counselor, Pietochem. Here the branches of anatomy, physiology, physics, materia medica, chemistry, pathology, and therapeutics were as thoroughly taught by Dr. Hoffrath and Professors Meiden and Thomrianie as they were in Halle; but botony was neglected, though chirurgery was also thoroughly taught by the general surgeon, Wilde. In the spring of 1780 he went to Berlin to prosecute, under the Berlin State accoucheur, Dr. Hagan, his studies in obstetrics, which he had already commenced at Halle, under Catenius, Loemicke, Schmucker and Thedus. he remained during the summer in a private college of medicine, chirurgery, and anatomy.
"In October of the same year he returned to Dresden, to visit the preparatory school of anatomy. In April of the following year he went to Amsterdam, to visit John Herman Osterdyke, who had been his intimate friend in Halle, and who was not a doctor of medicine in Amsterdam. This afforded him an opportunity to visit the Land and Sea Hospital located there, and also the Amsterdam College of Medicine and Surgery, of which Dr. Herman Gerhard Osterdyke, the father of his friend, was the president. Through the kindness of the general surgeon of the hospital. the Hon. B. Hasson, he had free access to the Gast-Huys. His friend going to Halle to hold his "Inaugural Disputations," in order to the promoting, under the supervision of Dr. Leopold Osterdyke, and at his earnest persuasion he gladly accompanied him. He remained in Halle until April, 1782, when he reached to Amsterdam, where he attended the Hospital and College of Medicine and Surgery until June of 1782, when he was appointed to a position as navy doctor and surgeon, he having passed a creditable examination before the Committee of the Honorable Board of Admiralty." At this point the text reported by Anna Wiestling picks up.
Where Anna Wiestling's text ends, there is more in"History of Dauphin County" as follows: "About 1785 he married Miss Anna Maria Bucher, and his friend Fritchey married a sister. About the year 1792 or 1798 he, with his family and that of his father-in-law, removed to Dauphin County, locating on farms along the Blue Mountain, on the road leading from the Susquehanna River to Linglestown. His new home was about two miles from the river and five miles from the city of Harrisburg, in now Susquehanna township. Here he continued in the pursuit of his profession (while his wife superintended the farm) until the spring of 1811, when they removed to the town of Harrisburg, where his practice greatly increased until the year 1817, when he was stricken with paralysis, which terminated his medical career. he died April 20, 1828, in the sixty-third year of his age, thus ending a life of active usefulness, respected by all who knew him. He left eleven descendants, seven sons and four daughters."
As fate would have it, Samuel C. Wiestling served with John Eberle as a Surgeon's Mate in the 2nd Regiment, 1st Brigade of the Pennsylvania MIlitia. His dates of service were 90 days commencing on 5 September 1814.