AUGUSTUS W. HOFFMEISTER, M. D.

HOFFMEISTER, GAERTNER, FREMONT

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/6/2020 at 21:15:56

AUGUSTUS W. HOFFMEISTER, M. D.--Augustus W. Hoffmeister was born on the 14th of June, 1827, at Altenau, on the Hartz mountains, kingdom of Hanover, and was the oldest of two children whose parents were Heinrich and Louise Hoffmeister. His father was a miner, and in comfortable circumstances. Augustus received a very liberal education, and graduated from the college at Clausthal, with the highest honors of his class, in 1846. He was at this time in his nineteenth year, and immediately began an extended course in chemistry, and the sciences underlying the study of medicine, at Clausthal, for a space of two years. He then accompanied his father’s family to America. They settled in St. Louis. He remained in St. Louis for one year, pursuing the study of the English language. He then went to California, where he remained for two years. In 1851, he returned from California and entered the St Louis Medical University, from which college, after several years of very diligent study, he graduated with honor in 1854. He then came to Iowa, and settled in Fort Madison, and immediately began the practice of medicine. He has been engaged in this practice ever since and has met with great success. In 1862, during the civil war, he became a surgeon in the 8th Iowa, and accompanied this regiment for several years. His medical skill and knowledge are esteemed very highly by the soldiers who served in that regiment. The doctor has been surgeon of the Iowa penitentiary since 1866. In 1854, he was united in marriage to Bertha Gaertner, a native of Clausthal, in the kingdom of Hanover. He is the father of ten children, nine of whom are living. He takes a great interest in education. The doctor may be rightly termed a man of the most liberal education, and a German thinker. In politics he is a Republican, and voted first for John C. Fremont. He was the first German Republican in this place. He is a great admirer of Republican institutions. In religion he is rather disposed to stand on the platform of rationalism; he is, however, a respecter of all religious denominations. He is perfectly devoid of bigotry, with its usual train of phantasms and idiosyncrosies. The doctor is distinguished for his knowledge of entomology, and has one of the largest and finest collections of insects in the west. We find him to-day enjoying good health and a lucrative medical practice, and admired for his talents and gentlemanly characteristics.

Source:
Illustrated Historical ATLAS of Lee County, IOWA
A. T. Andreas
Chicago, ILL.
1874

Transcription by Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer