5 January 2015

Dr. George Adolph Fiegenbaum

1855 — 1896

Biogaphical Information

Dr. Geo. A. Fiegenbaum, A. M. of the firm of Goslin & Fiegenbaum, physicians and surgeons, was born in Galena, Illinois, January 1, 1855.  His father, Henry H. Fiegenbaum, was a native of Prussia, Germany, and his mother, whose maiden name was Clara C. Kastenbutt, was from Hanover, Germany.  The former was an itinerant minister in the German M. E. Church, and consequently made various moves.  He went with his family to Wapello, Iowa, in 1860, then to Pekin, Illinois, in 1864, thence to Quincy, Illinois, in 1867, and in 1870 to St. Joseph, Missouri. 1   George now started out on his own account by first engaging himself as clerk in a mercantile establishment.  In the fall of 1873 he moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and took a classical course at the Iowa Wesleyan University and a theological course at the German Wesleyan College, attending the two colleges together.  After five years study he was graduated in June, 1878, with the degree of A. B. 2   In 1877 he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Ray Beattie, and in the fall of 1878 he attended his first course of lectures at the St. Joseph Hospital Medical College.  By the removal of Dr. Beattie to South America Mr. F. was obliged to choose another preceptor, which he found in the person of Dr. T. H. Doyle, of St. Joseph.  He graduated in the spring of 1880, and that same year the Wesleyan University conferred upon him the degree of A. M. 3   In July, 1880, he came to Oregon and formed a partnership with Dr. Goslin.  In the spring of 1882 he received the appointment of physician of Holt County.  Dr. F. is a member of the Medical Society of Northwest Missouri.  He was married in October, 1880, to Miss Anna B. Brodick, daughter of the Rev. I. A. Brodick, of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.  She was born in Burlington, Iowa, on the 16th of August, 1856. 4   She is an active member of the Woman's Union of Oregon.

Source: History of Holt and Atchison Counties, Missouri, containing a History of These Counties, Their Cities, Towns, etc., etc., Biographical Sketches of Their Citizens, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of Missouri, Map of Holt and Atchison Counties, etc. (St. Joseph, Missouri: National Historical Company, 1882), p. 370.


MARRIAGES

FIEGENBAUM-BRADRICK - On Wednesday, October 20, 1880, in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, by the bride's father, Rev. I. A. Bradrick, of the Iowa Conference, Dr. George A. Fiegenbaum, son of Rev. --- Fiegenbaum, presiding elder of St. Joseph District (German), Methodist Ep'scopal Church, to Miss Anna B. Bradrick.

Source: Western Christian Advocate, Wednesday, 22 December 1880; Vol. 47, Issue 51; p. 408, column 4.


Class of 1878

251.  George Adolph Fiegenbaum, A.B. - Born January 1, 1855, Geneva, Ill. 5   Entered Iowa Wesleyan 1873.  A.M. 1880.  Philomathean. 6   Phi Delta Theta. 7   Graduate German College 8   Graduate St. Joseph College Physicians and Surgeons. 9   Practiced medicine, St. Joseph, Mo., until death.

Married Anna Birdsall Bradrick (See No. 236) October 20, 1880, Mt. Pleasant.

Children -    Henry Allen Ernest, born January 19, 1882. 10 
Helen Mary, born July 30, 1889
Clara Marguerite, born June 1, 1893.

Died 1896, St. Joseph, Mo.

Source: Alumnal Association of Iowa Wesleyan College. Historical Sketch and Alumni Record of Iowa Wesleyan College (Mount Pleasant, Iowa: Alumnal Association of Iowa Wesleyan College, 1917), page 205.


newspaper article about Mrs. Bird Fiegenbaum, of Oklahoma City, traveling home with her two children after visiting with her parents and husband in Chicago.  Dr. G. A. Fiegenbaum, who was being treated for throat trouble, has been pronounced cured.

Source: The Holt County Sentinel (Oregon, Missouri); Friday, 20 September 1895; page 1, column 7.

Digital copies accessed through Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers (The Library of Congress) in December 2011.

In spite of the good news reported in this brief notice in September 1895, George was not cured. His medical difficulites persisted and by the end of the year they had become critical.


Mrs. Min [sic] Curry left Thursday for Oklahoma City, called there by the serious illness of her brother, Dr. George Fiegenbaum.  We trust he may be found better on her arrival at his bedside.

Source: The Holt County Sentinel (Oregon, Missouri); Friday, 6 December 1895; page 4, column 7.

Digital copies accessed through Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers (The Library of Congress) in November 2011.

After a great deal of suffering, George Fiegenbaum died at St. Joseph, Missouri in April 1896. His obituaries provide more detail about the end of his life.


Notes to These Documents

  1. Links to photos and documents relating to George's parents, Rev. Heinrich Hermann & Clara Catherine (Kastenbudt) Fiegenbaum may be found in the More Resources section, below.

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  2. In 1873, George entered Iowa Wesleyan University (known since 1912 as Iowa Wesleyan College) at Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa and graduated with an A.B. degree in 1878. He was member of the Philomathean Literary Society and the Iowa Alpha Chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. George was also a graduate of the nearby Mt. Pleasant German College, affiliated with the German branch of the Methodist Episcopal Church. See his alumni record, also on this page.

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  3. In 1880, after receiving his M.D. degree from the St. Joseph Hospital Medical College, at St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri, George also received an A.M. degree from Iowa Wesleyan University.

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  4. Anna Birdsall Bradrick, the daughter of Rev. Isaiah Allen and Mary (Rankin) Bradrick, was born on 18 August 1856 at Lima, Allen County, Ohio. After finishing at Mt. Pleasant High School, she entered Iowa Wesleyan University in 1873 and graduated with a B.S. degree in 1877. She was member of the Ruthean Literary Society and the Iowa Alpha Chapter of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. Anna and George Adolph Fiegenbaum were married on 20 October 1880 at Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa (see the notice, also on this page).

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  5. George Adolph Fiegenbaum was born in Galena, JoDaviess County, Illinois; not in Geneva.

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  6. The Philomathean Literary Society was organized in 1853 at Iowa Wesleyan University (known as Iowa Wesleyan College since 1912).

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  7. The Phi Delta Theta fraternity was founded in 1848. The Iowa Alpha Chapter, the oldest west of the Mississippi River, was installed at Iowa Weslyan, on September 27, 1871.

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  8. Mt. Pleasant German College, also at Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, was affiliated with the German branch of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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  9. George studied at and received his medical degree in 1880 from the St. Joseph Hospital Medical College, St. Joseph, Missouri.

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  10. Henry died in childhood, probably before 1895. A notice published in The Holt County Sentinel (Oregon, Missouri) in September 1895, does not mention Henry as one of the children of "Mrs. Bird Fiegenbaum, of Oklahoma City." His father's obituaries in 1896 noted that Dr. George Adolph Fiegenbaum was survived by a wife and two, not three, children.

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Brief Genealogy

George Adolph Fiegenbaum's family

Anna Birdsall Bradrick's family

Fiegenbaum - Bradrick family

More Resources