Robert M. Tafel
Arizona, The Youngest State, 1913

Dr. Robert M. Tafel who since 1904 has been numbered 
among the medical practioners in Phoenix, was born in 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the 27th of July 1858.  His 
parents were Louis D. and Statira (Shannon) Tafel.  The 
father, who was born in Germany followed the profession 
of bookkeeping as a life work.  The mother, a native of 
Pennsylvania was of Dutch descent, her ancestors having 
come to this country in 1710.

Dr. Tafel was a high school student in Pittsburgh and 
afterward attended the Pittsburgh Pharmaceutical College.  
The knowledge there gained has been of inestimable value 
to him in the discharge of his professional duties.  He 
took up the study of medicine in the Miami Medical College 
at Cincinnati Ohio and in 1895 was graduated from the 
Bennett Medical College of Chicago.  He then located for 
practice in that city, where he remained until 1904--the 
year of his arrival in Phoenix.  Here he has since 
continued and in the intervening period of twelve years 
has made continuous progress, the steps in his orderly 
progression being easily discernible.  His professional 
duties are constantly making greater and greater demand 
upon his time and energies and he gives undivided 
allegiance to his profession, recognizing the grave 
responsibilities which devolve upon the physician in 
his effort to check the ravages of disease, restore 
health and prolong life.

In 1898 Dr. Tafel was married to Miss Elizabeth Bast, a 
native of Pittsburgh and of German lineage.  They had 
two children, now deceased. 






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