Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Werner, Frederick William, M D 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com September 5, 2007, 9:45 pm

Author: Biographical Publishing Company

FREDERICK WILLIAM WERNER, M. D. The twenty years of Dr. Werner's life that 
have been devoted to professional work in Joliet have been sufficient to place 
him among the most reliable and skillful physicians of his home city. It was 
his intention in youth to study architecture, but Dr. Heise, of Joliet, 
persuaded him to change his plans and become a medical student. So radical a 
change as this might in many instances prove unfortunate, but the after years 
have shown that the old doctor was correct in his judgment. He gave the young 
man the benefit of his advice and experience, assisting him in his studies for 
eighteen months, until he was ready to enter the University of Michigan in 
1878. After taking a course of lectures there, in 1879 he entered Bellevue 
Hospital Medical College, of New York, from which he graduated the following 
year with the degree of M. D. Meantime he took the special courses in the 
University of  Michigan and held a position as assistant demonstrator of 
anatomy. After graduating he engaged in practice with his former preceptor, 
Dr. Heise, with whom he continued much of the time until the latter's death, 
since which he has been alone. While his medical education was thorough, it is 
not his method to remain stagnant in his profession; he is ambitious to keep 
in touch with every advancement made in the medical science and so has 
remained a constant student, striving by observation, experience, the reading 
of medical journals and courses in the Chicago Post-Graduate College under Dr. 
Byron Robinson, also special study in bacteriology under Professor Klebs, of 
Chicago, to keep in touch with every phase of professional work. He has made a 
specialty of gynecology and abdominal surgery, in which lines he has gained an 
enviable reputation for skill. He has his office at the old homestead where he 
was born, its central location rendering it well suited for a physician's 
office. 

William Werner, the doctor's father, was a son of Charles Frederick Werner, 
and was born at Frankfort-on-the-Main in 1831, a member of a very old family 
of that city. After learning the trade of a stone mason and cutter he came to 
the United States and settled in Joliet about 1850. At the time of the 
building of the Rock Island Railroad between Joliet and Chicago he was 
employed at bridge building, and later he engaged in contracting on the 
Chicago & Alton Railroad. With his brothers, Charles and Adam, he opened stone 
quarries on the west side, within the city limits, and these he assisted in 
carrying on, at the same time taking contracts for the building of stone 
structures. For years before his death he made his home at No. 603 Jefferson 
street. A Democrat in politics, he was several times elected an alderman on 
this ticket and also served as supervisor for six years. For many years he was 
a member of the fire department, of which he was chief for several terms. 
During the early days of his residence in Joliet he was an officer in the 
state militia, known at the Matteson Guards. He was one of the mainstays of 
the Lutheran Church and always remained connected with its membership and 
assisted in its support. He was connected with the Joliet Sharpshooters' 
Society. His death occurred at his home in May, 1887.

The wife of William Werner was Barbara Goebel, who was born near Coblentz, 
Germany, in 1833, and has made her home in Joliet since 1846. Her father, John 
Goebel, who was a merchant in Germany, came to America and in 1846 settled in 
what is now Joliet. He continued to reside here, following farm pursuits until 
he died. Of the children of William and Barbara Goebel four sons are living, 
viz.: Dr. Frederick William; Frederick Charles, who is fire marshal for the 
American Steel and Wire Company in Joliet; George W., a graduate of the New 
York College of Veterinary Surgeons, and now a resident of Kansas City, Mo.; 
and Edward H., who is a graduate of the New York Dental College, and practices 
dental surgery in Joliet.

In the family home at Joliet Dr. Werner was born February 8, 1858. He was 
educated in public and high schools. At fourteen years of age he began to work 
at the trade of a stone mason and cutter, and remained with his father for 
four years, being for a time his foreman on jobs. He left the trade in order 
to study medicine, and has since engaged in practice in Joliet. Besides his 
practice he is interested in other enterprises, and for some time has been 
secretary of the Joliet Sheet Rolling Mill Company. In this city he married 
Miss Louise F. Staehle, daughter of Charles W. and Marie Agnes (Bertch) 
Staehle, old settlers here.

For two years Dr. Werner was city and town physician and for ten years county 
physician. He was appointed county coroner to fill a vacancy in the office, 
and at the expiration of the term he was elected to the office, his name 
appearing on both the Republican and Democratic tickets in the election of 
1880. He was a Republican and his first nomination had been by the members of 
that party, but he was renominated by the Democrats and again elected to the 
office. During the Garfield-Arthur administration he was appointed a member of 
the first board of United States examiners for pensions chosen by President 
Garfield, and held the office until the first term of President Cleveland, 
when political reasons caused his resignation. He is a member of the American 
Society of Microscopists, the Chicago Medical Society, Will County Medical 
Society (of which he has been president), Mississippi Valley, Illinois State 
and American Medical Associations. Socially he is connected with the Germania 
Club. For some time he was a private in a company known as the Joliet 
Citizens' Corps, which, at the beginning of the great railroad strikes, was 
organized into Company B, Fourth Regiment, I. N. G.; he was commissioned 
second sergeant and was called with his company to assist in quelling the 
Braidwood strike. He is engaged  as examining physician for the principal old 
line insurance companies of Joliet, and is examining physician for Mound City 
Lodge No. 112, M. W. A., in which he was the first charter member. He is 
connected with the Supreme Court of Honor and Paul Revere Lodge, K. of P. In 
Masonry he has risen to a high rank. Three times he has been chosen master of 
Matteson Lodge No. 175, A. F. & A. M. He is a member of Joliet Chapter No. 27, 
R. A. M.; Joliet Council of Royal and Select Masters No. 82; Joliet Commandery 
No. 4, in which he is senior warden; Medinah Temple, N. M. S., with which he 
has affiliated since 1892; and a member of the Oriental Consistory of Chicago.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/werner906gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/

File size: 7.4 Kb