Bios.Cherokee County,OK Loeser, Irwin D. Dr. ======================================================================= USGenWeb NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free Information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ======================================================================= Posted by Terrell White in Nov2005 terrellwhite1978@aol.com Dr. Irwin D. Loeser Reprinted from Tahlequah and the Cherokee Nation By C. W. “Dub” West 1978 D. Loeser was born in Philadelphia in 1812. He came west as a hospital steward in the United States Army and was discharged at Ft. Gibson in 1833. He came to what was to become Tahlequah in 1833 and assisted in laying out the town. He joined Cherokee Lodge No. 10 in its organization September 5, 1877. He married Susan Agnew, a Cherokee who had come to Indian Territory on the Trail of Tears. He received a letter from his mother dated August 23, 1843 as follows: Dear Son: It has been two years now since I had heard from you and am feeling very anxious to hear from you and what you are doing. I wish you would write to me immediately giving me all the particulars of what your are doing and why you did not come home according to your promise in your last letter. I have nothing worth writing about except we are all well at the present. It is needless to say that he never kept that promise, as he remained in Tahlequah practicing medicine until his death September 11, 1877. According to a letter he wrote December 16, 1865 but never mailed because he “had no postage”, he was captured twice during the war while going to attend the sick but was released because he was the only doctor in this area. He said that both sides robbed and plundered his possessions, accusing him of being sympathetic with the other side, but they did not harm him. They also spared his cabin (As of November 12, 2005, the cabin still stands in Tahlequah at 121 E. Smith St. and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, having been added November 17, 1978.). In another letter written March 25, 1876 he says that he was the doctor for the seminaries, receiving a salary of $50 per month but that he had to furnish the medicine. He mentions in both of these last letters the difficulty of collecting his fees because the people were so poor. Among his papers are numerous statements of accounts owed him for his services. He charged $2.00 per call. In addition to his papers, Miss Sue [Crafton] has her grandfather’s medical saddlebags with little bottles of medicine in them. She plans to present these effects to the Cherokee National Historical Society. Dr. Loeser’s obituary appeared in the Cherokee Advocate of September 19, 1877. W. P. Boudinot, editor [wrote]: Dr. I.D. Lozier [sic], one of the first Tahlequah’s first residents died Friday, September 11, 1877. He came to Tahlequah about the year 1833. Originally from Pennsylvania and of German ancestry, he came to Fort Gibson as a medical officer. His life was one of unvarying steadiness and usefulness. The writer of this who knew him for many years never knew of his having a single enemy. As proof of this fact, it may be mentioned that he lived during the war unharmed by even the wild riders and scouts from both sides who were constantly scouring the country. Thus respected, Dr. Lozier [sic] lived his life of quiet usefulness until laid on his final bed of sickness some weeks since. His last illness was a slow wasting away of his vital powers until death came to his relief. Dr. Lozier [sic] left an intelligent and interesting family with whom all acquaintances deeply sympathize in their great affliction, occasioned by the loss of this good man – father, husband, and a friend.