BIOGRAPHY: M. A. WESNER, M.D., Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 405-6
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M.A. WESNER, M. D., of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the originator and principal 
organizer of the Homoeopathic Medical Society of Central Pennsylvania, is a 
well-known and active representative of the medical profession of Cambria 
county, Pennsylvania, and was born at Bald Eagle, Blair county, this State, 
December 8, 1844. His father was killed when he was only a year old, and his 
mother moved with her three children to her father's residence, who lived on a 
farm near Loretto, in Cambria county.
    Dr. Wesner lived with his grandparents till the age of fourteen, and ever 
since has taken care of himself. He attended the public schools of his place, 
the terms of which were then very short, only four months during the year; but 
by hard study and persistent effort he managed to gain sufficient knowledge to 
enable him to obtain a certificate as teacher by the time he was nineteen years 
of age. Afterwards he attended several sessions of the county Normal school, and 
spent some time at St. Francis' College, an institution of learning in charge of 
the Franciscan brothers, of Loretto. But the manner in which he was obliged to 
struggle in order to gain a creditable education, only he himself can tell. 
Thrown entirely on his own limited resources, he bravely toiled on with unabated 
vigor, till kind success smiled on his earnest endeavor. If any one deserves the 
title "self-made man," he certainly does.
    He was a successful teacher in the public schools of Cambria county for nine 
years. During the latter four years of this time he read medicine, first under 
the instruction of Dr. Jamison, of Loretto, and then under Dr. Marbourg, of 
Johnstown. His studies were largely carried on in the evening and at night, 
while he taught school during the day. The summer's vacation, when other 
teachers enjoyed their recreation and rest, always gave him a good opportunity 
for study.
     In the spring of 1876 he graduated from Jefferson Medical college, in 
Philadelphia. He first practiced at Carrolltown, Cambria county, and afterwards 
at Loretto. Becoming dissatisfied with the results of allopathic medicine during 
the first year of his practice, he adopted the homoeopathic system, and he has 
since steadily and consistently adhered to this school. Here again he was 
required to study hard in order to master the principles of the new school of 
medicine. He was the principal founder of the Homeopathic Medical Society of 
Central Pennsylvania, and also belongs to the Pennsylvania State Society of the 
Homoeopathic school. In politics he is a prohibitionist, and never prescribes 
alcohol in any form for his patients. People often remark: "If you want whiskey 
don't go to Dr. Wesner."
    In 1884 he removed to Houtzdale, where he resided until the spring of 1876, 
when he removed to Johnstown. A wife and six children, a sister, his mother-in-
law and a niece constitute his family. His practice, which is a large one, 
extends through town and surrounding country.
    Dr. Wesner is a physician of recognized ability in his school, and as a 
citizen has made his influence felt upon the community in which he has lived in 
many ways. He is a member of the Catholic church.