BIO: James C. VERBEKE, Dauphin County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter

Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.
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http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm
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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, 
Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the 
Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: 
J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, page 354.
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  VERBEKE, JAMES C., M.D., was born in Holland, in the year 1785.  His 
father was a native of that country, and his mother was born in 
Yorkshire, England.  The son was educated for the ministry, but 
afterwards studied medicine at the university at Leyden, where the two 
degrees of doctor of medicine and of pharmacy were conferred upon him.  
After finishing his course he entered the French army as physician, and 
through the efforts of his father was assigned to the regiment 
commanded by Colonel Lehmanowsky, a friend and acquaintance, with the 
request that he should have a watchful care over him.  The doctor 
remained with the regiment in all its memorable campaigns, being always 
employed in the provisional military hospitals, performing the duties 
of the two branches of the profession only, as persons were not allowed 
to practice more than such as were inseparable from the other, so that 
each might thoroughly understand his calling, and be enabled to gain a 
livelihood.  In consequence of this condition of things he never was on 
the field of battle, but was always engaged in administering to the 
sick.  Even at the battle of Waterloo, when the hospital was taken and 
retaken six times in one day by the English and French, he saw nothing 
of the fight.  After that sanguinary and decisive conflict when the 
star of Napoleon had set, he entered the Dutch navy as a physician, on 
board a man-of-war, where he remained two years and then resigned.  
Afterwards, being detected in a plot, in which Colonel Lehmanowsky was 
also engaged, to carry off Napoleon to St. Helena, they had to flee the 
country, when he was helped by friends to reach England, and was 
engaged by the celebrated Scotch navigator, John Arrowsmith, as 
physician on board of his vessel, then about making a trip to America, 
which landed at Philadelphia in 1817.  The port physician, Dr. Perkins, 
after examining his letters of reference and his diploma, immediately 
gave him a situation as clerk in his drugstore.  Miss Gertrude 
Kemmelar, having come to America to visit a brother, and landing at 
Philadelphia, chanced to call at the drugstore on Second street, near 
Callowhill, with a prescription, when both coming from the same 
country, and the doctor being addressed in his own language, an 
acquaintance was formed, and in 1818 they were married at the house of 
John Dillinger, a friend, with whose family Miss Kemmelar stopped.  In 
the year 1819 they removed to Harrisburg, where the doctor opened a 
drugstore on market square in the house of John Norton, and practiced 
medicine in the country and all the surrounding towns, traveling as far 
as Halifax, Middletown, and other places, on horseback, through which 
he became universally known, some of the oldest inhabitants still 
remembering him.  After a few years of practice he relinquished it, to 
enter into other business, and was successful in gaining a considerable 
estate.  Mrs. Verbeke died in 1855, and Dr. Verbeke in 1856, leaving 
two children, William K. and Margaretta Dillinger, who married 
Theophilus Fenn.