BIO:  Samuel WEISS, M.D., Lebanon County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
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Biographical Annals of Lebanon County Pennsylvania.
Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1904
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Page 40 - 41

SAMUEL WEISS, M.D.  Among the representative members of the medical profession 
in Lebanon, none stand higher in public esteem than does Dr. Samuel Weiss, who 
was born August 20, 1845, in South Lebanon township, Lebanon county, son of 
Samuel and Sarah (Smith) Weiss, both natives of the same county.

Samuel Weiss, the father, was born in 1800, son of Henry Weiss, who was a 
resident of Lebanon county near Schaefferstown, and died in 1886.  The mother of 
Dr. Weiss was a daughter of Henry Smith, a well-known resident of Cornwall, 
Lebanon county.  These parents had a family of seven children, four of whom 
still survive.  Mr. and Mrs. Weiss were highly respected people, and were 
members of the United Brethren Church.

Dr. Weiss was reared on his father's farm, and until he was eighteen years of 
age devoted his winters to study in the public schools and his summers to farm 
work, developing in this manner both mind and body.  Ambitious to enter the 
wider fields of usefulness, the young man spent one year in the Lebanon Academy, 
while it was under the scholarly care of Cyrus Boger, and supplemented this with 
two years at the Millersville State Normal School.  In April, 1867, he first 
turned his attention to medicine, entering upon a course of study with Dr. 
William M. Guilford, of Lebanon, where he prepared for entrance to Bellevue 
Medical College, New York City, graduating with credit four years later.

In 1872 Dr. Weiss located for practice in Lebanon, and his services have been in 
active demand ever since.  His capacity was recognized by his appointment to the 
position of county physician, a position of responsibility which he held for 
fifteen years (with but one year's intermission), during which time he served 
with great efficiency.

Dr. Weiss has been prominently identified with State politics, for a number of 
years.  His personal following is large, and his popularity led to his selection 
in 1900, by the anti-Quay people of Lebanon county, to stand for State Senator, 
of the Seventeenth Senatorial District of Pennsylvania, to fill the vacancy 
caused by the resignation of Gen. J. P. S. Gobin, who became a candidate for 
Lieutenant-governor.  The political history of the canvass all over the State, 
at this time, tells of much party and factional feeling, and in Lebanon county 
the result was waited for with interest all over the State.  Current history 
records the attitude of the various factions in regard to Senator M. S. Quay, 
and the party to which Dr. Weiss was attached did good work in the county 
canvass.  Doubtless it was on account of the realization of the peculiar fitness 
of Dr. Weiss for the high honor, that caused his triumph, for he was elected 
Senator by a majority of between 2,300 and 2,400, although many of the Quay men 
did not vote against him.  When Senator Quay came up in the United States 
Senatorial contest, Dr. Weiss conscientiously opposed his election.  Dr. Weiss's 
ability has been recognized by the administrative body by his selection for the 
following committees:  Appropriations, Banks and Building and Loan Associations; 
Educational; Forestry, Game and Fisheries; Pensions and Gratuities; and Public 
Health and Sanitation.

Dr. Weiss has been connected with many enterprises of a financial nature in his 
city and for a time was a director in the People's National Bank, resigning from 
the same.  He is at present a director in the Valley National Bank of Lebanon.  
As a progressive and thorough physician and skillful surgeon, Dr. Weiss enjoys 
an enviable reputation.  He was the first surgeon in Lebanon county to perform 
ovariotomy, and has kept in touch with all modern discoveries, being generally 
regarded as a leader in the profession.  Since its establishment, he has been 
surgeon and a member of the gynecological staff of the Good Samaritan Hospital 
of this city.

In 1889 Dr. Weiss was united in marriage with Miss Zitella McCauly, of Lebanon.