American Medical Biographies/Boerstler, George W.
Boerstler, George W. (1792–1871)
George W. Boerstler was born at Funkstown, Maryland, in 1792 and died at Lancaster, Ohio, October 10, 1871. He was of German descent, his father a Lutheran clergyman. Very little is known of his mother; nor is it known whether there were other children. After three years of preliminary instruction, he received in 1820 his B. M. from the University of Maryland, and, with his diploma, a flattering certificate from Professor Nathaniel Potter (q. v.) of the University. He began to practise at Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1833, but in that year changed his residence to Lancaster, Ohio, where he remained in practice until his death.
He had no specialty, but practised both medicine and surgery, according to the custom of the time, and attained a fine reputation in both departments.
He became a skillful diagnostician, and made few mistakes. His opinion was valued by the laity and equally by the profession, with whom he was very popular; his practice was consequently very large.
He married, in 1833, Elizabeth Sinks at Hagerstown, Maryland. She died in 1838, and in 1843 he married Elizabeth Schur, of Lancaster, Ohio. He had children; a daughter by the first wife, and by the second marriage there were two or more children. George W. Boerstler, one of them, engaged in medical practice in the office occupied by his father.
The father wrote a number of general and professional addresses of which latter several were published in the medical journals of Columbus and Cincinnati.
So far as is known, no previous sketch or biography has been published; and portraits, if any, are in the possession of Dr. George Boerstler of Lancaster.