Dr. Christian Seiler, M.D. and Mary Hayes

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Husband Dr. Christian Seiler, M.D. ^{1 2}

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           Born: 24 Nov 1804 - South Hanover Twp, Dauphin Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 11 Feb 1873 1
         Buried: 

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         Father: Christian Seiler (      -      ) 1
         Mother: Elizabeth Wolfarth (      -      ) 1

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       Marriage: 26 Mar 1833 1 2

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Wife Mary Hayes ^{1 2}

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           Born: 10 May 1812 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 6 Feb 1878 - Harrisburg, Dauphin Co, PA 2
         Buried: 

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         Father: William Hayes (1776-1843) 3
         Mother: Mary Wilson (1783-1827) 4

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Children

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1 M Dr. Robert H. Seiler ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1876 1
         Buried: 

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2 M Frank S. Seiler ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 20 Dec 1879 1
         Buried: 

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General Notes: Husband - Dr. Christian Seiler, M.D.

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He was born in South Hanover township, within a few miles of Hummelstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. He received the rudiments of education, principally German, at the village school in Hummelstown, the English language at that date being spoken by few families of the neighborhood. His father removing to Harrisburg in 1821, the son was sent to the Harrisburg Academy. He was of an inquiring turn of mind, an attentive student, and received not only a good English education, but acquired a knowledge of Latin and Greek. At an early day he had a predilection for military life, and in the year 1823 was elected captain of a juvenile infantry company in Harrisburg. He commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Cornelius Luther, a young physician of great promise, who died at Harrisburg in 1827, afterwards completing his studies with Dr. Samuel Agnew. He then attended the lectures at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, where he graduated in March, 1828. Shortly after he commenced the practice of his profession at Halifax and vicinity, where his knowledge of the German language gave him great advantage. His practice extended through Upper Paxtang and Mifflin townships, in fact through all that section of country lying west of Peter's Mountain. He was succeeding well; but having married about this time, he concluded to remove to Williamsport, and for a while abandoned his profession for the mercantile business. The former had more charms for him, and after practicing a year or two at Williamsport he returned to Harrisburg, where he soon secured an extensive practice, which he retained until his death. In 1844 he was elected brigadier-general of the militia, after which he was more familiarly addressed. At the outset of the war with Mexico he offered his services, and was within a few votes of obtaining the command of a regiment of volunteers.
In politics, he was a Democrat, and was several times nominated for the Legislature, and thrice for Congress, but although his party was in a hopeless minority, it was only through strenuous exertions that he was defeated. For nearly a quarter of a century he served as a director of the public schools of the borough of Harrisburg, and took a warm interest in educational matters.
Up to about 1859, he enjoyed excellent health, but at that time symptoms of disease of the heart manifested themselves, and he was obliged to forego much of the fatigue incident to his large country practice, in the which he was greatly relieved by his son, Robert H., who had studied medicine under his father, and graduated at Jefferson College in 1860. He was a man of uncommon endurance, and too frequently he yielded to the request of his patients. In February, 1873, after a long ride in the country, where he was detained longer than perhaps prudent, he was seized with a chill, and pneumonia developed itself. From this attack he never recovered, and he died at the age of sixty-nine.

1 William Henry Egle, History of the County of Dauphin in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: Everts & Peck, 1883), Pg 534.

2 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clinton, Union and Snyder. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 794.

3 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clinton, Union and Snyder. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 793, 871.

4 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clinton, Union and Snyder. (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1898), Pg 794, 871.