Butte County
Biographies
JAMES H. KARSNER, M.D.
JAMES H. KARSNER, M.D.--What society, as well as humanity, owes to the lives and labors of men and women in the medical profession, especially when they are endowed with exalted character, may be seen in the record of Dr. James H. Karsner, long a leading and successful practitioner, and still worthily represented by his capable and amiable widow, the well-known business and club woman of Oroville. Dr. Karsner was born in Philadelphia on November 16, 1844, the grandson of two veterans of early American wars. His maternal grandfather was Captain Millichap, a patriot of the Revolution, while his paternal grandfather saw honorable service in the War of 1812. The father of James H. Karsner was Dr. Charles Karsner, a practicing physician, who had four sons, three of whom became physicians, and all of them volunteered for service during the Civil War; and one daughter, Mrs. Lavinia Tapley, of Boston. Of the sons: Dr. Charles W. Karsner served in the United States Navy, and is now practicing in Philadelphia; Dr. Daniel B. Karsner was an army surgeon and he is now practicing in that same city; George W. Karsner was a member of the Fifth Maryland Regiment, and died in Philadelphia; and Dr. James H. Karsner is the subject of this review.
Brought up in Philadelphia, where he attended the public schools, James H. Karsner ran away from home to enlist as a soldier, and on September 21, 1861, was mustered into Company C, First Delaware Volunteer Infantry, and after nineteen months’ service was honorably discharged from the Army Hospital on April 3, 1863. He served as a corporal in this regiment, and he witnessed the battle between the Merrimac and Monitor. Mr. Karsner at once reenlisted in Company I, Third Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, and served until he was mustered out at Richmond, on August 7, 1865. During his army service he participated in many important battles, among which we mention the Siege of Yorktown, the seven days’ battle at Kelly’s Ford, Gettysburg, Mine Run, Antietam, Petersburg, and Boynton Plank Road; he was at Portsmouth, Suffolk, Fredericksburg and many other bloody battlefields, and he witnessed Lee’s surrender. After his discharge from the army he returned to Philadelphia and entered Jefferson Medical College in that city, from which he was graduated as a doctor of medicine. For some years he practiced in the city of his birth and other cities of Pennsylvania, and, in 1875, left the East to come to California, believing that on this coast he would find a wider field for his talents than in the crowded sections of the East. The Doctor stopped for a short time in San Francisco, then went to San Jose, and about 1877 arrived at Forbestown, Butte County, and opened an office and soon built up a desirable practice. He continued at Forbestown until July, 1881, when he relocated at Oroville. In this city he entered heartily into the movements for the upbuilding of the city and his skill as a physician soon became known throughout this section of the county and he built up and maintained a lucrative practice. He was a doctor of the old regime and was known near and far for his humanitarian methods; he never considered distances or weather when a call came to alleviate suffering, but would ride or drive through storm and swollen streams to render the necessary assistance to the patient. He was always ready to aid every worthy project for the development of the county and counted every one his friend.
While living at Forbestown, Dr. Karsner was united in marriage with Miss Minerva Brown, the ceremony taking place at Red Bluff, at the home of Henry Brown, her uncle, October 1, 1879. Mrs. Karsner was born at Rensselaer, Ind., a daughter of George H. and Elizabeth (Nichols) Brown, both born in Ohio, but who were farmers in Indiana, where they had removed in an early day and where they were married. A descendant of Nathan Brown, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, Mrs. Karsner is a member of the Daughters of the Revolution. She was educated in Indiana and in 1877 came to California to visit two uncles, Elijah and Henry Brown, who were living at Red Bluff. After her marriage to the Doctor, Mrs. Karsner entered heartily into the social life of the county where she has since made her home, and where she and her husband became the leaders of their circle of friends, until the death of Dr. Karsner, May 15, 1914. He was a member of W. T. Sherman Post, No, 96, G. A. R., and served as its commander several times; and he was physician to the State Board of the Grand Army; he was also a member of the Odd Fellows and he was buried with the rites of both of these organizations. At his passing the county lost one of its most valued citizens.
Since
the death of her husband, Mrs. Karsner has continued to live at the old family
home at 815 Robinson Street, where they had built up a beautiful place with its
fine lawn, shrubbery and large fig and walnut trees, one of which is the
largest in all this section of the state. Mrs. Karsner is very prominent in
society and club circles in Oroville and is a member of the Monday Club, one of
the progressive civic organizations of the city and of which she served in 1918
as its president. As before noted, she is also a member of
the Daughters of the American Revolution, holding her membership in the Chapter
at Oakland. Orange Grove Lodge Daughters of Rebekahs counts her among
its valued members and a past officer; she belongs to the Rebekah Assembly of
the State of California and in 1897-1898 served as president, and for ten years
she was an active member of the board of trustees of the Rebekah Orphan Home at
Gilroy. She is a member and treasurer of Butte County Chapter, American Red
Cross; is a member of the Christian Church; a charter member of W. T. Sherman
Relief Corps, No. 96, at Oroville, and was its first president. One of the
important positions that has been filled most acceptably by Mrs. Karsner is
that of a trustee of the Oroville Public Library from its first organization
and a result of the valiant work done by her and her associates is seen in the
fine Carnegie library that now graces the city. No movement for furthering the
commercial, religious, intellectual or moral interests of Oroville has been
projected but what has had the heartiest cooperation of Mrs. Karsner, who has
demonstrated her leadership in all of these organizations.
Transcribed by Vicky
Walker, 1/23/08.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 626-630, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Vicky
Walker.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies