San Francisco County
Biographies
GEORGE J. BUCKNALL., M.D.
GEORGE J. BUCKNALL., M.D., has been a resident of California
for the past twenty years, during which time he has practiced continuously in San
Francisco. He was born in New
York City, in 1836, and also received his early
education in that city. In 1854 he entered Columbia
College, where he spent several
years. He then came to San Francisco
on a visit in 1856, but liking the country he remained several years. The
Doctor then went to Europe and traveled about one year, again returning to San
Francisco, where he made a short visit. Returning to
Europe in 1859 he entered the school of Medicine
in Paris, where he remained three
years. On the Breaking out of the war he returned to New
York early in 1862, and entered the volunteer service
as surgeon. Proceeding with his regiment to the Potomac
army, then under the command of General McClellan, he participated in the peninsular
campaign. Malaria contracted in the swamps of the Chickahominy,
however, required his return to New York, where his
Physicians said that his health could not be re-established if he returned to
the hardships and exposures of the Potomac army. He
resigned from the service but later acted as examining surgeon of recruits for
the volunteer service.
When
he resigned from the army Dr. Bucknall continued the further study of Medicine
in the College of Physicians
and surgeons of New York and
under the preceptor ship of Dr. Willard Parker, one of the Professors of that
institution, at which he graduated in 1864. Proceeding to Europe he was there
married, at Frankfort-on-the-main, to Miss Mary E. Davis, step-daughter of the
late Eugene L. Sullivan, a prominent attorney of San Francisco,
and a Granddaughter of George C. Yount, one of the earliest white settlers of California,
who owned much of the country around Yountville, Napa
County, and from whom that town was
called. Mr. Yount was the Principal mover toward the rescue of the Donner party
from the snows of the Sierras in the winter of 1846-47. Mr. Bucknall was the first
child of American- Parentage born in San Francisco.
Dr.
Bucknall remained abroad about five years, during
which time he pursued his medical studies in the various hospitals of Europe,
making a specialty of dermatology (diseases of the skin). Returning to America
in 1868, he came at once to San Francisco
and entered upon the practice of his profession, in which he has been engaged
continuously since. He has always been an earnest and active adherent of the
Republican Party, devoting both his time and means to its success, yet he would
never accept any official recognition of these services. He was one of the
originators of the Dirigo Club, which has lately been merged into the Union
League Club of San Francisco. He was also for several years one of the members
of Company B, City Guard of the first Regiment of Infantry, National Guard of
California, and served in that command during the riots. Dr. Bucknall is one of
the visiting physicians of St. Luke’s Hospital; is a member of the State
Medical Society of San Francisco, and was Surgeon-General on the staff of
Governors Booth and Pacheco from 1872 to 1876.
Transcribed by Kim Buck.
Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2, Page 619, Lewis
Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2006 Kim Buck.
California
Biography Project
San
Francisco County
California
Statewide
Golden
Nugget Library