Tuolumne
County
Biographies
ROBERT INNIS BROMLEY, M. D.
Among the prominent professional men
of Tuolumne County, California, no one is better or more favorably known than
R. Innis Bromley, M. D., the subject of this
sketch. His birth took place in Contra
Costa County, California, January 24, 1857, his ancestry being English and
easily traced to a period prior to the Revolutionary War. His paternal great-great-grandfather, William
Bromley, was one of the patriots of colonial days and was a member of the
Committee of Safety from Vermont, in which state he lived and died at a
patriarchal age. His son John died in
1828. Another son, named Lewis, was born
in 1787 and was a veteran of the War of 1812.
His son, Major John Lewis Bromley, was the father of our subject. Major Bromley was born in Baltimore,
Maryland, December 25, 1820, and through service in the Mexican War received
his title of military authority. His
company was among the first to enter the city of Mexico in 1847.
Major Bromley started to California
in the spring of 1852 by way of Cape Horn, and was six months on the
passage. He located in San Francisco and
started there the first business in the commission line in that city and became
well known and very prominent. Later he
removed to Contra Costa County, where he bought a large ranch, and for a number
of years engaged in the raising of stock.
After a busy life he retired in advancing age to Oakland, where he now
resides, eighty years of age, still hale and hearty.
The marriage of Major Bromley took
place in Baltimore, Maryland, to Miss Anna Levering, a native of that
city. She accompanied her husband to
California, although the life of the rough and lusty young city must often have
tried her severely, reared as she had been amidst the refinements and luxuries
of Baltimore. History must credit the
brave women who thus assisted in the civilizing process of early California
life for a great part of the culture and magnificence she has now
attained. Seven of their eleven children
still survive Mr. and Mrs. Bromley; all of them respected citizens of the
state.
Dr. Bromley, our subject, was
educated in the excellent schools of Oakland, where he attended the academy and
later became a student in the California State University, in both scientific
and medical departments, graduating at the latter in 1882. For six years he practiced his profession in
San Francisco, for some years being an assistant professor of surgery in the
university; was one of the visiting physicians of St. Luke’s Hospital; the
examining physician for the Hartford life Insurance Company, and its medical
supervisor for the Pacific coast.
In 1887 Dr. Bromley removed to
Sonora, where he has had a most satisfactory practice ever since. His skill as a surgeon is recognized and he
is frequently called to go long distances to assist brother physicians. The Doctor has invented and patented a number
of surgical instruments that have met with the approbation of the profession,
and is the author of many valuable papers on interesting subjects which have
appeared in the scientific and medical magazines.
Dr. Bromley was married in 1895 to
Miss Fanny Mansfield, a native of Columbia, Tuolumne County, a daughter of
William Mansfield, a respected and early settler of that town, a cousin of
General Mansfield. Two children have
been born to the Doctor and his accomplished wife, Innis
and Fanny, making a charming family to inhabit the delightful home which is
theirs, in a pleasant part of the city.
Educational matters have always
claimed a large portion of the time of Dr. Bromley, and he has consented to
serve as a trustee of the school board at times. He is a Republican in politics, and is
socially connected with the Knights of Pythias and the Foresters
organizations. Personally he is a man to
command the esteem of all. He has lived
to see the commercial development of his state and has done his part for the
welfare of his section.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
“A Volume of Memoirs and Genealogy of Representative Citizens of Northern
California”, Pages 526-527. Chicago Standard Genealogical Publishing Co. 1901.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.