San Francisco County
Biographies
A. M. Armstrong, attorney, San Francisco, was born in Lake City, Minnesota, June 9, 1861, and when he was ten years of age his parents emigrated to this State, settling in San Francisco. He attended the common schools of this city, and finally graduated at the State University at the age of twenty years, in the class of 1882. From the time he was twelve years of age he paid his own expenses, refusing parental aid. From 1875 to 1878 he was a newsboy, selling evening papers after school hours on the corner of Sutter and Kearny streets.
After graduation, although prepared to commence the study of law, the failure of his eyesight caused him to abandon temporarily his chosen profession and enter on a brief career as an educator, which finally comprised a period of six years, being principal of the St. Helena public school, of the St. Helena Seminary and of the Colusa Normal Institute; and while engaged in educational work he contributed many educational articles to the press, and prepared and had published two schools books—“The California Teachers’ Examiner” and “A Key to the California Series of Arithmetics.” Then, after two years’ study of law, in 1888, he was admitted to the bar, and since then he has been steadily engaged in the practice of his chosen profession.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and prominently identified with the order of Odd Fellows, passing the chairs of Fidelity Lodge, No. 222. He is not the Chief Patriarch of Wildy Encampment, No. 23.
J. L. Armstrong, father of the above, was a native of New England, and removed to Minnesota, where he became a prominent member of the Territorial Legislature; and represented his district in the State Senate six years, and held other offices. He was a grain merchant for many years. His death occurred here in San Francisco, in 1888.
Transcribed by Donna L. Becker
Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 1, page 623, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
A. B. Arnold, M. D., whose office is in the new Chronicle Building, San Francisco, has been a resident of California since 1888, and has been engaged in the practice of medicine since 1848. He was born near Stuttgart, Germany, in 1820 the son of J. M. Arnold, who was for many years a merchant in Pennsylvania, and later of Baltimore, Ohio, where he died in 1876. Our subject received his early education in the College of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, where he remained several years. He commenced the study of medicine in 1844, entering the medical department of the Pennsylvania University, which he attended several years. Later he entered and attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he graduated in 1848, after a full course of four years, receiving his degree as Doctor of Medicine. He at once entered into the practice of medicine in Baltimore, where he continued until 1888. In 1875 the Doctor was appointed Professor of Diseases of the Nervous System for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Baltimore, which chair he held for fifteen years. On taking the chair he made a special study of diseases of the nervous system, to which he has devoted much of his time.
Dr. Arnold published a treatise on “Diseases of the Nervous System” which has lately undergone a second edition by the Bancroft Company of San Francisco. It is a work especially adapted for the use of medical students as well as general practitioners. He has also contributed largely to the medical journals of the country during these years. Dr. Arnold has retired from the active practice of medicine, and now only devotes himself to general consultations with the profession, and especially on diseases of the nervous system. Dr. Arnold was President of the section of general medicine of the Ninth International Medical Congress, which met in Washington, District of Columbia, in 1887. He is now one of the attending physicians of the San Francisco Polyclinic.
Transcribed by Donna L. Becker
Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 1, page 629, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
SAMUEL P. CHALFANT, D. D. S.
Samuel P. Chalfant, D. D. S., whose office is at the corner of Market and Mason streets, San Francisco, has been engaged in the practice of dentistry since 1871. He was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1844, and is of French descent; his ancestors settled in Pennsylvania and were among its early settlers. Dr Chalfant was reared on his father’s farm in that State, the homestead having been in the family for generations, and was educated in the public schools of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and later attended the Lewisburg University, where he remained three years. He then commenced the study of dentistry in 1866, under the preceptorship of Dr. R. L. McLellan, a dentist of Chester county, Pennsylvania, with whom he studied for three years. He then held the position of assistant two years, and in 1870 entered the Philadelphia Dental College, where he graduated in 1871, receiving the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. He entered in practice in St. Louis, where he remained until 1876, and in that year came to California, where he has since practiced continuously in San Francisco in his present office.
At the breaking out of the war, Dr. Chalfant responded to the call for volunteers, and in September, 1861, at the age of sixteen years, he enlisted in the Fifty-second Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Company D, in which he served three years. At the expiration of his time of service he joined the United States Veteran Volunteers, a command specially organized by General Hancock, in which he served until 1866. During 1861-2 he served in the Army of the Potomac, being present at the battle of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, in the siege of Yorktown, and also the battles of White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, and in fact all the battles of the seven-days fighting in front of Richmond in the Peninsular campaign. In the winter of 1862-3 his regiment was sent with General Foster’s expedition to Charleston, South Carolina, intending to take that city. They remained there until the fall of 1864, taking part in the fighting in Charleston Harbor during that time.
Transcribed Karen L. Pratt.
Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 1, page 633, Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.