BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Albon S. FICHTNER, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 97-99
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DR. ALBON S. FICHTNER. The man who inherits the spirit and tastes of his 
immediate ancestors is a fortunate man, for the hindrances which stand between 
him and the attainment of his ambitions are more easily overcome when he has the 
helpful sympathy of those who have had similar experiences.
     The subject of this sketch, Dr. A. S. Fichtner, a flourishing young 
physician of Johnstown, should therefore be congratulated upon being the son of 
a physician, who was himself the son of a physician.
     Dr. Fichtner, son of Dr. B. A. and Louisa J. (Darby) Fichtner, was born 
August 9, 1868, in Preston county, West Virginia.
     His grandfather, Daniel Fichtner, was a native of Germany, whence he 
emigrated to this country and settled in Somerset county, Pennsylvania. The 
grandfather of Dr. Fichtner, who was born in Somerset county, was a physician in 
that county for at least fifty years, an unusual record. 
     He was a prominent member of the Evangelical church, and being a man of 
superior education for the time, was often called upon for exhortations. He was 
a licensed minister in the Evangelical Association from about 1839 until his 
death, in 1884, thus combining in his life the work of a physician and spiritual 
leader. His wife survived him nearly six years. Their family consisted of 
Benjamin A., Susan Catherine (Browning) and Martin Luther, all of whom are still 
living.
     The eldest Dr. Benjamin Abbott Fichtner, father of our subject, was born 
near Somerset county, Pennsylvania, January 31, 1836. His grandfather, Martin 
Fichtner, and his father, Martin Fichtner, were also natives of this county. His 
mother's name was Rebecca Ferner, who was the daughter of John Ferner, and a 
sister of Randolph Ferner.
     Dr. Benjamin A. Fichtner began the study of medicine in early life, was 
admitted to practice in 1857, and has followed the profession exclusively and 
very successfully for more than thirty-six years.
     "What the child admired, the youth endeavored, and the man acquired."
     While in the office of his father as assistant he married Louisa Jane 
Darby, a member of one of the most prominent and respected families of the 
State.
     In 1860 he moved to Fayette county and built the second house in what is 
now the borough of Markleysburg. In 1864 he went to Summerfield, Cambria county, 
and soon afterward joined the Eighty-eighth regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, 
serving until the close of the war. In 1876 he located permanently at 
Confluence, Cambria county.
     Dr. Fichtner, Sr., has given his undivided attention to the study and 
practice of his profession, and being always ready to avail himself of new 
discoveries in medical science, is very successful, and has an extensive and 
lucrative practice.
     He has a very fine and complete medical library, is a subscriber to all the 
standard medical and surgical journals, and his offices are fully and completely 
equipped. He is a close student, still an active, energetic, level-headed man, 
and notwithstanding advancing years, has apparently many years of usefulness 
before him. He is well up in the news of the day and in general literature. As a 
public speaker he is able, forcible and logical, and is a debater of ability. He 
united with the Evangelical association when a young man and is a leading member 
of that denomination. In the great controversy he is opposed to Esher, Esherism 
and Esherists.
     He is connected with a number of different societies and organizations, is 
the president of a board of medical pension examiners, and is general business 
manager of the Confluence Cornet band. He is a public-spirited man, and is 
entirely fearless, personally. It was through him and by his skill and pluck 
more than anything else that the notorious McClellantown gang of robbers was 
hounded down, surrounded and captured a few years ago. He was the first man at 
the house, and it was to him, and on his demand, that the gang sullenly 
surrendered.
     In politics he was reared a democrat, but was never in accord with the 
southern wing of that party, and always opposed the heresies of State rights and 
succession. At the election closing the memorable campaign of 1860 he voted for 
Stephen A. Douglas, but the first shot fired by the rebels at "Old Glory" made 
him at once what he is and has been ever since, a true republican.
     He does not, however, wear a collar his neck with any man's name on it, and 
does not believe that loyalty to party demands servile obedience to the orders 
of any clique whose object is revenue only. He believes in statesmen, not mere 
politicians; teachers, not bosses, and when he strikes at "rings" of State, 
county or borough, it is always straight out from the shoulder. He is a true 
party man and is not related in any way to the chronic kicker, but when he does 
kick, he kicks with both feet; he kicks hard and kicks to hurt.
     He is not an office-seeker, but when his services are required in an 
official capacity, he thinks it his duty as a citizen to accept, and he always 
fills the position with marked ability.
     He is the father of nine children, three of whom -- Walter Lee, Ulysses 
Grant and Clarence Ellsworth -- are dead. Of the living all are married except 
Fannie Felicia, the youngest of the family. The other five are: Benjamin Beeson, 
Confluence; Louisa Jane (McFarland), Uniontown; John Daniel, Uniontown; Sarah 
Rebecca (Morrison), Uniontown; and Albon Sylvester, our subject.
     The mother of Dr. Albon S. Fichtner died in the spring of 1894.
     He received a solid education in the common schools of the town, and at the 
age of nineteen became a teacher. His character and success as a teacher are 
demonstrated in the fact that although so young, he held principalships at 
Addison, Deer Park, Maryland, and Confluence, this State, and taught a normal 
school at Addison or Petersburg, Somerset county, Pennsylvania.
     He studied medicine with his father, and, as the records of the father's 
life show, the son had the advantages of a good library and unusually fine 
instruction.
     He then entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Baltimore, from 
which school he graduated in 1882. He located first at Cranesville, Preston 
county, W. Va., practicing there until 1888, when he came to Johnstown, where he 
has been, ever since, a general practitioner, progressive and diligent in his 
work. While at college he took four special courses, viz.: operative ophthalmic 
surgery, general surgery, diseases of chest and throat, gynaecology.
     He is a member of the Cambria County Medical society, is physician for a 
number of insurance companies, and has served on the staff of the Conemaugh 
Valley Memorial hospital, being the first surgeon appointed. He is also a member 
of Morrellville Lodge, No. 50, I. O. O. F., one of the charter members of Jr. O. 
U. A. M., a member of the Mystic Chain and Foresters, and a number of the 
patriotic orders represented in the city.
     In 1891 he organized the Morrellville Building and Loan association, and 
has been its president ever since. It has done much towards helping to secure 
homes for the poor of Morrellville, and has been very successful. He is the 
president of the Morrellville Board of Health.
     He is an earnest republican and a valued member of the Lutheran church.
     In 1881 he married Latilla M. Mayer, and has four living children: 
Ellsworth, Annie E., Sara Rebecca and Rachael R. One child died in infancy.