Notes for Charles Wesley BREYFOGLE

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Notes for Charles Wesley BREYFOGLE

A Civil War Pension application was filed by Wesley Breyfogle on July 10, 1865 for service in the Ohio Infantry. It is assumed that this is Charles Wesley Breyfogle and this pension request is based on the eyesight issue mention in the following article.

SOURCE: Civil War Pension Registration July 10, 1865

BREYFOGLE, CHARLES WESLEY, M. D., of San Jose, Cal., was born in Columbus, OH, June 7th, 1841. His father was of German descent, but native American, and his mother a direct descendant of the Huguenots. In 1858, he graduated from the High School at Columbus, OH, and in 1862, from the Ohio Wesleyan University and the Athenian Society, receiving the degrees of A. B., and A. M.

He then read law in the office of judge W. R. Rankin, of Columbus, but, being afflicted with amaurosis, he was obliged to give up his studies, and for fourteen months he served as captain in the 9th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, and during the last three months was detailed as judge Advocate of Court Martial, at Nashville, Tenn. His increasing blindness compelled him to leave the army, and seek medical aid. His case was pronounced hopeless by several allopathic physicians and oculists, but he was, notwithstanding, speedily cured under the skilful homeopathic treatment of Drs. Blair, of Columbus, and Earhart, of Philadelphia, and in consequence he was led to study medicine ; as practiced by the homeopathy.

He read medicine with Dr. Blair, and graduated from the Homeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania, with the class of 1866-'67. He commenced practice at Jeffersonville, Ind., but shortly after entered into partnership with Dr. Caspari, of Louisville, KY. In 1869, he purchased Dr. Caspari's remaining interest, and took his brother, Dr. William L. Breyfogle, into partnership. In the fall of 1870, being threatened with Phthisis, he visited California in hopes of relief; there his health so much improved, that, in December, 1872, he disposed of his interest in the Louisville firm, to Dr. R. W. Pearce, and located in San Jose, the county seat of Santa Clara county.

In October, 1866, he married Olivia, daughter of Hon. Woods Mabury, of Jeffersonville, Ind. Dr. Breyfogle has been eminently successful as a practitioner, and is enthusiastic in his devotion to the cause of homeopathy.

SOURCE: William Harvey King, History of Homoeopathy, New York: Lewis, 1905

Dr. Charles Breyfogle and Dr. H. H. Koehler established themselves in Louisville. Dr. Breyfogle, about 1870, removed to San Jose, Cal., his health having failed. He afterward became mayor of his adopted city and died some years later.

SOURCE: History of Homoeopathy and its Institutions in America, 1905

Charles W. Breyfogle
Mayor, San Jose, CA

Charles W. Breyfogle was Mayor of San Jose from 1886 to 1888. He was mayor when Chinatown burned on May 4, 1987, and some allegations point to his remarks as the cause of this terrible fire. A local paper reported the following:

"It broke out in mid afternoon in a vacant building on AH Toy Alley, a path that snaked its narrow way down the middle of the block between San Fernando and San Antonio Streets on the east side of the City Plaza. A brisk north wind was blowing, and the only water tank in the area was nearly dry. The next day, the San Jose Evening News reported that " there seems to be no doubt" the fire had been deliberately set. Whether or not, the city fathers welcomed it because they were getting ready at the time to lay the cornerstone for their new City Hall in the Plaza. Two months before the fire, Mayor C.W. Breyfogle had ordered the elimination of Chinatown's ramshackle tenements and shacks, which harbored gambling, prostitution, lotteries and opium traffic."

The Mayor was also reported to have referred to Chinatown as "a tumor that the city needed to remove."

SOURCE: The San Jose Mercury News, Feb. 24, 1986

Charles served with the Ohio Commission E Co. 9th Cav Reg. OH Resigned & Discharged disability on 03 October 1864. He enlisted as a 1st Liutenant and was promoted to Full Capt on 07 December 1863. Charles applied for a Civil War Pension on January 4, 1865.

Charles W. and his wife Olivia Breyfogle are living next door to his brother William Breyfogle in Louisville, KY where both brothers are listed as Doctors.

SOURCE: 1870 Federal Census Louisville, Jefferson, KY

Charles and his wife Olivia, along with their 3 children are living in San Jose, CA. Charles is listed as a physician. Edwin S. Breyfogle, the brother of Charles, is living with the family and is also listed as a physician.

SOURCE: 1880 Federal Census San Jose, Santa Clara, CA

Charles W. Breyfogle was listed as the Grand Architect for the Madera Masonic Temple constructed in 1887. The cornerstone was laid on October 25, 1887 and was due for completion by the 27th of December the same year. This was reported in the Fresno Expositor's October 26th edition.

The same paper reported in it's October 30, 1887 edition that Mr. Breyfogle was having a home built.

Source: Fresno Expositor, October 26, 1887, local file name THE MADERA MASONS LAY CORNER STONE.doc

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