The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-11-27


void that could not be filled. sorros
whose tears no hand could dry. life would an
long grow unbearable TO the Survivors.
But OCCASIONALLY a man goes out Of tia
world, and bis passing seems 10 rend The
heart strings OF the community 10 which h'
lived; friends and enemies alike regard The
failure of bis life as a public calamity.
Such an one was ihe man who forms the
subject Of this sketch. DR.. Henry Brubakel
was the youngest child Of Msior John Bru.
baker. OF the togn Of Berlin. town thai
has produced SO many names that viii live
as household words in the homes Of somer-
set county, long after those they designated
| shall have been dust and ashes. He was
born in Berlin on March 81. A. ID. lss7. His
early education was obtained from private
tutors, until he reached an age To attend oDe
of the higher institutions Of learning, when
he chose the Allegheny College. At Mead
Vile. Pennsylvania Mis- record in the Col
lege stood high in the class TO which he be-
longed.
/ Having returned to his home at Berlin, he
/ began the study OF medicine in 1878, under
/ the tuition Of DIR. ]. H. Reidt, German
4 physician who had left the Fatherland on
account Of some political complications,
years before, and settled at Berlin. After
reading the necessary time, the young stu
7 dent Of medicine went TO Philadelphia. Pa,
/ where be attended the Jefferson Medical
! r. Il
bis degree of VI. D. from that institution.
Returning to Somerset county he began
the practice OF his chosen profession in the
village Of New Lexington, where he remain
ed about year and six months, after which
he located in Berlin. remaining until 1855
when he removed to Somerset, which place
was, from that lime forward. his home IN
til the day Of his death. Ia 1879 he received
the degree of A. NJ. from Allegheny College
During all these thirty four years Of eontin-
uous work in this community, Or. Brubaker
has wound himself, tighter and tighter, year
by year, in the affections and the confidence
of the community, 50 that when he died, his
passing away was felt by the people of SOM
erset as an individual loss-as though each
had heard the last sigh of = father, or
brother.
All over the county the Doctors name
was known, and in diificnit cases his mere
presence was deemed safeguard against the
grim monster whose grasp was already clos
ing about the helpless victim. In other
counties, too. he was often called in consul
iat;on, and never anywhere without she'd
ding light on the occult matter of dispute.
The life-partner Of his joys and sorrows.
who survives him, was Miss Emeline Phil
son, of Berlin Two sons and four daugh-
tiers are lefe to mourn his loss two young
children. sons, having died a number of
years ago.
The writer's acquaintance with DE- Bruba-
ker began in 1882, and from that to the time
of the Doctors death, at $50 P Of Tues
day, November IL. 1850, the bonds of friend
ship then forged have suffered no attritiop,
but only strength added to strength, and
- he was my friend, faithful and jnst TO me-"
Many times, indeed, has the writer wonder
ed at the general knowledge of the modest,
unassuming man whose name be is now
proud TO enroll upon the list of those he has
called friend.
Coming from German stock il was to be ex-
pected that the DR. would be an adept in that
language, as he was, and in one of the last
conversations the writer ever had with him,
he announced his intention TO purchase the
works OF Goethe, that be might read them
in the original German But French, too
was at his command, so that he was able 10
read it as easily as German. Latin and
Greek he knew as matter of course, but
unlike many men be knew them not as
things that were, but he kept them at his
tongues end In 1855 he finished the trans
lation of Virgil for his own amusement, aud
he commenced that of Homer in the spring
Of 1889.
Though the doctor and the writer differed
widely aud radically in politics. the latter is
unable now 10 recall single offensive ex-
preston falling from the lips Of his friend,
or even single exGltant look sweeping over
his pleasant countenance, even al times
when other men rejoiced openly, and when
joy was pardonable because OF party SUCCESS.
On the accession Of Mr. Cleveland to power,
DIR. Brubaker was appointed one of the pen
sion examiners here ard was president Of
tha: board when he disd He was pre-emi-
nently fitted for the position, BY reason Of
his professional requirements, and many an
old soldiers. many a widows, and many an
orphans heart was made to rejoice at the
receipt of a pension, the granting of
which was mainly due to DR.. Brubaker's
fair and impartial recommendation. The
Somerset board of examiners was popular
one. and stood high with the authorities at
Washington city.
The amount of work THAI he did was in
credible No man better knew their value
or more fully realized the fact that spare
moments are the gold dust Of time" than
did Henry Brnbaker. A specialist in differ
ent branches of his chosen profession. be
had read deeply in all branches Of knowledge
and was scientist in the true sense of the
term. Though the speeulaiions Of Charles
Darwin, and the philosophy of Herbert
Spencer, and the meditations Of Ernest
Renan were familiar to him, and bis pro-
fessional training enabled him, as few men
are able. 10 Judge OF the tenabili;y of the
positions taken by these men and others 'of
their school. yet he viewed their writings
simply as books. their specuIaiions merely
as hypothesis. and never permitted them to
interfere with his child-like faith in the
credibility of the Scriptures, the immortality
of The soul, and the need of personal Re-
deemer, our Lord Jesus Christ, as mediator
between man and the Father.
Early in life he united with the Methodist
Episcopal Church, ard for more than forty
years. up 10 the moment of his leaving the
world. be remained an active and consistent
member of that denomination. No stigma
was ever brought upon the church by reason
of his connection with it, bot he aimed
through his life 10 :" enlarge the tents Of Is
rael. \ broad minded man, be never
brought religion into discredit by any word
or act of bis he never thrust his religious
views upon any one, and yet no one could
talk TO him long without knowing that his
auditor was religious man but none would
ever mistake him for mere theologian The
distinction between religion and theology