John P. Hiester

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Husband John P. Hiester ¹

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           Born: 3 Jul 1803 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 15 Sep 1854 1
         Buried: 

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         Father: William Hiester (      -      ) 2
         Mother: Anne Maria [Unk] (      -      ) 2

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Wife

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - John P. Hiester

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When but a youth he evinced a great interest in study, and eagerly perused the books that came within his reach. This thirst for knowledge was encouraged and he afterward acquired a liberal education in school and college. This he greatly enlarged by study and travel. After receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine he became a very prominent and influential practitioner in his chosen profession in the town of Reading, Pennsylvania. In order to recuperate his failing health, he decided to take a trip through Europe, and on Apri1 16, 1841, he set sail from New York City and traveled through England, France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and France. While on his journey he regularly contributed to the Reading Gazette very ably-written descriptive articles of the scenes and incidents on the way, and of the interesting localities which he visited. These letters were received with so much interest that he was induced to publish them in book-form in 1844, under the name of "Notes of Travel." He returned to Reading in 1842 and resumed the practice of his profession. Dr. Hiester enjoyed for many years an extensive practice in Reading and vicinity. In the sick-chamber his sterling qualities of mind and heart were well known and appreciated. Tenderly solicitous for the welfare of his patients, unremitting in his attendance upon them, and ever wakeful to do for them all that the healing art afforded to alleviate their pains and sufferings, he endeared himself to them with the strongest ties of friendship. Although devoted almost to enthusiasm to the practice of medicine, he also found time to cultivate the kindred sciences, and nothing afforded him more pleasure than to use the treasures of his well-stored mind, improved by foreign travel and years of close study, in stimulating the intellectual advancement of the youth of his native town. He delivered many lectures of a literary and scientific nature, to lyceums and institutions of learning, and was very highly appreciated. He possessed an enlightened spirit, a correct judgment and a benevolent heart, and was always ready to assist and encourage by his counsel all enterprises having for their object the moral, intellectual or social advancement of the inhabitants of Reading. He was affable and engaging in his manners, and sincere in his friendships. His industry and love of intellectual labor were illustrated in the large number of addresses written and delivered by him before various literary and scientific associations.

1 Morton L. Montgomery, History of Berks County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: Everts, Peck & Richards, 1886), Pg 595.

2 Morton L. Montgomery, History of Berks County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: Everts, Peck & Richards, 1886), Pg 594.