Of Betlehem, PA

P. B. BREINIG, M. D. To the record of this physician, who is widely known as the founder of the Lehigh Valley Medical Association, the biographer with pleasure invites the reader's attention, He has won & high place among the fraternity in this section, and is now living retired in West Bethlehem,

Our subject was born in Upper Macungie Township, this county, March 29, 1829, and is the son of Peter Breinig, who was also born in that township, which was likewise the birthplace of his father, Peter, Sr. The great-grandfather of our subject was a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and on emigrating to America settled in Upper Macungie Township, as early as 1749. There he purchased a large tract of land, which was named in his honor, and spent his entire life in agricultural pursuits.

Peter Breinig, Sr., upon locating in Breinigsyille, engaged in several enterprises, being at one time a blacksmith, farmer and proprietor of a hotel. His son, the father of our subject, on attaining mature years was appointed Postmaster of the place, which position he held for forty years. He died in 1886, when in his eightieth year, strong in the faith of the Lutheran Church. His wife, Mrs. Mary A. (Cope) Breinig, was born in Pennsylvania, and was the daughter of Hon. Michael Cope, who was also a native of this state, and who was a hotel-keeper. He was a prominent man in his locality, and served as a member of the Legislature for one term. Mrs. Mary A. Breinig died in 1872, after having become the mother of three sons and two daughters.

P. B. was the third eldest of the parents' fatuity. His brother Thomas C. is at present residing on the old homestead; Henry A. is a resident of Chicago; Anna M. married Dr. Kern, and is living at Bath; and Amelia makes her home with our subject. He of whom we write spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, and in 1849 went to New York City and for two years apprenticed himself to learn the drug business. During that time he road medicine under Dr. G. B. Kern, and when ready to further prosecute his studies entered the medical department of the University of New York, from which he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1856. When looking about for a suitable location he established for practice at Hellertown, Northampton County, where he resided until 1873, the year of his advent into this city. Two years prior to coming here he crossed the Atlantic, in company with his wife, and spent a year in Indiana, where he took a course in gynecology and at the same time made a specialty of the study of the eye.

Dr. Breinig was engaged in practice in this city until the year 1891, when, on account of ill health, he was obliged to abandon his professional duties. He was married in Saucon, in the year 1860, to Miss Isabella Apple, who was born in Lower Saucon, and is the daughter of Jacob Apple, a farmer by occupation. Their union was blessed by the birth of a daughter, who died when sixteen months old.

Socially our subject belongs to the Masonic order, and holds membership with the Royal Arch Masons and Knights Templar. He occupies a high position in that fraternity, and was one of the committee on arrangements during the convention held at Philadelphia. In religious affairs he is a valued member of Grace Lutheran Church, in which he served as Elder for many years. In polities he is a stanch Democrat. As stated above, he is the founder of the Lehigh Valley Medical Association, and it was during a convention held in 1880, in Northampton County, that he offered a resolution placing before that body the advisability of organizing the Lehigh Valley Medical Association, which takes in eleven counties. Dr. Breinig is also a member of the National Medical Society, of which he was at one time Vice-President, and held the same position in the State Medical Society. He is also ex-President of the Northampton Medical Society. He is the owner of good residence property in the city, and from the first has been closely identified with every important movement for the development of the city, with which his name is indissolubly connected.