Bern Switzerland

Biography of Friedrich Kurz

Friedrich Kurz, born in Bern, Switzerland, 1818; died 1871. At the suggestion of his friend Karl Bodmer, he came to America in 1846, for the purpose of studying the native tribes, intending to prepare a well-illustrated account of his travels. He landed at New Orleans and reached St. Louis by way of the Mississippi. The trouble with Mexico had developed, and for that reason instead of going to the Southwest, to endeavor to accomplish among the tribes of that region what Bodmer had already done among the people of the Upper Missouri Valley, he decided to follow the route of … Read more

Biography of August Siebert, M. D., PH. G.

Dr. August Siebert, engaged in medical practice in St. Louis and well known through his contributions to the literature of the profession, is a native of Hadamar, Germany, and a son of Joseph and Emma (Troost) Siebert. The father was a mining engineer and was also the author of a work on fishes. The ancestry of the family can be traced back to the fourth century, Sigebert in France, prominent leaders in the Crusades. In the middle ages many representatives of the family were professional men, including distinguished physicians. Dr. Siebert was accorded liberal educational opportunities, pursuing his studies in … Read more