The Ehrman Family and Homeopathy
January 12, 2008
The Ehrmann family were German
immigrants to America with a family tradition of medicine. In American
they attended the Allentown
Academy, the first
German School in America, and many members of this family went on to
become homeopaths.
Benjamin F. Chillicothe
Ehrmann 1834 -
1886
The next Homeopathic physician in point of time, whom we find among the pioneers of southern Ohio, is Dr. Benjamin F. Ehrmann.
He, was born in Jack-Haussen, Germany, and emigrated to the United States in 1834. He acquired his medical education at the Allentown Academy and took his degree from the Hahnemann Homeopathic Medical College of Philadelphia.
He afterward settled for a time in Harrisburgh, Penn. In 1843 we find him in Chillicothe, Ohio, practicing his profession. In 1849 he removed to Cincinnati and formed a partnership with Joseph Hyppolyte Pulte.
At the expiration of the partnership he purchased property adjoining his former office and continued to practice until a few months previous to his death, which occurred in March, 1886.
Benjamin was a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, born in the village of Jaxsthausen, March 3, 1812. His father and grandfather were physicians and both practiced medicine in his native village.
As has been stated, he came to America when a young man, attended lectures in Philadelphia, graduated at Allentown Academy, and then located at Harrisburg, where he married.
Later on he determined to follow the western emigration and lived for a time at Chillicothe, where he practiced for a short time in 1848, but becoming acquainted with Joseph Hyppolyte Pulte, he was persuaded to remove to Cincinnati and there formed a partnership with Joseph Hyppolyte Pulte.
Then came the terrible epidemic of cholera in 1849 and the two made a reputation most enviable, despite of the envy of the opposing medical school that sought to destroy the “ignorant German fanatics.”
Ehrmann was one of the early members of the American Institute of Homœopathy, joining in 1846. He was a Swedenborgian (based on the work of Emanuel Swedenborg), as were many of the older homeopathists.
His last illness was of short duration and he died March 15, 1886 ; in his 75th year, He left six children, of whom two sons became practicing physicians in Cincinnati…
In 1851, Drs. B. Ehrmann, Adam Miller and G. W. Bigler established ”The Cincinnati Journal of Homœopathy.” It was issued by the Society of Homœopathic Physicians in Cincinnati.
Benjamin wrote What is Homeopathy?
George Bigler Ehrmann 1858 - 1886
George B. Ehrmann, who in the general practice of medicine has proven his ability to handle intricate and difficult cases, thus testing his broad scientific knowledge and his efficiency in making application thereof, was born September 29, 1858, in the city which yet remains his home.
His parents were Benjamin and Elizabeth (Bigler) Ehrmann, the latter a sister of (homeopath) Dr. George W. Bigler. His paternal grandfather, Frederick Ehrmann, was a resident of Germany who engaged in the practice of medicine as a life work.
George was a graduate of the Homeopathic College of Allentown (America’s first German Medical School), Pennsylvania and afterward located for practice in Chillicothe, Ohio.
In 1849 at the solicitation of Joseph Hyppolyte Pulte he removed to Cincinnati and as partners they continued in practice for a long period, doing especially commendable work during the cholera scourge.
One of his sons, Dr. Albert Ehrmann, for many years was an active representative of the profession but retired from practice about fifteen years ago and now lives in Paris.
Another son, Benjamin F. Ehrmann, was a lawyer but now lives retired and spends much of his time in travel. Two daughters of the family have passed away, the only living sister of Dr. Ehrmann, of this review, being Adelaide, a resident of Mt. Auburn, Cincinnati. The mother’s death occurred in 1886, the same year in which Dr. Benjamin Ehrmann (his father) departed this life.
Dr. George B. Ehrmann attended the public and high schools of Cincinnati and was graduated from Chickering Institute with the class of 1876.
He afterward entered the Pulte Medical College in 1882 and following the completion of his work there pursued a post-graduate course in the Philadelphia Homeopathic School.
At its close he returned to Cincinnati, where he has since engaged in general practice, specializing somewhat in the treatment of chronic diseases. His work has been attended with a gratifying measure of success. He has never been hasty in discarding the old and time-tried methods of practice and at the same time has not been slow in taking up new ideas which his judgement has sanctioned as of value in professional services.
That he is well equipped for his chosen life work and successful in his practice is indicated by the liberal patronage which for many years has been accorded him.
In 1893 Dr. Ehrmann was married to Miss Mary Bartholomew, a daughter of G. K. Bartholomew, one of the early educators of Cincinnati, conducting here a girls’ school.
Dr. and Mrs. Ehrmann have four children, Elizabeth, George, Albert and Robert, who are now public-school students.
Dr. Ehrmann belongs to the Queen City Club but his attention is chiefly devoted to the medical profession of which his family have been representatives for a century. He now belongs to the Ohio State Homeopathic Society, and to the International Hahnemann Society and thus he keeps in touch with the advanced work of the followers of the school in which he has always practiced.
Careful in the diagnosis of cases, his judgement is sound, his discrimination is keen and as the years have gone by, he has maintained a creditable place as a representative of the medical profession of Cincinnati.
In 1911 Dr. Ehrmann retired from the active practice of medicine and now devotes his time and attention to the education of his children.
a brother of Dr. Benjamin F. Ehrmann, was born in Jack Haussen, Germany, and received his medical education at the University of Quebingein. Soon after receiving his degree in medicine he emigrated to the United States, and arrived at New York in the spring of 1833, his first place of residence being Carlisle, Penn.
Not content, however, with his professional prospects here, he soon afterward removed to Baltimore. Md. In 1857 we find him in full and active practice in the city of Buffalo, N. Y. Upon the encouragement from his brother in Cincinnati he was induced to remove to that city, where he rapidly acquired a large and profitable practice.
He was known as one of the oldest homeopathic physicians in the State. He is now deceased.
Isedorich Ehrmann, brother of Benjamin, was born in Jaxsthausen and received his medical education in Germany. He arrived in New York in the spring of 1833, settling at first at Carlisle, Pa. He later went to Baltimore, Md.
In 1857 he was in practice in Buffalo, N. Y., and afterward located in Cincinnati. He died June 7, 1900.
There is also a Louis P. Ehrmann Homeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania 1859, an Ernest J Ehrmann, a Francis Ehrmann, a C Ehrmann and a Frederick Ehrmann listed as graduates of homeopathic colleges at this time. Benjamin’s son Albert H Erhmann was also a homeopath. I suspect there are a few more I did not find!