My Genealogy Hound

LEVI H. LAWALL, M. D., one of the oldest physicians in Bethlehem, has been very successful in his practice, and nearly all his lifetime he has been a resident of this locality. He was born near Farmersville, Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, February 27, 1831. His paternal great-grandfather was a native of France, and his grandfather, William H. Lawall, was born in Bethlehem Township, owning the farm on which is now located the village of Farmersville, and there he carried on a hotel for many years, or until shortly before his death.

William H. Lawall, our subject’s father, was an agriculturist and the owner of a large farm near Farmersville, where his death occurred in 1833. His wife, whose maiden name was Christiana Dieter, was born in Germany, and when five years of age came to America with her parents, who became residents of Bethlehem Township. Her father was a school teacher and a membtr of the Reformed Church. Mrs. Lawall died in Moore Township, and the Doctor is the only child of her marriage.

Until eight years old, Dr. Lawall remained at home with his parents, but from that early age he was obliged to “paddle his own canoe,” his home for six years being with a Mr. Miller in Upper Nazareth. His school advantages were of a rather meager description, but he made the best of his limited opportunities, being of that kind of mettle which is bound to succeed. At the age of fourteen he went to Easton, where he entered the Vanderveer School, in which he remained for two years, and also engaged in teaching before entering the Model School. At the end of two years’ study in that institution he commenced to read medical works under Dr. Alfred Martin’s instruction, and in 1862 entered the University of Pennsylvania. Two years later he graduated from the medical department with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. On first beginning his practice Dr. Lawall located at Hagersville, Bucks County, where he remained until 1866, thence removing to Nazareth, where he practiced until 1871. That year found him located in Bethlehem, and this has been his field of work up to the present time. He built a residence and office on Main and Goepp Streets and is numbered among the reliable old physicians of Bethlehem. He is surely justly called a self-made man, for from very early boyhood he has had to make his own way unassisted, and the success he has achieved is the more commendable. Active in local enterprises, the Doctor is a stock-holder in the Bethlehem Electric Light Company, being one of the first to organize this concern, which now furnishes the light to the three Bethlehems. In order to keep in touch with the times he joined the Northampton County Medical Society, the State Medical, the Lehigh Valley Medical and the National Medical Associations. Prominent among the Democratic workers, the Doctor served on the county committee, and for eighteen years past has been a member of the School Board.

Dr. Lawall was married in Bethlehem in 1857 to Miss Henrietta Dech, who died in Nazareth. Three of their children lived to maturity. Allen H. attended the College of Pharmacy in Philadelphia, and died when only twenty-three years of age; Charles A. is an employe of the Bethlehem Iron Company; and Otellia is the wife of Dr. Stem, of South Bethlehem. For his second wife our subject wedded Miss Fannie Fenstermacher, who was born in Dansville, Livingston County, N. Y., and is the daughter of Joseph Fenstermacher, a retired business man of this city. The Doctor and his wife are members of the Moravian Church, and have the esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.