Henry Albert

ALBERT, STIEFEL, SCHMIDT, WHITEIS

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 3/20/2011 at 15:56:31

A Narrative History
of
The People of Iowa
with
SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THEIR CHIEF ENTERPRISES IN
EDUCATION, RELIGION, VALOR, INDUSTRY,
BUSINESS, ETC.
by
EDGAR RUBEY HARLAN, LL. B., A. M.
Curator of the
Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa
Volume III
THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Inc.
Chicago and New York
1931

HENRY ALBERT, L. A., M. S., M. D. The late Henry Albert, who served as
commissioner of the Iowa State Department of Health and who gave a most able
and effective administration of the varied phases of this all important
department of the governmental service of his state, had training and
experience that qualified him in the fullest degree for the exacting duties of the
office of which he was the incumbent. Therefore his death, which occurred
following an operation for appendicitis, April 6, 1930, removed from the
community and the state one of its most valued and valuable professional men
and public spirited citizens.
Henry Albert was born on the parental farm near Walcott, Scott County,
Iowa, October 11, 1878, and was a son of Frederick and Catherina (Stiefel)
Albert. His parents were born, reared and educated in Germany, and after
their marriage came to the United States prior to the war between the states,
becoming pioneer settlers of Iowa, where Frederick Albert, applied himself
to agricultural pursuits during the remainder of his life. He died as one of
the substantial and highly respected citizens of his community, in 1919,
while Mrs. Albert survived him until 1929, passing away at Reinbeck, Grundy
County. Of their six children four are living: Louis, a progressive farmer
near Reinbeck; Otto, who is also a farmer in that locality of Grundy
County; Dr. Henry, of this review; and Dora, the wife of Henry Schmidt, a farmer
of Benton County, Iowa. Frederick Albert had received educational
advantages of an excellent character in his youth, and his leaving of his native
land was prompted by his reluctance to enter the enforce military service
there required. He maintained throughout his life an independent stand upon
political questions, and at various times was called upon to serve in
township and municipal offices. He was a devout communicant of the Lutheran
Church, as was his widow.

After completing his preliminary studied in high school at Reinbeck, Dr.
Henry Albert entered the University of Iowa, from which institution he was
graduated in 1900 with the degree of Literate in Arts. in the medical
department of the University he was graduated in 1902, in which year he received
from his alma mater not only the degree of Doctor of Medicine but also that
of Master of science. after his graduation in the medical department of
the university he there became assistant to the professor of pathology, and
a year later went to Vienna, Austria, where he continued his professional
post-graduate studies about two years. Upon his return to the University of
Iowa, in 1905, he was made professor of pathology and bacteriology in the
medical department and two years later director of the laboratory service
of the state Board of Health. He retained his professorial chair and also
the latter position during a period of two years and then, in 1920, by
reason of impaired health, passed a winter in Southern California for est and
recuperation. He next gave four years of service as director of the state
hygienic laboratory of the State of Nevada, and in 1926 was made commissioner
of the Iowa State Department of Health, with executive headquarters in the
City of Des Moines. Doctor Albert gave close attention to the
multitudinous details of the service of the Board of Health and was a recognized
authority in his chosen and highly specialized field of service. He made many
and valuable contributions to medical and health periodicals and was an
enthusiast in work for the maintenance of public health through hygienic and
sanitary measures and provision. He held membership in the Iowa State Medical
Society and the American Medical Association, and was affiliated with the
Masons and the Phi-Rho Sigma college fraternity. His political allegiance
was given to the Republican party and he and his wife attended and gave
liberal support to the Unitarian Church.

In 1905 Doctor Albert was united in marriage with Miss Edith Whiteis, who
was born at Urbana, Benton County, Iowa, and whose early education was
obtained mainly at Vinton, this state, she thereafter having been a student in
turn at Telford Academy and Drake University. Mrs. Albert is a daughter of
Dr. U. B. Whiteis, a representative physician and surgeon of Iowa City,
Iowa. To Doctor and Mrs. Albert there were born two children: Alvina, who
died in infancy; and Dr. Frederick Albert, who was engaged in the practice of
medicine at Mason City, Iowa, at the time of his death, he having succumbed
to an attack of typhoid fever.