(2nd son of John & Louise Rossier)


Born:          April 11, 1852        Vevey, Switzerland

Married:       _________            to Goodall (1st marriage)
               February 23, 1883    to Agnes Fanny McAllister at Island Pond, Vermont
                                    Born: November 8, 1860, Columbus (?), New Hampshire   
                                    Died: December 24, 1932, Crescent City, California

Occupation:    Doctor               Island Pond, Vermont
                                    Garberville, California

Died:          August 20, 1931      Garberville, Humbolt, California

Children of Louis & Agnes:   Arthur   Marjorie   John  

Louis (Lewis) Rossier was born in Switzerland, April 11, 1852, the son of John and Louise (Mayor) Rossier, both natives of Switzerland. His parents left Switzerland when Louis was a child of two and a half years, coming to Canada and locating about fifteen miles from Montreal in Grand Ligne, where his father who was a school teacher at the Feller Institute, was engaged to teach the French language.

When Louis was fifteen years of age he went to Vermont from his home in Canada and secured employment on a farm, remaining there until he was twenty-two years of age. He returned to his home in Canada and again entered the Feller Institute where his father taught becoming both a tutor and a student in French. He pursued his studies along the line of the sciences and English, becoming proficient in both.

From the age of twenty-two until he was twenty-five he worked as a carpenter and millwright in Montgomery, Vermont. By chance his employer was a physician, one Dr. Wilbur. Louis was twenty-five when he determined to take up the study of medicine. He commenced to read and study with the Dr. Wilbur as his preceptor and teacher. Later he entered the University of Vermont at Burlington, graduating June 28, 1878 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He began his practice at once at Irasburg and Island Pond, Vermont. In 1889 he journeyed to California and located at Garberville in 1894. For the next 30 years he was a resident there save for a period of nine months during 1909, when he was in Stanislaus County.

Doctor Louis P. Rossier was the first doctor to stay in Garberville and practice any length of time. Before him a Doctor Bruener and a Doctor Pollard had tried it, but did not stay long. Doctor Rossier epitomized the Southern Humbolt and Northern Mendocino counties physician of the 1890's up until the late 1920's, making most of his rural calls by horseback.

Dr. Rossier purchased property, and his office and dispensary was incorporated in his home. At times he was seriously hampered in that he had no nearby hospital accommodations or the benefit of an x-ray machine. All serious surgical cases had to be sent to Eureka a distance of some eighty miles. Transportation by river boat was often resorted to when a patient injury or illness could not stand the shock of driving over the rough roads.

Besides treating epidemics of smallpox, whooping cough, diphtheria, respiratory diseases, childbirths, and vaccinations, there were occasional stabbings, shootings, setting fractured bones and once in a while troublesome teeth to extract. An old newspaper clipping dated January 30, 1906 relates:

"Dr. Rossier received a telephone message today for him to go to Harris and extract a tooth for Mrs. George Tooby. An aching molar is not a comforting tooth to have in ones mouth and no dentist within a hundred miles, and the doctor with his forceps will be a welcome visitor, even if it takes a telegraph message from Harris to Eureka, a telephone call from Eureka to Garberville and a ten mile ride over the mountain in order to reach the patient."

The first baby delivered by Dr. Rossier in Garberville was Verna (Schumacher) Finch, the eldest child of Ben and Alta (Davis) Schumacher. The delivery took place in the pioneer home of Verna's grandparents, August and Mary Ann (Crank) Schumacher. Truly the country doctor was a symbol of hope and tireless service. Theirs was not a glamorous role and often the monetary rewards were meager indeed. Bills were frequently paid in such legal tender as stove wood, chickens, beef, hogs, fruit and even vegetables, and on a good many occasions the doctor received nothing at all.

Too much credit cannot be given to Dr. Rossier for his unselfish devotion to his duty, profession and community. He is remembered by all who knew him as being kind hearted and considerate with all mankind and inspiring confidence in all of his patients.

Dr. Rossier met a tragic death as he was crossing the main street in Garberville. The accident happened on a foggy evening when visibility was poor and he was hit by a car. He was carried to the nearby home of Elmer Hurlbutt where he passed away. He had practiced in Garberville for approximately thirty years. Louis is buried in Ocean View Cemetery. Agnes died on December 24, 1932 and is buried in Saint Josephs Catholic Cemetery, Crescent City, Del Norte County, California.