ARNOLD SCHWYZER AND FAMILY:

An Inventory of Their Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscripts Collection

Expand/CollapseOVERVIEW

Creator: Schwyzer, Arnold, 1864-1944, creator.
Title:Arnold Schwyzer and family papers.
Dates:1852-1964.
Language:Materials in English and German.
Abstract:Papers of Schwyzer and his daughter Marguerite, both St. Paul physicians, and some of other family members. Included are their correspondence with family, friends, and professional colleagues; Arnold Schwyzer's medical articles, lists of operations, and case histories; diaries, guest books, and journals of various members of the Schwyzer family; and numerous notebooks for courses taken by Arnold and his wife Johanna at schools in Switzerland. Most papers for 1852-1905 are in German.
Quantity: 11.0 cubic feet (18 boxes, including 127 volumes).
Location:See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseBIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Arnold Schwyzer was born on May 23, 1864, in Zurich, Switzerland, the son of Arnold H. and Katherine (Iten) Schwyzer. His premedical education was obtained at the Zurich Gymnasium. He studied for his medical degree at the University of Zurich, graduating in March, 1888, first in his class. After serving a short time in the Swiss army as a surgeon, he continued his studies at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Scotland. Returning to Zurich in October, 1889, Dr. Schwyzer became chief assistant of the gynecological and obstetrical clinic of the University of Zurich.

In December, 1891, Dr. Schwyzer came to America, and he set up a medical practice in St. Paul in 1894. From 1904-1908 he was clinical professor of surgery at Hamline University in St. Paul, and also pathologist for the City and County Hospital of Ramsey County. In 1927 he became professorial lecturer at the University of Minnesota medical school, and was elevated to Emeritus in 1938. During this period, Dr. Schwyzer was chief-of-staff for St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul. He was a member of numerous medical and surgical societies both in America and Europe.

Dr. Schwyzer married Johanna Heneggeler (1872-1905) in 1899 at Zurich, Switzerland. In 1906 he married Marguerite Mueller (1873-1953) at Zurich, Switzerland. They had three children, all physicians: Dr. Arnold G. Schwyzer (1910-1990), a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Hanns Schwyzer (1912-2002), a graduate of the University of Minnesota medical school, and Dr. Marguerite Schwyzer (1909-1968) (some sources say that Marguerite died in 1966), a graduate of Yale Medical School. The senior Dr. Arnold Schwyzer died in St. Paul on February 19, 1944.

Dr. Marguerite Schwyzer, a prominent St. Paul physician, whose medical activities included work for the Wilder Foundation, MEDICO, and the University of Minnesota Student Health Center, died in Zurich, Switzerland, on April 25, 1968.


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Expand/CollapseSCOPE AND CONTENTS

Correspondence and miscellaneous papers from 1852-1905 are almost exclusively in German. This section contains correspondence between the senior Dr. Arnold Schwyzer and his parents and friends in Switzerland. The documents that are in English, are legal documents: citizenship papers, deeds, and contracts. There are also manuscripts pertaining to Dr. Schwyzer's business activities and medical practice.

The papers from 1905-1964 are mostly in English. During this period there is much correspondence between the children of Dr. Schwyzer during their college days. After 1944 the material in this section concerns the activities of Dr. Marguerite Schwyzer. Included are papers dealing with her medical practice, her efforts to promote motor vehicle safety, and anti-communist activities.

Subject files contain published medical articles by the senior Dr. Schwyzer, published lists of his medical operations, and a collection of personal calling cards.

Volumes include diaries, autograph books, academic notebooks, medical case histories, and account ledgers, and are written mostly in German. A small series of photographs rounds out the collection.


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These documents are organized into the following sections:

Subject Files
Correspondence and Miscellaneous Papers
Volumes
Photographs


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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Arnold Schwyzer and Family Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 10,829

Processing Information:

Legacy Amendment logo

Digitized by: Minnesota Historical Society, July, 2023

Digitization was made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008.

Catalog ID number: 990017309800104294


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Expand/CollapseSUBJECT FILES

LocationBox
P6281Calling Cards, undated.
Published Articles, undated, 1890, 1905.
Published Articles, 1906-1926.
Published Articles, 1927-1941.
Published Lists of Medical Operations, 1911-1926.
Published Lists of Medical Operations, 1892-1919.
Unpublished Lists of Medical Operations, 1920-1942.
LocationBox
P6282Unpublished Medical Manuscripts, undated, 1913, 1942. 3 folders.

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Expand/CollapseCORRESPONDENCE AND MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS

LocationBox
P6282 undated. 5 folders.

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Expand/CollapseVOLUMES

Volumes 15-24 include diaries, guest books, and journals of different members of the Schwyzer family. Volumes 25-127 include notebooks for courses taken by the senior Dr. Schwyzer, Johanna Heneggeler, and Marguerite Mueller. Volumes 1-14 include account books and medical case histories for the senior Dr. Schwyzer.

There is no volume 19.

Unless otherwise indicated, the volumes are in German.


LocationBox
P6281015. Book of pencil drawings, unsigned, undated.
16. Autograph book of Marguerite Mueller, 1881-1882.
17. Diary, unsigned, 1888.
18. Diary of Johanna Heneggeler, 1890.
20. Journal of Arnold H. Schwyzer, 1893.
21. Autograph book of Marguerite Schwyzer, in English, 1926-1927,
22. Guest book of Dr. Marguerite Schwyzer, in English, September 1953.
23. Guest book of Dr. Marguerite Schwyzer, in English, June 1956.
24. Autograph book of Dr. Marguerite Schwyzer, in English, August 23, 1963.
LocationBox
P6281125. Composition notebook of Johanna Heneggeler, undated.
26. Mathematics and geometry notebooks of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
27. Mathematics notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
28. Algebra notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
29. Notebook of Johanna Heneggeler, undated.
LocationBox
P6281230. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
31. Greek notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
32. Greek notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
33. Greek notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
34. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
35. Greek notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
36. Religion notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
37. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
38. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
39. Zoology notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
40. Anatomy notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
41. Greek notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
42. Biology notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, in French, undated.
43. Notebook of Johanna Heneggeler in French and German, undated.
44. Physical geography notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
45. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
46. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
47. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
48. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
49. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
50. History notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
51. History notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
52. Biology notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, in French, undated.
53. Biology notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, in French, undated.
54. German grammar notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
55. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
LocationBox
P6281356. Greek notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
57. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
58. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
59. Religion notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
60. Latin notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
61. Latin notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
62. Greek notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
63. Mathematics notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
64. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
65. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
66. Biology notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
67. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
68. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
69. Algebra notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
70. Literature notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
71. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
72. Literature notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
73. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
74. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
75. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
76. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
77. Geography notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
78. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
79. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
80. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
81. Zoology notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
82. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
83. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
84. Greek notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
85. Greek notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
86. Religion notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
87. Latin notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
88. Greek notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
89. Religion notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
90. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
91. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
92. French Poetry notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
93. Religion notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
94. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
95. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
LocationBox
P6281496. Religion notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
97. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
98. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
99. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
100. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
101. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
102. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
103. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
104. French notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
105. Geometry notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
106. Geometry notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
107. Mathematics notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
108. Mathematics notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
109. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
110. Notebook in French and German, unsigned, undated.
111. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
LocationBox
P62815112. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, 1875.
113. Notebook of Arnold Schwyzer, 1875.
114. Notebook of Arnold Schwyzer, 1877.
115. Notebook of Arnold Schwyzer, April 27, 1877.
116. Biology notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, November 1882.
117. Educational transcripts of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, 1882-1883.
118. Medical notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, September 1885.
119. Educational transcripts of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, 1885-1886.
120. Notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, 1886-1887.
121. Spanish notebook of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, September 1, 1891.
122. Spanish-German vocabulary lists of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer September 1, 1891.
123. Composition notebook of Johanna Heneggeler, November 10, 1891.
124. Educational transcripts of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, December 24, 1891.
125. Educational transcripts of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, May 21, 1891.
126. Notebook of Johanna Heneggeler, 1893.
127. Notebook of Marguerite Mueller, 1899.
LocationBox
P628161. Medical case histories, April 16, 1896.
2. Medical case histories, May 16, 1898.
3. Account ledger of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, October 1, 1900.
4. Medical case histories of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, July 3, 1902.
5. Medical case histories of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, January 28, 1905.
LocationBox
P628176. Medical case histories of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, January 31, 1907.
7. Medical case histories of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, May 5, 1908.
8. Medical case histories of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, April 8, 1910.
9. Medical case histories of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, October19, 1911.
10. Medical case histories of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, April 11, 1913.
LocationBox
P6281811. Account ledger for Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, January 3, 1916.
12. Medical case histories of Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, January 3, 1918.
13. Account ledger for Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, February 20, 1926.
14. Account ledger for Dr. Arnold Schwyzer, October 13, 1927.

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Expand/CollapsePHOTOGRAPHS

Photographs of individuals, largely unidentified, but probably members of the Schwyzer family and their acquaintances. Many are of Swiss origin. The photographs have been filed in seven numbered envelopes.


LocationBox
P628181. Carte-de-visite photographs (unidentified), undated, 1861-1862, 1867-1869, 1974. 26 items.
Includes a small colored printed portrait of an unknown individual, probably 1800s-1820s.
2. Studio portraits of members of the Schwyzer family, 1800s. 18 items.
Fully identified with names and dates
3. Unidentified studio portraits, undated. 9 items.
4. Group snapshots and one studio portrait of an army officer, medical corps, undated. 13 items.
Seem to be World War II era.
5. Miscellaneous unidentified snapshots, pre-1939. 11 items.
6. Studio portrait of Arnold Schwyzer, undated.
7. Softcover photograph album showing interior and exterior views of the Schwyzer home at 8 Crocus Hill, St. Paul, 1916.

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Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:
Communism.
German Americans--Minnesota.
Medicine--Minnesota.
Operations, Surgical.
Surgery, Experimental.
Surgical instruments and apparatus.
Traffic accidents.
Persons:
Erd, Senta, author.
Mueller, Alberta, author.
Schwyzer, Arnold H., author.
Schwyzer, Arnold G., 1910-1990, author.
Schwyzer, Gustav, 1867-1951, author.
Schwyzer, Hanns, 1912-2002, author.
Schwyzer, Johanna Heneggeler, 1872-1905, author.
Schwyzer, Katherine Iten, author.
Schwyzer, Marguerite, 1909-1968, author.
Schwyzer, Marguerite Mueller, 1873-1953, author.
Document Types:
Diaries.
Photographs.

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