Joseph Albright, M. D., the well known physician and surgeon of Grand Rapids, with his office at No. 54 W. Bridge street, and his residence at No. 37 Scribner street was born in St. Catharine's province of Ontario, dominion of Canada, 26 Dec 1837.

Dr. Joseph Albright has been largely dependent upon his individual resources from early youth. By dint of hard study he was enabled to pass a teacher's examination when a young man, secured a certificate and taught school about seven years, altogether, in Canada. He spent some time in perfecting himself in the German language at an academy in Allentown, Pa., and he is, beside, proficient in several other languages. He had early determined to make the practice of medicine his life vocation, and from his earnings as a teacher secured the means to gratify this laudable aspiration. In 1868 he entered the medical department of Trinity university, Toronto, studied the science four years, and graduated in 1872. He at once began practice in Orion, Lapeer county, Mich., remained about one year, and came to Grand Rapids in 1873. Here he stands well up in the list of respectable physicians, has earned a neat and commodious home, and placed himself and family in comfortable circumstances financially.

Dr. Albright was married at Grand Rapids, in 1880, to Miss Fannie Hoffman, a native of Dutchess county, N. Y., and the marriage has been blessed with two children, Josephine and Blanche, aged, respectively, sixteen and thirteen years. The doctor and his wife are attendants upon St. Paul's Episcopal church, and of this church the children are members.

Politically, Dr. Albright has been a republican ever since he has been entitled to a vote in the United States, although he is wonderfully popular with all parties in Grand Rapids, and from 1883 to 1885 served in the city council as representative from the Seventh ward, which, as a rule, is strongly democratic. He is now serving his third year as a member of the board of education. Of the professional societies he is a member of the Michigan State Medical society and the American Medical association; of the fraternal orders, he was made a Mason at Berlin, Ontario, in 1866, was admitted to Michigan and became a charter member of Doric Lodge, No. 342, and of this lodge was worshipful master for four years. The doctor is also a member of Columbian chapter, R. A. M., and of De Molai commandery, K. T. The family are highly respected in the social circles of Grand Rapids, and their domestic life is one of unalloyed felicity.