Although he died in 1900 at age 48, everyone referred to Cyrus B. Schreiner as “Old Dr. Schreiner.”
Cyrus was born in 1852, near New Texas, in the eastern part of Allegheny County. Cyrus studied medicine at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and at Bellevue Hospital in New York. In 1878 Cyrus moved to Mt. Lebanon with his wife, Myrtilla Reed (1857-1935). Cyrus’ grandson Bryson Schreiner has said Cyrus “carried his bride across muddy Washington Road to their house.”
The Schreiners lived in a house near the corner of Washington and Bower Hill roads with Myrtilla’s mother Myrtilla Stewart (1819-1897). Cyrus’ practice covered the area of what now includes Mt. Lebanon, Dormont and parts of Pittsburgh, Upper St. Clair and Castle Shannon. He traveled the rural roads in a horse-drawn buggy and was a ruling elder at MLEP Church.
Myrtilla and Cyrus had 10 children including Mary Elizabeth, who died at age 2; Lucinda, who died when she was 3; and Cyrus Bryson, who died at age 12 of a tetanus infection contracted after falling off a wagon.
Myrtilla and Cyrus’ son Samuel was Mt. Lebanon’s solicitor from 1912 to 1954 and solicitor for the Mt. Lebanon School District for 50 years; Samuel’s son C. Bryson Schreiner, an attorney, still resides in the South Hills area.
According to the Mt. Lebanon 50th Anniversary booklet, “as a man (Cyrus) was greatly respected and loved. As a physician he was skillful, sympathetic and remarkably successful.”
Bower Hill at Washington roads, circa 1900.
St. Clair Cemetery 