History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 75

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123

USA > Indiana > Dearborn County > History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 75

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through all the chairs in the Odd Fellows, and was a member of the grand lodge at Indianapolis.

William Bruce, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Hogan township, September 10, 1804, and was a son of Amor Bruce. He grew up on land entered by his father on North Hogan creek, and spent his entire life on a farm at this place. During the winter seasons William Bruce spent his time in flatboating to New Orleans, and for a time was justice of the peace. His death occurred on August 6, 1878, leaving a competency for his. entire family. His wife, Lovey (Durham) Bruce, to whom he was married. on December 25, 1825, was born on July 25, 1809, in Virginia, and was a daughter of John and Catharine (Conaway) Durham, natives of Delaware. Mrs. Bruce died on January 18, 1892, in Hogan township. She was but five years old when her parents moved to Lawrenceburg, and in 1819 they moved to Mount Tabor, where she joined the Mount Tabor Methodist church, which was originally built of logs. At the time of their marriage Mr. Bruce. and his wife located a short distance west of Wilmington, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. William Bruce were the parents. of twelve children, two of whom died young: Catharine, John W., Simon B., Martin V., William F., James C., Melissa, Isabelle, Mary M., Bolivar, Sophrona and one other.

Martin V. Bruce was married on April 11, 1867, to Cornelia J. Givan, daughter of William H. and Jane (Ferris) Givan, who was born in Man- chester township. To this union were born four children, Eugene, Jennie L., Arthur M. and Alma. Eugene is now a member of the Indianapolis police force. He was married to Christina Amdor, and has two children, Raleigh and Gladys. Jennie L. is the wife of Tilden Smith and resides at Indianapolis. Mr. Smith weighs about three hundred and twenty pounds, and is also a member of the Indianapolis police force, being located on one of the down-town corners. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two children, Thelma and Ralph. Arthur M. is principal of a business college, at Birmingham, Alabama. Alma became the wife of George Morris, and lived at Aurora. She died on February 15, 1915, leaving three children, Ruth, Warren and Glen.

William H. Givan, father of Mrs. Martin V. Bruce, was born on April 22, 1820, in Maryland, and died on June 7, 1896, aged seventy-six years. He was a brother of Judge Noah S. Givan, a biography of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume. to which the reader is referred for the genealogy of the Givan family. Mr. Givan followed farming all his life in Manchester township, where he officiated as justice of the peace for sixteen years, and.

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never held a trial, always settling cases out of court. He was a natural peace- maker and an ardent friend of the Germans, who trusted him implicitly, accepting his advice and judgment gladly. William H. Givan was united in marriage, October 19, 1843, with Jane M. Ferris, daughter of Sylvester and Rhoda (King) Ferris, of Holman, Manchester township. They were the parents of the following children: Cornelia Jane, Laura, Rhoda, Con- nelley and Sarah M.

Joshua Givan, the paternal grandfather of Mrs. Bruce, was born on July 2, 1788, in Maryland, and died on January 31, 1874. He was united in marriage, in 1811, with Henrietta Davis, who died on June 14, 1876, aged almost eighty-one years. Mr. Givan cast his first vote for President for James Madison at his second election, and his last vote was for Horace Greeley, in 1872. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Givan the following chil- dren were born: George, William H., Martha, Noah S., Robert and Mary A. They were ardent members of the Baptist church, with which denomina- tion they had been identified for sixty years.

Martin V. Bruce is a gentleman of broad and generous views, and has earned a reputation as an enterprising and progressive agriculturist.

HENRY F. SCHUMACHER.

Another indication of the thrift and industry of our German citizens and their descendants is the history of Henry F. Schumacher and his emigrant father. In times of failure and disappointment they have doggedly adhered to their purpose, brushing aside obstacles and renewing their attack each time with renewed force until success rewarded their efforts.

Henry F. Schumacher was born on November 13, 1857, near Hartford. Dearborn county, and is a son of John C. and' Caroline (Moerker) Schu- macher. He grew up and followed farming about one and one-half miles northwest of Aurora, where he now resides, and where his father made his home for twenty-two years, the home place being registered under the name of "Horse Shoe Bend." Mr. Schumacher has always been devoted to farm life, living thirty-one years on one place. He is an ardent Republican, and his membership is with the Lutheran church.

John C. Schumacher, father of the subject of this sketch, was born Decem- ber 4, 1830, at Harbenfeldt, near Essen, in Germany, coming to America at the age of twenty-one years. When he arrived, all his earthly possessions

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were carried on his back from the wharf, and he was seven dollars and fifty cents in debt. Engaging his services on a farm, he worked until he had saved enough to start up on a farm for himself. Mr. Schumacher was married twice, his first wife being Caroline Moerker, who was reared near Coles Corner in Ohio county, Indiana, and was of German parentage. Her death occurred where her son. Henry, was a very small child, leaving two children. Henry J. and Sophia. Mr. Schumacher's second wife was Anna Hartker, a native of Germany, born near Essen, to which union eleven children were born.

Henry F. Schumacher was united in marriage in 1883, with Florence Nieman, daughter of John Frederick and Clara (Eilert) Nieman, natives of Germany, where Mrs. Schumacher was born. She was a babe in arms when her parents came to America. They settled at Aurora, residing there for a number of years, and finally moved to Ohio county, and engaged in farming until well advanced in years, when they moved to Aurora, where Mr. Nieman died. Mrs. Nieman survives her husband, and still makes her home at Aurora. Mrs. Schumacher died in 1910, leaving eight children, as follow : Lulu Anne, Walter, David, Carl. Bertha, Henry J .. Jr .. Arthur and Leona. Lulu Anne is the wife of Albert Petchen, and resides at Aurora. She is the mother of two children, Marjorie and Albert Ray. Walter is in California. David was mar- ried to Blanche Almbaugh, and resides at Corona, California. Carl also makes his home at Corona, California. Bertha became the wife of Frank Shuter, and now lives on the home place with her father, her husband taking full manage- ment of the farm. Henry F. lives near home with his uncle Frederick. Arthur is attending school, as is also Leona, both at home. Mr. Schumacher is one of the most highly respected citizens in the township, where he is also one of the most prosperous.

GEORGE A. RIGGS.

Considerable interest centers around the subject of the following sketch, since he has the distinction of having seen the ninth President of the United States, William Henry Harrison, and was an eye witness to the "rain of stars," the wonderful event of those never-to-be-forgotten times. He has seen all the changes in transportation methods, from ox-teams and flatboats to the later steamboat and steam car, as well as the present day auto-truck and parcel post systems. Mr. Riggs possesses a wonderful wealth of interest- ing incidents of early days.

George A. Riggs was born on January 4, 1828, on the outskirts of

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Aurora, Indiana, on the road leading to Wilmington, in a log cabin on the farm now owned by George Parks. His parents were John H. and Azuba (Richardson) Riggs. The early part of his life was divided between farming and flatboating to New Orleans, hauling produce of every description, some of which was exchanged for deer heads and hams.' He remembers helping to kill a deer at Cave-in-Rock, where he went out in a "skiff" and caught the deer while in the water, by grabbing it by the tail and holding it, with its head in the water until nearly drowned, and then cut its throat. Mr. Riggs distinctly remembers hearing the early settlers tell of the famous "black Friday," when the earth was covered with darkness during the whole day, necessitating the use of lanterns, and during the same year the weather was so cold the crops were frozen, leaving scarcely enough for actual needs, and in some instances not enough, as a body of men had to be sent to Tennessee for seed corn for the following crops.

Mr. Riggs began his farm life on a branch of North Hogan creek, later called Goose run, where he bought forty-eight acres at a cost of eight hun- dred dollars, but was very unsuccessful the first year, selling only seventy dollars' worth of produce. Prices were very low; oats bringing only twenty cents a bushel, potatoes as low as ten cents a bushel on several occasions. However, in due course of time, conditions improved, and he added one hun- dred acres to his farm, which he still further increased by buying out the heirs of an estate' of one hundred acres. Mr. Riggs has always followed farming, and has devoted some of his attention to sheep-raising. having nothing but the finest stock. He has always been extremely unselfish, and ever ready to assist his worthy neighbors by giving his advice on proper busi- ness methods. He has been a Republican from the birth of the party, and ceased to vote only when his eyesight failed him. He had the pleasure of vot- ing for fifteen presidents of the United States, out of which his party won eleven victories. About 1893 Mr. Riggs retired from farming and moved to Wilmington, where he has since resided. In 1892 he was nominated, over his protest, to the office of county commissioner, but was not elected, owing to the Democratic landslide all over the United States. He and his wife joined the Baptist church in 1854, of which he is still a member. He was unfor- tunate enough to lose his eyesight about twenty years ago, and, although eighty-seven years of age, he speaks with a strong, clear voice, and is won- derfully jovial and cheerful.

Mr. Riggs was a member of the old Dearborn County Agricultural So- ciety, in which he was a director from Hogan township for several years, and for twenty-seven years in succession was gate-keeper at the Aurora fair, his

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services being retained because of his acquaintance with all the stockholders. Mr. Riggs also remembers the flood of 1832, and the "rain of stars" in November, 1833, when the meteors fell so thickly they lighted up the whole country.

John H. Riggs, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on April 14, 1804, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and came to Indiana in 1814, with his mother, who located near Aurora, where he lived nearly all his life. For a time he lived on North Hogan creek, in Manchester township, and spent considerable time on the Kanawha river, in Virginia, in his youth. He was a Whig, in the strongest sense of the word, but was never an office seeker. He was a member of the Baptist church. His wife, Azubah (Richardson) Riggs, to whom he was married on September 27, 1826, was born on De- cember 20, 1809. They were the parents of twelve children. Mrs. Riggs died on September 13, 1863, and Mr. Riggs was married, secondly, March 19, 1864, to Frances Herbert, born in Loudoun county, Virginia, December 30, 1811, daughter of John Herbert, who came from Wales when young and settled in Virginia.

The paternal grandfather was John H. Riggs, Sr., who was born at Liverpool, England, and came to America when a young man, taking charge of the American end of a trading company, in which he was interested. The family had been well-to-do but during the Napoleonic wars their shops were taken, leaving them very poor, and John H., being the eldest of four children, was compelled to work and help support the family. After coming to America. Mr. Riggs was married to Sarah Howard, who was born at Philadelphia. He died in 1810, and his wife died in 1818.

George A. Riggs was married in 1848, to Elizabeth Elder, daughter of Charles and Jemima Elder. She was born on Ludlow Ridge, above Law- renceburg. To this union were born eight children, as follow: Charles Henry, John L., Sarah, Jemima, Emma, William Duncan, and two who died in infancy. Charles Henry Riggs lives in Nevada, Missouri; John L. resides. at Bayless, Pike county, Illinois; Sarah became the wife of Jacob Abdon, deceased, and since the death of her husband has kept house for her father ; Jemima is the wife of Joseph Givan, of Milan, Ripley county, Indiana, who has served in the capacity of railroad inspector, and was also associated in the revenue service; Emma is at home; William Duncan Riggs is a traveling salesman, and makes his headquarters at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

George A. Riggs has a miniature painting of his father, showing a fine looking young man of aristocratic appearance. In the early days General

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Harrison and his troops marched past where Mr. Riggs now lives, on his way to Vincennes. He lived one season near Lafayette, on the trail that leads to Tippecanoe battlefield. A visit with Mr. Riggs is well worth while. He is never at a loss for an interesting story of early days. Mr. Riggs has a fine farm of one hundred and seven acres.

HENRY CHRISTIAN BUSSE.

Henry Christian Busse was a son of a prominent minister of the Lutheran church, and was another illustration of the thrift and industry of our adopted citizens. He very wisely chose the vocation of a farmer, and when his father grew too old to preach he cared for him until his death, cheerfully gratifying his every wish, in an earnest endeavor to repay him for his kindness and interest all along his early years, when the advice and experience of an older mind were of the utmost value.

Henry Christian Busse was born in Preis Minden, Prussia, September 23, 1834, and was a son of Christian and Dorothea (Poos)' Busse. He was about nine years old when his parents came to America. They located in Manchester township, where Mr. Busse received a good English and German education, being reared on a farm on the south side of North Hogan creek, near the center of Hogan township. He was a good manager on a farm, and accumulated great wealth, adding to his farm until he owned over three hun- dred acres, all of which was in a fine state of cultivation. Mr. Busse was an earnest member of the Lutheran church. His death occurred in August, 1914.

Christian Busse, father of the immediate subject of this sketch, was born on November 11, 1806, in Prussia, and his wife, Dorothea (Poos) Busse, also a native of Prussia, was born on March 10, 1806. Their marriage took place on December 27, 1826, to which union four children were born, namely : Dorothea, born in 1827, died in 1831; Christina, February 24, 1832, died June 24, 1850; Johanna, who became the wife of Henry Engelkinge; and Henry Christian. Mr. Busse came to America in October, 1844, locating in Manchester township, where he preached for about twenty-eight years, in addition to which he taught school from 1846 to 1869. He was a very suc- cessful minister and helped to build up a good-sized congregation during his labors. Mrs. Busse died on January 29, 1877, after which he made his home with his son, Henry Christian. The church in which he preached was known as the "Busse" church. The Rev. Christian Busse resigned in old .

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age and moved to Plum Point school, in Hogan township, prior to making his home with his son.

Henry Christian Busse was united in marriage on April 27, 1854, with Angelica Gesell, a native of Germany, who was born on March 22, 1833, in Hesse-Darmstadt, and came with her parents to America. They settled in Franklin county, near Brookville, where she lived until her marriage. Mr. Busse died in August, 1914, and his wife preceded him in 1898. They were the parents of nine children, as follow : Henry P., born on June 27, 1856; Caroline, December 4, 1858; William, January 31, 1861 ; John, March 27, 1863; Louisa, December 12, 1865; George, March 15, 1868; Anna, May 16, 1870; Abalona, June 20, 1872; Matilda, January 4, 1875. The entire family are members of the Lutheran church, of which Mr. Busse was one of the trustees for over sixteen years.

Henry P. Busse was married, in 1879, to Louise Oehlmann, and resides near Aurora, Indiana. Caroline became the wife of Henry J. Meyer, who lives near Lawrenceburg, and who recently became county commissioner. William resides on the Manchester pike, one mile below Wrights Corner. John is living on part of the old home place on North Hogan creek. Louise was married to Theodore Droge, and lives at Aurora. Annie became the wife of John Peters, who lives on the North Hogan pike, on the eastern edge of Hogan township. George also lives on part of the old home place, in Hogan township. Abalona and Matilda are unmarried, and are living in West Aurora.

Henry Christian Busse was a thoughtful, industrious farmer, and an evidence of thrift and good taste were about everything on his place.

EDWARD DOBER.

More than forty years of honorable business connection with a com- munity like that of Lawrenceburg, this county, a connection upon which never a stain has been cast and which never has been involved in a transaction of a dubious character certainly creates a record of which anyone well might be proud. This is a record held by Edward Dober, the well-known clothier and merchant tailor, of Lawrenceburg, one of the oldest and most highly respected business men in the county seat of Dearborn county, and the biog- rapher finds much pleasure in presenting here a brief outline of the life of this honored merchant, for the information of the present generation, as well

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as for the consideration of the future historian of this community, upon whom shall rest the duty of making a faithful transcript and reflection of the present time for the information of future generations from such materials as 'shall be created now for his ultimate consideration.

Edward Dober was born in the town of Onsbach, province of Baden, Germany, July 2, 1851, the son of Joseph and Henricka (Weber) Dober, both of whom also were natives of Baden and who were the parents of eight. chil- dren, namely: Edward, the immediate subject of this biographical sketch; Franz, deceased; Joseph, of Renchen, Germany; Paul, of Huntington, West Virginia; Theresa, the wife of William Gardner, of Yorkville, Indiana; Mar- tin, of Huntington, West Virginia, and Fridolin and Ignatz, who died in youth.

Joseph Dober was a village councilman and farmer, of Onsbach, Ger- many, where he died in the year 1880, at the age of sixty-five, his wife having preceded him to the grave in 1874, she then being forty eight years of age. Both were devoted members of the Catholic church, in the faith of which they reared their children. Joseph Dober's father died a comparatively young man and his Christian name is lost to his American descendants, as is also that of his wife. They were the parents of four children, Joseph, Leo, Mary and Margaret. Mr. Dober's maternal grandfather was Joseph Weber, a farmer and also a dealer in wheat and wood, who died from the effects of an injury received, when past middle age, while hauling logs. He married a Baer, who bore him seven children and lived to old age, these children being Mag. Henricka, Veronica, Theresa, Frederick, Paul and Ephrosina.

Edward Dober was reared in Germany and was educated under the excellent school system of his native country. He learned the tailor's trade, under the careful tutelage of a master workman in that craft, and in 1873 determined to test his fortune on this side of the Atlantic. Coming to America, he proceeded to Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where for a time he worked at his trade as a journeyman tailor, rapidly acquiring a knowledge of Amer- ican manners and methods, and in 1876 formed a partnership with Herman Klepper to conduct a merchant-tailoring business in the same town. This partnership continued until 1879, in which year Mr. Dober sold his interest to his partner and made a trip back to his old home in Germany, the state of his health at that time being such as to demand a temporary cessation from the cares of active business. Quickly recuperating his health, Mr. Dober presently returned to Lawrenceburg and, in 1883, opened a store of his own in that city, and ever since has continued in the clothing and merchant-tailor-

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ing business there, with a measure of success which has not only placed him among the most substantial citizens of Dearborn county, but which has been very gratifying to his many friends hereabout. The character and extent of the business carried on by Mr. Dober need no encomiastic description here, Mr: Dober and his store being too well known in this county to require any- thing of that sort. It is but proper to say, however, that straightforward methods and a scrupulous regard for the needs of his patrons have borne their just fruitage in the case of Mr. Dober and he is high up in the list of well-to-do merchants of Lawrenceburg.

On July 21, 1875, Edward Dober was united in marriage to Catherine Gardner, daughter of Anthony and Margaret (Lampert) Gardner, to which union two children were born, Eda and Matilda, the latter of whom died in infancy. Eda married Patrick Stephen Brady, who died on January 13, 1915, leaving one son, Edward Henry, to comfort the widow. Mrs. Catherine Dober died on September 20, 1880, at the early age of twenty-six years, and Mr. Dober, on April 26, 1881, married, secondly, Mary Josephine Morgan, who was born at New Alsace, Indiana, August 28, 1854, the daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth (Borgerding) Morgan, both natives of Germany.

Frederick Morgan was brought to this country from the Alsace-Lorraine district by his widowed mother, who came to America with her several young children, at a time when the youngest, Frederick, was a babe in arms, he being then but six months of age. The family located in Cincinnati, in which city Frederick Morgan grew to manhood, learning the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked for a time in Cincinnati and, about the year 1881, moved to Lawrenceburg, where he opened a shoe store, continuing in busi- ness there the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1911, he then being eighty-three years of age. His widow is still living, at the advanced age of eighty-three. She also came to America with her parents when she was but six months of age and grew to womanhood in the village of New Alsace. She has been a resident of Lawrenceburg since 1881 and is held in the highest esteem by a large circle of friends. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Dober died in the Alsace-Lorraine country, after which his widow came to this country, locating in New Alsace, Indiana, where she spent the remainder of her life, her two children, Frederick and Agnes, surviving her. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Dober was Henry Borgerding, who married Mary Hermmes. Henry Borgerding's father (Mrs. Dober's maternal great-grand- father) was Henry Schulte, but he having married, high above his station, Mary Von Borgerding, a young woman of noble birth and large wealth, he

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took her surname and afterwards was known as Henry Borgerding, that being the custom in those days in that country. The Borgerdings came to America in the year 1831 and located in New Alsace, this state, where both died and where their remains were laid to rest in the local cemetery. Mrs. Dober's maternal great-grandfather was Karl Hermmes, a doughty soldier who settled in Dinklage, Holdorf, Germany, where he was a man of great influence.

To Edward and Mary Josephine (Morgan) Dober have been born ten children: Frederick Joseph, Edward Paul, Henrique Elizabeth, Josephine Cecelia, Mary Theresa, Frank Joseph, Bonaventura Amelia, Agnes Louise, Hildegarde Marguerite and Anna Theresa. Frederick Joseph Dober is in business for himself in Richmond, Indiana. He married Rose Ella Dean and to this union three children have been born, Julianna Frebonia, Rose Ella and Frederick Dean. Edward Paul Dober is cashier of the Greendale Dis- tillery Company, at Lawrenceburg. Henrique Elizabeth is at home. Josephine Cecelia married Edward William Burke and lives at Delhi, Ohio. Mary Ther- esa married Louis E. Henderson and lives at Aurora, this county. Frank Jo- seph Dober is in the employ of his father in the store at Lawrenceburg. Bona- ventura Amelia is a teacher in the public schools of Lawrenceburg. Agnes Louise and Hildegarde Marguerite are students in the Lawrenceburg high school and Anna Theresa is a student in the Catholic parochial school.

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History of Dearborn County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 75

Author: Archibald Shaw Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1123

Author: Archibald Shaw
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1123