History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 111

Author: Reifel, August J
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1648

USA > Indiana > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions > Part 111

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Mr. Beckman and family are members of the German Protestant church

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at Klemme's Corners. Mr. Beckman has an influential and honored part in local politics, having been on the township advisory board for eight years, and has at all times held a place of high esteem in the regard of his friends and neighbors.

WILLIAM WENDEL.

The deeds men do live after them, and not only the deeds of William Wendel, but memories of him as well, still live in the minds of those who knew him. He was ever ready with a kindly word or a generous deed, while . every friend of his relied on him implicitly. Born in Highland township, near Highland Center, on October 15, 1854, he was the son of Conrad and Louisa (Kaser) Wendel.

Conrad Wendel and his wife were both born in Germany, as were their children, excepting Wilhelm and his sister, Elizabeth, who is now Mrs. Eliza- beth Berg, who is the only survivor. Conrad Wendel located as a renter in Brookville township, after immigrating to America. Some time later land was bought near Highland Center, and on this tract of one hundred and sixty acres Conrad and his wife died. They were buried near South Gate.

William Wendel was educated in Highland township. As a young man he purchased, in 1879, the eighty acres where his widow still lives, a place which was then unimproved. Mrs. Wendel erected the substantial buildings which adorn the farm today. These buildings were built since Mr. Wendel died, the barn being erected in 1902 and the house in 1904.

Mr. Wendel married Louisa Jane Mabis on March 21, 1876. His wife was born near Lawrenceville, Indiana, the daughter of William F. and Louisa (Peene) Mabis. William Mabis was born in Germany and his wife in England. William Mabis' parents, Christian and Marie Mabis, were natives of Germany, coming to America in 1836. Christian and Marie Mabis settled near Lawrenceville, Indiana, where they farmed for the re- mainder of their lives. They were members of the Blue Creek Lutheran church, where they were both buried. William F. Mabis had nine children, William, John, Louisa Jane, Ellen, Anna, Christian, Caroline, Albert, Alice, all of whom are still living. Mr. Mabis was a coachman in Cincinnati for some time. He bought land near what was then the pioneer settlement of Lawrenceville, Indiana.

William F. Mabis lived his entire life on a farm near Lawrenceville, Indiana. He died in December, 1892, his wife dying in September, 1913.

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They were buried under the auspices of the St. Paul's Lutheran church in Kelso township, Dearborn county, Indiana, of which they were members.

Louisa Wendel's maternal grandparents were English. They immi- grated to Canada in 1837, locating near Niagara Falls. They later removed to Columbus, Ohio, where they made their home until they died.

Eight children were born to William Wendel and his wife: William Henry, Charles F., Anna Louisa, John, Minnie Caroline, Frederick Albert, Laura Alice and George Washington. With the exception of John and the father, who died June 8, 1892, the entire family are still living.

William Wendel was a rare type of the kind of man who makes our lives brighter by quiet optimism and the example of his own life. The family being Protestants, Mr. Wendel at all times held closely to the tenets of his faith, aided by the quiet devotion and faith of his wife.

JACOB BOSSERT.

Franklin county is especially fortunate in that she was chosen as the home of a large number of German families in her early history. Fortune could confer no greater blessing on any community than the citizenship of people of German birth or parentage, as they are invariably industrious, law- abiding and thrifty, the characteristics which mark the ideal citizen where or whenever he is found.

One of these citizens of German birth was Jacob Bossert, who was born February 2, 1828, the son of Abraham and Barbara (Ritter) Bossert, both of whom were born, reared and married in Germany, coming to America in 1838.

Abraham Bossert and his wife lived one year in Pennsylvania, then coming to Highland township, they purchased the eighty acres on which John Gesell now lives. This land, which was then covered with timber, was cleared and cultivated by the sturdy settler, and on it he and his wife lived and died. It was then a part of the farm on which Jacob Bossert's widow now lives.

Jacob Bossert's education, which was begun in Germany, was completed in the common schools of Highland township, in the meantime aiding his father on the land which he himself acquired later in life. After he came into possession of the place he added twenty acres and erected the log house and barn which still stand. In 1894 Mr. Bossert built the excellent frame house in which his widow still lives. Mr. Bossert died January 11, 191I.

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Mr. Bossert married Dorothea Belzner in 1855. The following chil- dren have been born to them, in the order as named: Barbara, Sophia, Anna, Philip, Louisa, Christina, Michael, Oscar, Eleanor. Michael is the principal of the schools at Laurel, Indiana.

The paternal grandparents of Dorothea Belzner were Gottlieb and Eliza- beth (Grau) Belzner, who spent their lives as farmers in Germany. The same is true of the maternal grandparents, Michael and Abolinia Miller.

Dorothea Belzner is the daughter of Michael and Barbara (Miller) Belzner, who came to America in 1847 and located on forty acres in Man- chester township, Dearborn county, Indiana, where they lived until their death. Before Michael Belzner came to America he left Germany for five years to avoid military service, after which time he returned to his native land. The family belonged to the German Evangelical Lutheran church.

The heroic language of the poet, "Oh Death! where is thy sting?" has brought comfort and peace to the last hours of many, and Jacob Bossert knew the full significance of these words when his time came to leave this earth. Living his life according to the dictates of his conscience, his serene faith contemplated but one outcome of the Great Beyond.

GEORGE ALOIS RIPPERGER.

The story of the founding of St. Peters, Highland township, is inter- esting in the extreme. Six families came to America from Grosswaldstadt, Baiern, Germany, in 1834. They landed at Baltimore and came overland in wagons to Cincinnati, where there was but one hotel. They proceeded thence to where St. Peters now is, and bought adjoining tracts of govern- ment land.

Alois Ripperger was among this group of settlers. He later became the father of George Alois Ripperger. Alois was but two years old at the time, as he was born January 1, 1832, the son of Michael and Margaret Ripperger. These two were the parents of ten children, the first eight of whom were born in Germany. The names of these children were: Adam, Michael, Mary Anna, George A., Eve, Isador, Anthony, Alois, Margaret and John. Michael Ripperger bought one hundred and sixty acres in the northeast corner of section thirty-one, the land which is now a part of the village and on which St. Peter's church now stands. At the time of settle- ment the place was virgin forest, so a log house was built and later another

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and larger log house was put up. Michael donated the land on which St. Peter's church now stands, while Alois Ripperger's father-in-law also gave five acres. The first priest of the church was Father Fernerding.

Alois Ripperger was educated at St. Peters, and after leaving school, went to Cincinnati and learned wagon making. Returning to St. Peters, June 6, 1850, he established a wagon shop in partnership with his brother, Isador, a blacksmith. This shop was conducted for eleven years, then an- other place was secured. The business was maintained for fifty-five years, George still operating a small shop.

Alois Ripperger now owns a house and a two-acre lot in St. Peters, where he makes his home. One hundred and ten acres, due north of St. Peters, are owned by him, and the buildings on this place have been greatly improved under his care.

Alois Ripperger, on January 18, 1855, married Mary Eve Geis, who was born in Germany at the same place as her husband, and who came to America with her parents in the same group as did her husband. Wilhelm Geis, the father of Mary, purchased two hundred and forty acres, on which he lived till death. He was the father of the following children: Ignatius, John Adam, Anna Margaret, Michael, Margaret, George, Katharine, Eve. Eve (Geis) Ripperger and her father's family were members of St. Peter's Catholic church. Mrs. Eve Ripperger died in May, 1907.

George Alois Ripperger was born at St. Peters on June 23, 1868, went to school and always lived at the same place. His chief occupation has been farming, although he conducts a small wagon shop, the trade and the shop each being obtained from his father. Mr. Ripperger rents one hundred and ten acres, which he plants to diversified crops.

In 1891 Mr. Ripperger married Mary Margaret Metz, and they are the parents of the following children: Anna, Mary E., William J., Eleanor Margaret, Lena Katharine, Mary Josephine, Alois George, Matilda Johan- nah, Clara Rosa, Alma Stella, Agnes Elizabeth, Frances Marie.

Mary Margaret Metz is the daughter of Stephen and Eva (Pistner) Metz, and is one of a family of six children, namely: John, Joseph, An- thony, Katharine, Mary, Stephen. The parents of Steven Metz, Sr., were German pioneers who settled on the farm near Highland Center, where their grandson, Joseph Metz, now lives. Stephen Metz, Sr., was born in Germany and came to America somewhat later than did the Ripperger fam- ily, the father, George Metz, settling in St. Peters and living there till death. George Metz bought the eighty-acre farm on which Joseph Metz now lives.

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It was then covered with timber; in fact, the wife of George Metz was killed by a falling tree one year after locating.

Stephen Metz engaged in farming the greater part of his life, although he conducted a general store in St. Peters for the fifteen years preceding his death. The homestead, under his care, increased till it contained one hun- dred, fifty-seven and one-half acres. The stone house and all of the other buildings, excepting the granary, were built by Mr. Metz.

At Oldenburg, Highland township, Stephen Metz married Eve Pist- ner, the daughter of German parents, who settled near Oldenburg, the father being both tailor and farmer. After the death of the first wife of Stephen Metz he married again, to Johannah Schuck; one child was born to this second union, Charles, who died at the age of five years.

In the veins of Mr. Ripperger flows the blood of hardy, adventurous ancestors, and many of their excellent traits are discerned in him. He took up the study of law in 1903, and has since had an extensive practice and, standing high in the confidence of the Democratic party, he has held the office of township assessor for ten years, being returned by his party. He has recently vacated the office. Mr. Ripperger belongs to the St. Peters Catholic church, and is admired for his stability and depth of character.

FRANK L. HORNUNG.

The whole life of Frank L. Hornung has been spent in Brookville. As a young man he learned the jeweler's trade and since 1892 he has been in business for himself in Brookville. His father located in this city in 1868 and the family has been prominently identified with every phase of its de- velopment from that time down to the present.

Frank L. Hornung, the son of Lewis and Josephine (Starkle) Hornung, was born in Brookville, Indiana, February 15, 1870. His parents reared a family of nine children: Frank L., the eldest of the family; Mary, who is teaching in the high school at Muncie, Indiana; Sophia, the wife of John Kissel, a tinner of Brookville; Lewis D., of Brookville; Amelia, who is living with her father; Carl, a druggist of Kansas City, Missouri; Clara, the wife of E. S. Biggs, of Muncie, Indiana; Andrew, who died at the age . of one year ; and Dora, who died at the age of seven years.

Lewis Hornung, the father of Frank L., was born in Bavaria, in the village of Hilst, December 18, 1843. He was a son of Lewis and Sophia

FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA. 1129

(Knorr) Hornung, born in 1811 and 1818, respectively, in Bavaria. Lewis Hornung, Sr., died in 1874 and his wife in 1896.

Lewis Hornung, Sr., grew to maturity in Germany and early in life began to learn the linen weaver's trade. In 1835 he came to the United States and located at Warsaw, Ohio, near Cincinnati. He was a fine vio- linist and became a professional musician, earning his living in that way. In 1838 he returned to Germany, married and lived in his native land until 1846. He then returned to this country and settled in Cincinnati. One son was born while the family was en route to this country. The family was forty-seven days on the voyage, the father earning his passage by playing his violin on the ship. Lewis, Sr., located at Cumminsville, Ohio, in 1846 and rented land on which he raised garden truck. He also played the violin for weddings, dances and on all possible occasions where he could secure employment. He lived in Cumminsville for a few years and then rented a farm in Hamilton county and engaged in the dairy business there for about eight years. On January 1, 1856, he moved to Ripley county, Indiana, and bought a farm near the Franklin county line, where he spent the remainder of his life. The members of this family were Lutherans and highly esteemed people of the community in which they resided. Lewis Hornung, Sr., and wife were the parents of seven children : Christ, who died in infancy ; Lewis, Jr., Andrew, who died in 1875; Frank, a practicing physician of Hamilton, Ohio; Henry, a veterinary surgeon at Morris, Indiana; Louisa, the wife of John Menchhoffer, a farmer of Ripley county, Indiana; Jacob, a poultry merchant of Greensburg, Indiana.

Lewis Hornung, Jr., was twelve years of age when his parents moved to Ripley county, Indiana, in 1856. He attended the district schools for a short time and received a fair common-school education. He was confirmed in the Lutheran church at Cheviot, Ohio. Like his father, he was a violinist and became a player of more than ordinary ability. At the opening of the Civil War he hastened to enlist but did not get an opportunity until the spring of 1864. He enlisted in January of that year as a member of Company I, Thirty-seventh Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was with Sherman on his campaign through Georgia and made the trip through the Carolinas and was finally mustered out at Washington after the Grand Review in May, 1865. After the close of the war he came to Brookville, Indiana, and in 1868 opened a stave factory, which he managed for two years. His health was poor and he could only do light work so he took up the jeweler's trade and started a shop in his house. Later he rented a small store on Main street and here he engaged

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in the jewelry business from 1884 to 1896. He then bought a store building and turned the jewelry store over to his son, Frank, and since 1873 has been in the sewing machine business. He is a natural mechanic and in addition to handling sewing machines also does all kinds of lock repairing. He also keeps up with his music and his violin is still heard on various occasions. Lewis Hornung was married on Easter day, 1869, to Josephine Starkle, who was born in Franklin county, Indiana, a daughter of Daniel and Christina Starkle, both of whom were born near Frankfort, Germany.

Frank L. Hornung has been engaged in the jewelry business in Brook- ville since 1892. He received all of his education in the common and high schools of Brookville and is a man of marked intelligence and ability. Politically, he is an Independent and always votes for the best men. He is trustee of the Lutheran church, of which denomination his family are mem- bers. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

Mr. Hornung was married May 29, 1895, to Rosa B. Federmann. She was born in Brookville and is a sister of Louis Federmann, whose bio- graphical sketch elsewhere in this volume, gives a summary of the Feder- mann family history. Mr. and Mrs. Hornung have one son, Hubert, born November 2, 1897.

JOSEPH SCHUCK.

In following the events of any man's career, we are sure to discover the outstanding characteristics and dominant factors by which his life is gov- erned. So in our contemplation of the events of Joseph Schuck's life, we see that he is large-hearted, generous, and gifted with a clear business in- sight. He was born in South Gate, November 7, 1870, the son of Jacob Schuck and Caroline (Neuman) Schuck. He is one of a family of eleven children : Casper, Caroline, Jacob J., Johanna, Joseph, Charles, Henry, Benjamin, John, Elizabeth, Anna.

Jacob Schuck, Sr., was born in Germany, April 26, 1832, the son of Theodore and Elizabeth (Kraut) Schuck. He came to America in 1845, locating on eighty acres near South Gate. He also established the saloon business which Joseph now conducts. He died in 1882, after which his widow maintained the saloon for five years. She still lives in South Gate.

Mr. Schuck attended the public schools of South Gate. His first busi- ness was a saloon, which he conducted in South Gate. He bought the store

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managed by his mother in South Gate and managed it for three years; at the end of this time he moved the stock of goods to Highland Center and established a saloon, at the same time buying out Charles Knecht.

Joseph Schuck was married October 3, 1900, to Margaret Bischoff, and they have two children, Violet and Stella.

St. Peter's Catholic church numbers Mr. Schuck among its members, and he has a well-deserved reputation for integrity and public-spiritedness, and his name is essential to any list of Franklin county's foremost men.

GEORGE F. WALTERS.

An enterprising business firm of Brookville, Indiana, is that of G. & H. Walters, a firm which is extensively engaged in the buying and selling and shipping of live stock. The two brothers, George F. and Herman, located in Brookville fifteen years ago and have been very successful since making that city their permanent home. In addition to their stock business, they conduct a large sales and feed stable in the city and also have a stock farm near Brookville where they feed large numbers of cattle and sheep for the market.

George F. Walters, the son of John and Emma (Howser) Walters, was born in Ross township, Butler county, Ohio, July 10, 1866. His father was born in Hesse, Germany, May 3, 1834, and is still living at the old home · in Butler county, Ohio. His mother was born in Zurich, Switzerland, Feb- ruary 12, 1845, and died in Butler county, Ohio, February 2, 1912. John Walters and wife reared a family of eight children, George F. and Herman, of Brookville; John and Marshall, farmers of Butler county, Ohio; Frederick, a merchant of Shandon, Ohio; Lydia, who is still living with her father ; Charles, a retail meat merchant of Ohio; and Ann, who is still at home. The history of the Walters family is found elsewhere in this volume in the biographical sketch of Herman Walters.

George F. Walters was educated in the public schools of his home neigh- borhood and later attended the high school at Shandon, Ohio. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age and assisted his father in the buying of live stock throughout Butler county from the time he was eigh- teen years old. When he reached the age of twenty-one, George F. Walters went into the business of buying and shipping live stock at Shandon, Ohio. In addition to buying and shipping all kinds of live stock, he also bred and

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handled high-class trotting-race horses. In 1900 he moved to Brookville and started a partnership with his brother, Herman, under the firm name of G. & H. Walters. The brothers are the largest live-stock shippers in the county and have built up a business of large proportions along this particular line. Their headquarters is now on South Main street in a large building which they erected in 1908. In 1904 the brothers bought a stock farm one mile east of Brookville, where they feed several carloads of cattle and sheep for the market annually.

Mr. Walters was married February 21, 1890, to Louisa Scheering, who was born in Butler county, Ohio, a daughter of Charles and Wilhelmina Scheering, both of whom are now deceased. Her father was a prosperous farmer of Butler county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Walters are the parents of two children, Harry E., born November 26, 1888, and now assisting his father, and Norma, born August 12, 1890.

Mr. Walters is a stanch Republican in politics but has never been active in the councils of his party. Fraternally, he is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren church at Shandon, Ohio, and are active in all movements having to do with the development of the county's best interests along all proper lines.

ABRAHAM BOSSERT.

The Bossert family came from Germany to the United States in 1841 and at once located in Franklin county, Indiana. The whole career of Abraham Bossert of more than sixty years has been spent in this county with the exception of nine years which he spent in Cincinnati, Ohio. He started in business for himself in Brookville in 1882 and has been promi- nently connected with the business interests of that city since that time.

Abraham Bossert, the son of Peter and Sophia (Beckman) Bossert, was born in Highland township, Franklin county, Indiana, January 17, 1853. His father was born in Alsace-Lorraine in 1829 and died in Franklin county, Indiana, in 1861. His mother was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1828, and died in Franklin county in 1896.

Peter Bossert was twelve years of age when he came with his parents, Abraham Bossert and wife, to America. The family located in Highland township, Franklin county, Indiana, on an eighty-acre farm which was then a dense wilderness. It was several years before the land was cleared and

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brought under cultivation and in this transformation Peter Bossert did his share. He was reared to manhood on this farm in this county and after his marriage located on it and lived there until his death. He and his wife reared a family of five children, three sons and two daughters.

The paternal grandparents of Abraham Bossert were Abraham Bossert, Sr., and wife, both of whom were born in Alsace-Lorraine, then a part of France. They were farmers in their native land and after coming to Frank- lin county, Indiana, they continued to reside on a farm. They were Lutherans and stanch supporters of their church. The maternal grand- parents of Abraham Bossert, Jr., were Fred and Christina Beckman, both of whom were born and reared in Hanover, Germany. They were married in their native land and came to America in 1834 when the mother of Abra- ham was a girl of six years of age. They located on a farm in Highland township, Franklin county, Indiana. Christina Beckman was born in 1800 and died in 1893. She was six feet in height and a powerful woman physically, and two weeks before her death she walked to church. One of her sons had a distinguished record for service in the Union army during the Civil War.

Abraham Bossert was eight years old when his father died and his mother later remarried Henry Brunz. To her second marriage was born one son, Frank, who is now a farmer living two miles from Brookville. Abraham was educated in the public schools of Highland township and worked on the home farm until he was twenty years old. He then worked out for one year as a farm hand, after which he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and became a candy and cracker salesman in that city. In 1892 he moved to Brookville, Indiana, and started a grocery store. He continued the store for several years and then went into partnership with Louis Federmann in the dry goods and shoe business. The firm was established in 1903 and is still in business, being widely known and popular throughout the county.

Mr. Bossert was married in 1880 to Carrie Beckman, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, a daughter of Fred and Mary Beckman .. Mr. Bossert and wife are the parents of six children: Edna, the wife of Dr. William Squier, a practicing physician at Milton, Indiana; Delia, the wife of Fred Bloom, of Cincinnati, Ohio; Walter F., the present county attorney of Union county, Indiana and city attorney of Liberty; Mabel, who clerks in her father's store; Pauline, a teacher in the public schools; and Elmer F., who is now a student in the Brookville high school.

Although Mr. Bossert is nominally a Democrat, yet he votes an inde- pendent ticket in local elections. He has served on the town council of

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History of Franklin County, Indiana : her people, industries and institutions, Part 111

Author: Reifel, August J Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1648

Author: Reifel, August J
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1648