USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume I > Part 29
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Meinrad Seiler (deceased), formerly a well-known farmer of Adams township, was born in Germany, October 4, 1810. His father was Joseph Seiler, and his mother's maiden name was Helen Wirtner. In 1836 he came to America, and after spending one year in New York, came to Fort Wayne. He was a carpenter by trade, and as such he worked both in New York and Fort Wayne-at the latter until 1843. In that year he settled upon a farm in Adams township, and there fol- lowed farming until his death. He was married July 13, 1844, to Bar- bara Allgeier, also a native of Germany, born May 8, 1827, to Lorenz
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and Salome (Brown) Allgeier, with whom she came to America in 1844. The family located near Fort Wayne, where the father and mother spent the rest of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Seiler had ten children: Joseph, John, Mary, Joseph, Peter, Joseph, Helen, Henry, Frank and Charles, of whom the first Joseph, the second Joseph, Henry and Charles are dead. Mr. Seiler died April 27, 1875; he was a member of the Roman Catholic church, and his wife and children are also members. Mrs. Seiler still occupies the old homestead of 196 acres of good land, which belongs to her and her children. John Seiler, son of the above, was born in Adams township, October 1, 1846. He spent his boyhood and youth on a farm, and at twenty-one years of age began to learn the carpenter's trade. This for ten years he worked at in Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Marion and Wayne townships, constructing dwelling houses, barns, bridges, etc. February 3, 1880, he was married to Maggie, daughter of Matthias and Anna (Welling) Ros. She was born in Allen county, in June 1858. Immediately after their marriage they settled on a farm in section 3, Adams township, which Mr. Seiler had purchased in 1879. There they lived happily until May 13, 1887, when their union was broken by Mrs. Seiler's death. Since then Mr. Seiler has remained on the farm, which contains 143 acres of fine land and has two good houses and barns, one of the latter having been built by Mr. Seiler at a cost of $1,000 besides his labor. His farm is very desirably situated in the bend of the Maumee river. The marriage of Mr. Seiler resulted in the birth of two children, John and Mary. Mr. Seiler is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and in politics is a democrat. He owns two good business houses in Fort Wayne.
Friederich W. Hitzemann, an old and respected farmer of Adams township, was born in Prussia, July 3, 1823. He is the son of Friederich W. and Mary Louisa ( Meyers ) Hitzemann, the latter of whom died in 1825. He was reared on a farm, and at the age of seventeen, accompanied his father to America and settled in Fort Wayne, which was his home until 1855. He helped to construct the Wabash & Erie canal, and after- ward gave his attention to boating on the canal for thirteen years, own- ing a boat during eight years of the time. In early manhood he was at different times in the employ of Allen Hamilton, J. W. Townley and William Ewing, working for each a few months. He was married December 29, 1853, to Mary Angeline Lindemann, who was born in Hanover, Germany, February 10, 1830, the daughter of Lewis and Mary (Drebert) Lindemann, with whom she came to America in 1842. In 1855, Mr. and Mrs. Hitzemann settled on a farm in section 15, Adams township, where they have resided ever since. Mr. Hitzemann con- tinued boating, however, until 1860. Since then he has given his whole attention to agriculture. He owns a fine farm of 120 acres, which is splendidly improved with brick residence and good barn. Mr. and Mrs. Hitzemann have two children: Louisa Charlotte, wife of Henry Renne- kamp, of Adams township, and Frederick L., who is at home. The parents and children are members of the German Lutheran church. Mr. Hitzemann is a worthy and upright man, sociable and agreeable.
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Stephen Allgeier (deceased), formerly a worthy citizen of Adams township, was born in Baden, Germany, December 26, 1818, the son of Lorenz and Salome Allgeier. He came to America in 1836, and after spending a few years in New York came to Adams township and * located on a tract of wood-land in section 16, becoming one of the early settlers of that locality. While in New York state he had learned and followed the cooper's trade, and after locating in Adams township, in addition to the improvement and cultivation of his land, he, for several years, occasionally worked at his trade. He was married at the age of twenty-six to Augusta Houser, who died July 22, 1854, leaving four children: Charles, Catharine, Frank J. and Matilda, all of whom are liv- ing. July 2, 1855, Mr. Allgeier was married to Mary, daughter of John and Barbara (Ostheimer) Baschab, natives of Germany. They came to America in about 1834 and located in Northampton county, Penn., where Mrs. Allgeier was born March 25, 1836. In 1839 they removed to Starke county, Ohio, and thence to Marion township in 1854. There her father died, December 22 of the same year. His wife survived him until October 5, 1876. By his second marriage Mr. Allgeier had six children: Mary (deceased), Henry, Daniel, Peter (deceased), August and Mary F. Mr. Allgeier died May 26, 1879. He was a member of the Roman Catholic church. Mrs. Allgeier still occupies the home place, which is now owned and cultivated by Daniel Allgeier, the second son.
Hermann Tibbet, a worthy resident of Adams township, was born in Hanover, Germany, September 12, 1815, son of Bernard Tibbet. He grew to manhood in his native country, attended school until he was past fourteen, and then worked on a farm. In 1841 he embarked at Bremen on June roth and landed at New York on July 23. He ar- rived at Fort Wayne on August 12. An older brother, George, who had come to America about three years before, resided in Adams town- ship, and with him Hermann made his home five months. His first work in this country was upon a stage boat in the canal, being thus em- ployed twenty-two days. In 1842 he was employed four months on the construction of the reservoir in Paulding county, Ohio. For one year following this he was engaged in the manufacture of brick in Wayne township. He then began farming in Adams township. During the first six years he resided on a farm two miles from Fort Wayne, owned by Michael Hedekin. In 1851 he bought a farm in section II, upon which he has resided thirty-eight years. His farm contains eighty acres of good land, and it is in a splendid state of improvement and cultiva- tion. He also owns a farm of ninety acres in section I. Mr. Tibbet was married November 25, 1841, to Adaline Holtal, a native of Hanover, born near Mr. Tibbet's birth-place, February 2, 1812. She came to Amer- ica on the same vessel that brought her husband, the marriage follow- ing soon after their arrival at Fort Wayne. They have had five children: Bernard, Katharine, Mary, Rosa and Theodore, of whom only Bernard and Mary are living. Mr. Tibbet and wife are members
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of the Roman Catholic church. He is one of his township's best citi- zens, and he and wife are highly esteemed. Bernard Tibbet, the oldest child, was born on a farm two miles south of New Haven, in Adams township, September 28, 1842. By occupation he is a farmer. He was married June 22, 1871, to Josephine Pripsing, by whom he had one child, Catharine, who died in childhood. His wife died February 19, 1888. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church and of the Catholic Knights of America and of St. John's Benevolent society. He has filled out an unexpired term as trustee of Adams township. He owns twenty acres of land which adjoins the old home, and a brick busi- ness block in New Haven.
Martin P. Habecker, trustee of Adams township, and one of its prosperous farmers, was born in Lancaster county, Penn., September 19, 1837. His parents, Daniel and Elizabeth (Daugherty) Habecker, were also natives of Lancaster county. The Habecker family originally came from Germany, and the Daugherty family from Ireland. When Martin was between seven and eight years old his parents came to Adams township, in which they spent their lives, the mother dying March 5, 1859, and the father, September 28, 1864. Here Martin P. has lived forty-four years. The family first located on a farm in section 20. Mr. Habecker was married March 2, 1865, to Margaret, daughter of Charles and Louisa (Coleman) Doctor, the former of whom was born in Hesse- Darmstadt, Germany, and came to America with his parents when he was sixteen years old. The latter was a native of Ohio. They were married in Marion township, where Mrs. Habecker was born, January 17, 1844. From 1865 to 1868, Mr. and Mrs. Habecker resided on the old Habecker homestead in section 20. In 1868 they located on the farm they now occupy in section 17, where they have lived with the exception of four years, from May 13, 1873, to April 19, 1877, when they resided in section 33. Mr. Habecker and wife have had five chil- dren: Alice Mella, Mary Violetta (deceased), Minnie Adeline, Frances Marion (deceased), and Martin Franklin. Mr. and Mrs. Habecker are members of the English Lutheran church of Fort Wayne. Mr. Habecker is an honorable, upright official.
Gerard Henry Christopher Rebber (deceased), an early resident of Adams township, was born at Bohmte in Amte Wittlage, Hanover, January 29, 1822. He came with his parents, Gerard Henry and Dorothea Rebber and two brothers and two sisters, to America, when he was twenty years old. The family came directly to Allen county and after a few months in Wayne township, removed to Adams township, where Mr. Rebber and his parents spent the rest of their lives, his mother dying in 1851 and his father in 1870. Mr. Rebber was married in St. Paul's German Lutheran church, of Fort Wayne, August 16, 1849, by pastor Dr. Sihler, to Catherine Clara Rahen, who was born in Essen, Wittlage, Hanover, May 9, 1826, the daughter of Henry and Henrietta (Dressing) Rahen. She came to America in 1847, and after spending a year in Syracuse, N. Y., came to Fort Wayne, where she remained
Edward Harper
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until her marriage. Her father and mother came to America in 1850, and located in that part of Fort Wayne north of St. Mary's river. They were the first settlers, and it was a brother of Mrs. Rebber that gave it the name of Bloomingdale. There her father died in 1857. His wife about ten years later, died at the home of Mrs. Rebber, in Adams township. As soon as they were married, Mr. and Mrs. Rebber located on a farm in section 16, Adams township. In April, 1859, they removed to another farm in the same section, where the family has resided ever since, the father dying there May 5, 1889. Mr. Rebber was a member of the German Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Rebber had ten children: Gerard Henry, born August 7, 1850; Marie Henrietta, born September 29, 1851; Lewis Frederick, born October 29, 1854, died April 24, 1855; Henrietta Dorothea, born October 1, 1855; Frank Frederick Christian, born September 12, 1857; Henry Frederick Chris- topher, born May 19, 1859; Henry Frederick Christian, born October 7, 1861; John Henry, born November 30, 1863, died January 9, ISS7; Sophia Elizabeth Clara, born September 28, 1865; and Henry Frederick Lewis, born December 5, 1867. Mr. Rebber left two good farms of eighty acres each, one being the home farm in section 16, which is pro- vided with a handsome brick residence, good barn and other substantial improvements. The other farm lies in section 22, Adams township. Mrs. Rebber occupies the old homestead. She and the children are members of the German Lutheran church. Gerard Henry Rebber, the oldest child, has been in the employment of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago railway since January 13, 1872. He began as a section hand, but June 27, 1876, he was promoted to section foreman, and he has since filled that position on section 26. In 1888, his section was awarded first premium. He owns eighty acres of land in Adams town- ship.
Christian Wiese, a respected citizen of Adams township, was born in Prussia, March 9, 1829. He was but six years old when his father died. At the age of fifteen he accompanied his widowed mother to America. An older brother of his had come to this country four years before and located in Adams township, and to his home the remainder of the family came. Christian spent one year working at the tailor's trade in Fort Wayne, but this proved very distasteful, and he gave it up, and for nine years was employed on the Wabash and Erie canal, during the boating season, making his home with his brother in Adams town- ship. He started as driver at $5 per month, and continued, with increas- ing wages, three years, when he and three others purchased a boat and he was engaged as one of its owners and steersman during the remain- ing six years. On retiring from the canal he took his earnings, which amounted to $700, and bought eighty acres of land in section 15, Adams township. As the price of the land was $1,200, he started $500 in debt, and he owed as much more for improvements, etc. In 1854 he set about clearing, and in the course of a few years he had developed a good farm. It is now as nice a farm, for its size, as any in the town-
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ship, being splendidly improved and desirably situated. Mr. Weise has accumulated enough to buy two other farms, one of thirty acres in sec- tion 28, and another of 120 acres in Fayette county, Ill. The latter, however, he has given to one of his sons. His present wife owns a good residence property in Fort Wayne. In 1854 Mr. Wiese was married to Ann Elizabeth, daughter of Peter and Anna Katharine Weisheit. She was an infant child when her mother died, soon after which the family removed to America. She bore to Mr. Wiese eleven children: Sophia, Elizabeth, Christian, Charles, Martha, Louisa, Kath- arine, Henry, Marie, Sophia and one that died unnamed. Sophia, Eliz- abeth and Christian are dead. The first wife of Mr. Wiese died in 1880, and on October 16, 1881, he was married to Mrs. Lenore Böester, a native of Schaumburg-Lippe, Germany, born October 16, 1830, the daughter of Christian and Marie Mueller. She came to America in 1856, and was married two years later to Henry Böester, who died October 8, 1877. By him she had five children, all deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Wiese are members of the German Lutheran church. He has led an industrious life, and he is permitted to spend his declining years in com- fortable circumstances.
John Henry Koehlinger, of Adams township, was born near Wetzler, Prussia, August 24, 1838. With his parents, Henry and Christina (Weber) Koehlinger, he came to America in the eleventh year of his age. The family landed at New York early in July, 1849, and arrived at Fort Wayne about eight days later. They settled on a tract of wood- land in section 35, Adams township, where he remained helping to clear and cultivate the farm until he was twenty-one. There his father died in the latter part of July, 1868, and there his mother still resides in the eighty-fourth year of her age. At the age of twenty-one, Mr. Koehlinger began to learn the cooper's trade in New Haven. He followed this until he enlisted in Company G, Twelfth Indiana volunteer infantry, April 28, 1861, and served until May 19, 1862, when, owing to expiration of term of service, he was honorably discharged at Washington City. He was neither wounded nor taken prisoner, but while marching from Will- iamsport, Md., to Martinsburg, Va., on the night of March 1, 1862, he stepped on a stone which rolled in such a way as to throw his foot into a rut and his left ankle was thrown out of joint. It resulted in a per- manent injury. He returned home and followed the cooper's trade in New Haven until 1864, when he purchased an interest in a shingle and lumber business, and for one year he was a member of the firm of G. Gothe & Co. He then resumed his trade until 1869. In the fall of that year he bought eighty acres of land in section 13, and located upon it. in the following spring. Since then his attention has been given to farming, at which he has been successful. He has since bought an additional twenty, so that he now owns a handsome farm of 100 acres. Mr. Koehlinger was married October 21, 1862, to Johanna Brudi, a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, born January 21, 1842, the daughter of John George and Anna Barbara (Handi) Brudi. Mr. and Mrs.
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Koehlinger have seven sons and three daughters: Gustav A., Frederick Edward, Emma K., Henry G., Carl William, Christian F. G., Philip A., Clara E., Louise S. and Gottlieb Arthur. Parents and children are members of Emanuel's church in New Haven, in which Mr. Koehlinger is active and influential. He is a progressive farmer and a worthy, upright man.
Henry C. Zollinger, a prominent citizen of Adams township, was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, April 18, 1841. He is the son of Chris- tian and Elizabeth (Kühn) Zollinger, with whom he came to America when he was seven years old. The family arrived at Sandusky City, Ohio, early in May, 1848. In the summer of 1850, they came to Allen county and settled on a farm in Marion township, where the father and mother resided for about thirty years. The father was a turner by trade, and with him Henry learned the trade, beginning at the age of thirteen and following it at home until he was twenty-one. On August 12, 1862, he enlisted in the Eleventh Indiana battery, with which he served until late in 1864, and was in the entire campaign from Chatta- nooga to Atlanta. He was taken prisoner near Chattanooga, October 2, 1863, but was paroled about two weeks later. He accompanied Sherman over a portion of the march to the sea, then returned with his battery to Chattanooga and to Nashville, where he was transferred to the Eighteenth Indiana battery, with which he served until the close of the war. He was discharged at Indianapolis early in July, 1865. He received three wounds, but none of them proved serious. Returning home he soon afterward settled on a tract of land which he had bought in section 36, Adams township, where for a year he worked at the tur- ner's trade. He was married April 9, 1866, to Miss Mary A. Gretzinger, who was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, December 5, 1846, the daughter of George and Christina Gretzinger, natives of Wurtemberg, Germany. Shortly after his marriage, Mr. Zollinger removed to Fort Wayne, where for about three years he was one of the proprietors of a chair factory. April 21, 1869, he returned to Adams township and located on a forty-acre farm which he had leased. In 1872 he bought an eighty-acre tract adjoining, and to this, in 1874, he added the forty which he had leased. His farm is in a splendid state of improvement, being provided with a nice residence and good barn. Mr. Zollinger has done but little farming himself, his farm during the greater part of the time being rented out. In 1870 he purchased a saw-mill which was located on the land he had leased, and he has owned and operated it ever since, doing a very large business. Since 1880, in connection with saw- milling, he has also been largely engaged in the manufacture of drain tile. Mr. Zollinger and wife have had eight children: Anna E., John L., Charles H., Henry A., George W. and Christian F. (twins), Julia L. and Maria K., all of whom are living except John L. and Charles H. He and wife are members of St. John's Reformed church, of Fort Wayne. He is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges, and of the G. A. R., being a past commander in the last. In 1874 he was
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elected trustee of Adams township; he was re-elected in 1876, and again elected in 1878, serving three terms to the entire satisfaction of the public. He takes an active part in politics, and is an influential worker in the republican party. From 1876 to 1881 he served as postmaster at Adams station, resigning the position in the latter year.
Diederich Rodenbeck, of Adams township, was born in Prussia, January 1, 1832, the son of Frederick and Marie (Beck) Rodenbeck. He attended school between the ages of seven and fourteen, and spent his youth on a farm. In 1854 he emigrated to America and came directly to Fort Wayne. The first work he did in this country was upon Adam Brick's farm, in Adams township, where he was employed two months. In the hope of finding better employment, in August, 1854, he went to Indianapolis, but failing to secure work there then returned to Fort Wayne and during the twenty months which followed he worked on a farm in Wayne township at four dollars per month. In the fall of 1856 his father, mother, two brothers and four sisters came to America and were met by him in Fort Wayne. For a month the family remained at the place where he had been employed in Wayne township. They then located on a tract of land which the father had purchased in section 15, Adams township. There the father and mother resided until death, the former dying in August, 1865, and the latter July 8, 1869. She was born October 4, 1802. Until July, 1857, Diederich remained on the farm with his parents, and then became employed on the Wabash & Erie canal and followed the life of a boatman for over five years. March 4, 1862, he was married to Christina Zelter, a native of Prussia, born February 20, 1838. She is the daughter of Henry and Charlotte (Schmidt) Zelter. The mother died in Germany when Mrs. Rodenbeck was but ten years old. She came to America in February, 1861. Her father followed in March, 1868, and has since made his home with her. He is now in his ninety-first year, having been born February 4, 1799. Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Rodenbeck located on the farm they now occupy in section 15. He owns forty acres besides his home farm, which contains eighty acres of fine land, and is provided with a good barn and a handsome brick residence. Mr. Rodenbeck and wife have had ten children: Diederich (deceased), Sophia (deceased), the third died unnamed, Diederich, Wilhelmina, Sophia, Louisa, Henry, Frederick and Christina. Parents and children are members of the German Lutheran church. He is a progressive farmer and a first-class citizen.
Henry Rodenbeck (deceased), of Adams township, was born in Prussia, February 23, 1829, the son of Frederick and Mary (Baade) Rodenbeck. He grew to manhood in his native country working upon a farm. In August, 1854, he accompanied his parents to America, and located with them on a farm in section 15, where his father and mother spent the rest of their lives, the former dying in October, 1865, and the latter July 8, 1869. Here he also lived until his death. He was mar- ried September 11, 1856, to Wilhelmina Hitzemann, a native of Prussia,
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born January 3, 1832, the daughter of Conrad and Sophia ( Wiebke) Hitzemann. Mrs. Rodenbeck came to America with a brother in 1853, and her parents came in the following year and settled in Wayne town- ship, but afterward removed to Washington township, where the mother died June 20, 1871. Her father is living in his eighty-sixth year. Mr. and Mrs. Rodenbeck have had eight children: Mary, Louisa (deceased), Sophia (deceased), Louisa, Wilhelmina (deceased), Henry, Wilhelmina and Frederick. Mr. Rodenbeck died April 8, 1886. He was a member of the German Lutheran church, and was an honest, upright man and worthy citizen. His wife, who survives him, occu- pies the old homestead where she is spending the decline of life in com- fort. She and children are members of the German Lutheran church.
Caspar Kern (deceased), formerly a well-known citizen of Adams. township, was born September 24, 1821. His parents, John Michael and Anna Margaret Kern, came with him to America in 1837, and settled in Union county, Ohio. October 19, 1848, he was married in Franklin county, Ohio, to Elizabeth Spindler, a native of Lancaster county, Penn., born May 20, 1826, daughter of Matthias and Elizabeth Spindler, who also were natives of Pennsylvania. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Kern resided in Union county, Ohio, until 1858. In that year they came to Allen county, and first settled in St. Joseph township. In 1861, they removed to Adams township, where the family has since occupied the same farm. Mr. Kern died April 4, 1884. His marriage resulted in the birth of nine children: Anna Margaret, John Jacob, David F., John F., Mary C., Edward F., Christian W., Lizzie M. and Anna M., of whom Anna Margaret (the oldest) and David F., are dead. Mrs. Kern still occu- pies the old homestead, which contains 192 acres of good land. She and children are, as was her husband, members of the German Lutheran church.
George W. McCoy, a prominent citizen of Adams township, was born near Greensburg, Ind., at a place now called McCoy's Station, Jan- uary 30, 1827. His parents, Angus C. and Elizabeth (Smith) McCoy, were born, the former in Washington county, Penn., March 13, 1789, and the latter in Loudon county, Va., May 9, 1799. They were mar- ried in Bourbon county, Ky., February 16, 1815, and in 1825 they removed to Decatur county, Ind., where both spent their remaining years, the mother dying September 23, 1844, and the father in 1865. The paternal grandparents of George W., were Alexander and Nancy Mc- Coy, natives of Scotland. His maternal grandparents were Zadok and Nancy Smith, natives of Virginia. George W. McCoy was reared to manhood on a farm in his native county. At the age of twenty he en- tered Wabash college, at Crawfordsville, in which he completed a full classical course, graduating in 1853. During his college life he also taught about four terms of school. During the winters of 1853-4 and 1854-5 he also taught school. In the fall of 1856 he entered Lane seminary, a theological institution at Cincinnati, which he attended three months, intending to prepare himself for the ministry. But circum-
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