German Township Biographies

Township Histories & Biographies

German Township, Vanderburgh County, Indiana
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana. Brant & Fuller. 1889

History — Biographies

Andrew J. Augermeier, trustee of German Township, was born February 4, 1850, in that Township. His parents were Henry and Rosina (Eder) Augermeier, both of Hesse Darmstadt, Germany. The father was born in 1810, and came to America in 1826, located at Lancaster, Penn., where he was married in 1846, and in 1849 removed to Perry Township, Ind. In the fall of the same year he moved to German Township, where he died October 20, 1857. The mother was born in 1818, and lives at present with her son. They had five children, all sons. Mr. Augermeier taught in the schools of the County, and continued in this calling for twelve years. In 1879 ne was married to Miss Mary L. Grossman, of Perry Township. To this marriage were born four children, two sons and two daughters, all of whom survive. In 1886 he was the candidate of the democratic party for Township trustee, and was elected without opposition, and re-elected in 1888 in the same manner. This was a notable testimonial to the esteem in which he is held. He is a member of the St. Joseph congregation, Roman Catholic Church.

Source:
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Brant & Fuller, c.1889
Page 663

J. V. Fares, a farmer and business man of German Township, was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 10, 1824, the son of Michael and Mary Fares. The parents came to this country in 1835, settling in Auglaize County, Ohio, where they ended their days. When they emigrated, Mr. Fares was only eleven years old, but he had learned to read and write the mother tongue, and after coming here learned to write and read in English. Until he was seventeen he worked upon the farm, and after that he learned the trade of shoemaker, which he followed from 1840 to 1854. He is now living on the farm which he purchased in 1853. In October, 1859, ne was married to Veronek Mann, and they have had twelve children: John, Catherine, Caroline, Frederick, Sabina, Christina, Gustavus, Margaret, Henry, Veronek, Edward, and Louisa. Mr. Fares was for many years a member of the I.O.O.F. He was raised a Catholic. In politics he is a republican. Since 1861 he has served the community efficiently as postmaster at Kasson.

Source:
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Brant & Fuller, c.1889
Page 663

Charles Gantner, a man of note in German Township, was born in Germany, December 16, 1834. He is the son of Clemens and Regina (Fisher) Gantner. His parents left their home in Germany, March 20, 1840, came via New York, spent a few days in Ohio, then came on to Evansville, and moved into their new home in German Township August 20, 1840. The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Gantner, and four children: Mary, who was a daughter of Mr. Gantner, by a previous marriage, Abuns, Richard and Charles, our subject. When they settled here the farm was mostly in the woods, there being only about four acres of cleared land on the place. Charles remained on the farm with his father until he was about twenty years of age, when his father died, November 9, 1852. The farm was then rented for two years, and he and his mother went to Evansville. His mother became dissatisfied with the city, so, at the end of two years, he and his mother returned to the farm. His mother remained a widow for eleven years, and then married Lawrence Spitzer. They reside in this Township, and she is still hale and hearty, and does a great deal of work. Charles was married November 30, 1858, to Miss Phoebe Schmidt, who was born in Center Township, this County, October 16, 1838, the daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth (Mauer) Schmidt, both of whom were born in Germany, and came to this County about 1834 or 1835. Her father died about 1871 or 1872, and her mother is still living, making her home with her son Andrew, in this Township. Mr. and Mrs. Gantner went to housekeeping at their present home. They are the parents of thirteen children, all of whom are living, viz.: Clemens, born November 17,1859; Elizabeth, born February 21, 1861; Regina, born October 4, 1862; Caroline, born February 25, 1864; Charles A., born December 4, 1865; Josephine, born October 8, 1867; Mary, born April 1, 1869; Richard, born December 24, 1870; William E., born December 10, 1872; Joseph A., born April 9, 1875; Phoebe, born February 1, 1878; Matthew A., born October 5, 1880, and Gressens, born December 7, 1882. Mr. Gantner is a member of Morning Star lodge, No 7, I.O.O.F., and his wife is a member of Colfax lodge, No. 34, Daughters of Rebekah. Politically Mr. Gantner is a democrat. He was elected Township assessor in October, 1870, served two years and was elected Township trustee the same month that his term as assessor expired, and was re-elected trustee in 1874, without opposition. In April, 1876, he had two opponents, both of whom were democrats, and he was again elected by a good majority. He did all of his own business while in office, and his reports were models of neatness and accuracy. After his term as trustee expired, he was elected justice of the peace, which office he filled with credit for four years.

Source:
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Brant & Fuller, c.1889
Pages 663-664

Daniel Webster Goldsmith is the son of Daniel F. and Melissa Goldsmith. He was born in Center Township, this County, June 10, 1832. He spent his early life on his father's farm in Center Township, where he assisted in the toilsome work largely unknown to the present generation. He continued to work on the farm until several years after his father's death. He removed to his present home in German Township in May, 1866, where he owns no acres of good land. He was married March 3,1853, to Miss Martha J. Fuquay, who was born in Warrick County, Ind., September 15, 1833, and is the daughter of Stephen and Elizabeth (Peck) Fuquay. They are the parents of the following children: William H., Lizzie, Allen, Fannie, Morton, Mamie, Chauncey W., and Foster B., all living, except William H., Lizzie, Foster B. and Mamie. Mr. and Mrs. Goldsmith and a part of their family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are among the County's most highly respected citizens.

Source:
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Brant & Fuller, c.1889
Page 664

Henry Gumberts, Sr., first became a resident of Evansville in 1842, when he arrived with his parents, Marx and Rosa Gumberts, from the Rhine country of Germany, where he was born August 8, 1822. They passed the remainder of their lives in the city, and he has had his home in Evansville with the exception of two years, 1844 to 1846, at Helena, Ark. He engaged in retailing dry goods in 1846, during the war was sutler for the Eleventh Kentucky regiment, and in 1869 entered the wholesale liquor trade, at the same time attending to real estate auctioneering. For twenty years he has been doing a large and profitable wholesale business at 323 Main street. In 1872 he was elected to the city council, and was twice re-elected. He was married in 1847 to Frederica Seusmeier, who was born in Prussia in 1827, and came to this country in 1844. They have four children: Jacob M., Clara, Fannie and Fred.

Source:
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Brant & Fuller, c.1889
Pages 664-667

Simon Hartig was born in Lippe-Det-mold, Germany, November 20, 1835, the son of Frederick W. and Catharine (Teolle) Hartig. Frederick was born about 1807, and his wife about 1816. They immigrated in 1853 or 1854, and settled in this Township. Simon, when thirteen years of age, came to the United States, reaching New Orleans, January 1, 1848. He became engaged in farm work, in this County, and then learned the carpenter's trade, which business he followed thirteen years. He was married about January 1, 1863, to Miss Minnie Watermann, born in Germany, February 2, 1846, the daughter of Conrad and Christina Watermann. Mr. and Mrs. Hartig are the parents of ten children: William, Christina, Theodore, Charles, Henrietta, Simon, Henry, Minnie, John and Frederick. Mr. Hartig owns 166 acres of good land. He and family are members of the Evangelical Church. He was elected Township trustee in April, 1878, and re-elected in April, 1880, by a largely increased majority. In April, 1882, he was elected justice of the peace, and served four years.

Source:
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Brant & Fuller, c.1889
Page 667

Charles Henze, an old resident and prominent farmer of German Township, was born in Germany, December 22, 1838. He is the son of Henry and Dora (Kleiman) Henze. His parents were both natives of Germany, where his father was born, November 22, 1798, and his mother in August, 1801. At thirteen years of age, he accompanied his parents, together with four brothers, William, Henry, August and Christian, and three sisters, Henrietta, Louisa and Wilhelmina, to the United States, landing at New Orleans in the spring of 1851. From there they came at once to this county, reaching Evansville June 15 of the same year. In a few days they bought the farm, a part of which our subject now owns. Here the father died in the spring of 1875, his mother having preceded him ten years, her death occurring in 1865. Our subject went to school and worked on his father's farm until 1864, when he enlisted as a private in Company E, Twenty-sixth Indiana volunteer infantry, and served until August 28, 1865, when he was mustered out at St. Louis, Mo. During his term of service he was in the battle of Spanish Fort, Ala. He was married in 1859 to Catherine Groeninger, who was born in this Township January 1, 1843, the daughter of Frederick and Margaret Groeninger, both natives of Germany, who emigrated to this country in June, 1832, and settled first at Pittsburgh, in this Township, about 1840. Here her father died September 24, 1886, her mother having died many years previous, in 1857. They have six children: Anna, born January 5, 1860; Henry, born March 30, 1861; Wilhelmina, born March 18, 1874; Edward, born February 3, 1878; Matilda, born December 24, 1879, and Jacob, born February 1, 1884. Mr. Henze and family are members of the Evangelical Church. Politically Mr. Henze is a republican. He was elected Township assessor by a good majority in April, 1886.

Source:
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Brant & Fuller, c.1889
Page 667

Andrew Schmidt was born in German Township, March 6, 1846, the son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Mauer) Schmidt, who immigrated to the United States, and coming to Indiana, lived successively in Vincennes, Pigeon Township and Center Township, then settling on the farm where he died April 24, 1872, and where Andrew now lives, his mother making her home with him. Andrew was married October 6, 1869, to Miss Elizabeth Boseker, born in this Township, September 29, 1850, the daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Boseker, both natives of Germany. They are the parents of ten children: Anna, Katie, Elizabeth, William, Philip, Jacob, Andrew, George, Louisa and Henry. Mr. Schmidt and family are members of the Evangelical Church. He ranks among the most enterprising and successful farmers of his part of the County.

Source:
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Brant & Fuller, c.1889
Page 667-668

Frederick Werkmann, ex-trustee of German Township, was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, July 8, 1843, the son of Peter and Margaret (Naab) Werkmann, both natives of Germany. He accompanied his parents to the United States, landing at New Orleans in December, 1854, and reaching Evansville, January 6, 1855. His father died in Evansville the next morning, his sister the same day and his mother on the 9th of the same month, leaving Frederick and one brother the only survivors of the entire family. Mr. Werkmann came at once to German Township and went to work with his uncle, George Naab, on the same farm which he subsequently bought. He was married March 15, 1868, to Miss Catherine Puth, who was born in Germany, September 5, 1848, the daughter of William and Anna Maria Puth, natives of Germany, who emigrated to the United States in December, 1854, and settled in Posey County. Her mother died there more than twenty years ago, but her father is still living and makes his home with his son in Perry Township. Mr. Werkmann and wife are members of the Evangelical Church. He was elected Township trustee in April, 1882, and his faithful service was rewarded by a re-election in 1884, without opposition. During his term of office he built two substantial brick school-houses. In April, 1888, he was elected justice of the peace.

Source:
History of Vanderburgh County, Indiana
Brant & Fuller, c.1889
Pages 668

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