As I was researching genealogy for my sister's family recently, I came across an interesting entry in Harding's History of Decatur County. It is about the patriarch of the Schroeder family in Decatur County and it is very informative to the genealogist and historian.
The student interested
in the history of Decatur County does not have to carry his investigations far
into its annals before learning that John Henry Schroeder has long been one of its
most active citizens, in both its mercantile and agricultural interests, and that
his labors have been a potent force in advancing the interests of this
locality. Mr. Schroeder has lived a useful and honorable life, a life characterized
by perseverance and well defined purpose and he has established a character as a
man who measures up to the type of the good American citizen. To him there also
belongs the distinction of being the oldest resident of Decatur County. John Henry Schroeder, who lives on a farm adjoining
the town of Enochsburg, Salt Creek Township, was born in Germany, November 19, 1822,
the son of Frank and Mary Elizabeth Schroeder who came to America two years
after their son had located here. When John H. Schroeder was about fourteen years
of age, in 1836, enthused by the wonderful stories of the great possibilities
in the United States for a young man of ambition and energy, he came to this country,
locating first at Cincinnati, where he engaged in common labor. He also worked in
a store for five years. In 1841 he went to Louisville, Kentucky, where, for five
years, he was employed in a store, and in 1846 went to Missouri, and clerked in
a store at Lottsport. Two years later he returned to Louisville and after a
residence there of one year came to Decatur County in 1849, locating in Enochsburg,
where he established a store, which he operated with considerable success for about
eight years. It was at a period antedating the advent of railroads in this section
of the state and it was necessary to bring his stock of goods from Cincinnati. On
one occasion when he was sending a wagon load of dressed hogs to the Cincinnati
market and while crossing a stream near Harrison, the ice broke and the
valuable team of horses which he was driving was drowned. When he discontinued his
store at Enochsburg, Mr. Schroeder located on the farm where he now lives and which
comprises two hundred and seven acres of valuable land. He has resided there
for about forty years and has worked a wonderful transformation in the
condition of the place. At the time he moved upon it there were no improvements
of any kind and it was necessary for him to cut timber in order to erect his
buildings. He since then has done strenuous labor, but despite his hard luck he
is now, at the advanced age of ninety-three years, remarkably well preserved, both
physically and mentally. He has always taken a keen interest in local affairs and
has lent his aid to the advancement of all worthy propositions and to the
raising of the standard of living. While living in Enochsburg he served two years
as trustee of the township, and one term as appraiser and was in other ways
prominent in the affairs of his neighborhood. During the Mexican War, Mr. Schroeder
assisted in organizing a company for service and also helped to organize a military
company during the Civil War.
On February 8, 1849,
Mr. Schroeder was married to Elizabeth Tuka, who was born in Germany on September
8, 1828, and who passed away in March, 1894. She came to America, locating in Louisville
when fourteen years of age and her marriage to Mr. Schroeder occurred at Enochsburg.
To Mr. and Mrs. Schroeder were born the following children: Henry H., Henry, deceased;
Everhard Henry, October 9, 1832, who died in 1905; John G., November 17, 1854, who
lives three miles south of Greensburg and who is married and
has four sons. John, Edward, Frank and Gregory : John Ambrosius, deceased; Herman
Henry, October 24, 1858, was married, July 13, 1897, to Rosa Sandrock; Mrs. Mary
Elizabeth Northorst, of New Albany, is the mother of three children, Joseph, Rosa
and Henry; Louisa Zizilia, December, 1862; Mrs. Annie Frances Thea, of Posey county,
who has seven children, Rosa, Elizabeth, Joseph, Clara, Frances, Julia and Anthony
; Rosa Clara Wessels died in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 23, 1899. at the
age of thirty-two years, leaving four children, Lizzie, Bennie, Edward and Rosa.
John Henry Schroeder also has four great-grandchildren, namely : Joseph and Leonard,
sons of his grandson, John ; and Richard and Paul, sons of Joseph Northorst.
Mr. Schroeder has
been a life-long adherent of the principles of the Democratic party, having cast
his first Presidential vote for Henry Clay and has voted for every Democratic presidential
candidate since. His religious affiliation is with the Enochsburg Catholic
church, of which he is a liberal supporter.
As the oldest
resident of Decatur County, J. H. Schroeder has seen his county develop from a
sparsely settled community to its present prosperous condition, and has performed
a very important part in helping to bring about the advanced standing of the locality.
Though now in the evening of life, he is still hale and
hearty and enjoys life with the zest of a far younger man. His long residence in
this section has given him a great number of friends, by whom he is held in the
highest esteem for his many commendable traits of character.
History of Decatur County by Lewis Harding pages 882-884
History of Decatur County by Lewis Harding pages 882-884
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| John Gregory Schroeder and Elizabeth Pulsing Schroeder with sons John, Edward, Frank and Gregory. |
