Charlotte Miranda Hattery, was born December 28, 1895 in Rochester, Fulton County,Indiana and died on May 28, 1957 in Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana. She married Bert Greer (birth: Unknown and death: Unknown) on May 17, 1913 in Fulton County, Indiana. Their marriage ending in 1931. Charlotte and Bert had the following children:
Mable Marie Greer was born on May 18, 1915 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana and died on October 24, 1995 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana. She married William Good on April 01, 1940 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana. William was born on November 19, 1910 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana and died January 16, 1991 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana.Emerald "ED" Deveral Greer was born July 27, 1916 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana and died February 05, 1982 in Cook County, llinois. He married Marge Lilligan (m: Unknown) who was born July 29, 1924 and died April 09, 1986 in Cook County, Illinois.
Frederick Ronald Greer was born January 14, 1923 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana and died September 07, 1991 in Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana. He married Goldie Gaines on January 06, 1945 in Waukegan, Illinois. Goldie was born on April 24, 1924.
Robert LeRoy Greer was born March 25, 1925 in Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana and died August 22, 1994 in Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana.
Byron June Greer was born June 06, 1926 in Fulton County, Indiana and died May 24, 1927 in Fulton County, Indiana.
Georgia Louise Greer was born June 25, 1927 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana. She married Fred Kern. She then married Harvey "Sonny" Argonne Cover on October 06, 1945. Harvey was born in 1924 and died in 1995.
William Howard Greer was born August 27, 1928 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana and died January 05, 1992 in Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana.
Rosemary Violet Greer was born December 28, 1929 in Fulton County, Indiana and died on September 20, 1930 in Fulton County, Indiana.
Charlotte Miranda Hattery married again to William Franklin Moore. The couple were married August 08, 1932 in Athens, Henry Twp., Fulton County, Indiana. William was born on September 10, 1881 in Fulton County, Indiana and died on March 09, 1950 in Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana. The following children were added to this union:
John Franklin Moore was born March 01, 1934 and died on March 29, 1934.Margaret Patsy Moore was born April 25, 1935 in Akron, Henry Twp., Fulton County, Indiana. She married Roland Francis Carr on October 27, 1956 in Rochester, Indiana. Roland was born on October 30, 1934 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana.
Marvin H. Moore was born April 25, 1935 in Akron, Henry Twp., Fulton County,Indiana.
Charlotte was a devout Christian and relied heavily on her faith when times were difficult. At age 13 Charlotte received a Bible with this handwritten inscription inside the front cover. "Remembrance from Christian Church Plymouth, Ind. To Miss Charlotte Hattery for faithful attendance at Sabbath School in 1908". Inside this cherished Bible, Charlotte carefully recorded the births of her children and the deaths within the family. My mother presented me with this family treasure last summer (1997) when I was home for a visit. The cover was so worn that it had separated from the pages. I had it recovered with similar leather to preserve this piece of our history for future generations.
Another book much used by Grandma also contains recipes in her own handwriting. Found in her "medical book " - Dr. Chase's Last Receipt Book and Household Physician, Memorial edition, published 1904 by F.B. Dickerson company. (I had the binding of this book repaired April, 1996.)
VINEGAR PIC (pickles): 3 tablespoons vinegar, 1 cupful sugar, 4 tablespoons flour, 1 cupful water, 2 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon butter. This is all there is, I don't know what you are supposed to do with this mixture. FOR ONE GALLON SLICED CUCUMBERS: 1 tablespoon whole cloves, 1 large stick cinnamon bark, 2 large cups vinegar,1 cup water, 2 cups sugar (each of white and brown). quarter cucumbers, put in strong salt 3 hours, boil vinegar. put in pickles let stand 15 min, Fill cans. Boil vinegar pour over pickles. seal. THOUSAND ISLAND PICKLES: 1 quart medium cucumbers, 1 quart vinegar, 1 large onion, 1 cupful sugar, 1/2 green pepper, 1/2 teaspoon mustard, 1/2 of cyann pepper, 1 teaspoon tumeric powder. Slice cucumber, onion, pepper, put cucumbers in jar, salt each layer, stand 4 or 5 hours, drain them, put in vinegar mixture. Can hot. BANANA PIE: Cover baked pastry shell with Bananas. Cover Bananas white chocolate filling. Garnish with sliced bananas and toasted marshmallows over a border of marshmallow wipe ( I think she meant Whip) made with white of egg and melted marshmallows. WHITE MOON CAKE: 3 cups flour and corn starch sifted, 3 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2/3 cup shortening, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon extract Vanilla, 5 egg whites beaten stiff. Cream shortening and sugar till light, add flour mixture, with milk, beat each time, add vanilla, fold in egg whites. MOON GLOW LEMON FROSTING: Grated rind of lemon, 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 egg yolks, 4 1/2 cups confectioners sugar. BUTTERSCOTCH PIE: 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 3/4 cups milk, 3 tbs butter, 3 eggs. VINEGAR TAFFY: 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/8 teaspoon cream of tarter, 2 tablespoons butter, little salt. MIXED MUSTARD PICKLES 1 quart small pickles, 1 quart sliced green tomatoes, 1 quart small onions, 1 cauliflower, 4 chopped peppers. Cover with brine- 4 quarts water, 1 pint salt. Let stand 5 hours, heat then drain. SYRUP MIXTURE: 1 cup flour, 6 tablespoons ground mustard, 1 tablespoon tumeric. Mix with cold vinegar to past (?) 2 quarts vinegar, 1 cup sugar. Boil vinegar and sugar, then stir in mixture till stiff. PICCALILLI: 1 pint Cooked Lima Beans ( or Red Beans) 1 pint cider vinegar, 1/2 dozen peppers red & green chopped, 3 dozen small pickles sliced, 1/2 dozen ears of corn - cooked and cut from cob, 1/4 pound mustard seed, 1/2 pound sugar, 1 small box mustard, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 pint small onions cooked. Boil vinegar, mustard, and sugar, mix and boil then add, 1 teaspoon tumeric powder. CHILI SAUCE: 1 peck ripe tomatoes, 3/4 peck onions chopped, 1 dozen green peppers, 1 quart vinegar, 3 cups brown sugar, 1 tablespoon water, 2 tablespoon allspice, 3 tablespoon cloves, 4 tablespoon cinnamin, 2 tablespoon celery seed. Heat tomatoes, stir in onions, pepper and add rest, cook slowly till done. BUTTERCUP LAYER CAKE: 2 cups sifted flour, 2 teaspoons calumet baking powder, 1/2 cup butter or lard, 1 cup sugar, 3 egg yolks till thick and creamy, 3/4 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract. Sift flour, measure add baking powder and again 3 times (sift 3 times?) cream butter thorough, add sugar, gradually and cream together until light and fluffy, add egg yolks then flour alternately with milk in small amounts at a time, beat each time until smooth, add flavoring, beat well, bake in 2, 4 inch forms. use lemon frosting. NATIONAL CAKE: WHITE PART - 1 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/2 cup sweet milk. white of four eggs beaten, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 cup flour with 1 teaspoon cream of tarter, 1/2 teaspoon soda mixed, flavor with lemon. BLUE PART - cream 1 cup blue sugar, 1/2 cup butter, add 1/2 cup sweet milk, White of four eggs beaten, 2 cup flour with 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon soda, no flavoring. RED PART - 1 cup red sugar, 1/2 cup butter, add 1/2 cup sweet milk, four egg whites beaten, 2 cup flour mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter, 1/2 teaspoon soda, No flavor. Place in bake pan first red then white then blue, moderate oven. Unfortunately it looks like Grandma kept part of the instructions in her head. If you try to make any of these recipes, we wish you good luck and let us know how they turn out.
Grandma married Burt Greer May 17, 1913. The stork's first delivery to the Greer residence was Mable Marie Greer in 1915. We made frequent visits to Aunt Mable's house over the years. She lived in Rochester, Indiana. Aunt Mable suffered from diabetes and obesity. Her husband Uncle Bill (Good) was tall and skinny. I always thought he looked like Bud Abbott (from Abbott and Costello). Aunt Mable had a very fertile imagination and often told the most outrageous stories. Very exciting to small children, who of course, believed every word. For many years she owned a little Terrier dog named Joker. Joker was white with black splotches on his body, he was as mean as they come and Mom was terrified of him. She would have Dad knock on Aunt Mable's door and no one was allowed out of the car until that dog was locked up! It was a happy day for Mom when Joker dropped dead.
It was at Aunt Mable's that I first saw gooseberries, and I always think of her when I see them. Aunt Mable had one son Ronald, who everyone called "Bobby". He was forever playing practical jokes. When you'd back the car out of their driveway, Bobby would come running out and yelling and when you'd stop to see what was wrong, he'd tell you that "Your wheels are turning". He found this very funny for some reason. Uncle Bill and Bobby both died in 1991. Aunt Mable spent the last days of her life at Miller's Merry Manor, in Rochester. She passed away in 1995.
The next arrival was Emerald "Ed" Deveral Greer in 1916. Uncle Ed (he was never called Emerald) lived in Chicago and worked for the Railroad. We visited from time to time when we were young. I remember one summer party with fireworks (Most likely 4th of July) was great fun. Ed and Marge were very generous hosts and enjoyed entertaining. They were the proud parents of six children: Phyllis,Linda, Judy, Edward, Mark and Margie. Marge died in 1986. Uncle Ed suffered from Cancer.
Chicago Daily News, Sunday Feb 7, 1982 Section 3 Death Notice page 15 Greer---- Edward D. Greer, beloved husband of Margaret Greer, nee Lilligan; devoted father of Phyllis Wienert, Judith (Lou) Palermo, Linda (William) Sheehan, Edward (Laura) Greer, Mark Greer and Margaret (David) Smith; dear grandfather of 11; fond brother of Mabel Good, Frederick, Robert, Georgia Kern, Howard Greer, Marvin Moore and Margaret Carr. Resting at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home 4727 W. 103rd St. Oak Lawn, Sunday, after 2 p.m. until Monday, 10 p.m. Lying in State Tuesday, 12 noon until time of services, 1 p.m. at Burbank Manor Presbyterian Church, 80th Street and Central Avenue, Burbank, Ill. Member of the Evergreen Park Lodge No 1171 A.F & A.M., Valley of Chicago Scottish Rite and Order of Mystic Shrine Medinah Temple: Masonic services Sunday, 8 p.m. under the auspices of Evergreen Park Lodge. Interment Evergreen Cemetery. For public transportation information, call 636-1193 or Chicago, 735-4242.
Chicago Tribune Wednesday July 6, 1988 Section 2 page 10 Greer---- Mark W. Greer, suddenly, beloved husband of Pamela Greer, nee Preyss: devoted father of the late Desaree D. Greer; dear stepfather of Anastasia Kinnunen; fond brother of Phyllis (Patrick) Powers, Judith ( Louis) Palermo, Linda Sheehan, Edward (Laura ) Greer and Margaret (David ) Smith; fond son in law of Norbert and Mary Ann Preyss; dearest son of the late Edward and Margaret Greer. Funeral Friday 8:45 a.m. from Blake Lamb Funeral Home, 4727 W. 103rd St Oak Lawn, to St Albert the Great Church. Mass 9:30 a.m. interment family lot. Visitation Wednesday 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.For public transportation information call: 6376-1193 or Chicago 735-4242.
1923 brought Frederick Ronald Greer. Uncle Fred lived in Plymouth, Indiana. He and his wife Aunt Goldie (Gaines) raised Boston Terriers. Their only child, an adopted son, Randy Lynn, died in infancy. Aunt Goldie is a cake decorator, and a darn good one too. She made my first wedding cake. When asked to contribute a piece for this book she wrote proudly of Uncle Fred's military service "Frederick R. Greer was inducted into the army on Mar 1st, 1941 and served four years, five months and one day. He was Medical Aidman while over seas. he served on year and five months over seas - the battles and campaigns he was in are as follows: Algeria - French morocco ; Tunisia; Sicily; Napoles - Foggice Rome - area EAME Theatre Ribbon with 5 bronze stars per WD Go #35/45; American Defence Service Medal Silver Star Medal per Go# 63 Hq 3rd Infantry Division 44; Bronze Star medal W//olc per Bo # 77#170 Hq 3rd Inf. Div 44." Uncle Fred suffered a heart attack in his home September 1991.
Obituary South Bend Tribune, September 9, 1991 Plymouth, --- Frederick R. Greer, 68, of 804 W. Jackson St. died at 4:45pm Saturday in Holy Cross Parkview Hospital of an apparent attack. Mr. Greer retired in 1985 from Bremen Glass, Inc. He was born Jan. 14, 1923, in Rochester. On Jan. 6 1945 in Waukegan, Illinois,he married Goldie Gaines. She survives with three sisters, Mable Good of Rochester, Georgia Kern of Upland, Ind., and Margaret Carr of Culver; and three brothers, Robert, Howard, and Marvin, all of Plymouth. An infant son, Randy Lynn, preceded him in death.
Services will be at 2 PM Wednesday at First Church of the Nazarene. Burial will be in New Oak Hill Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 PM Tuesday at Johnson Funeral Home and one hour before services Wednesday at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.
Fourth was Robert LeRoy Greer in 1925. Uncle Bob was also diabetic. He lived in the Chicago area most of his adult life before returning to Plymouth, Indiana. He also worked for the "Railroad" but doing what I don't know. Uncle Bob also never married. I remember him as being grandiose and flashy. Much fancier than I was used to. Since he had no children for us to play with and didn't live close enough to visit at his home, I have vague impressions of Uncle Bob but paid little attention to him as I was growing up. He passed away of complications of diabetes in 1994.
Obituary Robert L. Greer, 69, of 1415 N. 1150 East, died at 9:30 P.M. Monday, Aug. 22, 1994, in Saint Joseph's Hospital of Marshall County after a brief illness. He was born on March 25, 1925, in Plymouth to Bert and Charlotte (Hattery) Greer. He had lived in Chicago for 39 years, during which he was employed by the Northwestern Railroad. Upon retirement he moved to Plymouth. Mr. Greer was a US Navy veteran of World War 2 and the Korean War, and was a member of the Plymouth VFW.
Surviving are three sisters, Mable Good and Margaret Carr of Culver and Georgia Kern of Upland; and a brother Marvin Moore of Plymouth. Preceding in death were five brothers, Frederick, Edward, Byron and William Greer and John Moore; and a sister Rosemary Greer.
Services will be at 10:30 A.M. Thursday at the Johnson Funeral Home with the Rev. Richard George officiating. Burial will be in the Sharon Cemetery at Rochester with military rites. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4 to 8 P.M. Wednesday.
Byron June Greer, the 5th child of Charlotte and Bert Greer suffered complications of measles at age 11 months and passed away in 1927. Grandma's Bible recorded Byron's appearance as "Blue Eyes, Yellow Hair, Fair Complexion".
The 6th bundle of joy, was Georgia Louise Greer born in 1927. Georgia was born with a club foot. She maintained a close bond with her brother Robert until his death. There is little to say here about Aunt Georgia as our two families weren't exceptionally close. I have vague memories of visiting as a small child and somehow I believe there were mud pies involved. Aunt Georgia was the caretaker of the family heirlooms until recently when she gave Grandma's Bible and Daniel's Biscuit Cutter to my mother. Mom passed these treasured items to me while bestowing items from her father's family to my sister Robin.
Child number 7, William Howard Greer was born in 1928. Uncle Billy suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. He walked stooped over and with shuffling gait as he gripped his knees together and held onto furniture for balance. He worked in the foundry during the 1940's but was pretty disabled by the mid 1950's. Uncle Billy was the only person who ever got away with calling me "Birdie". I hate it! When we would visit as children he always had a bottle of RC Cola for us and would inquire about how we were doing in school. He called us "Kiddies" and he was just as interested in what we were doing as he was the adults. On our birthday he always gave us a five dollar bill. We thought we were rich! Uncle Billy died a bachelor in 1992.
Obituary WILLIAM H. "BILLY" GREER, 63, 20985 W. 12th Rd., Plymouth, died at 2 A.M. Sunday, Jan. 5, 1992, at his residence after a brief illness. He was born Aug. 28, 1928, at Rochester, the son of Bert and Charlotte (Hattery) Greer. He was a foundry worker and resided in the Plymouth area since 1941. Survivors include; three sisters -- Mabel Good of Rochester, Georgia Kern of Upland, and Margaret Carr of Culver, two brothers Robert Greer and Marvin Moore, both of Plymouth, and one aunt, Inez Hattery of Plymouth. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Frederick Greer, Edward Greer, Byron Greer and John Moore; and one sister, Rosemary Greer. The funeral will be at 11am Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the Johnson Funeral Home. The Rev. Richard George will officiate. Burial will follow at Hoover Cemetery, Athens. Friends may call from 4-8 P.M. Tuesday at the funeral home.
On her forty-fourth birthday Grandma gave birth to her 8th child, Rosemary Violet Greer. In Grandma's Bible we find this description of Rosemary "Dark Brown Eyes, Black Hair and Dark Complexion". Like so many others in those days, Rosemary passed away in 1930, at age 9 months of Whooping Cough.
After eighteen years, Bert and Grandma were divorced in 1931.
Grandma and my Grandfather William F. Moore knew each other their entire lives. They were married August 8, 1932.
John Franklin Moore was born in March of 1934. He lived 20 days and died from a heart defect.
Twins, Marvin and Margaret Moore were born April 25, 1935. Margaret is my mother. Marvin is the older of the two, arriving approximately five minutes before Margaret. Uncle Marvin never married. He shared a home with Uncle Billy until his death in 1992. Uncle Marvin works for AK Industries. They make septic tanks. He paints tanks, helps load and unload trucks, or whatever else may need done. He enjoys singing especially Gospel or Country music. He is also a dedicated Little Jimmy Dickens fan.
Marvin shares some of his memories : "Dad was a hard worker, he always worked until he got so's he couldn't get around and we were afraid of his falling."
"The only cars Dad had were a '28 Plymouth & '29 Essex, they were crank type cars. That's what everyone had in those days. Ernie always liked Chrysler or Cadillac."
"Dad used to get mad and he'd through his hat on the floor and stomp it. Mom didn't like it but that was how he was."
"We had a dog named Stiffy, it was a farm dog and it caught rats."
"The first car I ever bought was a Buick."
"Billy and I always lived in Mom and Dad's house. It belonged to Uncle Ora first, then we moved there in 1941. Then we moved to the country in 1967 and the house was torn down for a parking lot."
"Mom was always into Herbs and Indian stuff. Herbal Tea and things like that. We used to go to them regular churches, Nazarene and like that. Then in later years when she got sick she went to Christian Science." "I went to Johovah's Witness Church for years."
Margaret tells us about the day her father died. "We always went to bed early, he was an old farmer for years, he'd go to bed about 9 o'clock and he'd get up early in the morning. So we all went to bed, he usually said goodnight but that night he said goodbye. Marvin and I started laughing and we thought We wonder where he thinks he's going. So he went on up to bed. The Doctor said he had a blood clot that hit his heart but he'd probably had two or three strokes during the night. I found him dead the next morning. We didn't have closets in those days, there was one big room upstairs where all the clothes hung on a clothesline. That's where he slept. I went up to get my school clothes and I looked at him. I don't know what made me think he was dead because I'd never really seen a dead person before, but I knew and I backed down the stairs and I told Mom, Dad's dead. She didn't believe me but he was. The Coroner came and checked him and everything. The Undertaker came and our stairway was a few steps up and then it turned with more some steps up. They couldn't get the bed thing up the stairs so they took one of our straight back kitchen chairs and they tied him to the chair with sheets and they brought him downstairs that way."
Submitted by: Roberta Wunder
Excerpts from her book "History of the Hann Family 1822 - 1999"
Mr. CORBIN was born May 21, 1827, in Tioga County, N. Y. His father, who was a native of one of the new England States, died when the subject was but three years old. The latter spent the days of his boyhood on the farm of his step-father until nineteen years of age, attending the common school during the winter. He was a diligent student, and improved the oppertunities offered for acquiring an education. At the age of nineteen, he entered the academy at Oswego, N. Y., which he attended for two terms, teaching school during the winter to render his perios of study self-sustaining. It was through the kindness of his uncle that he was first permitted to enter the academy, and after leaving it he engaged with his uncle as a contractor on the North Branch Canal, but subsequently sold his interest in the contract and began the study of law in the office of Hon. John BRISBIN, in Wyoming County, Penn. His preceptor was an eminent man of his day, and at that time Member of Congress from Pennsylvania. Early in 1851, Mr. CORBIN was admitted to the bar of Wyoming County, Penn., and, in November of the same year, came to Plymouth, Ind., and entered upon the practice of his profession. He began under favorable circumstances, and it was evident to observers that the young lawyer was a man of more than ordinary ability and merit. In 1852, about a year after his arrival, he was nominated by the Democrats for the office of District Prosecuting Attorney, and was elected by a flattering majority. He resigned, however, after serving a year, and, finding more labor than profit in the office, he continued his law practice successfully and without interruption until 1862, when he was nominated by his party for State Senator. He was elected, and served one term, during which time there were four sessions of the Senate. He served as a member of several committees; notably those on Prisons and Benevolent Institutions. At the expiration of his term of office, he returned to Plymouth to devote his entire attention to his practice. Upon the organization of Plymouth as a city, in 1873, he was chosen Mayor, and filled that position with honor and ability for nearly two years. He resigned this office to accept the appointment of Judge of the Forty-first Judicial District, tendered him by Gov. HENDRICKS. In every public capacity in which he has served, he has acquitted himself nobly, and manifested a zeal in his mission and a conscientious fidelity to trust that has gained for him the admiration of political friends and opponents alike. His practice has justified the ambitious hopes of his earlier years, and he stands now at the head of his profession in this county. While he is a thorough and competent lawyer, he is equally so as a farmer, and now owns two large farms, in the cultivation of which he takes great pleasure. He has always been a public-spirited man, and a friend to every measure designed to improve the moral or temporal condition of the community. He was one of the early Secretaries of the Indianapolis, Peru & Chicago Railroad, and has been identified with many of the public improvements of the county. For more than twenty-five years, he has been an active member of the Masonic fraternity, and has taken the various degrees up to that of the Scottish Rite. He was one of the charter members of Plymouth Commandery, K. T., and Generalissimo of that order.
In 1855, he was united in marriage with Miss Catherine HOUGHTON, daughter of John HOUGHTON, a pioneer of Marshall County, and the second incumbent of the County Treasurer’s office. Of this union were born five children, viz., Manfred H., William K., Horace E., Charles E. and Cleon H.
Submitted by: Karen Marks
Source: History of Marshall County, Indiana 1836 to 1880 by Daniel McDonald, printed in Chicago by Kingman Brothers, Lakeside Building, 1881
Mr. Bailey was born at Middlefield, Otsego Co., N. Y., September 6, 1827. In 1836, he accompanied his father's family to Terre Haute, Ind., and to LaPorte in the following year. In 1840, the family returned to New York, and in 1861 came to Plymouth, Ind., with whose business interests the subject of this sketch has ever since been prominently associated. For a short time he was engaged as a clerk in a mercantile house at Plymouth, and subsequently engaged in the purchase and sale of wheat. In 1864, he purchased the flouring-mill formerly operated by Quivey & Humrickhouser, which he has ever since continued to operate. He is now associated with Mr. L. G. CAPRON, a competent business man and a gentleman of large experience. The firm of Bailey & Capron is one of the leading firms in their line, and stands highly in the business community, while its individual members are both men who possess the personal regard of all with whom they have been associated in business or private life.
Submitted by: Karen Marks
Source: History of Marshall County, Indiana 1836 to 1880 by Daniel McDonald, printed in Chicago by Kingman Brothers, Lakeside Building, 1881
Josiah Geiselman was born December 19, 1826 in Stark County, Ohio and is the oldest of the following children born unto Michael and Eliza (Hoffard) Geiselman: Josiah, Elijah W., James D., Jacob H. and Malinda. Michael was born in Pennsylvania and Eliza in Maryland, each of German descent. They (his parents) were married in Stark County, Ohio where they lived until in 1834. The family moved to St. Joseph County, Indiana and settled in the wilderness. Here they continued to live for many years, Eliza died April 24, 1841. Michael who was a blacksmith by trade and a farmer by occupation, and in old age lived with our Josiah, at whose home he died August 13, 1879.
Josiah Geiselman was reared and educated on a farm, and learned from his father his first knowledge of blacksmithing. His mother died when he was only fourteen and at this early age he began the struggle of life, becoming his own support. He lived in Michigan and worked at blacksmithing for
awhile and then returned to St. Joseph County and finished learning his trade. In 1846 he moved just east of what is now Bremen, in Marshall County. He built the second building of the town of Bremen in 1848. In 1849 he married Mary Ringle, born in Stark County, Ohio, April 4, 1828. They had the following children: Eliza, John D., Nathan H., Edward, Jacob, Emaline, Cora E., and others that died in early life. He followed this trade until 1855 when he moved to Iowa and then returned in 1860. He abandoned blacksmithing in 1864 and took up saw-milling. In 1866, he moved to a farm in German Township. Mr. and Mrs. Geiselman were members of the United Brethren Church. Josiah died July 19, 1905 in Bremen. He was buried July 22, 1905 in the Bremen Cemetary.
Submitted by: Kim Wroblewski
Sources: Summarized from the History of Indiana, Marshall County 1890, pgs. 335 and 336 and personal records.