JOHN ISHERWOOD, Lawrenceburgh, grocer, and president of the Lawrenceburgh Gas Company, is a native of Lancashire, England, born in 1820.  He grew into manhood in his native country, being chiefly engaged there in the cotton business.  In October, 1848, he immigrated to America, his objective point being Boston, where he was employed to set up the machinery of the Atlantic Cotton Mills, of Lawrence, Mass.  He next removed to Cincinnati, where he was engaged in the Arknes Locomotive Shops, till about 1858 or 1859, when he located in Lawrenceburgh, where, excepting about two years in grocery business at Indianapolis, he has since remained, chiefly engaged in the grocery and produce trade.  He has had charge of the gas works since 1877, and has held stock in the institution for about seventeen years.  He has been prominently identified with the business interests of the city, and has given aid to most of its enterprises tending toward its improvement.  Mr. ISHERWOOD was married, in England, December 25, 1827, to Miss Diana KENYON, a daughter of James KENYON, and they have two sons:  James W. and Thomas W., both at present engaged in the gas works, the former superintendent of the same.  Mr. ISHERWOOD is a member of the I.O.O. F., and though well along in years, is still one of the most active business men of the town in which he resides.  Both he and Mrs. ISHERWOOD are active members of the Presbyterian Church.

HISTORY OF DEARBORN AND OHIO COUNTIES, INDIANA-1885

SUBMITTED BY: Jackie DeCamp

On 1 October 1790 in Frederick County, Maryland George Isentrager married Anna Goodman. In the 1800 census it show that they have 3 children underthe age of 10 years.

On 29 October 1808 a Rachel Isentrager marries Samuel Monticu in Frederick County Maryland. If Rachel is there child she married at age 13 or 14. On 11 November 1819 Peter Isentrager, born 1790, married Eliza Eckman in Frederick County, Maryland. Based on there age this likely means that Anna Goodman is there stepmother not there mother. A story passed down through John P Isentrager Jr., family is that their Great Grandfather served in the War of 1812 which might explain why George Isentrager is never found after 1800. He died. His wife Anna is in the 1820 census. No third Isentrager child is found

John Peter Isentrager was born 4 July 1790 in Frederick County, Maryland. He married twice. His 1st wife was Eliza (Isabella) Eckman who he married on 24 December 1849 in Frede rick County, Maryland. She died 22 September 1865 in Dearborn County, Indiana. John Peter 2nd wife was Letitia Elizabeth Larison (Lawrence.) who he married on 24 December 1849 in Dearborn County, Indiana. John Peter Isentrager and Letitia are my Great Grandparents.

John Peter Isentrager was a farmer, The only time he was ever show as owning anything was when he paid a tax on a cow and horse in 1830 in Warren County, Ohio. His brother in law, Jacob Eckman had married Margaret Lind on 17 August 1820 in Warren County, Ohio and the Lind were a well off family. Up to this time he has gone by the name Peter Isentrager but in the tax list he is John P Isentrager for the first time. In the 1830 census for Cleves, Hamilton County, Ohio he was Peter but in 1840 census he is John Isentrager and in 1850 and 1860 he was John P Isentrager. I also know that my Grandfather, Edward Isentrager on his Death Certificate list his father as Peter Isentrager.

No Isentrager are shown in the 1810 census but in 1820 census both John Peter Isentrager and Anna Isentrager are shown in separate census for Frederick County, Maryland. In 1830 census John Peter is shown as living in Cleves, Miami Township, Hamilton County, Ohio and he is living next door to Jacob Eckman, his brother-in-law. In the 1840 census he has moved to Dearborn County, Indiana but the census and other family information show that several children had been born in Hamilton County, Ohio in those years.

Isabella Isentrager nee Eckman was born 13 June 1800 likely Frederick County, Maryland or Loudoun County, Virginia, this is based on the fact that her brother Jacob Eckman was born in Virginia and there was a Jacob Eckman living in Loudoun County, Virginia that matched her brother. He was a Blacksmith, he owned 2 slaves which matched Jacob Eckman in Hamilton County, Ohio in 1850. Isabella died 15 May 1848 in Dearborn County, Indiana, She is buried with John Peter Isentrager in Georgetown Cemetery, Miller Township, Dearborn County, Indiana. Graves stones were still in place in 1990 but since destroyed. Before his second wife remarried I think she put the two stone there as she remarried in 1868 and moved away. Letitia died on 15 April 1909 in Montgomery, County, Ohio and is buried in the Old Greencastle Cemetery, as are her daughter Catherine and son Edward.

John Peter Isentrager had fourteen known children, nine by his first wife and five by his second wife. Children of Isabella (Eliza) Isentrager nee Eckman children were:
1. Jacob Daniel Isentrager born 26 November 1821 Frederick County, Maryland. He left home about 1847 and was never heard of again.
2. Margaret Isentrager born 11 October 1824 Frederick County, Maryland. Died 23 November 1881 in Lawrence County, Indiana. She married Abraham Huffman 25 October 1846 in Dearborn County, Indiana
3. George Isentrager born about 1826, Ohio. He left home with brother Jacob and never heard of again.
4. Mary Ann Isentrager born 1828 Hamilton County, Ohio. Died 19 April 1898 Cleves, Hamilton County, Ohio. She married George Sounders / Sowders on 1 December 1845 in Dearborn County, Indiana. They then moved back first to the Elizabethtown area and then to the Cleves area. Most Souders in the Hamilton County area are then descendants.
5. Martha Jane Isentrager born November 1829 Hamilton County, Ohio and she died June 1902 near Elizabethtown, Hamilton County, Ohio. She married Lewis Hitefield on 28 July 1858 in Dearborn County, Indiana. They moved to Elizabethto wn area in Hamilton County, Ohio. The Hitefield of Hamilton County and Heitfield of Butler County, Ohio are there descendants. There children that moved to Butler County, change the spelling of there name in the late 1890, to Heitfield, reason unknown.
6, Rebecca Isentrager born about 1831 Hamilton County, Ohio. She died about 1894 and was last know to be in Hamilton County, Ohio and was listed in the Hamilton County Directory for 1889-1893. Her brother William said in 1896 that she had died. She never married.
7. John P Isentrager born 4 July 1833 in Hamilton County, Ohio. Died 28 May 1918, Marion County, Indian. He married Nancy A Chestnut- Spencer twice. The first date is given by John P Isentrager as 15 March 1867 in Indiana but no marriage record found. They married again on 6 April 1894 in Waupaca, Wisconsin. His wife was trying to get part of his Civil War Pension and could not prove the first marriage. He had served in the Civil War.
8. Thomas Jefferson Isentrager was born June 1840 Hamilton Country, Ohio, Died 4 August 1902 at the Soldiers Hospital in Danville, Vermillion County, Illinois. He served in the Civil War. He married Mary P Tolker on 2 May 1889 in Campbell County, Kentucky under the name of Charles Eckman. The reason given was that his wife to be said she was hiding from her father and if they married under his name he would find them. So he married using his mother maiden name.
9. William Lewis Isentrager was born 2 March 1871 in Dearborn County, Indiana. Died 26 December 1927 in Bartholomew County, Indiana. He married at least six time that the government could find. Once he was married to two wives at the same time. He abandoned his first wife and child. Four wives divorced him. His last wife outlived him by 3 years.

John Peter Isentrager had five children by his second wife Letitia Larison or Lawrence. Marriage license said Lawrence but there daughter Catherine said Larison on her Death Certificate.
10. James Monroe Isentrager was born about August 1850 in Dearborn County, Indiana. He died 27 April 1965 when the Steamboat Sultana, blew up, burned and sank. He had enlisted in the Army at age 14 claiming he was 18. He was captured at the Sulfur Trestle Railroad Bridge in Mississippi on 25 September 1864 while on guard duty. He was paroled on 21 April, 1865 at Vicksburg, Mississippi from a Confederate Prisoner of War Camp. He died on the way home.
11. Perry F Isentrager was born 10 February 1854 Dearborn County, Indiana. Died 26 July 1931 Shelby County, Indiana. He married Rebecca Ann Sithen 2 September 1883 in Shelby County, Indiana
12. Catherine Angelina (Kate) Isentrager was born 23 March 1857 Dearborn County, Indiana. Died 30 May 1936 Dayton Montgomery County, Ohio She married Marcella Bocock 29 June 1876 Bartholomew County, Indiana.
13. Edward E Isentrager was born 13 July 1861 in Dearborn County, Indiana. Died 2 April 1915, Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. He married three times. His first wife died in childbirth, His second divorced him and he was separated from his 3rd wife at the time his death.
14. Emaline Mary was born 1865 in Dearborn County, Indiana, she died 9 June 1891, at Bartholomew County, Indiana. She never married.

The name Isentrager is found only in the United States. All Isentrager descended from John Peter Isentrager, While the name Isentrager might be derived from the more common Germany name Eisentrager, George Isentrager predate any known Eisentrager family in the United States by at least 50 years. No connection between the two families by these names name have been found to this date.

Submitted by: Cathy Isentrager
iron@onemain.com