In Ridgeville Township, Henry county, where he has lived for at least thirty years, on Sunday Friedrich Bruns died after a lengthy lingering illness. Surviving is his widow with many children. His remains were taken Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock from the St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Adams Township under the direction of Pastor H. Schult to the grave. A life story will be printed in the next edition; besides the preceding, no additional information has been given to us.
[d Feb 1908?]
Mary A. Naveau
Last Thursday in the residence of her daughter Mrs. Lydia Rank in East Defiance, died Mary A. Naveau, widow of Hubert Naveau, [who] died ten years ago in Junction, at the age of 78 years, 8 months and 1 day. She had lived a half century in Junction, but the last ten years she had made her home here with her children. Three sons and two daughters survive her. The burial took place Saturday afternoon from the residence of the George A. Heatley to the Riverside chapel crypt. Pastor W. W. Lance officiated.
[b 1830 Knox co, OH; d 6 Feb 1908 Defiance]
Peter Thieroff
In his home in south Richland on Friday evening about 9:30, Peter Thieroff died of pneumonia. Born on the 30th of November 1839 in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, he immigrated to this country in 1847 with his parents and siblings, where immediately the South Ridge was chosen as dwelling place, and it has so remained. Only those who had seen the area at that time could have any idea of the changes that have taken place there since 1847.
After Peter Thieroff had married Miss Anna Margarethe Richter on the 19th of November 1863, he settled down on the fruitful farm in south Richland Township, where he spent the remainder of his lifetime. His dear wife preceded him into Eternity on the 16th of August 1904 and his wish to again be reunited with her did not remain unfulfilled for long.
He leaves behind the daughter Mrs Elisabeth March, the brother Michael Thieroff and a large circle of more distant relatives. With them, many friends mourn the death of the universally known and respected German pioneer. His remains were buried Tuesday morning under the direction of Pastor W. Lussky from the St. Stephan's Lutheran Church on the South Ridge to the Riverside Cemetery in Defiance.
[d 7 Feb 1908]
Christoph Meyer
From the Lutheran Church in Freedom Township, Henry county, on Wednesday of the preceding week, under the direction of Pastor W. L. Fischer, the mortal remains of Christoph Meyer were brought to the grave with a large funeral cortege.
Christoph Meyer first saw the light of day on the 17th of February 1840 in Bethel, Rothenburg district, Hannover, and came in 1871 to this country. At first he spent about nine years in New York city and then settled in Freedom township, where he remained resident to the end of his life. His death occurred on the 12th of November and was caused by kidney disease, from which he had been suffering for about a year. Surviving him are his wife, a born Gherke, as well as the six sons, Heinrich, Karl, Wilhelm, Eduard, Ernst and Johann. Heinrich lives in Mark Township in our county and Johann is engaged as a Lutheran missionary in Brazil. Additionally the deceased leaves behind two brothers, of whom one [lives] in New York, the other still in the old Fatherland.
Joachim Christoph Bethge
The fear that Mr. Bethge might have another stroke, unfortunately was well founded. After it appeared that he was fairly well recovered from the attack on the morning of the 15th of November, he suffered another strong attack on Thursday night, which about midnight led to his end.
Joachim Christoph Bethge was born on the 30th of April 1829 at Karns by Seehausen in the Altmark, and so had brought his life to 76 years, 6 months and 14 days. In the year 1862 he married Anna Dorothea Müller, immigrated with her five years later to this country and settled at once in Defiance. Here his wife died in 1871 on Pentecost Sunday morning. On the 16th of September of the same year he married Anna Margarethe Böhm, who survives him. The two sons, who resulted from this marriage, both died many years ago.
The burial took place Sunday afternoon from the former residence on Jackson Street and the St. Paul's Lutheran Church with a large number of mourners under the direction of Pastor W. H. Bunge to the Riverside Cemetery. The A.G.D. Health Benefit Society gave their friend and brother a funeral cortege, and the pallbearers were Fr. Hoffert Sr., Jakob Obermüller, Jakob Seibel, Heinrich Oestreicher, Leonhard Kraus and Heinrich Engelhardt.