Henry J. Rothenburger, one of the oldest pioneers of this region, died on the Wednesday past shortly after noon in his residence in South Richland after a few year illness. He was born on the 30th of January 1836 in the Kingdom of Württemberg and came as a nine year old boy with his parents to Medina County, Ohio. soon thereafter the family settled in this area. On the 22nd of May 1858 Mr. Rothenburger married Miss Julia A Delong and settled in Richland Township, where with the exception of a ten year period , which he spent in Henry County, he has remained resident and practiced agriculture. On the 1st of January 1864 he enlisted with Co. G. of the 38th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the war and served until his mustering out in Cleveland on the 15th of July 1865.
In the last few years he had become very feeble and almost completely blind. Surviving him are his very elderly and weak with age widow and, as far as we know, the following children: William H., Frederick E., Frank E., Henry M. and John J. Rothenburger, Mrs. Mary J. Yetter and Mrs. Amy B. Yetter.
His remains were taken Saturday afternoon under the direction of Pastor W. H. shepser from the former residence to the Hire Cemetery for Christian burial. comrades from the Grand Army functioned as pallbearers.
[birth: 30 Jan 1836 Germany] [death: 19 May 1915 Richland, Defiance Co., Ohio] [burial: 22 May 1915 Hire Cemetery, Defiance, Ohio] [parents: Frederich Rothenburger, Hanna Stuber] [marriage: 22 May 1858] [spouse: Julia A. Delong]
Jakob Engel
Jakob Engel, who has come to be reckoned among the pioneers of the South Ridge, on last Thursday afternoon about 5 o'clock in the residence of his son George J. Engel passed to Kingdom come (blessed the temporal). He was not sick for long; just in the past week he was struck by severe heart pains daily, which on account of his age-weakened condition led to his release in a few days.
Jakob Engel was born on the 7th of May 1838 in Rengenberg, Prussia, and thus was 77 years and 13 days old. In the year 1863 he immigrated to this country and settled immediately on the South Ridge. There he married on the 17th of October 1865 Christine Grau, who bore him five children. Of these still living are the sons August C. Engel in Defiance, Henry Engel in Holgate, Harry Engel near Florida and George J. Engel in South Richland. Additionally there are eight grandchildren. The only daughter died many years ago and also the wife in the year 1903. With the exception of about twelve years which he had spent in retirement in Holgate, Jakob Engel had spent the entire time since 1863 in the practice of agriculture on the South Ridge.
His remains were taken Sunday afternoon from the former residence and the St. Stephan' s Evangelical Lutheran Church to burial in the congregation's old graveyard. Pastor C. Schröder officiated. The pallbearers were Henry Greenler, Henry Tröger, Georg J. Goller, Georg Bohn, Adam Max and Christ. Memmer; the flower bearers (were) Ferdinand Tröger, Adam Greenler and Ervin Ort.
[birth: 07 Apr 1838 Germany] [death: 20 May 1915 Richland, Defiance Co., Ohio] [burial: 22 May 1915 St Stephen's Lutheran Cemetery, ?Defiance, OH] [marriage: 17 Oct 1865 South Ridge, ?Defiance, OH] [spouse: Christina Grau]
Mrs. Margarethe Frey
Mrs. Margarethe Frey, a born Konzen and wife of Mr. Michael Frey residing at No. 664 Wayne Street, died on Thursday morning about six o'clock in the family residence from a heart condition. Born on the 18th of May 1841 in Trier in Prussia, she came as a 13 year old girl to this country and resided at first with her parents in South Bend, Indiana. There on the 14th of April 1868 she married Michael Frey and shortly thereafter settled with him on a farm in Mark Township, which until about 20 years ago was her home. Since then the family has resided here on Wayne Street. Left behind are the widower, the daughter Miss Mary E. Frey, the son Jacob Frey, one granddaughter and the two brothers Peter and Jacob Konzen in south Bend. The burial took place Monday morning from the St. Mary's Catholic Church in the Riverside Cemetery. Father James A. Lane officiated, assisted by Father Manning from Lima and Father Brannigan from Toledo. Functioning as pallbearers were H. O. Wrede, Anton Kern, P. A. Baker, A. R. Preisendorfer, Fred T. Wolsiffer and Joseph Blanchard.
[Margarethe (Konzen) Frey] [birth: 18 Mar 1841 Trier, Prussia] [death: 20 May 1915 Defiance, Defiance Co., Ohio] [burial: 22 May 1915 Riverside Cemetery, Defiance, Ohio] [parents: Max Kouzer or Konzen, Elizabeth Wilche] [marriage: 14 Apr 1868 South Bend, IN] [spouse: Michael Frey]
Werner Wrede
Werner Wrede, a former resident of our city, on Wednesday of the previous week at about half past one o'clock in the morning, in North Baltimore, Ohio, in the residence of his son Albert, died after a lengthy illness. Born on the 8th of May 1838 in Johannisleben, Prussia, he immigrated to this country as a youth and became resident here at once. On the 9th of August 1862 he enlisted with Co. K. of the 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the civil war and served until his mustering-out on the 10th of July 1865. Up until about fifteen years ago he resided here, since then he has had his home in North Baltimore with his son Albert. Besides this (one), surviving him are the following children: Henry O. Wrede, Leo Wrede and Mrs. Joseph Ziegler in Defiance; Frederick Wrede in North Baltimore, Earl Wrede in Moline, Ill., and Ernst Wrede in the Navy. His wife preceded him in death many years ago.
His remains were brought to Defiance Friday after a funeral service in the English Lutheran Church in North Baltimore and buried in the Riverside Cemetery. The Bishop Post of the Grand Army gave their comrade a funeral cortege.
[birth: 31 Mar 1838 Prussia Germany] (disagrees w/ obit) [death: 02 Jun 1915 North Baltimore, Wood Co., Ohio] [burial: 04 Jun 1915 Riverside Cemetery, Defiance,? Ohio] [marriage: 25 Aug 1857 Defiance, Ohio] [spouse: Louisa Kahls] [marriage: 29 Oct 1865 Defiance, Ohio] [spouse: Caroline Richholt]