Samuel and Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger had seven children with six alive in 1850: Peter, John, Samuel, Mary Elizabeth, Moses, and Levi. Son William died in 1850. The father, Samuel, died on 7 October 1845 in Owen Co, Indiana. Susannah remarried to Joel Anderson on 3 February 1848. Susannah and Joel had at least one child: James A Anderson was born about 1850 and died 6 August 1852.
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| Dec 1855 [Clay Co, Indiana Courthouse Deed Book M] |
In December 1855, a deed of sale was written but not entered into the record until December 1856. This deed sold 200 acres of Owen Co, Indiana lands of Peter Rodenberger and his wife Barbary, John Rodenberger and his wife Elizabeth (Spring) Rodenberger, and Joel Anderson and his wife Susan to Henry Sonnefield for $1,650.00. Henry Sonnefield is the husband of Mary Elizabeth Rodenberger, the sister of Peter and John, and daughter of Susan Anderson. An interesting aside is that John Spring, father of Elizabeth Rodenberger, had to approve the sale as guardian and father. At this time, Elizabeth has been married for over a year and has her first child, Iona, born in November 1855.
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| Dec 1856 [Clay Co, Indiana Courthouse Deed Book M] |
Peter and John sold their family land to their brother-in-law. They took their families and their 3 younger brothers and moved to Boone Twp, Boone Co, Iowa. They were enumerated in the 1856 Iowa State Census.
Samuel, age 23, Francis, age 19, and Hortense, age 2, Rodenberger.
John, age 24, Elizabeth, age 19, Sylvana, age 1, and Levi, age 15, Rodenberger
Peter, age 26, Barbary, age 27, Ira, age 7, Lorena, age 5, Ellen, age 4, Susan, 1, Rodenberger, Moses Rodenberger, age 16.
All are listed as living in Iowa for 1 year. Samuel, John, and Peter are listed as Carpenters.
In addition, the census has John listed as an “Owner of land” with Agricultural Statistics: 33 acres of improved land, 127 acres of unimproved land, 10 tons of hay, 5 acres of spring Wheat - 18 bushels harvested, 2 acres of oats – 75 bushels harvested, 13 acres of corn – 600 bushels harvested, 1 acre of potatoes – 40 bushels harvested, 5 hogs sold - $75 value for hogs sold, 1 cattle sold - $27 value, 40 pounds of butter manufactured, and 80 pounds of cheese. Samuel might have owned 100 acres of unimproved land and had 3 tons of hay. Peter owned 80 acres of unimproved land and harvested 3 tons of hay.
While living in Iowa, John and Elizabeth had their second child: Charles Clifford Rodenberger was born 18 November 1857. Peter and Barbara[y] had four more children born in Iowa: Adelia Elizabeth, Flora Ziphora, Alfred Richard, and Mernerva Jane.
By the 1860 federal census, the family had changed dramatically. Paul Rodenberger died on 9 February 1860. His wife Barbary (Anderson) Rodenberger died 20 October 1860, several weeks after Mernerva Jane was born. Their children are living with many different families in Iowa. John and Elizabeth (Spring) Rodenberger were living in Bourbon Co, Kansas Territory with their two children. Samuel and Francis were living with his twice-widowed mother, Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger Anderson in Brazil, Clay Co, Indiana with their son Eugene L, age 1, who was born in Kansas Territory. When and where did Hortense die? Joel Anderson, Susannah's second husband, died 3 September 1859 in Bourbon Co, Kansas Territory. Living next door to Samuel, Francis, Eugene and Susannah was Mary Elizabeth (Rodenberger) and Henry Sonnefield with their daughter Laura.
I haven't found Moses or Levi Rodenberger in the 1860 federal census. Moses' obituary in 1934 stated that he "left Brazil, Indiana in 1859 and drove a six-yoke team of oxen transporting settlers to the far west." Did Levi go with him? In October 1861, Levi enlisted in the Union army as a Private in Co. G, 2nd Indiana Cavalry.
