Happy Mother's Day, 2014

Happy Mother's Day!  These are some of my female ancestors in photos.



My mother.

 

 

 

 



4xGreat-Grandmother
Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger

 

 

 

Sunday's Obituary - Moses Rodenberger

Moses Rodenberger was the 6th of seven children of Samuel and Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger.

Brazil Daily Times
Brazil, Indiana
March 23, 1934
[Source:  Clay Co. Genealogy Library]

Aged Pioneer of Brazil Dies at Indianapolis

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Moses Rodenbarger, Veteran of Civil War, Died Thursday at the Age of 95 Year

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Drove Six Yoke of Oxen to West in ’59

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Remains will be brought to this City Saturday Afternoon at 2:30 O’clock for Interment at Cottage Hill Cemetery.

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   Moses Rodenbarger, one of the few remaining early pioneers of Brazil, died at 2:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon at the home of Indianapolis of uremic poisoning at the age of 95 years.  Mr. Rodenbarger was a veteran of the Civil war and made his home in Brazil for many years before moving to Indianapolis.  For the past eight years he had been crippled by a fractured hip which he sustained in a fall but was able to be up and around his home until his final illness.  His last visit to Brazil was made at the time of the Clay county centennial in 1925.

   Mr. Rodenbarger’s early life was spent in Brazil but in 1859 he left Brazil and drove a six yoke team of oxen transporting settlers to the far west.  He made the trip by way of the Smoky Hill route as far west as what was known as Robey’s ranch, braving the dangers of roving bands of savages who were constantly on the war path.  He later visited his brother, John Rodenbarger, who then lived at Turkey Run, near Ft. Scott Kansas, where the famous Dalton gang was then in its ascendency.  Early in 1861 he returned to Brazil and that spring enlisted in the Union army, serving three years in the hottest fighting of the Civil war.  After the war he returned to Brazil and engaged in the carpenter trade, being a member of the bridge gang of the Vandalia railroad for many years.

   He is survived by a daughter and son, Miss Dora and Dolph Rodenbarger, both of Indianapolis.

   The remains will be brought to Brazil tomorrow afternoon and interment will be made at Cottage Hill cemetery at 2:30 o’clock.

                                       ************



Indianapolis News
Indianapolis, Indiana
March 24, 1934
[Source:  Indiana State Archives]

    Moses Rodenberger, age ninety-five, who braved hostile Indians, thirst and famine in transporting settlers across the plains of the far west in 1859, was buried Saturday in Brazil.

   Mr. Rodenberger, who was the last remaining person who voted for incorporation of the town of Brazil in October, 1866, died Thursday evening at the home of a son, Dolph Rodenberger, 901 Carrollton avenue, with whom he had been living eight years.

   The son recalled many thrilling tales told him by his father concerning fights with Indians as he drove his six-yoke ox team across the plains and deserts.  Mr. Rodenberger was a veteran of the civil war and after years of adventure settled down to become a bridge carpenter on the old Vandalia railroad, now a part of the Pennsylvania system.  He had been ill only five weeks.

   He was a member of the Masonic order, both in Bridgeport and in Indianapolis, and had a wide circle of friends in Indianapolis as well as Brazil.

   He is survived by the son and a daughter, Miss Dora Rodenberger, also of Indianapolis.

   Burial was in a Brazil cemetery.

Levi C Rodenberger - U.S. Patent Awarded 1886

Levi Cornwall Rodenberger was the 7th and youngest child of Samuel and Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger.  Levi was born on 5 April 1843 in Owen Co, Indiana.  He was enumerated in the 1856 Iowa State Census living with his brothers in Boone, Boone Co, Iowa.  Levi enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War and spent some time in a Prisoner of War camp.  During the 1870, 1880, 1890 Veteran's and 1900 Federal Censuses, Levi lived in several counties in Oregon.  By September 1908, Levi and his family moved to California:  Humboldt Co and later San Francisco.  He died on 25 May 1933 in San Francisco. 

Levi had four boys with his first wife, Martha Jane Sherrill:  Walter Lee, Willard Roland, Harold Darward, and Kenneth Maren Rodenberger.  After Martha Jane's death, Levi married Sherry Abigail Dean.  They had five sons:  Arlin Adair, Merle Milin, Carl Fern, Herbert "Toad" Clare, and Robert Dean Rodenberger.

In 1886, while living in Medford, Oregon, Levi was awarded U.S. Patent No. 346,776 for Boot-Protector.

Pacific Rural Press
Vol. 32, No. 7, 14 August 1886
List of U.S. Patents for Pacific Coast Inventors
[Source:  CA Digital Newspaper Collection]

Levi C Roenberger of Medford, Oregon
Protector for Boots or Shoes
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,776 - Dated Aug 3, 1886
Application filed Jan 15, 1886. Serial No. 189,771 (No model)
[Source:  US Patent and Trademark Office Patents, 1790-1909 on Ancestry]

L. C. Rodenberger
Protector for Boots or Shoes
 No. 346,776
Patented Aug. 3, 1888
[Source:  US Patent and Trademark Office Patents, 1790-1909 on Ancestry]

FGS - Samuel and Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger

Family Group Sheet for Samuel Rodenberger and Susannah Dice

Husband – Samuel Rodenberger

                        Born:              21 May 1809 in Upper Milford Twp,

                                                    Northampton Co, Pennsylvania

                        Married:         20 March 1829 in Montgomery Co, Ohio

                        Died:              7 October 1845 in Owen Co, Ohio

                        Buried:            Zion Reformed German Church Cemetery,

                                                     Poland, Clay Co, Indiana

                        Parents:          Johannes “John” Rodenberger and Elisabeth __

Wife – Susannah Dice

                        Born:               22 September 1807 in Lundy’s Lane, Canada

                        Spouse 2:        Joel Anderson

                        Marriage:        3 February 1848 in Owen Co, Indiana

                        Died:               12 February 1888 in Brazil, Clay Co, Indiana

                        Parents:           Peter Dice and ______________________

Child 1 – Simon Peter Rodenberger

         M            Born:              13 January 1830 in Ohio

                        Spouse:           Barbara Anderson

                        Married:          About 1847 in Clay Co, Indiana

                        Died:               9 February 1861 in Iowa

                        Buried:           

Child 2 – John Harland Rodenberger

         M            Born:              20 November 1831 in Fayette Co, Indiana

                        Spouse 1:        Elizabeth Lowry Spring

                        Married:          27 April 1854 in Owen Co, Indiana

                        Spouse 2:        Elizabeth Ann Mathews

                        Married:          3 May 1897 in Muskingum Co, Ohio

                        Died:               6 September 1908 in Cherokee Co, Kansas

                        Buried:            McKee Cemetery, Hallowell, Cherokee Co, Kansas

Child 3 – Samuel E Rodenberger

         M            Born:               September 1833 in Indiana

                        Spouse 1:         Frances A E Holliday

                        Married:          10 November 1853 in Owen Co, Indiana

                        Spouse 2:         Isabella Weist

                        Married:           25 May 1884 in Indianapolis, Marion Co, Indiana

                        Died:                1904

                        Buried:             Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Marion Co, Ind.

Child 4 – Mary Elizabeth Rodenberger

         F             Born:               October 1835 in Indiana

                        Spouse:           Henry Sonnefield

                        Married:          16 October 1851 in Owen Co, Indiana

                        Died:

                        Buried:

Child 5 – William H Rodenberger

         M            Born:              1838 in Indiana

                        Died:               Before 19 October 1850 in Owen Co, Indiana

                        Buried:

Child 6 – Moses Rodenberger

         M            Born:               November 1839 in Indiana

                        Spouse:            Josephine Turner

                        Married:          13 February 1867 in Clay Co, Indiana

                        Died:               22 March 1934 in Brazil, Clay Co, Indiana

                        Buried:           

Child 7 – Levi Cornwall Rodenberger

        M             Born:               5 April 1843 in Owen Co, Indiana

                        Spouse 1:         Martha Jane Sherrill

                        Married:          16 June 1872 in Roseburg, Douglas Co, Oregon

Spouse 2:         Sherry Abigail Dean

                        Married:          22 December 1887 in Jacksonville, Jackson Co, Ore.

                        Died:               25 May 1933 in San Francisco,

                                                       San Francisco Co, California

                        Buried: 

Montgomery Co, Ohio marriage records
Last 2 lines - Married on the 20th March 1829 Samuel Rodenberger
and Susannah Dice - by me Simon Reigel M.G.
[Courtesy of Ray Beamer, Family History Library microfilm]

Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger Anderson

I mentioned Susannah's obituary in yesterday's post.  On a research trip to Vigo and Clay Co, IN, I visited the Indiana State Archives in Indianapolis.  I didn't allow for enough time (only had two hours before my flight), but found one of my main goals - Susannah's obituary on microfilm of the Democrat, Brazil, IN on Feb. 2, 1888.

"Died, at her home, at this place, Sunday night last, of general debility, Mrs. Susanna Anderson, aged 80 years 4 months and twenty days; funeral services, Tuesday at 10 o'clock, conducted by Rev. T. Calvin Stewart.  The deceased was a native of Canada, born near Lundy's Lane, 1807.  She was the mother of Moses Rodenberger of this city, and aunt to F. W. Schromyer."

My cousin, and fellow Rodenberger/Dice/Spring/Moreland researcher, Ray found Susannah and Samuel Rodenberger's marriage record on microfilm from the Family History Library - marriage records of Montgomery Co, Ohio. The recording is the last on the page "20th of March 1829"



Starting Out

This is my first post.  I am both a quilter and genealogist; although, the genealogy part has been my main focus for the past several years.  Both avocations are similar:  taking pieces and putting together the whole.

Last week I happened upon a book at my local library's genealogy section:  Early Ohio Tax Records compiled by Esther Weygandt Powell.  I searched the index looking for my family's surnames and found a familiar name:  Peter Dice. 

Peter has been most elusive prior to his daughter's wedding on 20 March 1829 in Montgomery Co, OH where Susannah Dice married Samuel Rodenberger.  From the various U.S. Censuses, Peter Dice was born in Pennsylvania around 1766.  Through Susannah (Dice) Rodenberger Anderson's obituary, Peter lived in Lundy's Lane, Canada in 1807.

In the Early Ohio Tax Records, Peter Dice was included in the list:  "1822 and 1823 Taxes Unpaid, Feb. 23, 1825" in Richland Co, Ohio.  Now I have a new area to focus my search for more information on Peter - who was his wife?  did Susannah have siblings?  who were Peter's parents? 

Such an exciting find when I didn't plan on researching my tree!