AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT

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Direct descendant is highlighted in red

FATHER

Andreas Groeninger

MOTHER

Elizabeth Hornberger

WIFE

Justine (Eustine) Holzhauer

CHILDREN

1. Henry Fred Groeninger
    30 Aug 1860 - 29 Jul 1941
    Henry Groeninger married Kate Erthal May 13, 1885.  They had four children.  Henry worked as a janitor at St John's Evangelical Protestant Church.

2. Johann Jacob Groeninger
    5 Feb 1864 - 20 Nov 1914
    J. J. Groeninger started out as a tinner.  With his savings he opened his own successful business.  He married Millie Braun Oct 1, 1889 and they had four children.

3. Christina Groeninger
    Jan 1866 - 31 Oct 1928
    Christina worked as a seamstress after her father died.  She married William Wolf Oct 4, 1892 and they three children.  Her husband died the year her third child was born, 1898.  They lived at 116 E Pennsylvania.

4. Elizabeth (Lizzie) Groeninger
    Nov 1869 - 11 Feb 1943
    Lizzie worked as a seamstress after her father died.  She married Fred Dennis Dec 21, 1898 and had a son in 1901.  They too lived at 116 E Pennsylvania.

Biography of Fred Groeninger
by Susan Brooke
April 2015

Fred was nineteen when the family move to America in 1853.  He was a cabinet maker and he and his brother Jacob had a carpentry business together.  There is a notice in the Daily Evanston Journal on Dec 6, 1862 noting that "Groeninger Bros repairing and repainting of Union Engine House (to be paid) $9.60. And in the 1868 City Directory there is a listing for "J and F Groeninger, carpenters, cor. Fourth and Goodsell."

Fred married Justina Holzhauer when he was twenty-five.  They had four children.  They owned their home and they seemed to be doing pretty well.  Then in 1869 his brother, Jacob, died.  Then Fred died a year and a half later in September of 1870.  He was only thirty-six years old. 

Justina stayed on in her home.  The whole family, all the siblings, had been listed as living at 4th b. Goodsell and Walker in the earlier city directories.  Then in 1874 all of the addresses changed.  Elizabeth, their mother, was at 109 E Pennsylvania, Jacob's widow Eva, was at 120 E Pennsylvania, Andrew was at 107 E Pennsylvania, Justina (listed as Eustine) is at 116 E Pennsylvania and Henry was at 111 E Pennsylvania.  Justina remained at 116 E Pennsylvania and was listed as living there in the 1920 census.  She died in October of 1920.

However, after Fred died, the family did endure hardship. There also must have been some discord over the dismantling of the brother's partnership.  In 1873  Eva, the widow of Jacob, must have made some claim against the estate of Fred Groeninger.  In Vanderburgh County Probate Order BK 5, pg 79, "Eva Groeninger vs Estate of Fred Groeninger, - Upon motion the claim is now dismissed."

Justina was the administrix of her husband's estate.  In order book 5, pg 111, in 1873 Justina is referred to as guardian for Henry, Jacob, Christina and Elizabeth.  She had filed an inventory and it appears the "personal estate of said decedent is insufficient to pay the debts of the estate."  She is ordered to sell lot #10 in block #109 in Lamasco.  She sold it for $734 leaving her with a mortgage for the "unpaid balance of the purchase money."

In 1879 Justina remarried to Charles Bunge.  She had a son with Charles in 1882.  Justina's husband Charles Bunge died in 1889 and Justina was left a widow once again.  However, she remained in her home at 116 E Pennsylvania.

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