The ancestors of the present Gugle families families lived in the Village of Enregan, State of Baden, about 12 miles from the City of Freiburg, and this locality is in the South-Western part of Germany, not far from the countries of France and Switzerland.
The ancestry back to the furthest recollection, were engaged in agriculture, raising grains and vegetables commonly known at the present time. Grape culture, however, received special attention, and they were the principal money crop. The land owned by Grandfather Gugle consisted of small plats of ground, varying from the size of building lots to several acres, and located in the several directions from the Village of Ehregan. The land was sold to obtain money to defray expenses to America. Germany at that time was governed by an emperor whose powers were practically unlimited. The compulsory military law, which required every able-bodied male citizen of eighteen years of age to give six years of military serice to his country was at its greatest height at that time.
Jacob Gugle was the Grandfather of the present generation. His father's name John, who died in Germany at the age of 82 years, Jacob's Mother's name was Catherine. She died of old age in 1853, at the age of 79 years, at her home in Germany. Four children were born to this union: Jacob, George, John, and a daughter. George died at the age of 40 and his sister died at the age of two years. Jacob was the only one of his family to come to America.
Jacob was born in Ehregan, Grosharzockthum, in Baden. He was a farmer by occupation, and at one time was in good financial circumstances. He had been a soldier in the regular army, and served in the Seven-Years War. In 1856, he disposed of his property and migrated to America. For several years he had been in poor health, and it was thought the change would be of benefit to him. Those who came with him were: his wife, Catherine, two sons, William and Christian, and three daughters, Kate, Barbara, and Sarah, who was but twelve and one half years old and the youngest of the family. They left Ehregan on the 24th of April, 1856, traveling on the on the railroad by way of Kehl where they stayed over night, then crossed the Rhine River and went to Strausburg, and during the night of April 25th they started for Paris, arriving on the 26th, and that night the journey was resumed for Havre, France arriving in this city on the morning ofthe 27th. Several days were spent in Havre, but on the evening of the 30th they boarded the sailboat, "Hemisphere," and the following morning, May 1st, started for America.
Catherine was the christian name of Jacob's wife and her maiden name was Carla. Her mother lived to be 84 years old. Her father's name was John Carla, and her grandfather's name also was John Carla. He lived to the ripe old age of 94 years. Her gandmother's was Mary Myers and she lived to be 84 years old. Her husband's name was J. Myers. Catherine had one brother and two sisters, but none of them ever came to America. For a number of years after coming she lived in various homes of her children, but died at the home of her Son, John, February 9, 1882, at the age of 87 years, and was buried in the Zion cemetery near Royal Center.
To Jacob and Catherine were born ten children, as follows: Jacob, John, William, George and Christian; Anna May, Kate, Barbara, Sarah, and Salomie, one of a pair of twins that died in Germany at the age of nine years. Previous to coming to America in 1856, three of their sons had emigrated to this country: namely Jacob in 1846, John in 1851, and George in 1854. One married daughter, Anna May, did not come until in 1857. George came over by way of New Orleans, and was 60 days on the ocean. The ship on which he made his voyage caught fire, but the flames were extinguished and no lives were lost.
The three brothers settled near Royal Center, in the neighborhood frequently spoken of as, "The Ridge." Jacob, who had fought in the Mexican War, received a grant of land from the United States government, consisting of 160 acres, as his pay for services rendered during the war. A few years later he married Mary Hessick, who resided nearLower Sandusky, Ohio, in a locality known as the "Black Swamp District." She was a widow, her first husband having died. For some years they lived nea her home, but later moved near Royal Center, and at that time this locality was practically a wilderness. Several children were born to them who lived to adult age as follows: John, Christine, Mary, Sarah, Kate, and Louise. Several children died in infancy. Jacob died in November, 1872, at the age of 63 years, as a result of an accident in which he suffered a broken leg, a barrel of cider having fallen thereon. He and his wife, who died in November, 1870, are buried in the Zion cemetery.
John Gugle married Catherine Keis, a sister of John Keis, and they began housekeeping on a farm in the Zion neighborhood where they lived for a number of years, but later purchased property in Royal Center where they spent their declining days. Both lived to a ripe old age, John dying September 16, 1908, and Catherine, April 3, 1903, and are now sleeping i the same cemetery as the other Gugle relatives. Several children preceded them in death, but Christian, Carrie, Mary, John, and Emma lived to adult age, and are still living, and several of them at present reside within a short distance of the old homestead.
George Gugle, while yet a young man and still residing in Germany, learned the shoemaker's trade, and after coming to America he followed the trade for a while, but most of his time was spent in the occupation of farming in White County. He married Elizabeth Hessick, and to them were born: William, George, Ella, Rosa, Sarah, and Samuel. Ella and Rosa died a number of years ago, and several children died in infancy, one dying at the same time as Elizabeth, its mother, and both were buried in the same grave. Several years after the death of his wife, Elizabeth, which was on September 26, 1879, he married Frances Broderick, who had one daughter from her former marriage by the name of Maggie. No children were born to this union, and his second wife also preceded him in death in the year 1891. For several years he lived with his children, but died at the home of his Son, William, February 23, 1913, and was buried in the Zion cemetery.
Kate Gugle, who was on of the oldest girls of the family, and a twin sister of Salomie, who died in Germany at the age of nine years, married Charles Hook, and for many years they lived on a large farm in White County, the same one that their sons, Jacob and John are occupying at the present time. To them were born five children, two dying in infancy, but Jacob, John, and Mary grew to adult age. The father and daughter preceded the wife in death by several years, Charlie dying July 30, 1899. Kate lived to be about 90 years old, and died in June of 1913. All three lie buried in the cemetery of the Zion Church.
Barbara, who for several years worked at the dressmaking trade, married John Keis, and for some time they resided on a farm near Royal Center, but in 1870 moved to Logansport. John had formerly resided near Freemont, Ohio. During the Civil War, he enlisted and fought on the side of the Blue, receiving wounds which he carried to his grave. To them were born seven children, two having died in infancy, and Albert, the oldest son, died in Logansport at the home of his sister, Lizzie Reid, August 22, 1918. The children still living are: Elias, Sam, Frank, and Lizzie. John Keis died September 7, 1906, at the age of 73 years, and his wife, Barbara, in 1903, at the age of 74 years. Both are buried in the Mt. Hope cemetery in Logansport.
Anna May Gugle was the oldest of the girls, and while residing in Germany was married to George Wintermantle, but in 1857 came to America, arriving June 13, and for many years resided in the same neighborhood with her brother and sisters. To them were born six children, three dying in infancy, two in Germany and one in America. Kate died while yet a young women of 19 years, and Jake died in 1921 while on his way to Indiana from his home in Tacoma, Washington to visit his relatives and friends. He is buried in his home city of Tacoma. Mary, the only survivor of her family, whose name for many years was Rupe, still lives in Logansport. George Wintermantle, her father, was
Christian Gugle, the youngest of the boys, is the only surviving member of the Gugle family, and he is past 86 years old. He married Kate Wertz of Pulaski, in White County, December 1, 1860, and they lived in Cass County until 1862. As the Civil War was then in progress, he enlisted, August 10, 1862, and fought for the colors until the war was over, then came home, arriving July 1, 1865, and for several years or until 1869, lived on a small farm of 20 acres in White County, but in 1870 moved to Maple Hill, 29 miles north of Grand Rapids, Michigan, but the next year on August 7th, moved to LeRoy, in the northern part of the lower peninsula. Eleven children were born to them, two dying while quite young, but the remaining children are: Mary, Kate, Lizzie, Effie, Sarah, Nettie, and Etta who are twins, and George and William. All he children reside in Michigan, and all but two live near LeRoy. Christian lives with his daughter, Kate and family, about a mile from LeRoy. His wife, Kate, died in March, 1913, and is buried in LeRoy.
Sarah, the youngest of the Gugle children, lived with her brother, Jacob and family, but a short time after arriving in America. She obtained employment in a hotel in Logansport where she worked for about a year, and after that worked for private families for several years, or until she was married to Henry Durkes on March 20, 1864. They began housekeeping on a farm three and one-half miles southwest of Rochester, in Fulton County, Indiana, where they resided for nearly 42 years, then moved to Rochester in March of 1905*, where they sent their declining days. Henry, her husband, died April 18, 1915, at the age of nearly 80 years. Sarah died June 1, 1924, as a result of a broken hip, at the home of her Son, Henry, in Huntington, Indiana, where she had gone the previous September to pay him and family a visit, but because of illness was forced to remain for the winter. She was past 80 years of age. Sarah and her husband are buried in the Odd Fellows cemetery in Rochester. There were eight children children born to them. Freddie and George died in infancy and Emma at the age of six. Those still living are: Mary, Kate, Frank, Minnie, and Henry. Frank resides on the Durkes homestead near Rochester.
There were characteristics of the Gugle family that are worthy of mention. They were a long-lived, peaceable, lawabiding, christian family. Each one visited the other members of the family as often as possible, and enjoyed doing so. None were ever known to be involved in legal difficulties, nor amenable to the law because of intoxication of misbehavor. Each one at one time or the other lived on a farm, and each one owned or had owned his home. Although not one of them ever became wealthy, or possessed a large amount of this world's goods, yet each one had enough to live comfortably in his declining days. They were an honest, hardworking, God-fearing family, and each member was a follower of Christ and a church member and worked for the glory of God and the salavation of men whenever possible, and always to the best of his knowledge and ability. They, as a family, had early religious training, and seemed to be impressed through life with the truth that the life beyond the grave would present far more delights and pleasures than this world could ever offer. All were members of the Evangelical Church, and all but Sarah were charter members of the Zion Evangelical Church.