John Halberstadt

 

SOURCE: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Illinois," Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1887

SURNAMES: BOTTSFORD, BROWN, COPELY, HALBERSTADT, TOLER, TRUSLEY, WELSH

Mr. Halberstadt is a native of Franklin County, Ind., born Oct. 13, 1820.  His father, John HALBERSTADT, Sr. was born and reared in Philadelphia, where he served an apprenticeship of seven years at shoemaking.  When twenty-two years of age he removed with his father to Indiana.  The latter, Anthony HALBERSTADT, was born in Russia, and came to the United States during the Revolutionary War as a Hessian soldier.  He fought in the British army for some time, but his sympathies wre finally turned toward the American people, and deserting the ranks of the English, he went over to the Colonists and became a driver for one of the Genrals in the Continental army.  This gentleman was the original progenitor of the family in the United States.  After the independence of the Colonies has been established he retired to civil life, married an English lady, and became the father of four children.

Anthony Halberstadt finally emigrated to Indiana and settled in what was afterward Franklin County, before the advent of any white people in that locality.  Indians and wild game were plentiful, but the grandfather of our subject was a man of great courage and endurance and took up his residence there to stay.  He established a comfortable home for those days, in the wilderness, where he passed the remainder of his life, and was buried upon the farm where he had lived for fifty years or more.  His wife had previously returned to Kentucky with her son-in-law, and there died at an advanced age.  Their son John, the father of our subject, assisted his father in the clearing of the timber from their claim in Franklin County, Ind.  The Queen City of Ohio was at that time but a hamlet and for years was their nearest trading-post.   John HALBERSTADT afterward removed to Sullivan County, Ind., where he died when over eighty-five years old.  The mother of our subject, who before her marriage was Miss Mary TRUSLEY, of West Virginia, removed with her parents to Indiana also during the first settlement of the territory.  She survived her husband some years, and passed her last days with her children in Philo Township, this county.

The subject of our sketch was the eldest of nine children who completed the parental household.  His early life was spent in Franklin County, Ind., where he was educated, and upon reaching manhood was married to Miss Ruth PETERSON, who was a native of that county.  Her parents were reared and married in Philadelphia, Pa., whence they emigrated to Indiana after the birth of several children.  They remainded residents of Franklin County until their daughter, the wife of our subject, came to Illinois, when they accompanied her, spent their last days in Philo Township, and were buried at Linn Grove.  Our subject and his wife were married in Indiana, and have become the parents of twelve children, four now deceased.  The record is as follows:  Catherine married Mead BOTTSFERD, a farmer of Crittenden Township, this county; Jane, the wife of Alex WELSH, lives on a farm in Ottawa County, Kan.; Anna is at home with her parents; Edith married John COPELY, and lives in Ottawa County, Kan., where her husband is carrying on farming; hattie is at home with her parents; Jerome married Miss Ella BROWN, and is farming in Kansas; Franklin married Miss Fannie TOLER, and with his brother, Wilbur, lives in Ottawa County, Kan.; Wilson was accidentally killed by the discharge of a gun in the hands of a cousin; Larion Roscoe was thrown from a wagon by a runaway team, and instantly killed; one infant died unnamed; Charles M. died of rheumatism when twelve years old.  Out subject, with his wife and several of their children, is connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church.  Mr. H. is a solid Republican, and a warm supporter of the principles of his party.