Who’s Who in Franklin County, IN in 1915?
Posted on March 20, 2008 - Filed Under Family history
A History of Franklin County, Indiana. Her People, Industries and Institutions was written by August J. Reifel in 1915. The book is dedicated “to the dear, departed ones, whose busy hands changed the giant forests into fertile fields, whose love of home established the hearthstones, the tender ties of which yet bind together the heartstrings of the native born, whose patriotism gave the best of their lives and substance for the defense of their country, whose graves make sacred the soil their feet so often trod.” The book is 1475 pages and includes many biographies of representative citizens. Among them is George F. Pulskamp, grandson of Herman Heinrich Pulskamp. Below is an excerpt from the book.
“Sweet memories cluster about the home on one’s childhood, about the home where one was born and reared to manhood. George F. Pulskamp, of Highland Township, Franklin county, Indiana, was born and reared on the farm where his father lived all of his life, the same farm which was entered by his grandfather when the tract on which it stands was a thick wilderness without a stick of timber cut and not even a sign of a building.
George F. Pulskamp was born November 13, 1884, the son of Gerhart and Margaret (Stallman) Pulskamp. His father was born in Hanover, Germany and his mother in St. Peters, Indiana. Mr. Pulskamp’s paternal grandparents were Herman H. and Katherine (Staenka) Pulskamp, both natives of Germany. His paternal great-grandfather was Bernard Pulskamp, who never came to America and who died the year before Herman H. came to this country.
George F. Pulskamp was educated in the public schools of Blue Creek, after which he spent two year in the Catholic school at Bellevue, Kentucky. After completing his education there he returned to the farm in Highland township, and has since engaged in farming, adding eighty acres to the old home place owned by his father and grandfather.
Mr. Pulskamp was married January 10, 1906 to Elizabeth Meyer, who was born in Ripley county, the daughter of William Meyer and wife, now residing in Pennsylvaniaburg, Ripley county, Indiana. To Mr. and Mrs. Pulskamp one daughter, Alma, has been born.
The maternal grandparents of George F. Pulskamp were Andrew and Elizabeth (Zimmerberg) Stallman, of Oldenburg, Germany, who came to America about 1840 and located in Cincinnati. Here he worked in a pork house. About 1843 he moved to St. Peters and was a farmer there when he died. Mr. Pulskamp’s paternal grandfather came to America in 1845, when the father of George F. was eight years old. He came directly to the farm of eighty acres, which then was nothing but woods. He cleared the land, built log buildings where the present buildings stand and later put up a brick house, in which George F. Pulskamp now lives. At this time St. Peters was a log church.
Mr. Pulskamp’s father, Gerhart Pulskamp, was educated at St. Mary’s. He learned the cooper’s trade, but with the exception of two winters spent in Cincinnati engaging in this trade, has engaged in farming all his life. His wife died December 22, 1892, and he is still living.
George F. Pulskamp and family are members of St. Mary’s Catholic church and are loyal and devoted to its interest and conribute liberally of their means to its support. Politically, Mr. Pulskamp is a Democrat. Mr. and Mrs. Pulskamp have a large circle of friends in their community and enjoy a large measure of popular esteem.”
Reprints of the 1475 page History of Franklin County by Mr. Reifel originally printed in 1915 are available from the Franklin County Historical Society at a cost of $75 plus shipping.Â
Barry E. Pulskamp has a copy of the book. Post a response to this blog if you’d like more information on it or its content.
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Awesome, Barry! I also have a copy of the book and was planning to share about it after I had time to find other information in it. I think that cousin Melvin might have a copy also.