In Memory

of

Charles L. Weidenger

Aug. 19, 1932 - July 30, 2006

 

BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN WEIDINGER

Written & Contributed by his great grandson, Charles L. Weidinger

 


John WEIDINGER was born Johann WEIDINGER at Engelhardtsberg, Bavaria, on 7 August 1857, the eldest child of Johann Tobias WEIDINGER and Anna Katherine DISTLER. He was christened at home by Deacon Knopf, parish minister of the Lutheran Church at Muggendorf on 12 August 1957, with Johann GERSTACKER, a farmer from Draisendorf the Godfather. In September 1860, young John sailed with his parents from the port of Bremen, Germany, bound for the port of New York. Thunderstorms at sea blew the small ship "Johanne Wilhelmine" so far south of course, that the ship docked instead, at the port of Baltimore. The Weidinger family first settled in Ross County near Chillicothe, and farmed land owned by Nelson HURST. The HURST farm was near two of Anna WEIDINGER’s sisters, who had married sons of Johann Adam EBENHACK, and settled in Ross County in 1854. About 1869, the family moved onto a farm at the western extreme of Union Township, Ross County, owned by the BROWN family.

On 29 June 1882, John married Martha Ione ALBRIGHT, adopted daughter of Johann Ulrich ALBRECHT and his wife Elizabeth OCH SHAFFER ALBRECHT. The ALBRIGHT family owned a tavern and grocery in the Ross County village of Yellow Bud, a boat repair facility on the Ohio and Erie Canal. After their marriage, John and Martha WEIDINGER moved onto a farm a mile south of Darbyville in Pickaway County, owned by Edward Wood SCOTT. They lived happily on this hillside farm until 1910. Eight children were born to them on this farm.

Howard WEIDINGER, my paternal grandfather, was born on 16 December 1882.

George Frederick WEIDINGER was born on 16 February 1887. Edmund Charles WEIDINGER was born on 6 February 1890. Clara WEIDINGER was born on 12 April 1891, but died on pneumonia on 10 October 1891, and was the first member of the family to be buried at the Muhlenberg Township Cemetery in Darbyville.

John Earl WEIDINGER was born on 28 June 1893. An infant daughter, never named, was stillborn on 7 November 1895, and also temporarily interred at Muhlenberg Township Cemetery. John Harvey WEIDINGER was born on 23 February 1897, and Ralph Albright WEIDINGER was born on 21 November 1899.

John and Martha WEIDINGER’s eldest son, Howard, married Kitturiah HILL, daughter of Charles Fremont HILL and Zetta Stinson HILL on 1 August 1806. The young couple were living with John and Martha WEIDINGER at the birth of their first child, John Franklin WEIDINGER on 12 December 1907. In 1908, Howard WEIDINGER was diagnosed with possible tuberculosis, and advised to move to a warmer, dryer, climate. Two of Martha’s adoptive brothers, George Frederick and John George Albright, were living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, carving out careers in the newspaper and printing businesses. In 1909, Howard, Kitturiah, and little John Franklin WEIDINGER moved to New Mexico. The ALBRIGHT brothers paved the way for Howard with a house, and employment.

In 1910, hearing that Howard’s condition was not improving, John and Martha WEIDINGER paid their son and family a visit. Not liking what they saw, they returned to Darbyville, auctioned their entire estate, and moved to New Mexico in 1911. Howard WEIDINGER died on 23 October 1912, and was brought back to Ohio by his brother, George Frederick WEIDINGER. Howard was buried in a new family plot at Springlawn Cemetery at Williamsport, Ohio.

Until about 1923, John and Martha WEIDINGER lived at 1001 Mountain Road in Albuquerque, where John was listed in the local directory as a rancher. About 1923, they moved to San Francisco, California, and for many years, lived at 431 Highland Avenue behind their small grocery store, which was called "Highland Market." By 1935, Martha WEIDINGER’s health began deteriorating, and she was moved from the Highland Avenue residence to the home of her adopted daughter, Dora Ruth STELLING. Martha died there of chronic myocarditis on 8 October 1938. Her cremains were returned to Ohio, and she was buried in a family plot near her father and mother-in-law at the Springbank Cemetery, south of Yellow Bud, Ohio.

After Martha’s death, old John WEIDINGER sold the Highland Market, and moved to the home of his youngest son, Ralph Albright WEIDINGER in San Mateo, California. John died at Ralph’s home on 12 November 1941, a victim of rectal cancer. His cremains were also returned to Ohio, and on 7 December 1941, were buried beside his wife’s at Springbank Cemetery.