Ludwig Spengler, Native of Germany

(Originally posted on A Face to the Sun, my previous blog, on September 3, 2013.)

 
One of the hardest things for many genealogists is finding the native village in Europe for an ancestor.  I was lucky in that a piece of paper, saved and passed on to an aunt, gave me a very good clue to where the Elling ancestors lived in Germany.  

So when I find an obituary of an immigrant as I read newspaper microfilm, and an European village is mentioned as a former home, it's hard not to save it.  I'd like to think that someone will be looking for that very information someday.

Today I came across this obituary in the Defiance Democrat, December 28, 1916, page 2, column 6.  The name appears back and forth as Spangler/Spengler.

"MAN AGED 88 VICTIM OF BLOOD POISONING
Venerable Ludwig Spengler Passes Away on Christmas Day.

The venerable Ludwig Spangler, father of Police Chief Spangler, of this city, died Christmas morning at 2 o'clock, a victim of blood poisoning.
Death struck the deceased at the advanced age of 88 years.  A few weeks ago, he celebrated his sixtieth wedding anniversary, and at that time, he was in good health.  Mrs. Spengler survives.
Mr. Spengler had been in good health until a few days ago, when he received a bad wound in one of his lower limbs.  A plank fell from a lumber pile, and one end cut in deeply.  The wound did not heal readily and blood poisoning set in.

Created Much Sorrow

News of the death created much sorrow throughout the city.  The aged man was widely known.  He had a host of friends who will miss him.

Ludwig Spengler was born at Werbellin, Neustadt, Eberswald, Germany, July 11, 1828.  He was married to Henrietta Louisa Shultz Nov. 11, 1856, at Grosse Schenebeck, Germany.  Mrs. Spengler was born August 30, 1840(?) at Grosse Schenebeck.

The couple came to Defiance May 28, 1860, and they have lived here ever since.  During his local residence, Mr. Spengler has been engaged in the contracting and grocery business.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock and the obsequies will be private.  Friends are requested not to send flowers.  Rev. Mr. Foelsch will have charge of the services.  The burial will be made in Riverside cemetery.

Five daughters and three sons survive Mr. Spengler, as follows: Mary Deindoerfer, Mrs. Charles Kahlo, and Lena Spengler of Defiance; Mrs. John Hossfeld, Glassford, Ill., and Mrs. Edward Thomas of St. Mary, Charles, Julius and Alva Spengler.

There are 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild surviving."

The purple mark is Werbellin, Eberswald and Grosse Schenebeck is just above the R in Berlin.

 This obituary is chock-full of great genealogical information, giving a wealth of clues for further research in Germany as well as in the U.S.

Of course, many obits are not this detailed, but it's a must to try to locate them anyway...just in case.