Nicholas Linkhauer, assessor of Green Township, was born in the Province
of Rhine, Prussia, November 23, 1830, a son of Jacob and Catherine
Linkhauer. In 1840, the family consisting of parents and six children
immigrated to the United States, landing at New Orleans November 4, after a
voyage on a sailing vessel of fifty-six days. At New Orleans, they were met
by Mr. Linkhauer’s oldest brother, Jacob, who had come over four years
before. They spent the winter in New Orleans and in March, 1841, came to
Indiana and settled in Carroll County, where the father followed shoemaking
at Delphi for four years. He then settled on a heavily timbered farm in the
same county, clearing his land with the help of his sons, living there until
his death November 7, 1853, at the age of seventy-three years. His widow
died August 7, 1862, aged seventy-one years. Of their children, three sons
and one daughter are still living – Nicholas, our subject; John, at Memphis,
Tennessee; Peter, living in Kansas and Mrs. Mary Mondy, also a resident of
Kansas.
Nicholas Linkhauer was united in marriage December 6, 1855,
in Carroll County, to Miss Sarah Jane Cline, a native of that county, born
December 19, 1836. Her parents, Aaron and Rachel Cline, were pioneers of
Carroll County, coming from Kentucky in an early day. Her father died in
that county in 1872, aged eighty-four years, the mother dying in 1851, at
the age of fifty-six years.
Of the fourteen children born to Mr. and
Mrs. Linkhauer ten died in infancy. Of the four children yet living – Mary
Catherine is the wife of F. B. Bunger, of Preble County, Ohio; Orro I. is
the wife of George Hodge, and is engaged in teaching in Greene Township;
Jacob O., also engaged in teaching in Greene Township, was born July 19,
1862 and September 26, 1886, married Hattie Osborn, who was born in Greene
Township, Jay County, December 6, 1866, a daughter of Lester and Caroline
Osborn; William H., a railroad employee at Indianapolis.
In 1866, Mr.
Linkhauer removed with his family from Carroll County to Olmsted County,
Minnesota, and there followed farming eight years. He then returned to
Indiana and spent almost two years in Wabash and Madison Townships, Jay
County. He then went to Union City, Randolph County, Indiana where he kept a
hotel a short time.
From 1878 to 1880, he followed farming in Ward
Township of the same county, when he settled on his present farm on Section
13, Greene Township in November, 1880. In politics, Mr. Linkhauer is a
Democrat. Mr. and Mrs. Linkhauer and their two daughters are members of the
Disciple Church.
Biographical && Historical Record of Jay
County, Lewis Publishing Company 1887
Transcribed by Jim Cox