Jacob Theurer, a well-known and substantial farmer
and landowner of Madison township, owner of an excellent farm on rural mail
route No. 4 out of Portland, is a native son of Jay county and has lived
here all his life. Mr. Theurer was born on a farm in Madison township on
February 22, 1864, and is a son of Mathias and Sarah (Kurtz) Theurer, the
latter of whom was born in Ohio, daughter of Michael Kurtz and wife, who
later came to Jay county and became pioneers of Noble township. Mathias
Theurer was of European birth, born in the kingdom of Wurttemberg, October
15, 1829, and was twenty-one years of age when he came to this country,
landing in New York City on June 29, 1851, after a tempestuous voyage, the
sailing vessel on which he came over requiring three months to make the
passage. The vessel was cast upon the rocks not far out of harbor but the
passengers were all taken off safely. For about two years after his arrival
here Mathias Theurer worked in a brickyard in New York and then joined his
parents, John George Theurer and wife, who meanwhile had come to this
country with the other members of the family and had located at Marion,
Ohio. Not long afterward the Theurer's came over into Indiana and settled in
this county, John G. Theurer buying a tract of eighty acres in Madison
township, where the family home was established. Mathias Theurer took up
farming upon his arrival here and in the spring of 1854 was married. He
continued farming after his marriage and after his father's death bought the
interests of the other heirs in his father's estate and thus became the
owner of the home "eighty." To this tract he later added until he was the
owner of a good farm of 180 acres. Mathias Theurer was twice married. On
March 25, 1854, not long after his arrival in Jay county, he was united in
marriage to Sarah Kurtz and to this union were born five children, those
besides the subject of this sketch having been Mrs. Justina Wigger, who died
in November, 1919; Tobias, who is still living in this county; Mrs. Caroline
Heiby, of Ft. Recovery, Ohio, and John G. Theurer, of this county. The
mother of these children died on June 8, 1868, and on November 30, 1868,
Mathias Theurer married Rosenna Klingel, of this county. To this union three
children were born, all of whom are living, namely: Sarah, Mrs. Mary
Griesinger and Mrs. Emma Abel. Mrs. Rosenna Theurer died on February 28,
1919, and Mathias Theurer afterward made his home with his children, chiefly
with Mrs. John Heiby and Jacob Theurer, the remainder of his life, his death
occurring on November 13, 1921, he then being at the great age of ninety-two
years and twenty-eight days. He was for years one of the leaders in the
Lutheran church at Salamonia and his children were reared in that faith.
Reared on the home farm in Madison township, Jacob Theurer received his
schooling in the old Center school (district No. 5) and remained at home
until his marriage at the age of twenty-four, after which he rented from his
father the home place and continued to make his home there. Twelve years
later, in 1902, he bought forty acres of this tract and in 1912 bought an
adjoining tract of sixty acres, In the following year (1913) he bought ten
acres more and thus at present has 110 acres, which he has improved in
substantial manner anc on which he has a well-equipped farm plant. Mr.
Theurer is a Democrat and he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church
at Salamonia, of the congregation of which he has been treasurer for the
past twenty years. It was on November 8, 1888, that Jacob Theurer was united
in marriage to Catherine Griesinger, also of Madison township, and to this
union three children have been born, Carl M., born on October 20, 1889;
Nora, March 9, 1892, and Hilda, January 22, 1899, who died on October 13,
1920. Mrs. Theurer was born in Marion county, Ohio, May 6, 1866, and was but
a babe in arms when her parents, Mathias and Mary (Heil) Griesinger, in
1867, came to Jay county and settled in Madison township. Mathias
Griesinger, a native of Germany, born in the grand duchy of Baden, came to
America in the days of his young manhood and located in Marion county, Ohio,
where he presently married Mary Heil, who was born in that county. He
remained in that county until 1867, when he came to Jay county and bought a
tract of fifty acres in Madison township, on which he established his home,
remaining there until he sold the place in 1913 and retired from the farm.
He and his wife were the parents of ten children, five of whom are still
living, Mrs. Theurer having two brothers, Frank and Charles Griesinger, and
two sisters, Mrs. Emma Wagner and Mrs. Edna Theurer. The deceased members of
this family were Elizabeth, Mrs. Lena Peters, Flora, Jacob and Mrs. Anna
Beard.
SOURCE: Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay
County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II,
pp.289-290. Transcribed by Eloine Chesnut