Bartholomew-Union County IN Archives Biographies.....Plessinger, Joseph 1820 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 24, 2007, 5:01 pm Author: B. F. Bowen (1904) JOSEPH PLESSINGER. For fifty years Joseph Plessinger has been a resident of Bartholomew county, and for eighty-three years he has traveled life's journey, so that his mind bears the impress of the great events which form the history of this country through the greater part of the nineteenth century. His is an honored old age, a life well spent, and in him there has been developed a character above reproach. Many of the leading elements in his life record are worthy of emulation, and when he shall have passed away his memory will be revered and cherished by those among whom he has so long lived and to whom his upright life has been a source of inspiration and encouragement. Joseph Plessinger was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, on the 20th of October, 1820, his parents being Jacob and Sophia (Fetter) Plessinger. The father was born in Frederick county, Maryland, and soon after the close of the Revolutionary war removed to Pennsylvania, where he met and married Miss Fetter, who was a native of New Jersey. In 1817 they emigrated to Ohio, settling in Montgomery county, where the father carried on farming until 1834, when he took his family to Union county, Indiana. There he secured a tract of land and resumed his agricultural pursuits. His wife died in that county and the father afterward went to Wayne county, Indiana, where his last days were passed. He reached an advanced age and was a worthy citizen, well meriting the regard which was uniformly given him. Both he and his wife were earnest Christian people, belonging to the Baptist church, and in his political faith he was a Democrat. The children in their family numbered nine, seven sons and two daughters, but only two of the number are now living, Joseph and Arthur, the latter of Lee county, Illinois. Joseph Plessinger spent the first fourteen years of his life in the state of his nativity and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Union county, Indiana, where he grew to manhood upon the home farm. He had begun his education in the schools of Montgomery county and continued it in Indiana. His training at farm labor was not meager, for from an early age he assisted in the cultivation of the fields and remained upon the old homestead until thirty-two years of age, when He was united in marriage, in the year 1852, to Miss Nancy Smoker. Her parents were natives of Pennsylvania and residents of Ohio, whence they removed to Union county, Indiana, where she was born. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Plessinger was blessed with two children, both daughters, Sarah E., now deceased, and Sophia C., who is the wife of John Plessinger and resides upon her father's farm, their only living child being Frank. The subject and his wife began their domestic life in Union county, Indiana, but the following year, 1853, came to Bartholomew county and settled upon the land which has since been his property. He was for many years actively engaged in farming and his work was so vigorously prosecuted that he won a handsome competence. He not only placed his land under a high state of cultivation, but has also made many excellent improvements upon his place, including the. erection of a fine brick residence in 1876. He also built a large and substantial barn and has added other buildings which add to the value and attractive appearance of the place. Everything about his farm is kept in good condition, his fences being well repaired, while his fields are rich with crops promising good harvests. He owns today two hundred and forty acres of rich and fertile land and in addition to general farming he formerly engaged in stock raising. He now leaves the active work of his farm to his son-in-law, while he is enjoying a well-earned rest. Mr. Plessinger was at one time a member of the Grange and of the Horse Thief Detective Association. He votes with the Democracy and has served as Ťa school director and was a candidate for trustee, but as the district has a strong Republican majority, he was defeated. He has been content, however, to faithfully perform his duties to the public as a private citizen. He has ever been a good neighbor, a considerate friend and an honorable gentleman, and his record is such as any man might be proud to possess. At the outset of his business career he had no one to aid him, and yet is today one of the men of affluence in his community, having gained this position by close attention to business and strict adherence to honorable principles in all transactions. Additional Comments: Extracted from BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY INDIANA INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA ILLUSTRATED 1904 B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/bartholomew/bios/plessing774gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 5.3 Kb