John Armbruster

John Armbruster was born July 7, 1834, in Crawford County, Ohio. Mary M. Moerder was born Oct. 31, 1834, in Baden Baden, Germany, and migrated to America, after a six week ocean crossing, arriving on May 1, 1855, to live with relatives in Crawford County, Ohio.

On Dec. 7th, 1858, Mary and John were married in a German Lutheran Church in Crawford County. In 1861, with a two year old daughter and six month old twin sons, they migrated by covered wagon to Henry County, Ohio, and settled in Flatrock Twp. The old homestead is the first farm west of St. Paul Lutheran Church. The homestead is still in the Armbruster family, presently the home of James Armbruster and family, a great grandson. After arriving in Henry County, they were blessed with ten more children and also fostered two others.

The sons were John, Fred, George, and William who remained farmers, David a carpenter, Samuel, a county treasurer and photographer, and Christian, a farmer and politician.

Daughters were Annetta (Tobias) Leifer, Katherine (William) Rettig, Amelia (William) Bortz, Mary (John) Groll and Emma who died at age 14 and Rosina at age 2.

It was indeed a test of faith, when John, the father departed this life at age 47 with tuberculosis. Christian (Christ) the youngest of thirteen children was only a few months old. Although the mother, Mary, had met with an accident necessitating the amputation of her right arm, her strong Christian faith remained an inspiration to her family and friends, until her death in 1921.

The entire family has now passed on but rest assured the heirs are mighty proud of their pioneer heritage.

Submitted by Byron Armbruster, son of Christian