The Rothenberger Family

Jacob Fredericks Rothenberger, born July 28, 1810, married Johanna Fredericks on April 28, 1835, in Germany. There was a second marriage to Regina Dorthea, January 10, 1843. Both the frame house and shop in which he made nails by hand were still standing in Loghan, Germany, in 1911.

Their children born in Loghan, Germany, were: Henry Jacob, Gotlieb Frederick, Fredricka Katherine, Christian Jacob (died at 3 months), Carl Gotlieb (died at 9 days), Louise Katherine, Gotlieb Michael who died in Defiance, Ohio, at 18 years of age.

The family migrated to America in 1845 to avoid compulsory military training. The trip required 48 days in a sail boat.

Jacob Frederick Rothenberger died at the age of 80 years at the home of his son Fred. He was the great, great grandfather of Holgate's present Mayor, Norman Charles Rothenberger.

Henry Jacob Rothenberger, born January 10, 1836, married Juliana DeLong. Her parents, Mathelda Dixon DeLong lived on a farm near Stanly, Ohio, in Henry County, Ohio. Their eight children were: 1. William, born 1858, married Ida Hughs Peck. They lived in Michigan and had no children; 2. Fred, born 1861, married Mary Kimberly. He was a farmer near Leipsic, Ohio. There were six children of this union; 3. Charles, born October 14, 1863, married Anna Kimberly. He was a farmer in the Defiance area and they had five children; 4. Frank, born 1870, married Blanch English. He was a farmer and laborer, Defiance and Youngstown, Ohio. They were the parents of three children; 5. Mary, born 1871, married William Winchner, Stanley, Ohio, and they had three children. She later married John Yetter, a farmer at New Bavaria, Ohio; 6. Henry, born 1875, married Anna Benien of Holgate, Ohio. He farmed in the Napoleon area and their seven children were: (a) Harold (died at age two), (b) Herman, (c) Raymond, (d) Ruby, (e) Norman, (f) Marcella, (g) Henry Junior; 7. Edna, born September 7, 1876, married William P. Yetter, a farmer from New Bavaria, Ohio. There were eight children of this union.

Norman Charles Rothenberger, son of Henry and Anna, was born January 7, 1919 in a log cabin Napoleon, Ohio, married Grace Dunlap (born February 2, 1919), daughter of Daniel H. Dunlap and Carrie M. O'Brien Dunlap in Napoleon, Ohio, June 20, 1937, by the Rev. F. J. Lankenau in St. Paul Lutheran Parish Home, Napoleon, Ohio. They have six children: 1. Carolyn Grace Schudel, Defiance, Ohio; 2. Karen Lee Crawford, Rogersville, Tennessee; 3. Norman Dean, Napoleon, Ohio; 4. Bonnie Jean Phillips, Bryan, Ohio; 5. Joyce Ann Karr, Holgate, Ohio; 6. David Daniel Rothenberger at home in Holgate, Ohio.

Norman and Grace owned the Royal Cleaners in Napoleon from 1945 to 1963, then they moved to Holgate, Ohio, and operated the Royal Cleaners and Holgate Coin-Laundry on Kaufman Street until 1974 when they sold the building to their son Norman Dean Rothenberger. He has a motorcycle sales and repair business, the "Village Chopper" in the building.

Norman Rothenberger has been Mayor of Holgate since 1970. He was president of the Town Council for a year before presiding as mayor after Denver Yahney's death. In November 1971 Norman was re-elected Mayor.

Submitted by Norman and Grace Rothenberger