Hello fellow list members,
In response to Bob Alloway's request for stories and successes, I thought I
would submit mine, for it is the reason, 10 years ago, that I entered the
world of genealogy. At that time, after seeing a segment on genealogy on
Oprah, I realized that I knew very little about my mother's family. I
didn't even know the names of three of my great grandparents. There was the
story about my great grandmother, marrying a German who owned a "beer
garden" in Indianapolis, that she did not get along with her mother-in-law,
and she chose to live "in the country". Well, that was a pretty story, but
the truth that I have so far learned is more interesting. And I would not
have found what I have had it not been for this list and suggested links
Susan A. Rogers, born 20 Sep 1856 in Indianapolis, was the daughter of Isaac
and Alice (Rainey) Rogers. They moved from Estill Co., Kentucky about 1853
to Indianapolis.
John G. Koeppen, born Sep 1855 possibly in the Brandenburg area of Germany,
immigrated to the US with his mother, Dorothea (Messing) Koeppen , and a
brother, Robert, on the Teutonia arriving 24 Apr 1868 in New York. Brick
Wall: I have been unable to establish where the father was, John G. noted
that his father's name was Johann in a marriage record. I have not been
able to find an 1870 census that includes Dorothea and Robert, although
there is a John Koeppen in Missouri, but the age is incorrect.
John G. Koeppen and Susan A. Rogers married 21 Oct 1877 in Indianapolis. By
1880, they had moved to Iowa where they had a son, John R. Koeppen, and had
returned to Indianapolis, where a daughter, Gertrude, was born. Dorothea
(Messing) Koeppen was found at that time living (possibly visiting with her
brother, Hermann Messing and his family in Union, Dickinson Co., Kansas).
She had stated in that 1880 census that she was a widow.
Susan and John had a total of 6 children, 5 of whom survived. According to
City directory entries, John worked as a clerk, paymaster, secretary, travel
agent, foreman and finally as a vice-president of the Composite Brick Co.
He also was a member of the Preussen Unterstutzings Verein, a kind of German
benevolent society.
On 2 Jul 1893 John G. Koeppen's mother, Dorothea (Messing) Koeppen had
died. She is buried in the Koeppen family plot at Crown Hill Cemetery. I
suspect it was after her death that John G. and Susan divorced. Their
youngest child, my grandmother, had been born in 1890. This was all a huge
surprise when I learned of this, I don't think my mother had been aware of
it either. But where did the story of the "beer garden" come in?
Johanna E. Weil, born Oct 1858 in Germany, immigrated to the US (according
to the 1900 census) in 1885. On 23 Jan 1886, she married Conrad C. Wulff, a
German widower with one child and four step-children. Johanna and Conrad
had five of their own children. Conrad was a saloon keeper, owning a saloon
at the corner of Nordyke and Morris Avenues. Conrad died 19 Mar 1895 and
was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery.
Sometime in the late 1890's my great grandfather met Johanna E. (Weil)
Wulff, perhaps at the saloon she had inherited from her late husband. John
G. Koeppen and Johanna married 10 May 1900 in Indianapolis. They were found
in the 1900 census (Koeppen was grossly mis-spelled) living with Johanna's
five children that she had with Conrad Wulff. They were living at 1204
Nordyke Ave., John's occupation was foreman.
According to the 1902 City Directory, they were living at 1202 Nordyke Ave.,
John was still a foreman and Johanna was a saloon keeper. The next bit of
information I have shows John G. living with his son, John R. Koeppen in the
1910 census as a widower.
I have found a tantalizing entry for the death of a baby girl, Johanna E. N.
Koeppen, born 3 Nov 1907, died 3 Dec 1907. There is no reference to the
parents. Given the name, I wonder if this is a child of John G. and Johanna
E. (Weil Wulff) Koeppen? Johanna would have been 49 years old at the time
of the birth, and being so old, I wonder if she, too, died at that time? I
have been unable to find any reference to her after 1904 (City directory),
and given that John stated he was a widower in 1910, my question stands.
John G. Koeppen died of Ptomaine poisoning 5 Jun 1911 in Indianapolis, and
was buried in the family plot at Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, in
Section 39, Lot 210.
Susan A. (Rogers) Koeppen remained single, she stated in the 1900 census
that she was divorced. I have not been able to find her in the 1910 census,
but from 1914 on in the City directory and census enumerations she stated
that she was a widow ( in the city directory entries, "of John"). Susan
died 2 Mar 1932 in Indianapolis and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in the
same plot as her mother, Alice (Rainey) Rogers, Section 22, Lot 50.
I am hoping, with this story, to find the, descendants of John R. Koeppen
and his wife, Jessie May Murray born 18 Jun 1880 in Indiana, died 15 May
1969 in Indianapolis and buried in the Koeppn family plot at Crown Hill
Cemetery) whose surviving children, all born in Indianapolis, were:
Mabel, born 21 Sep 1898, married Clistie Ferguson in 1915, who
died before 1920. She may have married again.
Fern, born abt. 1905, married John Edward Stack in 1922, they
were divorced by 1930.
Gertrude B., born abt. 1909, married Cecil Omar Mabbitt in 1924. They had
at least two children:
Wilma M. Mabbit, b. 1926, d. 2003, married George W. Loveless.
Robert C. Mabbitt, b. 1928, d. 2000, married Norma J. Phillips.
Thelma, b. 12 Apr 1911, married Alonzo Broyles in 1929.
I live in Europe and obviously cannot do this final research myself. If
anyone has information on the saloon on Nordyke and Morris Avenues, who the
parents of Johanna E. N. Koeppen were, and perhaps, a photo of the Koeppen
graves at Crown Hill I would be so grateful!
Regards, Catherine