Union City Times-Gazette, Thursday, August 15, 1946
Eighty People Attend First Reunion Of Bothast Family.
The first Bothast reunion as held Sunday at the C. I. O. hall with
eighty persons present. After a delicious diner, plans were made for
the reunion to be held nest year on the last Sunday in July.
Officers elected were John Boggs, president, and Richard Bothast,
secretary-treasurer. Ida Bothast was the oldest relative present and
Martha Goodman, a guest, the oldest person present.
Following the dinner a musical program was presented, with group
singing, and visiting concluded the afternoon. Many remained for the
evening meal.
Out of town members and guests present were: Luther BOTHAST and
family of Liberty, Ind., Mrs. Lady Mae HOLFASTER, Mrs. Ada GILLETTE and
family, Mr. and Mrs. Charles HOLFASTER and daughter of Osborn, Ohio,
Thomas BOTHAST and family of South Bend, Ind., Alva BOTHAST and family
of Greenville, Mr. and Mrs. Paul WIGGER and son of Richmond, Mrs. Whit
HEMINGER and son, Allen, of Fulton, Ind., Mr. and Mrs. H. L. SHELLHASE
and grandchild, Mr. and Mrs. William BOTHAST, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard
BOTHAST, Mr. and Mrs. Dick ODELL and daughter of Dayton, Ohio, Mr. and
Mrs. O. H. SHAFER and son, Mr. and Mrs. Paul FRYSINGER and son, of
Springfield, Ohio.
A brief family history was given by Mrs. L. Wigger:
George Bothast was born in Hess, Germany, May 17, 1829. His
parents brought him to Dayton, Ohio, when he was one year old. He had
three sisters, Melia, Louise and Mary, and three brothers, Martin, Henry
and John. One sister, Mary, was buried at sea on the way to America.
On November 22, 1855 when he was 26 years of age he married
Christena Adams. About 1857 he came here to live on the 40 acres of
land where the Union City disposal plant is now located.
Christena Adams was born in Dusseldorf, Germany, January 1, 1838.
Her mother was buried in Germany when she was a child. An aunt, living
in Dayton, Ohio, wrote glowing reports of the United States when
Christena was ten years old. Her father owned and operated a butcher
shop at Dayton.
George and Christena had twelve children, George, John, William,
Elizabeth, Charles, Fornia, Ella, Nellie, Adolph, Annie, Bertha and
Mae. Of the twelve children, nine lived to marry and settle down in and
around Union City. Twenty-six grandchildren lived to become of age and
the family included four sets of twins. Two of the family, Thomas and
Elmer, were in World War I and seventeen were in World War II. Howard
Shafer was killed in the South Pacific during this war.
Two Bothast brothers, George and John, married Adams sisters,
Christena and Anna. They were a Lutheran family and lived for many
years on West Division street in the brick home now owned by Max
Schoenfeld. It is remembered that the late Governor Gray of Indiana was
a frequent visitor at the Bothast home.
Three sisters, Mrs. Anna Smith, Mrs. Bertha Alexander and Mrs. Mae
Williams survive.
George Bothast owned and operated a brick yard at the west edge of
Union City for many years. Many of the old brick buildings in Union
City were made from brick which was made in his brick yard.
George died on July 26, 1902 at 73 years of age and Christena died
April 25, 1914 at the age of 76.
[ George and Mary Christena are buried in the Union City Cemetery, as
were many of the Bothast family.]