Henry J. Rothenberger - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

In July, 1845, Henry Jacob Rothenberger emigrated from Germany to the U.S. with his parents; he was about nine years old.  Eventually, he and his parents, Jacob and Hannah, settled in Henry County, Ohio.

Henry married Julia DeLong in 1859, but the war called to him.  With a wife and several children waiting behind, Henry enlisted on February 1, 1864 into Company G, 38th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  He reported on the 1890 Veterans Census that he served 1 year, 6 months and 15 days, mustering out on July 15, 1865 after participating in the Grand Review in Washington, D. C.  Rheumatism and weak eyes were attributed to his war service on that census.

In 1870, Henry was settled in with his wife, Juliann, 29, and children: William - 10, Frederick - 9, Charles - 6, Mary J. - 3, and Albert W. - 1  They lived in Flatrock Township in Henry County, where Henry was farming.  It was noted that Henry was born in Wurtemberg. The agricultural census of that year stated that Henry farmed 85 improved acres and had 75 unimproved acres, with a value of $4800.  With two horses, three milk cows, four other cattle and seven swine, the family must have been fairly self-sufficient, as many were at the time.  They harvested 375 bushels of wheat the year before, 40 bushels of Indian corn, and 65 bushels of oats.

By 1880, the family had moved to Richland Township, Defiance Township, and added three more children - Frank, Emma and Henry.  The four oldest sons, ages 21 - 11, were labeled farm laborers on the census, working on the home farm.  By this time, Henry was 44 and Julia, 41.  One source noted, in 1893, that the family lived six miles east of Defiance and four miles southwest of Florida, Ohio.

By 1900, only the youngest son, John, 18, was at home with his parents.  Julia reported that she had ten children, but only eight were living.  John was also still at home in 1910, single and working at odd jobs.  By that time, another son, Frank E., 38, a widower, had also moved in, along with his son, Alva, 9.  Henry and Julia were married fifty-two years.

On May 19, 1915, Henry J. Rothenberger died quickly of a brain hemorrhage.  His obituary appeared in the Defiance Democrat, June 17, 1915, and earlier in the Defiance Crescent-News on June 6, 1915. 

Defiance Democrat, June 17, 1915

Julie lived on until 1920, and she is buried with Henry in the Hire Cemetery in Defiance County.

(This is part of a series on Civil War veterans of Defiance County who were part of the G.A.R., Bishop Post, that headquartered in the city.  Formed in 1879, the post was named after a local man, Captain William Bishop, Company D, 100th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Army who died as a result of wounds received in battle.  The veterans' photos are part of a composite photo of members that has survived.  If you have other information or corrections to add to the soldiers' stories, please add to the comments!)