My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE KISSINGER. Beautifully located on a bluff overlooking the St. Joseph River, whose tranquil waters reflect the ever-changing hues of the sky, lies one of the fine fruit farms of Berrien County. It is the property of the gentleman whose name introduces this biographical notice, and consists of eighteen acres on section 36, St. Joseph Township. Here may be found the best varieties of every kind of fruit. Five and one-half acres are planted to blackberries, two acres to four different kinds of raspberries, and there are ten hundred and twenty-five peach trees, fifteen hundred grape vines, sixty pear and sixty apple trees, twelve hundred currant bushes, two hundred gooseberry bushes, and two-thirds of an acre devoted to strawberries, cherries, plums, quinces, etc. In addition to fruits, there are also a number of mulberry, hickory-nut and chestnut trees. The majority of the trees and shrubs were planted five years ago, and are now in fine bearing condition.

A native of Wisconsin, our subject was born in Richfield, Washington County, November 18, 1849. His father, Jacob Kissinger, was born in Germany, whence he emigrated to America in 1845, and located in Milwaukee, Wis., where he followed the trade of a shoemaker. In Wisconsin he was united in marriage with Miss Anna M. Dueber, and after that important event he settled at Richfield, where he followed agricultural pursuits for eleven years. Removing thence to Fond du Lac, Wis., he was similarly engaged for a short time, and afterward, going to Waupun, he engaged in farming there for a brief period. From that place he removed two miles west of Fond du Lac, and subsequently went to Nebraska, where he was engaged in general farming until his death, in February, 1892. An industrious and energetic man, he was also a devoted Christian and an active member of the German Baptist Church.

In the parental family there were ten children, of whom eight are now living, George being the second in order of birth. He spent his boyhood days in Wisconsin, and in 1866 came to St. Joseph, where he engaged in the fishing business, first in a sail-boat but afterward becoming the owner of a fishing-tug. He fished in Lake Michigan exclusively, and during the twenty-two years in which he followed this business experienced some narrow escapes, and was caught in some of the wildest storms that have ever darkened the lake. The enterprise proved remunerative, and he has cleared as much as $2,200 in twenty days.

The marriage of our subject took place in 1872, and united him with Miss Mary Herring, the daughter of August Herring, one of the prominent residents of St. Joseph. There are four children in the family: Cora B., Ella D., William E. and Hattie A., all of whom are at home. In July, 1889, Mr. Kissinger located upon the place where he now engages in raising fruit, and where, as above stated, he owns eighteen acres of fruit land. The improvements which cause this place to rank among the finest in the county have been added by Mr. Kissinger since he located here, and through his energetic labors he has largely enhanced the value of the property.

Politically, Mr. Kissinger is a Republican, and is the present Treasurer of St. Joseph Township. He is also serving as Fish Inspector, a position which he has filled for a number of years. He is general agent for the Mutual Aid German Baptist Association of North America, and one of the Trustees, as well as Treasurer, of the German Baptist Church at St. Joseph.