My Genealogy Hound

Henry Donner, a farmer of Robinson township, Posey county, Indiana, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, September 25, 1866, son of Fred and Barbara (Bauer) Donner, natives of Stuttgart, Germany, who came to this country before they were married. They both died while their five children were quite young, the mother in 1870, and the father in 1871. Henry was in bed with smallpox when his mother died, and could not attend the funeral. When left an orphan he lived with his brothers and sisters. His brothers worked in a brick yard, and Henry carried their breakfasts and dinners to them, beside going to school. In 1877, at the age of eleven years, Henry Donner came to Posey county with his brother, William. He lived with his uncle, Henry Donner, Sr., while William went to live with their cousin, Henry Donner, Jr. Here our subject remained for three years, attending school and doing all kinds of farm work and assisting in clearing new ground. He then went to the farm of his cousin, John Donner, where he worked two years for his board and clothes. At the end of this time he hired out to his cousin, Henry Donner, for $80 per year. Half of this he spent for clothes and saved $40. The next year he hired to another farmer for $140 per year and board, saving $100 that year. The next year he was with another neighbor at $150 and board, remaining here two years. After this he returned to his cousin, Henry, who paid him $160 per year, and here he remained four years. He then learned the carpenter’s trade and received $1.50 per day, and worked at the trade until his marriage, which occurred September 11, 1892, to Miss Carry Huber, daughter of George and Barbara (Hahn) Huber, natives of Posey county, where they were reared. After his marriage he started farming for himself. Mrs. Huber, mother of Mrs. Donner, died in 1893, and they lived on the George Huber farm for two years. He then removed to Black township, renting the Joseph Welborn farm, where Samuel Benthal now lives, remaining there four years. In 1897 he rented a farm just west of Oliver, and in 1900 he bought his present farm, which is the old Tim Downen place in Robinson township, and contains 130 acres. Mr. Donner is engaged in general farming. Mr. and Mrs. Donner have had six children: Henry, who died in infancy; Ida, who married Fred Wedeking, at present living in Evansville; Alk, and Olive, graduates of the common school, at home with their parents; Harry, now in the seventh grade in the Downen school. The Donner family are members of the Evangelical church. Mr. Donner is a Republican in politics, and is now holding the office of trustee of Robinson township, to which he was elected in 1908, and was for two years a member of the advisory board of the township.