My Genealogy Hound

DANIEL HUBEN. The first German to make a permanent settlement in Springfield, is still a resident of this city, and highly respected, particularly by those of his own nationality. The best information that can be obtained regarding his progenitors, states that his father was a native of Bavaria, and of pure German ancestry. After having learned the trade of a miller, he removed to the Province of Loraine, where he resided until his death in 1819. To him and his wife nine children were born, five of them being reared to manhood and womanhood. Two sons, Daniel and Jacob, are the only members of the family who have come to America.

The subject of this notice was born August 21, 1810, in the department of Moselle, Loraine, which then belonged to France. His native place was the village of Walschbrunn, in the Canton of Wollmuenster. His father dying when he was nine years old, he went to live with strangers, and at the age of sixteen years began to learn the trade of a miller. After serving an apprenticeship of two years, he began journey work, following his trade in different cities of France until 1831. In May of that year, he set sail from Havre, and after thirty-two days spent on the briny deep, landed at New York City. He proceeded at once to Cincinnati, where he arrived with empty pockets, and hampered by his inability to speak English.

Unable to find work at his trade, Mr. Huben accepted other employment for a time, and then learned the trade of a baker. He served an apprenticeship of a year, and then worked for others until the fall of 1833, when he came to Springfield, which was a small but flourishing city. He had been very industrious and economical, and had succeeded in saving a sufficient amount to enable him to go into business for himself, and renting a building, he opened a bakery. He was successful from the start, and was soon able to purchase a lot and erect the block which he still owns. He afterward added groceries to his stock in trade, and continued in the business until the death of his wife, when he sold out. For a time he occupied himself with the insurance business, but for several years past he has been living retired from active financial occupations.

In Cincinnati in 1833, Mr. Huben was united in marriage with Sybilla Otley, who was born in Unter Urbach, Oberant Schendorf, Wurtemberg. She possessed the housewifely skill and thrifty ways which belong to her race, and proved a devoted wife and mother, and kind neighbor until called hence in 1869. She was the mother of six children — Mary, Louisa, Henry, Daniel J., Jacob and Anna. The oldest daughter married Phillip J. Kriegbaum, and lives in Huntington, Ind.; Louisa married M. Volbroth, and is deceased; Daniel J. resides in Bellefontaine, Ohio; while Henry, Jacob, and Anna reside in Springfield.

Mr. Huben was reared in the faith of the Menonnite Church. He has ever been reputed honorable in his dealings with his fellow-men, kindly in domestic life, and is numbered among the better class of citizens. The entire members of the family of Mr. Huben were brought up in the faith of the Lutheran Church, to which church the mother belonged.