My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Perry County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1886.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

Robert Houssels, a farmer and successful and prominent leather manufacturer, was born in Rhine (Prussia) Germany, near Cologne, February 18, 1834. He was the youngest of eleven children of John P. and Margaret (Weber) Houssels. Our subject immigrated to America at the age of seventeen and landed in New York; was reared in a rural village and received his preparatory education in the common schools of his fatherland, and finally completed the same in the Mulheim High School. He was apprenticed to the tanner’s trade after completing his education, and served three years for his board. He then worked for wages for five years, in Cincinnati, St. Louis and other places, and in 1856 he began tanning in Perry County, Tenn., on his own responsibility, and has succeeded far beyond his expectations, being the owner of 25,000 acres of land, on which he has an iron furnace, not now in use. The home place consists of 100 acres, and on this land is his fine steam tannery and his beautiful home residence. October 28, 1860, he wedded Docia Young, born February 4, 1843, daughter of Samuel Young. They have eight children: John H., Robert S., Julia E., Jennie, Bismarck, Rosina R., Minnie R. and Norma. Mr. Houssels is somewhat conservative in politics, but rather favors Democratic principles. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and a man of liberal and generous disposition, and is always ready to do his part in furthering enterprises for the public good. Mrs. Houssels and some of the children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 46 biographies included in The History of Perry County, Tennessee published in 1886.  The History of Perry County was included within The History of Lawrence, Wayne, Perry, Hickman & Lewis Counties of Tennessee. View the complete description here: History of Lawrence, Wayne, Perry, Hickman and Lewis Counties of Tennessee

View additional Perry County, Tennessee family biographies here: Perry County, Tennessee

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.