ADAM S. ROMINGER

Hope Star Thursday August 27 1914
Picture of 10 men with caption One Survivor, J. S. Zeigler. Does not name 
other men.

Below is the obit:

Hope's oldest citizen passes away Friday Night 
Adam S. Rominger dies at his home on South Vine Street.

Adam S. Rominger died at his home on south Vine street in Hope Friday night 
at 9 o'clock, aged 94 years, 9 months and 29 days.

Mr. Rominger was born near Salem, N. C. and came to Indiana in the year 1839 
and with the exception of a few years spent in Columbus and Franklin, 
Indiana, Hope has been his home all these years.

Mr. Rominger built and operated the first Grist Mill in Hope and helped to 
build a number of the houses in the town.

Mr. Rominger has been very active for a man of his age; he was a member of 
the Moravian church for over 80 years and was a regular attendant at the 
church services and Sunday school.

Funeral services held in the Moravian Chapple Monday, Aug 24, at 2 p.m. by 
the Rev. Conrad Hermsteadt, the Moravian preacher of Indianapolis. 
Burial in the Moravian cemetery.

E. E. Norman & Son funeral directors.

Another Obit, but incomplete

ADAM SANFORD ROMINGER

From the Hope Star Journal Thursday Sept. 17, 1914

Adam Sandford Rominger, familiarly known as "Uncle Sandford", or "Father 
Rominger", was born to Benjamine and Elizabeth (Shore) Rominger, near 
Winston-Salem, N. C. in the year of our Lord 1819, October 23.

Godly parents of the Moravian faith dedicating him in early infancy to the 
Lord by the rite of holy baptism, the Rev. Ruede performing the act: this 
consecration was ratified by the youth in later years when he was confirmed. 
>From the date of baptism, year after year until this time a scripture text 
card had annually come into his hand from the presiding pastor, these were 
carefully treasured up and until the advanced years of his departure were 
considered precious and worthy to be read and lived up to.

At about nineteen years of age, he with his parents, younger brothers, Jonas 
W. and Simon F. and sisters, Melvina C. and Mariah came to what was then, in 
1839, known as the far West, Indiana. They located on a farm now known as 
the "Big Spring" place and at present the property of Ardell Burney, later a 
purchase of a farm, at present known as the "Phillip Miller home", gave them 
a home on Duckcreek but not too far away to find them ever in God's house 
when the church bell sent out the call for worship.

The two younger brothers were help enough for the father, hence the subject 
of this sketch left his father's home to learn as an apprentice the trades he 
later became expert in and followed until late in life.

About this time he went farther West to see if greener fields could be found. 
St. Joe, Mo, was the objective location, but he had previously met a lovely 
maiden in Hope, Ind. and for this companionship his heart yearned, hence 
after one year's absence of journing and Western life he returned and settled 
down to business as carpenter and later Cabinet-maker. At the former he 
built well, as buildings yet remain of his hands work. When past 85 years 
old he built a neat residence of four rooms from foundation to finish 
unaided, a complete structure.

While doing shop work in those early days, the burial case was an unheard-of 
commodity the the elbo (?) coffin being the popular outfit and when needed, 
orders were filled by the Cabinet-maker on short notice and frequently in 
those days when epidemics of Scarlet fever and like serious maladies 
prevailed calls for from one to four from one family came in quick 
successions, so that day and night the bench and tools were in constant 
requisition.

Later in 1843 on November he was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to 
Miss Amanda Levina Leinback, daughter of the late John Henry and Rebecca 
(Spainhur) Leinback, also of N. C., the Rev Titus officiating. To this union 
were born two sons and two daughters, the sons departing this life, one 
Julius Henry in early infancy and Rufus Edwin in the first flush of 
manhood-the daughters Misses Emily A. and Adelaide C. remain to mourn the 
loss of faithful loving good parents.

Of a natural public spirit, the good of the community where he dwelt was 
uppermost in his mind and the betterment of all sought. One of the first 
active business interests of the town of Hope was its large and at that early 
day extensive Grist and Merchant Mill built and put on good financial basis 
by this man and a cousin S. C. Rominger which remained until the flames claim 
it in 1892. The same firm at the time of building owned and operated an 
extensive Saw Mill in what is now the heart of Hope. 

During this long useful life changes came, business success as well as 
reverses succeeded each.....

Transcribed by Diana
Source: Hope Star-Journal, Obits, compiled by Mildred Dixon Harrod