Biography of James M. Goetschius, page 731.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

James M. Goetschius, known by the early settlers as the noted wolf hunter of 
De Kalb County, was born in Dutchess County, N. Y., July 4, 1812, a son of 
Lewis and Helen (McMasters) Goetschius.  In 1815 his parents moved to Tioga 
County, N.Y., and there he grew to manhood and married, in 1833, Miss Betsy 
Waterman, a native of New York. The next spring he moved to Huron County, 
Ohio, where, in August, 1834, his wife died, leaving a daughter ---Catherine, 
now the wife of Daniel Hoffman, of Auburn, Ind.  In the spring of 1836 he 
came to Indiana and entered 240 acres of land in Butler Township, De Kalb 
County.  He cleared and improved a part of the land, built a log house, and 
May 22, 1839, married Miss Catherine Barnes, a native of Tioga County, N. Y.  
They had many hardships to contend with, but were young and ambitious, and 
succeeded in making the farm tillable, and in placing themselves on an equal 
footing with their neighbors.  In 1850 Mr. Geotschius crossed the plains to 
California and remained there a year and a half, successfully engaged in 
mining.  He returned home through Central America, via the Nicaraugua 
route.  In 1856 he sold his farm in Butler Township and bought the one in 
Richland Township, section 14, where he has since resided.  His farm 
contains 160 acres of land, and his residence and farm buildings are among 
the best in the township.  Mr. and Mrs. Geotschius have had ten children, 
but six are living---Helen, Elizabeth, Emily, Philander, Abraham and Ira.  
Mary and three infants are deceased.  Politically Mr. Goetschius is a 
Democrat.  He has held many offices of trust and responsibility in the 
township, and served three terms as County Commissioner.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com