Biography of Joseph Kegerreis, pages 884/885/886. History of DeKalb 
County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914. 



Among the successful, self-make men of a past generation in DeKalb 
county, whose efforts and influence contributed to the material 
upbuilding of their respective communities, the late Joseph Kegerreis, 
of Smithfield township, occupied a conspicuous place. He has won for 
himself a place of prominence and honored as some of the world’s 
honored army of workers and enjoyed to a notable degree the esteem and 
good will of all who knew him. Joseph Kegerreis  was born on July 14, 
1838, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and his death occurred at his 
home in the northeastern part to Smithfield township, DeKalb County, 
Indiana, on January 27, 1889.  He was a son of Jacob and Sarah (Smith) 
Kegerreis, who removed with their family to Columbiana county, Ohio. 
There, soon afterwards, the father died, and his widow eventually 
became the wife of Michael Mottinger.  Some time later they came to 
DeKalb county, Indiana, locating in section 2, Smithfield township, in 
1850, when the subject of this sketch was twelve years old.  Here the 
latter was reared and secured his education in the common school. On 
April 1, 1873, Mr. Kegerreis moved to a tract of land, comprising one 
hundred and forty acres, which he had bought in section 2, Smithfield 
township, where he made his permanent home and where he remained until 
his death.  He was an energetic and practical farmer, giving 
intelligent direction to these operations, so that he was enabled to 
leave his family in very comfortable circumstances.  On September 28, 
1862, Joseph Kegerreis was united in marriage with Catherine James, who 
was born in Summit county, Ohio, on February 19, 1843, the daughter of 
Henry and Maria (Furry) James. When she was a baby of but six months, 
the family moved to Indiana, locating in Steuben township, Steuben 
county, just across the line from Smithfield township, DeKalb county. 
There for forty years her parents made their home, and then moved to 
Kansas, where they bought a farm and spent the rest of their lives, the 
mother dying in 1891 and the father in 1898.  Mrs. Kegerreis was reared 
by her parents in Steuben county until her marriage to Mr. Kegerreis, 
and secured a good education in the public schools. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Kegerreis was born four children, namely: John, who was a young man of 
excellent habits and fine promise, died on September 10, 1882, at the 
age of nineteen years; Sarah May, who was the wife of L. N., Chapman, 
died on July 23, 1912, leaving three children; Dessa, who was the wife 
of Rolland S. Gramling, of Summit, this county, died on March 24, 1910, 
aged twenty-three years and ten months, leaving a daughter, Evelyn M.  
She was a graduate of the common schools, a successful teacher, and an 
active worker in the Methodist church from her youth up; Alta remains 
at home with her mother. Mrs. Kegerreis is a woman of many gracious 
qualities of head and heart, which have endeared her to a host of warm 
personal friend. Mr. Kegerreis was a kind and loving husband, an 
affectionate and indulgent father, and earned the respect and 
friendship of all who knew him, because of his high character and 
genial disposition. Large-hearted and generous, he gave liberally to 
all worthy causes, especially in the spread of Christian work and to 
the relief of those in distress. In these things he was entirely 
unostentatious, many of his kindly acts being known only to himself and 
the recipients.  Mr. Kegerreis was a soldier of the Civil war, having 
served faithfully and courageously as a member of the Seventy-ninth 
Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He had been an earnest member of 
the Methodist Episcopal church for some years prior to this death and 
had taken a deep interest in religious matters.  Being a constant and 
thoughtful reader of religious literature. He exerted a beneficent 
influence on all who came into contact with him and his career was 
rounded in its beautiful simplicity, for he did his full duty in all 
the relations of life, which, after all is said, is the sum total of 
real success.  

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com