Biography of S. H. Nugen, pages 668/669.  History of DeKalb 
County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 
1914.



Among the progressive men of Jackson township, DeKalb 
county, identified long with educational interests, whose 
rare business acumen, public spirit and unquestioned 
integrity render him eligible to rank as one of the 
representative citizens of his community, is the gentleman 
whose name appears above, the present efficient trustee of 
his township. He is essentially a man of the people, broad-
minded, capable and possessing an equipoise  of attributes 
that stamp him as a natural leader of his fellows, but, 
being entirely unassuming, he would never consent to such a 
title or believe that he, in any way, merited the plaudits 
of any one. S. H. Nugen was born on February 2, 1857, in 
Jackson township, DeKalb county, the son of John and 
Rebecca (Hughes) Nugen, he a native of Ireland and she of 
Miami county, Ohio. He was among the early settlers in 
DeKalb county, having settled in its almost unbroken 
wilderness in the early forties. He located on section 4, 
in Jackson township and was here married. To John and 
Rebecca Nugen were born six children, as follows: Mrs. Mary 
K. Bolinger is deceased; Christopher died while serving in 
the army; Mrs. Sarah A. Harris is deceased; Jamie is 
deceased; John, who was still living at last accounts; S. 
H.  S. H. Nugen laid the foundation of a good education in 
the common schools of those days and then engaged in 
agricultural pursuits, working for others until he reached 
the age of twenty-three years, when he was enabled to 
purchase eighty acres in this own right,  his present 
splendid farm being the same land that he bought when a 
young man. He immediately proceeded about the strenuous 
task of clearing the land and building a home, and on 
October 1, 1885, he was married to Emma Bartels, daughter 
of Augustus and Minnie (Kruse) Bartels, natives of the 
fatherland.  To the subject and wife have been born eight 
children, namely: Roy C., is teaching in one of the graded 
schools of the city of Auburn; Dorcie R. is attending 
school in Valparaiso, where he is preparing to enter the 
medical profession; John A. is a graduate of Auburn high 
school and has taught one term; Harry is deceased; Lelah is 
an alumna of the Auburn high school,  from which she 
graduated in 1913; Frank attended the high school and is 
now farming for his father; Hazel is in her second year in 
the Auburn high school; Harold is attending the district 
school. In 1892 Mr. Nugen was elected assessor for his 
township and served for five years, after which he was 
chosen by the voters of his community for the responsible 
position of trustee, his incumbency in that office dating 
from 1908. He has bought to the position  a native ability 
enriched by a deep interest in educational matters, this 
interest seemingly being an inborn trait of all the members 
of the family.  Mr. Nugen is now engaged in general 
farming, being the owner of two hundred and sixty-eight 
acres of good land, which he has brought to a high state of 
cultivation, making all of the improvements on the place. 
He was for fifteen years a stock shipper and buyer, dealing 
in hogs, cattle and sheep, and also threshed for several 
years in his early life. Politically, the subject has 
always given his vote to the Democratic party, while, 
fraternally, he affiliates with the Knights of Pythias 
Lodge No. 91, of Auburn, He is also a member of the 
Grangers.

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com