Henry Garrett Bredeweg

This honored and stalwart German-American came direct from the fatherland, where he was born at Hanover, Germany, October 24, 1843, being one of nine children born to Herman and Elizabeth (Angelbeck) Bredeweg. The father was a highly skilled and industrious carpenter and builder of more than local repute. The other children of this worthy family were: Elizabeth, Mary and Annie, living, and Herman, Fritz, Minnie, William and another son, also named William, all deceased.

Henry G. Bredeweg left Germany for Holland in the early sixties, where he engaged in the mercantile business for two years, after which he returned to Germany and was drafted for military service, and elected to come to America, where he believed greater opportunities awaited him, landing in New York on the day that our martyred President, Abraham Lincoln, was assassinated. He came to Stockton township, Greene county, and has since lived continuously, with the exception of a short time spent in a neighboring state, in the community wherein he first settled, having not only been eminently successful in his vocation, but at the same time establishing a reputation among the citizens of Greene county for sturdy industry and honesty. He first sought and found work as a farm hand, working for Dr. Sherwood for one year. Then he went to Illinois and worked for two years, but still claiming Stockton township as his home, where he returned and, having been frugal and prosperous, purchased a forty-acre farm about two and one-half miles north of Linton. By industry and close application to business he has since been able to add to this original farm, until he now has a fine place of one hundred and forty-six acres. His land is all well improved and on it he has erected a splendid and comfortable residence. As a careful and industrious farmer he is not surpassed in Greene county, having well understood from the first the nature of our soils and what grains were best adapted for them and how best to rotate crops.

Our subject was married in 1872 to Elizabeth Haseman, of Stockton township, the daughter of Detrick Haseman. Five children have been born to this union, all living in this township and all favorably known for their honesty and industry. The children of the subject and wife are: John, Lizzie, William, Herbert and Herman. The subject and his good wife worship at the German Reformed church. Mr. Bredeweg has never returned to the land of his birth, being contented to spend his declining years in the shade of his own "vine and fig tree" in the land of his adoption, where he can honestly enjoy the respite from a life of hard endeavor and the well earned fruits of his early toils.

- - - - - - - -

"Biographical Memoirs of Greene County, Ind. with Reminiscences of Pioneer Days", B.F. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, IN, 1908, pages 1038-1039.

Last updated 8.11.2009