Samuel Rensberger

Among the sons of Pennsylvania who have brought with them to this western land the sturdy habits of independence, integrity and industry which have ever marked the natives of the Keystone State, it is a gratification to be able to name Mr Rensberger, whose beautiful and well-tilled farm of 141 acres in Elkhart township, and eighty-eight acres in Clinton township, show him to be a man of thrift and enterprise.

His father, Jacob Rensberger, was born in Somerset county. Penn, and was a son of George Rensberger.

The family originally came from Germany to this country at an early date, and first settled in Maryland, but afterward changed their location to Pennsylvania, where George Rensberger attained manhood and married and became the father of the following children: John, Jacob, Adam, Jonas, Catherine, Eva, Susan and Lydia. The father of these children lived until the snows of eighty winters had passed over his head, paying the last debt of nature in Fayette county, Penn, at the residence of his son John. During the latter part of his life he became a member of the Dunkard Church, having throughout life been a successful farmer and a respected citizen.

His son, Jacob S, was born April 1, 1807; received a limited common education; was brought up as a farmer and was married in Somerset county, Penn, to Fannie, daughter of Daniel and -- (Mast) Hochstetter, and to them a family of eleven children was born: Caroline, Eliza, Josiah, Samuel, John, Jacob, Jonas, Edward, William, Susannah, and Lewis.

After his marriage, Mr Jacob Rensberger settled in Somerset county, but in a short time moved to Fayette county, and after a time returned to Somerset county. In 1832 he became a resident of Holmes county, Ohio, where he entered and settled on a tract of wild land, a portion of which farm he cleared, and in the spring of 1847 he came to Indiana and settled two miles east of Goshen, where he bought 120 acres, and became well known as an industrious and honorable citizen.

Samuel Rensberger, his son, came to Elkhart county, Ind, at the age of sixteen years, and about May 10, 1847, settled on the farm now owned by Samuel Rensberger, his son. He was born in Elk Creek township, Somerset Co, Penn, June 15, 1831, his advantages being such as the common schools afforded. He remained with and assisted his father on the home farm in Indiana for about three years, then worked for various farmers in Jefferson, Elkhart and Clinton townships for some four years, and on March 30, 1854, won for his wife Martha, daughter of Beltser Hess (see sketch of Israel Hess), and on November 2, following the celebration of their nuptials, he moved onto 102 acres of the old homestead which he had purchased, and here his career as a married man began.

He greatly increased his acreage and has given seven of his children $1,000 each. His children are as follows: Josephine S, Alpheus D, Albert A, William W, Hiram, Melvin M, Cephas, Chloe F, Mary A (who died at the age of sixteen years), and Grace P.

Mr and Mrs Rensberger are members of the German Baptist Church, and he is actively interested in the progress of his section, in which he has held a number of local offices. All his children have been well educated, and his son, Melvin, has been a successful school teacher of his county for three years. Mr Rensberger has always been industrious, pushing and thrifty, and it is not to be wondered at that he has made a success of his affairs. He is liberal in the use of his means in the support of enterprises that recommend themselves to his excellent judgment, and in every sense of the word is an acquisition to the community in which he has so long made his home.

Pictorial and Biographical Memoirs of Elkhart and St. Joseph Counties, Indiana
Together with Biographies of Many Prominent Men of Northern Indiana and the Whole State, Both Living and Dead
Goodspeed
1893