Albert Buesking, one of the prominent and successful young farmers of Hancock county, was born in Sugar Creek township on July 29, 1880, being the son of Frederick and Eleanor (Swartz) Buesking.

Frederick Buesking was born in Germany in 1855 and there he spent his boyhood and received his education. His father died when he was but a lad and young Frederick worked on the railroad for a time in his native land. At the age of nineteen he came with his sister, Minnie, to America and after landing at New York he came direct to Indiana, locating at Indianapolis, where he obtained employment. He remained in the city for some time, after which he came to Sugar Creek township, where he worked for some years for Anton Schildmeier. It was while here that he met and married Mrs. Christian (Swartz) Ostermeier, whose husband had died from exposure during the Civil War. By her first marriage Mrs. Buesking was the mother of two children: Charles and William. After his marriage Frederick Buesking rented a farm for a short time or until he could get possession of the farm of his mother, where he now resides. The farm of one hundred and ten acres was only half way cleared and improved with a log house and a barn. Mr. Buesking proceeded to improve the place and to drain it. In 1882 he built a modern barn, fifty by seventy feet, and in 1895 he erected a large eight-room house and other buildings in keeping with the surroundings. Here he lived until 1904 when he retired from active life and took up his residence in Cumberland, where he now resides.

Eleanor Swartz was also a native of Germany, where she was born in January, 1850. She came with her parents to America when she was but one and one-half years of age. After landing in New York the father died of typhoid fever. The mother and children proceeded to Hancock county, Indiana, and located in Buck Creek township and it was here that Eleanor grew to womanhood and spent her girlhood days. Frederick and Eleanor Buesking were the parents of four children: Albert, Edward, who died at the age of twenty; Carrie, the wife of Henry Reasner, of Louisville, and Julia, who is at home

Albert Buesking was born on the old homestead where he now resides. Here he grew to manhood and attended the district schools and later the German school at Cumberland, after which he was a student for three years at the Gem school After completing his education he continued to assist his father on the farm until the time of his marriage on October 9, 1904. He was united in marriage to Dana Reasner, a native of Sugar Creek township, having been born on April 5, 1882. She is the daughter of Henry C. and Sophia (Harding) Reasner, both of whom are of pioneer families of Hancock county. Mr. and Mrs. Reasner were the parents of the following children: Henry deceased; William, Charles, Benjamin, Dennis, Dena, Minnie, Matilda and Albert.

Albert Buesking and wife began housekeeping on the home place where they have since resided. In 1909 Mr. Buesking bought thirty-three acres adjoining the home place on the north, making one hundred and forty-three acres he is farming at the present time. He cultivates about thirty acres of corn and forty acres of small grain each year. He markets about forty-five head of Poland China hogs each year and is interested in the breeding of registered Percheron horses. He now has several mares and colts from the "Metz Stock Farm," at Homewood, Illinois.

Albert Buesking and wife are the parents of three children: Agnes, Helen and Edward. They are members of St. John's Evangelical church at Cumberland, of which he was a trustee at the time of the building of the new church some years ago.

Politically, Mr. Buesking is a Democrat and at present a member of the advisory board of the township. He is a man of much force of character and his ability is recognized by the people of the community in which he lives.

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Page 998-999.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI October 22, 2001.

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