August Langenbergr, farmer of Sugar Creek township, Hancock county, Indiana, is a native of that same township, born on his father's farm on March 15, 1843. He is a son of William and Charlotte (Hespa) Langenberger, both natives of Germany, where they were married. William Langenberger was born on March 2, 1800, and died at his home in Sugar Creek township in 1872. Charlotte Hespa was born on February 21, 1804, and lived to the advanced age of ninety-five, departing this life May 1, 1899. William Langenberger received a good education in his youth and mastered the baker's art while still a young man. He made three trips to America, locating in Indianapolis on his first two trips, where he worked at the carpenter trade, and on the third trip he brought his wife and family, consisting of three children. They were on the water seven weeks, landed at New York and made the trip to Indiana overland in a wagon. William Langenberger had by that time decided he would be a farmer and chose Hancock county as his future home. Arriving here he entered eighty acres of land from the government, at a cost of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre, same being the east half of the southwest quarter of section 12, of Sugar Creek township. This land was heavily timbered and his first task was to make a clearing on which he erected a hewn log cabin of two rooms and also a log stable. Then for many years he and his family lived the life of the pioneer and by persistent effort he got forty acres of his farm under cultivation, and lived to see better days dawn for the citizens of his community. Politically, he was first a Whig and later espoused the cause of the Republican party. William Langenberger lived an active life and passed away on March 2, 1872.

August Langenberger is the sole surviving member of a family of five children. Matilda was the wife of George Youngerman; Emily was the wife of William Stegg; Fred died in childhood, and George lost his life while at the front during the Civil War, as a private in Company D., Seventy-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. August was born and grew to manhood on the family homestead in this county, receiving his education at the old log school house located on the Bunge farm and also attended the German school on the Brookville road. As a young man he became proficient at the carpenter trade and also did considerable cement and brick work, both in addition to his farm work.

On April 16, 1865, at the age of twenty-two, August Langenberger was united in marriage with Matilda Schreiber, who was born in Warren township, Marion county, April 12, 1842, a daughter of John and Anna Barbara (Stumpf) Schreiber, both natives of Germany. John Schreiber was born on January 30, 1799, in Germany, and died at his home in Marion county, March 14, 1860, at the age of sixty-one years. Anna Barbara Stumpf was born in Hesse-Darmstadt on February 12, 1812, and died on May 14, 1870, through an accident, being struck by a railway train. There were six children in the Schreiber family, as follow: Adolph, deceased; Matilda, wife of the subject of this sketch; Jackson, who died when eight years old; August, Caroline and Luis. At the time of their marriage, August Langenberger and wife took up their residence on his father's farm, which he rented from the father until the time of the latter's death, when he purchased the interests of the other heirs and has continued to make his home on the place. Shortly after marriage he erected a comfortable seven-room house, in which he has continued to dwell for the past fifty years.

Mr. Langenberhger holds the respect of his fellow citizens by virtue of his life of faithful attention to the duty next to hand and his wish to advance the welfare of his community whenever possible. He is one of that fast-thinking rank of pioneer citizens who have been permitted to live to see the glorious changes which have been brought about in this county and none can be more appreciative than he. Mr. Langenberger has been a life-long Republican. There were ten children in the Langenberger family, as follows: Adolph, deceased, who left one child, Dora; Annie, who died at the age of twenty months; William lives at home, John resides in Cumberland; Maggie, wife of Charles Bardonner; Julia, now Mrs. Lawrence Dinkel; Emma, deceased; Cora, deceased, Olga, at home, and Bertha, wife of William Weidenhaupt.

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 945-947.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI October 9, 2001.

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