The Krieger Families of Berrien County, Michigan

EUGENE L. KRIEGER, D.. V. S., who, well qualified for the practice of veterinary surgery, is meeting with success in his chosen field of endeavor, was born in Bainbridge township, Berrien county, in 1876. He comes of German lineage. His paternal grandfather, Jacob Krieger, was born on the Rhine in Germany and was there married to Katherine Heffner, a daughter of Christian Heffner, who died in Bainbridge, Michigan, at the very venerable age of ninety-four years. Subsequent to his marriage Jacob Krieger crossed the Atlantic and made his way to this state, settling in Bainbridge township, Berrien county, where he cast in his lot with the pioneers and cleared a tract of wild land, which he transformed into a very productive farm and which still remains in possession of the family. The year of his arrival in Michigan was 1843, d he continued his identification with agricultural interests here up to the time of his demise, which occurred in 1880, when he was sixty-one years of age. His life was a serviceable one, for not only did he provide a profitable living for his family but also through the conduct of his private business interests he contributed to the general improvement of the locality in which he lived.

Charles W. Krieger, father of Dr. Krieger, was born in Bainbridge township in 1850 and is now living in Kalamazoo county. His entire life has been given to agricultural pursuits. He married Miss Henrietta Buhlinger, who was born in Bainbridge township and died there in 1886 at the age of thirty-four years. She was a daughter of Simon and Kate (Wagner) Buhlinger and her mother was a daughter of Jacob Wagner, who was an old settler of the county. Simon Buhlinger came from Germany to Michigan when it was still largely a wild and unimproved district and took up land in the midst of the green forest. He then began to clear away the trees and brush and in course of years developed a good farm. His home was also in Bainbridge township, where he continued to make his home up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1882, when he had reached the age of sixty-five years.

It will thus be seen that Dr. Krieger is descended from two of the worthy pioneer families of the county. He was an only child and was reared in the place of his nativity, spending his boyhood days under the parental roof, where he was trained to habits of industry, while in the district schools he acquired his more specifically literary education. During the periods of vacation he worked in the fields and continued upon the farm until 1893, when he came to Benton Harbor, thinking to find urban life more congenial. Here he entered the employ of Antis Brothers, grocers of this city, with whom he continued for some time. In 1900, however, he became a student in the veterinary college at Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was graduated in the class of 1902, after which he opened an office and began practice in Benton Harbor, where he has continued since with constantly increasing success. He is well qualified for his chosen profession, and his work has been satisfactory to his patrons as well as a good source of remuneration.

In 1898 in Benton Harbor, Dr. Krieger was married to Miss Susie D. Rogers, who was born in Sodus township and is a daughter of James H. Rogers. Her mother bore the maiden name of Jerusha Rector and was a daughter of Daniel Rector of Sodus township. Dr. and Mrs. Krieger have three children: Lois M., Genevieve May and Victor Eugene, all born in Benton Harbor. The Doctor gives his political support to the

Republican party and the men who are pledged to uphold its principles and in his fraternal relations he is connected with Benton Harbor Lodge, No. 32, I. O. O. F., being in hearty sympathy with its purposes and exemplifying in his life its underlying principles.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JACOB C. KRIEGER was born on the farm where he now lives in Bainbridge township August 4, 1858, a fact which indicates that in the early period of progress and development here his parents had become residents of Berrien county. He is a son of Christian and Caroline (Shearer) Krieger. Christian Krieger arrived in this county a year or two before his wife came and they were married here. She had a brother, Christian Shearer, living in Bainbridge township and with whom she resided until she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Krieger. They began their domestic, life in a log cabin and later he erected a more commodious residence to replace this pioneer home, which, however, is still standing. He had forty-nine acres of land in the home place and forty acres a half mile south, together with forty acres on Territorial road about two miles south. Mr. Krieger secured about thirty acres of the home place and set out apple and each trees. His death, however, occurred when he was but forty-four years of age, so that he did not live to see his orchards come into bearing. He left a widow with seven sons, the eldest being but fourteen years of age. She remained upon the old homestead and to the best of her ability cared for her children. One of the sons, Ferdinand, died at the age of eighteen years, and the mother passed away when about fifty years of age. The sons of the family were John, now living in St. Joseph, where he is engaged in the real estate business; Peter, who died at the age of twenty-one years; Jacob; Charlie, a barber of Chicago, who died in Bainbridge township at the age of thirty-five; Albert, living in Bainbridge township; William, of Benton Harbor; and Ferdinand, Avho, as stated, died at the age of eighteen.

Jacob C. Krieger remained at home until his mother's death, which occurred when he was about twenty years of age. He afterward worked in Benton Harbor at packing apples, etc., and worked the home place two years before marrying. At the age of twenty-three he wedded Miss Sarah Lindseymeier, also of Bainbridge township, then a young lady of eighteen years, since which time he has devoted his a-attention to the cultivation and improvement of the old homestead which he purchased. It is a fruit farm with thirty-five acres utilized for horticultural interests. He has fifteen acres of peaches, also many pear and apple trees and much small fruit and his sale of fruit for the year 1905 brought him two thousand dollars. He is enlarging his business in this direction, annually setting out more trees and he has recently erected a new residence. He has also rebuilt the barn, which is thirty-six by fifty-four feet and upon the place is a well and windmill with water piped to the barn. In fact all of the modern accessories found

800 upon a fruit farm are here seen and his place is altogether a model property.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Krieger have been born six children: Wallace, Ida, Maud, Carrie, Esther and Earl, all at home. Mrs. Krieger is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while Mr. Krieger's membership relations are with the Woodmen of the World. She is identified with the Maccabees and the Grange. In his political views Mr. Krieger is a Democrat but while he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day he is not an aspirant for office and on the contrary prefers to give his undivided attention to his business affairs which are now bringing him well merited success.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

FREDERICK KRIEGER was born June 20, 1864, in the house which is still his home and has passed nearly all his life under its sheltering roof. His parents, Peter and Dorothy (Shank) Krieger, were married m Germany, January i, 1848. The former was born June 21, 1816, and the latter April 26, 1826, in the same locality in Prussia. Her death occurred in November, 1869, and on the 25th of November, 1870, Peter Krieger was married to Mrs. Fredericka Carl, a widow, who bore the maiden name of Wackrow. His death occurred August 23, 1891, and his second wife survived until January 15, 1906. She had left the old homestead nine years before and her last days were spent in Millburg. It was in the year 185 1 that Peter Krieger came to the United States and settled in Berrien county, Michigan, where three years previous John, Adam and Jacob Krieger had already located. All were born in Bainbridge township and of these Adam is the only survivor. Fie is still living in Bainbridge township. Charles Krieger came at the same time as his brother Peter and for some time conducted Hotel St. Charles in St. Joseph but is now living in Chicago. Christian Krieger, another brother, also lived in Bainbridge township, and his son Jacob is still residing upon his old homestead there. Peter Krieger took up his above upon the farm where his son Frederick now resides, and when it came into his possession it was still a tract of timber land, but in the midst of the forest he hewed out the fields, cut the timber, built a house, making his home there throughout his remaining days. He owned three different farms, one in Benton township and one in Bainbridge Center in addition to the old homestead. He and his first wife were among the charter members of the German Lutheran Church near Bainbridge, and of the original membership Mr. Swartz and Adam Krieger are the only ones now living. In Peter Krieger's family were the following named: Christian, who died at the age of fifty-one years; Karl, who died at the age of twenty-four; Adam, on the old homestead; John; Peter; Henrietta, who was burned to death when only a year old; Dorothea; and Frederick.

Christian and Adam Krieger never married and remained in charge of the old homestead, devoting their lives to general farming. John Krieger was married at the age of twenty-five and lived in Bainbridge Center until about two years ago, when he removed to a farm near Watervliet. Peter is now engaged in farming in Benton township, while Dorothea is the wife of Daniel J. Smith, a resident farmer of Watervliet township.

Frederick Krieger, whose name introduces this record, has spent nearly his entire life upon the old homestead farm which belonged to his father. At nineteen years of age he began working out as a farm hand and was thus employed for three years, after which he went to Chicago, where he spent one year. Subsequently he was engaged in the liquor business in Benton Harbor for eight years and seven years ago he returned to the old homestead, where he has since devoted his attention to the manage-.ment and conduct of the farm, which comprises seventy-four acres, of which about thirty acres is in fruit, over half of this amount being in peaches. He also raises small fruit, making a specialty of strawberries and likewise cultivates years, apples, grapes, etc. His sales of fruit for 1905 amounted to about two thousand dollars and he has extended his fruit industry, which is already a very profitable source of income. His business is prospering and he is now purchasing the interest of the other heirs in the home property.

On the 20th of December, 1893, Mr. Krieger was married to Miss Mary Koob, a daughter of Jacob and Magdalena (Strawley) Koob, of Watervliet township. She was born on the farm near Coloma and was married at the age of twenty years. This union has been blessed with three children, Louis, Mildred and Ray Delbert. In politics Mr. Krieger is a Democrat and has frequently been a delegate to party conventions.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.