As part of the series on the people who arrived on the Aristo, the next family on the passenger list to discuss is the Peter Klein family.
While he is listed as “Peter Klein,” on the passenger list, I have seen his full name listed as Johann Peter Philip Klein (and various combinations thereof). He was born 30 Aug 1790 in Sonderbach (Heppenheim), Bergstrasse, Hesse, Germany. He married Barbara Grissemer on 9 Sep 1817 in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. He emigrated from Germany, departing from the port of Antwerp in Belgium and arriving in New York City on 16 Oct 1839.
In addition to his wife, Barbara, also traveling with him were his sons, Adam, John, John Adam, and Peter; and his daughter, Elizabeth.
Johann Peter Philip Klein settled in Randolph Township, Portage County, Ohio, where he purchased a farm. He and his wife lived in this area for the rest of their lives. He died 18 Mar 1868 in Randolph, Portage, Ohio. His wife, Barbara, died in 1849. The couple raised the following children:
NAME | BIRTH | DEATH |
Peter K. Kline | 31 Aug 1808 Kassel, Hesse, Germany | 11 Feb 1881 Portage, Ohio, USA |
George Kline | 6 Jun 1810 Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany | 25 Aug 1870 Suffield, Portage, Ohio, USA |
Adam Kline | 18 Sep 1818 Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany | 29 Mar 1891 Randolph, Portage, Ohio, USA |
John A .Kline | 15 Oct 1820 Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany | 18 Dec 1855 Randolph, Portage, Ohio, USA |
Johannes Kline | 1 Mar 1823 Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany | 1 Mar 1823 Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany |
John Adam Kline | 3 Jul 1824 Sonderbach, Hesse, Germany | 20 Feb 1901 Rootstown, Portage, Ohio, USA |
Elizabeth Kline | 13 Aug 1828 Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany | 20 Mar 1910 Huntington, Huntington, Indiana |
Peter Kline | 15 Feb 1831 Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany | 27 Apr 1912 Huntington, Huntington, Illinois |
Most of the couple’s children stayed close to their parents in Portage County, Ohio. Just two of their children headed west and settled on adjoining farms in Huntington, Indiana: Elizabeth and Peter.
Elizabeth Kline married John Bauer and had the following children:
- Peter George Bauer. Born 14 Jan 1856 in Indiana. Died 27 Jan 1935 in Huntington, Huntington, Indiana.
- Louisa Mary Bauer. Born 28 Mar 1858 in Indiana. Died 17 Jun 1934 in Fort Wayne, Allen, Indiana.
- Elizabeth Cora Bauer. Born 18 Mar 1861 in Indiana. Died 16 Mar 1947 in Huntington, Huntington, Indiana. She never married and had no children.
- Margaret Marie Bauer. Born 23 Mar 1865 in Indiana. Died 30 May 1943 in rural Dell, Clackamas, Oregon.
- Adam E. Bauer. Born 14 Sep 1870 in Indiana. Died 7 Apr 1881 in Huntington County, Indiana. Died at age 10 in a riding accident.
While researching Elizabeth and John Bauer’s later years, a tragic tale emerged about how John Bauer died. He had retired from farming and moved into a house in the town of Huntington. But he still owned the farm and tended a garden on the property where he grew vegetables for his household’s use.
WARNING: The article is quite graphic as to the extent of John Bauer’s injuries, so be forewarned. This wasn’t uncommon in the newspapers of the era. The article provides a great deal of information about the accident and the Bauer family’s life during this time.
This wasn’t the first tragedy to visit the family. The couple lost their youngest son, Adam, 7 Apr 1881 when he was 10-years old to a riding accident. According to the newspaper account on Find A Grave, John Bauer sent his son on horseback several miles away to see his sister. The next day, a passerby noticed the horse in a deep ditch by the roadside. On closer examination, he found the boy beneath the horse, both dead. The horse was blind and likely stumbled on the ditch bank, threw the boy into the ditch and then fell on top of him.
Interestingly, I found another article published in the local daily paper just a few weeks after John Bauer’s tragic accident that said his wife, Elizabeth, was knocked down to the floor of her kitchen by a bolt of lightning during an electrical storm. She wasn’t seriously injured and recovered at home.
I will share what I know about Elizabeth’s brother, Peter Kline, and the rest of the Portage County, Ohio, Klines in a future post.
Links & Resources
Huntington County Map and Historical Musum