Gertrude Helena (Lenburg) Robbins, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Gertrude Helena (Lenburg) Robbins
GERTRUDE HELENA LENBURG ROBBINS
I was born March 3, 1888, on the farm of my parents in Portage Township, on the same site my brother now lives on. I taught 1st 8 grades of school at the Heaton School in Portage Township for 2 years, before marrying Joseph Samuel Robbins. We now reside in the Robbins ancestral home.
I am a descendant of Jacob and Anna Lenburg, the first German immigrant couple to be married in Valparaiso, on March 28, 1856, settling in Portage Township in 1860. They were the parents of 7 children; John, James, Louis, Don, Anna, Minnie, all growing to adulthood and residing nearby; and the youngest, Alvina, who moved to Kansas and died in Texas.
Every year we have a Lenburg family reunion. My living cousins are Harvey Lenburg, of the city of Portage, son of John; Flora Hockelberg, Liberty Township, daughter of Louis; Elmer Lenburg, of the city of Portage, son of Don; John Tofte of Jackson Township, son of Anna; Anna Dalke and John Benke, both of the City of Valparaiso, children of Minnie. My sister, Anna Thiesen, of Valparaiso, and my brother, James Lenburg, of the city of Portage and myself, are the living children of James.
I also have a heritage from my mother, Helena Weitzel, whose parents came from Germany. They sailed over the ocean in a sailing vessel for 6 weeks, before landing in New Orleans, Louisiana. They went on to friends in Chicago, Illinois. My mother was born in Chicago. They decided to move on to Indiana, and drove from Chicago with a team of oxen to Whipporwill Prairie in Liberty Township, where they built a house which is still standing with modern additions, and is occupied by Garhart Weitzel, my cousin, and his wife, Marian.
My grandmother and grandfather Lenburg celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary; my mother and father celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary and my husband and I celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary. At each of the celebrations none of the grandchildren were yet married.
I have been blessed with six children; Ruth, Marjorie Herren, and Lauretta McDonald, living; and Mary Joe, Elizabeth and Lewis, deceased; eight grandchildren, Joseph Putnam Robbins, Janet Robbins, Edith Elderkin, Susan Dean, Joseph James McDonald, Douglas McDonald, Lewis Herren and Nicholas Herren; twelve great grandchildren, Brian Putnam Robbins, Elizabeth and Mark Samuel Robbins; Paul, Robbins and Stuart Suckow; Constance, Christina and Paul Dean; Sarah Elderkin, Stacy Marie Herren and Michael Herren.
Source: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County. 1976. A Biographical History of Porter County, Indiana. Valparaiso, Indiana: American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County, Inc. 180 p.
Page(s) in Source: 150-151
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook