Salzer, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Salzer
THE SALZER FAMILY
Jacob Salzer, German immigrant, came to Chicago before the Civil War and married Jennie Armitage, daughter of John Armitage (descendant of Sir Robert Armitage, relative and sword-bearer to King William I of England), one of Chicago's first brick contractors. Salzer's home and shoe store were destroyed in the Chicago fire. Their son, Edward, was born (1872-1951) soon after the couple's relocation in Rochester, N. Y.
While visiting in Indiana Edward met and married Edwina Hamann. Though apprenticed as an undertaker, he took up farming. Unsuccessful, he became a salesman for an English china firm, which demanded traveling to various cities and to England and Argentina. Later he made sign-painting and burnishing, undertaking, and accounting his business until his death at his son's home.
Meanwhile Edwina and her two children had lived with her parents and later kept house for her widowed brother William. In 1918 she and daughter Mabelle (1895-) purchased a small property south of Kouts. Edwina designed the new house (now owned by Mrs. Dorothy Anderson) and landscaped the yard.
Mabelle attended elementary schools at Stowell, Wilder, Chicago and Cincinnati. She has lived in Kouts since 1910 where she attended Lutheran parochial school. After K.H.S. graduation in 1915 she attended the original Valparaiso College, Valparaiso Lutheran U., extension classes from Ball State and Indiana U., and received her B.S. degree from Indiana State Teachers' College. She taught all 8 grades plus domestic science, agriculture and art at Stowell (3 years) and Five Points (2 years), substituted and taught second grade at Kouts for over 18 1/2 years.
At 80, she completed her 20th year as Lutheran Sunday School teacher; is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary since its organization; belongs to the General, Indiana, Porter County and Kouts Federation of Women's Clubs and is active in various community and church affairs. She paints pictures and won the Pleasant Township Bicentennial emblem contest award as Parade Grand Marshal. She is presently writing a novel on man's self-destruction. She married Emil Hofferth in 1920. Their one daughter, Estrella (Mrs. Franklin Rosenbaum) attended South Bend Business College after K.H.S. graduation and became a legal secretary, presently employed at A.M. General Motors. Son, Franklin Jr., is a Captain in the U.S. Air Force. Carol (Mrs. Dr. Kenneth Wendell), Purdue Masters graduate, is teaching Home Economics and John is a 2-year Purdue student.
Mrs. Salzer's son, William, was born in Cincinnati (1906-). After K.H.S. graduation he became a carpenter with Desilver Lyon and was a trim carpenter on the new school (1936). Subsequently he was employed by Smith-Nuppnau where he was promoted to construction superintendent, contributing his skill to many buildings in Kouts and Valparaiso besides his own and sons' homes. He served as Kouts Town Clerk-Treasurer for 18 years, town trustee for four years and Pleasant Twp. Trustee for 8 years during which time the first elementary school addition was constructed. In 1930 he married Crystal Schroeder. Their two sons are K.H.S. graduates. Bill, Jr. (m. Vivian Johnston) is a ready-mix driver for Smith Nuppnau. He has two daughters, Colleen and Christi. Tom (m. Mary Bogan) has a son, Tom, and twin daughters, Caroline and Catherine. He is employed as an automatic turret lathe operator at Urschel Laboratories.
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: 154
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