John George Easterday  

John George Easterday was born Johann Georg Ostertag Birth 02 Jul 1797 in Brandenberg, Lorrach, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany Death 04 Apr 1888 in Culver, Marshall, Indiana, married at Wurtumberg, Germany, in the year 1820 Eva Funk Birth 7 Jan 1795 in Brandenberg, Lorrach, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany Death 19 Jun 1877 in Brokensword, / Wiregart Corners, Crawford, Ohio daughter of Johann Georg Funk amd Maria Barbara Schaile

In the early part of September indiana_map_1827they emigrated to America on a sailing ship. The trip across the ocean lasted 65 days. They landed at New York City in November, indiana_map_1827, accompanied by their five children George (Georg), Jacob (Johannes), Henry (Heinrich), Christina (Christena) and Dorothea (Dora). Eva was sea-sick for 62 days of the trip, leaving the care of the children entirely to their father.

While waiting to board the boat at an inland port on the river Rhine, there was a young girl who lacked ten dollars of having enough money to pay her fare across the ocean. Johann was generous enough to loan her the money on her word and promise that her rich uncle, who was a banker in New York, would pay it back to him..

As they were sailing on the river Rhine, Grandfather got too close to the ship's edge and fell overboard. The Captain of the ship gave orders to back up and see if they could find him. They used long poles which were let down in the water. Grandfather grasped one of the poles and held on until he was drawn on deck, with his smoke pipe still in his mouth..

After arriving at New York City, a boat came and took away the girl, whom he had loaned the ten dollars. Johann said to himself, "That is the last of my ten dollars". To his surprise, the rich uncle returned and inquired for Johann Ostertag and family. The banker took them to his home and gave them quarters on the third floor, where they lived over the winter until Johann had earned enough money to start west..

This good banker helped them to start west with a one horse wagon and for three days went with them on their journey. He then bid them good-bye and returned to his home. The one-horse wagon was loaded with equipment, so the family was compelled to walk almost all the way travelling through New Jersey and the entire width of Pennsylvania. Sometime in the late Spring or Summer of 1828, they located in Columbiana County, of eastern Ohio. Here they lived about four years. During this time they gave birth to three sons, one (John J.) died in infancy, then Christian and John..

In the spring of 1833, with two yoke of oxen, they moved from Columbiana County, across the state to Crawford County, Liberty Township, in western Ohio. They located in the forest one and one-half mile east of Ridgton, Ohio, on the farm now known as the Wesley Knappenberger Farm. Here they cut down trees to make room for a log cabin, which they erected with a special effort to beat the stork. They succeeded by a margin of a few days when a daughter, Anna was born on May 22nd. Two more sons were born on this farm, Daniel and Benjamin, and were reared to manhood here.

About the year 1870 John and Eva moved from this farm to a small home at Brokensword, Ohio where they resided until the death of Eva in 1877. After this time John resided with his son, Benjamin, at Culver, Indiana until his death in April 1888.

their children:

1 John George Easterday /Georg George Ostertag Birth 8 Jul 1821 in Täferrot, Ostalbkreis, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany Death 23 Feb 1899

2 John Jacob Easterday / Jacob Johannes Ostertag Birth 06 Sep 1822 in Wittenberg, Brandonberg, Germany died 23 Jul 1891 in Culver, Marshall County, Indiana married Mary Ann Smith no issue known; Mary Ann Magner 1832 –, no issues known came out and settled near Plymouth. He passed away some years ago and was buried back in Ohio. he also married Caroline Celina Bowman Birth 22 NOV 1822 in Baden Württemberg, Deutschland Death 22 MAY 1875 in Bucyrus, Crawford, Ohio, USA John Jacob and Caroline had:

John Benjamin Easterday 1846 – 1907
Louis Easterday 1848 –
Anna Easterday 1851 – 1901
Lavina Easterday 1852 – 1919
Samuel Easterday 1854 –
Rosanna C Easterday 1856 –
Jefferson Easterday 1860 –



3 Henry M. Easterday / Heinrich Ostertag Birth 18 Jan 1824 in Täferrot, Ostalbkreis, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany Death 28 Dec 1904 moved, into the Germany neighborhood in about the year 1875.

4 Christena M. Easterday / Christina Ostertag Birth 4 Nov 1825 in Täferrot, Ostalbkreis, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany Death 12 Oct 1861 married Christopher Rohrbacher 1808 – 1899 they had:

Elizabeth Rohrbacher1847 – 1847

Matilda Rohrbacher Birth 19 Aug 1849 in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio Death 11 Apr 1934 in Portland County, Oregon m. 27 May 1869 Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio Joseph L Scheuerman Birth 12 Feb 1846 in Oak Harbor, Ottawa County, Ohio death 02 Oct 1925

Leah Rohrbacher 1851 – 1943

Henry William Rohrbacher 1853 – 1929

Sarah A Rohrbacher 1858 – 1928




5 Dorothy M. Easterday / Dorothea Ostertag Birth 1 May indiana_map_1827in Täferrot, Ostalbkreis, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany Death 2 Mar 1914 in Crawford, Indiana married Henry Shupp Birth ABT 1825

6 John J. Easterday Birth 20 Oct 1828 in Columbiana, Ohio, Death 27 Feb 1829 in Columbiana, Ohio,

7 Christian Easterday Birth 24 Feb 1830 in Noble, Jay, Indiana, Death 21 May 1918 in Portland, Jay, Indiana, married Barbra Ellen Haley Birth 20 Nov 1835 in Goshen, Hardin, Ohio Death 28 Mar 1908 in Portland, Jay, Indiana daugther of George J Haley and Rachel H Gray

8 John Easterday Birth 25 Feb 1831 in Columbiana, Columbiana, Ohio Death 16 Mar 1861 in Crawford, Ohio, married Rebecca Seites Birth 1835 in Pennsylvania Death in Kosciusko, Indiana

9 Anna Easterday Birth 25 May 1833 in Crawford, Ohio, United States Death 5 Sep 1907 in Winegart Corners, Crawford, Ohio, married Jacob Kaler Birth 1833

10 Daniel M Easterday born in Ohio, November 26, 1835

11 Benjamin Easterday bBirth 1 Jan 1840 in Crawford County, Ohio, Death 13 Feb 1926 in Culver , Marshall, Indiana