Lake County IN Archives Biographies.....Wagonblast, Gottfried W. 1833 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 7, 2006, 7:40 pm

Author: T. H. Ball (1904)

GOTFRIED W. WAGONBLAST.

    G. W. Wagonblast, who is now living a retired life in Center township, is
numbered among those who have long been residents of Lake county, and, moreover,
is entitled to mention in this volume because he was one of the "boys in blue"
of the Civil war. His life history began in Germany more than seventy years ago,
his natal day being the 11th of November, 1833. He acquired his education in the
fatherland and remained a resident of that country until eighteen years of age,
when, hoping to enjoy better business opportunities than were afforded in his
own country, he made arrangements to come to America. Bidding adieu to home,
family and friends, he crossed the Atlantic and went first to Crawford county,
Ohio, where he remained for about two months. He then came to Lake county,
Indiana, in 1853, and worked by the month as a farm hand for six dollars per
month. When he had become acquainted with the English language and was able to
make his service of more value, his wages were correspondingly increased, and he
thereby laid the foundation for his later success.

    Mr. Wagonblast was employed as a farm laborer until 1863, when he left the
plow and shouldered the musket in order to protect the Union cause, enlisting as
a member of Company G, Twelfth Indiana Cavalry. He became a private and thus
served until the close of the war, taking part in many engagements, including
the battle of Stone River and others in that part of the country. He sustained
an injury by falling on a rock, which broke some of the ribs on the left side,
and from this he has never fully recovered. He was in the hospital for about
eight months and afterward received an honorable discharge and returned to his
home. He then resumed farming in Lake county, and has since been identified with
its agricultural interests.

    In 1867 Mr. Wagonblast was united in marriage to Miss Victoria Schuster, and
to them have been born twelve children; John, Cynthia, Sophia, Rose, Mary and
Lizzie are living. John, at home with his parents and a practical farmer and
stockman, was educated in the common schools and is a member of the Foresters,
Court No. 4, at Crown Point; Cynthia was educated in the common schools and is
at home; Sophia is the wife of John Rettig, a farmer in Center township; Rose is
the wife of Joseph Walz, a farmer of Ross township; Mary is the wife of Peter
Mitch, of Center township; and Lizzie is at home.

    Mr. Wagonblast owns one hundred and ten acres of rich land, which he has
acquired through his own labors. His son John now carries on the home farm,
while he is largely living a retired life, merely giving his attention to the
supervision of the farm. His life has been a busy and useful one, and energy
forms the keynote of his character. He realized in youth that labor is the basis
of all success, and, working indefatigably. he accumulated the capital that
enabled him to invest in land, which he developed into one of the fine farms of
his adopted county and equipped with modern improvements. Prior to the Civil war
he was deeply interested in the question of slavery, and when the Republican
party was formed he joined its ranks and voted for John C. Fremont, its first
candidate. He has since supported its standard bearers and is deeply interested
in its success, but has never wanted office for himself. He belongs to John
Wheeler Post, G. A. R., at Crown Point and is well known in the county as a man
of worth. His life stands in exemplification of the phrase the "dignity of
labor," and he has never had occasion to regret his determination to make the
United States his home.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

ENCYCLOPEDIA
OF
Genealogy and Biography
OF
LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA,
WITH A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY 
1834—1904

A Record of the Achievements of Its People in the Making of a Commonwealth and
the Founding of a Nation.

REV. T. H. BALL
OF CROWN POINT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO   NEW YORK
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1904


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