My Genealogy Hound

ELIAS E. WESSELER, born November 27, 1849, in Dubois County, Ind., is the youngest of six children of William and Elizabeth (Otting) Wesseler, both parents being natives of Germany. The father, who was a merchant tailor in his native country, came to the United States in 1836, residing two years at Baltimore, one year in Louisville, and until 1856 near Huntingburgh, Ind. In that year he entered into the ministry of the Evangelical Association, in which he has continued to a considerable extent to the present time, at present residing at Olney, Ill. His wife died at Elberfeld, Ind., March 1, 1880. At thirteen years of age our subject began farming in Illinois, at which he continued about three years. From 1865 to 1867 he attended the N. W. College at Plainfield, Ill., and in the latter year went to Evansville, Ind., and attended the high school of that city five years, working during vacations to defray his expenses. In 1872 he began school teaching in Warrick County, and in 1873 attended Wabash College, at Crawfordsville, one term. He then came to Rockport, taught German two years in the town schools, and was principal of the High School during the term of 1876-77. In 1877 he engaged in the book, stationery, wall paper and picture-frame business, continuing alone until 1882, when the firm of Wesseler & Graham was organized. Mr. Wesseler is a stanch Republican and a member of the K. of P. June 18, 1877, he married Libbie Cotton, who died May 1, 1880, leaving one son, Walter W.