Henry Goeppinger

GOEPPINGER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/10/2009 at 12:14:28

Henry Goeppinger, for nearly thrity0seven years Henry Goeppinger has been associated with the business interests and general development of the city of Boone. He is the junior member of the firm of L & H oppugner, wholesale leather and saddlery hardware merchants. A native of Germany, he was born October 31, 1843, at Reutlingen, Wurtemburg, son of Johannes and Katharine (Ammer) Goeppinger, with who he came to America in 1851. The father Johannes, was born January 10, 1799, and died at Boone, Iowa October 4, 1873. The mother, born December 12, 1866, died April 9, 1888 in Boone. The family then stopped, for the first six months after their arrival, in Allegheny city, Pennsylvania, then removed to New Chambersburg, Ohio and after the close of the Civil War the father went to Ravenna, in the same state, dwelling with the daughter, Lena, until he removed to Boone. The children were fifteen in number, six of whom died in infancy. The living are: Frederick, born July 10, 1828, now residing at Albion, Indiana, Louis, Henry, Christian, born June 25, 1837, residing at Bushnell, Illinois, Charles, born October 25, 1848, residing at Denver, Colorado. The following adult children have passed to the great beyond: John, born September 10, 1830, died June 19, 1893, at Kendallville, Indiana, Maria (Burren), born March 18, 1832, died August 21, 1894, at Boone, Iowa Lena (Gretzinger) born October 26, 1834, died July 27, 1863.
In Germany Henry Goeppinger had commenced his primary education which he continued in this country, acquiring reading a mastery of the English language. Then he worked in his father’s tannery at Chamersburg, Ohio, until twenty-one years of age, continuing the same occupation until 1864. Having contracted rheumatism through exposure, he abandoned the tanning business and engaged in that of general merchandising for a year. This he sold to his sister , Maria Buren and entering into partnership with his brother, Louis, came to Boone, March 31, 1866, and establishing the wholesale saddlery business which the firm has continued to the present. He brothers have found the partnership mutually pleasant and profitable, and it bids fair to continue so for many years.
On January 13, 1867, Mr Goeppinger was united in marriage to Miss Anna Mary Le Beau, who was born March 28, 1848, and was the eighth in a family of eleven children, whose father was Charles Le Beau of Malvern, Carroll county, Ohio. To Henry Goeppinger and wife have been born seven children, but three of whom survive: Ursual Caroline, (Mrs. J H Herman), born February 1, 1869, John H, born November 30, 1870, and Mary Matilda, born October 13, 1875. The children deceased were: Mary Catherine, born December 30, 1867, died January 17, 1863, Emma Catherine born May 7, 1873, died July 18, 1887, Magdalene Margaret born August 21, 1880, died August 3, 1897, and Henrietta Catherine, born October 1, 1886, died January 3, 1889. Mr Goeppinger and his wife are members of the German Evangelical Lutheran church in the teachings of which they firmly believe and confidently hope to rejoin their lost ones in another and better world.
Though always a busy man Mr Goeppinger has liberally given of his time to the cause of education and city government. He was for four years a member of the city school board, during one of which he filled the responsible position of president, for another four years he served the public interest as a member of the city council, and in other like positions he has serve the general interest of this community unrequited save in the knowledge of things well done. He has financial interest in the City Bank, Security Savings Bank of Boone and in real estate.
Though not at all an invalid, the advance of years and close application to business, has made it desirable to seek more genial climes in the winter season, which has and his wife have done of lat in California and other warm localities, a recreation wholly justifiable. Henry Goeppinger’s most distinguished personal traits Mitchell be stated in the two adjectives kindly and placid. He is never knowingly unjust. By nature and in practice he is deliberate, hence has little to regret. Properly careful of his won, he readily concedes the same to others, and no man can say he has ever endured wrong at this hands. Guided by such principles, his life flows along as a smooth river, whose banks are bordered by the love of his family, the esteem of his acquaintances and the respect of his business friends, each and all of whom join in the hope that its ocean is yet afar away.

1902 Boone County History Book