Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2014 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== A Standard History of Starke County, Indiana McCormick, Joseph N. - 1915 [251-253] CAPT. CHARLES WINDISCH, who is one of the representative busi- ness men of Knox, has been a resident of Starke County from his boy- hood days, his parents having here established their home fully thirty-five years ago. It was his honor to represent this county and state as a soldier and officer in the Spanish-American war, even as his father had served in the Civil war, and as a citizen and man of affairs he has manifested the same intrinsic loyalty that prompted his enlistment at the inception of the Spanish war. The captain owns and conducts an admirably equipped grocery and meat market at Knox, his establislunent being eligibly located on Main Street, and his sub- stantial and representative patronage indicating alike the efficiency of the service given and his personal popularity in the community. CAPT. CHARLES WINDISCH claims the old Buckeye State as the place of his nativity, though he has been a resident of Indiana since his boyhood. He was born at Nevada, Wyandot County, Ohio, on the 15th of April, 1872, was an infant at the time of the family removal to Crest- line, Crawford County, that state, and was six and one-half years old when his parents came to Starke County, Indiana, and established their home on a farm in Center Township, in 1878. The Captain is a son of WILLIAM and ROSA (WEIBEL) WINDISCH, both natives of Germany, whence the latter came with her parents to America when she was a girl of four-teen years, her father, JOSEPH WEIBEL, having established a home in the City of Philadelphia, where later was solemnized her marriage to WILLIAM WINDISCH, who was reared and educated in his native land, where he learned the trade of cabinetmaker. WILLIAM WINDISCH came to the United States as a youth of eighteen years, was self-reliant and ambitious and determined to achieve for himself success and indepen- dence in the land of his adoption. After his marriage he continued his residence in Philadelphia until after the birth of three of his chil- dren and he then removed with his family to Ohio and established his residence at Nevada, Wyandot County. There he engaged in the work of his trade and eventually built up a prosperous business as a dealer in furniture, with which line of enterprise he was later identified at Crestline, that state. In 1878 he came with his family to Starke County, Indiana, and purchased a farm in Center Township, where he continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits for several years and won distinctive success through his industry and good management. He finally removed to Knox, the county seat, and here he died in 1910, at the venerable age of eighty-two years, — a man of sterling character and a citizen who commanded unqualified esteem. His widow passed to the life eternal in 1913, at the age of eighty years, both having been zealous communicants of the German Lutheran Church and his political allegiance having been given to the repub- lican party. While a resident of Nevada, Ohio, WILLIAM WINDISCH signalized his loyalty to the land of his adoption by tendering his aid in defense of the Union, soon after the outbreak of the Civil war. He enlisted in the Thirty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served eighteen months and took part in a number of engagements. He was cap- tured in one of the battles in which he took part and was held for some time in Andersonville Prison, his exchange finally being effect- ed. He received his honorable discharge at the close of his term of enlistment and in later years was affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic. Of the three sons and four daughters CAPTAIN WINDISCH of this review is the youngest, and all of the other children are still living, all having married and reared children with one excep- tion and five of the number being still residents of Starke County. CAPTAIN WINDISCH was reared to maturity in Starke County, where he acquired due discipline in connection with the work of the home farm and availed himself of the advantages of the public schools. He finally became a member of Company H, Third Regiment of the Indiana National Guard, and was made second lieutenant of his company at the time of its organization, at Knox. Two years later he was chosen its captain, and upon the inception of the Spanish-American war his com- pany and regiment promptly tendered service in the country's cause. In 1898 his command was mustered into the United States service, as Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, this having been the only company to enlist from Starke County, and CAPTAIN WINDISCH having been mustered in as captain of his company, in the spring of 1898. The regiment proceeded to a reserve camp in the State of Florida and was assigned to the command of GENERAL SHAFTER. As the war progressed the regiment was embarked on a transport for the purpose of going to the stage of active military conflict in Cuba, but the vessel became disabled in Tampa harbor and the troops were unable to find transportation to Cuba until after the close of the war. After a service of six months the members of CAPTAIN WINDISCH'S company re- ceived honorable discharge, after having shown excellent military spirit and discipline in the reserve camp and manifesting regret that they could not have been at the front. CAPTAIN WINDISCH is in active affiliation with the Spanish-American War Veterans' Association but is not identified with the Indiana National Guard except as a reserve. After the close of his military service CAPTAIN WINDISCH returned to Starke County and in 1899 he formed a partnership with *. J. WILHELM and opened a grocery and meat-market at Knox. Later he pur- chased his partner's interest and thereafter he was associated in partnership with HUGH E. KREUTER, until 1902, when he became the sole owner of the business, which he has since conducted with marked suc- cess, MR. KREUTER being now engaged in the hardware business in the City of Knox. As a citizen and business man CAPTAIN WINDISCH is essentially progressive and loyal and he has a wide circle of friends in the county that has represented his home during virtually his entire life thus far. He is a staunch supporter of the cause of the republican party and both he and his wife are communicants of the German Lutheran Church, in the faith of which they were reared. In 1902 was solemnized the marriage of CAPTAIN WINDISCH to Miss TENA K**H, who was born in Illinois, in March, 1880, and who was reared and educated at Blue Island, that state. The one child of this union is FRANCES E., who was born December 27, 1912. ===========================================================================