John Donch

            JOHN DONCH was born in Mecklar, Hesse-Cassel, Germany, July 28, 1824,  and is the only survivor of three children born to John and Barbara Elizabeth (Klump) Donch, also natives of the same place. His father was a farmer; both parents died in Germany. John Donch, our subject, was reared on a  farm, attended the common schools, and when twenty-one years old, he entered the German Army for five years, by reason of which he obtained better educational advantages.

    In 1851, he determined to come to America; accordingly, he shipped on a Prussian vessel, and after eight weeks reached New York. He moved West on an exploring expedition, reaching Chicago, wehre he remained four weeks, thence to Lake County, Ind., remaining five months, and thence, in 1852, by reason of the gold fever, left with a party to California by land. He remained in the gold fields eleven months, with some success, when he returned via Nicaragua to Lake County, after an absence of eighteen months. He purchased land in West Creek Township, near Lowell, which he farmed until the war.

    On September 25, 1861, he enlisted at Chicago, in the Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry; he was in active service in Missouri and Arkansas, first as private, and afterward as Second Lieutenant, which he resigned June 10, 1863. He re-enlisted as a private in Company A, Seventh Indiana Cavalry, and fourteen days later was mustered in as Sergeant. In a line of promotion he was commissioned Second Lieutenant November 1, 1863, and First Lieutenant November 26, 1863. Up to February, 1864, Mr. Donch was in service in Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. At the battle of Okalona, he was wounded by a minie ball through the wrist. From loss of blood he became unconscious and was taken prisoner, and remaining for ten months in captivity and suffering. He was paroled, made a visit home, and joined his regiment in April, 1865, at Memphis, thence going to Louisiana and Texas, being finally discharged February 18, 1866, after a service of four and one-half years. Before being discharged, Lieutenant Donch was made Captain.

    After this glory, he returned to Lake County and engaged in farming until 1872, when he was chosen Sheriff, to which he was re-elected, serving in all four years, and a succeeding four years as Deputy Sheriff. He is now retired, and has 300 acres in West Creek Township. Capt. Donch is a Republican.

    On December 8, 1871, he was married to Miss Louisa Mader, a native of Chicago, born February 16, 1856, and daughter of Charles and Dora (Kern) Mader, who had three children. Mr. Mader is a native of Saxony, and Mrs. Mader, of Wurtemberg; they reside in Chicago.

Source: Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana. Historical and Biographical. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor. Charles Blanchard, Biographical Editor. F.A. Battey & Co., Publishers, 1882, page 606.