"HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY 1884"
CHARLES BLANCHARD, EDITOR.  CHICAGO:  F. A. BATTEY & CO. PUBLISHERS.  1884.
F. A. BATTEY.  F. W. TEPPLE

JACKSON TOWNSHIP IN OWEN CO., IN.
PAGE 957

JOHN H. SPELBRING, farmer and stock raiser, was born on
October 3, 1823 in Germany, and is the oldest child now
living born to George H and Catherine (Speaker) Spelbring,
both natives of Germany.
In company with his parents, he came to America in the 
fall of 1834; settled in the State of Maryland; remained
there about one year; removed to Union County, Indiana;
remained until the fall of 1841 and then came to Owen
County, locating in Jackson Township, where his parents
ended their days.
John H. Spelbring was reared a farmer and received a 
common school education. He now has a farm of 382 acres
with many of the modern improvements. He has been mostly
the architect of his own fortune. He has been for the 
last twenty years devoting his time in buying and selling
stock. He was first united in marriage to Ella Bauman,
(deceased), native of Pennsylvania, February 22, 1844,
nine children crowned this union--Jacob (deceased in the
army), Henry, Catharine, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Samuel,
Malinda(deceased), Franklin and an infant not named. He
was next united in marriage to Catharine Brown, February
4, 1858. He and his wife are active members of the German
Reformed Church. He is an energetic member of the Democrat
party, and was elected County Commissioner of Owen County
in the fall of 1876 and served one term.

DATA ENTRY: Debbie Jennings