| Notes |
- BIOGRAPHY:
Biography of Michael L. Shoudel, pages 865/866/867/868. History of DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914. No other people that go to make up our cosmopolitan civilization have better habits of life than those who come originally for the great German empire. These people are distinguished for their thrift and honesty, and these two qualities alone in the inhabitants of any county will in the end make that county great. When with these two qualities is coupled the other quality of sound sense, a strong German characteristic, there are afforded such qualities as will enrich any land and place it at the top of the countries of the world in the scale of elevated humanity. Of this excellent people came Michael L. Shoudel, who for many years has been one of the well known farmers of DeKalb county, Indiana. He comes of a race that produced the famous "Iron Chancellor," the greatest statesman, all things considered, that ever walked this terrestrial sphere. He comes of a race that is famous for its original investigations in the problems of civilized life, such men as Goethe and Heckel, to say nothing of the coterie of the greatest musicians of all lands, and climes. The Germanic blood is found in the veins of the greatest men and women of this and former generations and the Shoudel family may well be proud of their descent from such a race. The subject of this brief sketch is easily the peer of any of his fellow citizens in all that constitutes right living and correct citizenship. He is a close and intelligent observer, has read much, and takes pains to keep himself well informed upon current events. He is quiet in demeanor, a thinker, and a man of deeds rather than word. He is essentially a man of the people because he has large faith in humanity and is optimistic in his views. Michael L. Shoudel, who for many years has been one of the best known and influential citizens of Smithfield township, DeKalb county, Indiana, was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1844. He is a son of Matthias and Magdalena (Miller) Shoudel, whose personal sketch appears elsewhere in this work, therefore further mention of the subject's antecedents will not be made at this point. Michael L. Shoudel was about eleven years of age when the family emigrated to the United States, locating in Chicago, in 1865. Two years later they came to the little patch of wild land in Smithfield township, DeKalb county, Indiana, where they made a start in their struggle for financial independence in a strange land. Here the subject of this sketch performed his full share of the strenuous toil incident to the clearing of the land and putting it in shape for cultivation, and he distinctly recalls having plowed a six-acres field which required ten days' work with a yoke of oxen, for the ground was full of roots and stumps and progress was exceedingly slow and wearing on both men and beasts. Soon after his marriage in 1872, Mr. Shoudel commenced farming on his own account on forty acres of land which he had received from his father, and as he was prospered in his undertaking he bought more land from time to time, until he now owns two hundred and eighty acres of as fine land as can be found in DeKalb county. He is up-to- date and progressive in his methods of work and has achieved a distinctive success in his vocation. He has been a hard worker continually from his first initiation into the pioneer struggle and indeed in that early day at one time they would have returned to Chicago if they could have done so, but they had not been able to make the trip, so they struggled on and the struggle became a triumph. Mr. Shoudel, although about seventy years old, is still active physically and is able to perform a good day's labor on the farm. He has never been sick much and has always been active in anything to which he has applied his efforts. He has been an eye-witness and a participant in the wonderful growth which has characterized this section of the state and remembers well when Waterloo consisted of but three stores, a saloon, a hardware store, and dry goods store, and a few buildings, and when the court house at Auburn was a very primitive and poorly furnished affair. Mr. Shoudel had but limited educational opportunities, never having attended school a day until after sixteen years of age. He than started in the primer and in fifty-eight days was in the third reader. The second winter he again attended school and worked hard to gain knowledge and has been a continual reader throughout his life and is today considered a man of wide and unusual information on many subjects. One of his leading qualities is his persistency in his application to any task to which he applies himself and this has enabled him to conquer where many others would have failed. In the public and civic life of the community Mr. Shoudel has for many years been an influential factor and has always exerted his influence in favor of such movements as had tended to advance the best interest of the community. In 1872 Mr. Shoudel married Joanna Reinig, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, the daughter of Frank and Joanna (LaFroise) Reinig. She came to America late in 1872 with her mother, her father having already emigrated to this country. Here they applied themselves to agricultural operation, as had their fellow citizens, the Shoudels, Millers and Smiths. To Mr. and Mrs. Shoudel have been born eleven children, six boys and five girls, namely: John, who lives on the Hezekiah Leas farm, married Margherita Hoff, and they have four children, Albert, Clara, Michael and Esther; Annie is the wife of Frederick Gfeller, who lives south of the Catholic church, and they have eight children, Freddie, Dora, Matthias, Mary, Celia, Joseph, Herman and a baby girl; George, who married Marie Hoff, lives on one of his father's farms near Summit, and has two children, Agnes and a baby boy; Michael is unmarried and helps his father run the farm and also operates a threshing machine; Matthias, who is also unmarried, is at home; Kate is the wife of Andrew Shiffli, who lives two and one half miles east of his father on the Shoner farm, and is the father of two children, Agnes and Wilford; Lena, Mary, Caroline, Joseph and Frank are all unmarried and at home with their parents. The subject and his wife also reared Fred Elliott, who was born November 26, 1880, the son of George and Caroline (Rennig) Elliott, the latter having given up her life at birth of her son. Fred Elliott died on September 8, 1910. Mr. Shoudel and members of his family are all connected with the Catholic church, in the prosperity of which they are deeply interested and to the support of which they contribute liberally. Mr. Shoudel is a man whom to know is to respect and admire, for, having started in a lowly capacity, he gradually forged to the front and by faithful effort and prompt discharge of every duty devolving upon him he finally acquired a comfortable competency and has won and retains the good will and regard of all who know him. He has ever tried to do the right as he has seen and understood the right and as a representative citizen of his community he is eminently entitled to representation in a work of the character of the one at hand. Submitted by: Arlene Goodwin Auburn, Indiana Agoodwin@ctlnet.com
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1844 - 1929 (84 years)
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