Thank you Robert Myers and the Illu trated Historical Atlas of Steuben County Indiana 1880 for the above photo.
The first born of Joseph Zangker and Anna Marie Roth was Joseph Martin or Joseph Zongker II. Joseph Martin was born April 1818 in Switzerland before the family came to the United States in 1818. The first place they were after arriving was in PA. After entering through Philadelphia they first settled in Elizabethtown. perhaps in Lancaster County.
While in Seneca County we find Joseph Martin marrying Regina Meyers of Pennsylvania, November 28, 1841. Then the call "Move west young man, move west" again moved the family west. They settled in Salem Township of Steuben County. The farm where they lived is now within the city of Hudson, Indiania and some of the buildings are still standing and the two houses built by him are still occupied, one a wood frame, is still in the family. This house was being built for Regina at the time of her death in February 1875 and sets west of the barn. He later built a two story brick house just to the north of the barn. This area is still known today as the Zongker Farm and was featured in the late 1980"s or early 1990"s on a calender put out by the Bank of Ashley, Indiana.
Again the call to move struck. John went to Iowa. I have found some informtion that leads me to believe some of John's family may have gone on to South Dakota. Henry and family, along with Joseph Martin's daughter Sarah and her husband, Levi Guthrie and family, Sarah's brother, Peter moved southwest to Kansas, settling in western Reno and eastern Stafford counties. I was asked once what I knew about this family walking from Indiana to Kansas. All I can say is it is possible. I do know they had wagons as I was given a mule shoe as a teenager and was told by my father it was worn by Molly the mule that helped pull one of the wagons from Indiana.
Here is the picture of Zonker & Main, Hudson, IN taken by me in Oct 1994. You will see the house with the letters JMZ in the background. Built by JMZ for Regina she died before it was finished. She died Feb. 1875. He then built the brick house. The plaque in the cable end of it shows 1875. The barn in the picture shows the south side of it. As I understood this is what is left of the original barn. In the pencil picture, it shows a retaining wall at the West end of the barn. Look closely enough at this picture and you can see the difference in the ground elevation.
Elven Zongker
This site is dedicated in memory of the late Floyd Zongker, Tulsa, OK, who started a chain of events that has enabled Zongkers from all over to get to know each other. Thank you, Floyd.
And in memory of Elven Zongker who took the time and dedication in putting this website together.
Special thanks to Frank Zangger for painting the family crest. and for allowing us to show it on our web site.