Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, 1903. pp. 365-366.
JOHN LOBSIGER.
The steady, plodding, persistent boy is the one who almost invariably makes the best success in life. The eager, dashing, brilliant lad may accomplish much by a single bold stroke, but there is too much of chance in such ventures. It is the youth who makes each period of time speak for itself and all of them to speak well in his behalf, who always has most to show for the days, weeks and months that have elapsed. John Lobsiger, of Harrison township, Wells county, the subject of this sketch, is steady, plodding and persistent. He has been twenty-nine years in America and has something of value to show for each year.
July 30, 1861, John Lobsiger was born in Switzerland, the son of John and Elizabeth (Waible) Lobsiger. They and their ancestors, for many generations, were natives of that oldest republic on earth. In his native land, John, the father of the subject, was a laborer, who by hard work established himself in comfortable circumstances and, as is generally the case, just about the time he began to be prepared to enjoy life, died. His widow mourned her loss for a suitable period and cared for her little, son, John, the subject, then consoled herself by accepting a second husband. In 1873 she came to America, bringing with her her little son, and settled near Vera Cruz, Wells county. Here the lad, although but twelve years old, began working by the month as a farm hand. In 1878 he entered the employment of John L. Steiner and after working for him by the month for a year, although then but eighteen years of age, he rented the farm, and did so well with it that it was leased to him year after year for eighteen years. In 1885 he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Dettinger, a young lady of Van Wert county, Ohio, who was born July 4, 1861, but had moved with her parents to Wells county in 1873, where she resided up to the time of her marriage. In his wedded state, as during single blessedness, John continued frugal and provident, gradually increasing his yearly income and year by year adding to his material possessions. He and his wife are the parents of four children, viz: Rosa, born April 10,1887; Harry, born April 30, 1889; Robert L., born October 6, 1890; Martin, born April 4, 1892. The children are all intelligent, apt in their studies at school, and give promise of being useful, worthy citizens.
In politics Mr. Lobsiger is a Democrat, a firm believer in the tenets of that political creed and during each and every campaign exerts himself for the advancement of the cause. He has never sought office for himself and desires no official position at the hands of his party, but generally there is some man upon his party ticket to whom his special zeal is accorded and even if there should not be, he is none the less interested in the result. He has been a resident of Vera Cruz since 1896, is a member of the lodge of Knights of Fidelity and is generally regarded as a worthy and estimable citizen He is a man of kind disposition and generous impulses, a faithful husband, kind father, a true and sincere friend. He is still, comparatively speaking, a young man, and those who know him best predict for him a most brilliant future. Mild mannered, calm and dispassionate, no judge ever set upon the bench who considers every question which arises with more cool deliberation than he does. Every feature of a proposition is looked at before he decides and when he does decide he is always true to his convictions. It is through the injection of such blood that the American is beginning to dominate the earth.