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Aschermanns in Indiana

In 1846 Ernst Heinrich settled in Dearborn County, Indiana. Friedrich Wilhelm arrived in 1850 and Carl Friedrich migrated in 1854. Based upon circumstantial evidence and history, Wolfgang Dreuse tells us that the Aschermanns were probably not among the poorest Germans who migrated to that era. 

Communities listed in the family history are Farmer's Retreat, Aurora and Rising Sun. Aurora and Rising Sun are located in Dearborn County, southwest of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Ohio River separates Kentucky and Indiana.

Cincinnati acted as a magnet to draw German emigrants in the mid 19th century. Wolfgang Dueuse reports that this was an area that attracted many people from the Melle-Buer-Wehringdorf area. People tend to migrate where they have friends and neighbors from the old country. The first European settlers in Dearborn County arrived about the year 1800. The date of the first land purchase record is in 1801. So, the German immigrants were not moving to a raw, untamed frontier.

In 2012 Jerry Aschermann moved to Union, Kentucky or across the river from where his great, great grandfather settled 166 years earlier. Henry Ernest moved to the Rising Sun area. The Germans had settled in large numbers in Pike Township between 1830 and 1850 and soon outnumbered English-American population.

Rising Sun, IN

Rising Sun is on the west bank of the Ohio River, 96 miles southeast of Indianapolis and 35 miles a little west of Cincinnati. The channel of the river is close to the town and in early times boats of every class could land at any stage of water. The town was laid out on May 30, 1813. It was incorporated on 1 September 1817. Charles F. Aschermann, the younger brother of Henry, bought land in the Bear Branch vicinity and attended church there. Charles and some of his family members are buried in the Bear Branch church cemetery.

Henry Aschermann Buys Land

Know all men that I, William Turner of the County of Dearborn and State of Indiana, in consideration of the sum of eleven hundred and fifty dollars, in hand, paid by Henry Acherman of the same place has bargained and sold and doth hereby grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said Henry Asherman, his heirs and assigns forever the following Real Estate to Wit: The South West half of the South West Quarter of Section 35 [S35] of Township five [T5], of Range three [R3] West said tract of land containing seventy-nine acres and sixty=one hundredths of an acre, be the same more or less. Said trace of land subject to sale at Cincinnati, Ohio
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from "History of Dearborn and Ohio Counties, IN" 1885, Chicago: FE Weakley & Company, Publishers.
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