Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 106] This gentleman for the last quarter of a century has been successfully carrying on the business of a gardener in Shenango township, just on the southern suburbs of the city of New Castle, and on the land which constitutes his homestead, where he located and established his business in 1873. The home garden comprises twenty-four acres in the highest state of cultivation, with over half an acre under glass; fruit and vegetables are Mr. Weinschenk's specialties, although his love, for flowers leads him to grow large quantities of them, which are, however, for home use only. Besides the homestead he owns other tracts of land in different places throughout the county. He is an expert in his line of business, having learned the trade of a gardener in Germany when a young man, and having practiced it at various places ever since.
Mr. Weinschenk was born in Geradstetten, Wurtemberg, Germany, March 10, 1835, and was a son of John G. and Katherine (Retter) Weinschenk; John G. was born in 1804, and died about sixty years of age; John G.'s father was killed in his vineyard when John was about four years old. Our subject received his education in the splendid educational institutions of Germany between the ages of six and fourteen. When fifteen years of age, he went from home to earn his own living, and has made his own way since. He learned gardening thoroughly, and when twenty-two years old came to America, where he found abundant chances to work at his vocation. He set sail from Havre, France, in May, 1857, and after a voyage of 35 days landed at New York City, from which place he came at once to New Castle, where he arrived June 22, 1857. Almost immediately he secured work with Mr. Butz at Croton, who was then the leading gardener of New Castle, and was in his employ two years, after which he worked for Mr. Peebles for a time. Mr. Weinschenk then went South, and for several seasons had charge of private gardens in and about the city of Louisville, Ky. At the close of the war, work in that locality ceased to be profitable, and so he returned to Lawrence, County in 1865, and worked for Mr. Butz again for nearly a year, and then rented a tract of land in Taylor township, where he conducted gardening operations some eight years, and then bought his present farm in 1873, taking possession the following year.
Mr. Weinschenk was first married in Pittsburg to Margaret Mack, daughter of Frederick and Margaret (Specht) Mack, and to them were born four children: Annie M., the wife of Charles F. Alborn, whose biography appears elsewhere in this work; Alice; Margaret, deceased; and William H., also interested in gardening in Shenango township, and whose life history may be found on another page. Our subject was again married Aug. 12, 1875, to Catherine Sechler, who was born at Harmony, Butler County, a daughter of John and Fannie (Tinstman) Sechler, the latter a daughter of Abraham and Katherine (Moyet) Tinstman. John Sechler was a son of Abraham Sechler. Eight children, four boys and four girls, were the fruit of this second union, as follows: George, deceased; Emmanuel; Frederick, deceased; Rosa; Samuel; Katherine; Sarah; and Ruth. Both our subject and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Weinschenk has never allied himself with any political party, but votes according to the dictates of his own conscience. He was formerly a member of the I. O. O. F.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 26 Apr 2001