Elizabeth Pfaffenberger Deal
Elizabeth Pfaffenberger was born in Bavaria, very likely in Petzmannsberg or Kulmbach on May 24, 1824. The second child of Andrew and Catharine, she was 13 in the autumn of 1837 when she migrated to America with her parents and five brothers. She spent the next five years in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before her family's migration ended in Washington Township of Jackson County, Indiana in late 1842. 169
Elizabeth spent her late teen and early twenty years on the Chestnut Ridge farm. On August 24, 1847, she married John Deal, a German immigrant farmer. Elizabeth settled on John's farm in Vernon Township of Jennings County, Indiana. This area later became part of Lovett Township. Mr. Deal was widowed by the death of his wife Mary Wolfe, who died at age 27 on November 5, 1846.154 Two children, James P. and George W., who were born to John and Mary before her death. James P. born on October 22, 1842 and George W. born on January 17, 1846. 139, 140
Between their wedding and 1859, Elizabeth gave birth to five children (Mary Catherine, September 1848, Adam, January 1, 1851, John, July 16, 1853, William H., February 4, 1856 and Frank, 1859).139, 140
Tragedy struck the Deal's late in the 1863-64 winter. Between February 28 and March 5 three of the Deal children died. John, 10, died on February 28, William, 8, died on February 29 and George, 18, died on March 5. The cause of death for the children has not yet been discovered. The next year (1865) James was married to Celestine Jordan on March 1. 156, 157 However, James died two years later on March 25, 1867. Centerville Cemetery records show "Deal, Arthur O., son of JP & C, 10 Feb. 1856-25 Aug. 1867.” The author believes that the numbers on the record are transposed. Arthur O. Deal is likely the son of James P. and Celestine who was born on February 10, 1865 and died exactly five months after his father on August 25, 1867.
The last know child of John and Elizabeth, Flora Louise, was born in April 1867. Another child, Frank, apparently died in the 1860's (his name did not appear in the 1870 U.S. Census and his name was not on the tomb stone showing the 1864 deaths).139, 141
Jennings County marriage records indicate that Adam married Margaret A. Furguson on November 20, 1871. 158 On December 20, 1877 Adam married Rachael Gregg in Bartholomew County, Indiana. The 1880 U.S. Census found Adam and Rachael living on Main Streee in Tipton, Indiana with three children listed as daughters of Adam, May Hill (Dora May Deal), 15, Alberta Deal, 7 and Clara Deal, 1. The North Vernon Plain Dealer Newspaper reported on February 22, 1883 that Rachael died suddenly on Wednesday, February 15th.173 The article further states "She leaves a son four years of age." A son was not listed in the 1880 US Census which leads the author to think that the four year old was actually the daughter, Clara . However, this would indicate that Adam's daughters Dora May and Alberta were not Rachael's childern. Dora May is probably the daughter of a lady with the surname of "Hill," and Alberta is the daughter of Margaret. Adam died on April 27, 1884. 139
Mary, Adam and Flora are the only children of John and Elizabeth known to marry and have families. Mary Catharine, also know by family as “Aunt Molly,” married John S. Wells on December 4, 1866. Her children included Amy Wells, Lemuel Olin Wells and John Everett Wells. Flora married Ulysses S. Grant Hendricks on May 14, 1887. Together they raised 14 children. They were Tressie Mae, James Bain, Katie M., Ada, Letha Alice, Mortan E., Ethel Florence, Raleigh, Edith, Glenn Johnson, Mable Ida, William Kenneth, Lily, Ceacil Erman.
John Deal died on April 9, 1891. 174 Elizabeth died on December 17, 1909.
Most of the members of the first generation of the Deal Family are buried in the Centerville (Community Church) Cemetery shown on the map below.
The author greatly appreciates the contributions to this chapter by Sharon Seaver in April 2010.
