The Jergens Family of Dayton, Ohio
ABOVE: This photo was taken prior to July 6, 1899, the date on which Maria (Steffen) Jergens
(front row, second from left) died. Maria’s bearded husband, Phillip, Sr., sits beside her.
The others are their seven surviving children.
In the back row, far left, is Elizabeth (Jergens) Logel. Standing next to her is Peter Jergens, Sr.
The next two men are Joseph and Phillip, Jr. (we're not sure which is which). By process of
elimination, we identify the woman on the far right as Maggie (Margaret Jergens) Kleinfelder.
In the front row, seated on the far left, is Helena (Jergens) Zink, married to Jacob Zink. Seated on
the far right is Mary (Jergens) Zink, who married Joseph Zink.
ABOVE LEFT: Phillip Jergens, Sr. and his wife Maria (Steffen) Jergens, both Roman Catholics, are shown holding prayer books and a rosary. This formal portrait was most likely made in honor of Phillip and Maria’s 50th wedding anniversary on January 21, 1895. We realized that our copy had been reversed in the reprinting process (compare with the photo above, right).
ABOVE RIGHT: This copy of the same picture, shown preserved with its original embossed cardboard mount, came to us via Steffen descendant Donald A. Baumann of Kentucky, who obtained it from a Baumann cousin also with ties to the Steffen family. It had been misidentified as the anniversary photo of Elizabeth (Steffen) Barbian, Maria (Steffen) Jergens' youngest sister.
ABOVE: This photo of the extended Jergens family was taken circa 1896. The only children we can identify are two little boys (sitting immediately in front of Phillip Jergens, Sr.) who appear to be grandchildren Harry Jergens and Peter Jergens, Jr. We can attempt to identify the spouses of the adult Jergens children only if we assume that husbands and wives stand next to each other. So, some of these are GUESSES, folks -- if anyone out there has better information, we would be pleased to revise this text.
Standing in back, left to right: This may be Lucy (Dessinger) Jergens, standing next to husband Joseph Jergens; Maggie (Margaret Jergens) Kleinfelder, standing next to a man who may be husband John Kleinfelder; Elizabeth (Jergens) Logel; this man may be Phillip Jergens, Jr. standing next to wife Mary (Abele) Jergens (who shows a resemblance to a picture we have of Magdalena Abele).
Adults seated, left to right: Jacob and Helena (Jergens) Zink; Maria (Steffen) Jergens and Phillip Jergens, Sr.; Mary (Jergens) Zink; and Peter Jergens, Sr.
ABOVE: This little glass mug, which is not much bigger than a votive candle holder (two-and-seven-eighths inches tall, two-and-a-half inches in diameter), is inscribed with the name “Phillip Sr.” and probably was given as a gift to Phillip Jergens, Sr. (1823-1907). It is made of clear glass with what appears to be an overlay of a ruby red stain. On one side Phillip’s name is etched through the red overlay, with the words “Cedar Point” etched on the other. Cedar Point, on Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio, is an amusement park/beachfront resort which opened in 1870.
ABOVE LEFT: Magdalena Abele and Peter Jergens, Sr., in what is likely their wedding photo.
ABOVE RIGHT: This rocking chair once belonged to Magdalena (Abele) Jergens [1871-1895].
ABOVE: The absence of Maria (Steffen) Jergens and the age of the boys lead us to speculate that these
photos were taken around 1900. In the photo on the left are pictured (left to right) Peter Jergens, Jr.,
grandfather Phillip Jergens, Sr., and Harry Jergens. The photo on the right shows the boys, Harry and
Peter, Jr., with their father, Peter Jergens, Sr.
ABOVE: Wedding photo for Peter Jergens, Jr., and Cecilia M. Leyes, May 10, 1917.
In the back row are Jim Leidig (Cecilia's sister Dorothy’s husband)
and Cecilia's sister Louise "Lula" Leyes.
ABOVE: Circa 1930, five Jergens siblings at home at 1933 Old Troy Pike, Dayton, Ohio. In the background can be seen part of the long barn.
Charles & Elizabeth (Jergens) (Logel) Heckler; John & Elizabeth (Edemann) Logel; Harry & Bertha (Rediess) Jergens; and Peter & Cecilia (Leyes) Jergens all made their homes on that parcel of land on the Old Troy Pike acquired by Phillip Jergens, Sr., circa 1854. The houses and buildings eventually were torn down but nearby Jergens Road honors the family name.
ABOVE: This photo, taken circa 1940, shows three Jergens sisters
in front of the small brick house that stood on Phillip Jergens, Sr.’s land.
This is the same house where Maria (Steffen) Jergens gave birth to sons
Phillip, Jr., Peter, William, and Joseph. The brick house is gone now.