Biography of Christian Volka
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]
Page 1029
CHRISTIAN VOLKA, merchant, P. O. La Fayette, was born in St. Louis, Mo., November 25, 1837; he is a son of John and Catharine Volka, natives of France, who emigrated to America while young; they grew to maturity and were married in Columbus, Ohio. He was a shoe-maker by trade, which business he followed in Columbus, Cincinnati and St. Louis. He died of small-pox in Cincinnati. They had three children, two now surviving – Catharine (wife of David M. Bradley), and Christian, the subject of this sketch, who was principally raised in Madison County, brought up to farm labor and was married, January 8, 1863, to Lucetta Bell, a native of this county, where she was born May 12, 1844, and a daughter of Daniel Bell, a native of Virginia, and his wife Rebecca (Wagoner) Bell, a native of Ohio. Dr. Bell was a practicing physician for many years, commencing his profession in Coshocton County, Ohio; thence coming to Madison County and practicing in Somerford Township. He was an earnest worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and gave freely of his means for the erection of the church edifice, and also for the schoolhouse that was built near it, in honor of which the place was called Belleville. He purchased a farm in that township, upon which he resided a short time; then he removed to Champaign County, and there bought a farm, where he resided about twenty years; then he removed to London, this county, and entered upon the mercantile trade, but after a few months he removed to La Fayette, where he died December 8, 1869, aged sixty-nine years. His wife died November 29, 1858, aged thirty-nine years, dying on her thirty-ninth birthday. They had thirteen children, five now surviving – Lucy, Rachel, Lucetta, Laura Ellen and Charles. Mr. Volka and wife have had five children, two now survive – Nettie, born October 3, 1865, and John C., born August 14, 1878. Mr. Volka first located in La Fayette, and has spent most of his life in London and La Fayette, and the greater portion of it has been devoted to the mercantile trade. He was employed as a clerk in London for several years; then he entered as an assistant with Dr. Bell to the time of his death, when he took possession of the store and as [sic] since continued the business, conducting a general grocery and drug trade, and has a good established business.
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Submission Forms
Fall Genealogy Seminar
For anyone in your area who is interested in genealogy that they are invited to
the Annual Fall Seminar of Ohio Chapter Palatines to America:
Researching German Immigration in the 18th Century
Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, October 16, 2010, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Ramada Hotel and Conference Center
Four presentations by Marianne S. Wokeck, Ph.D., on Indentured Servitude
and Immigration to America in the 18th Century
Renowned author of Trade in Strangers
Registration Fee $45; Ohio Chapter PalAm Members Discounted Fee $39; Students ages 17-21 $20
Includes morning coffee or tea, Lunch and Gratuity.
Deadline October 4, 2010; For Late Registration add $5.
The seminar is the Culmination of German Heritage Week in Columbus
For more information visit
http://www.oh-palam.org/bookstore/images/2010fallregistrationform.pdf
or write to Ohio Chapter Palatines to America, P.O. Box 302, Worthington, OH 43085
Richard E. Hartle,
Publicity Chairman,
Ohio Chapter Palatines to America
This is a volunteer project. We depend upon feedback from our visitors. If you have information to share or have resources relating to Madison County, we would love to hear from you.
