WI BIO - Dane Co - NIENABER, Bernhard H.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 501-503

Bernhard H. NIENABER, manufacturer of and wholesale and retail dealer in 
cigars, Madison [Dane County], Wisconsin, is ranked with the prominent 
business men of the city. He is the oldest manufacturer of cigars in 
Madison, having established himself in business here in 1860. On 08 July 
1863 he lost his entire stock by fire, but five days later again started up, 
and his business career has since been one of marked success. He is now 
located at 215 East Main Street, in a building he erected and moved into in 
1882. Until then years ago he employed a large force, from ten to 
twenty-five, all the time, but of recent years he has not conducted his 
business on such an extensive scale. Mr. NIENABER began learning his trade 
in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1849, the year he landed in the U. S., and 
worked at it there until he came to Wisconsin. He dates his arrival in 
Madison 27 February 1854, and from [p 502] that time until he engaged in 
business for himself he was employed as a cigar maker.

Mr. [Bernhard H.] NIENABER was born in the grand duchy of Oldenburg, not far 
from Bremen, Germany, 11 August 1837, and was reared and educated there. In 
the fall of 1849, accompanied by his sister, Ingle, who was two years his 
senior, he took passage on a three-mast sail vessel, the "Gustaff," Captain 
VAN ZANTAN [commanding], and after a voyage of seven weeks landed in New 
Orleans; thence up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to Cincinnati [Hamilton 
County, OH], where their two brothers, John Henry and Ferdinand, had lived 
for two years. John Henry settled in Covington [Kenton County], Kentucky, 
where he was subsequently married, and where he has since made his home. He 
was in the rolling mills fifteen years, and was also a job mason and 
plasterer. He is now retired from active business. Ferdinand first settled 
in Cincinnati, then went to Indianapolis, IN], where in 1849 he established a 
cigar manufactory. Subsequently he returned to Covington and engaged 
extensively in the manufacture of cigars there. He has since made his home 
in Covington, and is now living retired. He has been prominent in local 
matters, has served as delegate to numerous conventions, and has been, and is 
yet, president of the Old Settlers Association of Covington. His wife was 
before her marriage Miss Agnes STONTEBECK. The sister, Ingle, above referred 
to, also married in Covington [Kenton County, KY], and she and her husband 
are both deceased. They left two children. Another brother and sister, 
Frank and Elizabeth, the oldest of the family, came to the U. S. in 1854. 
They too are deceased, and both left families. Frank died from the effects 
of a sunstroke, and Elizabeth died only a few years ago.

Having briefly referred to the brothers and sisters of Mr. NIENABER, we now 
turn to his parents, Antone and Agnes (FON LEMDEN) NIENABER [typo in original 
printed text for Agnes (VON LEMDEN) NIENABER?] They were both born and 
reared in Oldenburg, Germany, and were there married. The father was a 
farmer the greater part of his life. When he was young he served for a while 
as cook on the Holland herring boats. He and his wife and all he family were 
devout members of the Catholic Church. In 1852 the parents left Bremen for 
America, and in due time landed at New Orleans. From there they started up 
the river, intending to join their children at Cincinnati. The mother, 
however, was doomed never to reach her destination; for cholera, which was 
epidemic at that time, claimed her as a victim. She [Agnes NIENABER] died at 
Evansville [Vanderburgh County], Indiana, and was there buried under the 
rites of the Catholic Church. The bereaved father and husband continued his 
way a few days later to Cincinnati, where the mingled joy and sorrow at the 
meeting with his expectant children can better be imagined than described, 
joy for the father's safe arrival and deepest sorrow caused by the beloved 
mother being snatched away when almost within reach. The father [Antone 
NIENABER] passed the rest of his days with his son, Henry, and his daughter, 
Elizabeth, and died at the age of eighty-three. The mother [Agnes NIENABER] 
was about sixty-five at the time of her death.

The subject of our sketch [Bernhard H. NIENABER] was married in Madison [Dane 
County], Wisconsin, 11 March 1861, to Miss Catherine ADOLPH, who was born at 
Quadrat, near the river Rhine in Germany, 15 November 1839. Her father died 
in Germany, and after his death she came with her mother, brother, Jacob, and 
three sisters, Sabilla, Sophia and Margaret, to America, landing at New York 
in 1854. Two years later they came to Madison. In this city [Madison, Dane 
County, WI] the mother [Catherine] died, aged eighty-two years. Sabilla 
married, and is also deceased. Sophia is the wife of [p 503] Jacob ESSER, 
Sr., a contractor and builder in this city. Margaret is now married to her 
second husband, John WALTERSCHEIT [John Walter SCHEIT?], a farmer of Blooming 
Grove, this county. Her first husband was killed in the late war. The 
brother, Jacob, also a soldier in the Civil War, died afterward while in the 
West.

Mr. and Mrs. [Bernhard H.] NIENABER have had ten children, two of whom, 
Sophia and Frank, died when young. Those living are: Anna, wife of Godfred 
MOERY, a mason and contractor of Madison [Dane County, WI]; Sabilla, wife of 
Casper HANK, a machinist, residing in Milwaukee [Milwaukee County], WI; 
George W., a prominent young man in local matters, married Nellie BROPHY, and 
is his father's assistant in the cigar business; Antone, a mechanic in the 
employ of the Fuller & Johnson Manufacturing Company, of Madison [WI]; John 
B., a resident of Chicago [Cook County, IL], engaged in he drug business; 
Catherine, Elizabeth, and Frank. The last three named are at home. The 
family are members of the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. Politically Mr. 
[Bernhard H.] NIENABER is a Democrat, and has served as Alderman of the Third 
Ward. His is a member of he leading German societies of this city [Madison, 
WI].

Submitted by Cathy Kubly