JOHN GEORGE HINDERER, Since 1889 a resident of Anderson, Mr. Hinderer has contributed in no small measure to the creative industry of this city, Though he has spent many years and is known to many local people chiefly as a market gardener, who supplies tables in hundreds of homes with choicest of vegetables, he has a special genius in mechanics, is an inventor of no mean ability, has manufactured musical instruments in Anderson and elsewhere, and at his plant in the suburbs is now making and distributing over a large territory some of the most practical devices used in poultry and general farming.
John George Hinderer is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Clarion County, April 25, 1858, His father was G. Hinderer, a native of Germany, John Hinderer, a brother of G. Hinderer, came to America and settled at Troy, Ohio, He is deceased, Other relatives of these two brothers came to America, one named Chris, settling at Goshen, Indiana, while Robert settled in Lafayette, Indiana, and Gottlieb was in Kankakee, Illinois, and Frederick in Columbus, Ohio, G. Hinderer was reared and educated in his native land, and while there served an apprenticeship in learning the trade of weaver. When his apprenticeship was finished, he immigrated to America, settled in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and for some time was employed there in an iron ore smelter, After that he bought a farm one mile southeast of Lickingville, and became identified with general farming, He also put in a loom and wove woolens and linen goods for the local trade, Combining those industries until 1870, he then sold his farm and moved to Ohio, buying another farm at Troy, in Miami County, That was his home for five years, at the end of which time he sold out and bought a place three miles north of Greenville, in Darke County, and continued as a substantial farmer until his death on September 3, 1891, at the age of sixty-six years. The maiden name of his wife was Mary Anna Emminger, She was born in Pennsylvania, a daughter of John George and Maria (Slater) Emminger, acid a granddaughter of Chris Emminger, a native of Pennsylvania, but of German parentage, The wife of G. Hinderer died May 5, 1900, at the age of sixty-four. She reared ten children named as follows: John G., Herman B., Lizzie, Jennie, Daniel, Matilda, Jacob S., Henry, Christie, and Minnie.
John George Hinderer while a boy had the advantages of the rural schools of Washington Township in Clarion County, Pennsylvania. In 1867 he was enabled to go to Europe, where he entered the Eslingen University, at Eslingen, and took a course of three years in languages and other studies. At the end of that time he returned to America, and having a taste for mechanical work of the finer sort he located at Brattleboro, Vermont, where he served an apprenticeship in the Jacob Estey Organ factory, He was there five years, and became an expert workman, in organ manufacture. From there he went to Ohio, and for a time was employed in farming with his father until his marriage, He began domestic life on a farm in Darke County, lived there two years, and selling out began the manufacture and trading in 0rgans and pianos at Greenville, Ohio. That business he continued with fair success until 1899, and then moved to Anderson, On the upper floor of the Hancock and Ellison Building on Ninth Street, he established his organ factory, and continued in the musical business until 1894, He put out a very high grade of organs, and gave an individual touch to instruments such as those made in the immense factory never received. In 1894 Mr. Hinderer rented a tract of land in the southeastern part of the city, and began truck farming, On that place he also set up a little shop and began making a rotary slaw and vegetable cutter, a machine which was a great improvement over similar devices then in use, Five years later he was able to buy the tract of land which he had previously leased, and has since continued market gardening, In 1901 Mr. Hinderer began the manufacture of the incubator known as the Excellent Incubator, and since that time has made and distributed thousands of these articles, To breeders and raisers of poultry, the Excellent Incubator is known as one of the best of many on the market, In 1912, Mr. Hinderer has added to his local industry by establishing a mill for the grinding of corn and feed. His machinery is all operated by gasoline power.
On January 19, 1881, Mr. Hinderer married Mary Elizabeth Vornholt. She was born in New Bremen, Auglaize County, Ohio, Her father, John Vornholt, was a native of Hesse Cassel, Germany, and a son of John Vornholt, who brought his family to America, coming in a sail vessel that was six weeks between Europe and America, Grandfather Vornholt was one of the pioneers of Auglaize County, Ohio, bought a tract of land in the woods, hewed a farm from the wilderness and made it his home until his death. John Vornholt, the father of Mrs.. Hinderer, was six years old when the family migrated to America, He was reared in Auglaize County, amid pioneer surroundings, and after attaining manhood secured a tract of eighty acres, three miles from New Bremen, There he built a log house, and that was the home to which he took his bride, and where all his children were born, In the course of years he improved an excellent farm, and continued to live there until his death in 1893, He married Dorothy Bidemier. She was born in Amsterdam, Holland, Her father was a soldier in the Dutch army, and died while in service. After his death his widow and five children started for America, taking passage in a sail vessel which had a long and tedious voyage of nine weeks. The little family settled in Auglaize County, Ohio, and the five Bidemier children were Hettie; William, August, Carrie and Dorothy, The mother of Mrs. Hinderer died in 1903.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hinderer were born four children, named John G., Mary M., Lizzie D., and Martin L., and all are married. Mary M. is the wife of Robert Langley, and has one son Clinton, Lizzie married Samuel Farmer, and their three children are Bonita, Evelyn, and Albert. Martin married Artie Greene, and has three children named Jeanette, Paul, and Vivian, Mr. and Mrs. Hinderer are of the Spiritualist faith, and worship in the Spiritualist church in Anderson. Mr. Hinderer has membership in the Knights of the Orient.