Christian Volka
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.
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY - W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]
Among the thriving business establishments of La Fayette, Madison County, mention should certainly be made of that of which Mr. Volka is proprietor. It is devoted to the sale of general merchandise, is supplied with a good stock in each department, and is the seat of a fine trade conducted according to the most improved business principles. He is well known in the country contiguous to LaFayette, as he has been engaged in trade here since 1865.
The parents of our subject, John and Catherine (Krouse) Volka, were natives respectively of Germany and France. They accompanied their parents to the New World when young and when reaching mature years were married in Columbus, this State. The father was a shoemaker by occupation, which trade he followed in that city, Cincinnati and St. Louis; he departed this life in the Queen City of smallpox. Only two members of the parental family lived to reach mature years, Catherine and Christian.
The original of this sketch was born in St. Louis, Mo., November 25, 1837, and after the death of his father returned with his mother to Columbus, where he attended school. When a lad of ten years, he accompanied his parents to Deer Creek Township, which has since been his place of residence, and where, by the exercise of unflagging industry, indomitable energy and ceaseless perseverance, he has acquired a competence.
Mr. Volka and Miss Lucetta Bell, of Champaign County, this State,were united in marriage January 8, 1863. The lady, who was born May 12, 1844, was the daughter of Dr. Daniel and Rebecca (Wagoner) Bell, the former of whom was a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Bell had a family of eleven children; the father died in December, 1868, in LaFayette, where also the mother's death occnrred, November 29, 1858.
Of the five children born to our subject and his wife only two survive, viz: Nettie, now Mrs. Robert Smith, and John C. Mr. Volka, when starting out for himself was employed as a clerk in London for several years and, being economical and industrious, he soon accumulated a sufflcient sum to enable him to launch out in business on his own account, and, as before stated, he has been connected with the mercantile interests of La Fayette since 1865. In politics, he takes a goodly amount of interest and votes with the Democratic party. He served on the School Board in Deer Creek Township, and under his active co-operation much was accomplished to benefit the public schools which he regards as the surest means of improving the race. The mother of our subject was a second time married, her husband being Christian Bierbangh; she is now deceased, her death occurring in this township in 1887.
From PORTRAIT & BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF FAYETTE, PICKAWAY AND MADISON COUNTIES, OHIO - Chapman Bros. [Chicago, 1892]