Burial: 1 May 1950

Note: Birth year is 1880. Date on headstone is incorrect.

Born in Millhousen, Decatur County, Indiana four months after the death of his father, John was the only son of Johannes Roetger and Gertrude (Uhlenbrink) Bessler. His middle name, Conrad, may have come from Gertrude's brother-in-law, Conrad Bentler. Gertrude, daughter Mary (1878-1946)and baby John lived with her sister, Adleheid and her husband after Johannes died unexpectedly in Cincinnati.

The Besslers likely remained with the Bentlers until Gertrude remarried 1 Feb 1883 to a local farmer, Herman Boing with whom she had two daughters: Catherina (1883-1918) and Gertrude (1887-1911). In 1888 Herman bought a nearby farm with about 120 acres and moved the family there. It eventually obtained the status of an Indiana Homestead Farm, remaining in the Bessler family until it was sold in 2011.

Herman was a tough taskmaster and John didn't always get along with his step-father. He did, however, learn many valuable skills from him about farming and caring for animals, skills he passed down to his own sons. John remained a farmer all his life, purchasing the farm after Herman's death.

Herman also taught John to make wooden shoes with tools he likely brought with him from Germany. In later years, John made many many pairs of these shoes which he sold to the local farmers. They would wear to keep their feet warm and dry while they were out in the barn shucking corn. His skill was such that he would whittle each pair until it was a perfect fit. He also made several pairs for a theatrical company to wear in one of their productions. He also made a keepsake pair for each of his children--they never actually wore them.

In 1910 both his mother and step-father died within a week of each other. The following January, his half-sister, Gertie, fell into a diabetic coma and died.

A young woman living with her parents in Hamburg told the story of reading about this triple tragedy in the local paper and sympathizing with the young farmer's losses. The young woman, Minnie Lecher, and the farmer met shortly thereafter at a local dance and married on 17 Aug 1912.

John and Minnie had eight children: Ed (1913-1943) mechanic, killed in WWII, Marcie (1914-1938)nun, Clem (1915-2001) bought the farm raising corn and soybeans among other things, Kay (1919-1953) drill press operator, Clarence "Dick" (1922-1980)owner/operator of her own beauty salon, Leona (1928-2003)and two more daughters still living. Ed's daughter was raised by her grandparents after his death and is looked upon as another sister.

After his retirement from the farm, John and Minnie moved to Oldenburg, Franklin County, Indiana. They lived in a rental house while John built them their own place on the corner of Pearl and Water Streets. Minnie lived here until she died. The backyard hosted many family reunions over the years.

John used to do odd jobs for people after he retired. In Spring 1950 he was working mixing and carrying cement in buckets during construction work at the Steinkamp Lumber Yard. He was mixing another batch when a cement block fell from above and struck him. He died shortly thereafter.

Services were held at Holy Family in Oldenburg. He was buried near his daughter, Kay at Holy Family Cemetery.