COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHY Of History County Indiana B. F. Bowen 1920 Page 350, 351 Surnames in this biography: Straub, Dilling, Hoover, Gootfried,Shafer, Adams,                                  AMANDA A. STRAUB.            Possessing manyattributes of noble womanhood and bearing well her part in life, the well-knownand popular lady whose name introduces this article is worthy of mention in abiographical compendium of the nature of this work. Amanda A. Straub, daughterof Samuel and Elizabeth (Dilling) Hoover, was born in Liberty Township, HenryCounty, Indiana, on the 26th day of March 1841. The Hoover family is of Germanextraction; the subject's great-grand father came from the old country a greatmany years ago and settled in Blair County, Pennsylvania, where Samuel Hooverwas born and reared. On the         mother's side is mingled the blood of German, Swiss and Dutch ancestry.The Dillings were also early settlers of Blair County and the two familieslived in the same neighborhood and the children for many years attended thesame little German school. Samuel Hoover was born July 16, 1812, and on the26th of March 1834, married Elizabeth Dilling, whose birth occurred November29, 1816. In May 1837, Mr. Hoover and family came by wagon to Henry County,Indiana. They were seven weeks in making the journey, which was a leisurely oneand from what can be learned a most pleasant and agreeable experience.  Mr. Hoover brought with him considerablemeans and on his arrival purchased land, choosing for his home an admirablysituated place in section 20, Liberty township.  He at once inaugurated a system of improvements, which byindustry and well-directed energy were successfully carried out. He was a hardworker and would frequently make the night resound with the echoes of hissturdy strokes as he felled the        giant forest trees and cut them into the proper sections for rolling andburning. His       life was one ofcontinuous toil, but he succeeded well and in due time became a prosperousfarmer. In early life he united with the church of God and later was licensedto preach by that body, a work to which he devoted considerable of his time andnot          frequently would he go longdistances to fill his appointments. He was a zealous          Christian and by his God-fearing life as well as by hispublic ministry did much to         counteract the prevailing evils of his day.  The death of this excellent man and sincere         servant of the Most High occurred onthe 25th day of February 1872; his widow is          still living at the ripe old age of eighty-six years.Samuel and Elizabeth Hoover were        the parents of three daughters, Nancy, deceased; Amanda A., of thisreview, and          Sarah A., whomarried George Gootfried and resides on a part of the old homestead.            Amanda A. was reared on the homefarm in Liberty township, attended the common schools during her childhood andyouth and grew up to the full requirement that a woman as well as a man shouldearn her living by the honest sweat of her brow.  She early became familiar with the duties of household economyand the plain, simple domestic virtues, which are womanhood's most beautifuland attractive adornments, and proved a continued help to her parents as longas she remained with them. On the 6th day of March 1859, she became the wife ofJohn P. Straub, an excellent young man who came to America some years beforefrom his native land of Germany, where his birth occurred June 28. 1823. Byoccupation Mr. Straub was a brick molder, but after his marriage he engaged infarming and so continued as long as he lived. He was an industrious man, offrugal habits, honest and straightforward in all of his transactions andwherever known his word was as good as his written obligation. He provided wellfor his family and as a citizen won the esteem of the people of the community,all of whom respected him for his        many sterling qualities. He was reared a Catholic, but later severed hisconnection with that body and united with the Church of God, in the faith ofwhich he died November 8, 1882. In politics he was a Democrat, but never took avery prominent part in political affairs, having been a quiet, Un ostentatiousman, deeply attached to his family and with no desire whatever for distinctionof any kind. In his death his family lost a most loving and devoted husband andfather, the community a kind and obliging neighbor and the county one of itsexcellent citizens.  Mr. and Mrs.Straub's marriage bore fruit in the persons of four children, the oldest ofwhom. John Henry, born December 10 1864, died February 2,1865, Sarah C., bornAugust 29 1866, was educated in the common schools and has never left the homefireside: Susan E whose birth occurred on the 22nd day of June, 1869, is thewife of Charles Shafer; Anna M., wife of Oscar Adams, was born February 26.1873.  Since her husband's death Mrs.Straub has lived on the farm and looked after its management. She reared herchildren well early implanted in their minds and hearts a love of truth, virtueand right and the lives they now lead show that her efforts in their behalfhave not been barren of most excellent results. She is a kind neighbor, everready to minister to the wants of the poor and distressed and her gentleinfluence has always been exerted in the right direction.  The people of the community hold her in highesteem and she has, shown herself worthy of every mark of favor andconsideration conferred upon her.