Union City Times-Gazette, Thursday, August 15, 1946 Eighty People Attend First Reunion Of Bothast Family. The first Bothast reunion as held Sunday at the C. I. O. hall with eighty persons present. After a delicious diner, plans were made for the reunion to be held nest year on the last Sunday in July. Officers elected were John Boggs, president, and Richard Bothast, secretary-treasurer. Ida Bothast was the oldest relative present and Martha Goodman, a guest, the oldest person present. Following the dinner a musical program was presented, with group singing, and visiting concluded the afternoon. Many remained for the evening meal. Out of town members and guests present were: Luther BOTHAST and family of Liberty, Ind., Mrs. Lady Mae HOLFASTER, Mrs. Ada GILLETTE and family, Mr. and Mrs. Charles HOLFASTER and daughter of Osborn, Ohio, Thomas BOTHAST and family of South Bend, Ind., Alva BOTHAST and family of Greenville, Mr. and Mrs. Paul WIGGER and son of Richmond, Mrs. Whit HEMINGER and son, Allen, of Fulton, Ind., Mr. and Mrs. H. L. SHELLHASE and grandchild, Mr. and Mrs. William BOTHAST, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard BOTHAST, Mr. and Mrs. Dick ODELL and daughter of Dayton, Ohio, Mr. and Mrs. O. H. SHAFER and son, Mr. and Mrs. Paul FRYSINGER and son, of Springfield, Ohio. A brief family history was given by Mrs. L. Wigger: George Bothast was born in Hess, Germany, May 17, 1829. His parents brought him to Dayton, Ohio, when he was one year old. He had three sisters, Melia, Louise and Mary, and three brothers, Martin, Henry and John. One sister, Mary, was buried at sea on the way to America. On November 22, 1855 when he was 26 years of age he married Christena Adams. About 1857 he came here to live on the 40 acres of land where the Union City disposal plant is now located. Christena Adams was born in Dusseldorf, Germany, January 1, 1838. Her mother was buried in Germany when she was a child. An aunt, living in Dayton, Ohio, wrote glowing reports of the United States when Christena was ten years old. Her father owned and operated a butcher shop at Dayton. George and Christena had twelve children, George, John, William, Elizabeth, Charles, Fornia, Ella, Nellie, Adolph, Annie, Bertha and Mae. Of the twelve children, nine lived to marry and settle down in and around Union City. Twenty-six grandchildren lived to become of age and the family included four sets of twins. Two of the family, Thomas and Elmer, were in World War I and seventeen were in World War II. Howard Shafer was killed in the South Pacific during this war. Two Bothast brothers, George and John, married Adams sisters, Christena and Anna. They were a Lutheran family and lived for many years on West Division street in the brick home now owned by Max Schoenfeld. It is remembered that the late Governor Gray of Indiana was a frequent visitor at the Bothast home. Three sisters, Mrs. Anna Smith, Mrs. Bertha Alexander and Mrs. Mae Williams survive. George Bothast owned and operated a brick yard at the west edge of Union City for many years. Many of the old brick buildings in Union City were made from brick which was made in his brick yard. George died on July 26, 1902 at 73 years of age and Christena died April 25, 1914 at the age of 76. [ George and Mary Christena are buried in the Union City Cemetery, as were many of the Bothast family.]