~The Van Bibber-Tafel Connection~

Our TAFEL family begins with Albert Tafel and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Wolf. Nothing is known about Albert and Mary's early life although we can speculate about some things.
Albert was born in Germany, May 12, 1832. He and two of his brothers immigrated to America abt. 1850 and settled in Tell City, Indiana. On October 30, 1856 he married Mary Elizabeth Wolf who was born, December 17, 1837. Albert died July 15, 1899, Evansville, Indiana. Mary died, December 15, 1916, Evansville, Indiana. He served as a Bugler in the Civil War, FIRST CAVALRY, 28TH. REGIMENT, discharged March 16, 1863, disability. He provided a sustitute in 1864.
FROM BURCH & POLK'S EVANSVILLE DIRECTORY, 1871-72, LISTS, ALBERT TAFEL, LABORER, RED: E. 5TH. AVE. BETWEEN 3RD AND 4RH. STS.
Source: Vanderburgh Co. Marriages:
Gafel, Albert
Mary Wolf
October 30, 1856

Children of Albert & Mary:

1. Louis Tafel
-b- Aug. 24, 1857 -d- Jan. 2, 1936
NOTE: 1900 CENSUS GIVES DOB AS AUG. 1858
-m- (1) Mary Pinstrup in 1884. (2)Louisa Schick, Nov. 12, 1885 (3) Katherine Reich/Ruff in 1890. They lived in Tell City, Indiana. Katie was born, Oct. 1870, IN.
CHILDREN OF LOUIS & KATIE:
Peter Louis- Born: Sept. 2, 1891, IN.
Albert: Born: Oct. 10, 1894, IN.
John: Born: Jan. 13, 1899, Died: Jan. 13, 1899
Mildred/Marie: Born: Aug. 21, 1908, IN.

2. GEORGE TAFEL -b- June 15, 1860 -d- Oct 22, 1941 -m- May 26, 1881, Amelia Freda Kirves (parents of HENRY TAFEL)
-b- Sept. 16, 1860 -d- March 22, 1931,  (Daughter of: Heinrich Gotfried Kirves & Amelia Kaiser.

3. Albert Tafel Jr. -b- 1861 -d- July 1, 1869
BURIED: ST. MARY'S CHURCH CEMETERY

4. FRANK Tafel -b- Feb. 29, 1864 -d- Dec. 5, 1881. 17 YRS. 9 MO 16 D.
BURIED: OAK HILL CEMETERY, (never married) Killed in coal mining accident.

5. Mary Elizabeth Tafel -b- Aug. 22, 1867 -d- Jan. 8, 1941,  -m- Peter Berg Aug. 7, 1883

Children of Henry & Olive:
1. Carl Tafel -b- Oct. 6, 1906 -d- July 9, 1967,  -m- Lulabelle Walden

2. Gilbert Tafel -b- Jan. 1, 1913 -d- March 1983 , -m- (1) Eloise Wade (2) Viola Farmer (3) Maggie Bevins (4) Velma Brackett (5) Katherine Henry

3. DOROTHY TAFEL -b- April 30, 1919 (still living) , -m- (1) Elmer Austin Gillihan (2) John Albert Nyhuise

4. Martha Tafel -b- March 21, 1922 (still living),  -m- Oct. 29, 1938 James Adcox

Grandpa GEORGE TAFEL was our family character! He drank too much, told outrageous tall tales and was a bit of a scoundrel, everyone who knew him agrees, he was a lovable character. He was an avid hunter, traveling anywhere that promised abundant game. The following is just one of many stories about our George:

One day, while walking past a local market in Evansville, George was struck by the beauty of a wheelbarrow full of cabbage sitting on the sidewalk. He walked past, turned and walked back, all the while wrestling with the demons which had taken hold of his senses. George lost the battle of wills with himself and before he knew it.....he was wheeling that precious cargo down the street toward home. He had only been home a few minutes when there was a knock at the door. Peeking out through the curtained window, George's worst fear was realized.....The police had already tracked him down. Now, we said he was a scoundral but we didn't say he was stupid and you have to give him credit for quick thinking in a dangerous situation. He had a plan! George quickly ran to his wife's closet and choosing a dress and bonnet, proceeded to change clothes. Wearing this dress, bonnet pulled down low over his face, he walked out the door, nodded his head in greeting to the policemen and walked right on down the street. I guess it didn't take the local law enforcement long to realize they'd been duped and before long, George was taken into custody. He ended up in the Indiana State Prison for that stunt. Finally fed up with her husband's foolish ways, Amelia divorced George while he was serving his sentence. When he was released his charm won her over again though and they re-married soon after.
When he got older Grandpa George mellowed. He slowed down on his drinking, bought a little farm on the outskirts of town and he and Amelia went on with their lives. When Amelia died in 1931 George was devastated. She had been a loyal and loving wife and he just couldn't adjust to life without her. Eventually he met a lady who he was fond of and she went to live with him. He began drinking again and when he drank he was difficult and his new living arrangement wasn't working out. He finally sold his farm and shared the proceeds with his new love. She stayed with him until his share of the money was gone and then she was too. With no money and no home George was forced to live with his daughter Olive's family until his death in 1941.
~

BIRTH RECORDS, VANDERBURGH CO. INDIANA:
CHILD'S NAME-FATHERS NAME-MOTHERS M.-DATE

TAFEL, ALBERT-LOUIS-KATE RUCH-OCT. 10, 1894
TAFEL, ALMA ROSE-OLLIE-AMELIA HUDSON-SEPT. 1919
TAFEL, CARL-HENRY-OLIVE VANBIBBER-OCT. 4, 1905
TAFEL, DOROTHY A.-HENRY-OLIVE VAN BIBBER-APRIL 29, 1919
TAFEL, EDNA-OLLIE-AMELIA HUDSON-OCT. 17, 1911
TAFEL, GILBERT-HENRY-OLIVE VAN BIBBER-JAN. 1, 1915
TAFEL, HAZEL-OLLIE-AMELIA HUDSON-DEC. , 1916
TAFEL, JOHN-LOUIS----SEPT. 2, 1901
TAFEL, LOUIS-LOUIS---SEPT 2, 1891
TFEL, OLIVER-OLLIE-AMELIA WEAVER-AUG. 10, 1914
TAFEL---LOUIS-KATE RUSH-JAN. 13, 1909
TAFEL---GEORGE-AMELIA KIRVES-OCT. 28, 1902
~
MARRIAGES:
LOUIS TAFEL, FATHER: ALBERT, MOTHER: MARY WOLF;
MARRIED MARY PINSTRIP(1) AGE 26, 2-27-1884, MARRIED KATE BETZ(2) AGE 28, 11-12-1885
MARRIED KATIE RUFF (3) AGE 33, 9-11-1890

MARY ELIZABETH TAFEL, FATHER: ALBERT, MOTHER: MARY
PETER BERG, MARRIED, AGE 17, 8-7-1885

MAMIE TAFEL to EARL MCCLURE, OCT. 5, 1905

OLIVER WILLIAM TAFEL to (1) GOLDIE KELLY, (2) AMELIA WEAVER, NOV. 24, 1910

GEORGE TAFEL, FATHER: ALBERT, MOTHER: MARY
MARRIED (1) AMELIA KIRVES, MAY 20, 1881, MARRIED (2) AMELIA KIRVES, JUNE 15, 1901

GOLDIE TAFEL to JOHN TEAGUE, DEC. 4, 1908

HENRY TAFEL, FATHER: GEORGE TAFEL, MOTHER; AMELIA KIRVES,
OLIVE VAN BIBBER, JAN. 8, 1906
~
1860 INDIANA CENSUS, VANDERBURGH CO.
ALBERT FAFEL-23-M-LABORER-NY
MARY-20-F-BAVARIA
LOUIS-3
GEORGE-1
EVEY WOLF-F-14-IN
~
1880 United States Census, Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana
Albert TAFEL- Self- M- Male-W-44-NY-Laborer-GER-GER
Mary TAFEL-Wife-M-Female-W-43-GER-Keeps House-GER-GER
LouisTAFEL-Son-S-Male-W-22-IN-Varnisher-NY GER
George TAFEL-Son-S-Male-W-20-IN-Laborer-NY-GER
Frank TAFEL-Son-S-Male-W-17-IN-Laborer-NY-GER
Lizzie TAFEL-Dau-S--Female-W-13-IN-At School NY-GER

George TAFEL
Birth Year <1858>
Birthplace IN
Age 22
Occupation Machinist
Marital Status S
Race W
Head of Household John RUARK
Relation Other
Father's Birthplace GER
Mother's Birthplace GER
~
1900 INDIANA FEDERAL CENSUS
INDIANA STATE PRISON, MICHIGAN CITY, LAPORTE CO.

GEORGE TOFIL (TAFEL)
BORN JAN 1848-2-DIVORCED
1900 INDIANA CENSUS, PIGEON TWP:

LOUIS TAFEL-AUG 1858-41-IN-GER-GER-DAY LABORER
KATIE-OCT 1870-29-IN-GER-GER
PETER-SEPT 1891-8-IN-IN-IN
ALBERT-OCT 1894-5-IN-IN-IN
CHRISTINA RUCH-SL-JAN 1880-20-IN-IN-IN
FRED RUCH-BL-MAY 1881-20-IN-IN-IN

MARY TAFEL-1837-62-GER-GER-GER-5 CHILDREN-3 LIVING
EVA WOLF-SISTER-DEC 1846-53-GER-GER-GER
~

1920 INDIANA FEDERAL CENSUS, EVANSVILLE, IN.
GEORGE TAFEL-59-SWITCHMAN RAILROAD-IN-US-IS
AMELIA-59-IN-GER-HOLLAND

HENRY TAFEL-38-IN-IN-IN-SHIPPING CLERK
OLIVE-35-IN-US-US
CARL H.-13-IN-IN-IN
GILBERT G.-7-IN-IN-IN
DOROTHY-81/2-IN-IN-IN

LOUIS TAFEL-62-IN-GER-GER-VARNISHER FURNITURE
CATHERINE-49-IN-SWITZ-GER
ALBERT-25-IN-IN-IN
MILDRED-11-IN-IN-IN-
~
VANDERBURGH CO. DEATHS, 1882-1920:

LOUISA TAFEL
FEMALE, WHITE-26-JAN. 10, 1890

TAFEL-MALE-WHITE-AGE?- JAN. 13, 1899
TAFEL-FEMALE-WHITE-AGE?-OCT, 29, 1902
~
SOCIAL SECURITY DEATH INDEX:

Albert TAFEL
Birth Date: 18 Oct 1894
Death Date: Dec 1967
Social Security Number: 311-05-0933
State or Territory Where Number Was Issued: Indiana