Fayette County PA Archives Biographies.....Custer, Augustus September 5, 1856 - ????
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Marta Burns marta43@juno.com September 1, 2024, 10:37 am

Source: Gresham and Wiley, 1889: Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia, Fayette Co, PA, pg 330
Author: John H. Gresham & Samuel T. Wiley

    Augustus Custer was born near the village of Carpowen, 
Germany, September 5, 1856, paternal ancestors of the fifth 
generation migrated in 1732 to Germany from Switzerland, who 
were forced to leave the native on account of the 
persecution of Protestants by the Roman Catholic church.  
    Charles Custer, a native of Germany, was the grandfather 
of Augustus Custer, and he was the grandson of the ancestor 
above mentioned.  
    John Custer, the father of Augustus, was born in Germany 
September 3, 1820.  He learned the tailor's trade but 
followed it only a short time.  
    In 1844 he married a Miss Jackstice of his native 
village and they had three children: Wilhelmina Custer, 
Julius Custer and Charles C Custer.  Julius was a corporal 
in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, and was killed in an 
infantry charge at Courcelles, near Metz in Lorraine.  The 
other two children are married and live in Allegheny City.  
    His first wife died in 1850, and John Custer married 
again in 1855 to Henrietta Heideman of Germany.  By this 
marriage four children were born: Augustus Custer, Augusta 
Custer, Edward Custer and Anna Custer.  
    For eighteen years he was the overseer of lands owned by 
a nobleman, and his income was only sufficient to clothe and 
feed himself and family.
    Auguste Custer was educated in the school of his native 
village, afterwards took a three year course in the graded 
schools.  Immediately after leaving school he came to 
America with his father in 1873.  Eighty dollars in money 
and a scanty outfit of clothing was the entire possession of 
the family on their arrival here.  
    Augustus Custer located in Pittsburgh and engaged as a 
day laborer for one year; he then came to Franklin township, 
Fayette county, and rented a farm and in 1880 he bought a 
farm of seventy acres of land from Josiah King of Perry 
township.  
    When he purchased this land it was a perfect wilderness, 
and the soil exceedingly sterile.  In 1881 he bought was it 
known as the "Robinson tract" from the Robinson heirs of 
Pittsburgh, containing 102 acres, which was in bad condition 
and had been without a tenant for over twenty years. In 1882 
he bought 28 acres of land from David R Snyder.  This land, 
except 28 acres, was all in quite bad condition.  He now has 
about 186 acres in a good condition and is well stocked.  Mr 
Custer has some of the finest blooded stock in the county 
and of which he makes a specialty.  Mr Custer is a good 
example of what industry will do for a man; in less than 
twenty years he has grown wealthy, and is one of the 
representative farmers of Fayette county.  

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2000.

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