Person:Grover Sprunger (2)

ROVER W. SPRUNGER represents the third generation of one of the oldest and most substantial families of Adams County. The Sprungers, like so many others, came originally from Switzerland, are of the Mennonite Church faith, were sturdy farmers in the pioneer days and for many years the name has been very closely associated with the mercantile and manufacturing interests of Berne. Mr. Grover W. Sprunger, who was one of the organizers and is secretary and treasurer of the Dunbar Furniture Manufacturing Company, was born at Berne, June 27, 1890. He is a son of Levi A. Sprunger, president of the Sprunger, Lehman & Company, one of the largest business organizations in Adams County. Levi A. Sprunger was born in Adams County, grew up on a farm and lived with his father until he was twenty-one. Moving to Berne, he was in the sawmill business for five years, until his mill was destroyed by fire. He then took charge as manager of the store of Sprunger, Lehman & Company. Levi A. Sprunger married Matilda Baumgartner, a native of Adams County, and member of another early family of Swiss ancestry. Both her parents were born in Adams County. The children of Levi A. Sprunger and wife are: Alma, born in 1888, wife of Rev. E. J. Neuenschwander, a minister in charge of the Mennonite Church at Halstead, Kansas; Grover W.; Lydia, born February 12, 1892, wife of Harry McCreery, who is with the Battle Creek Sanitarium at Battle Creek, Michigan; Harry, born March 24, 1894, in the plumbing business at Berne, married Freida Neuhauser; Leona, born August 14, 1897, is the wife of Elmer Leichty, a Berne plumber; and Miss Anna, born August 1, 1911, is a student of music at Berne. Grover W. Sprunger was reared and educated at Berne, attended common and high schools there, and on leaving high school became cashier of the Bank of Berne. He was with that institution eight years, this being followed by a wider experience as assistant district manager for the Lincoln Life Insurance Company, having a district comprising eight Indiana counties. He resigned after two years and on October 9, 1919, had a prominent part in organizing the Dunbar Furniture Manufacturing Company, and has since been its secretary and treasurer. This company at the outset bought a small furniture factory owned by Niederhauser & Dunbar at Linn Grove, six miles from Berne. The factory was operated in an old barn. After three months they moved the plant to Berne. The officials at the organization of the company were: E. C. Bierie, president; Rudolph Schug, vice president; Mr. Sprunger, secretary and treasurer; and H. Niederhauser, general manager. At the outset the company manufactured a line of leather-covered rockers, practically all being sold through the Butler Brothers house of Chicago. After two years they undertook the manufacture of three-piece living room sets, resulting in a great increase in volume of business, with the consequent necessity of enlarging the building plant. The next increase was represented by a better grade of living room sets, with full Webb bottoms and all moss filling. Three years later they began putting out a solid mahogany hand-carved line of furniture, and at that time installed a large amount of woodworking machinery. Today the Dunbar Company has the largest upholstery factory in Indiana. This is one of the companies that keep a permanent exhibit in the great furniture mart at Chicago, and the output of their factory is now sold from coast to coast, also in Canada and in Mexico. It is a large business employing several hundred persons, including a corps of traveling salesmen, and from an output valued the first year at eighty thousand dollars, the finished product now represents the value of over one and a half millions of dollars. In addition to his connection with the Dunbar Furniture manufacturing Company Mr. Sprunger is secretary and treasurer of the Homer Furniture Manufacturing Company, is secretary and treasurer of the Berne Overall & Shirt Company, and is a director of the Peoples State Bank. He married, June 17, 1917, Miss Kathrine Neuenschwander, who was born and reared at Fessenden, North Dakota. Her father, Rev. Daniel Neuenschwander, a native of Ohio, has spent the greater part of his active life as a minister of the Reformed Church, and is now living retired at Berne at the age of eighty. Mrs. Sprunger’s mother was Kathrine Schug, who died November 21, 1926, and is buried at Berne. Mr. and Mrs. Sprunger have four children: Kathrine M., born May 4, 1919, Harriet R., born in June, 1923, Harold D., born February 12, 1926, and John H., born June 6, 1927. The children were born in Berne and the two older are attending school there. The family are active members of the Menonnite Church. Mr. Sprunger is a Republican, is president of the Berne Chamber of Commerce and is secretary of the board of education of the city.

Grover W. Sprunger was reared and educated at Berne, attended common and high schools there, and on leaving high school became cashier of the Bank of Berne. He was with that institution eight years, this being followed by a wider experience as assistant district manager for the Lincoln Life Insurance Company, having a district comprising eight Indiana counties. He resigned after two years and on October 9, 1919, had a prominent part in organizing the Dunbar Furniture Manufacturing Company, and has since been its secretary and treasurer.