John Dubon was born in Hagenbach, Bavaria (Rhineland-Palatinate) in August of 1830. He came to America around 1856.
In about 1862 John married Anna Margaret (a.k.a. Margaret) Marquardt. Margaret had also emigrated from Bavaria, in about 1857. How they met and where they married is still unknown.
John and Margaret came to Fosters Meadow in 1869 when they bought land to farm. Their property was located on Merrick Road, near where 225th Street is today. They came with three children--their next three children were born in Fosters Meadow and were baptized at St. Boniface Catholic Church, where they became active parishioners. In 1871 John and Margaret were among the sponsors of church bells bought for St. Boniface’s new church. John also served on the auditing committee for the Elmont Catholic Benevolent Legion.
John Dubon lived on his farm in Fosters Meadow until his death in 1904 at the age of 72. Margaret died a few years later in 1907. John and Margaret are buried together in St. Boniface Cemetery. Their love for family, their Catholic faith, community and farming lives on today in the lives of their children, grandchildren and countless descendants, some of whom still farm today.
John and Margaret had 6 children:
They had 7 children:
Joseph was also a farmer who lived adjacent to where he had grown up. He and Magdalene are buried in St. Boniface Cemetery along with several of their children.
They had 8 children:
John farmed on property next to his parents, as did his brother Joseph. John belonged to the Farmers Light Brigade and was an accomplished marksman, winning several competitions. John was very active in the community as well and held the title of Vice President of the Springfield National Bank.
In 1905 when the new Catholic parish of St. Mary Magdalene was formed in Springfield the Dubons became active members, as it was closer to their home. Some of their children attended the new parish grammar school, which opened 1913. When a new church building was erected in 1924, John dedicated a beautiful stained glass window to his wife Maria, who had died in 1921.
When John died in 1928, he remembered both Father John Tinney, pastor of St. Mary’s, and Father Joseph Goeller* of St. Clare’s Church in Rosedale in his will. John and Maria are buried together in St. Boniface Cemetery, along with John’s parents.
When John and Maria married, Maria was the widow of Louis Muller* (1864-1893) with 2 children:
John and Maria then had 6 children of their own, all baptized in St. Boniface Church:
They had 2 children:
Margaret was widowed; she then married John Richter* in 1900.
They then had 2 children:
*Denotes other Fosters Meadow family names.
Submitted by The Dubon Family, Maureen, Carol and Erin