Joseph M. Dronenburg

From History of Frederick County. p. 1074-1075:

Joseph M. Dronenburg, general manager for Scoll Bros., dealers in carpets and furniture, in Frederick City, Md,, son of the late John T. and Annie (Dixon) Dronenburg, was born in Ijamsville, New Market District, Frederick County, Md., May 17, 1873.

Mr. Dronenburg’s great-grandfather, Jacob Dronenburg, came from Germany in company with two brothers and settled in Frederick County, Md., where he owned a smithy in which he carried on a successful business. He married and among his children was a son named Jacob.

Jacob Dronenburg, grandfather of Joseph M. Dronenburg, was born in Clarksburg. He was educated in the public schools of his native district, and learned masonry and plastering. He was a skilled workman and did the stone work and the plastering for some of the finest buildings in Frederick County. He was very successful in business and after years of hard work, he gave up his trades, purchased a farm near Urbana, and devoted the rest of his life to cultivating and improving his property. Mr. Dronenburg was a Republican, and for a number of years held the office of postmaster in Urbana, where he was highly esteemed as a citizen. Jacob Dronenburg was married to Mary M. Madery. Their children are: 1, John T.; 2, Jane, married to Joseph Brandenburg, a farmer and former tax collector of Carroll County, Md.; 3, Lucy A., widow of the late James Murray, who was a contractor of Carroll County.

John T. Dronenburg, father of Joseph M. Dronenburg, was born in Urbana, Frederick County, Md., in 1842. He was educated in a private school and learned blacksmithing. He was successful as a smith but when the Civil War broke out, and Cole’s Cavalry was organized, Mr. Dronenburg enlisted and served for three years and nine months. After the close of the war, he returned to Frederick County and opened a smithy on East Patrick street, Frederick, in the property now owned by Mr. Seeger. After carrying on a successful business for some time, Mr. Dronenburg removed to a place now called Pearl, but in a few years he returned to Ijamsville, and purchased a smithy in which he was doing a good business when he was killed by an accident on the Baltimore and Ohio R. R., January 17th, 1891. Mr. Dronenburg was a hard working man and a good citizen. His death was a shock to the community. He was a member of Reynolds Post, G. A. R., of Frederick. He is buried in the cemetery of the Methodist Church in Urbana. His widow resides in Ijamsville. John T. Dronenburg was married to Annie, daughter of Joshua and Mary (Getzendanner) Dixon, whose father was a retired farmer of Baltimore, Md. Their children are: 1, Cora (Mrs. Charles Hopkins), of Brooklyn, N. Y.; 2, Lillie G., married to Garrot Linthum, a carpenter of Ijamsville; 3, Lucy D. (Mrs. Ignatius Page), of Ijamsville; 4, Joseph M.; 5, John J., collector and salesman, Frederick, Md,; 6, Mary S. (Mrs. William Etchison), of New Market, Md.; 7, Margaret E., teacher, at home. Mr. Dronenburg and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Ijamsville, to which he contributed liberally. He was a Republican, and belonged to the Improved Order of Red Men, of New Market.

Joseph M, Dronenburg was educated in the public schools of Ijamsville, and remained with his parents until after the death of his father, when he accepted a clerkship in the office of the Old City Passenger R. R. Company of Baltimore. When this road was consolidated with the United Railway Company, Mr. Dronenburg was made one of the division superintendents. After holding this position for five years, he resigned to accept a clerkship with Scoll Brothers, doing business on the installment plan in Baltimore. After serving the firm acceptably for two years in Baltimore, Mr. Dronenburg was sent to Frederick to open a branch store. He is very successful as general manager of the business, and carries a full line of furniture, carpets, and all house furnishing goods. This is the best equipped installment house in Western Maryland, Mr. Dronenburg attends closely to business and accommodates his patrons in every possible way. He is a Republican, interested in all that concerns the progress of the community. He belongs to Mountain City Lodge, No. 29, K. of P., of Frederick.

Joseph M. Dronenburg was married to Eva, daughter of Valentine and Hannah Horn. They have no children. Mr. Dronenburg and his wife are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, of Frederick, Md.