Est. 1502.

Our story is one of endurance and exploration, a narrative that began over five centuries ago. It was established in 1502 with the birth of our patriarch, Johann Rudolph Steiger, in the lakeside municipality of Meilen, Switzerland. For generations, our roots deepened in the cantons of Zürich, forming the ancient foundation of a lineage that would eventually span the globe.

The next great chapter of our history was written by John George Steiger Sr. Born in Württemberg, Germany in 1797, he carried the Steiger spirit across the Atlantic, leaving the Old World to forge a new future in the United States. His settlement in Spencerville, Ohio marked a definitive turning point, planting the family name in American soil.

As the family grew with the nation, Arthur Raymond Steiger Sr. (born 1891) carried our legacy forward, moving from the farmlands of Ohio to Hammond, Indiana. It was there that the modern era of our family began, paving the way for his son, Arthur Raymond Steiger Jr.

Born in Hammond on July 6, 1924, Arthur Jr. stands today as the father of our oldest living generation. His life bridges the gap between history and memory, and it is his enduring spirit that inspired the creation of this archive. We document this journey—from the Swiss Alps to Indiana—to honor him and every Steiger who came before. Because for us, family is not an important thing. It's everything.