1939 - Ottoville Obits

1-3-1939

William Klima

1-18-1939
Sophie Baken
Baken Rites At Ottoville
County Native Died In Toledo Wednesday

Last earthly rites for Mrs. Wardy Baken, of Toledo, former resident of Ottoville, were held Saturday morning at nine o’clock in the Immaculate Conception Church at Ottoville.

Mrs. Baken was the former Miss Sophia Schneider of Ottoville. She passed away unexpectedly at her home in Toledo Wednesday night of last week following a heart attack. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Schneider and was born on December 21, 1899. She resided in Ottoville until ten years ago when she moved to Toledo. She was thirty-nine years of age.

On June 8, 1930 she was married at Toledo to Wardy Baken who survives. She also leaves her parents; a step-daughter, Mrs. Grace Schneider, Toledo; three brothers, Leo, of Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Gregory and Elmer Schneider, of Ottoville; and two sisters, Mrs. Eli Kruse, Elida; and Mrs. Robert Kiefer, Lima. A sister preceded her in death.

The remains were brought from Toledo and taken to the home of her parents until time for the services. Interment was made in the Ottoville parish cemetery.

1-18-1939
Frank Gmeiner
Frank Gmeiner Died Sunday In St. Petersburg
Prominent In County And Local Activities
A Good Citizen
Funeral Services Held Thursday Morning

Frank Gmeiner, a prominent and beloved citizen of Putnam County, was called to his eternal reward at a hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, Sunday afternoon at three-thirty. Word of his death was received in Ottawa by relatives and brought an expression of sadness from his untold number of friends throughout Putnam County.

Me. Gmeiner has spent the last several winters in the south, and became ill last fall shortly after his arrival in St. Petersburg. Complications and infirmities due to his advanced age were the cause of his departure.

Frank Gmeiner occupies an important place in the history of Putnam County. Coming from sturdy Austrian stock, he was a man of high character and high ideals. He was upstanding in every detail and faithful in every performance.

He was born on December 3, 1852, the son of Frank and Mary Gmeiner, and came to this country with his parents from Vorardelberg, Tyrol, Austria, when six years of age. The family located in Sandusky County, near Fremont, where they resided until the close of the Civil War, when the father purchased eighty acres of timber land in Monterey Township, Putnam County, northwest of Ottoville. He was eighty-six years of age.

In October 1875, when Frank Gmeiner was about twenty-three years of age, his father and mother both passed to their eternal home, leaving a family of six children. Frank was the oldest of the family and at his father’s request took his place at the head of the family and took charge of the farm, while a sister, fourteen years of age, immediately became the housekeeper for the orphan children.

Some several years later Frank Gmeiner moved to Ottoville where he and the late J. J. Miller and Andrew Kehres started a tile factory. He continued in that business for about six years and then disposed of his interests and went into partnership with William Gasser in the planing mill at Ottoville. He remained in that business for about seven years, after which he engaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business.

Early in life, Mr. Gmeiner displayed his ability as a leader and executive. He filled many positions of trust and responsibility in his township and county. At the age of twenty-two he was elected justice of the peace and served two terms. He was also called upon frequently to serve as and executor, administrator and guardian of estates. In 1902 he was elected recorder of Putnam County and held that position for a period of seven years.

Following his retirement from county office he continued to reside in Ottawa and engaged in various lines of activity. Interested in anything pertaining to the welfare of the county. During the last quarter century he did a considerable amount of land abstracting, bought and sold real estate, and continued in the legal capacity as administrator and guardian of many estates. His honesty and integrity were of the highest degree. In 1913 he was appointed a member of the Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Putnam County and served in that capacity until the time of prohibition. He also served as councilman of Ottawa and on untold number of committees and commissions for local and county functions.

On June 7, 1893, Mr. Gmeiner was married to Miss Mary Mallifiski of New Washington, Ohio. This couple lived happily together until August 11, 1929, when Mrs. Gmeiner was called to her heavenly reward. No children were born to this union. Mr. Gmeiner was a faithful spouse, a kind and willing neighbor, a true friend. In politics he was a staunch democrat and was always interested in the principles of the party and its candidate.

He was a faithful member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Ottawa and was also affiliated with the local council, Knights of Columbus, of which he was a charter member; the Catholic Knights of Ohio and the Sts. Peter and Paul aid Society.

The remains were brought to Ottawa early Wednesday morning and were taken to the Heringhaus and Pope Funeral Home.

He leaves to mourn their loss, two brothers and two sisters; Mrs. Mary Duvall, Burgettsville, Pa.; Mrs. Joseph Leatherman, of near Findlay; Leonard and George Gmeiner, Ottawa. He is also survived by a number of other relatives and scores of friends. A brother Gebhart, preceded him in death several years ago, and a brother and sister passed away in infancy.

Solemn funeral services were held in Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church at Ottawa, Thursday morning at nine o’clock. Rev. Father Krull, the pastor, was celebrant of the Solemn High Mass, Father Vincent Mallifiski, a nephew, was deacon, and Father Walter Junk, was sub-deacon. The remains were laid to rest in the Catholic Cemetery in Ottoville.

1-27-1939
Edward Eickholt
Rites Held At Ottoville
Edward Eickholt Died Friday Evening

Edward Eickholt, retired farmer of near Ottoville, died at his home one and one-half miles north of Ottoville, Friday evening at eight o’clock. He suffered a stroke of paralysis on January 12th, and on Thursday of last week was stricken the second time, from which attack he failed to rally.

Mr. Eickholt was born northwest of Delphos on December 29, 1859, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Eickholt. At the time of his death he was seventy-nine years of age.

He was untied in marriage to Miss Susan Moore in Tennessee. His wife preceded him in death on July 14th of last year.

He is survived by seven children; Dr. Charles Eickholt, Columbus; Edward, of Alberta, Canada; Dr John Eickholt, Toledo; George, of Columbus; Mrs. Marie Ebbeskotte, northwest of Ottoville; Frank, at home; and Henry, of Columbus. Sixteen grandchildren also survive.

Funeral services were held at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Ottoville, Tuesday morning at nine o’clock. Rev. Sylvester Schnipke officiated. Interment was made in the parish cemetery.

2-6-1939
Frank Fortener
Rites Held At Ottoville
Frank Fortener Died At The Home Of Son

Frank Florian Fortener passed away at the home of his son Robert Fortener in Ottoville Monday morning at six o’clock. Mr. Fortener had been seriously ill for the past two weeks suffering from complications.

Mr. Fortener was born on August 26, 1867, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fortener. In 1892, he was married to Miss Magdalena Krebs, who preceded him in death in 1909. He was seventy-one years of age.

Mr. Fortener spent the greater part of his life as a resident of Delphos and had lived with his son in Ottoville for the last eight years. In addition to his son in Ottoville he leaves another son and three daughters; three brothers; three sisters, and eight grandchildren; Mrs. P. A. Scharf, of Cloverdale, is a sister.

Funeral services were held Wednesday at nine o’clock in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Ottoville. Interment was made in St. John’s Cemetery, Delphos.

3-26-1939
Alexander F. Wannemacher
Postmaster At Ottoville Died Sunday
Alex F. Wannemacher Well Known In County
Rites Wednesday
Submitted To Operation March Twentieth

Alex F. Wannemacher, postmaster of Ottoville, civic leader, and prominent resident of Putnam County, died in St. Rita’s Hospital, Lima, Sunday evening at six o’clock. He was removed to the hospital on Wednesday, March 8th, and underwent a major operation on Monday of last week. His condition became critical on Wednesday of last week.

Mr. Wannemacher was a lifelong and respected citizen of Ottoville. He was born in that village on May 30, 1876, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wannemacher, and at the time of his death was sixty-two years, nine months and twenty-five days of age.

On August 17, 1911 he was united in marriage to Miss Anna Jerwers, at Glandorf. The latter the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Jerwers.

For a large number of years Mr. Wannemacher was a member of the Hardware firm of Charles Wannemacher and Sons in Ottoville. The business was dissolved in 1931. In 1934 Mr. Wannemacher was appointed postmaster of Ottoville and held that position at the time of his departure.

Mr. Wannemacher was active in community, county and civic affairs and was ready willing to promote those programs, which were for the good of the community and its people. He was an honest businessman, and performed his duties as postmaster in a public spirited manner and to the satisfaction of all its patrons.

He was a member of the Democratic Party and believed and worked for its principles for which that party stood. In all of his dealings he stood for honesty and fair play. He performed his duties openly and stood true to his convictions in matters pertaining to public matters.

Mr. and Mrs. Wannemacher were the parents of three daughters, Dorothy, who is on the High School faculty at Ottoville; Louise, a teacher in Calvert High School, Tiffin; and Julianna, office secretary at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Toledo. He also leaves the bereaved widow; three brothers, Joseph C., Lima; John A., Ottoville; Stephen P., also of Lima; a sisters, Miss Fannie Wannemacher, Ottoville. Two brothers preceded him in death.

He was a faithful member of the Immaculate Conception Church at Ottoville and the St. Joseph’s Society of that parish. Funeral services were held in the church Wednesday morning at nine o’clock. Father Henry Gerwert, the pastor, officiated. Interment was made in the parish cemetery.

4-1-1939
Anna Zahm

Requiem high mass will be celebrated at 10 a. m. Tuesday for Miss Anna Zahm, of 955 N. Elizabeth-st, who died early Saturday in St. Rita's hospital. The rites will be held at the Immaculate Conception church at Ottoville with Rev. Father A. A. Sanderson, of Lima, officiating. Burial, with arrangements in charge of Cantwell mortuary, will be in St. Mary's cemetery at Ottoville.

Miss Zahm, who had been a patient at the hospital for four months, was visiting her sister, Mrs. Joseph Vincke, of 955 N. Elizabeth-st, when she became ill. Previous to that time she had been a resident of Toledo for 25 years.

In addition to her sister, she is survived by a brother, Frank, of San Diego, Calif.

The body will remain at Cantwell mortuary until late Monday, when it will be removed to the Elizabeth-st residence where it will remain until time of services.

4-7-1939
John S. Kehres

Funeral services for John Kehres, 65, of Kalida, who died Wednesday in St. Rita’s Hospital, will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Michael’s church in Kalida, with Rev. M. N. Menke in charge. Burial will be made in the church cemetery.

He was born at Ottoville on March 6, 1874 to Charles and Mary C. Hug Kehres. He married Anna Helmkamp in Ottoville on June 6, 1894.

Kehres is survived by his widow and the following children: Alphonse, of Rising Sun; Mrs. Rudolph Smith, of Norwalk, Mrs. Rudolph Deitering, of Ottoville, Othmer and Richard, of Rising Sun, and Mary Jane and Emeline at home.

The body will be removed from the Hartman Sons Funeral Home, Columbus Grove, to the family residence Thursday.

5-7-1939
Clarence Maag
Child Dies At Ottoville
Clarence Maag Called At Parents Home

Funeral services for Clarence Joseph Maag, five –year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Maag at one-half mile west of Ottoville, were held at eight-fifteen o’clock Wednesday morning in the Immaculate Conception Church at Ottoville.

The child passed away at the home of his parents Sunday noon at twelve-thirty after an illness of ten days. His death came suddenly as it was generally believed he was recovering.

He is survived by his parents; two sisters, Julieanne and Dorothy; two brothers, Leo and Edward, all at home; and the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Klima, of Ottoville; and Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Maag, of near Ottawa. The body was interred in Ottoville parish cemetery.

6-26-1939
Benedict Wannemacher (Infant)

8-8-1939
Margaret Kehres

8-20-1939
Margaret Miehls
Services For Mrs. Miehls
Well Known Ottoville Lady Called

Last rites for Mrs. Margaret Miehls, who passed away at her home in Ottoville Sunday afternoon at four o’clock, were held at the Immaculate Conception Church at Ottoville Thursday morning at nine o’clock. Mrs. Miehls had been ill for three months prior to her demise.

She was born at Dubuque, Iowa on June 9, 1857, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kieffer, and at the time of her death was eighty-two years, two months and eleven days of age.

When six years of age she accompanied her parents to Ohio and resided in New Riegel for several years before locating at Ottoville. She was married to George Miehls at Ottoville on May 30, 1881.

Her husband conducted a general store and also served as postmaster of Ottoville for several years. The family later moved to a farm east of Ottoville and returned to that village in 1911. Mr. Miehls passed away in 1931.

Mrs. Miehls was well known in Ottoville and Putnam County. She was a member of the Mother’s Society of the Ottoville parish and also the Catholic Ladies of Columbia.

Seven children survive. They are, Valentine Miehls, New York City; Ed Miehls, Lima; George Miehls, Detroit; Mrs. Henry Perrin, Mrs. Stephen Looser and Mrs. Andrew Eickholt, Ottoville; and Sister Mary Bonifas, of Our Lady of Pines convent, Fremont; surviving also are thirteen grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two brothers, George Kiefer, Swanton; and John Kiefer, Chesaning, Mich.; and one sister, Mrs. Conrad Krebs, Ottoville. Three brothers and three sisters have preceded Mrs. Miehls in death.

9-15-1939
Henry Tithoff
Henry Thithoff Died Friday
Diabetes Caused Death of Ottoville Man

Henry Thithoff, lifelong resident of Ottoville, passed away at the home of his sister, Mrs. G. H. Otte, in that village, Friday morning at nine-fifteen. Mr. Thithoff became ill in June of this year and in August was removed to St. Rita’s Hospital, Lima, where he underwent an operation for a leg amputation. He was a patient in the hospital for five weeks before he was returned to Ottoville. He suffered from diabetes and hardening of the arteries.

Mr. Thithoff was born in Ottoville on February 6, 1884, the son of John and Mary Thithoff. For the past twenty years he operated “Heinie’s Inn” at Ottoville. He was fifty-nine years, seven months and nine days of age at the time of his demise.

He is survived by a brother, Jacob, of Delphos; two sisters, Mrs. August Lucius, Chesaning, Mich.; and Mrs. G. H. Otte, Ottoville; two half-sisters, Mrs. John Sanders, and Mrs. Frank J. Miller, Ottoville; and a half-brother, P. R. Thines, Delphos; and a step-sister, Mrs. Sylvester Sifert, Covington, Ky.

Funeral services were held Monday morning at nine o’clock in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at Ottoville. The pastor, Rev. Henry Gerwert, officiated. Interment was made in the parish cemetery.

9-21-1939
Michael Altenburger (Infant)

9-25-1939
John Warnecke
Died Monday In Hospital
Rites For Mr. Warnecke Held At Ottoville

John Warnecke, highly respected farmer of near Ottoville, died at St. Rita’s Hospital, Lima, Monday morning at seven-thirty. He was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago as a medical patient. Pneumonia was the immediate cause of death. In October of 1938 he suffered a stroke of paralysis and had been in failing health since that time.

Mr. Warnecke was born at Glandorf on May 6, 1868, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Warnecke. When his death occurred he was seventy-one years of age.

On November 15, 1893, he was married to Miss Mary Eggeman at Ft. Jennings. Following their marriage the couple located on a farm near Ottoville and have resided at that place since that time.

Mr. Warnecke is survived by his widow; two daughters, Mrs. Gertrude Harrison, Toledo; and Mrs. Martha Van Oss, East Liberty; four sons, Hubert, Fred, and Urban, Toledo; and Albert, at home. He also leaves five brothers and two sisters. They are, Ben, of Glandorf; Henry Warnecke, Mrs. Minnie Lucke, Mrs. Frank Dulle, and Henry Warnecke, all of Miller City; William, of Ft. Jennings; and Anthony and Charles, of near Delphos. A brother and a sister preceded him in death.

Funeral services were held in the Immaculate Conception Church at Ottoville Thursday morning at nine o’clock and burial was made in the parish cemetery.

11-8-1939
Elizabeth Kehres
Death Call Is Answered
Aged Ottoville Lady Dies After Operation

Miss Elizabeth Kehres, eighty, well known resident of Ottoville, died at one o’clock Wednesday morning in St. Rita’s Hospital, Lima, where she had been a patient for the past week. She suffered from complications for several years. Three years ago she submitted to an operation, which necessitated the amputation of a leg, and a week prior to her death the other leg was amputated when gangrene set in.

She was born on June 28, 1859, in New Riegel, Ohio, and at the age of two moved with her parents to a farm, one and one-half miles east of Ottoville. After the death of her father, in 1892, she and her mother moved to Ottoville, where she spent the remainder of her life. Her mother passed away in 1895.

She is survived by two brothers, John, of one and one-half miles east of Ottoville and Sylvestian, of New Auburn, Ohio. Three brothers and four sisters preceded her in death.

Funeral services will be held Friday morning at nine o’clock in the Immaculate Conception Church. Interment will be made in the church cemetery.

11-13-1939
Henry Biedenharn
Burial Made At Ottoville
Henry Biedenharn Dies In Hospital

Henry H. Biedenharn, a former resident of Ottoville, passed away in St. Rita’s Hospital, Lima, Monday after an illness of three months. He was seventy-four years of age.

Mr. Biedenharn operated a garage at Ottoville for a number of years before moving to Delphos in 1928. He came to Ottoville a number of years before moving to Delphos in 1928. He came to Ottoville from Cincinnati when a child and in 1890 he was married to Miss Catherine Kemper in that village, Mrs. Biedenharn passed away in 1937.

He is survived by six children; Mrs. Albert Wannemacher, of Ottoville; Edmund, of Ft. Jennings; Oscar, Lima; Alphonse, Kent; Gilbert, of Detroit; and Mrs. E. H. Willoughby, and eight grandchildren.

Funeral services were held in St. John’s Church, Delphos Thursday morning at nine o’clock. Interment was made in the Ottoville parish cemetery.