Ottoville's First Families

George E. Altenburger

The record of George E. Altenburger is that of a man who, by his own unaided efforts, has worked his way from a modest beginning to a position of influence in his community. His life has been one of unceasing industry and perseverance. The systematic and honest methods he has followed have won for, him the unbounded confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens in Putnam county, whose interests he has ever had at heart and for which he has always labored. George E. Altenburger is a well-known business man of Ottoville, Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio. He is interested in the real estate, loan and insurance business, and, during recent years, has built up a comfortable and growing business.
George E. Altenburger was born on August 27, 1867, in Auglaize county, Ohio. He is the son of Peter and Mary (Miller) Altenburger. Peter Altenburger was a native of Alsace, France. His wife, who before her marriage was Mary Miller, was born in Alsace and came with her parents to the United States at the age of two years. They settled at Waynesburg, Ohio, in Stark county. Peter Altenburger came to this country about 1838 and settled in, Stark county. He was born in July, in 1818. His wife was born in 1830. Peter Altenburger served in the regular army of France for six years and three months. He and his wife were married in Stark county, Ohio. They were the parents of eleven children, nine of whom are living, one dying in infancy; John died at the age of fifty; Louis lives at Delphos, where he is a retired farmer; Magdeline is the wife of Joseph Krabach. They live at Wapakoneta; Joseph lives in Monterey township; Peter, Jr., lives at Bodkins, Ohio, where he is a contractor and builder; Mary is the wife of John Hohlbein, and they live in Jackson township ; Andrew lives in Cloverdale, Ohio; George E. is the subject of this sketch; Flora lives at Ottoville with George E.; William died at the age of two years; F. X. Altenburger lives at Delphos, Ohio, where he is in the real estate and insurance business.
Peter Altenburger was a farmer and followed this occupation in Stark county, Ohio. After living for some time in Stark county, he removed to Auglaize county, where he was engaged in farming until about 1877, when he removed to Van Wert county. There he followed farming until about 1898, when he retired and moved to Ottoville. He died in Ottoville in August, 1905. His wife died on April 14, 1910. Both were devoted members of the Catholic church. During the Civil War, Peter Altenburger drilled two companies at Waynesburg, Ohio, and was appointed captain, but was unable to serve.
George Altenburger received his education in the public schools of Van Wert county and in 1894 began clerking for the firm of Winkelman & Vincke, at Ottoville, where he was employed for about ten years. He opened a general insurance office at Ottoville in 1904, where he also conducted a real estate and loan business. Mr. Altenburger is a justice of the peace, notary public and secretary of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company, at Ottoville. He assisted in the organization of this company, in 1904, and has been secretary since that time. Mr. Altenburger is a director and vice-president of the Building and Loan Savings Company at Ottoville.
George Altenburger was married on September 29, 1897, to Dora. Schlagbaum, a daughter of Bernard and Clara (Helmkamp) Schlagbaum. To this union five children were born. Alberta was born July 4, 1898. Clara. was born May 2, 1900. George was born May 17, 1903. Lovena was born November 27, 1914. Walter was born December 25, 1906. Mrs. George E. Altenburger died April 4, 1907.

Bernard Schlagbaum, the father of Mrs. George E. Altenburger is a successful farmer of Monterey township. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, February 26, 1840, and here his parents were married. They were both natives of Germany and had ten children, Bernard Schlagbaum, the father of Mrs. Altenburger, was brought to Putnam county by his parents when three years of age. They settled on a farm of eighty acres, one mile east of Ottoville where the father and sons worked to clear the timber off the land. Mrs. Altenburger’s father was married on February 12, 1874, to Clara Anna Helmkamp, who was born in Hanover, Germany, July 24, 1846, her maiden name being Grave. Her parents came to the United States at an early date and settled at Delphos, Ohio. She first married Bernard Helmkamp and they had two children. After his death, she married Mr. Schlagbaum. Mrs. Altenburger was one of five children.
George E. Altenburger is an ardent Democrat, has served as assessor of Ottoville and of Monterey township, and has discharged the duties of these offices in a most creditable manner. Fraternally, he is a member of the Catholic Knights of Ohio, and a member of the Eagles, at Delphos, Ohio. All of the members of the Altenburger family are devoted to the Catholic church. They are liberal contributors to the support of this church and influential in its membership.

George Barth

Henry William Beckman

From 1880 History of Putnam County

Son of H. W. and Catherine Beckman, was born in Putnam County in 1850, and married at Ottoville, May 21, 1877, Louise Rechart, daughter of Joseph and Catherine Rechart. Has one child, Catherine, born May 16, 1878. Business, hotel and saloon keeper.

Gerhard Beckman

Sebastian Bendele

Sebastian Bendele, a practical farmer of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, and a son of Sebastian and Catherine (Sharer) Bendele, was born in Alsace, France (since 1871 a province of Germany), February 9, 1839. (In this connection the reader is respectfully referred to the sketch of Martin Bendele, given below.) In October, 1852, the family reached Ottoville, Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, our subject being then a lad of thirteen years. He had gained some knowledge of the French and German languages before leaving his native land, and his after education was acquired in the little log school of his district in Monterey township. This temple of learning was sixteen feet front by eighteen feet in depth, was built of round logs chinked with clay; the writing desk was a split log set against one wall of the cabin interior and held up with pins of wood, and the rude seats were made in the same manner. But Sebastian and his brother found the task of making a living of more paramount importance than that of attaining a literary education and farm duties more imperative than those of the school-room, and three months attendance at the latter terminated their pursuit of knowledge.

The forty-acre tract, which the family had settled had to be cleared. The father had expended his last dollar for his land and for some supplies, consisting of two barrels of flour, an ax, two iron wedges, two hoes, etc. The work of clearing a space for the erection of a cabin was begun, and in the spring of 1853, with the aid of sundry hospitable pioneer

neighbors, the dwelling was completed. It was built of round logs, and was 22x18 feet square, and roofed with clap-boards, held down by withe-poles. With the help of the father the boys cleared four acres of land, and with the aid of the hoe, corn was planted between the stumps and under some of the high trees bordering the clearing, and a fair crop was raised, on which the family lived the first year, with the addition of a few potatoes, some garden stuff and coffee. A part of the time the father worked on the railroad, while the sons did the farm work and continued the clearing. The boys would also pick up a little money by cutting hickory hoop-poles and selling them at Delphos for a few pennies, and thus assisted the father in bearing his burden. The boys had to go to Delphos to mill, carrying a peck to a half bushel of corn on their backs, following the canal bank, and returning with the meal at night, through the woods, with birch bark torches to light the way. At one time there was a grist-mill at Fort Jennings, to which place, however, there was no road. This mill was run by Louis Boehmer, then a young man, whose biography may be found on another page. On one occasion the two brothers, Sebastain and Martin, carried the usual grist on their backs through the roads to this mill, taking with them, in their pockets, the last piece of bread in the house for lunch, and wading through water almost waist deep the entire distance. By the time they reached the mill they had eaten their bread, and when Louis Boehmer had ground their corn they were still wet, tired and hungry. On getting possession of the meal they started on their return home, but on the way ate heartily of their uncooked burden, and were sorely afraid of the consequences when the good mother should miss a portion of her treasure. And thus the pioneers tided over the interval until the reign of plenty came, which was but a short time afterward. The father, Sebastian Bendele, while the boys were hard at work on the farm, devoted his time to whatever he could find to do, sometimes working for fifty cents per day.

At the age of seventeen years, Sebastian, our subject, also began working out at four dollars per month for farming, and then drove a team of two yoke of oxen from Ottoville; at nine dollars per month. At the age of twenty-one he went to Seneca county and drove an ox team for seventy-five cents or one dollar per day. After his return home, he farmed for a short time on the homestead, in the interest of the family, or until the father's death. At the age of twenty-nine he was married at Ottoville, by Father Mueller, May 7, 1868, this being the second ceremony of the kind performed here by the reverend gentleman. The bride was Miss Catherine Herzog, who was born December 19, 1844, in Baden, Germany, a daughter of Carl and Gertrude (Hans) Herzog. The father was a stone-mason by trade, and he and wife were the parents of the following children: Sophia (who died at the age of fifteen years), Catherine, Emma, Theresa, Fannie (who died a young woman) and Charles; all born in Baden. The father there died at about the age of fifty years, a member of the Catholic church, and a well-to-do and highly respected gentleman. Of the children, Catherine, Fannie and Charles came to America, but at different times; the other members of the family remained at home.

After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Bendele settled on the eighty acres in section No. 23, which his father had bought after selling his first forty-acre tract, and which our subject assisted by his brother Martin, bad cleared up and on which he still continues to reside, but which he has increased to 120 acres, all being well cleared and improved. To the happy union of Sebastian Bendele and his wife have been born eleven children, in the following order; Rosa, Anthony, Katie, Helena, Mary, Annie, Bridget, Matilda, Sebastian, Barbara and Leo. The family are all members of the St. Mary's Catholic church at Ottoville. Mr. Bendele assisted to build the original Church edifice with his own hands, and the present magnificent stone structure, an account of both of, which will be found in the biography of Father M. Mueller, Mr. Bendele has ever been a stanch and liberal supporter of this congregation and is at present a representative member of the church council. In his politics Bendele is a democrat and has been for a number of years a member of the school board. By his own hard work, assisted willingly since marriage by his faithful wife, Mr. Bendele has carved out from the wilderness a handsome profitable farm and made a most happy home, and has reared a large and respected family. He has seen all the wonderful changes that have taken place since the days when the pioneers passed through miles of woods to church, carrying a rifle or shotgun, and shooting game for their families as they journeyed back and forth to and from their homes, until now when neither forest nor game is to be seen and in their places blooming fields of grain, orchards and domestic animals, and in bring about this mighty transformation he taken no insignificant part. To the labors of such as he is the gratitude of the present generation due for the civilization, which it enjoys.

Martin Bendele

Martin Bendele, one of the enterprising and successful farmers of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, was born in Alsace, France (now Germany), December 6, 1842, a son of Sebastian and Catherine (Scharer) Bendele. The father, Sebastian, also a native of Alsace, was born in the village of Eggesheim in February, 1811, was reared a farmer, and August 12, 1838, married, at Kaltenbach, a widow, Marie Catherine Scharer, the union resulting in the birth of three children-Sebastian, Helen and Martin. In 1852 the family came to America, and after a voyage of forty days from Havre de Grace landed safely in New York, on the 5th day of May, whence they came directly to Ohio, and after stopping a few days with a relative in Seneca county, reached Putnam county in the latter part of October of the same year. Mr. Bendele, at Defiance, entered forty acres of land now occupied by Aaron Huysman in Monterey township, which, aided by his children, he converted into a good farm, and also bought the eighty acres on which his son Sebastian now lives. He was a strict Catholic, aided in building the first church of that denomination in Ottoville, and died in the faith in 1864.

Martin Bendele, our subject, was nine years of age when brought to Monterey township by his parents. He distinctly remembers the departure of the family from his native village for America; their detention at Havre for twenty days; the voyage across the ocean and the arrival in this country, and all the incidents following up to arrival at Ottoville (they being the seventh of the German Catholic families to arrive here), and the lone store, the sawmill and three or four cabins scattered here and there. When he could be spared from his share of the work required in clearing off the farms spoken of above, he was permitted to attend the old log school-house for a few weeks, and so reached the years of manhood among the pioneers. January 12, 1870, he was united in marriage, at Ottoville, with Miss Helena Sanders, who was born in Seneca, County, Ohio, June 24, 1846, a daughter of William and Mary (Kelly) Sanders. The father William Sanders was a native of Pennsylvania, of German extraction, and a son of one of the original pioneers of Seneca county, Ohio. In 1855 William Sanders brought his family to Allen county, remained one year, and then, in 1856, came to Monterey township, Putnam county, partly cleared up eighty acres of land from the wilderness, and died three years later, aged about forty years. His widow, aided by her sons, subsequently succeeded in clearing up the farm in full, and on this she still lives. Of her family of seven children, two only are now living, John and Helena.

After marriage Martin Bendele and wife settled on a farm of sixty acres, which had been partially cleared. To this he added until he now owns a fine place of 100 acres, all cleared and improved, including a model barn that cost $1,000 in cash to erect, and $500 in addition for labor, timber cut off the place, hauling, and incidentals. It is a surpassingly fine structure for the purpose and unexcelled by any barn in Putnam county, and its surrounding improvements are made on an equal scale of beauty and durability. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Bendele has been blessed with the unusually large family of fourteen children, of whom only one has been called away, the thirteen survivors being named, in order of birth, as follows: Susannah, Nicholas S., Joseph, Mary S., Catherine, Wilhelmina, Frank H., John, William S., Charles, Martin, Peter and Clara. The family are members of the St. Mary's Catholic church at Ottoville, of which Mr. Bendele has been a member of the council for nearly eight years. In politics he is a democrat and has been a school director. He is a thoroughly practical farmer as well as businessman, and has done much toward redeeming Monterey township from a wilderness and in making it a paradise of civilized prosperity, praise for her substantial and earnest efforts in

supporting him in all his worthy undertakings and in bringing them to so successful an issue.

Franz Bodenhorst

Gerhard Brandehoff

John Brandehoff

Christopher Breidholt

Frank Brinkman

Frank G. Brinkman, one of the substantial farmers of Jennings Township, Putnam County, Ohio, is a son of one of the pioneers of the township, and is of sturdy German stock. Leopold Brinkman, grandfather of our subject, was a native of Westphalia, Prussia, was a farmer, and married Elizabeth Pitzes, the union resulting in the birth of five children: Herman, Bernard, Henry, Frank and Annie. Leopold Brinkman lived until the advanced age of eighty-seven years, and died on his farm in Prussia, in the faith of the Catholic Church.

Frank H. Brinkman, the father of Frank G., our subject, was born on his father's farm, in Westphalia, December 10, 1820, and came to America in 1848 or 1849, in the sailing vessel Antoinette, from Bremen, making the voyage in fifty-six days, and landing in New York.

He located first in Cincinnati, and married, June 10, 1851, Elizabeth Winkleman, who was born October 18, 1825, in Westphalia, a daughter of Bernard and Annie M. (Arens) Winkleman. Bernard Winkleman was also a native of Westphalia, and was a farmer, and served his time in the Prussian army. To his marriage were born three children Therese, Matthias and Elizabeth. He came to the United States in the fall of 1845, sailing from Bremen and bound for New Orleans, but his vessel, the Burgundy, stranded in the English channel two and a half days later, and the passengers were taken to London and thence forwarded to New Orleans, but in the voyage the vessel was ravaged by fever and cholera, and the mother and a brother, Theodore, died of the latter disorder. Bernard Winkleman and a daughter reached St. Louis, and there he also died of cholera in the fall of 1846. Mrs. Brinkman and her brother, Matthias, then proceeded to Cincinnati, where she worked as a domestic until her marriage to our subject. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Brinkman resided in Cincinnati until 1856, and then moved to Delphos. He had already purchased the eighty acres of land on which he now lives in

1853 and settled thereon in 1857. It was all woods and swamp, but he erected a log cabin and cleared away little by little of his farm as he could spare time from his day's work at Ottoville and Delphos. By hard work, however, he succeeded in wresting a first-class farm from the wilderness, and in rearing five children, viz: Matthias, Elizabeth, Erhard, Annie and Frank G. The eldest was born in Cincinnati and the remainder on the farm in the order named.

Mr. and Mrs. Brinkman and family were all ardent members of the Catholic Church. He manifested his devotion to his faith by contributing $300 in cash and $100 in labor, a total of $400 to the erection of the magnificent Catholic house of worship in Ottoville, and in that faith he died on his farm at the age of seventy years, nine months and nine days, having been in politics a democrat. Frank G. Brinkman was born September 14, 1866, and received a good common-school education. He has always been a farmer, and is one of most enterprising in his township. Matthias Winkleman, brother of Mrs. Brinkman and father of Max Winkleman, whose biography will be found on another page, was born in Westphalia, Prussia, March 2, 1827, and came to America when a young man, three years before his father probably about 1842 and landed at New Orleans, say at the age of sixteen years, and, coming north, learned the tinner’s trade at Xenia, Ohio. He removed to Delphos early in 1852 or 1853, and entered the farm on which Frank G. Brinkman lives, Mr. Winkleman purchasing it in 1853. Mathias Winkleman then moved to Delphos and there married Frances Michel.

John Dallenmeyer

Clement Eickholt

Henry Ernst

It cannot be other than interesting to note, in the series of personal sketches appearing in this work, the varying conditions that have compassed those whose careers are here outlined, and thus it has been made in each case to throw well focused light on the individuality and to bring to proper perspective the scheme of each career. Each man who strives to fill his part in connection with human life and human activities, deserves recognition, whatever may be his field of endeavor. It is the function of works of this nature to perpetuate for future generations an authentic record of those represented in its pages and the value of such publications is certain to be cumulative for all time to come, showing forth the individual and specific accomplishments of each community.

Henry Ernst, the subject of this sketch, is a well known merchant of Ottoville. Henry Ernst was born on February 27, 1859, in Huron county, Ohio, the son of William and Catherine (Leis) Ernst. William Ernst was a native of Westphalia, Prussia, and his wife was born in Bavaria. They were married in New York city. William Ernst came to the United States in 1852, and worked in New York for a time. After his marriage, he and his wife came west to Ohio, settling in Huron county. Ten children were born to them, five sons and five daughters. Six are now living, Kate, the wife of Joseph Fritz, of Huron county; Sophia, the wife of John Miller, also of Huron county; Margaret, the wife of Kinney Cole, of near Norwalk, Huron county, Ohio; Henry, the subject of this sketch; Anthony, who lives in San Francisco, California, and Peter, who lives in Michigan. After coming to Ohio, William Ernst was a farmer and followed this occupation the remainder of his life. He died on November 14, 1893, and his wife died on October 25, I880.
Henry Ernst received a common school education. He learned the brickmaker’s trade in I883, and came to Ottoville, where he was foreman of a brick yard for two years. During this period, he made brick for the Catholic church. He began life for himself in 1886 and engaged in the manufacture of brick, which he continued for several years. In connection with this industry, he was also engaged in farming during this period and for two years was engaged in making butter. He purchased an interest in the J. J. Miller Company, in 1894, which operates the largest general store in Ottoville.
Henry Ernest Was married on November 24, 1885, to Theresia Wannemacher, the daughter of Peter and Agnes (Neher) Wannemacher, both natives of Wurtemberg, Germany. They came to Putnam county in 1854, where they settled on a farm. Prior to their coming to Putnam county, they lived for a short time in Cincinnati. Peter Wannemacher operated a saw-mill and also owned a boat on the canal, which ran between Cincinnati and Toledo, Ohio. He died on October 17, 1912, and his wife died on January 19, 1892.
To Henry and Theresia (Wannemacher) Ernst, eleven children have been born, only two of whom are now living. Nine of them died in infancy. The two living children are Mary W., who is a graduate of Notre Dame University and lives at home, and Albina S., who graduated from the high school at Ottoville and lives at home.
Mr. Ernst is a Democrat and he and his family are members of the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Ottoville. Mr. Ernst is a member of the Catholic Knights of Ohio.
Mr. Ernst has made a splendid success of his business at Ottoville, which has been founded upon honesty and square dealings with his patrons. He is highly respected in the community and honored for his sterling, upright character.

John Exner

b.1808 d. February 14, 1881 Ottoville Ohio

Stephen Frantz

John Freiburger Sr.

John Freiburger Jr.

Joseph Conrad Fournier

Joseph C. Fournier, with his Wife and child, had come to America in 1848, lived for a while in Seneca county; Ohio, then came to Monterey township, Putnam county, where, in 1851, Mr. Fournier bought eighty acres of land that he worked out from a wilderness into a blooming garden of grain and fruit. He here also followed the profession of a veterinary surgeon, and at one time was coroner of Putnam county, holding the office for several terms. He died at the age of about sixty-six years, and to the last day of his life was a sound democrat.

William Gasser

William Gasser, is a prominent business man of the thriving village of Ottoville, Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, and a member of the firm of Gmeiner & Gasser, proprietors of a planing-mill and manfacturer of all kinds of dressed lumber. He was born in Bregeny, Austria, December23, 1859, a son of Ferdinand and Rose (Flatz) Gasser, the former of whom was born August 18, 1828, at the same plaice-,"_and. was a farmer and hotel keeper. The farm comprised nineteen acres and the hotel. was of brick, two and a half stories high, and Mr. Gasser was a man. in good circumstances. His marriage took place With Rosa Flatz in 1854. This lady was born September 4, 1820, a daughter of Gebhardt Flatz, and this union resulted in the birth of thirteen children, nine of whom are still living, Mary Catherine, Annie M., Johanna, Gebhardt, Anna S., William, Rosa and Martina. In 1883, in the month of February, Ferdinand Gasser came to America and located in Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, buying a farm of 167 acres, on which he passed the remainder of his days, dying August 18, 1885, a member of the Catholic church.
William Gasser, our subject, received an excellent education in the old country, learned the carpenter’s trade, and at the age of twenty-two years came to this country, leaving Rotterdam, Holland, September 10, 1881, on the steamer W. A. Scholten, and landing in New York, September 24, 1881. Some ten days later he came to Putnam county, Ohio, and engaged in the cultivation of fifty acres of land three miles north of Ottoville. A year or so later he sold this. land and bought eighty acres four and a half miles north, of which sixty acres had been cleared. Mr. Gasser married, October 25, 1887, Theresia Gruber, who was born May 25, 1867, a daughter of Joseph and Mary (Jacklin) Gruber, the former a substantial. farmer of Jackson township, Van Wert; county, Ohio. This. union has resulted in thei birth of , six children, named Joseph F., Theresia E., Rose, Mary, William, and Victoria.

In 1889 Mr. Gasser sold his farm, moved to Ottoville, and bought an interest in they planing-mill with Frank Gmeiner, since which time they have been doing a most successful, business. He has built for himself a neat and tasteful residence in Ottoville, and is very pleasantly situated. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church, to which he is a liberal contributor, and he is also secretary of the order of Catholic Knights of Ohio. He is a democrat in his politics, a member of the town council of Ottoville, and is township treasurer of Monterey; he is also first assistant foreman of the fire department, and is a useful citizen generally. He is popular in the community and with his party, and as a business man and all others with Whom he has any dealings, whether as buyer or seller.

Frank H. Giesken

Frank Henry Giesken, a substantial farmer of Monterey township. Putnam county, and at present school director of his district, was born in Glandorf, Ohio, February 21, 1849. His father, John Giesken, was born in Hanover, Germany, October 11, 1805, and at thirty-three years of age became a pioneer of Glandorf, Putnam county, settling on eighty acres of land, which he bought in the woods. His wife, Clementine Reaman, whom he married in 1834, was born March 19, 1820, in Oldenburg, Germany, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Schau) Reaman, also pioneers of Glandorf, and the parents of three children; John, Mary, and Clementine. John Giesken, the father of our subject, increased his eighty-acre farm to 160 acres, cleared up a first-class farm, and died June 29, 1893, in the faith of the church of Rome, and the father of ten children, viz: John, Elizabeth, Clara, Mary (who died an infant), Henry, Katie (who died a married woman), Clementine (who died at the age of thirty-three years), Joseph (who died when thirty-one years old), Frank H. (our subject) and Bernard.

Frank Henry Giesken was educated in both the German and English languages, and was reared to farm life. At the age of twenty-three years he was married, at Glandorf, to Miss Wilhelmina Schmidt, who was born, in that village, November 30, 1855, a daughter of Jacob and Wilhelmina (Harb) Schmidt. Jacob Schmidt (or, as the name is now spelled, Smith) was born in Rhine Biron, Germany, in 1821, and came to America with his father (also named Jacob) and family, about 1838, and settled near Sandusky city; Erie county, Ohio. May 15, 1848, he married, in that city, Miss Harb, who was born in Baden, Germany, about 1828 or 1829, a daughter of Hubbard and Cecilia (Anselm), Harb, who settled on forty acres of land near Sandusky city about 1842, and there Hubbard died at the age of eighty-three years, the father of the following children; Louis, Wilhelmina, Antone, Appolonia, Cecilia, Amelia and Hubbard. Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Smith, Jr., after their marriage, settled at Glandorf, on 100 acres of woodland, but Mr. Smith was here taken sick and died, June 19, 1866, the father of the following family: Jacob, Hubbard, Cecilia, Wilhelmina, John, Antone (died in infancy), Mary and Theresa, After a widowhood of ten years, Mrs. Jacob Smith, Jr., married, November 14, 1876, at Glandorf, William Rampe, a shoemaker by trade, who died November 30, 1893. Mrs. Rampe is now a resident of Glandorf and is much respected for her many virtues.
After his marriage Frank Henry Giesken went to housekeeping in a hewn log cabin on a tract of eighty acres, ten of which had been cleared. Through his industry he has increased this farm to 120 acres, and through the exercise of the same commendable quality he has now ninety acres cleared. To Mr. and Mrs. Giesken have been born five children, named as follows: Harmon J., William, Louis, Katie and Cecilia, the family being all members of the Catholic church, and the father having been a liberal contributor to the  building of the present magnificent Catholic edifice at Ottoville. In politics Mr. Giesken is a democrat, and has the full confidence of his party. For the past four years he has been a member of the school board. He is a gentleman of unwonted energy and industry, and, aided by his faithful wife, has, through persistent labor and thrift, gained the property that now places him and his family beyond the reach of pecuniary suffering. He stands high in the estimation of his fellow-citizens, and his homestead gives evidence that brains and good management have brought it to its present excellent condition.

John Gillet

Frank and George Gmeiner

Frank Gmeiner, a leading businessman of the thriving little city of Ottoville, Putnam county, Ohio, was born in Tyrol, Austria, December 3, 1853, a son of George Gmeiner, one of the pioneers of Monterey township, and an ex-soldier of our late Civil war, and of whom. more may be learned from the sketch of Leonard Gmeiner, published below. Frank Gmeiner had attended school in his native land but two months, and had but little more than learned his letters, when his father decided to leave for America, and accordingly embarked at Havre, France, with his family, in 1859, and after a voyage of thirty-two days landed in the port of New York, whence they came directly to Ohio, and here the father purchased forty acres of land nine miles from Fremont, but all in the wilderness. He had barely succeeded, by hard work and indomitable industry, in clearing up a farm, when he enlisted, under Capt. Antony Young, for nine months, in the Seventy-second Ohio volunteer infantry. His, service, however, lasted ten months, during which he took part in the engagements at Memphis, Tenn, and Vicksburg, Miss, and received an honorable discharge at the latter place at the expiration of the ’ time mentioned. His active service was interrupted only by a short detention ‘ in hospital by chronic-diarrhea, otherwise he was constantly on duty. On his return to Fremont he sold his farm to a comrade, and in April, 1864, came to Putnam county and bought a tract of eighty acres in the woods in the northwest part of Monterey township. Here he first rented an old school-house as a shelter for his family, while he cleared away a space in the woods for a log cabin, which, through the kindly assistance of his neighbors, was soon erected.
Frank Gmeiner, our subject, was but eleven years of age when the family settled in Putnam county, and was the sole assistant of his father, he being the eldest son, and the next son but five years, old. Frank was, therefore, early inured to the hard Work of clearing land and pioneer farming, and was thus employed on the home place until four« teen years of age, when he went to Sandusky county and began working out as a farm hand for strangers. The father now bought forty acres adjoining the homestead, upon which Frank, from his earnings of $8 per month, made the first payment of $50, and later met the whole cost, amounting to about $200, through the same source. Frank continued on working out and sending his earnings to his father, who saved them carefully. Mrs. Gmeiner,the mother of our subject,departed this life sixteen days before the death of her husband, alter a short illness of three days, and the demise of the latter took place from quick consumption, October 16, 1875, aged about fifty years; both were devoted members of the Catholic church. The father had so much confidence in the ability, stamina and integrity of Frank, that he appointed the latter executor of his will and administrator of his estate, and placed in his care the education of the younger children
and surely made no mistake in his selection. The literary education of our subject was comprehended within the scope of three months by attendance at the common school of his district when circumstances permitted; his training in the habits of industry and self- reliance was imparted by his father; and probably the latter was the most effective, as one rank's natural sound sense would lead him to improve by self-application and to look for the acquirement of that knowledge which actual experience in the world might fail to bring. Frank, on the death of his father, in accordance with the latters wishes, at once assumed the management of the homestead and the control of the family, and for five years services in the performance of this duty he was awarded, by bequest, forty acres of land, and that he performed his duty well is evidenced by the fact that he became the owner of the forty acres aforesaid. At the end of six years Frank relinquished his charge and placed it in the hands of his youngest brother, Leonard, I who was quite well educated and fully qualified for the task, the estate in the meanwhile having been duly administered by Frank and divided properly among the heirs.
In politics Frank Gmeiner is a democrat, and at the early age of twenty-two years was elected justice of the peace, which position he tilled two terms; he was also appointed administrator of several estates, among them, that of Joseph Dotson; and the guardian of seven children, whose interests were conscientiously cared for. He has beside served on the school board and as supervisor. After leaving the home farm, Mr. Gmeiner ran a threshing machine two years, and then en- gaged in the tile business with Andrew Kehres and John Miller, and did a successful business for six years; next he went into the planing-mill business with William Gasser and has since done a large business in all kinds of lumber and finishing supplies.
The marriage of Mr. Gmeiner took place at Ottoville January 7, 1893, to Miss Mary Mallifsky, who was born in Norwalk, Huron county, Ohio, in November, 1855, a daughter of Martin and Mary Mallifsky, who were born near Pilsen, Bohemia. Martin Mallifsky came to this country in 1855 and first located on a farm in Huron county, Ohio, whence he removed to Wyandot county, thence coming to Putnam county. His family of children, six in number, were named Daniel, Mary, Charles, Kate, Elizabeth and Eva. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gmeiner are strict members of the Catholic church, and to the erection of the splendid edifice, St. Mary’s at Ottoville, Mr. Gmeiner contributed at least $200 in cash, The life of Mr. Gmeiner has been one of practical industry, which, backed by a strict adherence to the principles of morality that have governed his acts since infancy, has resulted in a reward that might be envied by any man that of the sincere esteem of all who know him.

Leonard Gmeiner

Leonard Gmeiner, the leading brick manufacturer of Ottoville, Putnam county, Ohio, is a native of the state. His father, George Gmeiner, was born in Tyrol, Austria, in 1821, was a carpenter by trade, and married Mary Ann Flatz, also a native of Austria, and born in 1825, the result of their union being six children, viz: Frank and Gebhart, who were born in Austria, and Mary, Leonard, Katie and George, who were born in America. In 1859 George Gmeiner, with his wife and Austrian born children, came to the United States, and lived in Fremont, Ohio, until 1864, when he came to Putnam county and bought eighty acres of wild land four and a half miles northwest of Ottoville, worked hard, and, with the assistance of his .two Austrian-born children made a most pleasant home and increased the farm, by the purchase of forty acres, to I20 acres. He was devoted to his adopted country and was extremely public spirited, doing everything in his power to aid the prosperity of his township and county, and gallantly volunteering to protect the integrity of the national Hag during the Civil war, in which he served ten months. He died on his farm at the age of about fifty-four years, and no man could have passed away more deeply mourned with heart felt sorrow by family and neighbors than he. Leonard Gmeiner, the gentleman with whom this memoir has chiefly to deal, was born at Fremont, Sandusky county, Ohio, January 2, 1863, and was an infant when brought to Ottoville, Putnam county, by his parents. His education was that usually acquired in the district school, but he was an apt scholar and soon gained the knowledge necessary to carry him along successfully in business life. At the age of eighteen years he began earning his own living by working as a farmhand in his own neighborhood, and at twenty years of age went to Grundy county, and followed the same pursuit for five years. He thus earned sufficient funds to enable him to return, in the later part of 1888, to Ottoville, Ohio, and buy an interest in the tile works of John Miller (see sketch as given on another page), with Whom for three years he carried on a prosperous business under the firm name of Gmeiner & Miller; some change intervening, for two years Mr. Gmeiner carried on the business on his sole account. Mr. Gmeiner then sold out, and in 1891 engaged in the brick making business with George Miller, brother of John Miller, under the firm name of Miller & Gmeiner, but two years later Mr. Miller sold his interest to Mr. Gmeiner, and now our subject is doing a most prosperous business for his own benefit alone. He gives constant employment to six or eight men, and burns about 500,000 building brick per year. In addition to his kiln Mr. Gmeiner owns a tract of land  comprising forty acres, on which is a neat and substantial dwelling.
The marriage of Mr. Gmeiner took place at Ottoville February 5, 1891, to Miss Mary Miller, born January 1, 1867, a daughter of John and Mary Miller, and a niece of the Rev. Father Mueller, of Whom mention has so often been made within these pages. Of course, it will be readily understood that the German name Mueller, or Muller, has been Anglicized, in correspondence with the pronunciation of the name, to Miller. To the
union of Mr. and Mrs. Gmeiner have been born four children, as follows: Amelia M., November 8, 1891; Ida Kate, December 7, I892; Gertrude, April 15, 1894 (died August 30, 1894), and Olivia E., born July 6, 1895. As may well be supposed Mr. and Mrs. Gmeiner are members of the Saint Mary’s Catholic church of Ottoville. In politics Mr. Gmeiner is a democrat, and was the marshal of Ottoville the first year of its incorporation. He is truly a self-made man, without a flaw in his record, and has won the respect of his fellow men through his straightforward walk in life and unwavering integrity. It will have been seen from the foregoing, that Mr. Gmeiner, although still a young man, has done much' toward advancing the material prosperity of his township.

John Haag

John Harpster

John Harpster, whose death occurred on March 29, 1891, had long been a prominent and substantial farmer and citizen of Monterey township Putnam County, Ohio. He was born June I4, 1823, in Fairfield County, Ohio, and was a son of Anthony and Sophia Harpster. Mr. Harpster was eight years old when his parents departed Fairfield County to Allen county, here they lived until their death. He was educated in the schools of Allen County and was reared a farmer. There he was married and resided until February, 1852, when he moved to Putnam County, He bought his first 100 acres of land in Monterey township and subsiquently added to this property until he owned 500 acres in Putnam County, at the time of his death he left 190 acres to his wife and bequeathed farms to several of his children. He was a man of unblemished character, with fine business capacity and was regarded with respect and esteem by all with whom he was associated. He served as trustee of Monterey township. His burial was in Antioch Cemetery, in that township.
On November 22, 1840, Mr. Harpster was united in marriage with Elizabeth McMillen, who was horn in Fairfield County. Ohio, August 6, I827, and is a daughter of Samuel and Susan (Ridenow) McMillen. The McMillens were settlers in Allen County in 1834. Mr. and Mrs. Harpster had a family of 14 children. namely: Mary Elizabeth. born August 7. 1850, who married Amos Tongs, and died in Monterey township, December 14. 1893; George Washington, born January 17, 1852, who was married (first) to Rosina Stern, and (second) to Arreta Martin. and resides in Putnam County; Susan. born August 21, 1853, who married Martin Wise, and died October 4. 1874: Samuel, born February 23, 1855, who married Elizabeth Lochhead, and resides in Putnam County; Sophia. born February 8, 1857, who married C. A. Bray and lives in Paulding, Ohio; Sarah Luzina, born Fehbruary 14, 1858, who married C. A. Bray: Eliza Jane born February 5, 1860, who married Daniel D. Bailey, and lives in Van Wert County; Ida, born April 18, 1862, who married Henry Gudakunst, and died 1878; Anthony, born November 20, 1864, who died April 4, 1865; John Wesley born in 1865, who died August 21, 1865, aged 5 months and 12 days; Eva, born March 30, 1867,  who married John Gesner and lives in Putnam County: Carrie Jcenttie, born June 15, 1875, who married Robert Martin and lives in Putnam County: and Minerva ldella, born May 25, 1872, who resides with her mother after the death of Mr. Harpster, his widow and daughter moved from the farm to Grover Hill, Paulding where they resided for eight years, after which they sold that property and in August. 1903, settled at Delphos. Although Mrs. Harpster is 78 years of age, the mother of 14 children, 53 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, she still retains a great deal of her physical strength and all of her mental faculties. In I904 she sold 163 acres of her land in Putnam County retaining a 30- acre tract, which is very valuable She is a lady well known and esteemed in Delphos. Both she and her daughter are active members of the Christian Church.

Henry Heintz

Corad F. Henry

Charles Frederick Henry, a rising farmer of Jackson township, Putnam county, was born in Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, April. 10, 1851, a son of Conrad and Mary (Peters) Henry. The father, Conrad Henry, was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1819, and at the age of twenty-one came to America from Germany and located at New Orleans, La., in 1840, remaining there three years. He then came to Delphos, Ohio, where he was employed as a clerk in the store of a firm that had a contract for digging the canal at that point. He there married Mary Peters, who was born in Germany in 1826, and came to America at the age of seven years, and to this marriage were born the following children: An infant, who died unnamed; Ann Catherine Louisa, wife of William B. Roof, of Michigan; Charles F., our subject; Wilhelmina, widow of John F. Hammonds, of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio; Lewis P., farmer of Jackson township; Ida Eliza, who died an infant; Mary Matilda, wife of George Keller, farmer of Jennings township, and Adam Edward, a farmer of Monterey township. After marriage Conrad Henry settled on a farm in Monterey township, on the canal. This farm he had previously purchased in the wild woods, on taking possession of which he immediately proceeded to clear away the forest and to cultivate the land, eventually succeeding in securing a fertile and productive farm and a comfortable home, where his death took place August 23, 1867, in the faith of the German Reform church. In politics he was a democrat, and for a number of years served as township trustee, and was serving his second term as county commissioner at the time of his death. Mrs. Mary Henry, his wife, was also a member of the German Reform church, and died February 7, 1871, a truly devout Christian.

Charles F. Henry, our subject, was reared on the home farm and was educated in his native township. May 14, 1874, he was united in marriage with Miss Lydia Ann Swihart, who was born in Kosciusko county, Ind., September 4, 1856, a daughter of Eli and Elizabeth (Gobel) Swihart. Eli Swihart, was a native of Pennsylvania, of Dutch descent; was born February 25, 1820, and died August 23, 1863, having served as a soldier in the late Civil war. His wife, Elizabeth, was born July 3, 1829, and died November 12,1878. To the union of Charles  Henry and Lydia A. Swihart have been born seven children in the following order: Lewis, born September 10, 1875, died November 28, 1876; William, who died at the age of fourteen months; Cora Elizabeth, born January 11, 1878; Catherine Matilde, June 15, 1881; Maggie Washtella, May 9, 1886; Clarence Frederick, December I 3, 1889; George Washington, July 23, 1892, and Beuhla Violet, June 24, 1895. After marriage Mr. Henry made his home on the old homestead in Monterey township until 1883, when he bought his present place in Jackson township, which at that time was a wilderness. By hard work and the exercise of that skill for which he is still well known, he has cleared up his tract, improved it in all particulars, and has made it a farm of which any man might well feel proud.Mr. Henry and wife are members of the German Reform church at Delphos, and in politics Mr. Henry is a democrat. He is very popular with his party, and under its auspices has filled the office of school director three terms, and has also served as supervisor. He is prominent in the affairs of the township, is public spirited and always ready to lend a helping hand and subscribe from his means in aid of the advancement of the township’s welfare, and enjoys the respect of all who know him.

Charles Hinkle

Philip Hohlbein

Bernard Honnigfort

John Hug

Miss Mary C. Hug, who Was born May 24, 1852, on the wide, wide, sea, when her parents, John and Maria A. (Luchtle) Hug, were on the voyage from Europe to America. John Hug was a native of Alsace, where he owned a small farm, was there married, and to himself and wife were born six children, viz: Mary, Caroline, Kate, Louisa, Theresa and Elizabeth. The Hug family. first located in Seneca county, Ohio, but. shortly afterward came to Putnam county, bought a farm of forty acres where Peter Wannemacher now lives, cleared up the land, made a good home and then sold out and bought the eighty-acre tract on which Mr. Kehres now lives; this land he also cleared, and died here October 18, 1888, at the age of seventy-seven years, a devout member of the Catholic church, in which faith he also reared his children. He also aided from his means in the erection of the handsome Saint Mary’s church at Ottoville, and was a generous man, a hard worker, and earned his property by his own sturdy labor.

Cornelius Huysman
The subject of this review is a representative agriculturist of Putnam county and is known as one of the alert, progressive farmers of this part of the county. In his efforts he has not permitted himself to follow in the rut in a blind way, but has given considerable thought and done much experimenting, and, therefore, his returns from his enterprising methods have reached a maximum, while at the same time he has directed his course to command the regard and confidence of the people of the community in which he lives. He is referred to as a man entirely worthy of the respect of his fellow men, and has ever advocated those things which tend to promote the welfare of the public.
Cornelius Huysman was born in Monterey township, this county, on April 21, 1850, and is the son of Henry and. Nellie (Kortier) Huysman. Henry Huysman was born on October 11, 1811, in Holland, and it was there that he was married. To their union were born nine children: Wilhelmena, died at the age of twenty years; Mary, died at the age of fifty-four years; Aaron, now living in Monterey township, this county; Walter, died in Monterey township in 1892; Henry, died on board ship, age two months; Nellie, married S. Hunsaker, who lives in Allen county, Ohio; Henreche, deceased wife of Louis Peters; Cornelius, the subject of this review, and Henry, who died in 1900; the last three of whom were born in America.
It was in the fall of 1847 that Henry Huysman, together with his wife and five children previously born to them, left Holland and crossed the Atlantic for the purpose of making their future home in the United States. On their arrival in the city of New York they went by rail to the city of Toledo, Ohio, where they boarded one of the boats of the Miami & Erie Canal Company, and traveled via the canal to the town of Delphos, and settled on a farm in Monterey township, Putnam county. He was a miller by trade, but decided to carry on general farming in this country, which he continued to do until the time of his death, 1894, at which time he arrived in the eighty second year of his age. His wife passed away just a year previous to his death.
Cornelius Huysman received his early education in the township schools and followed in the footsteps of his father by learning all about farming, and he has continued to farm all his life. In 1873, he was married to Miss Lydia Semer, and to them were born nine children, as follow: Nellie, who lives in Van Wert; Cassia, wife of Fred Spangler, living in Hillview, Province of Ontario, Canada; Anna, Wife of Fred Rice, and living in Van Wert county; Drickie, wife of Thomas Alspaugh, living in Van Wert county; John, who resides in Van Wert county; Katie, wife of John Buetner, who lives in Allen county; Emma, deceased at the age of sixteen years; Allen, who lives in Ottoville, this county, and conducts an automobile garage. The mother of these children died on January 21, 1889.
Cornelius Huysman was married a second time, this time to the widow of Edward Semer, her maiden name having been Maria Spangler, and she lived until the year 1889. No children were born to the second marriage. Mr. Huysman’s present and third wife was Maria, a daughter of Lemech and Sarah Spangler, and was born in Allen county on August 28, 1863. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania, and her mother a native of Fairfield county, Ohio. The father was a farmer in Van Wert county, to which place he moved in 1866, and where he died in 1881. Her mother died in 1885.
Mr. Huysman has devoted nearly all of his life to improving the two hundred acres of land which he owns in this township and besides cutting considerable timber and carrying on general farming, makes a specialty of raising high-grade live stock. He is considered a good judge of stock in this locality and takes great pride in his herds.
A strong advocate of the principles of the Republican party, and, though not active in party matters, the influence of Cornelius Huysman along these lines is felt in the community where he lives. His religious affiliations are with the Christian Union church, to which denomination he contributes according to his means. Personally, he is a gentleman in every sense of the Wort worthy of the confidence of his fellowmen and he is held in the highest esteem by all who know him.

Walter Huysman

Walter Huysman, deceased, was one of the most substantial farmers and respected citizens of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio. He was a son of Henry and Nettie (Kortier) Huysman, was born in Holland July 26, 1840, and was about eight years of age when brought to America by his parents; Here he grew .to manhood, was educated in the common schools, ; was trained to farming, and shortly after reaching his majority patriotically volunteered in defense of the flag under which he had passed the years of his adolescence, being enrolled August 21, 1862, in Capt. Pink’s company F, One Hundred and Eighteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, for three years, serving gallantly and experiencing all the hardships  of war until his discharge, with an honorable certificate of duty well performed, at Salisbury, N. C. After his return from the sanguinary struggle he married, October 4, 1868, Miss Henrietta Blochberger, who was born in Saxony, Germany, January 21, 1849, a daughter of Christian and Dena (Bookman) Blochberger. Christian Blochberger was a native of Saxony and was born in October, 1818. In 1852 he came to the United States and settled in Jackson township, Putnam county, Ohio, buying forty acres of land in the primitive forest, which he increased by arduous industry to 235 acres. He reared a respectable family of seven children, who were named as follows: Bernard, Augusta, Henrietta, Caroline, Susannah, Henry and Richie, of whom the four older Were born in Germany and the younger three in Ohio. The mother of this family died in the faith of the Lutheran church at the age of about sixty-two years. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Walter Huysman settled on a farm of eighty acres in Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, and here they had born to them an interesting family of eight children, named Dena, Nellie, Caroline, Henry, Ida, Walter, William and Nora. Miss Callie (Caroline) Huysman, third born of this family, is a very bright and intellectual young lady and a graduate of the high school of Delphos, Ohio. She has taught a year in Van Wert county, one year in the district schools of Allen and Putnam Counties, and two years in the graded schools of Lima, in every instance showing a superior ability. In religion the family are members of the German Reform faith, and in politics Mr. Huysman was a republican, under the auspices of which party he served as a member of the election board of Ottoville. He was a man of undoubted integrity, and died, in the prime of life, January 21, 1892, leaving an untarnished name. His widow, with most excellent judgment and ability, has acted as administratrix. Henry Huysman, the founder of the family in America, was born in Holland October 11, 1811, and was reared a miller in one of the old-fashioned wind-mills for which his native land is so famous. He married Peternella Kortier, the union resulting in the birth. of nine children, viz: Wilhelmina, who died at the age of twenty years; Mary, who died at the age of fifty-four; Aaron; Walter, our subject; Henry, who died on the ocean at the age of two years. These five were born in Holland, and the remaining four were brought to life in
America and were named as follows: Peternella, Henrich, Cornelius and Henry K. The father lived to be eighty-two years old and died on his farm.
Aaron Huysman became a farmer and was a soldier in the late Civil war, serving with his elder brother, Walter, in company F, One Hundred and Eighteenth Ohio volunteer infantry. Aaron was born in Holland, December 15, 1839, and was nine years of age when brought to America. He was twenty-one years old when he assisted in the erection of the first log school-house ever put up in Monterey township, and in this he afterward acquired his limited education, attending one month. In this old school-house he enlisted for three years under Capt. Rend, and was discharged at Salisbury, N. C.., June 24, 1865, on account of the closing of the war, having served in the engineer corps from July 4, 1863, working on fortifications, building pontoon bridges and taking part in the famous Atlanta campaign. In the course of duty he assisted in the erection of the fortifications at Knoxville, Tenn., and was in the siege of that city twenty-one days. He was ruptured, while driving a team of six mules, by being thrown down an embankment sixty-five feet high, and was confined for five weeks in the Presbyterian church hospital, which he left of his own accord and rejoined his corps, in which he thenceforward served until his discharge, being sick, altogether, nine months, and: having a horse furnished him to ride on. On his return home he at once resumed farming, cutting wheat the afternoon of his arrival, while, his, brother Walter, who had returned with him, bound the grain. October 31, 1867, Aaron Huysman was first united in matrimony, in Monterey township, with Miss Grietge Osenga. The father of this lady, William Osenga, was of Holland birth, was a carpenter and sailor, and settled in Fort Jennings in 1847. He was the father of four children—Frockie, Francis, Lu and Grietge. He died at the residence of Aaron Huysman at the age of eighty-four years, a member of the German Reform church. To this first marriage of. Mr. Huysman were born two children—Nellie and William—the latter dying at the age of one year. Mrs. Huysman died April 17, 1872, and the second marriage of Mr. Huysman took place December 8, 1872, to Mrs. Mary Miller, widow of Christian Miller, but who bore the maiden name of Mary Vogt. To this union have been born five children, viz: Maggie, who died at the age of nine years; Aaron, Mary, Rickie and Bertha.
Mr. Huysman first settled on a farm of eighty acres in the woods of Monterey township, and this he succeeded in clearing up and adding to until he became the owner of 240 acres of fine farming land, on which he has made many, excellent improvements. He and wife are consistent members of the Presbyterian church, and in politics he is a republican. He enjoys the full confidence of the people, and has filled several township offices with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citizens. A thoroughly practical farmer, he possesses one of the best farms in Putnam county. As a soldier he was faithful and active, and was one of the first men of his company to be placed on picket duty; as a civilian he is honored and respected for his public spirit and liberal aid to all measures devised for the promotion of the general welfare.  

Andrew Jochem

John Kamphous

Andrew Kehres

Andrew Kehres, of Ottoville, Putnam county, one of the most popular hotel men in northwestern Ohio, was born in Seneca county, November 30, 1853. His father, Sebastian Kehres, was born January 22, 1816, in Alsace, then a province of France, served the obligatory term of seven years in the French army and then enlisted for an additional term of seven years. At the age of twenty-eight he married in his native village of Reunzenheim, Barbara Heitzman, and ten children were the result, four of whom were born in Alsace and the remaining six after the parents came to America, which event happened in 1851. Mr. Kehres, on his arrival, bought forty acres of land in Seneca county; on which he lived with his family until 1860, farming and following his trade of carpenter, and then came to Putnam county and settled on 160 acres in the woods near Ottoville. This land he. succeeded in entirely clearing up from the forest and in increasing to 280 acres. He was a devout Catholic and assisted in a pecuniary way, and as a mechanic in the erection of the beautiful Catholic church edifice in Ottoville, and died in the faith at about seventy-seven years of age. He was an honored and respected citizen, and in politics was a democrat.
Andrew Kehres was but seven years of age when he came to Ottoville with his father’s family. He was reared to farming, and for twelve years after reaching his majority had an interest with his father in a threshing machine. May 3, 1881, he married Antoinette Ann Miller, born in Ohio in February, 1860, a daughter of John D. Miller. For two years after marriage Mr. Kehres lived in Jackson township, Putnam county, and in 1883 started in the tile business in partnership with Miller and Frank Gmeiner, under the firm name of Frank Gmeiner & Co., and for three years a successful trade was done, and then, for one year, Mr. Kehres was out of business; in 1890 he went to Douglas, Ohio, and bought a general store, kept the post-office and was station agent of the Clover Leaf railroad company until 1893, when he returned to Ottoville and bought the Beckman House, which, under his management, has been placed in first-class condition, and offers to the traveling public accommodations of a superior character, and at the same time is homelike and comfortable, he proving himself to be a genial landlord, anticipative at all times of the wants of his guests.
To Mr. Kehres have been born eight children, viz: Regina, Elizabeth, Josephine, Clara, Amelia, Ida; Barbara and Barbara C. both deceased. The parents are strict members of the Roman Catholic church, and, like all the faithful, have contributed liberally to assist in the erection of the beautiful Catholic church building in Ottoville. Mr. Kehres is also a member of the Catholic Knights of Ohio. In politics he is a democrat. He is a gentleman of the strictest integrity, is of a happy disposition, and eminently qualified for the position he has so appropriately chosen.

Augustine Kehres

Augustin Kehres, a highly respected farmer of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, was born in Alsace, France, September 3, 1847, and springs from an old family of the village of Reunzenheim, in the district of Bishweiler. His grandfather, Valentine Kehres, was a carpenter, married Mary Elchinger, and of his children the names of the following can be remembered, to-wit: Valentine, Magdalene, Sebastian, Michael, Catherine, George, Carrie, Joseph, and John. Valentine, the grand» father, lived to be Sixty-five years of age, died in his native village, and is still remembered by our subject. Sebastain Kehres, father of Augustin, also became a carpenter under the instruction of Valentine, his father, and later served fourteen years in the armies of Napoleon III. He married, in his native village, Barbara Heintzman. (died 9th January, 1896), a native of Anenheim, Alsace, and settled down to his trade, at which he worked until 1852, in the latter part of March of which year he sailed from Harve, France, and after a voyage of thirty-six days arrived safely in New York, whence he came to Ohio and located in Seneca county, with his family, arriving May 1, 1852. After working at his trade two years he bought forty acres of land in the woods near New Riegel, and, with the assistance of his sons, cleared up a farm; He was a very hard-working man, and often, after laboring all day in the harvest fields for others, would work far into the night on his own land in his anxiety to make a home for his family. He frequently cut his wheat by moonlight, and the next day his mother, whom he had also brought with him, would bind it up. He succeeded in Clearing up his farm, but, as his family increased, he needed more land, and so disposed of his Seneca county farm, and in November, 1860, came to Putnam county and purchased 160 acres in Jackson township, of which about thirteen acres had been cleared, and on which stood a log cabin.’ With the help of his son he also succeeded in clearing up this place and in making a good home. By his thrift and industry Mr. Kehres earned the means necessary to' purchase forty acres adjoining his homestead, and also the eighty-acre tract on which his son Augustin, our subject, lives, making his total possessions reach 280 acres, all now in fine condition and well improved.
Mr. Kehres was a man of more than ordinarily robust constitution, was short of stature, broad shouldered, heavily knit, and phenomenal strength, and well fitted for the life of a pioneer, and for subduing the heavily timbered forests of northwestern Ohio. In politics he was a democrat, and in religion a Roman Catholic. He aided in building the first Catholic church at Ottoville, and lived to contribute liberally toward the erection of the stately Saint Mary’s church of the same village. His marriage was blessed with ten children, of whom one died in infancy, the survivors being Augustin (our subject), Bridget, Charles, Sebastian, Andrew, Elizabeth, Barbara, John, and Helena, the first four natives of Alsace, and the remainder of Ohio John. and Helena of Jackson township, Putnam county. Mr. Kehres had reached the age of seventy-six years at the time of his death, which occurred April 2, 1892, and was well known among the neighbors for his sterling worth, strict morality, charitable disposition and untiring industry.
Augustin Kehres, our subject, was between four and five years of age when brought to America by his parents, yet he still remembers his grandfather’s death and many scenes in the fatherland; the wagon which bore the family from their native village, the ship and the voyage across the ocean. He received the elements of an education in Seneca county, and was about thirteen when the family came to Putnam county, and can easily recall the old pioneer days. He was early inured to hard Work at clearing land and at farming. When about seventeen years old he left home and worked on the state boat on the Miami canal for two years, and was then. employed in an elevator at Toledo for a short time; he next passed three years in Upper Sandusky, driving a team; next was employed at Massillon at the same work and in a Stone quarry. He married at Massillon, Ohio, April 23, 1872, Miss Louisa Marks, who was born in Stark county, Ohio, a daughter of Matthias and Emma (Knobloch) Marks, both of Prussia. The father was a tailor by trade and died at Canal Fulton, Ohio, a member of the Catholic church and the father of three children; Louisa, Kate and Frank.  
After his marriage Our subject lived at Canal Fulton for a year, and then returned to Putnam county, and March 6, 1870, settled on his present farm, which he bought from his father, and of which ten acres had been partially cleared. He has since cleared up the entire eighty acres, drained the land and placed the farm under a high state of cultivation, and improved it with substantial and commodious buildings, June 27, 1874, about three o’clock in the afternoon, in the absence of the family, fortunately, a cyclone passed over the farm and destroyed his dwelling and barn, but left uninjured the two horses confined in the latter. He immediately re-erected his barn on the same site, and twelve years ago, August 23, 1883, when it was filled with hay, grain and farming implements, including a threshing machine, it was struck by lightning and destroyed by fire, with its contents. To Mr. Kehres and wife were born five children, of whom two died infants; the living three are named Henry, Louisa and Annie. March 6, 1876, Mrs. Kehres died in the Catholic faith, a woman of many good. qualities and the idol of her husband and children. Mr. Kehres next married, May 5, 1880, Maria A. Dunz, who was born in Cincinnati March 1, 1850, a daughter of George Dunz, a wagon-maker from Baden, Germany, who died in Delphos, Ohio, at the age of seventy-eight years, the father of six children, Maria A., Annie, Christine, Philomena, Lena and Elizabeth. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Kehres went to housekeeping on the old farm, where they still live, the parents of four children; Cecile, Ludwig, Francis and Walter. In politics Mr. Kehres is a democrat, and has served as supervisor eleven years, as assessor four terms, as school director twelve years, and as land appraiser since 1890. He and family are all members of the Ottoville Catholic church. He is a self-made man, and no other stands higher in the esteem of the community in which he has so long lived and striven to serve.

Charles Kehres

Charles Kehres. a successful farmer of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, and the head of a respected family, is a son of Sebastian and Barbara (Heintzman) Kehres, was born in Alsace, France, February 5, 1850, and at the age of two years was brought to America by his parents, and at the age of nearly eleven came with the family to Putnam county. They settled in Jackson township, where our subject was educated in the common schools and reared to the hard work of clearing away the forest and of cultivating a rugged frontier farm. At the age of twenty-three years, February 18, 1873, he was married at Ottoville, by Father Mueller, to Miss Mary C. Hug, who Was born May 24, 1852, on the wide, wide, sea, when her parents, John and Maria A. (Luchtle) Hug, were on the voyage from Europe to America. John Hug was a native of Alsace, where he owned a small farm, was there married, and to himself and wife were born six children, viz: Mary, Caroline, Kate, Louisa, Theresa and Elizabeth. The Hug family. first located in Seneca county, Ohio, but. shortly afterward came to Putnam county, bought a farm of forty acres where Peter Wannemacher now lives, cleared up the land, made a good home and then sold out and bought the eighty-acre tract on which Mr. Kehres now lives; this land he also cleared, and died here October" 18, 1888, at the age of seventy-seven years, a devout member of the Catholic church, in which faith he also reared his children. He also aided from his means in the erection of the handsome Saint Mary’s church at Ottoville, and was a generous man, a hard worker, and earned his property by his own sturdy labor.
After his marriage Mr. Kehres and wife lived on this farm until 1880, when they went to Gasconade county, Mo., bought forty-acres of land, on which they resided until 1886; then moved to Shawnee county, Kans., remained a year, and then returned to Putnam county, Ohio, in 1887, and settled on the Hug homestead, which, on the death of Mr. Hug, was deeded to our subject, who has drained and otherwise improved it. To Mr. and Mrs. Kehres were born eight children, named as follows: John S., Mary M., Charles A., Maria Rosalie, Mary C., Mary Elenora, Mary Sabina and Leo Peter. The mother of this family, a devout Catholic and a lady of many shining virtues, was called away from earth at the early age of thirty-eight years, April 26, 1891. Since the death of his wife Mr. Kehres has remained unmarried, his household being cared for by his eldest daughter, Mary Matilda. Mr. Kehres was one of the most liberal of the contributors to the building fund of Saint Mary’s Catholic church at Ottoville, of which he is a devout member. In politics he is a democrat and has filled the office of supervisor. He is having his children educated in the best manner possible, giving them the advantage of every facility offered in the township. He is a practical farmer, and one of the most progressive in the county, and is respected wherever known.

John Kehres

John Kehres, of Jackson township, Putnam county, Ohio, though still quite a young man, has already gained prominence and influence in his neighborhood. He is a prosperous farmer, living on the old homestead, which he inherited from his father, and where he was born February 27, 1862. Sebastian Kehres, father of our subject, was born in Reunzenheim, Elsass, France (French spelling, Alsace), on January 22, 1816, where he was educated and learned the carpenter’s trade. He was the sixth born in a family of nine children, viz: Valentine, Magdalena, Michael, Catherine, Anna, Sebastian, Joseph, John and George, the last named now living in Findlay, Ohio. Sebastian served the fatherland faithfully for six years in the army, and about 1845 married Barbara, the daughter of Joe and Margretha (Lang) Hintzman. She was born on December 31, 1826. For six years after their marriage they continued to live in France, and on March 25, 1857, they took passage for America, and located in New Riegel, Seneca county, Ohio, where he farmed and followed his trade for a number of years and then bought a farm of forty acres. In 1861 he moved to Putnam county and bought 160 acres of land, which he carefully cleared and brought to an unusually excellent state of cultivation. But the road to prosperity was not always to be smooth; in 1885, May 13, fire destroyed the home. He built himself a fine new handsome residence, in which he lived until his death occurred, April 2, 1892, his widow surviving until January 9, 1896, when she, too, died, at the age of seventy years and nine days. Mr. Kehres died a faithful member of the Catholic church, and was respected and honored by all. He was a democrat in politics, and held the office of township supervisor and school director. His family consisted of ten children: August, born September 3, 1847, in Elsass, France; Brigitta, born December 23 1848, also in Elsass; Charley, born in Elsas’s February 8, 1850; Sebastian, also a native of
Elsass, born January 22, 1852; and the following six children born in America: Andrew
November 30, 1853; Barbara, June 7, 1855; Lizzie, February 2, 185 7 (deceased); Elizabeth, June 28, 1859; John, February 27, 1862, and Helena, April 3, 1864. Of these children, August is now living on his farm in Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio; Brigitta was married, November 8, 1870, to Peter Wurst, whose parents, Joseph and Magdelena (Kiener) Wurst, were Germans, but had early emigrated to America and located in New Washington, Crawford county, Ohio, where he was born July I 3, 1838, but now lives in Jackson township, Putnam county. Brigitta is the mother of nine children, named Barbara, who died when three years old; Annie, of Akron, Ohio; Lizzie, of Kalida; Lena, of Douglas; Mary, who is at home and who was fifteen years old February 19, 1895; with. her, also, are Sebastian, thirteen years old April 25, 1895 ; August, eleven March 26, 1895 ; Thersa, nine March 20, 1895; Charlie, six April 18th of the same year. They are all members of the Ottoville Catholic church. The other children of Sebastian and Barbara Kehres, Charles is a farmer in Monterey township; Sebastian, Jr., is farming in Jackson township; Andrew is the proprietor of a hotel and saloon in Ottoville, Ohio; Barbara is in a convent in Tiffm, Ohio; Lizzie is deceased; Elizabeth is now living with her mother in Ottoville; John is the subject of this sketch, and Lena is a clerk at Delphos.
John Kehres, the subject of this sketch, during his boyhood days lived on his father’s farm and attended the common schools in his township. He was faithful and industrious in all his work, whether it was on the farm or in the school-house. On June 6, 1893, he married Anna, the accomplished daughter of Barney and Clara (Grewe) Helmkamp; this lady was born in Ottoville September 24, 1867, where she was educated. Her father was a native of Ohio, and died December 26, 1875. Her mother was married a second time to B. Schlagbaum and became the mother of five children, named Dora, Louisa, Mary, Joseph and Rosa, and lives near Ottoville. After John Kehres had married he took his young wife to the old homestead, which is one of the best improved farms in the township. Here a beautiful and bright daughter, Hildegarde, was born to them May 25, 1894. Both husband and wife are members of the Catholic church at Ottoville, and in politics Mr. Kehres is a stanch democrat.

Michael Kehres

Michael Kehres, one of the oldest and most experienced agriculturists of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, is a native of the village of Reunzenheim, Alsace, France. His grandfather, Valentine Kehres, Sr., was born in the above named village, was a carpenter by trade, and married a Miss Elchinger, who bore him nine children, viz: Valentine, Michael, Sebastian, Joseph, John, George, Mary, Katie and Maggie. Valentine, the father, died in his native village at the age of sixty-five years, a member of the Catholic church. His son, Valentine, Jr., the father of our subject, was born in the village above named in 1800, was also a carpenter by trade. and married Annie Morelotte, who was of French birth: and bore her husband seven children, named as follows: Valentine and Katie, who died young; Josephine, Michael, Maggie, Kate. and Valentine the second. Valentine, the father of this family, died in Alsace May 10, 1882, at the age of eighty-two years, and was also a devout Catholic.
Michael Kehres, the subject of this sketch, was born February 24, 1834, received a very good education in the excellent common school of his native village, and also became a carpenter by trade. He came to America at the age of eighteen years, taking passage in a sailing vessel at Havre, France, and arriving in New York, after a voyage of thirty-six days, April 30, 1852. He came directly to Ohio and located in Seneca county, worked on a farm for eight years, and there married Maggie Perin, a native of Columbus, Ohio, and daughter of Andrew and Louisa (Fary) Perin. The father, Andrew Perin, was an old, settler of Putnam county, and owned a farm of 160 acres one mile north of Ottoville, where he was greatly respected. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Kehres settled, in 1860, on a sixty-acre farm in Monterey township, Putnam county, and to this farm Mr. Kehres has added from time to time until he now owns 120 acres of as fine land as is to be found in the county, all properly cleared up from the forest by his own hands and thoroughly drained. He has a tasteful frame residence of two stories, conveniently arranged, and has improved the place with all necessary farm buildings of the most substantial construction. To Mr. and Mrs. Kehres have been born thirteen children, of whom ten are still living, viz: Caroline, Louisa, Bridget, Lizzie, Maggie, Mary, Fannie, Josephine, Regina and Michael. Mr. and Mrs. Kehres are ardent Catholics in religion, and he aided with his own hands in the construction of the stately Saint Mary’s edifice in Ottoville, to which he also contributed from his means $200. In politics he is a democrat. He is one of Putnam county’s most respectable pioneers, and has done much toward redeeming Monterey township from the primitive wilderness and making it the fertile and productive garden it now is. He has reared a respected family of children, who are an. honor to their parents and a credit to the land they live in.

Philip Kemper

Henry Kersting

Christopher Kortokrax

Christopher Kortokrax, deceased, was one of the pioneers of Monterey Township, Putnam county Ohio, and one of its most respected citizens. He was born in Prussia in September, 1830, but the names of his parents can not be recalled; it is known, however, that had a brother Henry, and two sisters, Maggie and Annie, who all remained in Germany. Christopher received a good education in common schools of his native land and reared on his father's farm. In 1851, he came to America, located at Delphos, Ohio, where he worked in the Clark House, the first hotel of that city, until 1854, when he moved Ottoville and was employed in a saw-mill.

November 19, 1856, he married, at Ottoville to Miss Anna Mary Schroder, who was born July 25, 1839, a daughter of Matthias and Elizabeth Schroder, natives of Germany the parents of five children; Henry, Catherine, Anna M., August and Clara. Mr. Schroder was a farmer and came to America about year 1842, making settlement one mile northwest of Delphos, Ohio, deep in the woods. About 1848 he moved to Ottoville and set one mile west of the present village, on 100 acres of woodland, from which he created a fine farm and a most comfortable home. He was one of the earliest pioneers and one of the organizers of the township of Monterey, helped found the Catholic church at Ottoville, assisted in building the first church edifice and a member of the first church council. He was well known for his integrity, as well as his public spirit, reared a family of respected children in the Catholic faith, and died, about 1854, at the age of fifty-five years, honored beloved by all who know him.

Christopher Kortokrax and wife, at their marriage, settled on the Schroder homestead, where all their children were born. These were thirteen in number, and those who grew to years of maturity were named, Elizabeth, Agnes, Otto, Caroline, August (died at the age of thirty), Joseph (died aged twenty years), Maxmillian, Bernadina and Catherine the remaining four dying in their infancy. Mr. Kortokrax was a very hard working pioneer citizen cleared the greater part of the Schroder homestead, and through, his untiring industry increased its dimensions to 115 acres; also acquired an additional farm of eighty acres in the southern edge of Paulding county. He was a pious Catholic, aided in building the first church of that denomination in Ottoville, also contributed freely to the erection of Saint Mary's. In politics he was a democrat. He lived to reach the age of fifty-eight years, and died February 4, 1887. He was an affectionate husband and an indulgent father, and honest administrator of the estate of his father-in-law and was highly honored for his sterling worth.

Mrs. Kortokrax has been appointed adminatrix of the estate of her deceased husband, and well has she fulfilled the duty imposed upon her. She is now one of the oldest of the pioneers living at or near Ottoville, and although she has endured the many hardships of frontier life, she is still well preserved and is honored by all her neighbors. Of her children, Agnes married Henry Honingford, a cooper of Ottoville, and has six children; Elizabeth, who is married to Henry Friemoth, a farmer of Van Wert county, and has four children; Otto married Caroline Wank, and is the father of five children; August married Mary Kramer, but died without issue, and Max a butcher of Ottoville, married Effie Carpenter, and to this union one child has been born; Bernadina is married to Alexander Heinl, and has one daughter; Caroline married John R. Friemoth, and has five children, and lives in Van Wert county, Ohio.

Mathias Kramer

Mathias Kramer, a popular Citizen and employee of the tile factory at Ottoville, Putnam. county, Ohio, was born in Glandorf, in this county, March 14, 1862. His grandfather, Theodore Kramer, was born near the river Rhine, in Prussia, and worked in an extensive iron furnace when the iron was smithed or forged by hand. He was the father of seven children, named Laurence, Christian, Antony, Maggie, Eva, Annie and Clara. These children all finally settled in America, coming at the same time, with the exception of Laurence, the eldest, who came last.

Christian Kramer, the second born of the above family and father of Matthias, our subject, received a good common German education, worked at the trade followed by his father and also at mining, and was still a young man when he came to America, arriving at New York city; thence he went to Buffalo, in the same state, where he arrived at noon, and at one o’clock, the same day, was at work as attendant on a brick mason. He next moved to Youngstown, Ohio, and there married Catherine Klee, a native of Germany and a daughter of Charles Klee, a miller and farmer, who died in his native land. Mr. Klee had been twice married, and to his second union were born four children; Barbara, Frank, Charles and Catherine, who all came to America, as did their half-brothers and sisters. From Youngstown Mr. Kramer moved to Beaver county, Pa., where he was overseer in a cannel coal mine at Cannelton for three years. In 1861 he came to Glandorf, Ohio, and bought forty acres of cleared land, on which he lived until March, 1875 or 1876, when he sold his farm and came to Ottoville. Here he bought a cleared farm of sixty acres one mile east of the town, and on this he lived until his retirement from active life, in 1892, when he went to live with his son Antony, in Stark county, Ohio. In politics Mr. Kramer is a democrat. In religion he and his wife are Catholic, and liberally contributed toward the erection of Saint Mary’s Catholic church at Ottoville, which is a monument to the zeal and munificence of the Catholic population of the county. To Mr. and Mrs. Kramer have been born eleven children, viz: Margaret, Antony, Mary (who died at the age of eight years), Clara, Lawrence, Frank, Matthias, Mary, Lena, Annie and Theodore.

Matthias Kramer came to Ottoville with his parents when about fourteen years of age, and worked on the home farm until he was twenty-three, when he went to Beaver county. Pa., and worked in the same mine his father had worked in years before, and also worked as a farm hand, making a stay there for two years; he then returned to Ohio and mined coal in Stark county; in 1894 he returned to Ottoville, and May 1, 1895, married Miss Elizabeth Zahner, who was born in Crawford county, Ohio, May 9, 1873, a daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Gruber) Zahner. Thomas Zahner was born in Germany, was there married and is a farmer. There have been born to him and wife nine children, in the following order: Mary, John, Lena, Andrew, Albert, Katie, Elizabeth. Francis and Ann, the first three in Germany and the remaining six in America. From Crawford county, Ohio, the Zahner family moved to Van Wert county with the exception of Mary, who is married and resides in Huron County. Ohio, and all are devout Catholics in religion. Mr. Zahner and. his family live on a productive farm of eighty acres and are highly respected by their neighbors. May 8, 1895 Matthias Kramer accepted his present situation as fore-man of the tile works at Ottoville. He is a first-class business man and well fitted for the position; he has won the esteem of his employers, and stands high with many of the old German pioneers of the township and with the Community in general with his wife he is a member of Saint Mary's Catholic church and both live well up to its teachings.

Joseph and Peter Krebs

Joseph Krebs, one of the most thriving farmers and substantial citizens of Marion township, Allen county, Ohio, is a native of the Buckeye state, was born in Seneca county, October 5, 1838, was reared to his present vocation, and acquired the usual amount of schooling customary at that day to be granted to the sons of pioneer farmers.

Peter Krebs, the father of our subject, was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, but early lost his father, Fred Krebs, and at the age of fourteen years was brought to America by his mother, Mary Krebs, who was then the mother of two children—Peter and Frederick. This adventurous widow located near Adamsburg, Westmoreland county, Pa., where she married Peter Klink, but by him became the mother of no children. There her son Peter learned the shoemaker's trade and was also reared to farming. Peter, after reaching manhood, came to Ohio, and while working at his trade of shoemaker at Canton, met and married Miss Mary Debis, who bore him ten children, viz: Joseph, John, Nicholas, Peter, Frank, Mary, Susannah, Jacob, Henry and Conrad. It was some time after his marriage that Peter Krebs moved to a farm in Seneca county, on which he lived until 1850, when he removed to Putnam county, and cleared up a forty-acre farm from the woods, and which he increased to eighty acres, and finally to 192 acres, the greater portion of which he has distributed among his sons, giving Joseph, Peter and Nicholas each forty-eight acres, thus giving each a fair chance in life. At the age of seventy-eight years Peter Krebs is still living on that portion of his farm which he has reserved for his own use, honored by his neighbors, a sincere Catholic in his religious faith, and in politics a democrat.

Joseph Krebs, subject of this sketch, having reached his majority, was united in marriage, June 5, 1859, with Miss Ann Mary Kuegg, who was born in Germany, December 17, 1840, a daughter of Henry and Catherine (Kauermann) Kuegg and their only child. Mr. Kuegg, however, had been previously married to Catherine Honerkamp, to which union had been born one child, Catherine. The father, Henry Kuegg, died in Germany in 1843, and in 1852 his widow came to America, bringing her child, Ann Mary. The mother located in Allen county, Ohio, and here married William H. Farnefeld, by whom she had one child— Matthias—and here died October 28, 1887. To the happy union of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Krebs have been born eleven children, who all, with two exceptions, lived to reach full age, and were born in the order here given: Peter (who died at the age of twelve years), Ann Mary, Catherine S., Susanna J., Joseph T. (who died at the age of twenty-two years), Mary Madeline, Mary Margaret (died at the age of three months) Maria Thersa, Annie Mary Catherine, Anna Mary Veronica and John Burnett.

After he had married, our subject settled in the woods near Ottoville, Putnam county, Ohio, on a forty acre tract of land, which be cleared up and converted into a good farm, but sold, and, February 10, 1879, came to Marion township, Allen county, and bought his present place of 110 acres, which is now one of the handsomest farms in the township. In religion Mr. and Mrs. Krebs are true Catholics, having been brought up from childhood in that faith, and are members of the congregation worshiping at Landeck; in politics Mr. Krebs has been a life-long democrat, and for eight years has represented his township in his party conventions, has been a member of the school board fifteen years, and has served as supervisor thirteen years. Nevertheless, Mr. Krebs voted for Abraham Lincoln for president on his first nomination.

As a soldier, Mr. Krebs served eleven months in the late Civil war, in company E, Sixty-seventh Ohio volunteer infantry, and was in the fight at Bermuda Hundred, and in others. He was taken sick with chronic diarrhea, and for five months was confined in Hampton hospital, Fortress Monroe, when his faithful wife went to his rescue, arriving Wednesday, August 4, 1865,and remaining until the seventh, securing in the meantime transportation for herself and Mr. Krebs to Columbus, Ohio, where he was detained in hospital until August 28, when his discharge papers came to hand, having been delayed on account of his loss of enlistment papers at the battle of Petersburg, Va. Mrs. Krebs then brought her husband home, and after a year’s nursing saved his life, but for eight years thereafter he was still an invalid. Mr. and Mrs. Krebs have done much toward sustaining church and school in Marion township and in recovering its fields from the unbroken forest of the early days, and thus stand deservedly high in the esteem of the people.

Andrew Kromer

Mrs. Andrew Kromer, of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio. is one of those practical minded women who have the strength of to manage their affairs after the loss of their main support that is, their husband Andrew Kromer, to whom this lady had the happiness to be married, was born in Baden, Germany, October 13, 1842. His father, Andrew Warner Kromer, came to America in 1844 landing in New York city, whence he Went to Buffalo, N. Y., by canal, and then, Via Lake Erie, to Sandusky, Ohio, where he arrived Juy 4, of same year, the family at that time consisted of himself, wife and six children, the latter being named Ferdinand, Kate, Rose, Charles Joseph, Victoria and Andrew. The family settled on and cleared up a farm in Erie county, and there the father died at the age of seventy years.

Andrew Kromer, the deceased husband of the subject of this sketch, was but two years of age when brought to the United States,received a good common school education in Sandusky city, Erie county, Ohio, was reared to manhood on his father’s farm, and in 1868, bought a farm in section No. 11, Rice township, Sandusky county, on which he lived until he came to Putnam county, October 6, 1882, and bought 160 acres, and here passed the remainder of his days, dying, at the age of fifty two years, April 15, 1895, one of the most honored citizens of the township. His marriage took place at New Riegel, Seneca county, Ohio, April 21, 1868, to Miss Amelia Walker, who was born in that town October 28, 1844, a daughter of Charles and Lugartes (Fleik) Walker, the former of whom was a native of Baden, Germany, and the father of eight children, Viz: August, Pauline, Mary, Emma, Amelia, John, Sophia and Joseph; of these, the elder three were born in Germany and the remainder in this country. Mr. Walker came to the United States in August, 1844, bought forty acres of land in Seneca county, Ohio, cleared up a farm and added by industry twenty more acres, and on his farm he died at the age of sixty years, honored as a just and pure man and as a consistent member of the Catholic church, in which faith his widow also passed away.
To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Kromer were born six children. as follows: Margaret, February 3, 1869; Mary A., September 9, 1872; Charles William, May 21, 1875; Frank, September 2, 1879; Kate, November 25, 1882, and Leo H., August 20, 1888. Mrs. Kromer has given her children the best possible education her circumstances afforded, and they have grown up to their present years an honor to her motherly care, the elders proving this fact by the prominent positions they have reached in life, while the younger children are also being trained to lead moral and useful lives. Although she deeply felt the loss of her husband and still remains a widow, she never has lost that strength of character which has enabled her to bear up against her bereavement and to rear her family in respectability and to usefulness. Her eldest son, William, now has charge of the home farm, in the management of which he has proven himself to be fully competent, and he, also with his mother, enjoys the respect of all who know him. Mrs. Kromer is an exceptionally bright lady, with no lack of business talent, and is also an ornament to the social circle in which she moves; but few of her sex equal her in ability to overcome adverse circumstances, and certainly none deserves more credit than. she for the successful manner in which she has accomplished this purpose. Amiable in every trait of her character, she has won the respect of all who know her, and is now one cf the most respected residents of Monterey township.

Henry Landwehr

Frank Liebrecht

Henry Looser

Caspar Marquard

John J. Miller

John J. Miller, postmaster and one of the leading business men of Ottoville, Putnam county, Ohio, in the township of Monterey, was born at Fremont, Ohio, April 14, 1854. His father, John Miller, was born in Germany June 14, 1820, and when a young man came to America in 1848, and settled in Sandusky county, Ohio, where he engaged at his trade of tailoring in the town of Fremont, and was married there. In 1863 he came to Ottoville, Putnam county, bought a farm near the village, is now one of the most prosperous farmers, and owns 240 acres of the best land in the county. His marriage took place in 1853 to Johanna Flatz, who was born in Austria in 1828, and to this union were born seven children, viz: John J., Johanna, Annie, Edward, George, Josephine and Kate. The father of this family is a devoted member of the Catholic church and was most liberal in his contribution to the erection of the splendid edifice of Saint Mary’s, at Ottoville.
John Miller, the subject of this sketch, was quite well educated in the public schools of Fremont and of Ottoville and Delphos. He was reared a farmer, but his first business enterprise, outside of agriculture, was in the drain tile business for seven years. Next he became one of the proprietors of the Beckman House, in 1890, but a year and a half later sold out and entered the mercantile trade. In 1895 he was appointed postmaster, under Cleveland’s second administration, he being politically a democrat, and he has proven himself to be a most popular and efficient official, as well as an honest one. He has been a member of the town council since its first organization, and served as such until he was elected mayor. He has also served as township clerk a number of years, and was always a warm advocate of public schools, having been fora long time a member of the board of education, In religion he is a most devoted member of the Catholic church; and no man is more faithful than he in the observance of the duties pertaining thereto. The marriage of Mr. Miller took place at Ottoville, August 28, 1879, with Miss Margaret Lauer, who was born in the province of Alsace-Lorraine, in 1855, a daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Lauer, and to this happy marriage six children have been born, named as follows : Elizabeth, Alexander, Mary,Eddie, Katie and Maggie. Mr. Miller is one of the most substantial citizens of Ottoville and owns his business establishment and other property in the city. He has been foremost in all public enterprises and has never been lacking in his aid to all projects that tend to the public good. His aid to the building of Saint Mary’s church was nowise a weak one and his carriage through life has been such as to win the respect and esteem of all who know him either in private or public associations.

David Niermann

Jacob Oberhauser

Nichlaus Osteheltd

Gerhard H. Otte

Gerhard H. Otte, prominent as a citizen of Ottoville, Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, was born May I3, 1834, on his father's farm, at Osnabruck, Germany. His father, also named Gerhard, was the owner of fifty-six acres of land in Hanover, which has been in the family for generations and on which he passed all his life. He married Agnes Barlag, and to this union were born eight children, in the following order: Gerhard H., Agnes, Elizabeth, Catherine, Henry, Joseph, Mary E. and George. He was a devout catholic, and died in that faith at the age of eighty-three years. Of the above children; Gerhard H. and Joseph came to America.

Gerhard H. Otte received a good common-school education in Germany, and at the age of sixteen years sailed from Bremen, and after a tedious voyage of eight weeks and three days landed in New York in June, 1851. He immediately repaired to Albany via, a Hudson river steamer, in company with his second cousin, Henry Esch, who later located in Ottawa, Ohio, but subsequently returned, to Germany. From Albany the young man went : to Buffalo, N. Y., via the Erie canal, thence via the lake to Erie, Pa., then by canal to Beaver, Pa., and then via the Ohio river, reached Cincinnati, Ohio, and finally reached section No. 10, at Delphos, on the Miami & Erie canal. A few days later he came to Ottoville, and in the latter part of the year Mr. Otte settled on section No. 16, in Monterey township. He first engaged in driving an ox team and hauling logs, as the county was all woods. Being unacclimated, he Was Seized with fever and ague and was compelled to retire to Delphos.
On partial recovery he began working in a cooper shop in Delphos, learned the trade and followed it for nine years, and then retired to Ottoville, where, in 1860, he embarked in mercantile trade, and was one of the first merchants of that town, H. W. Beckman alone having preceded him. Mr. Otte at once formed a partnership with Matthias Winkleman, but, in 1887, Mr. Winkleman sold his interest in the business, and Mr. Otte held control until 1891, when he sold out and retired from active life, after an experience of over thirty years in the conduct of mercantile affairs.
Mr. Otte has always clung to the religious faith of his ancestors, who had been Roman Catholics for generations, and is one of the councilmen of St. Mary’s Immaculate church and was a member of the building committee on the erection of the present edifice. In politics Mr. Otto is a democrat, and was appointed the second postmaster of Ottoville, by President Buchanan—his partner, Mr. Winkleman, being the first appointed, and after the death of that gentleman, who had served a second time, about 1880, Mr. Otte was again appointed and held the office until 1893. He is an honored and trusted citizen and for thirty years has filled the office of township treasurer, and for six years has been a notary public. During the war he was a member of the home guards and was billeted at Camp Lucas, Ohio.
Mr. Otte was united in marriage with Miss Annie Wurst, who was born in, 1842, in Crawford county, Ohio, a daughter of Joseph and Annie (Keever) Wurst, of Bavaria, Germany, but early‘ settlers of Crawford county, Ohio. The result of the marriage of Mr. Otte was ten Children, viz: Joseph S., John P., Annie A., Mary C., Girard H., Lizzie E., Louis W., Ferdinand W., Leo J. C., and William M., all born in Ottoville. The mother of this family was laid to rest March 26, 1891. She was a loving wife, an indulgent mother, a woman of many good qualities and a devout member of the Catholic church. Mr. Otte is a gentleman whose integrity has never been doubted, and who is honored for the part he has taken in building up the town in which he lives, and is esteemed for his just life and charitable disposition, and for his genial and friendly temperament.

William Rekart

William J. Rekart, of Monterey township, Putnam county. Ohio, is a son of one of the sturdy pioneers -- Joseph Rekart -- who was the first settler on the farm now occupied by our subject, cut the first tree from the forest, and wrested from the wilderness the 160 acres that afterward became so favorably known as the Rekart farm, and of which, at his death, he gave his son-in-law, Henry Beckman, forty-eight acres. To Joseph Rekart and wife (of whom further may he read in the biography of Sigmund Rekart) were born eight children, viz : Sigmund, Charles, Louisa, Edward, William J., Emma, Matilda and Mary. The death of Joseph Rekart took place April 28, 1886, a member of the Catholic church. and one who freely aided the fund with which the present

stately Catholic church edifice was built at Ottoville. He was one of the foremost farmers of Monterey township, a man of the most honorable character, and reared a highly respected family of children.

William J. Rekart was born August 6, 1858, on the homestead, on which he still resides. He received a very good common school education, and, being thoroughly trained to farming, fell into his father's place as manager of the homestead. He was married to Nora Kromer, who was born February 3, 1869, at Fremont, Ohio, a daughter of Andrew and Emma (Walker) Kromer, all of German stock, the father haying been born in Germany, April J 4, 1842, a son of Andrew Kromer, a farmer, who came with his family to America in 1843 or 1844. and settled about six miles from Sandusky, Ohio. Andrew Kromer, Jr., father of Mrs. Rekart, also a farmer, located, of maturity. four miles from Fremont, Ohio and in 1883 came to Putnam county and settled on 160 acres in Monterey township, rearing a family of six children, named as follows Nora, Mary, William, Frank, Katie and Leah. Mr. Kromer died April 14. 1895, at the age of fifty-three years; with his wife, and family he was a true Catholic, and in politics he was a zealous democrat-holding the position of school director, and his name and that of the family were highly honored wherever known.

Mr. W. J. Rekart and wife settled" immediately after their marriage, on the old homestead here have been born their four children viz: Ida, Millie, Josie and Fannie. In

religion Mr. and Mrs. Rekart are dutiful members of the Catholic church, to the support of they contribute most liberally. In politics Mr. Rekart is a democrat but has never been an office seeker. He is a practical farmer and a good business man, and is public spirited

to an extreme degree. He has taken great interest in educational matters and is at present a member of the school board, on which he serves from a feeling of public duty, and not from any mercenary motive. His farm of 160 acres is a model in every respect and no name stands higher in the regard of the people of Monterey township than that of William J. Rekart, where he maintains the good name of his ancestors.

Joseph Rekart

Joseph W. Rekart, a substantial farmer of Monterey township, Putnam County, Ohio, is a son of German Catholic pioneer William Rekart. Who did so much to build up the county in the early days, and of whom so much may be read in the biography of Sigmund Rekart on another page. William Rekart was born in the village Of Kinsingen, kingdom of Baden, Germany, the eldest child of Joseph and Magdalena (Geakle) Rekart, 1819. In 1828 Joseph Rekart came to America with his parents, who sailed from Havre de Grace, France, and after a passage of fifty days arrived in New York, losing one boy, Otto, on the way. July 1, 1839, the family came to Putnam county and settled on what is now known as the Frederick Smit farm in Jennings township, and there Joseph, the father of our subject, grew to manhood. He worked on the canal with his brother Sigmund from its incipiency to its completion, and later kept lock No, 13, also keeping a grocery store and a butcher shop. In an early day Joseph moved to Ottoville and opened a general store, He was first married in 1848, in Putnam county, to Mary Nierman, the union resulting in the birth of three children; Annie M., Joseph W. and Leo. The mother of these died. and for his second wife Mr. Rekart married Louisa Stackley, to which union were born four children, viz: Henry, John, Sabina and George.
About the year 1851, Joseph Rekart moved to his farm, a part of which he had entered years before, and which was entirely covered with timber, and contained 240 acres. With the assistance of his sons he cleared off this land, and also bought and cleared off 120 acres on the creek, and also other lands in the neighborhood,which he sold. At his death he owned his homestead of 160 acres and 121 acres in Van Wert county, besides considerable town property. He was a devout Catholic and assisted in building the first Catholic church in Ottoville, and was also a member of the building committee who superintended the erection of the present magnificent Catholic structure. He was a democrat in politics, held the office of township trustee, and was a member of the school board, and was likewise township clerk. He died December 14, 1887, aged sixty-eight years, eight months and eleven days a man of most unimpeachable character
and honored wherever his name was known.
Joseph W. Rekart, our subject, was born at lock No. 16, on the Ohio & Erie canal,

now known as Ottoville, November 19. 1851. He was but about two years of, age when he lost the loving care of his mother, who, after death, left also an infant son, Leo, aged but seven days. Joseph W. was educated in the pioneer schools and was also early instructed in the details of clearing lands, the whole country being at that time an almost unbroken wilderness and he greatly assisted his father in denuding the homestead, as well as several other farms, of the forest growth-becoming at the same time a practical farmer. He was married at Ottoville, October 6, 1874, to Miss Josephine Sellet, who was born in the province of Alsace, France (now Germany) September 14, 1850, a daughter of Morand and Kate Sellet, the former a shoemaker by trade. After his marriage Mr. Rekart lived for two years and a half on the homestead of William Rekart (William Rekart, by the way, was the first to introduce horses on his farm-a sorrel mare and a pair of grays, oxen having previously been used.) Joseph W. then settled on eighty acres of his present farm, which by good management he has increased to 150 acres, owning besides eighty acres one-quarter of a mile to the north, and eighty acres in Van Wert county, making his total possessions 310 acres-of fine farming land. To Mr. and Mrs. Rekart have been born ten children, viz : Charles, William, Annie, Mary, Edward, Kate, Rosie, Frank, Matilda and Olive. The family are true Catholics. and in politics Mr. Rekart is a democrat. Mr. Rekart aided in clearing the land on which Father Muller's house now stands and has otherwise greatly assisted the church with his labor and means; including his aid in the construction of the present grand church edifice, at Ottoville. He possesses the full confidence of the people and has served as township trustee for nine consecutive years. He is a good business man, and was a director of, as well as collector for, the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance company. He is a man of unsullied reputation and" his word is as good as his bond."

Frank W. Ruen

There is no occupation which gives a man the independence of life and which brings him closer to nature than does farming. In pioneer times, farmers found their work very much of a drudgery, but with all modern improvements, the farmer is relieved of much of the hard work which was the portion of his forefathers. Farming has arisen in dignity until now it is often referred to as a profession rather than as an occupation. Fifty years the science of agriculture was in its infancy, and to think that a man was compelled to take a course in college in order to succeed as a farmer was, absurd, yet today our colleges are teaching agriculture as a science and are turning out thousands of young men who are well trained in the scientific methods of farming. Putnam county is one of the oldest counties in the state, consequently has many fine farms and good farmers within its borders. Among the enterprising and progressive farmers of Putnam county there is none who stands higher in the esteem of his fellow citizens than does Frank. W. Ruen, of Monterey township.
Frank W. Ruen was born in Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio,
September 2, 1878. He is a son of William and Sybilla (Furst) Ruen. William Ruen was a native of Germany, born in 1824, and on November 1, 1914, was ninety years of age. Hale, hearty and in good health. The oldest resident in Putnam county, he is deeply interested in the great war in the old country. Each day he reads the newspapers, carefully following each succeeding event in the great struggle for supremacy. William Ruen served under Frederick William in 1848 against the Revolutionists, and as a consequence realizes to the full the significance of this great clash of the nations. He came to the United States and located first in Cincinnati in 1860, where he lived until 1862, when he was married to Freda Honerbaum. They were the parents of four children, three of whom are still living, Anton, the firstborn, died at the age of forty-two, at Granite City, Illinois; William, Jr., lives at Cloverdale, Putnam county; Henry lives at Ottoville and Mary is the wife of John Furst, living near Ottoville on a farm. After the marriage of William Ruen, he came to Putnam county and settled in Monterey township, where he worked for one year for William Reckart. He then purchased forty acres of land in section 19, of Monterey township. Mrs. Ruen died about 1875, and subsequently, William Ruen married Sybilla Furst, to which union five children were born, three of whom are still living, Frank W., the eldest; Theresa, who died at the age of six weeks; Paul, who died at the age of two years; Anna, the wife of Gustavus Trenkamp, of Monterey township; Addie, the wife of Joseph Schmersal, of Greensburg township. The mother of these children died on July 23, 1896. William Ruen now lives with his son, Frank W.
Frank W. Ruen received a common-school education and when he was about twenty-five years old, took possession of his father’s farm. He has improved this place by building a barn and other outbuildings, suitable for modern farming. The house has also been remodeled, and he now has a very attractive and pleasant home. Mr. Ruen makes a specialty of thoroughbred Hampshire hogs, as well as a very high grade of other live stock, and has been very successful in his efforts in this line.
Frank W. Ruen was married on June 7, 1904, to Mary Schlagbaum, a daughter of Barney and Clara (Grewe) Schlagbaum. Barney Schlagbaum was born in Cincinnati. His wife was a native of Germany, and came with her parents, when a girl of six years, to America. Barney Schlagbaum and his wife are still living in Monterey township.
To Frank W. and Mary (Schlagbaum) Ruen four children have been born, all of whom are living, Alex, on January 28, 1906; Helen, May 9, 1909; Martha, September 25, 1913, and Marcella, February 11, 1915.
Mr. Ruen and his family are all members of the Catholic church of Ottoville. He is a member of the Catholic Knights of Ohio, and in politics is a Democrat. He was elected for the first term as trustee of Monterey township in 1912, and so efficient was his service that he was re-elected in, 1914. He is now serving as president of the township board. Frank W. Ruen is a man of more than average influence in his community. He is highly respected for his native interest in all good works and is a valuable citizen of any community.

Saint Mary’s Catholic Church

To Father Mueller may be given the credit of furnishing the following account of the origin of the Catholic congregation of Ottoville, Putnam county, Ohio: The Miami & Erie canal was built through northwestern Ohio during the years 1843-45. When this canal was built through the section of the country where Ottoville is now situated, there was nothing but a wilderness between that and Lake Erie. When the the canal was completed, some of the laborers, for some reason or other, remained here as settlers and even induced some of their relatives in Cincinnati and other places, especially Seneca county, Ohio, to join them.

In the year 1846 Father Otto Bredeik, the pioneer priest of Delphos, after whom Ottoville was named, paid the new settlers a visit and found in all ten Catholic families. He gathered the small flock and held divine services for them, once a month, in the private dwelling of Joseph C. Fournier, until 1858. During Father Bredeik’s administration he purchased the land upon which the village of Ottoville now stands, which land he donated to the congregation to be laid out in lots, the proceeds of the sale of the lots to be used for the purpose of building a church. In 1858 Father Bredeik died, and Father Westerholt succeeded him and continued the monthly visits until 1860. During his administration a frame church, 40 x 80, was built at a cost of $3,000. Mr. Fred Heitz, of Delphos, was the contractor. From 1861 to 1864 Father Goebels, of Fort Jennings, administered to the spiritual wants of the new congregation twice a month. The first resident priest was Father Abel, who came here in 1865 and remained until 1866. He was succeeded by Father D. H. Best, who. had charge of the congregation until 1867. Father M. Mueller, the present pastor, took charge on March 15, 1868. An excellent view of this noble structure will be found on an adjacent page preceding.

REV. MICHAEL MUELLER, one of the leading members of the Catholic clergy of northwestern Ohio and the founder of’ the new church of Saint Mary’s at Ottoville, Putnam county, was born January 21, 1833, in the kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, a son of John and Elizabeth (Frey) Mueller. He received an excellent common school education in his native country, and at the age of, eighteen years thought it prudent to come to America. July 5, 1852, he arrived in New York city. Coming to Ohio, he first taught school in Huron, Washington and Crawford counties, for four years, and then attended Saint Mary’s seminary at Cleveland, Ohio, and next the Assumption college at Windsor, Canada, studied philosophy at Saint Benedict’s and elsewhere, and then studied theology at Saint Mary’s seminary at Cleveland, Ohio; was ordained June 25, 1865, and was assigned to the congregation at Rockport, Ohio, and ministered to that charge two and one-half years, and then came, March 15, 1868, to Ottoville, and assumed charge of Saint Mary’s congregation, Which he has since filled to the unbounded satisfaction of his flock. He found the church building a small frame affair, the country with no roads, and the hamlet surrounded with forest trees of primeval growth, to drain which no attempt had ever been made and in the rainy season the mud was simply terrible. The pastors had previously endured great hardship and had a hard struggle, and Father Mueller at once turned his energies in the direction of a remedy for these unpleasant conditions. By persistent effort he at last succeeded in securing sufficient funds by contribution to justify the laying the cornerstone for the present large and elegant structure, and June 22, 1885, that important event took place, and the completed edifice was dedicated for divine services September 23, 1888. The cost had reached something over $50,000, and when the briefness of the period in which the funds were raised is taken into consideration, what praise can be measured out to the pastor for the pluck, energy and indefatigable industry with which he succeeded in accomplishing so herculean a task? Nor should praise be withheld from the devoted congregation, Who contributed so freely of their means and labor in forwarding this worthy undertaking, and many names among the more liberal contributors to the commendable enterprise will be found scattered throughout these pages. Too much . credit, indeed, cannot be given the pious pastor for his zeal in raising this noble structure in honor of his God and his faith, nor to the pardonable pride of his flock for their early aid, in the erecting of a structure meet for the assembling of so devoted a congregation. But a weak description of this architectural, pride of Ottoville can here be given. Suffice it to say that the building is of brick, with stone basement and trimmings, 75 feet long and seventy-eight feet wide, and has two towers, each 180 feet high, and is so situated as to form a prominent and effective object to the view of an observer at a distance. The auditorium is decorated in a most tasteful manner and artistically finished in every detail. This beautiful structure is the result of Father Mueller’s fruitful conception, and will stand for ages as a monument to his venerated name. The congregation comprises 250 families, and the communicants number I,000 a small number, indeed, to have achieved so grand a task as that of having erected this noble house of worship; yet it may be admitted that the village of Ottoville and the vicinity are almost entirely composed of the devotees of the church of Rome, and none others take more interest in church affairs, while they pursue, at the same time, those industries which lead to the temporal welfare of the country in which they have their home. Of the reverend priests of this faith within the county of Putnam none stand higher in the record of its progress than Father Mueller, of Ottoville, and Father Hoeffel, of Delphos, for energy and devotion to duty, the civilization of a frontier community and the beatification of themselves and the inhabitants of the land in which they dwell.

William Sanders

John Shirack

John Shirack owns and operates a very productive and well-improved farm of 80 acres, 40 acres of which are situated in section 2, Washington township. and the remaining 40 acres directly across the road from his residence in section 35, Monterey township, Putnam County, Ohio.
He was born in Prussia, Germany, June 24, 1840. and was a son of Anthony and Catherine Shirack.
When only five year’s of age John Shirack came in America in a sailing vessel with his parents, the family first settling in Hancock County, Ohio. on a farm of 80 acres where they lived for two years and in which locality our subject received his early schooling, when he was about 12 years of age his parents sold their farm in Hancock County and purchased a homestead of 120 acres in Seneca County Ohio. where he completed his education. In 1859 his father sold his farm in Seneca County and settled on a farm of 240 acres on the banks of the Little Auglaize River, part of which is now occupied by our subject. His mother died in Hancock County when he was 10 years old, his father passing away in Washington township. On May 3, 1864, John Shirack was married at Ottoville, Putnam County, to Catherine Schulien, daughter at Matthias and Mary (Petry) Schulien. Mrs. Shirack was also born in Prussia. and when four years of age came to America with her parents. They first settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in 1857 moved to Putnam County, where they passed the remainder of their days. Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Shirack moved into the house which is still occupied by them. They have had nine children; John M.; Mrs. Mary Grubenhoff; Mrs. Katie Eickholt; Mrs. Tillie Droll; Anna (Mrs. Henry Kehres); Mrs. Emma Sheibley; Mrs. Maggie Wannemacher; Joseph who married Anna Schneider and has one child—Maletius; and Charles, who died an infant, The families are all members of the Catholic Church, at Ottoville.

George, Bernard and Schlagbaum  

Bernard H. Schlagbaum, a successful farmer of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, was born in Cincinnati, February 26, 1849. His father George Schlagbaum, was born in the village of Ibbenburen, Prussia, May 5, 1820, on his father’s farm. George came to Amerca in 1843, and for a year worked in the coal mines near Wheeling, West Va., and then went to Cincinnati, where he went to work in the Enquirer office at the old-fashioned hand press. He married, in that city, May 14, 1848, to Miss Dora Hille, who was born in the village of Boumte, Hanover, Germany, October 14, 1829, a daughter of William Hille. Miss Hille, with some acquaintances, came to America at the age of sixteen years, later was married to Mr. Schlagbaum and became the mother of ten children, born in the following order: Bernard H., our subject; Henry, born January 27, 1852, and died at the age of twenty-one years; Louis, born August 24, 1855; Mary, born October 4, 1857; John, born September 12, 1856 William, born July 17, 1893; Anna, born September 26, 1866; Elizabeth born June 17, 1869; and two others that died in infancy. Mr. Schlagbaum lived in Cincinnati three years after his marriage, and in 1851 moved to Delphos, Ohio; in 1853 he removed to Ottoville and bought eighty acres of land three-quarters of a mile east of town, which farm our subject now owns. A log house in the woods had already been built, and here Mr. Schlagbaum, assisted by his sons as they grew old enough, cleared off the timber from his land and made a superior farm, on which he died October 28, 1886, at the age of about sixty-six years and six months. He was a true Catholic and aided in the building of the first church of that denomination in Ottoville, and subsequently in the construction of the present magnificent structure dedicated to Saint Mary. In politics he was a democrat, was always a popular. public-spirited man, and died an honored citizen. respected by all who knew him.
Bernard H. Schlagbaum was about three years of age when brought to Putnam county by his parents. He was placed at farm work as soon as old enough to pick bark, and was reared to manhood as an agriculturist. February 12, 1874, at Ottoville, he was married by Father Mueller to Mrs. Clara Anna Helmkamp, who was born in Hanover. Germany, July 24, 1846, and bore the maiden name of Grave. She was first married at Delphos, Ohio, June 6, 1866, to Bernard Helmkamp, to whom she bore two children, Viz: Annie, born September 24, 1867, and Frederick, January 15, 1870. Mr. Helmkamp was a carpenter by trade and also the owner of fifty-three acres of land, on which our subject now lives and owns. Mrs. Schlagbaum is a daughter of Ferdinand and Mary C. Grave, the former of whom was born in Hanover, Germany, was a shoemaker, was there married to Mary A. Moenter, and by her became the father of three children, viz: Henry, Christian and Clara Anna (Mrs. Schlagbaum). By a previous marriage he was the father of two children, Mary and Elizabeth, and at his death the entire family came to America and settled at Delphos, Ohio, in October, 1853.
Mr. and Mrs. Bernard H. Schlagbaum, for a few years after marriage, lived on the old Schlagbaum farm until 1880, when they moved to their present home, the old Helmkamp place. All of this place our subject has cleared from the woods, with the exception of twenty acres, has drained the land, made all the improvements, has built a tasteful residence and made a comfortable home. To Mr. and Mrs. Schlagbaum have been born five children, as follows: Maria Dora, November 6, 1874; Louis E., August 8, 1878; Mary, November 26, 1880; Joseph H., June 21, 1883, and Mary Rosa, December 15, 1886. The family is of the Catholic faith. and Mr. and Mrs. Schlagbaum have contributed liberally to Saint Mary’s church of Ottoville, which stately structure, like all other persons of means in the country round about, he materially assisted to erect. In politics Mr. Schlagbaum is a democrat. He is a practical farmer and is respected wherever known as an honest man and one who has done much to advance the material Interests of Monterey township and ‘ Putnam county, of which he has been a resident over forty-four years.

William Schlagbaum
William Schlagbaum, a rising young farmer of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, and a son of George and Dora (Hille) Schlagbaum, was born July 17, 1863, on the old home farm in Monterey township, on which he still lives and now owns. He received a very fair common-School education, and 'was reared to the pursuit of agriculture exclusively as a vocation, and in this has become thoroughly practical. His birthplace contains eighty acres, is well drained and is cultivated in a most skillful and superior manner, and few farms of its size in the county can surpass it in appearance or fertility. Besides his eighty- acre tract he owns twenty-four acres adjoining, the reward of his own industry-and the whole constitute a beautiful homestead. His father passed much of his later life in Ottoville, and our subject, since eighteen years of age, has had charge of the homestead, and has done a great deal of the clearing himself, and has taken much pains to do it well. Although yet a young man he has manifested much interest in public affairs, and as a democrat he has already held the office of. township clerk, as well as that of road supervisor, he being greatly in favor of good roads.
May 21, 1895, William Schlagbaum was most happily united in. matrimony, at Ottoville, with Miss Louisa Kehres, who was born September 28, 1874, on her father’s farm in Monterey township. She is a daughter of August and Louisa (Marks) Kehres, of which highly respected family a biography is given on another page, to which the reader of this sketch is respectfully referred, as well as to the sketch of Bernard H. Schlagbaum, which appears above. Mr, and Mrs. Schlagbaum both come of sturdy German pioneer families, who did so much to redeem the land of Monterey township from the wilderness, build up its villages. Construct its roads and lay out and cultivate its farms, and to bring it to its present high state of prosperity, beauty and cultivation. Our subject and his wife are strict adherents of the church of their forefathers and worship at Saint Mary’s, in Ottoville, which costly edifice their parents aided in erecting, partly by their labor and partly by their means. The young couple enjoy the esteem of all who know them, and they well deserve the respect of the social circle they so well adorn.

Ignatius Schmidt

Jacob Schneider

Mathias Schroeder

Matthias and Elizabeth Schroder, natives of Germany the parents of five children; Henry, Catherine, Anna M., August and Clara. Mr. Schroder was a farmer and came to America about year 1842, making settlement one mile northwest of Delphos, Ohio, deep in the woods. About 1848 he moved to Ottoville and set one mile west of the present village, on 100 acres of woodland, from which he created a fine farm and a most comfortable home. He was one of the earliest pioneers and one of the organizers of the township of Monterey, helped found the Catholic church at Ottoville, assisted in building the first church edifice and a member of the first church council. He was well known for his integrity, as well as his public spirit, reared a family of respected children in the Catholic faith, and died, about 1854, at the age of fifty-five years, honored beloved by all who know him.

Mathias Schulien

Matthias Schulien, one of the leading business men of Ottoville, Putnam county, Ohio, and member of the well-known milling firm of Schulien & Wannemacher, was born in the village of Lossheim Trier, Prussia, February 2, 1842. His father, also named Matthias, was a wagon maker and was married to Mary Petry, the result of the union being five children, viz: Matthias (our subject), Catherine, Nicholas, Barbara and Joseph, all born in the native village of the parents, with the exception of the youngest, who was born in Ottoville, Putnam county, Ohio. The family sailed from Liverpool, England, in June, 1852, and thirty days later landed in New York, whence they came directly to Ohio, and for six years resided in Cincinnati, or until March, 1858, when they came to Putnam county and bought eighty acres of land in the woods west of Ottoville, which land they in due course of time converted into a good farm. The family are all devoted Catholics, and contributed liberally toward the building fund of the present handsome Catholic house of worship in Ottoville. The father lived to be sixty-three years of age and died a devout Christian and worthy citizen.
Matthias Schulien, the subject of this sketch, attended the excellent primary schools of his native land until ten years of age, when he was brought to America by .his parents. In Cincinnati he began his business life as an errand boy for a furniture firm, was advanced to the position of shipping clerk, and remained with the firm until he came, at the age of sixteen, to Putnam county with the rest of the family. For two years he assisted his father in clearing up the farm, and then went to work on the canal as a carpenter, aiding to build locks for three years; for the next two years he was employed at carpenter work in Ottoville, and then, in company with B. Wannemacher, his present partner, engaged in the saw-mill and lumber business, erecting the first steam mill in the town. After a successful career of ten years in this trade, the firm sold out and bought their present flouring mills, which they remodeled and supplied with the new, roller process machinery, now turning out about eighty barrels of superior flour every twenty- four hours and shipping it chiefly to the east.
In politics Mr. Schulien is a democrat and has served as a member of the school, board nine years, and as treasurer of the village of Ottoville for three years, and was one of the incorporaters of the town. In 1890 he married Mary Sellet, daughter of Morent and Catherine (Wolfe) Sellet who came from Alsace, France, about the year 1854, and located in Seneca county, Ohio, and about six years later came to Monterey township, Putnam county, where the father, a shoemaker, bought forty acres of land one-quarter of a mile west of Ottoville, and settled down to farming, making a good home, and dying at the age of seventy years, a highly respected citizen. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Schulien
has been blessed with two children, Matilda and Frank. The family are Catholic in religion, as were there forefathers, and their social standing is with the best people of Ottoville and Monterey township.

Adrian Schurer, Baltas Schurer

Baltas Schurer, one of the substantial farmers, a progressive citizen and township trustee of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, springs from sturdy stock. His father, Adrain Schurer, was born in Wittenberg, Germany, in the village of Weitengen, was a weaver, and married, in his native village, Annie Derringer, to which union were born four children, of whom two died in infancy unnamed, one, Francis, died at the age of twenty-three years, in Ohio, and one, Baltas, is the gentleman whose name opens this paragraph.
In 1853Adrain Schurer came to America, remained a year in Cincinnati, and then, in 1854, settled on forty acres of land in the wild woods of Monterey township, Putnam county, which land he entered in the land office at Defiance, Ohio. Here he cleared up a good farm, on which he resided until about 1866, when he sold out and bought the farm of eighty acres now occupied by his son Baltas, our subject, and the two together converted this property into a delightful home. Later the father bought a house and lot in Ottoville, but ended his days on this farm in 1882, at the age of sixty-seven years. He was a sincere member of the Catholic church, and had aided freely with his means in the erection of the Catholic edifice at Ottoville. Mrs. Annie Schurer died in 1880, at the age of sixty-five years, also in the Catholic faith. The Catholic German pioneers did a good and wonderful work when they founded Ottoville, built their church, laid out their good roads, etc., and Mr. Schurer was one of the most active among them, having in the early days been known to carry grist on his back to Delphos, to mill, even when the water in the roadways would reach his knees.

Baltas Schurer was born in Germany, May 15, 1845, attended the common schools until about eighteen years of age, and later attended the pioneer schools of Putnam county, Ohio. He grew to manhood on the homestead in the  woods, which he ably assisted in clearing away, and also did a vast amount of other work in making it the farm that it afterward became one of the handsomest in the county, and improved in the most substantial manner, including a fine two-story brick residence. In November, 1868, Mr. Schurer married Mary Hankler, daughter of Christopher Hankler, the latter a native of Switzerland, one of the pioneers of Monterey township, and the father of four children, viz: Mary, Sophia, Kate and Christopher. The death of the father took place, in pioneers days, at the age of forty of fifty years.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Schurer settled on the old Schurer homestead, where there have been born to them nine children, four still living and named; Joseph, Annie, Caroline, John, and five deceased. In politics Mr. Schurer is a democrat, and he is a citizen who has. the full confidence and respect of the people. About 1882 he was elected a township trustee of Monterey township, served three years, and was re-elected to the same office in 1892, has served his three years, and has been elected to serve another term of three years. Mr. Schurer is a thoroughly practical farmer. As may be inferred, he is a member of the Catholic church at Ottoville, which he liberally aided to construct; and is universally recognized as a true Christian and strictly honest gentleman.

Bernard Tithoff

Ferdinand Vincke

Ferdinand Vincke, the genial merchant of Ottoville, Putnam county, Ohio, was born in the kingdom of Hanover, May 22, 1851. His father, John Henry, was born in 1812, on an estate comprising 200 acres of land that had been in the family since the time that the “memory of man runneth not to the contrary.” He married Mary Welter, who was born in 1827, a daughter of John Welker, and this union resulted in the birth of six children, named Fritz, Henry, Anne, Ferdinand, William and Frank. Mr. Vincke passed all his life on the homestead, and died May 12, 1884, a devout believer in the doctrines of the Catholic church.

Ferdinand Vincke, subject of this sketch, received an excellent education in his native country, and acquired a good knowledge of agriculture on the home farm. He served two years in the German army, and at the age of twenty-four years, August 9, 1875, sailed from Bremerhaven for America, and landed in Baltimore, Md., August 27. After a short stay in Baltimore, Cincinnati and Delphos, Mr. Vincke arrived in Ottoville September 2, 1875. He was first employed at farm work by Gerhard Otte, for nearly three years, and was then employed as clerk in the store for about two years; he then bought a half interest in the business, in February, 1879, in company with Max Winkelman, forming a partnership which was dissolved August 15, 1895, Mr. Vincke, purchasing Max Winkelman’s interest and becoming sole proprietor of one of the best known stores in the county, which carries an extremely large and well assorted stock of general merchandise. The marriage of Mr. Vincke took place November 5, 1878, in Ottoville, with Miss Mary Schlagbaum, who was born October 4, 1857, one-quarter mile east of Ottoville, on the farm of her parents, George and Dora (Hille) Schlagbaum. The father, George Schlagbaum, was a native of Hanover, Germany, and an old settler of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio. He came here in 1852, bought a tract of eighty acres, made a good farm and reared a family of five children; Bernard, Lousia, Mary, William and Anna. His death took place in 1886, at the age of about sixty-six years. He was a Catholic in religion, and in politics a democrat. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Vincke made their residence in Ottoville, and here they still live. Their seven children are named Joseph, Frank, William, Anna, Dora, George and Ferdinand. The family are all members of the Catholic church, and the parents were liberal contributors to the fund raised to erect the present splendid Catholic house of worship in Ottoville. In politics Mr. Vincke is a democrat. Socially he is esteemed by the community for his integrity and straightforwardness and his pleasant disposition.

Charles, Joseph and John Wannemacher (1860 Census Monterey)

Charles Wannemacher, one of the most prominent merchants and hardware man of, Ottoville, Putnam County, Ohio, is of German birth and comes from one of the earliest settled families of. Monterey township. The father of our subject, John Wannemacher, was born in Prussia, December 26, 1,878, and died: October 11, 1876. He was a locksmith by trade, and married, in his native village, Theresa Dierringer, a daughter of Anton Dierringer, and to this union we're born eight children, as follows;
Paulina, who died at the age of eight years; Joseph, Peter, Ferdinand deceased at six years; Timothy, Charles, Ferdinand, second, and Benedict.
The Wannemacher family sailed from Antwerp, Belgium, March 10, 1852, in the ship Edwina, and after a voyage of forty days landed in New York, April 23, of the same year. Joseph, the oldest son, had preceded the family to Putnam county five years, in the spring of 1847, to look over the country, and the family followed, arrived also, as stated, in New York, coming to Ottoville, in 1852, via Albany and Buffalo, N. Y., by railroad, and thence by lake to Toledo, Ohio, reaching Ottoville on May the 6th. Ottoville then contained two buildings only one of logs and the other a frame. Joseph Wannemacher settled on eighty acres, one and a half miles from the village, lived for three years or more on the land, and then bought a small farm for himself in the neighborhood. Here he passed the remainder of his days, and, being a devout Catholic, lent ready assistance .to the building of Saint Mary’s church at Ottoville, and under, the extreme unction of that faith died in his seventy-ninth year.
Charles Wannemacher, the immediate subject of this biographical sketch, was born January 7, 1837, and was about fourteen years of age when brought to America in 1852. He had received a good common-school education in his native village, and after reaching Ohio took a peculiar but natural method of learning English by spelling out the signs on stores, and the advertisements displayed on fences, etc., till he had slowly interpreted their meaning, and thus gained a key to the language. At Delphos, Ohio, he learned the trade of shoe making, serving a year and a half. After becoming, in this short time, comparatively competent as a workman, he passed a few years in Cincinnati as a journeyman, and then returned to Ottoville and engaged in business for himself and for sixteen years kept a general shoe store, and made money through keeping first-class goods and also, through his politeness and upright treatment of his patrons The marriage of Mr. Wannemacher took place July 9, 1860, at Ottoville, with Miss Fannie Fournier, who was born July 15, 1840, in the province of Lorraine, France, the only child of Joseph C. and Mary C. (Oberhauser) Fournier. Joseph C. Fournier, with his Wife and child, had come to America in 1848, lived for a while in Seneca county; Ohio, then came to Monterey township, Putnam county, where, in 1851, Mr. Fournier bought eighty acres of land that he worked out from a wilderness into a blooming garden of grain and fruit. He here also followed the profession of a veterinary surgeon, and at one time was coroner of Putnam county, holding the office for several terms. He died at the age of about sixty-six years, and to the last day of his life was a sound democrat. To .the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Wannemacher were born eleven children, of whom seven are still living: Joseph C., John, Jacob, Stephen, Alexander, Fannie and Charles. Mr. Wannemacher was elected to fill the office of county Commissioner in 1873 and served until 1879, two terms. At about the conclusion of his public services he engaged in the hardware business in Ottoville, and has advanced it until he now owns and occupies a two-story and basement store, supplied with every essential article, big or little, to be found in the trade, including shelf, heavy and builders hardware and agricultural implements, the firm being composed of himself and his son, Joseph C., and style being Charles Wannemacher & Son. In addition to the many public spirited acts that Mr. Wannemacher. has performed for the benefit of his fellow-citizens, it may be mentioned that he laid out the southwestern addition to the city, thus affording to rich and poor pleasant sites for home building, and giving conveniences to the town it would otherwise have lacked. His property comprises seventy acres one mile south of town, and forty-six acres four miles north, as well as eighty acres in Washington township, and some real estate in Paulding county, beside several city residences in Ottoville and elsewhere. Mr. Wannemacher has served as township assessor, township clerk, and justice of the peace, and even while yet a youth he held the office of constable, being in politics a democrat. In religion he is a devout Catholic, and is a member of the council, and of the building committee of the church at Ottoville, to the erection of which he has contributed munificently of his means. Mrs. Wannemacher, who was also a devout Catholic, died, in this faith August 29, 1890, at the age of fifty years, a lady of many virtues. Charles Wannemacher is a gentleman of fine natural abilities, and in a business sense is entirely self made, having worked himself upward from a poor boy, with no knowledge of the English language, to be one of the wealthiest citizens of Putnam county and one who commands the respect of everybody who has his acquaintance.
Joseph Wannemacher, pioneer of Ottoville, Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, is one of the best known and most honored citizens of the town and county. He was born March 19, 1827, in Prussia, Germany, a son of John and Theresa (Dierrenger) Wannemacher, of whom further mention is made in in the biography of Charles Wannemacher. Joseph attended the common schools of his native country until eight years of age, receiving a very good education. He learned the trade of locksmith, and May 1, 1847, sailed from Antwerp in the Omaha, a sailing vessel, reaching New York, after a passage of thirty-six days. July 1, he departed for the west, reached Tuscarawas county, Ohio, worked in the iron works there for a year, then went to Newcastle, Pa., and for a year worked in a nail factory; in 1851 he came to Ottoville, Putnam county, June 1, via the canal packet line from Cleveland, and bought a tract of eighty acres of land in the woods, in section 26, one mile and a half west of Ottoville; of this he cleared fifty acres, on which he resided until 1868, when he came to Ottoville and erected his present dwelling and business house and engaged in general merchandising for twenty-two years, when he rented his business place for a drug store and retired to private life. Being in politics a democrat, Mr. Wannemacher served as township clerk from 1855 to 1866, and was the first mayor elected in Ottoville. He made a trip of five months to his old home in Europe in 1887, and on his return was elected a justice of the peace, a position he still holds, thus showing the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens. He was the first notary public in Monterey township. As a squire, he has probably married more couples than any other justice in his part of the country, having always been a most popular citizen as well as official. He. has also served for six years as a member of the school board. In religion he is a true Catholic and assisted liberally in building the first Catholic church in Ottoville and in the erection of the present stately pile.
Mr. Wannemacher was first united in matrimony. April 17, 1854, in Delphos, Ohio, with Miss Martha Stern, who was born March 18. 18 3 7, a daughter of Godfrey and Catherine. Stern. Godfrey Stern came from Germany in 1830, bringing with him his wife and children, seven in number, named as follows: John, Henry, Martha, Jacob, Martin, Mary and Erheart. He settled at Fort Jennings, a pioneer in the days of Raabe and Discher, where he lived until 1848, when he moved to a farm one mile west of Ottoville, which farm comprised eighty acres, and which he cleared up from the woods; here his death took place at the age of eighty years, a member of the Lutheran church and an ex-soldier of the wars of Napoleon. Mr. and Mrs. Wannemacher, immediately after marriage, settled in Ottoville, where they lived happy together until the death of the latter, in 1878, at the age of-forty-one years, she having been a Catholic in religion. To this marriage were born six children, viz: John, Henry, Mary, Godfried, Adam and Catherine. The second, marriage of Mr. Wannemacher took place January 26, 1887, at Bucyrus, Ohio, to Mrs. Barbara Sufert, née Houseman, who was born August 18, 1840, in Bremen, Germany; to this union no children have been born, but Mrs. Wannemacher, by her first husband, had one daughter, Mary. Mr. Wannemacher has been a very successful man, in a business point of view, and has given to his son, John, eighty acres; to Adam, forty acres; to Henry, eighty, acres, and to Godfried, forty acres, still retaining 139 acres for his own homestead. His property is the result of his own good management and industry, and he is recognized by all as being a man of sterling worth and unspotted integrity, and his life has been such as to be an example well worthy of imitation by the rising generation and the emulation of his less fortunate fellow citizens, whose respect he so fully enjoys, and which he so fully deserves.

Benedict Wannemacher

Benedict Wannemacher, of the firm of Schulien & Wannemacher, millers of Ottoville, Putnam county, Ohio, was born in Prussia, March 19, 1843, a son of John and Theresa Wannemacher, and came to America with his parents in 1852. After attending school the proper length of time, he was employed on the Miami & Erie canal for four years; he then engaged in the saw-mill business With his present partner at Ottoville, and for ten years carried on a very profitable trade. In 1878, the firm bought the flouring mill belonging to H. W. Beckman, and put it in thorough repair, put in new machinery, and increased its productive capacity from twenty-five to seventy-five barrels per day. About 1885 the roller process was introduced, and a first-class grade of flour manufactured, that. was shipped throughout Ohio, and some of the middle states and Baltimore and the eastern states. The capital invested in the mill and its working amounts to $15,000 or $20,000, and it keeps seven men in constant employment.

Mr. Wannemacher was united in matrimony, February 2, 1868, at Ottoville, with Miss Regina  Sellet, who was born in Lorraine, France, in October, 1848, and is a daughter of Morent and Catherine (Wolfe) Sellet. On coming to America, Morent Sellet, the father, first settled on a farm in Seneca county, Ohio, whence, in 1860, he came to Putnam county and settled on forty acres that he bought, about a half-mile west of Ottoville, where he had a neat as well as profitable farm. He was the father of four children, viz: Mary, Regina, Josephine and Oliver, and died in the seventieth year of his age. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Benedict Wannemacher have been born six children, named, Edward, Matthias, Mary, Rose, Louis and Agnes (deceased). The entire family are consistent members of the Catholic church, and Mr. Wannemacher has been a consistent member of the church council for at least twelve years; he aids liberally with his means to the support of the holy institution, and contributed in no small way to the erection of the present Saint Mary’s Catholic church edifice, which is one of the most stately in northwestern Ohio. Mr. Wannemacher has been treasurer of this church ever since its erection. In politics he is a democrat, and has filled the office of township clerk for many years. He is entirely a self-made man, and a gentleman of' ability and undoubted integrity, commanding the respect of all who know him.

Joseph Wannemacher

Joseph C. Wannemacher is one of those men who win life’s battles by sheer force of personality and determination coupled with sound judgment and keen discrimination in whatever is undertaken. Mr. Wannemacher has shown himself to be a man of ability and honor and always ready to lend his assistance in defense of principles affecting the public good. He has ably and conscientiously served the community of Ottoville and vicinity as president of the Ottoville Bank Company, and in other phases of financial, commercial and civic life, and has so conducted himself as to earn the unqualified endorsement and support of his fellow citizens.
Joseph C. Wannemacher was born on December 23, 1861, in Ottoville, Ohio. He is the son of Charles and Stephania (Fournier) Wannemacher. Charles Wannemacher, the father of Joseph C., was born on January 7, 1837, and came to the United States with his parents at the age of fourteen years. He had received a good common school education in his native village. After his arrival in this country and in Ohio he gained the key to the English language by spelling out the signs on the stores and the advertisements displayed on fences till he slowly interpreted their meaning. At Belfast, Ohio, he learned the shoemaking trade, serving one and one-half years apprenticeship and later becoming a competent workman. He then spent a few years in Cincinnati as a journeyman and, finally, returned to Ottoville, where he engaged in business for himself for sixteen years. He kept a shoe store in 1873. and was elected county commissioner of Putnam county, serving two terms. Subsequently, he engaged in the hardware business where he made great commercial progress, becoming one of the prominent and wealthiest citizens of Ottoville.
Charles Wannemacher was married on July 9. 1860, to Fannie Fournier, the only child of Joseph C. and Mary C. (Oberhauser) Fournier. They were natives of the Province of Lorraine. France, their daughter having been born in their native land. Upon coming to this country. they settled in Monterey township. Putnam county. Charles and Fannie (Fournier) Wannemacher the parents of Joseph C., were staunch Catholics both dying in the faith, the father on January 5, 1898, and the mother, August 29, 1890.
The grandfather of Joseph C. Wannemacher, who was John Wannemacher was born in Prussia and was a locksmith by trade. He was married. in his native village to Theresa Dierringer gand sailed with his wife and eight children to the United States from Antwerp, Belgium. March 10, 1852, in the ship “Edwina” After a voyage of forty days, they landed in New York on April 23, 1852, and came directly to Ottoville, which contained, at that time, but two buildings, one log and one frame. They settled on a small farm one and one-half miles from Ottoville, living there the remainder of their lives.
Joseph C. Wannemacher, the subject of this sketch, was one of eleven children. He received his education in the public schools of Ottoville, and attended the high school of Ottawa, Ohio, for two years. He also clerked in a dry goods store, at Ottawa, for a time, and after that taught school for two terms. During the summer of 1881, he went to work in his father’s store, in Ottoville, and, in 1886, he became a partner with his father in the hardware and implement business. This partnership continued until 1898, when the father died. The business is now being managed under the firm name of Charles Wannemacher’s Sons. It is the largest hardware and implement store in the county.
Joseph C. Wannemacher is now, and has been for many years, the president of the Ottoville bank Company. The articles of incorporation for this bank were signed on September 13, 1903. by F. J. Maehlmann,, John J. Miller, J. C. Wannemacher, Alphons A. Roth and F.F. Vincke for the purpose of doing a general banking business and with a capital stock of twenty- five thousand dollars. On October 24. 1903 a charter was given to the Ottoville Banking Company by the secretary of state. The bank opened for business on February 1, most. lt now has a surplus of twenty-seven thousand five hundred dollars. This bank was placed on the roll of honor in 1911, The present officers of the bank are Joseph C. Wannemacher, president, John C. Miller, vice-president. F. J. Maehlmann, cashier and E.Maehlnann, assistant cashier. The directors are Benedict Wannemacher, J. H. Wannemacher, J. C. Wannemacher, John J. Miller and F. J. Maehhlmann.
Reverting to Mr. Wannemacher’s parentage, he is the eldest of seven living children. four having died in infancy. John, the second child, lives in Ottoville. He married Katharine Barholzer and they have two children, Sophia and Alma, Mrs. John Wannemacher is deceased: Jacob lives in Ottoville: Stephen lives in Cloverdale: Alex lives in Ottoville and is a partner in a store with Joseph C. He married Anna Jervers and they have one daughter, Dorothy: Fanny lives in Ottoville, Charles died at the age of twenty-two years.
Joseph C. Wannemacher was married on May 8, 1878, to Anna Schneider, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Kieffer) Schneider. Mr. Schneider was born in Alsace, France, now a part of Germany. Mrs. Schneider was born in Luxemburg. They came to the United States early in life and settled in Crawford county, Ohio. To Joseph C. and Anna (Schneider) Wannemacher, seven children have been born: Martin, on June 24, 1889, graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor; Urban F., July 18, 1891, is a tinner by trade and works in his father’s store at Ottoville; Monica, June 21, 1893, graduated from the Ottoville schools and is now teaching school; Arnold, December 25, 1895, graduated from the Lima Business College and assists his father in the store: Fanny, November 19, 1897, attends the Ottoville schools; Elnora, November 28, 1899, and Margaret, June 1, 1902, are at home.
Joseph C. Wannemacher is a Democrat. He was clerk of the town of Ottoville for eighteen years and is the present mayor of the town. having taken this office in January, 1912. He was a member of the building committee for the county court house at Ottawa. Mr. Wannemacher is also vice-president of the Ottoville school board. All of the members of the Wannemacher family are devoted to the Catholic church and are prominent and influential in this church. Few families are better known in this part of Putnam county than that of Joseph C. Wannemacher and few men occupy a higher place in the esteem of his fellow citizens than the subject of this sketch.

Peter Wannemacher (1860 Census Monterey)

Michael Winck

Max Winkleman

Max Winkelman was of late one of the most prosperous merchants of Ottoville, Putnam county, Ohio, having been at one time the senior partner in the firm of Winkelman & Vincke, and the successor of G. H. Otte, of the old firm of Otte & Winkelman, general merchants. Matthias, the father of Max, was born in Westphalia, Germany, came to the United States when young, and in 1850 reached Delphos, Ohio,where he followed his trade of tanner for about ten years. He was married, in Delphos to Frances Merkel, daughter "of Michael Merkel, the union resulting in the birth of five children, named Max, Frank, Mary, Amelia and John. In 1860 Mr. Winkelman came to Ottoville, and in partnership with Gerhard Otte established the first mercantile
business of any consequence in town: in 1863 he sold out his interest in the old firm, established a new store, and was alone in the same trade until 1869, when he again sold out and went to Wisconsin on account of his wife’s health. He had held the office of postmaster from 1861 until 1867 and was a very popular official. Six weeks after reaching Wisconsin, Mrs. Winkelman expired at Franklin, twelve miles west of Milwaukee. and Mr. Winkelman returned to Delphos, Ohio, and married Mrs. Thirsa Selzer; in July, 1870, he returned to Ottoville and purchased a half-interest in the business of Gerhard Otte, his former partner, and in this he continued until his death in the faith of the Catholic church, and in politics a democrat. This sad event occurred August 9, 1876. His widow, Thirsa (Buehler-Stelzer) Winkelman, survived until August 17, 1891, when she also died in the same faith.
Max Winkelman, Whose name opens this sketch, was born at Delphos, Ohio, February 8, 1859, was brought to Ottoville when but one year of age, and was educated in the district school. At the proper age he began clerking with his father and continued to be thus employed until the latter’s death, and then clerked for Mr. Otte until 1879, when he and Ferdinand Vincke bought out Mr. Otte’s stock and good will, the mother of Mr. Winkelman furnishing the capital and being the actual partner of Mr. Vincke. In 1891 our subject bought out the interest of his mother, and the business was continued under the original style of Winkelman & Vincke, and conducted a thriving trade down to August 15, 1895, when Max Winkelman retired, Mr. Vincke purchasing Mr. Winkelman’s interest, the business being continued under style of F. F. Vincke, a sketch of whose life is given on another page.
The marriage of Mr. Winkelman took place in Ottoville, June 11, 1889, with Miss Sabina Rekart, who was born at Ottoville, February 2, 1859, a daughter of William Rekart, a sketch of whose life appears elsewhere. This union has been blessed with four children, Who have been named Mary, Albert, Frances and Rose. Mr. and Mrs. Winkelman are devout Catholics. In politics Mr. Winkelman is a democrat and was deputy postmaster at Ottoville from 1876 until 1894, and is a genial, affable and courteous gentleman as well as a thoroughly practical business man.

Mathias Wrocklage

Mathias G. Wrocklage son of Christian Matthias and Mary Elizabeth Gerdeman Wrocklage born 1828 in Osnabrück, Niedersachsen Germany, emigrated December 20, 1845 at the age 17.

Johann Theodor Dierck Wrocklage married W. Wellners full heir of the Wellners farm Limbergen. and abdicated the Wrocklage farm in favor of his younger sister Anna Maria Catharina Wrocklage and her fiance Mathias born Esch now Colonus Wrocklage.

Descendants of Anna Maria Catharina Wrocklage married to Mathias Esch modo nun Colonus Wrocklage February 2, 1817. Her brother Johann Henrich Dierick Wellners born Wrocklage has not made use of his inheritance in favor of his sister Anna Maria Wrocklage.

Anna Maria Catharina Wrocklage born in 1793, in Vinte Osnabrück, Germany, deceased August 31, 1822 (in childbed at the age of 29 years and five months. She gave birth to a son who lived only half an hour) in Vinte Osnabrück, Germany, married February 5, 1817 to Christian Mathias Wrocklage (born Esch) born February 2, 1789 in Haste, Osnabruck, Niedersachsen, Germany, deceased April 9, 1846 in Delphos, Van Wert County, Ohio. Parents groom Conrad Esch and Maria Angela Gartmann. Christian Mathias Wrocklage (born Esch) modo nun Colon Wrocklage married for the second time to Anna Maria Elizabeth Gerdemann on February 11, 1823

Children of Christian Mathias Wrocklage (born Esch) and Anna Maria Catharina Wrocklage; Theodore John, Mary Elizabeth and Mary Gertrude Wrocklage. Children born to Christian Mathias Wrocklage (born Esch) and his second wife Anna Maria Elizabeth Gerdemann; Heinrich, Anna Mariah,  Mathias, Frans Heinrich (who died at 2 years), Maria Agnes, Bernadina Catherine Mary, Maria Mary Catharine, Maria Elizabeth.

Mathias Wrocklage born 1828 in Osnabrück, Niedersachsen Germany, emigrated December 20, 1845 at the age 17, He was married 1850 in Monterey Township, Putnam Ohio at age 22 to Agnes Schroeder 15 years old, born 1835 in Prussia, Germany, deceased in 1865 at age 30. From this relationship six children were born: Otto, Anna Maria (died at 23 years), Maria Elizabeth, Rosa, Mathias Gerhard and Bernard (died at 3 months).

Mathias lived in Monterey Township and all of his children were baptised and his wife and several of his children are buried in its cemetery. Sometime in the late 1870’s or early 1880’2 Mathias and his children moved to Maple Grove Township, Saginaw County  Michigan, where he passed away January 9, 1899 in Maple Grove, Saginaw, Michigan USA at the age of 72 years

Joseph Wurst

Joseph Wurst, his wife Anna Maria Kühner, and two daughters Katherina and her sister Anna Maria (another daughter Maria Eva died in Germany) traveled from Katzweiler, Rheinland-Pfalz, to New York in 1833. The trip took about six weeks. They went from New York to North Central Ohio, where it was still mostly unsettled. Joseph bought land in New Washington and the family farmed there until about 1850. Then, after he had worked on the canal near Ottoville, the family moved there. By this time, there were 10 children (not counting the deceased daughter). Katherina stayed behind in New Washington because she married Paul Müller, a young immigrant from the Saarland, who had arrived in America in 1847 or 1848. One son, John, was killed in the Civil War. Joseph and his wife, Anna Maria, lived the rest of their lives on a farm in Monterey Township. Many of their descendants still live in the Ottoville area.

Joseph Wurst was born 28 Feb 1796 in Weilerbach, Bayern, Germany and died 21 Feb 1856 in Monterey township and is buried in the cemetery at Ottoville.

Born to Joseph and Anna Maria Kuhner Wurst were ten children: Katharine, Maria Eva, Joseph, Peter, Margaretha, John, Anna Maria, Henry William and Elizabeth.