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100 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY then returned to this county and at Wapakoneta opened a general repair shop, with special reference to wood work, automobile and carriage tops and the painting of automobiles, and has done well in that line. Mr. Schneider has a well equipped establishment and the careful attention he is able personally to give to all departments of his place has established there a standard of work that is its own best commentary. In his political views Mr. Schneider is an "inde- pendent," reserving the right to his own opinions regarding men and measures regardless of party ties. He is a member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus at Wapakoneta and of the local aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in that city and he and his wife are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church, in which faith their children are being reared. On November 18, 1903, Alphons Schneider was united in marriage to Frances Kunkle, of Dayton, Ohio, and to this union six children have been born, Edward, Walter, Bernard, Marcella, Dolores, Rita and Marie, all of whom are at home. The Schneiders have a pleasant home and take an interested part in the city's general social activities. PATRICK H. REYNOLDS, formerly and for many years one of the "standbys" of the Buckeye Pipe Line Company, for years the company's oil gauger at St. Marys and now living retired in that city, one of the company's honored old pensioners, is a native of New York state but has been a resident of Ohio and of St. Marys for years and thus very properly feels himself completely a part of the community in which he lives and in which he is content to spend the pleasant "evening time" of his life. Mr. Reynolds was born on a farm in Cattaraugus county, New York, in February, 1853, and is a son of Patrick and Catherine (McMahon) Reynolds, natives of County Clare (Munster) in the Emerald Isle. The senior Patrick Reynolds and his wife both were reared in Ireland and were there married, almost immediately thereafter coming to the United States to make a home for themselves in the land which seemed to them to offer more of opportunity than then was possible in their native land, for that was about the time of the succession of crop failures in Ireland along in the late '40s, which together with political conditions there at that time, caused so many of the stalwart sons and plucky daughters of the Emerald Isle to emigrate to America. The sail boat on which Patrick Reynolds and his wife came to America's shores was an old vessel which required seven weeks and three days to make the passage and they were glad indeed when the voyage was ended. They began their homemaking on a farm in Cattaraugus county, New York, where in good time Patrick Reynolds became a landowner him. self, the owner of a well kept farm of eighty acres, and there he and his wife spent their last days. They were devout Catholics and their children were reared in that faith. There were nine of these HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 101 children, of whom six are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Anna and Catherine, and three brothers, John, Thomas and William Reynolds. Reared on the home farm in Cattaraugus county, Patrick H. Reynolds received his schooling in the local schools of that neighborhood and remained on the farm assisting his father in the development of the same until he was twenty years of age, when he found there was not enough work on the farm to keep all the boys profitably engaged and he began working with a railway section crew. Within two years he had learned enough about maintenanceof-way work to become acceptable as a section foreman and he was promoted to such a position and sent to a railroad over in New Hampshire. For four years he continued to serve as a section foreman and then he took up another line of railway work, going into the railway blacksmith shop, where he remained for about six years, at the end of which time he returned to New York state and became engaged in construction work in connection with the operations of the Buckeye Pipe Line Company, a concern with which he ever since has been connected and which in 1920 honorably retired and pensioned him. It was not long after he took up this new work until Mr. Reynolds was promoted to the position of a foreman of construction, his long service in a similar capacity in connection with railway work giving to his services in pipe line construction a value that the company was quick to recognize, and he remained with the company's construction department in New York for seven years, at the end of which time he was sent to Ohio as foreman of the work that then was being undertaken in the St. Marys oil field in this state. Upon the completion of the pipe line Mr. Reynolds was appointed gauger for the company and he continued to serve in this capacity until his retirement in 1920, since which time he has been "taking things easy" at his comfortable home at 120 North West street, where he and his wife are pleasantly situated. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds are members of Holy Rosary Catholic church at St. Marys and Mr. Reynolds is a member of Tent 190 of the Knights of the Maccabees. On September 6, 1876, in New York state, Patrick H. Reynolds was united in marriage to Catherine Jordan, who was born and reared in that state, daughter of Thomas and Catherine (McDonald) Jordan, who were the parents of six children, those besides Mrs. Reynolds being Thomas (deceased), Catherine, Daniel, Timothy and Anna. The elder Thomas Jordan and his Wife were married in County Clare, Ireland, the place of their birth, and afterward had come to America and established themselves on a farm in Cattaraugus county, New York state, Thomas Jordan eventually coming to be the owner of a farm of sixty acres. To Patrick H. and Catherine (Jordan) Reynolds have been born six children, Jennie, Anna, Eva, Lillia, Laurence and Lena, all of whom are living and all married save Anna, 102 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Lillia and Laurence, the last named of whom is now living at Detroit, where he is engaged in the insurance business and studying law, Jennie Reynolds married Thomas Clark, a telegraph operator now employed by the Ohio Oil Company at Noggle, in Darke county, and has two children, Thomas, Jr., and Patrick R. Eva Reynolds married William Schafer, now a farmer in Miami county, this state, and has one child, a son, William, Jr. Lena Reynolds, widow, of the late William Axe and who is now living at Piqua, has two children, Harold and Emmet. WILLIAM KLANKE, of the firm of Klanke & Company, furniture dealers of New Bremen, long recognized as one of the leading merchants of that thriving little city, has been a resident of New Bremen since the days of his childhood and there are few men in that part of the county who have a wider acquaintance than he. Mr. Klanke was born on a farm in the neighboring county of Shelby on December 4, 1861, and is a son of Christopher and Anna (Grewe) Klanke, natives of Germany, whose last days were spent in this country. Christopher Klanke was born in Hunderberg, Germany, and was about twenty-one years of age when in 1848, the year of the unsuccessful political revolution in that country, he came to America and settled at Cincinnati. He had learned the tailor's trade in his home land and upon his arrival at Cincinnati secured employment there as a tailor. Not long afterward, however, he came up into this part of the state and began working at New Bremen, but in less than a year he had become attracted to the possibilities of farming and bought a farm of eighty acres in Shelby county, where he established his home and where he remained about fourteen years or until the death of his wife, when he disposed of his interests there and returned to New Bremen, where he set up a tailor shop and where he spent the remainder of, his life, his death occurring in 1899. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom four are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Elizabeth, and two brothers, George and Joseph Klanke. William Klanke was but a boy when his father returned to New Bremen and he completed his schooling in the schools of that place. He early began work as a farm hand in the neighborhood, his first wage along that line being at the rate of $60 a year, and continued working in this fashion for about five years, or until he was twenty-one years of age, when he began working for his brothers, the late John Klanke and George Klanke, who meanwhile had become engaged in the furniture business at New Bremen. There he learned the details of this business, at the same time becoming a proficient cabinet maker, and was engaged at cabinet making during the winters and at carpentering during the summers until presently the Klanke brothers established their general furniture factory in the village and he became one of the partners in that enterprise. When HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 103 this factory was destroyed by fire in 1914 William Klanke bought the other interests in the furniture store which had been maintained all this time by the Klanke Furniture Company and has since been operating the business alone, carrying a general line of furniture and home furnishings. He has a well equipped and well stocked store and has done well. William Klanke married Adelia Purpus, daughter of Louis Purpus, and has two children, Hilda, who married Harry Nussmeyer and has one child, a daughter, Phyllis, and Beata, who married Homer Isern. Mr. Klanke is a Democrat and he and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church. RENO O. MOORE, proprietor of a well equipped barber shop in West Spring street, St. Marys, is a native son of Ohio and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of St. Marys for the past twenty years or more. Mr. Moore was born in Clinton county, Ohio, February 15, 1869, and is a son of Richard S. and Matilda (Evans) Moore. The late Richard S. Moore, a veteran of the Civil war, was born in the vicinity of Marietta, Ohio, and was living there when the Civil war broke out. He enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and served with the 11th regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (later merged with other units), until the close of the war, being mustered out as a corporal. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Moore went to Clinton county, where he became employed as a carpenter and where after his marriage he established his home, remaining there until 1875, when he moved to Mercer county to take part in the extensive building program that was being carried out there about that time, and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on December 26, 1918. To him and his wife were born eight children, of whom four are living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Ella, who married Gabe Cox and lives in San Diego, Cal., and two brothers, Allen and James H. Moore. Reno O. Moore was but six years of age when his parents moved from Clinton county to Mercer county in 1875 and he grew to manhood in the latter county, receiving his schooling in the schools of that county. Until he was twenty-three years of age he followed the employment of a farm hand in his own county and then (in 1892) learned the trade of barber and became engaged in that line in Preble county. Ten years later, in 1902, he meantime having been married for some years, he moved to St. Marys and opened a barber shop in that city, establishing his home there at that time, and has ever since been thus engaged in business at that place, one of the best known barbers in this part of the state. Mr. Moore has a well equipped shop and is doing well in business, keeping up with all the modern developments in the tonsorial art. He is a Republican and is affiliated with the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at St. Marys. It was on December 19, 1893, while living in Preble county, that Reno O. Moore was united in marriage to Anna 104 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Kershner, who was born in Shelby county, this state, but who was reared in Auglaize county, daughter of F. Marion and Sarah Kershner, and to this union two children have been born, a son and a daughter, Marion and Naomi, the latter of whom is at home with her parents. Marion Moore, named in honor of his grandfather Kershner and who is now living in Canada, married Lillian Daugherty and has one child, a son, Donald. MICHAEL HAUSS, retired manufacturer and grain man and substantial landowner of this county, formerly and for years a resident of St. Marys but now living at Wapakoneta, where he has resided since his retirement from the manufacturing field in the former city, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here all his life. Mr. Hauss was born at St. Marys on November 7, 1860, and is a son of Michael and Margaret (Kolter) Hauss, the latter of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of the real pioneer families here. The senior Michael Hauss was a European by birth, born in the vicinity of Baden-Baden in the grand duchy of Baden, and his youth was spent there. As a young man he came to the United States and proceeded on out into Ohio, locating at St. Marys, where he became a landowner and where not long after his arrival there he became engaged in the grocery business and was for years thereafter regarded as one of the leading business men in that town, where his last days were spent. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, three of whom are living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Mrs. Lina Stockwell and Mrs. Henrietta Folk, of St. Marys. Reared at St. Marys, the junior Michael Hauss received his schooling in the excellent schools of that city. He early turned his attention to the industrial field, becoming engaged in the manufacture of handles for farm and garden tools, and was thus engaged for twenty years, or until his retirement in 1912. His business activities have been pretty largely confined to Wapakoneta, where he has made his home and where he is very comfortably situated, having a delightful home at 414 West Auglaize street. Upon taking up his residence at Wapakoneta Mr. Hauss became engaged in the grain business and for some time gave much of his personal attention to the grain elevator, but of late has relegated that interest to others and is living in practical retirement from the active duties which formerly so closely engaged him, his chief interest being his fine farm of 110 acres alongside the river in the old Duchouquet section adjoining Wapakoneta on the west and including a beautiful woodland tract, one of the finest bits of native woodland still remaining in this county. Mr. Hauss keeps this woodland tract as clear as a park and in its depths he has erected a comfortable log cabin in the quiet seclusion of which he finds much comfort when weary of the noisier ways of the town. Mr. Hauss is a Democrat, is a member of the HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 105 local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta and attends St. Paul's church in that city. On November 13, 1889, Michael Hauss was united in marriage to Matilda Heller, of Wapakoneta, and he and his wife have one child, a daughter, Helen, who upon completing her schooling in the Wapakoneta schools took supplementary courses in New York and Delaware. She married William Schmidtlapp, now living in Montana, and has one child, a daughter, Jean Marie. Mrs. Hauss was born in Wapakoneta and is a daughter of Henry and Caroline (Rhorbacher) Heller, former well known residents of that city. Henry Heller was a native of Germany but came to this country in the days of his young manhood and located at Wapakoneta, where for years he was engaged in business as a wagon maker. He and his wife had five children, three of whom are still living, Mrs. Hauss having two brothers, William and George Heller. DR. H. J. SCHMIDT, D. V. S., a well known veterinary surgeon of New Bremen and a former member of the town council there, is a native son of Auglaize county and has resided here nearly all his life, a practicing veterinarian at New Bremen for more than thirty years. Doctor Schmidt was born on a farm two and one-half miles west of New Bremen on January 13, 1867, and is a son of Henry and Louise (Koch) Schmidt, both natives of Germany and the latter of whom had come to this country with her parents in the days of her girlhood, the family settling in this county in pioneer days. Henry Schmidt grew to manhood in Germany and there took a course in veterinary surgery and medicine. Upon coming to this country he located at Cincinnati and was there employed in the office of a veterinary surgeon for five years, at the end of which time he came up into this part of the state and settled in Auglaize county, buying a farm in the New Knoxville neighborhood, where he began farming and at the same time carrying on his profession as a veterinary surgeon. Not long afterward he disposed of his interests there and moved to a farm of eighty acres which he bought two and one-half miles west of New Bremen, where he established his home and spent the remainder of his life, gradually enlarging his holdings until at the time of his death' he was the owner of a fine farm of 120 acres. To him and his wife were born ten children, of whom five are still living, the subject of this sketch having one sister, Julia, and three brothers, Charles, William and Ben. Reared on the home farm, H. J, Schmidt received his early schooling in the district schools of his home neighborhood. From the days of his childhood he had been interested in his father's profession as a veterinarian and when fourteen years of age entered the old Columbia Veterinary College, which afterward became the American Veterinary College, and in 1886 was graduated from that institution. Thus equipped for the prac- 106 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY tice of his profession, Doctor Schmidt returned to New Bremen and opened an office there. A year later he moved to Delphos, where he remained for three years, at the end of, which time he returned to New Bremen, reestablished himself in practice there and has ever since continued to make that his home, his practice covering a large part of this county and the adjacent sections of the neighboring counties. Doctor Schmidt is independent in politics and has served two terms as a member of the town council at New Bremen. He and his wife are members of Zion Reformed church. Mrs. Schmidt (Alice Huenke) is a daughter of Henry Huenke. To Doctor and Mrs. Schmidt have been born two children, Leonard and Goldie, the latter of whom recently was graduated from Miami University. Leonard Schmidt is following in the professional footsteps of his father and grandfather and is now a student in the Indiana Veterinary College at Indianapolis. WILLIAM E. YODER, a well known young undertaker and funeral director at St. Marys, was born on a farm in Harrison township, Logan county, this state, December 12, 1892, and is a son of James L. and Almedia (Hinkle) Yoder, both of whom were born in that same county and the latter of whom is still living there. Her parents were Pennsylvanians. The late James L. Yoder was born in the city of Bellefontaine, county seat of Logan county, and was a son of Rudolph and Elizabeth (Detrick) Yoder, who came from Pennsylvania. After his marriage he established his home on a farm he had bought in Harrison township, that county, and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in March, 1917. To him and his wife were born four children, all of whom are living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Bertha Lee, and two brothers, Clarence H. and Leslie J. Yoder. Reared on the home farm in Harrison township, Logan county, William E. Yoder finished the course in the Bellefontaine high school and supplemented this by a course in the normal school at Manchester, Ind., specializing in commercial forms and teaching methods and then received an appointment as a teacher in the schools of Porto Rico. One year of teaching service on this tropical island proved enough for him, however, and in the next year he returned, to Ohio and entered the Cincinnati College of Embalming, with a view to becoming a professional under- taxer and funeral director. After a course in this college Mr. Yoder accepted a position as embalmer's assistant in an undertaking establishment at Jacksonville, Fla., and after two years of practical experience there returned to Ohio and opened an undertaking establishment at St. Marys, where he since has been located and where he has done well. Mr. Yoder has a well equipped establishment and his services as a funeral director are marked by close attention to the best methods accepted in modern practice. Mr. Yoder is a Free- HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 107 mason and is also affiliated with the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of the Maccabees, while he and his wife are members of the German Reformed church. On November 12, 1916, William E. Yoder was united in marriage to Ertha Zollman, who also was born in Logan county, daughter of S. E. and Ora (Russell) Zollman, of Lewistown, and to this union two children have been horn, Samuel Edward and Thomas Frederick. The Yoder undertaking establishment is advantageously located at the corner of Front and Spring streets, in the very heart of the business section of St. Marys. EDWARD H. GERNETT, formerly engaged in the jewelry business in St. Marys and later and for years a clerk in the postoffice there, one of the best knOWn citizens of that place, now living retired, was born at St. Marys on October 28, 1864, and is a son of Charles and Elizabeth (Morvilius) Gernett, who in their generation were among the well known residents of that city, and the latter of whom died there on September 16, 1896. The late Charles Gernett was an European by birth, born in the kingdom of Prussia on December 26, 1838, and was thirteen years of age when he came to this country with his brother in 1852 and located at Cleveland, Ohio. In that city he grew to manhood, working for a while in a machine shop but later taking up the jewelry line and remained there until about 1861 when after his marriage he established his home at St. Marys and in this latter city opened a jewelry store which he continued to operate until his retirement in 1899 and removal to California, where his last days were spent, his death occurring on April 11, 1907. To him and his wife were born three children, of whom the subject of this sketch alone now survives, he having had two sisters, Edith, who was the wife of William Swartz, and Amelia, who was the wife of David A. Clark. Reared at St. Marys, Edward H. Gernett received his schooling in the schools of that city and early became engaged in his father's jewelry store. After his marriage he continued thus engaged for some years, or until about 1892, when he transferred his connection to the postoffice and was there employed as a mail clerk for a period of twenty years, at the end of which time he went to Akron, but after a yearls residence there returned to St. Marys and became employed in the office of the Western Ohio Electric Railroad Company's power plant there, and was thus employed for three years, at the end of which time he took service in the woolen mill and after three years there went to the plant of the wheel and spoke works, where he spent two years, at the end of which time he retired from active service and is now living quietly at St. Marys, he and his wife being pleasantly situated at 125 North Perry street. It was on October 27, 1887, at Coldwater, in the neighboring county of Mercer, that Edward H. Gernett was united in marriage to Jennie Viola (Levering) , who was 108 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY born at Piqua, Ohio, daughter of Howard and Mary J. (Dunham) Levering, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Arthur Gernett, born on August 10, 1888, who died on January 3, 1896. Mr. and Mrs. Gernett are members of the Presbyterian church and in their political views are independent of party ties. GEORGE C. GOODRICH, a veteran of the World war and auditor in the office of Crane & MacMahon, Inc., at St. Marys, has not long been a resident of Auglaize county but during the time he has been here has impressed himself so definitely upon the business life of the community in which he has chosen to make his home that it is but proper there should be carried here some brief story of his career as an active and enterprising young business man. Mr. Goodrich was born in the city of Detroit, Mich., March 11, 1891, and is a son of George C. and Marianne (O'Leary) Goodrich, the latter of whom was a native of Wales, England. The late George C. Goodrich (senior) was for many years a railway express messenger, first running out of Detroit and later out of Pontiac. He died on April 21, 1902, and his widow survived him for almost fifteen years, her death occurring on April 1, 1917. They were the parents of two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Madeleine. Reared at Pontiac, Mich., to which place his parents had moved when he was a child, the junior George C. Goodrich completed the course in the Catholic parochial school there and then became engaged in clerical work. He was but eleven years of age when his father died and after leaving school he found it necessary to rely pretty largely upon his own resources for a livelihood. For years he continued working as an accountant, all the time seeking to advance his position in the world and in time entered the night class in accounting in the Young Men's Christian Association at Detroit, in which city he then was working, and there mastered the details of this difficult branch of commercial work. In December, 1916, he passed the state examination for certified public accountants and received an official certificate of competency, his labors in Detroit thereafter being performed as a certified public accountant. Not long after receiving his certificate Mr. Goodrich became employed as the auditor in the office of the Detroit Insulated Wire Company and was thus engaged when this country took a hand in the World war in 1917. In the following year he entered the service and was assigned to the headquarters detachment of the 14th Division, with rank of sergeant, and continued in service for eight months or until honorably discharged at Camp Custer on February 18, 1919, the war then being over. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Goodrich returned to Detroit and resumed his former employment with the wire works people and continued thus engaged until in March, 1920, when he accepted his present position as auditor in the office of Crane & MacMahon, Inc,, HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 109 at St. Marys and has since made his home in that city, he and his family having a very pleasant home at 111 South Wayne street. On April 9, 1918, at Pontiac, Mich., George C. Goodrich was united in marriage to Rita Vanasse, who was born at Lowell, Mass., but who was reared in Michigan, and to this union one child has been born, a son, George C. Goodrich IV, born on March 5, 1920. Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich are members of Holy Rosary Catholic church and he is the present grand knight of the local council (No. 1592) Knights of Colmbus. He also is a member of the local post of the American Legion at St. Marys. WILLIAM BITLER, of the firm of Hauss & Bitler, dealers in grain and proprietors of an old established grain elevator at Wapakoneta, is a native son of Auglaize county, a member of one of the real pioneer families here, and has lived here all his life, a resident of Wapakoneta since the days of his childhood. Mr. Bitler was born on farm in the St. Johns neighborhood in Clay township on April 7, 1858, and is a son of Arthur and Margaret (Baughman) Bitler, the latter of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of the pioneer families in the eastern part of the county. The late Arthur Bitler, former treasurer of Auglaize county and one of the best known men of his generation in this county, also was a native of Ohio, born in the city of Columbus, and had been a resident of this county since the days of his childhood, back in the days before there even was an Auglaize county, when that part of this present county in which his father settled in pioneer days was attached to Allen county. He was born on April 3, 1832, and was barely two years of age when his parents, William and Rebecca (Snyder) Bitler, moved up into this part of the state in the spring of 1834 and settled on a tract of land which William Bitler in that year had entered from the Government in section 4 of Clay township, in what then was Allen county but which in 1848 became a part of the newly erected Auglaize county. This was in the vicinity of the old Blackhoof Indian village in the Wapakoneta reservation, from which the Indians had been removed but two years before, and was right in the primeval forest, but the Bitlers settled down there and in due time carved a farm out of the place. William Bitler, the pioneer, was a Pennsylvanian, born in the vicinity of Reading on February 22, 1807. When he was five years of age, in 1812, his parents moved from that place into Schuylkill county, same state, where he grew to manhood and on February 27, 1828, was married to Rebecca Snyder. Four years later, in January, 1832, he came to Ohio and located at Columbus, where in the April following his son Arthur was born. Possessed of the pioneering instinct he sought possession of new lands and two years later, in 1834, established his home in the wilderness in the vicinity of where the next year (1835) the village of St. Johns was laid out on the site of the old Indian village, his 110 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY brother, Daniel Bitler, being one of the founders of that town. In 1847 William Bitler was appointed to the position of mail agent for the route traversing this section and down through Logan county and he maintained that position until 1872. In the meantime, in 1869, he opened a tavern at St. Johns, which for years known as the Bitler House was one of the most popular hostelries in this part of the state, and he continued proprietor of this place until his death on July 13, 1889. William Bitler was twice married. His first wife (Rebecca Snyder) died in August, 1857, and in February, 1865, he married Rosa A. Bechdolt. By his first union he was the father of three sons and six daughters, Christian, Arthur, Samuel, Mary, Hannah, Lucy, Elmira, Elizabeth and Mahala, and by his second union had two daughters, Aurora Belle and Dora May. As noted above, Arthur Bitler was but two years of age when he came here with his parents in 1834 and he grew up amid pioneer conditions. As is set out in the Williamson review (1905) he "attended the pioneer school of that place (St. Johns) and in that humble institution of learning laid the foundations of a sound education. By a close application to the study of mathematics and the other common branches, he gradually drifted into the profession of teaching. As a teacher of arithmetic he had no superior among the teachers of that time, and we also may add that he has but few equals in the county in that branch at the present time." Arthur Bitler married and made his home on a farm which he had bought in Clay township until after his election to the office of county treasurer in 1864, when he moved to Wapakoneta, where he ever afterward made his home and where his last days were spent. By re-election he served in the county treasurer's office until 1870 and upon the completion of this term of public service traded his farm for a mill and grain elevator at Wapakoneta and also established a pork- packing industry there, and was thus engaged in business at that place until 1881, when he disposed of his grain business and became engaged as a contractor and the later years of his life were spent as a lightning-rod salesman. Mr. Bitler ever maintained his interest in educational affairs and for years was kept on the local board of education, during the most of this time being the treasurer of the board. He died on December 21, 1914, and at his passing left a good memory, for in many ways he had been a helpful factor in the good works of the community. Arthur Bitler was twice married, his first wife having been Margaret Baughman, who died on May 20, 1863. To that union five children were born, of whom but two survive, the subject of this sketch and his sister Delilah (Mrs. A. W. Klipfel). Following the death of the mother of these children, Arthur Bitler married Elizabeth Davis, who died in the spring of 1884. To that union six children were born, four of whom grew to maturity. William' Bitler was about six years of age when his father moved from the farm to HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 111 enter upon the duties of the county treasurerls office at Wapakoneta and he ever since has been a resident of that city. He was graduated from the Wapakoneta high school in 1875 and then entered the office at his father's grain elevator, there acquiring a thorough familiarity with all details of a business in which he ever since has been engaged. In 1896 he formed a partnership with Philip Jacobs in this business, which he meanwhile had taken over from his father upon the latter's retirement, and this partnership continued for six years, or until 1902, when Jacob Hauss bought the Jacobs interest and the business has since been carried on under the firm name of Hauss & Bitler, a period of twenty years, one of the best known and most substantial grain firms in this section of the state, the firm's well equipped plant being advantageously situated across the tracks from the B. & O. railway station. Mr. Bitler is a Republican and is affiliated with the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta. On November 1, 1877, William Bitler was united in marriage to Minnie L. Moot, who also was born in this county, daughter of Walter and Elizabeth Moot, and to this union twelve children have been born. Of these five are now living, Morris, George, Milo, Susan and Arthur, the latter of whom, a veteran of the World war, married Naomi Blume and is living at Wapakoneta. Morris Bitler married Mamie Brandaugh. George Bitler married Laura Distelrath and has one child, a son, William. Milo Bitler married Tessie Cheasa and has three children,, John, Betty and Florence, and Susan Bitler married Albert Miller and has two children, Louise and Mary. Both Morris and George Bitler are veterans of the Spanish- American war and Arthur Bitler was a soldier in the National army during the time of America's participation in the World war, serving in the light artillery overseas. GUSTAV A. WINTZER, dealer in furs and hides at Wapakoneta, proprietor of an old established business in that line off Blackhoof street along the river, was born at Wapakoneta on August 16, 1862, and is a son of Charles and Catherine (Freyman) Wintzer, the latter of whom was a member of one of the pioneer families of this county. The late Charles Wintzer was an European by birth, born in Prussia, where he remained until he was sixteen years of age, when he came to America, presently coming on out into Ohio and locating at Wapakoneta, where he became employed in the tannery at that place. In time he established a tannery of his own and engaged in the general fur and hide trade, which he kept up until his death in 1916, during the many years of his connection with this business coming to be known as one of the leaders in that line in western Ohio. He and his ife were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Caroline and Catherine. Reared at Wapakoneta, where he was born, Gustav A. Wintzer received his schooling in the 112 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY schools of that city and early became connected with his father's business, learning there not only the details of operation in the tannery but becoming skilled in estimating and judging the value of furs and hides. When the tannery was abandoned he continued to give his attention to the buying and selling of furs and hides and has since remained in that business, which he took over after the death of his father and is recognized as one of the leading hide brokers in this section. Mr. Wintzer is a Democrat, a member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and he and his wife are members of St. Paul's Evangelical church. Mr. Wintzer has been twice married. In 1891 he was united in marriage to Emma D. Stone, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, who died in 1905 leaving three children, Ruby, Carl and Norma. In 1906 Mr. Wintzer married Ida Frische, of Wapakoneta, and to this union two children have been born, Mary and Anna. Carl Wintzer married Edith Link and lives at Wapakoneta. The Wintzers have a pleasant home at 605 West Auglaize street. JERRY DIETRICH, who for more than twenty years has been engaged in the business of shipping eggs out of New Bremen and who for years before becoming engaged in business there on his own account had been a buyer for the creamery, thus acquiring a wide acquaintance throughout the country, was born at New Bremen and has lived there all his life, thus having witnessed the development of that community during the past fifty years. Mr. Dietrich was born on November 2, 1867, and is a son of John and Anna (Schaunbaum) Dietrich, both of whom were born in Germany but who were married after their arrival in this country. John Dietrich came to America in the days of his young manhood and presently located at New Bremen, where he became engaged working on the canal and where he established his home after his marriage. He died in the middle '70s and .his son Jerry was thus pretty early thrown largely upon his own resources for a livelihood. After his course in the New Bremen schools Jerry Dietrich began working in the old Messlo hotel at that place and a year later was offered a similar position in the hotel at Ft. Recovery. He accepted this position and remained at Ft. Recovery about a year, at the end of which time he returned to New Bremen and in 1884 began to work for Louis Huenke, who at that time was developing the business which later grew into the White Mountain Creamery Company. For about twenty years Mr. Dietrich remained with the Huenke creamery, buying cream and eggs throughout this region, and then concluded to start in business for himself. He abandoned( the cream end, of the business and started in buying eggs throughout the countryside, his long experience in that line giving him an advantage that led to the early development of an excellent business, and he has ever since been thus engaged, shipping his eggs to the East. Mr. Dietrich has an admir- HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 113 able plant at New Bremen for the proper operation of his business and ships between 7,000 and 8,000 cases of eggs annually, for years having been recognized as one of the leading shippers along this line in western Ohio. In his political views Mr. Dietrich is "independent." He and his wife are members of the St. Paul's Lutheran church and take an interested part in church work. Mr. Dietrich married Dorothy Nolte, daughter of Henry Nolte, and has four children, Marvin, Marcella, Ralph and James. C. P. GRESS a well known dealer in coal and builders supplies at New Bremen and formerly and for many years freight and express agent at that place, was born at New Bremen and has resided there all his life. Mr. Gress was born on April 15, 1861, and is a son of Philip and Mary (Fishback) Gress, whose last days were spent at New Bremen. The late Philip Gress, a veteran of the Civil War, was an European by birth and was but a lad when he came to the United States and located at Cincinnati, where he presently became engaged, working at the carpenter's trade, later coming up into this part of the state and settling at New Bremen, where he was living when the Civil War broke out. On September 1, 1861, he enlisted his services in behalf of the Union and went to the front as a member of Company C, of the 37th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving with this command until on February 18, 1862, when he received his discharge on account of physical disability and returned to New Bremen. He resumed his labors as a carpenter and continued thus engaged until his death in 1870. To him and his wife three children were born, two of whom, the subject of this sketch and his brother, Peter Gress, survive. C. P. Gress was not ten years of age when he was bereft of a father's support and he early was thrown much on his own resources for a livelihood. He attended school at New Bremen and when yet but a lad secured employment as a clerk in the postoffice, later taking a position as a clerk in a grocery store, where he worked until he was twenty years of age or in 1881, when he began working in the local offices of the Lake Erie & Western railway at New Bremen, where he not only learned telegraphy but the details of the freight and express business and presently was made day telegraph operator and freight and express agent. After he had been thus employed for a number of years he started a coal yard and carried on this latter business in addition to his railway work. After twenty-eight years of continuous service with the railway company, Mr. Gress resigned his position at the railway station and has since then devoted his whole attention to his growing coal business, at the same time developing a growing business in the way of builders pplies and has built up an excellent trade in that line. He is a democrat and has rendered civic service as township clerk, as city erk and as clerk of the board of public affairs at New Bremen. (7) 114 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY In 1882, C. P. Gress was united in marriage to Minnie Schwede, daughter of John Schwede, and to this union three daughters have been born, Lilly, Edna and Helen, the latter of whom married Richard Jacobs and has one child, a son, Warren Charles Jacobs. Mr. and Mrs. Gress are members of the St. Paul's Lutheran church. OTTO BUCHANAN, a member of the Waponeta city council and well known as a dealer in real estate in that city, is a native son of Auglaize county, a member of one of the pioneer families of the county, and has lived here all his life. Mr. Buchanan was born on a farm in the northeastern part of Duchouquet township on July 18, 1865, and is a son of John H. and Eliza J. (Weaver) Buchanan, both members of old families in that section. The late John H. Buchanan was born on a pioneer farm in the northwest corner of section 1 of Duchouquet township, in what then was in Allen county, in 1839, and was a son of James and Margaret Buchanan, who had settled there the year before. James Buchanan had come to this region in 1838, and had bought an "eighty" in the woods about three miles north of the river in Duchouquet township, where he established his home. He cleared the place, made a good farm out of it and there spent the remainder of his life, living to a ripe old age, his death occurring on March 10, 1881. John H. Buchanan grew up on that pioneer farm and his schooling was received in the old log school house in district No. 3. From the days of his boyhood he was helpful in the labors of developing the home farm and after his marriage bought an eighty adjoining his father's place and there lived for fifteen years, at the end of which time he moved to another farm of eighty acres in that same township and on this latter place spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there on August 23, 1915. To him and his wife were born eight children, six of whom are living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Della and Christina, and three brothers, George, Edward and Silas Buchanan. Reared on the home farm in Duchouquet township, Otto Buchanan received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and remained at home until after his marriage at the age of twenty-two years, when he rented an "eighty" from his father and began farming on his own account. Two years later he bought that place and there continued actively engaged in farming, with the exception of four years spent in the livery business at St. Marys, until his retirement on May 4, 1916, when he traded his farm for a piece of town property and moved to Wapakoneta, where he since has resided and where he and his family are very comfortably situated, in a pleasant home at 9 South Water street. Upon moving to town Mr. Buchanan established himself in the real estate business and has done well in that line, having come to be recognized as one of the leading realty dealers in the city. He is a Republican and is now serving his second term HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 115 as a member of the city council from the Second ward. In his fraternal affiliations he is connected with the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta and with Uniopolis Lodge No. 585 of the Knights of Pythias, having become a member of this latter lodge during the time of his residence on the farm. On January 14, 1888, Otto Buchanan was united in marriage to Ella Frazier, also of Duchouquet township, and to this union five children have been born, two of whom—John and Mamie—are deceased, the others being Flora, who married Frank Sheipline, of Union township, and has one child, a daughter, Edna ; Lulu, who married Ardie Blank, of Uniopolis, and has two sons, Howard and Herbert, and Lilly, who married Lawrence Miller (now divorced) and has one child, a son, Robert. Mrs. Buchanan is a daughter of Thomas and Minerva (Spees) Frazier, the latter of whom is a member of one of the old families of Union township. Thomas Frazier, a veteran of the Civil War, was born on November 8, 1844, in Pickaway county, this state, and was but a boy when he came to this county with his parents, the family settling at Uniopolis. He rendered service as a soldier of the Union during the time of the Civil war and after his marriage established his home on a farm of seventy acres in Duchouquet township, where he is still living. M. H. BRIGGS, D. C., of New Bremen, one of the best known chiropractic practitioners in this part of the state, a veteran of the World war with an overseas record and a member of the Ohio Chiropractic Association, was born at Lima, this state, and is a son of William R. and Lottie Briggs, who not long after his birth moved from Lima to Spencerville. It was thus that M. H. Briggs was reared at Spencerville, where he received his schooling and grew to manhood. At the time of the flurry on the Mexican, border in 1916 he was a member of the company at that place of the Ohio National Guard, attached to the 2d regiment, and with that command was federalized and sent to the border, remaining there until the flurry was over. When in the spring of the next year this country took a hand in the World war this regiment again was federalized and attached to the National army, Doctor Briggs entering the Federal service in July, 1917, at Camp Sheridan, in Alabama, where the unit to which he was assigned became attached to the 147th Infantry, with which he went overseas in June, 1918. With this command he saw much active service, including the Argonne drive and the battle of St. Mihiel, his particular service having been rendered in connection with the field hospital of the 147th in France and Belgium. Following the armistice this command was stationed in Belgium and an order to return did not come until in March, 1919. The Doctor received his discharge in April, 1919, and returned home, but not long afterward reentered the National College of Chiropractic at Chicago and in October, 1920, was 116 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY graduated from that institution. Upon receiving his diploma, Doctor Briggs returned to Ohio and in April, 1921, opened an office for the practice of his profession at New Bremen and has since been located there, where he is very pleasantly situated and where he is doing well. The Doctor is a member of the Chiropractic Research Society, a member of the Ohio Chiropractic Association and is affiliated with the college fraternity Sigma Phi Kappa. Doctor Briggs married Selma Speckman, daughter of John Speckman. He purchased a building on South Washington street and remodeled the same along modern lines, this rearrangement giving him splendidly appointed reception rooms and operating rooms. ED TRAU, general manager of the plant of the New Wapakoneta Wheel Company at Wapakoneta and president of the city school board, was born at Wapakoneta and has resided there all his life. His attention has been devoted to the activities of the Wheel works since the days of his boyhood, when he started in there as a laborer, and by dint of thoughtful consideration of the needs of the plant and close application to the duties of the various positions he has filled in the plant on his way up, worked his way up to the position of general manager of what has long been regarded as one of the leading industries in this section of Ohio. Mr. Trau was born at Wapakoneta on October 27, 1873, and is the only son of Frank and Mary (Cupp) Trau, the latter of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of the pioneer families here. Frank Trau, a veteran of the Civil war, was a native of Germany and grew to manhood in the old country. As a young man he decided to come to this country and upon his arrival made his way out to this section of Ohio, locating at Wapakoneta. The Civil war then was in progress and it was not long until he had become so thoroughly imbued with the righteousness of the cause of the Union that he enlisted his services in that behalf and went to the front with the company that was made up in this county. With that gallant command he served until the close of the war. Upon the completion of his military service Mr, Trau returned to Wapakoneta and after his marriage there not long afterward established his home there. Unhappily, due to the exposure and privations incident to army service, he developed consumption not long afterward and died in 1877, he then being but thirty-two years of age, leaving his widow with three children, the one son—the subject of this sketch—and two daughters, Rosa, who married Charles Manon, and Lena, who married Jacob Stoll. Bereaved of a father's care when but four years of age, Ed Trau was early thrown pretty largely upon his own resources to gain a livelihood. He kept in school, however, until he had completed the local course, and then began to work in the plant of the old Wapakoneta Bending Company, his first task there being that of piling spokes. HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 117 It was there that he acquired his liking for the woodworking industries. A year later he transferred his services to the plant of the old wheel company which had been established at Wapakoneta in 1870, starting to work there as a laborer. He set himself to learn every department of that business and was gradually passed from one department to another, going forward all the time, until in time he was transferred to the office and when in 1910 the company was reorganized as the New Wapakoneta Wheel Company he was made general manager of the concern. It was thus under the management of Mr. Trau that the plant of this important industry was reconstructed and modernized, the factory being rebuilt until it now covers 102,000 feet of floor space and is equipped with a complete outfit of up-to-date machinery for the most expeditious and efficient production. The products of the Wapakoneta wheel works are known wherever good vehicular wheels are used and the market of this concern is not confined to this country, where its products have long been popular, but finds a considerable outlet in the export trade, Wapakoneta wheels long ago having established their standard of excellence. Mr. Trau is a Republican and has for years been regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this county. He has ever given his earnest attention to local educational interests and is now serving as president of the Wapakoneta city school board. He is a Scottish Rite (32̊) Mason and a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with the consistory and the shrine at Dayton, and also is a member of the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta, while he and his wife are members of the English Lutheran church. On November 15, 1892, Ed Trau was united in marriage to Lulu B. Kantner, daughter of Isaac and Julia Kantner, and to this union two children have been born, a son and a daughter, Carl and Florence, the latter of whom is the wife of William Rabe, a veteran of the World war, a lieutenant with a record of overseas service. ARTHUR R. BOYCE, foreman of the railway shops of the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad Company at St. Marys and one of the best known residents of that city, has had his home there since the days of his boyhood. Mr. Boyce was born at Whitehouse in Lucas county, Ohio, September 17, 1877, and is a son of Charles and Fannie (Lehman) Boyce. Charles Boyce was born in Lancashire, one of the largest and most populous counties in England, and was there reared, passing through a thorough apprenticeship as a stone mason. As a young man he came to America and located first at Hummelstown, Pa., where he followed his trade for some time and then came over into Ohio and settled at Whitehouse, in Lucas county, where he established his home and continued working as a stone 118 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY mason until his death in 1881. He and his wife were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, Charles A. and Albert B. Boyce. Arthur R. Boyce was but three years old when his father died. He had his schooling at Whitehouse, and then, when fifteen years of age, in 1892, began to make his home with his uncle, F. B. Long, at St. Marys, taking employment in one of the carriage factories there. Not long afterward he became engaged with his uncle in the coal business and continued thus until he was twenty- one years of age, when (in 1898) he took employment as a car inSpector on the Nickle Plate railroad at Ft. Wayne, Ind. Three years later, in 1901, he transferred his connection to the T. & 0. C. railroad as car inspector at the terminal and shops of that road at St. Marys and was thus engaged for five years, or until 1906, when he was promoted to the position of foreman of the company's shop at St. Marys and has since been thus engaged. Mr. Boyce is a Republican and has long taken an earnest part in local civic affairs. For four years he served as a member of the St. Marys city council and for two years thereafter as clerk of council and in the campaign of 1922 was a candidate for committeeman from the Third ward. He is a Royal Arch Mason and a member of the local council, Royal and Select Masters, and is also an Odd Fellow, having attained to the encampment degree of that order, and a member of the local lodge of the Woodmen of the World. In January, 1899, Arthur R. Boyce was united in marriage to Agnes Crone, who was born at St. Marys, daughter of Andrew and Josephine (Mecklenburg) Crone, of that city, and to this union five children have been born, Roland A., Eugene L., Leona F., Arthur L. and Emmet D., all of whom are at home, The Boyces have a very pleasant home at 142 West South street. FREDERICK W. BUTHKER, popular florist at Wapakoneta and proprietor, with his brother, of an admirably equipped green house on West Pearl street, the same being operated under the firm name of Buthker Bros., has not been a resident of Wapakoneta for many years, but during the time of his residence here has become firmly established in his line and is recognized as one of the leading young florists in this part of the state. Mr. Buthker is a native of Holland, born at Bussen in that country on December 10, 1895, and is a son of Arend and Petionella (Zieren) Buthker, both natives of that country and the latter of whom died there in 1906. Reared in his native land, Frederick W. Buthker was carefully trained there in gardening and floriculture. When nineteen years of age he came to this country and after a little prospecting located at Wapakoneta, where presently in association with his brother, Herman, who came to this country some time previously, he became engaged in floriculture at that place and the present extensive green house of his firm has grown out of that venture, for they made the business a success HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 119 from the very start. Mr. Buthker is a Democrat, is a member of the local lodges of the Free and Accepted Masons and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta and he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. In 1921, Frederick W. Buthker was united in marriage to Norma G. Fisher, a member of one of the old families of this county, daughter of Joseph and Gertrude (Neiss) Fisher, of Wapakoneta, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Frederick J. The Buthkers have a pleasant home adjoining the green house on West Pearl street. Herman Buthker married Bernadine Bailey, a daughter of Joshua and Mary (Fisher) Bailey. FRED C. SCHAUB, former city treasurer, formerly and for years engaged in the barber business at Wapakoneta and now in business there as a life insurance underwriter, one of the best known men in that line in the county, was born at Wapakoneta and has lived there all his life. Mr. Schaub was born on January 14, 1881, and is a son of John and Catherine (Scherer) Schaub, both of whom also were born in this county. John Schaub was born at Wapakoneta, where he grew to manhood and was married, and subsequently became engaged in business. Of the five children born to him and his wife, all are living save John, who died in 1908, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Louise, and two brothers, Henry and Otto Schaub. Reared at Wapakoneta, Fred C. Schaub received his schooling in the local schools and early began to "look after himself," starting in after school days to learn the barber trade. After he had become familiar with the details of this business he started a barber shop of his own in Wapakoneta and for fourteen years thereafter was thus engaged. He then closed out this business and has since been engaged in the life insurance line, local agent for the State Mutual Life Insurance Company of Massachusetts and the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, and has done well. He also gives considerable attention to the management of a 180 acre farm owned by his wife in this country. Mr. Schaub is a Democrat and has long given his attention to local political affairs. In 1918, he was elected treasurer of the city of Wapakoneta and served one term in that responsible public office. He is a member of the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles and he and his wife are members of the Country Club and of the Evangelical church. On November 28, 1906, Fred C. Schaub was united in marriage to Lura Fisher, who also was born in this county, daughter of Andrew F. and Margaret (Mowrey) Fisher, and to this union two children have been born, Margaret, who is in high school, and Robert. The Schaubs have a very pleasant home on South Blackhoof street. 120 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY GREGOR L. FOOS, vice president of the Zofkie-Foos Company, clothiers and men's furnishings at Wapakoneta, president of the Wapakoneta Outing Club and for years recognized as one of the active figures in the business and social life of the county seat town, was born at Wapakoneta and has lived there all his life, engaged in commercial activities since the days of his boyhood. Mr. Foos was born on January 22, 1872, and is a son of Michael and Louise (Stemler) Foos, the latter of whom was born in Hocking county, Pennsylvania. Michael Foos was born in Germany, where he remained until he had attained his majority when he came to this country and not long afterward located at Wapakoneta, where he became engaged as a section hand on what is now the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, then under the management of the old Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Company. While serving in this capacity on a foggy morning, September 25, 1885, the handcar on which he was making an inspection of the track was struck by the locomotive of a freight train and he was killed. His widow survived him for nearly thirty years, her death occurring on February 2, 1915, and she is buried in St. Joseph's cemetery at Wapakoneta. Michael Foos and his wife were members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith. There were eight of these children, of whom but two are now living, Mr. Foos having a sister, Mrs. George Lear, of Wapakoneta. Gregor L. Foos was but thirteen years of age when his father met his untimely end on the railroad and lie thus early began to make his own way in the world. He received his schooling in St. Joseph's parochial school, and after leaving school began working in the Weimert cigar factory, where he remained about eighteen months or long enough to become convinced that this work was not to his liking and he then got a job in the Weber grocery store, where he remained a year, at the end of which time he transferred his services to the Timmermeister store, where he remained for sixteen years, there becoming thoroughly acquainted with the details of the goods business. After this long period of service in the Timmermeister store Mr. Foos became engaged in business for himself, opening a men's furnishing store in the Moser building and there, on February 13, 1904, formed a partnership with Frank J. Zofkie, who shortly before had rented a part of the room to be occupied as a tailor shop. This combination proved so satisfactory and effective that about a year later, in January, 1905, the Zofkie-Foos firm bought the Schubert & Levy clothing stock which was being carried in the room on Auglaize street now occupied by the firm, moved their stock in with the other and have since then being doing business at that number, one of the best established commercial firms on the street. In this same year (1905) Henry F. Woehler, who had had years of previous HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 121 experience as a clothing salesman in the Timmermeister store, was admitted to partnership in the Zofkie-Foos firm and in 1919 the firm was further strengthened when Mr. Zofkie's son, Cletus C. Zofkie, was admitted to partnership in the concern, the present officers of which are as follows: President and manager, Frank J. Zofkie ; the vice president and buyer of furnishings, Gregor L. Foos ; secretary and treasurer, Henry F. Woehler, the directorate of the company being made up of these members of the firm and Alma K. Foos and Cletus C. Zofkie. Further details regarding the development of this business are set out in a biographical sketch of Mr. Zofkie, president of the company, elsewhere in this volume. Mr. Foos is on his third term as grand knight of the local lodge of the Knights of Columbus at Wapakoneta and has attained to the fourth degree in that order. He was one of the organizers of the local lodge (No. 1011) of the Loyal Order of Moose and for three years was dictator of that lodge, which at the expiration of his term of service had a membership of 400. Upon leaving office he was elected a life member of the lodge and later was elected great north moose of Buckeye Legion, No. 104, L. O. O. M., with jurisdiction throughout seven counties hereabout, and is also an honorary member of Mecca Legion, No. 18, L. O. O. M., at Ft. Wayne, Ind. Other lodge affiliations of Mr. Foos include membership in the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He also is the president of the popular Wapakoneta Outing Club and was recently elected resident of the new Wapakoneta Gun Club. In his political views Mr. Foos is a Democrat and he and his wife and daughter are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church. On June 9, 1905, the year following his entrance into the business life of Wapakoneta on his own account, Gregor L. Foos was united in marriage to Alma K. Euring, daughter of John and Anna Euring, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Kathryn Louise, born on March 20, 1907, whose early schooling was received in St. Joseph's parochial school and who is now a member of the class of 1925, Blume high school. Mrs. Foos was born at Cincinnati, but was reared and eduated at Piqua. JOHN H. SPECKMAN, president of the Arcade Department ,tore Company, of New Bremen, and for years recognized as one of the leading merchants of that city, was born at New Bremen and has lived there all his life. Mr. Speckman was born on January 8, 1867, and is a son of Frederick and Elizabeth Speckman, both of whom were natives of Germany, but had been residents of this country since the days of their childhood and who, in their generation, were among the best known and most influential citizens of New Bremen. The late Frederick Speckman, who for many years was one of the leading business men of New Bremen, having become 122 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY engaged in business there in the '50s of the past century, in the days when the operation of the canal made New Bremen one of the liveliest towns in western Ohio, was but seventeen years of age when he came to this country. After a short residence at Cincinnati he came on up into this part of the state and located at New Bremen, where after his marriage he established his home. He had been trained to the cooper's trade and not long after locating at New Bremen started a cooper shop there, which up to the time of the close of the Civil war did a great business and furnished an outlet for the great quantities of hoop poles which in those days of the big timber provided a ready source of revenue for the farmers on the timber lands for miles about the place and also provided a market for the products of the big stave factory that was in operation there. In 1852, F. L. Nieter bought an interest in this cooperage business, the firm continuing under the name of Speckman & Nieter. In April, 1864, Mr. Speckman and Mr. Nieter started a grocery store, which they presently enlarged to include a general line of goods suitable to the trade and at the same time carried on a lucrative private banking business. As was common with grocery stores in those days they also carried on a saloon business and as another side line were engaged as auctioneers and criers of farm sales, as need arose in the community, it being written of them in one of the old chronicles that they were "the only men in that locality who were first class auctioneers." In 1876, Mr. Speckman took his elder son, Frederick B. Speckman, into the business, establishing him in the dry goods and clothing line in the room adjacent to the corner grocery. A crayon drawing executed in the late '70s preserves a graphic picture of this old grocery corner, showing to advantage the square two-story brick building with its two double-door entrances and a frame barber shop next door. Over the entrance to the corner room, in front of which are stacked a number of kegs symbolic of the "wet" character of certain of the goods there kept for sale, is the firm name of Speckman & Nieter and the legend, "Groceries, Liquors, Etc," Over the door of the adjoining sales room is the firm name Speckman & Son and the legend, "Dry Goods, Boots, Shoes, Hats & Caps," A lamp post stands at the corner curb and four hitching posts are in front of the double store, at one of which posts there is standing a spirited looking saddle horse. An ornate barber pole stands in front of the adjacent barber shop. A light wagon to which is hitched a single horse driven by a gentleman well bewhiskered is being driven down the street in front of the store, while across the street there is a corner pump from which another gentleman even more liberally bewhiskered is watering a horse. From a hook extending from the entrance to the dry goods store there is hanging a coat to HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 123 attract attention of passers by to the stock within. In 1881, Mr. Nieter became a partner in the general goods business as well as in the grocery and the firm name then became Speckman, Son & Co., this firm in addition to this general mercantile business also carrying on an extensive trade in grain and pork and held besides some valuable real estate, both in farm lands and town property. Mr. Nieter presently introduced his son, William Nieter, into the firm and Mr. Speckman introduced another of his sons into the combination, John H. Speckman, thus coming into the firm, which then became known as the Speckman & Nieter Company, into which, upon the retirement of the senior members and founders of the business, John Goll bought an interest. That was in 1890, when the firm name was changed, being made to read Speckman, Goll & Co., the members of the firm then being Frederick B. Speckman, John H. Speckman, William Nieter and John Goll. Upon the death of Mr. Goll three years later the sign again changed, this time reading Speck- man & Nieter Co., which combination continued for another three years or until the organization of the Arcade Department Store Company of New Bremen, under which firm style the growing business has ever since been conducted, with John H. Speckman as the president of the company. His brother, Frederick B. Speckman, who was for so long connected with the business, died some years ago. Of the six children born to the elder Frederick Speckman (founder of the business) and his wife, but three now survive, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Caroline, wife of Henry Jaeger, and Alvina, wife of Fred Reiher. John H. Speckman has been connected with the store ever since the days of his boyhood, having practically grown up in the business, to which ever since he completed his schooling he has devoted his most earnest attention. When the company now operating the store was organized he was elected president of the same and in 1917 was re-elected. From its "day of small things" this store has grown to a frontage of 115 feet, eighty-five feet back, two floors and a basement, and covers a floor space of 17,550 feet, an unusually well equipped and outfitted department store for a town the size of New Bremen. John H. Speckman has been twice married and by his first wife, who was Marie Cardot, has one child, a daughter, Ethel. Upon the death of the mother of this child, Mr. Speckman married Lizzie Watermann and to this union five children have been born, Lloyd, Selma (wife of Dr. M. H. Briggs, of New Bremen), Roma, Leola and Louis. Mr. and Mrs. Speckman are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church and Mr. Speckman has served as secretary of the congregation. He is a Republican and is a charter member and a past chancellor commander of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at New Bremen. 124 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY HERMAN HEINFELD, president of the Heinfeld Manufacturing Company of New Bremen and one of the best known men in that part of the county, is a member of one of the real pioneer families hereabout. Mr. Heinfeld was born on a pioneer farm in German township on March 2, 1845, in the days when that township was attached to Mercer county, and is a son of Arnold and Margaret (Wiemeyer) Heinfeld, both of whom were born in Germany, but who had come to this country when they were youngsters and whose last days were spent in this county. Arnold Heinfeld was but fifteen years of age when he came to this country with his parents, the family first locating in Cincinnati and then, not long after the establishment of the New Bremen colony in what is now Auglaize county, had come up into this part of the state and settled there. For some time after coming here Arnold Heinfeld worked as a wood cutter in the big timber and then when the construction of the canal began took employment on that construction work, earning a sufficient sum of money to gratify his ambition to become a landowner, He bought a small farm in German township, in section 3, just east of where the railroad later was put through, and there established his home, becoming a well-to-do farmer and living to a ripe old age. To Arnold Heinfeld and wife were born seven children, five of whom grew to maturity, those besides the subject of this sketch having been Henry, George, Katherine and May. Herman Heinfeld was reared on that pioneer farm and received his school. ing in the old district school north of New Bremen. He remained on the farm until he was eighteen years of age and then entered the industrial field in the village, beginning work there in the cooper shop. Not long afterward he took up work in the saw mill at Lock 3, and after working there awhile began as a carpenter, his inclination toward the woodworking trades persisting. Before he had been working as a carpenter for six months he met with an accident that injured one of his legs in such a fashion that he had to give up that sort of work and then he took up cabinet making, a trade which he quickly learned, and two years later opened a cabinet shop of his own, for inside finishing work and undertaking, making his coffins by hand, and also entered the field as a general building contractor, In 1873 he added to his shop an equipment for general furniture manufacturing and it was while thus engaged that he turned out much of the fine hand-made furniture that still is in use in that community and which will be good for generations to come. In 1878 he gave up the furniture line and began to give his whole attention to his contracting business, the stability of his work as a builder having thoroughly established him in the community. In this connection he found it necessary to put up a lumber mill and in time added to that a general plumbing establishment, this business gradually HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 125 developing into the present extensive Heinfeld Manufacturing Company, of which Mr. Heinfeld has continued to act as president since its inception. In 1894 the old Heinfeld mill was destroyed by fire and thus gave way for the erection of the present up-to-date and adequate plant. Among the more notable of the edifices erected by Mr. Heinfeld during the long period of his building operations in and about New Bremen are the St. Paul's Lutheran church and the St. Peter s Evangelical church, pictures of both of which are presented in this work and which are regarded as among the best examples of church architecture in this part of the state. Despite the fact that Mr. Heinfeld is now nearing his eightieth year and that he has ever been a pretty busy man, he retains much of the vigor of his more youthful days and continues to take an active interest in the affairs of the company of which he is the head and which has been built up under his capable direction. He is a Republican and at one time and another has served several terms as a member of the town council. He and his wife are members of the St. Peter's Evangelical church, the congregation of which he has served as a member of the board of trustees and also as secretary and for thirty years served as a member of the choir. It was in 1868 that Herman Heinfeld was united in marriage to Elizabeth Brugaman, who also was a member of one of the pioneer families here, and to this union were born seven children, four of whom are still living, these being Edward, Matilda, Lena and Sophia. Edward Heinfeld, who has charge of the plumbing department of the Heinfeld Manufacturing Company's plant, married Emma Dicke and has one child, a son, Hubert. Matilda Heinfeld is th ewife of William Grothaus, also a member of one of the old families here, the history of which family in this section of the state is set out elsewhere in this volume. CHARLES E. DINE, superintendent of the plant of St. Marys Foundry Company at St. Marys and one of the well known industrial factors of this county, was born at Minster, in this county, March 24, 1894, and is a son of Dr. Colson and Josephine (Herkenhoff) Dine, who are still living at Minster, and the latter of whom is a daughter of Frank and Mary (Gauspohl) Herkenhoff, former well kown residents of that place. Dr. Colson Dine was born in Scioto county, this state, and was but a boy when his parents moved from there to Mercer county, where he grew to manhood and received his schooling. He early began to study medicine and upon completing the course in the medical college at Cincinnati opened an office the practice of his profession at Minster and has since been located there. Doctor and Mrs. Dine have nine children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Lockie, Portia, Mary, Frank, Margaret, Paul, Volunta and Evangeline. Reared at Minster, Charles E. Dine finished the course in the high school there and then spent two years in the Ohio State University, specializing there in forestry. 126 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Upon his return to Minster he entered the plant of the Minster Machine Company's works and was there for four years, securing a broad understanding of machine and foundry practice, and at the end of that time entered upon his present duties as superintendent of the plant of the St. Marys Foundry Company, one of the substantial industries of this part of the state. Mr. Dine is a member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus and of the local aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and he and his wife are members of the Holy Rosary Catholic church. On November 23, 1915, Charles E, Dine was united in marriage to Naomi Hughes, who was born at Jackson Center, in the neighboring county of Shelby, a daughter of Ord and Anna (Pilliod) Hughes, now of Newport, Ohio, and to this union two children have been born, Virginia and William. The Dines have a pleasant home at 119 South Pine street. CHRISTIAN W. SCHMEHL, president and treasurer of the Boos-Muske Company, manufacturers of oil engines, at St. Marys, and for more than twenty years an influential factor in the industrial life of that city, has been a resident of this county since the days of his infancy. Mr. Schmehl was born at Erie, Pa., March 11, 1859, and is a son of John C. and Louise (Redehase) Schmehl, who later became residents of this county and the latter of whom is nOW living four miles east of St. Marys at the venerable age of ninety-four years. The late John C. Schmehl was born in Germany and at the age of twenty years came to this country and located at Erie, Pa,, where after his marriage he established his home and remained until 1860, when he moved to Ohio with his family and settled on a farm in the vicinity of Moulton, in this county, buying there a tract of eighty acres of uncleared land for $6 the acre. On that place he made his home until his retirement and removal to Wapakoneta, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there in 1894. To him and his wife were born fourteen children, four of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Lena and Louise, and a brother, William Schmehl. As will be noted by a comparison of the above dates, Christian W. Schmehl was but a babe in arms when his parents came to Auglaize county and settled on a pioneer farm in the Moulton neighborhood, and it was there that he grew to manhood, receiving his schooling in the Moulton school. The life of the farm did not appeal to him and as a young man he bought a general store at Moulton and was there engaged in business until he was twenty-eight years of age, or in 1887, when he disposed of his store and became employed as a foreman in the plant of the Wapakoneta wheel works, having charge of the finishing department. For two years he was thus employed and then, in 1889, was sent by the wheel works to take charge of that concern's plant at St. Marys and was thus engaged at the latter place when the Crane & MacMahon corporation bought the St. Marys HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 127 wheel works and entered upon its program of expansion. At the time of this change Mr. Schmehl was made assistant treasurer of the company and remained with that concern until 1905, when he became engaged in business on his own account at St. Marys, starting a saw mill there. He continued to operate this saw mill until 1920, when he disposed of his plant there and moved into Logan county to saw up an attractive bunch of timber. Upon the completion of that task he returned to St. Marys and in 1921 bought an interest in the Boos Oil Engine Company, manufacturers of oil engines, with an established and growing plant, and was made president and treasurer of the company, which positions he now occupies and in the exercise of which he has done much to extend the company's business. Mr. Schmehl is a Republican. He is a Scottish Rite (32 degree) Mason and is also an Odd Fellow and a member of the local tent of the Knights of Maccabees at St. Marys. In 1879, when living at Moulton, Christian W. Schmehl was united in marriage to Mary Born, of Lancaster, Ohio, and to this union have been born seven children, four of whom, Bertha M., Carl W., a veteran of the World war, Hazel and Irma, are living. Bertha M. Schmehl married Chase M. Rose and is now living at Louisville, Ky. Hazel Schmehl married Cass Shipman and has two children, a daughter, Mary Louise, and a son, Milton. Carl W. Schmehl's service during the recent war was rendered at Ft. Monroe, which he entered as a private and was advanced to the grade of instructor. The Schmehls have a pleasant home at 122 North Ash street. H. W. RAIRDON, proprietor of the New Bremen garage and a local dealer in grain at that place, one of the old time livery men of Auglaize county and a man widely known throughout this group counties, is a native "Buckeye" and has been a resident of this ate all his life, a resident of New Bremen since the days of his young manhood. Mr. Rairdon was born on a farm in the neighborig county of Logan on December 6, 1867, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Cole) Rairdon, both of whom were born in that same county, members of pioneer families there, the latter a daughter of Stephen and Mary (Glick) Cole. Henry Rairdon, a son of Michael and Elizabeth (Jeffreys) Rairdon, the former of whom was a veteran of the Mexican war, was a farmer and followed that vocation all his life. He and his wife were the parents of four children, the subject of this sketch having a brother, H. L. Rairdon, and two sisters, Emma and Bessie. Reared on the home farm in Logan county, H. W. Rairdon received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and remained at home until he "struck out for himself," when he came over into Auglaize county and started a livery stable at New Bremen. For more than twenty years he maintained that business there and then when he recognized that the automobile had 128 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY come to stay, did what so many livery stable men over the country have done, met modern conditions and enlarged the capacity of his place to include a garage and equipped his establishment to meet changing conditions of travel. That was in 1914. Two years later he sold his horses and has since devoted his entire attention to the garage and its accompanying lines. Upon opening his garage, Mro Rairdon secured the local agency for the sale of the Overland car and has since maintained that agency, at the same time handling a complete line of automobile accessories. In 1917, he also became interested in the grain business and has since been engaged in the buying and selling of grain, carrying on this latter line in addition to his garage business, and is doing well. Mr. Rairdon is a Republican and is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at New Bremen, while he and his wife are members of the Reformed church. Mrs. Rairdon (Lillian Diecker) is a member of one of the old families of Auglaize county, a daughter of Henry and Louise (Greiwe) Diecker. JAMES P. SMITH, an honored veteran of the Civil war and formerly and for years engaged in the manufacture of carriages at St. Marys, now living retired in that city, where he has made his home for nearly forty years past, is a Hoosier by birth but has been a resident of Ohio since the days of his childhood. Mr. Smith was born on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Brewersville, in Jennings county, Indiana, April 17, 1842, and is a son of James P. and Eliza (Meserve) Smith, both of whom were born in New York state. The senior James P. Smith was born near Albany, the capital of the state of New York, and was reared there. Shortly after his marriage he came west (in 1841) and settled on a tract of land he bought in Jennings county, Indiana. While living there he became interested in the Ohio river trade and presently bought a packet and moved to Cincinnati, where he made his home while operating this packet in the New Orleans trade, and remained there until 1857, when he bought a tract of land in Illinois, moved to the latter state and there spent the remainder of his life developing that land, his death occurring in 1877. To him and his wife were born eleven children, but two of whom are now living, the subject of this sketch and his sister Ferrisa. The junior James P. Smith was but a child when his parents moved from their Indiana farm to Cincinnati and his schooling was received in the city, where he was living when the Civil war broke out. He was nineteen years of age at that time and he straightway enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and went to the front as a member of Company D of the 6th regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and with that command served until his honorable discharge in 1862 at Lexington, Ky. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Smith returned to Cincinnati HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 129 and there became engaged in blacksmithing. In the following year he married and then set up a blacksmith shop of his own and continued to make Cincinnati his place of residence until 1885, when he moved to St. Marys and became employed in the old Bimel carriage factory, which was then at the height of its prosperity. For thirteen years Mr. Smith remained connected with the Bimel plant and then, in 1898, opened a carriage factory of his own at St. Marys and gradually developed there a very good business which he maintained until his retirement from the manufacturing field in 1920, since which time he has been in a position to "take things easy" at his comfortable home in St. Marys. It was on May 5, 1863, at Cincinnati, that James P. Smith was united in marriage to Anna Fitzsimmons, who was born at Oldcastle, Ireland, August 4, 1842, and to this union seven children were born, of whom four are living, two daughters, Abbie and Cora, and two sons, William O. and Richard Smith. Mr. Smith is a Republican and a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic at St. Marys, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The Smiths have a very pleasant home at 229 North Main street and are very comfortably situated. Mrs, Smith was but a child when she came to this country with her parents, James Fitzsimmons and wife, the family landing at New Orleans, where they remained for a while and then located in Cincinnati, where her parents spent the remainder of their lives. ROSCOE GUY HERRMANN, justice of the peace in and for Duchouquet township, with offices at Wapakoneta ; formerly and for years widely known throughout the country as a stage prestidigitator or conjurer, former deputy clerk of Auglaize county, a skilled locksmith and a man of otherwise varied talents, one of the best known citizens of this county, was born at Wapakoneta and has ever regarded that city as his home, though for years his travels took him far afield. Mr. Herrmann was born on August 14, 1879, and is a son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Welchans) Herrmann, who, in their generation, were among the well known residents of Wapakoneta. The late Frederick Herrmann was an European by birth, born in Germany, and was but a child when he was brought to this country by his parents, his father settling on a farm in Miami county, this state, and later moving up into the neighboring county of Shelby. It was in this latter county that Frederick Herrmann was well trained as a carpenter, a vocation he followed the remainder of his life. When about twenty-one years of age he located at Wapakoneta and there, after his marriage, established his home. It was thus that as a builder he took an active part in the consummation of the ambitious building program which led to the practical reconstruction of the city of Wapakoneta during the '80s and '90s and many of the chief buildings in the town today bear the marks of his skilled (8) 130 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY craftsmanship. To him and his wife were born three children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Nina, and a brother, Charles Herrmann, the latter of whom is now living at Oakland, Calif Reared at Wapakoneta, the place of his birth, Roscoe Guy Herrmam: completed three years of the high school course and then turned his attention practically to the interesting and entertaining diversion which he had been cultivating even from the days of his childhood. It was discovered when he was a child that he had an almost uncanny nimbleness of fingers, coupled with an equal alertness of thought and he had early begun to turn this peculiar dexterity into practical use as a means of effecting parlor diversions in prestidigitation and conjuring—"magic," as it is popularly so called—and long before he was ready to go "on the road" he had become widely known hereabout as a gracefully and effectively skilled "magician" or sleight- of-hand artist. He worked out a repertoire or "bag of tricks" capable of affording a full evening's entertainment and easily obtained stage employment, for some time traveling under the direction of others, but after awhile becoming his own manager, and for four, teen years he followed the stage, during this period giving performances in practically all of the important cities of the country. This amazing dexterity he also turned to practical uses, for with his skill as a prestidigitator he had an equal skill as a practical locksmith and often was being called on to solve the mystery of a recalcitrant combination lock on safes and the like, and it is understood that never did problems thus presented baffle him. Upon his retirement from the stage, Mr. Herrmann "settled down" at his old home at Wapakoneta and for four years thereafter was employed as deputy in the office of the county clerk. He then became engaged as the traveling representative of a concern manufacturing an accounting system and was thus engaged when this country took a hand in the World war. He offered his services as a skilled mechanician and in 1918 was sent to Newport News, Va., where he spent eight months in Government employ. In the election following his return to Wapakoneta, Mr. Herrmann was elected justice of the peace in and for Duchouquet township and he is now serving in that magisterial capacity, with offices in the Gunther building. Though long retired from the stage, Mr. Herrmann continues to maintain his active interest in that department of stage entertainment devoted to the exercise of the art of the "magicians" and retains his membership in the National Conjurers Association, through the deliberations of which body he still keeps in touch with the modern developments along the lines in which through his many years of ceaseless practice he is so adept. In his political views he is a Democrat and in his fraternal relations is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 131 Junior Order of United American Mechanics, the Tribe of Ben Hur and the Modern Woodmen, while he and his wife are members of the English Lutheran church. It was in 1911, about the time of his retirement from the stage, that Mr. Herrmann was united in marriage to Maude Clinch, of this county, and to this union two children have been born, daughters both, Veronica and Ruth. Mr. and Mrs. Herrmann have a pleasant home at 504 Gibbs avenue and have always taken an interested part in the general social affairs of the community. DR. W. J. STAPPE, president of the town council of New Bremen, a veterinary surgeon, who has been practicing at that place for the past twelve years and more and who also for years has been the local agent throughout that part of the state for the sale of Chevrolet authmobiles, one of the best known men thereabout, is a "Buckeye" by birth and has been a resident of this state all his life. Doctor Stappe was born at Delphos, on the line between the neighboring counties of Allen and Van Wert, in 1883, and is a son of Henry H. and Mary (Luebkemann) Stappe, both nativeS of Germany, the former of whom is still living, making his home with his son, the Doctor, at New Bremen. Doctor Stappe's mother was a daughter of Gerhardt and Charlotte (Meyers) Luebkemann, who upon coming to this country with their family located at Cincinnati, but presently came up into this part of the state and settled on a farm in Auglaize county. Henry H. Stappe came to this country in the days of his young manhood and located at Cincinnati, where he became engaged working at his trade, that of a blacksmith. After his marriage there he came up into this part of the state and located at Spencerville, where he opened a blacksmith shop and where he remained for some years, at the end of which time he moved to Delphos, where he remained until about 1895, when he moved back to Cincinnati and took employment in the blacksmith shops of the Big Four Railroad company in that city, where he remained until his retirement, following the death of his wife, when—his son, meanwhile, having located at New Bremen—he rejoined the latter here and has since been making his home here. To him and his wife were born five children, four of whom are still living, Doctor Stappe having three sisters, Lottie, Elizabeth and Nora. W. J. Stappe was about ten sisters years of age when his parents returned to Cincinnati from Delphos and his public schooling was completed in the schools of the former city. He then entered the school of pharmacy of Ohio Northern University at Ada and following his graduation from that school became engaged as a pharmacist at Cincinnati, and was thus engaged for about four years. In the meantime his attention was turning to the subject of veterinary surgery and medicine and he presently enterect the Cincinnati Veterinary College, from which he was grad- 132 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY uated in 1910. Upon receiving his diploma, Doctor Stappe opened an office for the practice of his profession at New Bremen and has since been located there. In 1913 he acquired the local agency for the sale of the Chevrolet automobile and has since maintained that agency, the field of his operations covering ten townships in this county and in the neighboring counties of Mercer and Shelby. Doctor Stappe has given his earnest attention to local civic affairs since taking up his residence at New Bremen, for six years served as local health officer and is the present (1922) president of the town council. He is an ardent student of Freemasonry, in which he has attained to the Scottish Rite (32d degree) and has also taken the capitular and cryptic degrees, a member of the blue lodge at Carthage, the chapter and council at St. Marys and the consistory at Dayton He and his wife are members of St. Paul's Evangelical church. Doc. for Stappe married Wanda Mueller, daughter of Dr. C. L. and Helen (Eppins) Mueller, of Cincinnati, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Vilma. LEO C. KUHLHORST, a well known egg dealer at New Bremen, and one of the active young business men of that place, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here most of his life, the exception being a period during the days of his young manhood when he was traveling about over the country acquiring a bit of experience that has proved valuable to him in his later business career. Mr, Kuhlhorst was born on a farm on the western edge of the county, in section 7 of German township, April 10, 1886, and is a son of Christ and Minnie (Tottenhorst) Kuhlhorst, both of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families here. The late Christ Kuhlhorst was reared on a farm and following his marriage began farming on his own account, in time becoming the owner of an ex cellent farm of 154 acres over on the county line three miles west New Bremen, where he continued, actively engaged in farming un his retirement a year or two before his death. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom five are now living, the sub. ject of this sketch having three sisters, Amanda, Nora and Augusta, and a brother, William Kuhlhorst. Reared on the home farm in German township, Leo C. Kuhlhorst received his schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home and as a young man traveled around quite a bit, engaged at work in various lines, and was thus engaged for several years, at the end of which time he returned home, locating at New Bremen, where he became engaged in driving a sales wagon for the Watkins Remedy Company. For two years he kept up this line and then bought the Merrit egg route that had been successfully established out of New Bremen and has since then been engaged in buying and shipping eggs. Mr. Kuhlhorst has an auto truck in which he makes his rounds through the country hereabout HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 133 with New Bremen as his headquarters and shipping point, and has developed an excellent business, in season shipping as high as two car loads of eggs a week, and has thus come to be known as one of the most alert and enterprising dealers in this line in this part of the state. In his political views Mr. Kuhlhorst is "independent." He is a member of St. Peter's Evangelical church at New Bremen and a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at that place. He has a well equipped plant for the care of his produce and is doing well, DR. WALTER B. HORTON a well known dental surgeon of Auglaize county, who has been practicing his profession at St. Marys for more than twenty years, was born on a farm in Jackson county, this state, September 25, 1874, and is a son of Samuel and Levina J. (Davis) Horton, who are still living in that county. Samuel Horton was born in Jefferson township, Jackson county, and was reared on a farm. After his marriage he became a farmer on his own account and is still thus engaged, the owner of a well improved farm of 100 acres in Jackson county. To him and his wife were born two sons, the subject of this sketch having had a brother, Herbert Horton, who died in Kansas in 1919. Reared on the home farm in Jackson county, Walter B. Horton received his schooling in the local schools and, proving an apt student, was licensed to teach school and at the age of sixteen years taught a term of school in a rural district in the neighborhood of his home. He then took a course in the normal school at Oak Hill and in the National Normal School at Lebanon and for six years thereafter continued engaged as a teacher, meantime giving his attention to preparatory studies along the lines of dental surgery, and in 1896 entered the dental department of Ohio State University, from which he was graduated in 1899. Upon receiving his diploma, Doctor Horton cast about for a likely place in which to open an office for the practice of the profession to which he had devoted his life and he has never had cause to regret the choice which led him to St. Marys. It was in 1899, the year of his graduation, that Doctor Horton began practicing at St. Marys and he ever since has been thus engaged, one of the best known dental surgeons in western Ohio. On October 7, 1900, the year following his location at St. Marys, Dr. Walter B. Horton was united in marriage to Dora E. Plumer, who also was born in Jackson county, a member of one of the old families there, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Walter B., Jr. Doctor Horton and his family have a pleasant home at 707 West Spring street at St. Marys. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and the Doctor is superintendent of the Sunday school. He is a Republican and for two terms served as a member of the local school board, president of the board during one of these terms of service. The Doctor is a mem- 134 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY ber of the Ohio State Dental Association and is a Scottish Rite (32d degree) Mason, a Knight Templar and a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias. Mrs. Horton is a daughter of Ephraim and Martha (Russell) Plumer, of Jackson county, the former of whom at one time was county commissioner of that county, OTIS E. DUNAN, president of the First National Bank of St, Marys, for many years closely identified with the growth and development of that city and long recognized as one of its most enterprising and progressive citizens, was born, at St. Marys and has lived there all his life, thus having been identified with all the major movements which have been instrumental in development there along what properly may be called "modern" lines, for he has been connected with the bank of which he is now president since 1877, a date which just about marks the beginning of the period in which this county began definitely to emerge from what sometimes is called the "backwoods" period and to put away pioneer conditions in favor of what since has been known as "modern" methods, a change which of course has resulted in a practical reconstruction not only of the towns and villages of the county but of commercial and industrial methods and has brought about the amazing development which has been witnessed here during the past forty years and more. And in all of this development Mr. Dunan has been an influential factor, Mr. Dunan was born at St. Marys on July 3, 1857, and is a son of Washington and Susan L. (Barrington) Dunan, the latter of whom was a member of one of the real pioneer families of the St. Marys neighborhood and the former of whom had become a resident of St, Marys in 1846, following the opening of canal navigation through that place. They had two sons, Mr. Dunan having a brother, William R. Dunan. Reared at St. Marys, Otis E. Dunan was graduated from the first class that was graduated from the St. Marys high school, That was in 1874. Three years later, 1877, he became employed as a clerk in the old St. Marys Bank, afterward nationalized as the First National Bank of St. Marys, and he ever since has been connected with this substantial financial concern, gradually being advanced as promotions were earned, until in 1907 he was elected president of the bank, the position he now occupies. In addition to his banking interests at St. Marys, Mr. Dunan is a member of the directorate and treasurer of the Union Building and Loan Company of that city, a member of the directorate and vice president of the Minster State Bank of Minster, this county ; a member of the direr. torate and treasurer of the St. Marys Telephone Company and a di. rector of the Peninsular Telephone Company of Tampa, Fla. He is a Republican, a past member of the St. Marys school board and has from time to time been the nominee of the Republican party for HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 135 other offices in city and county. On April 25, 1881, Otis E. Dunan was united in marriage to Leah N. Van Riper, who was born in Michigan, a daughter of George and Parthenia (Crowell) Van Riper, and he and his wife have two children, George and Anna L., the latter of whom married Dr. Carey P. Kite, of St. Marys, and has two children, Leah Dunan and Jeannette N. George Dunan married Betsey Crisick and has two children, sons both, George and Otis. The Dunans have a very pleasant home at 510 West South street and have ever been interested and helpful factors in the general social and cultural activities of their home town and of the community at large. DR. CLEMENS S. HARTMAN, vice-president and general manager of the Hartman Jewelry Company of Wapakoneta, proprietor of an admirably equipped jewelry store there and an optometrist of more than local reputation, was born at Wapakoneta and has resided there all his life save during the period when he was pursuing his technical studies in the East. Mr. Hartman was born on December 17, 1882, and is a son of Henry and Sabina (Goetz) Hartman, both of whom also were born in Wapakoneta, members of pioneer families there, the former born on January 6, 1854, and the latter, September 22, 1860. Henry .Hartman, head of the jewelry company, which he founded and which bears his name and who is now engaged in the jewelry business at Salem, Ore., is a son of Otto Hartman and wife, natives of Germany, who had settled at Wapakoneta upon coming to this country and whose last days were spent there. Otto Hartman for years operated a brick kiln at Wapakoneta and was thus one of the live factors in the upbuilding of that town, when it was getting its start back in its village days in the is and '60s of the past century. Henry Hartman was reared at Wapakoneta and early became attracted to the jewelry trade, beginning as a boy to acquire the full technical details of this trying commercial line, serving an apprenticeship at Pomeroy, Ohio, and became a skilled silversmith and horologist, or clocksmith. In 1876, when lie was twenty-two years of age, he started in business for himself at Wapakoneta and thus in that year founded the establishment which ever since has been maintained under the Hartman name and of which his son, Dr. Clemens S. Hartman, is now the local proprietor and manager. Henry Hartman continued in business at Wapakoneta for years and his three sons were trained along the same line. As they became proficient in their craft he took them into the business, which has since been carried on under the firm style of the Hartman Jewelry Company, and he and his other sons, Otto and Raymond, have been for some years located at Salem, Ore., where they are carrying on the Western branch of the company's business. To Henry Hartman and wife were born four children, besides the three sons there being a daughter, Gertrude. Clemens 136 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY S. Hartman was reared at Wapakoneta and from the days of his boyhood has been attentive to the affairs of the jewelry store. Upon completing his local schooling he entered the Philadelphia Optical College and was graduated there with the degree of Doctor of Optometry, thus becoming qualified to carry on a proper optometrical department in connection with his father's jewelry store, and upon his return from college became an active participant in that business. When the Hartman Jewelry Company was organized, in 1906, he was made vice-president of the company and general manager of the business and has so continued, in full charge of the Wapakoneta store, which is admirably equipped and thoroughly stocked. In the line of optometry Doctor Hartman has ever kept abreast with all modern developments looking to the greater perfection of this important profession and by repeated post-graduate courses at Chicago has kept himself informed of these developments as they are brought out, so that his equipment in that direction is always up-to-date. On July 26, 1906, Dr. Clemens S. Hartman was united in marriage to Loretta Neumier, daughter of Andrew and Catherine Neumier, of Wapakoneta, and to this union four children have been born, Dean, Fern, Henry (deceased), and Helen (deceased). Mr. Hartman is a Democrat. He and his wife are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church and he is a member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus and of the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. WILLIAM J. HOWELL, a former member of the board of county commissioners for Auglaize county, former assessor of Duchouquet township, head of the Wapakoneta Cement Block Company and a dealer in coal and general builders supplies, for years one of the active figures in the general industrial life of this community, is a native son of Auglaize county, a member of one of the old families here, and has lived here all his life. He was born in Washington township and is a son of Simeon J. and Mary (Renshaw) Howell, the latter of whom was born in Reading, Pa. One of her brothers, Samuel Renshaw, Was a soldier of the Union during the Civil war. Her father died when she was a child and her mother later came to Ohio and here married Benjamin Styles. Simeon J. Howell's father, Jefferson Howell, settled in the Olive Branch neighborhood upon coming to Ohio. One of his brothers was a Union soldier during the Civil war. For some time after his marriage Simeon J. Howell made his home on a farm in Washington township, this county, and then moved to Wapakoneta, but later returned to the farm. To Simeon J. Howell and wife were born ten children, those besides the subject of this sketch, the third in order of birth, having been Miss Sarah Howell, a well known teacher in the high school at Wapakoneta, of whom further mention is made elsewhere in this volume; Ollie, de- HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 137 eased; Charles, Richard, Edward and Robert Howell, Mrs. Anna Bristow, Mrs. Cora Bowser and Mrs. Jennie Brentlinger. William J. Howell was four years of age when his parents moved to Wapakoneta, his early schooling thus having been received in the schools of that city. When he was twelve years of age the family returned to the farm in Washington township and he grew up on the farm, remaining there until his marriage at the age of twenty-two years, when he began farming on his own account as a renter. He had gained some experience in the building trade and about this time branched out as a building contractor and was thus engaged when in 1902 he was elected to represent his district on the board of county commissioners. By re-election Mr. Howell served in this important public capacity for six years, meantime continuing his operations as a contractor, and for greater convenience moved to Wapakoneta, where he ever since has made his home and where he is very comfortably situated. Upon the completion of his term of public service Howell became engaged in the manufacture of cement block and his enlarged the plant which he then erected until now he has an equipment competent to "make anything that can be made out of cement," and has developed an extensive business in that line, operating as the Wapakoneta Cement Block Company, which also handles coal and general builders supplies. This company has a twenty: acre gravel pit conveniently located with reference to the plant and its operations are carried on in thoroughly up-to-date fashion, the plant having a capacity of 300 blocks a day. Mr. Howell has for many years taken an earnest and active interest in local civic affairs and in addition to his years of service on the board of county commissioners served for two terms as assessor of Duchouquet township. He is one of the active members of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta and is a member of the board of trustees of that lodge. In July, 1882, William J. Howell was united in marriage to Emma Parrish, who also was born in Washington township, daughter of James E. and Eliza (Wisely) Parrish, and who died in April, 1921. To that union four children re born, Ferdinand, Bessie, Mabel and Ruth, all of whom are married save Mabel, an accountant by vocation and who is at home with her father. Ferdinand Howell, who is engaged in business with his father, married Dora Koh and he and his wife have had five children, of whom are living save William, who died at the age of five years, others being Katherine, Evelyn, Donald and Junior. Bessie veil married Richard Tucker, a veteran of the World war with overseas record, who is now living at Kenmore, Ohio, where he was engaged as a chemist. Ruth Howell married Raymond Headapohl, o a veteran of the World war With an overseas record, now employed by the Ford Motor Company at Detroit, and has one child, a daughter, Eileen. 138 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY WILLIAM H. SCHULER, distributor of the celebrated "Purina' feed stuffs—the well known "checker" brand of general feed for domestic animals—buyer and shipper of hay and proprietor of a general feed store at Wapakoneta, is a "Buckeye" by birth and has been a resident of this state all his life. Mr. Schuler was born in the hamlet of Montra, in the Jackson Center neighborhood in the neighboring county of Shelby, June 5, 1878, and is a son of Adolph and Sophia (Heintz) Schuler, both of whom were born in Germany, but were residents of this country and of Ohio since the days of their childhood, the former having been but three years of age when he came to this country with his parents, the family locating in Shelby county, and the latter fifteen years of age. Adolph Schuler grew up in Shelby county and became one of the "old time" saloon keepers of that county, having a place at Montra. He and his wife were the parents of five children, of whom three are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Mrs. Mary Bishop, and a brother, Albert Schuler. Reared at Montra, William H. Schuler received his schooling in the schools of that place and when but twelve years of age began "working out" as a farm hand in the neighborhood. When nineteen years of age he became engaged in the saloon business at Geyer, in this county, and about four years later moved to Wapakoneta and there opened a saloon, continuing in business there for about four years or until he was compelled to dispose of his place on account of a severe attack of illness, which laid him up for about six months. Following his recuperation he became engaged in the manufacture of cigars and also opened a restaurant which he operated for several months. He then disposed of the restaurant and three years later he moved his plant to Celina and was engaged in the manufacture of cigars there for about eighteen months, at the end of which time he sold the factory and returned to Wapakoneta, where he operated the old Henry hotel, a hostelry famous in the old days of the county seat, having previously leased the hotel, and at the same time opened a pool room and cigar store on Auglaize street, in the basement of which latter place he presently opened a feed store. It was not long until he recognized that this feed business was going to be a paying proposition and after having had the hotel and pool room about three years closed out that line and has since given his whole attention to the development of his feed business, to which he some time ago added a hay baler and has since been engaged in the buying and selling of hay in connection with the other line. Upon starting in to develop his feed business, Mr. Schuler built the place where he now has his office and small stock room on East Auglaize street, but about five years later was compelled to acquire additional quarters and he then bought the "Old Vet" barn to accomodate his growing necessity for storage quarters, HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 139 Not long after getting his feed business well under way or about two years ago, Mr. Schuler added as a general feed for domestic animals the famous "Purina Chow," and he soon found that there was a growing demand for this food, the sale of which has increased, until last year he sold close to forty car loads of it. Mr. Schuler has adopted the checker as his trade mark, this being the national trademark of "Purina" Mills. The front of his store is painted in checkers and the "Purina" feeds are put up in checkerboard bags, while his delivery trucks and other equipment, where possible, also are painted n checker-board fashion. Mr. Schuler is "independent" in his politi¬cial views and he and his wife are members of St. Mark's Lutheran church. in 1900, William H. Schuler was united in marriage to Mary Accuntius, who was born in this county, daughter of Adam and Caroline (Gross) Accuntius, and to this union ten children have been born, four of whom are living, namely; Gladys, born on December 11, 1902, who was graduated from the Blume high school at Wapakoneta with the class of 1920; Frederick, born in June, 1909 ; Pauline, born in October, 1912, and Mary L., born in June, 1918. JOSEPH KLANKE, of the Rabe Manufacturing Company of New Bremen and manager of Department B of that concern's enterprises, has been a resident of New Bremen since the days of his boyhood and has for years been one of the active factors in the commercial life of that energetic community. Mr. Klanke was born on a farm in the neighboring county of Shelby on March 17, 1864, and is a son of Christopher and Anna Klanke, both of whom were born in Germany and the former of whom formerly and for years was engaged in tailoring at New Bremen. As is set out elsewhere in this volume, in the biography relating to William Klanke, elder brother of Joseph Klanke, the late Christopher Klanke came to this country following the unsuccessful political revolution in Germany in 1848, the year of the great immigration from central Europe to this country. He at that time was about twenty-one years of age and had been trained as a tailor. Upon his arrival here he located at Cincinnati and began working there as a tailor, but not long afterward came up into this part of Ohio and settled at New Bremen. Six months later, however, he decided upon farming as a vocation in his new home and settled on a farm down in Shelby county, where he remained for fourteen years or until after the death of his wife, when he returned to New Bremen and resumed his vocation as a tailor and continued thus engaged until his retirement from business me years before his death, which occurred in 1899. He and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom four are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Elizabeth, and two brother George and William Klanke. Upon completing his schooling in the New Bremen schools, Joseph Klanke began working in the William 140 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Rabe hardware store at that place and has ever since been connected with this concern, one of the best known merchants in that part of the county. When in 1903 the Rabe interests were consolidated under the firm style of the Rabe Manufacturing Company, Mr. Klanke became a member of the company and was made manager of the company's hardware and grocery store (Department B) and has since had charge of that department, carrying on the business in up-to- date fashion with a carefully selected stock designed to meet all the requirements of the local trade. In his political views Mr. Klanke is an "independent" Democrat. He has long given his attention to local civic affairs and has served two terms as a member of the town council. He and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church, Mrs. Klanke (Emma Koeper) is a daughter of Henry Koeper. ALFRED J. FRIEMERING, a substantial grocer at New Bremen and one of the well known and energetic young business men of that place, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here all his life with the exception of a period of some years spent at Dayton, Mr. Friemering was born at Minster on September 28, 1899, and is a son of John Bernard and Anna (Schmiesing) Friemering, the latter of whom was born in that same township. John Bernard Friemering, who is now living retired at Minster, was born there and after his marriage became engaged in farming in that neighborhood, continuing thus engaged until 1906, when he moved to Minster and there became engaged in the hardware and grocery business. He continued this business until 1918, when he sold his store and has since been living retired. To him and his wife were born eight children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Julius, Margaret, Cecelia, Luetta, Alvin, Clarence and Bernard. Alfred J. Friemering was six years of age when his father became engaged in business at Minster and he practically "grew up" in the store, thus early becoming thoroughly acquainted wtih business forms and methods, Upon completing his schooling in the Minster schools he took his place in his father's store and when his father sold out in 1918, went to Dayton and began working in the plant of the National Cash Register Company, where he remained eighteen months, after which he became engaged as the manager of a grocery store in that city, a year later going into the Lowe Bros. paint factory as superintendent of the warehouse, and was thus engaged until in April, 1920, when he and his brother-in-law, Aloys J. Wagner, formed a partnership and bought the Weinberg Bros. grocery store at New Bremen and were partners until September 28, 1922, when Mt Friemering took over Mr. Wagner's interest. Since taking over this business he has made numerous improvements to the place and has enlarged the stock until now he has an admirably equipped and well stocked grocery, prepared to meet all demands of the local trade. Mr, HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 141 Friemering is a Democrat and he and his wife are members of St. Augustine's Catholic church at Minster. Mrs. Friemering (Leona Vallo) is a daughter of Clem J. and Josephine (Budde) Vallo and also was reared at Minster. GRANT SHEARER, a widely known broker of broom corn and the proprietor of a well equipped and prosperous broom factory at New Bremen, where he is engaged in business under the style of the Superior Broom Company, a member of the board of public affairs of that city and in other ways interested in general community development, is a native of Illinois, but has been a resident of Ohio since the days of his boyhood and of New Bremen for more than twenty years. Mr. Shearer was born in Crawford county, Illinois, December 16, 1868, and is the son of John and Ella (Dye) Shearer, both of whom were born in Ohio, the latter in Miami county, a daughter of Cornelius Dye, and the former in Miami county. The late John Shearer, an honored veteran of the Civil war and a son of Eli Shearer, who came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, grew to manhood and was married in Miami county, where he was living when the Civil war broke out. He enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and went to the front as a member of the 8th Ohio Cavalry, with which he served until the close of the war. This command saw much active service and Mr. Shearer was captured by the enemy no fewer than three times. Twice he was able to steal awy from his captors. The third time he was placed in the old warehouse at Richmond, Va., known to infamy as Libby prison, and was there kept on starvation rations until finally exchanged. He had been trained as a carpenter and upon the completion of his military service returned to Miami county and became there engaged in carpentering but not long afterward moved to Illinois and settled in Crawford county. Not finding things to his liking there he returned to Miami county after four years of residence in Illinois, and after a while moved to Sidney, where he spent the remainder of his life and were his widow is still living, making her home with her son, John L. Shearer. To John Shearer and wife were born seven children, of whom four are still living, the subject of this sketch having three brothers, Perry, George W. and John L. Shearer. Reared in Miami that county, for he was but a babe in arms when his parents returned to that county from Illinois, Grant Shearer received his schooling in the schools of that county and until his marriage remained on the home farm, a helpful factor in the development of the same. He then took up broom making and moved to West Milton, in his home county, where he perfected himself in this trade and then went to Circleville. After working for some time at this latter place he moved to New Bremen and was employed in the broom factory there for two years, at the end of which time he moved to Sidney and 142 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY became employed in the plant of Donaldson & Bryan. Not long afterward he entered business for himself, starting a broom factory at Sidney and was there thus engaged until in 1902 when he disposed of his interests at that place and returned to New Bremen, where he was made vice president of the M. B. Brown Company and general manager of that concern's broom factory. Mr. Shearer continued with the Brown company until 1918, when he sold his interest in the same and shortly afterward started another broom factory in the town, establishing himself again in business, under the firm name of the Superior Broom Company. He has a well equipped plant, everything being new and up-to-date and has a present capacity of fifty dozen brooms a day. Upon establishing himself as the Superior Broom Company in 1918 Mr. Shearer also became engaged in the general brokerage business as a broom corn factor, with headquarters at Erick, Okla., the very center of the broom corn country, and has built up a thriving business in that line, this latter branch of his business requiring his presence at Erick during the height of the marketing season for broom corn from August to November of each year. Mr. Shearer has for years given his close attention to the general civic affairs of his home town and is at present one of the members of the New Bremen board of public affairs. He and his wife attend Christ church. On October 19, 1888, Grant Shearer was united in marriage to Flora Miller, daughter of Jonas and Mary (McCool) Miller, of Miami county, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Ray Shearer, who married Beulah Klanke, of New Bremen, and has two children, Helen and Marjorie. DR. WALTER S. STUCKEY, coroner of Auglaize county, president of the Auglaize County Medical Society and for many years one of the leading physicians of this county, with offices at Wapakoneta, where he has been engaged in practice for the past thirty years, is a "Buckeye" by birth and has been a resident of this state all his life. Doctor Stuckey was born on a farm in the neighboring county of Van Wert on February 25, 1867, and is a son of Jonas S. and Mary (Gilliland) Stuckey, both also natives of Ohio, the latter born at Van Wert in September, 1843. Jonas S. Stuckey, an honored veteran of the Civil war, who is still living in Van Wert county vas born on a pioneer farm in the northwestern part of Logan township in what is now Auglaize county, but which then was in Allen county, in October, 1841, and is a son of Eli and Hannah Stuckey, who were among the earliest pioneers of that part of this county. Eli Stuckey was a son of pioneers of Fairfield county, this state, where he grew to manhood. After his marriage he became attracted to the new lands that were being opened to settlement over in this part of the state and entered a tract of land in section 19 of Logan township, where he established his home and entered upon the trying task of HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 143 making a farm out of the woodland. He presently moved from there up into VanWert county and years later he disposed of his interests there and went to Kansas, where his last days were spent. Jonas S. Stuckey was about five years of age when his parents moved to Van Wert county and he was living on the home farm there when the Civil war broke out. In 1861 he enlisted his services in behalf of the cruse of the Union and went to the front with the 27th regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which gallant command he served for four years and thus took part in some of the most important engagements of the war, including the campaign of Sherman’s army to the sea. Upon the completion of his military service he returned to Van Wert county and there resumed his farming operations, a vocation which he ever since has followed, and is now the owner of a well improved farm of 150 acres on which he continues to make his home. Of the eight children born to Jonas S. Stuckey and wife the subject of this sketch is the eldest. Of these six survive, Doctor Stuckey having two sisters, Maude and Lucy, and three brothers, Perry, Charles and Ray Stuckey. From the days of his boyhood Doctor Stuckey was attracted to the medical profession. Upon completing the course in the local schools in the neighborhood of his home in Van Wert county he took supplementary courses in the normal schools at Middle Point and at Ada and then entered the Ft. Wayne (Ind.) Medical College, from which latter institution he was graduated in 1892 after a course of instruction covering three years. Thus equipped for the practice of the profession to which had devoted his life, Doctor Stuckey opened an office at Wapakoneta and has ever since been engaged in practice there, with offices on Auglaize street. Doctor Stuckey is a Republican and for years has been recognized as one of the leaders of that party in this county. In the memorable election of 1920 he was elected coroner of the county and is now serving in that official capacity. It is interesting to recall that his name led the ticket in the balloting, an evidence of his local popularity that his friends believe to be but fitting under all the circumstances. In the election of 1922 he was re-elected coroner without opposition. The Doctor was one of the organizers of the Auglaize County Medical Society and is the present president of that body. He also is a member of the Ohio State Medical Society and of the American Medical Association and in the deliberations of these several bodies has for years taken an earnest interest. Fraternally, the Doctor is affiliated with the local lodges of the Freemasons, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Loyal Order of Moose. For two terms he served as a member of the Wapakoneta city council, has also served as a member of the local board of health and for years as pension examiner for this district. In May, 1898, Dr. Walter S. Stuckey was united in marriage to Mary T. Puetz, of 144 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Wapakoneta, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Verdin B. Stuckey, who is at home. The Stuckeys have a pleasant home at Wapakoneta and have ever taken a helpful part in the social and cultural activities of the community. CHARLES FREDERICK RISSE, formerly and for years a well known hardware merchant at St. Marys, where he died in the spring of 1919, was born at St. Marys and had lived there all his life, which covered a span of just under the traditional three score years and ten. Mr. Risse was born on September 24, 1849, and was a son of Charles F. and Margaret (Schroeder) Risse, the latter of whom was a member of the pioneer Schroeder family who were among the original settlers of the Stallo Town (Minster) neighborhood following the departure of the Indians from this region in 1832. She died in August, 1850, of cholera during the time of the prevalence of that dreadful scourge which swept through the canal strip here not long after the opening of the canal and which was several years in subsiding. Two of her small daughters were taken by this same dread disease, the subject of this memorial sketch having thus been left without maternal care when he was but eleven months old. Charles F. Risse, his father, was a native of the kingdom of Saxony and was there trained as a wagon maker. Upon coming to this country he for some time worked at his trade in Pennsylvania and then, when work on the canal began Ape in western Ohio, he came out here and set up as a wagon maker at St. Marys, was presently married there and established his home at that place, where he spent the remainder of his life, one of the useful factors in the development of the industrial interests of the town during its pioneer period. Charles Frederick Risse grew to manhood at St. Marys and early began working as a tinner, a vocation he followed until 1881, about five years after his marriage, when he opened a hardware store at St. Marys and thus became a merchant of that place about the time the city began to take on what sometimes has been referred to as its "new lease on life," for it was in the early '80s that St. Marys entered upon that period of progressive development which resulted in the practical reconstruction of the business section of the town and led to so many improvements along the lines of modern progress. For nearly thirty years thereafter Mr. Risse continued engaged in the hardware business, becoming one of the best known merchants in the city, and was thus engaged until his retirement in 1909. After his retirement he continued to make his home at St. Marys and there spent his last days, his death occurring on May 23, 1919, he then being in his sev entieth year. He was an earnest Republican and was a member of the German Reformed church. It was on March 2, 1876, that Charles Frederick Risse was united in marriage to Mattie Doute, also a mu ber of one of the pioneer families in this county, and to this um HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 145 two sons were born, both of whom died in childhood. Mrs. Risse has an adopted son, Robert Frederick Risse, who was graduated from the St. Marys high school and is now a student in the hydro-electric department of the Case School of Applied Science at Cleveland, a member of the class of 1923 and an "honor key" man of that school. Mrs. Risse was born in Noble township, about two miles north of St. Marys, and is a daughter of Joseph P. and Hester (Watkins) Doute, the latter of whom was born at Maysville, Ky., of Virginia parentage. Joseph P. Doute was born in Ohio and was a member of one of the first families of the St. Marys settlement and in the days of his young manhood was widely known as a school teacher in this vicinity. After his marriage he established his home on a farm in Noble township and became one of the substantial farmers and landowners of that part of the county. The Doutes are of Welch stock. Of the seven children born to Joseph P. Doute and wife, Mrs. Risse alone survives. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Since the death of her husband she has continued to make her home at St. Marys and is very comfortably situated at 222 North Main street. FRED M. SMITH, secretary and treasurer of the Jaspersen Supply Company of St. Marys and for years one of the best known and most influential factors in the commercial life of that city, was born at St. Marys and has lived there all his life. Mr. Smith was born on September 8, 1872, and is a son of John and Margaret (Hummal) Smith, who are still living at St. Marys. John Smith, a former manufacturer, who is now living retired, was born on a farm four miles south of Wapakoneta, in Pusheta township, this county, and is a son of Michael Smith, who was one of the pioneers of that neighborhood, but whose last days were spent at Wapakoneta, to which city he had moved upon his retirement from the farm which he had reclaimed from the woodland wilderness. Reared on the farm, John Smith received his schooling in the neighboring country school house, and early took up the trade of wagon maker, beginning work in the old Billiel wagon factory at St. Marys, and after his marriage established his home at St. Marys, where he ever since his resided, one of the best known citizens of that town. Years ago John Smith became established in a wagon works' of his own at St. Marys and thus continued in business until his retirement in 1914, since which me he has been "taking things easy," in a position to enjoy the fruits of his many years of active industry. To him and his wife were born three children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Elizabeth, and a brother, John L. Smith. Reared at St. Marys, Fred M. Smith finished the course in the high school there and supplemented this by a course in a business college at Dayton, after which he became engaged in business at St. Marys, starting up with a news (9) 146 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY stand and a laundry agency, and was thus engaged until 1893, when he established a steam laundry at St. Marys. Mr. Smith carried on this laundry business for seven years, or until in 1900, when he disposed of the plant and became engaged in the insurance business at St. Marys in association with his brother, John L. Smith, and carried on along this line until 1909, when he became associated with William Jaspersen in the organization of the Jaspersen Supply Company at St. Marys and has since been engaged in this thriving business, secretary and treasurer of the concern. The Jaspersen Supply Company's line is general mill, factory, plumbing and elec. trical supplies and the jobbing business thus carried on covers a trade radius of not less than seventy-five miles in the territory sur rounding St. Marys. The company has an admirably equipped and amply stocked establishment on Spring street, right in the heart of St. Marys' commercial district, and has created for itself a distinct place in the market which it supplies hereabout. Fred M. Smith married Mary E. Elliott, who also was born at St. Marys, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Smith) Elliott and a member of one of the real pioneer families in chat city, and he and his wife have a very pleasant home at 224 South Wayne street. They are members of the Lutheran church and in their political views maintain their independence of party ties. Mr. Smith is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at St. Marys. During the time of American par. ticipation in the World war he took a helpful part in local war activities. Mrs. Smith's father, Thomas Elliott, was a son of James and Ellen (Stockdale) Elliott, who were influential pioneers of this county. James Elliott at one time owned the greater part of what is now the west part of Wapakoneta and further mention of him is made in the historical section of this work. THOMAS A. WHITE, cashier of the American State Bank of St. Marys, one of the best known bankers in Auglaize county and for years an active factor in the commercial life of St. Marys, is a native "Buckeye" and has been a resident of this state all his life, a resident of St. Marys since the days of his young manhood. Mr. White was born on a farm in Miami county, this state, May 17, 1877, and is a son of Yardley Scott and Sarah (Morris) White, both of whom also were born in Ohio, members of old families in this state, the latter the daughter of Peter Morris and wife, of Montgomery county. The late Yardley Scott White was born in Miami county and was reared on a farm there, a son of George and Mary White, who had come from Pennsylvania. He served for eighteen months as a soldier of the Union during the Civil war and after his marriage became engaged in farming on his own account and presently moved to Shelby county, where he bought a farm and established his home, spending the remainder of his life in this latter county. To him and HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 147 his wife were born four children, all of whom are living save one a daughter, Anna—the subject of this sketch having a sister, Bertha, and a brother, Harland S. White. Reared on the home farm in the northeastern part of Miami county, Thomas A. White completed the course in the high school at Fletcher and supplemented this schooling by a short course in Valparaiso University at Valparaiso, Ind., giving his special attention to the commercial course, and became an expert stenographer. For three years thereafter he was employed as a stenographer at Sidney and then he went to St. Marys, where he became employed as a stenographer in the office of the machine works, and was thus employed at the time of the organization of the American State Bank in that city in 1903. At that time Mr. White transferred his services to the new bank and was there employed as a clerk and bookkeeper until his promotion to the position of cashier of the bank in 1918, a position he ever since has occupied. On July 15, 1903, the year in which he entered upon his connection with the American State Bank, Thomas A. White was united in marriage to Elva Allen, daughter of Anthony J. and Eleanor (Gorsich) Allen, of Sidney, Ohio, and to this union three children have been born, Norma, Mary Lee and Ruth. Mr. and Mrs. White are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are Republicans. They have a pleasant home at 729 West Jackson street and take an interested part in the general social and cultural activities of their home town. LAFE W. KELLERMEYER, manager of the local plant at New Berman of the J. A. Long Company (produce), was born at New Breman and has lived there all his life. Mr. Kellermeyer was born on February 22, 1878, and is a son of August and Wilhelmina (Whippleing) Kellermeyer, both of whom were also born in this county, members of pioneer families here, the Kellermeyers and the Whippleings having been among the early residents of the New Bremen neighborhood. August Kellermeyer, who is now living retired at New Bremen, was formerly and for years, in the days of the canal, connected with the operations of the H. J. Boesche pork packing industry at New Bremen and later was for years in the grain trade. To him and his wife were born seven children, of whom five are living, those besides the subject of this sketch being Elmer, Malinda, Clara and Fredonia. Reared at New Bremen, where he was born, Lafe W. Kellermeyer received his schooling in the local schools and early began working in the Kuenzel woolen mill, where he remained for fifteen years or until failing health compelled his retirement from the confining labors thus entailed. A few months after leaving the woolen mill Mr. Kellermeyer became connected with the operations of the J. A. Long Company string of produce houses and after awhile was made manager of the St. Mary's branch of that company's 148 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY operations. In 1919 he was made manager of the New Bremen branch of the Long Company's interests and has so continued since, during this time having done much to develop the operations of the plant there, making it one of the best buying stations in the long string of such plants carried on by this company throughout the middle West. Mr. Kellermeyer is a Republican. He is a member of the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias and of the Woodmen of the World at New Bremen and he and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church. Mr. Kellermeyer married Sophia Blase, daughter of Henry Blase, and to this union two children have been born, Leon and Pearl, both of whom are married. Leon Kellermeyer married Herminia Dickey and Pearl Kellermeyer married Elmer Wittenbrink and has one child, a daughter, Marguerite. WILLIAM E. FISHER, a well known retired farmer and land. owner of Pusheta township and who formerly and for years was engaged in the milling business at Wapakoneta, where he is now living, carrying on a local real estate business, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here all his life. Mr. Fisher was born on a pioneer farm in the western part of Pusheta township on August 12, 1853, and is a son of Andrew and Mary (France) Fisher, both of whom were of European birth, born at Wittenberg in Prussian Saxony, who had come to this country with their respective parents in the early '40s of the past century, the Fishers and the Frances settling in what later came to be organized as Auglaize county. A drew Fisher was a young man when he came to this country, but the expense incident to the emigration and settlement had pretty Iv exhausted all his available resources and when, about a year aft his arrival here, he sought in marriage the girl of his choice he fours it necessary to borrow from his prospective father-in-law 75 cents meet the fee for the marriage license. For a time he worked on the construction of the Miami & Erie canal, which then was being con. structed up through this part of the state, and it is said that for their service he received wages at the rate of $5 a month. He was wor ing on that section of the canal about Piqua and would walk bad and forth from Wapakoneta to the scene of his labor each week. began his farming as a renter, living in a log cabin, but it was n long until his energetic efforts began to be rewarded and he presen was able to buy a small tract of land and start in on his own account To this small farm he added from time to time until at the time of death he was the owner of a fine farm of 240 acres in Pusheta to ship and had long been accounted one of the substantial citizens that community. He and his wife were the parents of nine childre of whom four are still living, the subject of this sketch having tw sisters, Mrs. Rosa Emmel and Mrs. Elizabeth Waltz, and a broth Lorenzo Fisher. Reared on the home farm in Pusheta townsh HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 149 William E. Fisher received his schooling in the neighboring district Wool (the Taylor school in section 19—old No. 7 school), a log school house which had for seats slabs from the nearby saw mill. When sixteen years of age he left the farm and went to Wapakoneta where his elder brother, George Fisher, meanwhile had become engaged in the milling business, and under his brother's direction began to learn the details of flour milling. This old Fisher mill, built after coming of the railroad, stood at the site now occupied by the factory at the southwest corner of Park and Mechanic streets, and was a busy center in its day. For nine years William E. Fisher remained in this mill and then returned to the home farm in Pusheta township and, having married meanwhile, bought a tract of eighty acres from his father and established his home there. His farming operations prospered and some years later he bought an adjoining tract of eighty acres from a neighbor and thus was able to enlarge the scope of his operations on a 160 acre farm, which he still owns. When the old Farmers Milling Company was organized Mr. Fisher became one of the directing heads of the organization and was elected treasurer of the company. He then moved back to town in order to give his personal and technical attention to the affairs of the mill and was thus engaged for five years, at the end of which time the mill was sold to Michael Hauss and he moved back to the farm, where he continued to make his home until his retirement in 1912 and removal to Wapakoneta, where he has since resided, having a very comfortable home at the corner of Ohio and Vine streets. Since retiring from the farm Mr. Fisher has been giving his attention to the local real estate field and thus finds agreeable diversion in the pleasant "evening time" of his life. He is a Republican and he and his wife are members of St. Mark's Lutheran church. It was on April 4, 1875, that William E. Fisher was united in marriage to Barbara Elass, who had come to this country when about nine years of with her parents Philip and Magdalene (Young) Elass, from Stark county, this state, where she was born, and whose schooling thus was completed in this county. Philip Elass was a well-to-do farmer. He and his wife had eleven daughters, seven of whom are still living, those besides Mrs. Barbara Fisher being Mrs. John Fisher, of Wapakoneta ; Mrs. Adam Silverman, of Miamisburg, Ohio ; Mrs. Sophia Braunschwieger, of Troy, Ohio ; Mrs. August Lambers, of Wapakoneta ; Miss Louise Elass, of Miamisburg, and Mrs. C. M. Davis, of California. To William E. and Barbara (Elass) Fisher have been born nine children, Emma, George, Fred, Millie, Alfred, Frank, William, Vernon, and Alma, all of whom are living and all married. Emma Fisher married Charles Schimmel, a clerk in the Miller department store at Wapakoneta, and has one child, a daughter, Florence. George Fisher, who is now engaged in the real estate 150 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY business at Lima in association with his brother Fred, married Nora Kitehorn and has three children, Pauline, a teacher in the Lima high school, Mildred, also a teacher, and William. Fred Fisher married Cora Beery and is living at Lima, where he is associated with his brother, George, in the real estate business. Millie Fisher is the wife of Otto Rhine, a Wapakoneta druggist. Alfred Fisher, who is now living at Piqua, married Pearl Giberson and has one child, a son, Arnold. Frank Fisher, who is proprietor of the Annex billiard parlor at Wapakoneta, married Bessie Campbell and has one child, a daughter, Betty. William Fisher married Mamie McFarland and is now living at Lancaster, Ohio, where he is engaged as a foreman in a glass factory. Vernon Fisher, who is now manager of a furniture store at Lima, married Pauline Hoover and has had one child, who died in infancy. Alma Fisher married Bernard Wissner, a local cigar maker, and has three children, Richard, Frederick and Ruth, MATT J. BROCKERT, manager of the Brockert shoe store on East Auglaize street in Wapakoneta and one of the best known and most alert young business men in that city, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here all his life, a resident of Wapakoneta since the days of his childhood. Mr. Brockert was born on a farm in the immediate vicinity of the village of Freyburg, in Pusheta township, this county, March 9, 1891, and is a son of Philip E. and Elizabeth (Eisert) Brockert, both of whom also were born in this county, members of old families here, and the latter of whom is still living, making her home at Wapakoneta, where she has resided for years, The late Philip E. Brockert was born in the village of Freyburg and was a son of John Brockert, who was one of the pioneer merchants of that village and who also for years served as postmaster there, Reared in the village, Philip E. Brockert received his schooling there and grew up familiar with the details of merchandising in his father's store, but after his marriage became interested in farming and established his home on a farm of eighty acres which he OWned in the vicinity of Freyburg, and there was engaged in farming for fifteen years, at the end of which time he sold his farm and moved to Wapakoneta, where he built a commercial building and opened a shoe store on East Auglaize street. In that business he was engaged the remainder of his life, building up an establishment there that is being continued since his death. Mr. Brockert died in May, 1919, and his widow retains her proprietary interest in the store, the active management of which is in the hands of her eldest son, Matt J. Brockert. Besides this son she has had ten children, seven of whom are living, there being three daughters, Mrs. Teresa Brown and Frances of Lima, Ohio, and Clara, who is at home with her mother, and four other sons, Alphonso, Edwin, Francis and Raymond Brockert. Alphonso Brockert is a veteran of the World war with an over- HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 151 seas record. He served as a corporal in an infantry regiment and was seriously wounded in action, the character of his wound being such as to confine him to the hospital for a year or more. Matt J. Brockert received his schooling at Freyburg and was but a youngster when his parents moved from the farm to Wapakoneta. He early took an interested part in the operation of his father's shoe store and thus grew up familiar with all the details of the business, so that upon the death of his father he was properly qualified to take charge of the business in his mother's behalf and carry on without any interruption of the old established trade. Mr. Brockert married Elizabeth Mestamaker, of Chickasaw, Ohio, daughter of Henry and Philomena Mestamaker. The Brockerts are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church and Mr. Brockert is a member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus. He also is affiliated with the local lodge of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. VALENTINE A. VOGEL, superintendent of the plant of the St, Marys Gas Company, is a native of the old Empire state, but has been a resident of Ohio since the days of his childhood and of St. Marys for the past twelve years. Mr. Vogel was born at Buffalo, N, Y., March 26, 1874, and is a son of Charles G. and Amelia (Harter) Vogel, both of whom were born in Germany and had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their childhood, the families locating at Buffalo, where they grew up and were married. Charles G. Vogel was trained to the trade of cabinet making, a vocation he followed the remainder of his active life. For some years after his marriage he continued thus occupied at Buffalo and then moved to Lima, Ohio, where he became engaged in the same line, To him and his wife were born eight children, four of whom are still living. Valentine A. Vogel was but a lad when he came to Ohio with his parents and he received his schooling at Lima. He completed the second year in high school and then became engaged with his father in cabinet making, a line which he followed for seven years, at the end of which time he became employed in the service department of the gas company at Lima. Not long afterward he was sent by this company to take charge of its pumping station in the St, Marys neighborhood in this county and was there thus employed for about nine years, at the end of which time he returned to Lima, where for the next six years he was connected with the artificial gas plant operated there by this same company and was thus engaged until 1910, when he became employed as superintendent of the gas plant at St. Marys, where he since has made his home and during which time he has made numerous improvements at the gas plant and a general extension of the service to meet the demands of the up-to-date development that has taken place there during the period of his service in this connection. Mr. Vogel is a Freemason and a 152 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY member of the St. Marys lodge (Shawnee, No. 75) of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which latter order he has attained to the encampment degree, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. On May 5, 1897, Valentine A. Vogel, was united in marriage to Nora Yingling, who was born at Freedom, Pa,, but who was reared and educated in Ohio, to which latter state her parents, Simon P. and Jennie (Lasch) Yingling, had moved when she was a child, the family locating at Lima. To Mr. and Mrs. Vogel three children have been born, Howard (deceased), Robert, born on January 25, 1908, and Dorothy, January 14, 1910, who are attending school at St. Marys. The Vogels have a pleasant home at 230 North Perry street. GEORGE A. MAKLEY, veteran blacksmith and general mechanical repair man at St. Marys, one of the best known figures in industrial life of that city, was born at St. Marys on August 2, 1855, and is a son of of George and Caroline (Martz) Makley, the latter of whom, a member of one of the pioneer families of the St. Marys settlement, is still living at St. Marys at the venerable age of ninety years. The late George Makley was a European by birth, born in the grand duchy of Baden, and was six years of age when in 1827 he came with his parents and the six other children of the family to the United States, the family proceeding on out into Ohio and locating at Dayton. Ten years later, he then being sixteen years of age, he came up into this part of the state and located at St. Marys, which then was beginning to take on a new life in view of the promised coming of the canal. There he became employed as a blacksmith helper in the shop of his brother-in-law, George Wise, who had become established in business there, and under this tutelage became an expert blacksmith and in due time was there married and established his home. He presently set up in business for himself as a blacksmith and in 1865 built a shop on Spring street, at the site now occupied by the Heap clothing store, and was for years engaged in business there. He died at St. Marys in February, 1904. To him and his wife were born fifteen children, all but three of whom— Fred, Charles and Caroline—are living, those besides the subject of this sketch (the eldest) being Joseph, Andrew, Edward, Albert, Thomas, John, Louis, Mary, Catherine, Henry and Barbara. Besides this generous family, he and his wife also reared four orphan children in their hospitable home. Reared at St. Marys, George A, Makley received his schooling there and early became a valued assistant to his father in the blacksmith shop, under his father's skilled direction, thus becoming a competent blacksmith and general worker in iron. In due time Mr. Makley became engaged in business for himself and in 1896 bought the old Bimel carriage factory on South street, between Front and Main streets, and for some HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 153 years thereafter carried on operations there, continuing the carriage and wagon manufacturing line until changing conditions and the general adoption of the automobile in road traffic rendered this no longer profitable, and in 1911 he retired and turned the business over to his sons, Herbert and William Makley, who give their attention to the general repair line and have an ample equipment for such a purpose, their specialty being general automobile repair work and the construction of bodies for school hacks, proprietors of one of the best establishments of this sort hereabout. In his political views Mr. Makley reserves the right to vote independently of party ties. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the local aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and he and his family are members of Holy Rosary Catholic church. On July 1, 1879, in Colorado, George A. Makley was united in marriage to Elmina Unthank and to this union have been born six children, four of whom, Herbert, William, Arthur and Fred are living. Herbert Makley married Dora Koehn and has five children, Elmira, Ruth, Clara, Alberta and Philip. William Makley married Catherine Wilmes, of Sandusky, Ohio, and has six children, Clarence, George, William, Wilma, Carl and Rosemary. Arthur Makley married Huldah Gershner and has one child, a son, Donald, and Fred Makley married Antoinette Fellows and has three children, Mary, William and Antoinette. Mrs. Elmina Makley was born at Chester, Iowa, and is a daughter of Mordecai and Eliza Jane (Stanley) Unthank, the former of whom was a Carolinian and the latter a native of Henry county, Indiana. Mordecai Unthank and his wife were the parents of nine children, four of whom are still living, Mrs. Makley having two sisters, Emily and Eva, and a brother, Albert Unthank. Among the prized tools in Mr. Makley's possession is a hand wrought hammer which was made by his father in 1849 and which for more than seventy years has been in pretty constant use and which appears to be good for many years of further service. EDWIN H. NIETER, one of New Bremen's best known merchants, the proprietor of a well equipped general store there, was born on a farm in St. Mary's township on February 26, 1886, and is a son of Herman C. and Louise (Rump) Nieter, both of whom also were born in this county, the latter in German township, daughter of Herman and Wilhelmina Rump. Herman C. Nieter, who is now living retired at New Bremen, was born on a pioneer farm in St, Marys township on June 1, 1858, a son of Charles and Wilhelmina (Uetrecht) Nieter, who had come to this country from Germany with their respective parents in the days of their childhood, the families settling in this county. Charles Nieter was about twelve years of age when he came to this country with his parents and he grew to manhood in the New Bremen neighborhood, hiS first work there being in connection with the construction of the canal through 154 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY that part of the state. After his marriage he established his home at Lock 2 (New Paris), just northeast of New Bremen, and began there working for the sawmill, hauling logs with oxen. After awhile he bought an eighty-acre tract of land in the woods in St. Marys township and made his home there, clearing the place and making a farm out of it, in time adding to this place until he had 180 acres and was accounted one of the good farmers of the neighborhood. He and his wife had three children, Henry, Herman and Louise. Herman C. Nieter grew to manhood on that farm and after his marriage continued to make his home there, renting the place. After his father's death he became possessed of eighty acres of the home farm and as his affairs prospered added to this until he had 102 acres, which he still owns and which he continued to farm until his retirement from the farm in 1916 and, removal to New Bremen, where he is now living. To him and his wife were born seven children, those besides the subject of this sketch, the third in order of birth, being Bertha, Edward, Harry, Wilson, Leona and Pauline, all of whom are married save the last named. Bertha Nieter married Edwin Ellerman and has one child, Esolda. Edward Nieter married Clara Doenges and has one child, Julietta. Harry Nieter married Nora Kuhlhorst and has one child, Marcella. Wilson Nieter married Rosa Gruebmeyer and has one child, Louise, and Leona Nieter married Irvin Koeper, The Nieters are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church at New Bremen. Herman C. Nieter is a Democrat and for some time during his residence in St. Marys township served as pike superintendent and also as a school director. Edwin H. Nieter grew to manhood on the home farm in St. Marys township, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and for some years as a young man continued farming. He then took a business course in a commercial school at St. Marys and then went to Chicago, where he was engaged as a clerk in a hardware store for about four years, at the end of which time he returned to St. Marys and was there engaged in clerking for eighteen months. By this time he had come to the conclusion to get into business for himself and he then bought from Henry Dickman the store he now has in New Bremen and in November, 1910, took charge of the same and has since been engaged in business at that place. Since taking over that store Mr. Nieter has added to his equipment and has enlarged his stock until now he has a complete line of general merchandise. His store room is 25 by 65 feet in dimension and his business is carried on in up-to-date fashion, Edwin H. Nieter is a Democrat and for six years served as clerk of German township. He is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and he and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church, of which he formerly was a deacon. Mr. Nieter married Adelia Dammeyer, daughter of Fred Dammeyer, and has one child, a daughter, Leota. HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 155 HERMAN SCHAEFER, a former member of the New Bremen city council, and for years engaged in that city as a building contractor, is a native son of Auglaize county, a member of one of the pioneer families here, and has lived here all his life, a resident of New Bremen for many years past. He was born on a farm in St. Marys township on August 21, 1868, and is a son of Henry and Louise (Brune) Schaefer, both of whom also were born in this county. Henry Schaefer, an honored veteran of the Civil war, who is now living retired on his well-kept farm in St. Marys township, was born in that township, a member of one of the pioneer families in that part of the county, and there grew to manhood. When the Civil war came on he enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and went to the front as a member of the 37th regiment of Ohio volunteer Infantry, with which command he served from 1862 to the close of the war. During this period of service Mr. Schaefer participated in some of the most important engagements of the war, including the siege of Vicksburg. It was during this siege that he was severely wounded, May 19, 1863, and was for several months thereafter confined to the hospital. Upon the completion of his military service, Henry Schaefer returned home, and after his marriage established his home on a farm in St. Marys township, where he continued thus actively engaged in farming until his retirement some years ago, though he continues to make his home on the farm, where he is very comfortably situated. To him and his wife were born seven children, the subject of this sketch having four sisters, Flora, Emma, Laura and Martha, and two brothers, Edward and Henry Schaefer. Reared on the home farm in St. Marys township, Herman Schaefer received his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and for some time during the days of his young manhood worked with his father on the farm. He then became engaged in carpentering and learned the building trade thoroughly, following that vocation until in 1895, when he became engaged as a cabinet-maker in the Klanke furniture factory at New Bremen. For eight years Mr. Schaefer followed this latter vocation, and then resumed his building operations, starting in as a building contractor on his own account, and has ever since been thus engaged, one of the best known contractors in this part of the state. During this long period of service as a builder, Mr. Schaefer has built houses in all parts of that section of the county, and the substantial character of his work will long stand as a monument to his skill and ability in that line. Mr. Schaefer is a Republican and has for years given his thoughtful attention to local civic affairs, for eight years having served as a member of the town council at New Bremen. Herman Schaefer married Rosa Luebkemann, daughter of Gerhart Luebkemann, of Mercer county, this state, and to this union three children have been 156 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY born, Leota, Harold and Erna. Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer are members of the St. Paul's Lutheran church, and for some time Mr. Schaefer served as a deacon of that congregation. WILLIAM A. MACKENBACH, head of the firm of Mackenbach Bros., lumber dealers of St. Marys, at one time a member of the common council of that city and for years recognized as one of the influential figures in the civic and industrial life of the community, was born at St. Marys and has been a resident of that city all his life. Mr. Mackenbach was born on September 8, 1868, and is a son of Frederick W. and Julia A. (Wagner) Mackenbach, the latter of whom was born in that same township, December 8, 1843, a member of one of the pioneer families of that region, and is still living, making her home at St. Marys, now in her eightieth year. The late Frederick W. Mackenbach, founder of the business now being carried on by his sons, was of European birth, born in the vicinity of the old free port of Cologne, now the capital of Rhenish Prussia, March 22, 1826, and was reared there, being trained as a miller. Upon completing his service in the army he became a miller on his own account and thus continued until he was twenty-eight years of age, when he disposed of his interests there and in 1854 came to the United States, proceeding on out into Ohio and locating at St. Marys, which at that time was just entering upon a systematic development of the woodworking industries which had sprung up there following the opening of the canal and to which the then apparently inexhaustible stretches of hard timber hereabout lent so great a value. Mr, Mackenbach secured a tract of land a mile and a half east of St, Marys and there erected a mill, with particular equipment for the manufacture of lumber but also equipped for grinding grain. On that site he operated his mill for about ten years, or until the big timber in that vicinity was practically out of the way, when he built a plant at St. Marys and erected a saw mill on North Chestnut street at Columbia street, the present site of the Mackenbach lumber yard, and there proceeded to enlarge his operations to include a general lumber and mill-finishing business. That was in 1863. The next year he married and established his home at St. Marys and there spent the remainder of his life, a helpful and influential factor in the development of the industrial interests of the town. In 1891, his sons meantime becoming associated with him in the operation of the saw mill, Mr. Mackenbach increased his plant to include general building supplies and he continued active in business until his death on July 6, 1906, he then being past eighty years of age. Frederick W. Mackenbach took an active interest in local civic affairs and for some time served as a representative of his ward in the city common council. He and his wife were members of the Zion Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. It was HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 157 in 1864 that Frederick W. Mackenbach was united in marriage to Julia Wagner, whose parents had settled in St. Marys township in the early '40s and who survives him. To that union were born four children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Matilda, wife of August Grauer, and the two brothers, August F. and Edward Mackenbach, who are associated in business with him and concerning whom further mention is made elsewhere in this volume. William A. Mackenbach was reared at St. Marys, where he was born, and in the excellent schools of that city received his schooling. From the days of his boyhood he was an able assistant to his father in the task attending the development of the Mackenbach milling interests at St. Marys and when he had attained his majority was taken into the business by his father and as his younger brothers reached their majority they also were taken into the firm, which after the death of Frederick W. Mackenbach, founder of the business, was changed to Mackenbach Bros., with William A. Mackenbach, the elder brother, head of the firm, and has so continued, the business in the meantime having been developed and expanded until now the Mackenbach lumber yard is regarded as one of the largest and most completely stocked concerns of the kind in this part of the state. William A. Mackenbach is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, a former member of the city common council. He and his wife are members of the Zion Lutheran church, On November 25,1897, William A. Mackenbach was united in marriage to Emma C. Warner, who was born in Salem township, this county, daughter of Jacob and Anna Warner, both now deceased, and to this union four children have been born, Frederick, Anna, William and Edith, all of whom are at home. The Mackenbachs have a very pleasant home at 326 North Chestnut street. AUGUST F. MACKENBACH, of the firm of Mackenbach Bros., lumber dealers at St. Marys and for years recognized as one of the “live wires" in industrial circles in that city, was born at St. Marys in 1876 and is a son of Frederick W. and Julia A. (Wagner) Mackenbach, the latter of whom was born in St. Marys township, a member of one of the real pioneer families of that township, and who is stilling living, making her home at St. Marys, now in her eightieth year. The late Frederick W. Mackenbach, who died at his home in St. Marys in the summer of 1906 and of whom further and fitting mention is made elsewhere in this work, was a native of Germany, born in the vicinity of Cologne, in Rhenish Prussia, in 1826 and was twenty-eight years of age when he came to this country in 1854 and located in this county, establishing a mill east of St. Marys which he operated for ten years, at the end of which time he moved his plant into town and established the business in lumber and builders supplies which since his death has been carried on by his sons, the subject 158 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY of this sketch being thus associated in business with his brothers, William A. and Edward Mackenbach, further mention of whom is made elsewhere. August F. Mackenbach was reared at St. Marys and there received his schooling. From boyhood he was interested in the operation of his father's saw mill and in the development of the Mackenbach lumber interests there and upon attaining his majority was taken into the business, which after his father's death was re. organized and has since been carried on under the firm name of Mackenbach Bros. and has been developed into one of the leading concerns of the kind in this part of Ohio. Mr. Mackenbach is a Free. mason and he and his wife are members of the Zion Lutheran church In 1903 August F. Mackenbach was united in marriage to Mary Sophia Dickman, who was born in St. Marys township, daughter of Fred Dickman, a substantial farmer and landowner of that town. ship, and to this union have been born six children, Albert, Lillian, Edgar, Julia, Paul and Charles, all of whom are at home. The Mackenbachs have a very pleasant home at 301 North Chestnut street in St. Marys. HENRY C. SMULLIN, a veteran of the Civil war, formerly and for years superintendent of the Neeley-Clover oil operations in Ohio and Indiana, for years also an oil operator on his own account, one of the best known oil men in this part of the country, now living retired at his pleasant home at St. Marys, where he has resided for the past twenty-five years, is a native of the old Keystone state, where he "grew up" to the oil business, but has been a resident of Ohio for so long that he feels himself very properly to be as good a "Buckeye" as any. Mr. Smullin was born in Venango county, Pennsylvania, October 24, 1844, son of William S. and Martha (Collura) Smullin, and was about seven years of age when his parents moved from that county to Clarion county, same state, where he received his schooling and where he was living when the Civil war broke out. Though but sixteen years of age when war between the states was declared, Mr. Smullin at once enlisted his services in be• half of the Union cause and because he was a pretty "husky" boy for his age. and because the recruiting officers were complaisant he was accepted for service and went to the front as a member of Company I of the 78th regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, with which gallant command he served for three years and four months, This regiment was one of the conspicuous units of General Sherman's army and thus Mr. Smullin participated in most of the battles in which that great army took part, some of the most important engagements of the war, and when the spirit moves him can tell some mighty interesting stories relating to his service. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Smullin returned to his home in Pennsylvania and almost immediately thereafter became engaged in HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 159 the oil field in the celebrated Oil Creek region, where the great American oil development began. He started in as driver of an oil wagon—that, of course, being in the days before the development of the pipe line system of oil transportation—and for some time continued thus engaged, in the meantime becoming familiar with all details of operation in the oil fields, and then became engaged as an operator on his own account, his individual operations beginning along in the middle '80s. Mr. Smullin continued operating in the Pennsylvania oil fields until in 1897, when he moved to St. Marys and began to take part in the development of the then very promising oil field in that neighborhood and so continued until about six years ago, when he retired. The last ten years of his active connection with local oil operations were spent acting as superintendent of the extensive interests developed in the Ohio and Indiana oil fields by the Neeley-Clover Company. In 1916 Mr. Smullin and his wife, accompanied by their daughter, Mrs. Walker and the latter's daughter went to California and for three years thereafter lived in enjoyment of the scenic and climatic beauties of Los Angeles county. Since his return to St. Marys Mr. Smullin has lived practically retired, although he has retained sufficient active interests to keep him from "rusting out." Mr. Smullin is a Democrat and has ever taken a good citizen's interest in local civic affairs, though not a seeker after public office. He is a Freemason of many years' standing and has attained to both the capitular and cryptic degrees in this ancient order, a member of the blue lodge (Mercer, No. 121), Free and Accepted Masons, at St. Marys, and of the chapter, Royal Arch Masons, and the council, Royal and Select Masters, in that city. Mrs. Smullin is a member of the Presbyterian church. On May 5, 1870, in Clarion county, Pennsylvania, Henry C. Smullin was united in marriage to Rosanna B. Neeley, who was born in that county, December 16, 1847, daughter of Jesse and Mary (Sigworth) Neeley, and to this union were born four children, Blanche, Norma A., William S. and Vera H., all of whom are living save the last named. Blanche Smullin was born on March 15, 1871. She married Lewis H. Bell, a lumberman, who died at Miami, Fla., February 16, 1915, and was buried there, where he had been making his home for some time prior to his death. Norma A. Smullin, who was born on October 3, 1873, married J. Cort Walker, now vice president of the Myercord Transfer Company of Chicago, and has one child, a daughter, Dorothy E. The Walkers make their home in Chicago. William S. Smullin, born on September 29, 1876, now living retired at Whittier, Cal., formerly was vice president of the International Oil Corporation and manager in charge of the Tropical Oil Company. He married Anna Laird and has one child, a son, William S., Jr. Vera H. Smullin, who was born January 1, 1879, married Charles Jenkins, a 160 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY wholesale shoe salesman, of Pittsburgh, Pa. She died on January 30, 1905, leaving three children, H. Stewart, Mary H. and Vera B., the latter of whom was graduated from the Oak Park high school at Chicago with the class of 1922. H. Stewart Jenkins, a veteran of the World war, secretary of the American Legion post at St. Marys and secretary of the commercial club of that city, married Mary Pauck and is engaged in the insurance business at St. Marys, one of that city's most active and energetic young business men. Mary H. Jenkins married Harold Ausman, a jeweler at St. Marys. Mr, and Mrs. Smullin have a pleasant home at 237 South Ash street, St. Marys. JOHN J. HAY, former mayor of Wapakoneta, former city treasurer, formerly and for years engaged in the manufacture of cigars at Wapakoneta and for the past ten years and more engaged as a bookkeeper in the office of the New Wapakoneta Wheel Company in that city, was born in Wapakoneta and has been a resident of that city all his life. Mr. Hay was born on March 18, 1860, and is a son of Athanasius and Mary (Schloeder) Hay, both of whom were of European birth, the latter born at Treves, in Rhenish Prussia, and ooth of whom spent their last days in Wapakoneta. Athanasius Hay was born in Bifshofsheim in the Kingdom of Bavaria in 1821 and remained in his native country until he was twenty-five years of age when, in 1853, he came to America and proceeded on out into Ohio, settling at Ft. Jennings, in Putnam county, where he opened a shoe shop and where he remained for several years, at the end of which time he moved to Wapakoneta and opened a shoe shop in the latter city. Some years later he sold this shop and opened a grocery store at the corner of Pearl and Blackhoof streets, the site now occupied by St. Joseph's parochial school, and for fourteen years was engaged in that business at that point. He then resumed his old trade as a shoemaker and in this latter vocation was employed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1879. His wife had pro ceded him to the grave about seven years, her death having occurred in 1872. They were the parents of four children, all of whom are living save Joseph, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Elizabeth and Mary. Reared at Wapakoneta, John J. Hay received his schooling in the local schools and after leaving school became employed in the local cigar factory, where he learned all the details of this business and was so engaged until 1901, when he opened a factory of his own, making a specialty of his once widely distributed "True" cigar. For ten years Mr. Hay continued his activities as a cigar manufacturer, or until 1911, when he accepted his present position as bookkeeper in the office of the New Wapakoneta Wheel Company and has since been thus engaged. Mr. Hay is a Republican and has for years given his earnest attention to local political affairs, long HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 161 having been looked upon as one of the leaders of that party in this county, For four years (1908-12) he served as treasurer of the city, and for a like period of two terms (1912-16) served as mayor of the city. He is the present secretary of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is also a member of the local aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. In June, 1882, John J. Hay was united in marriage to Elizabeth Bailiff, who also was born in this county, daughter of Louis Bailiff, and to this union seven children have been born, of whom four are living, three daughters and one son, namely : Maida, who married John Gibson and has three children, Vera, Louetta and Harold ; Edna, wife of Fred McClintock ; Helen, wife of Robert Connelly, and Harry Hay, a veteran of the World war, whose service was rendered in the aviation section, beginning at Camp Sherman and transferred thence to Waco, Tex., and thence to a flying field in Florida. Mr. and Mrs. Hay have a pleasant home on East Pearl street and have ever taken an interested and helpful part in the general social activities of the city. OWEN C. MYERS, proprietor of a plumbing and heating establishment at Wapakoneta and one of the well known business men in that city, is a Hoosier by birth but has been a resident of Ohio for the past twenty years and more and has no reason to regret the choice that has made him a citizen of this state. Mr. Myers was born at Ft. Wayne, Ind., June 17, 1875, and is a son of George and Rosa (McBennett) Myers, the latter of whom was born in the state of New York. George Myers was, born in the state of Pennsylvania but was married in New York, whence he presently moved to Indiana and at New Haven, just east of Ft. Wayne, became engaged in building contracting. Three years later he moved to Ft. Wayne, where he became engaged as a general contractor and where he died in 1888. To him and his wife were born eight children, of whom three are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Catherine, and a brother, George Myers. Owen C. Myers was thirteen years of age when his father died. He supplemented the schooling received in the schools of Ft. Wayne by a course in a business college at Sheboygan, Wis., and in this latter city served an apprenticeship in a plumbing shop, becoming there skilled in the details of the plumbing trade, a vocation he ever since has followed. Mr. Myers was married at Ft. Wayne when twenty-five years of age and in the year following (1901) came over into Ohio and established his home at Delphos, where he was engaged working at his trade until 1911 when he moved to Wapakoneta to take charge of the plumbing and heating department of the Doering hardware establishment in that city. For five years he was thus engaged and then, in 1916, he set up an establishment of his own and has since been engaged in the plumbing and heating line on his own account in Wapakoneta (10) 162 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY and has done well, his plant being well equipped and competent to take care of all demands made in the local trade. It was on October 16, 1900, at Ft. Wayne, that Owen C. Myers was united in marriage to Anna R. Lauer, of that city, and he and his wife have a pleasant home at 311 East Benton street. They are Democrats and are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church. Mr. Myers is a member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus and is also affiliated with the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. CHRISTIAN J. VOSSLER, who, in association with his son Raymond, is proprietor of the old established bottling works at Wapakoneta and one of the best known business men in that city, is a native son of Auglaize county, a member of one of the pioneer families here, and has resided here all his life save for, a period of a few years during the days of his young manhood when he was "prospecting around" out in Missouri. Mr. Vossler was born on a farm about a mile and a half north of Wapakoneta, in the southwest quarter of section 16 of Duchouquet township, July 6, 1864, and is a son of Chris and Catherine (Keller) Vossler, who were for years substantial residents of that part of the county. The late Chris Vossler was born in Germany and was but seven years of age when he came to this country with his parents, Chris Vossler and wife, the family coming on out to Ohio and settling on an unapproved tract of land north of the then village of Wapakoneta, the farm above referred to, where the family home became established and where the parents spent the remainder of their lives, useful pioneers of that neighborhood. The younger Chris Vossler grew up on that farm, a place of ninety-seven acres, and after his marriage took over the farm and continued to operate it, remaining there until in 1918, when he retired from the farm and moved to Wapakoneta, where his last days were spent, his death occurring there on June 20, 1920. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, of whom eight are still living, the subject of this sketch having had sisters, Anna, Mary, Catherine, Susan and Caroline, and two brothers, Charles and Henry Vossler. Reared on the home farm north of town in Duchouquet township, Christian J. Vossler received his schooling in the district school which served that neighborhood and remained on the farm, helpful in the labors of developing the same, until he was nineteen years of age, when (in 1883) he went West with a view to following the old bit of advice about growing up with the country and for three years was engaged working at various jobs in Missouri. By this time he had enough of the West and was quite content to return to Ohio. Upon his return here he became employed in the Gunther bottling works at Wapakoneta and after his marriage two or three years later established his home in that HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 163 city, where he ever since has resided. In 1907 Mr. Vossler bought the bottling works plant and has since been engaged in that business on his own account, having built up an extensive trade in soda waters covering this part of the state pretty generally, the popularity of his product long ago having created a definite and dependable market for the same. He also operates an ice plant in connection with the bottling works and has done well. Mr. Vossler is a Democrat and is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club, the lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, Loyal Order of Moose and the Fraternal Order of Eagles and he and his wife are members of the Evangelical church. On township, this county, and to this union, two children have been born, a son, Raymond, and a daughter, Betty. Raymond Vossler, who is associated with his father in the bottling business, married Viola Edmison and has three children, Maclin, Lena and William. IRVIN J. SPECKMAN, formerly engaged in undertaking at New Bremen and now devoting his time to the life insurance and real estate business at that place, was born at New Bremen and has resided there all his life. Mr. Speckman was born on October 14, 1885 and is a son of Fred and Wilhelmina (Rabe) Speckman, both of whom were born at that same place, members of old families there. The late Fred Speckman, concerning whom further and fitting mention is made elsewhere in this volume, grew up to the mercantile business in New Bremen and was for years engaged in, business there, a member of the firm of Speckman & Nieter, predecessors of the present Arcade Department Store Company there, and so continued until his death in 1917. To him and his wife were born eleven children, those besides the subject of this sketch (the fifth in order of birth) being Frank, Edwin (who died in infancy), Luetta, Aurelia, Bertha, Elmer, Viola, Fred, Earl and, Catherine. Reared at New Bremen, Irvin J. Speckman completed his schooling in the high school there and then became engaged working in a furniture store, giving his special attention to the undertaking department of that business. Not long afterward he and William Klanke bought this place, the plant of the Klanke Furniture Company, and began doing business as the Klanke-Speckman Company. Three years later Mr. Speckman sold his interest in the furniture department of this concern and took over the undertaking department, which he afterward carried on alone until he sold out in 1920, since which time he has been devoting his attention to the life insurance business, local agent for the Ohio State Life Insurance Company, and to the real estate business, in both of which lines he is doing well. Mr. Speckman is an "independent" Republican, is affiliated with the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias at New Bremen and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks 164 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY at Wapakoneta and he and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church at New Bremen. Mr. and Mrs. Speckman have a pleasant home at New Bremen and have ever given their earnest at, tention to the community's general social movements, interested al. ways in such movements as are designed to advance the common welfare. Mrs. Speckman's maiden name was Florence Inderrieden, LEO ALEXANDER HEINL, of the firm of Heinl & Swonguer, furniture and undertaking, at Wapakoneta, and one of the best known and most alert young business men of that city, was born at Wapakoneta and has lived there all his life, with the exception of some years spent at Dayton, where he perfected himself in the technical details of practical cabinet making in the passenger car department of the car works in that city. Mr. Heinl was born on June 19, 1887, and is a son of Casper J. and Catherine (Brown) Heinl, the latter of whom also was born in Wapakoneta, a member of one of the pioneer families there. The late Casper J. Heinl, who for years was one of the influential factors in the industrial and commercial life of Wapakoneta, also was born in that city, January 18, 1855, and was a son of Anthony and Caroline (Daubner) Heinl, both of whom were of European birth, Bavarians, the former born at Neuban, in the kingdom of Bavaria, April 29, 1818, and the latter at Huettstadl, August 25, 1821, who after their marriage came to America and not long afterward became residents of Wapakoneta, Anthony Heinl presently being made custodian of the old toll-gate house on the Wapakoneta-Sidney pike just at the south edge of town, where he remained for years, and it was there that Casper J. Heinl grew to manhood. When twenty-one years of age, he became employed in the churn factory of the M. Brown Company at Wapakoneta, and so apt did he prove himself in that form of employment that he presently was made foreman of the plant, a position he occupied for more than twenty years, or until in 1894, when he formd a partnership with T. S. Yocum and became engaged in the furniture and undertaking business in Wapakoneta. This arrangement continued for seventeen years or more, or until February 22, 1912, when F. M. Swonguer, who had for years been connected with the undertaking trade at Wapakoneta, took over the Yocum interest in the firm and formed a partnership with Mr. Heinl under the firm name of Heinl & Swonguer, an arrangement which continued until Mr. Heinl's death, in December, 1920, when his sons, Leo A. and Michael O. Heinl, assumed the interest of their deceased father and have since been carrying on the business in association with Mr, Swonguer. Casper J. Heinl was sixty-five years of age at the time of his death and had grown into a very definitely established place in the business life of his home tOWn. For nearly a quarter of a century he had taken his part as a member of the famous old volunteer HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 165 fire department, the "Deluge" company, had also served for some time as a member of the city council, and also for years was a member of the school board. He also formerly was a member of the board of directors of the Peoples National Bank, and in other ways was actively interested in the commercial development of the town. He and his wife were members of St. Joseph's Catholic church, and their children were reared in that faith. Casper J. Heinl was twice married. On June 13, 1876, he was united in marriage to Catherine Brown, of Wapakoneta, and to this union were born eleven children, of whom five are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister. Mrs. Caroline L. Liethauser, and three brothers, George J., Michael 0. and Anthony L. Heinl. The mother of these children died on August 31, 1914, and in 1916 Mr. Heinl married Miss Anna Bury, who survives him. Leo A. Heinl was reared at Wapakoneta, receiving his schooling in St. Joseph's parochial school, and early became trained to practical woodworking. As a young man he went to Dayton and for seven years was employed there as a car builder in the passenger car department of the car shops. Upon his return to Wapakoneta he became connected with the management of the furniture and undertaking establishment which his father had founded there, and upon his father's death, in 1920, he and his brother, Michael 0. Heinl, assumed the interest of the deceased, and he thus has since been connected with the establishment with a proprietary interest. Mr. Heinl is a Democrat. Fraternally he is affiliated with the local council of the Knights of Columbus and with the St. Martin's Benevolent Society and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, while he and his wife are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church, and he is secretary of the St. Joseph's Cemetery Association. In 1910 Leo Heinl was united in marriage to Emma Schneider, daughter of M. M. Schneider, and to this union three children have been born, Mary C., Casper J. and William E. ANTHONY L. HEINL, proprietor of a well equipped electrical supplies store at Wapakoneta and formerly engaged in that city as the operator of a moving picture theater, one of the best known young business men in the town, was born at Wapakoneta and has lived there all his life. Mr. Heinl was born on August 10, 1890, and is a son of Casper J. and Catherine (Brown) Heinl, both of whom also were born in Wapakoneta, members of old families there. The late Casper J. Heinl, of whom further and fitting mention is made elsewhere in this volume, was a son of Anthony and Caroline (Dauber) Heinl, Germans by birth, who were among the pioneers of Wapakoneta, Anthony Heinl, a shoemaker by vocation, having for years kept the toll gate on the old Sidney and Wapakoneta turnpike at the south edge of Wapakoneta, one of the best known figures in the early life of this county. Casper J. Heinl grew up to the wood- 166 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY working trades and for twenty years and more was foreman in the plant of the Brown churn and bentwood works, later engaging in the furniture and undertaking business on Auglaize street and continuing in that line until his death in December, 1920, head of the firm of Heinl & Swonguer, which firm continues with his sons, Leo and Michael Heinl, representing the interest formerly and for so long held by him, all of which is set out elsewhere. Anthony L, Heinl was from the days of his boyhood interested in his father's furniture and undertaking establishment and upon completing his schooling in the local schools decided to take up the undertaking line as a profession. With this end in view he took a course in the embalming schools at Columbus and at Cincinnati and then entered his father's establishment to take care of the technical details of the undertaking department and was thus engaged for several years, at the end of which time he became attracted to the possibilities of the motion pictures industry and took up that line in Wapakoneta and for ten years thereafter was thus engaged. In the meantime he had been giving close attention to electrical development as affecting the local field and in 1911 gave up the motion pictures line and opened a store for the sale of general electrical supplies and fixtures on West Auglaize street and has since then been thus engaged, not only having developed a very satisfactory trade along that line but having established profitable connection as a contractor in house wiring and the like, and is doing well. On May 12, 1914, Anthony L. Heinl was united in marriage to Cora I. Fisher, daughter of William Fisher, of Wapakoneta, and to this union three children have been born, Hilda Mary, Joan C. and Alice Margaret. Mr. and Mrs. Heinl are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church and take an interested part in parish affairs, Mr. Heinl being one of the church wardens. He also is a member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus and of St. Martin's Benevolent Society of the church. He is a member of the Ohio State Embalmers' Society, having retained his interest in the profession to which he formerly devoted himself ; is affiliated with the local Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. In his political views he is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs. It is a matter of interesting note that little Joan Heinl, Mr. and Mrs. Heinl's second daughter, won one of the first prizes out of 354 entrants in the state baby contest at Columbus in May, 1922, and that her picture thus adorns the "better health" pamphlet issued by the state in that connection. MICHAEL O. HEINL, of the well known Heinl family and a member of the firm of Heinl & Swonguer, prominent in the furniture and undertaking business and in the general business life of HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 167 this commuity was born at Wapakoneta on June 19, 1883, and is a son of the late Casper J. Heinl, who in his generation was an active factor in the broadening of the business and social life of this community. The Heinl family is a pioneer family and for three or four generations has occupied a distinctive position in the development of county. The first of the forebears of this family in Auglaize came to this country from Bavaria. Anthony Heinl, the paternal grandfather of Michael Heinl, was born in the kingdom of Bavaria April 29, 1818, and was there married to Caroline Daubner, he was born at Huettstadl, also in the kingdom of Bavaria, August 25, 1821. Not long after their marriage they came to America and located at Wapakoneta. Shortly afterward Anthony Heinl was made keeper of the toll gate at the south edge of town, on the old Wapakoneta and Sidney pike. Casper Heinl, father of Michael 0. Heinl, Jew to manhood here and was here married to Catherine Brown, daughter of George and Barbara (Conrad) Brown, both members pioneer families here. About the time Casper Heinl reached his majority he became employed by the M. Brown company, churn manufacturers at Wapakoneta, and subsequently became foreman of that a position which he filled for more than twenty years or 1894, when in partnership with T. S. Yocum he established a furniture and undertaking business in Wapakoneta. Seventeen years later F. M. Swonguer, who had for years been engaged in the undertaking business in Wapakoneta, took over the Yocum interests, the firm then becoming Heinl & Swonguer, this partnership continuing until the death of Casper Heinl, at which time his sons Leo A. and Michael 0. became members of the firm. Michael O. Heinl was educated at St. Joseph's school and as a young man became employed in the churn factory. For some time he was engaged as a driver in the fire department and later was for two years connected with the local agency of the United States Express Company. Meantime he had married and after awhile moved to Tampa, Fla., a change of climate having been recommended in behalf of his wife's health, and in that city became employed in the establishment of the Gooding Undertaking Company. Upon his return to Wapakoneta he took employment his father's undertaking establishment and so continued until his father's death when he and his brother, Leo, assumed their present proprietary interest in the firm and he has since been thus engaged. On June 11, 1907, Michael 0. Heinl was united in marriage to Mayme Black, who died in 1913. She was the only daughter of Daniel and Ida Black. Mr. Heinl is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic church at Wapakoneta and is affiliated with the local council of the Knights of Columbus and with the local aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. 168 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY EDWARD MACKENBACH, of the firm of Mackenbach Bros,, dealers in lumber and builders supplies, at St. Marys and one of the best known and most energetic business men of that city, was born at St. Marys and has lived there all his life, having literally "grown up" to the business in which he is engaged and which he and his brothers have been carrying on in succession to their father, who established the Mackenbach lumber yard there and carried on the business until his death more than fifteen years ago. Edward Mackenbach was born on October 26, 1881, and is a son of William F, and Julia A. (Wagner) Mackenbach, who were for years well known residents of that city. The late William Frederick Mackenbach, who died at his home in St. Marys in 1906, was a European by birth, born in the city of Cologne, the capital of Rhenish Prussia, March 22, 1826, but had come to this country in the days of his youth and many years ago had become a resident of St. Marys, where after his marriage he had established his home. His wife was born in St Marys township, in what then was Mercer county, December 8, 1843, that having been about five years before Auglaize county was erected, and her parents were among the influential pioneers of the St. Marys neighborhood. William F. Mackenbach early became engaged in the lumber business at St. Marys and continued thus engaged the rest of his life, his death occurring on July 6, 1906, and the business which he established is still being carried on in the family, the three sons of the founder, William A., August F. and Edward Mackenbach, having taken over the business following their father's death and operating the same under the firm style of Mackenbach Bros. Formerly and for many years the elder Mackenbach operated a saw mill at St, Marys, and continued that until the big timber hereabout was pretty well gone, after which he maintained a lumber yard, which in time was extended to include mill lumber and general builders supplies and which under the later management of his sons was further extended to meet the growing demands of modern needs and has thus grown into the considerable enterprise carried on by the present concern, one of the leading industries of the town. On April 13, 1911, Edward Mackenbach was united in marriage to Caroline L. Stearns, who also was born in St. Marys, and to this union two children have been born, Catherine Carmen, born on November 15, 1912, and Elizabeth Jean, November 12, 1917. Mrs. Mackenbach is a daughter of Charles N. and Ellen C. (Fulkerson) Stearns, the latter of whom was born at Newcastle, Pa. Charles N. Stearns was born at St, Marys, a member of one of the old families there. To him and his wife were born six children, all of whom are living, Mrs. Mackenbach having one brother, Harry Stearns, and four sisters, Mrs, Stella Lewis, Mrs. Charles Kraft, Miss Bertha Stearns, who is now a teacher in the college at Laramie, Wyo., and Miss Ethel Stearns, HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 169 who is now teaching in the West technical school at Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Mackenbach have a very pleasant home at the corner of Walnut and North streets, St. Marys. They are members of the Lutheran church, and Mr. Mackenbach is a Freemason, attaining to If both the chapter and council degrees of that order, at St. Marys, and also is a member of the local aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. HARVEY C. SMITH, former mayor of St. Marys, and one of the well known and progressive figures in the general commercial life of that city, proprietor of a well appointed sales and service garage at 112 South Front street, is a native of the neighboring county of Shelby, but has been a resident of this county and of St. Marys for many years. Mr. Smith was born on a farm in Shelby county on June 10, 1874, and is a son of George W. and Mary (Moothart) Smith, the latter of whom was born in that same county, a member of one of the pioneer families there. George W. Smith was born in Auglaize county, a member of one of the old families here, and was early trained to farming. After his marriage, he established himself on a farm in Shelby county and there spent the remainder of his life. To him and his wife were born three children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Electa, who died at the age of thirty-five years, and Wilbur Smith, of St. Marys. Reared on the home farm in Shelby county, Harvey C. Smith received his schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home and remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when he went over into the neighboring county of Champaign and there became manager of a stock farm. He remained there two years and then returned to his home in Shelby county, but shortly afterward located . at St, Marys, where he became engaged as a hub turner in the St. Marys Wheel Works, a position he occupied for about five years, at the end of which time he began to work in a furniture store in that city. Five years later, meanwhile having acquired a thorough knowledge of the furniture business, he became engaged in business on his own account at St. Marys, operating as the Smith Furniture Company, and was thus engaged for about ten years, at the end of which time he sold his place to Mr. Sherman, and in the fall of 1913 went to Oklahoma, locating at Cleveland, where he was made the buyer and cashier for the Murray Machine and Tool Company at that place. Not finding conditions in the West to his liking, Mr. Smith returned to St. Marys about eight months later and became employed as an automobile salesman in the local Ford agency, presently transferring his connection from that concern to the Gordon-Hauss-Folk Company, for which he sold automobiles for about three years, or until 1917, when he decided to take up the automobile business on his own account. With this end in view, he secured the local agency for the sale of the Dodge car and opened a general sales and 170 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY service garage at his present location, a most advantageous one, at 112 South Front street, just off of Spring street, where he has done very well, and where he has not only ample storage space, but an opportunity properly to display the comprehensive line of accessories he carries, as well as to maintain a quite centrally located filling station. He has floor space covering a 52-foot front, running back 149 feet, and finds employment for two other salesmen besides himself, two mechanicians and a bookkeeper. Mr. Smith is a Republican and takes a proper interest in local civic affairs. He was elected mayor of the city, running on the "Citizens" ticket, in 1919, and served a very effective term as chief executive. He is also an active member of the St. Marys Chamber of Commerce, is a Freemason, a member of the blue lodge, the chapter and the council of the Masonic order, and is a past noble grand of Shawnee lodge, No. 75, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at St. Marys, a member of the encampment of that order and a past representative to the grand lodge of the order in this state, and he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. On September 25, 1899, Harvey C. Smith was united in marriage to Elizabeth Murray, who was born at Dean City, Pa., daughter of Richard H. and Dora Murray, and whose schooling was completed at St. Marys, and to this union two children have been born, Edith, born on July 27, 1900, and James, May 12, 1905, both of whom have been graduated from the St. Marys high school, and the former of whom is now a teacher in the public schools. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have a pleasant home at St. Marys and take a of proper part in the general social activities of the city. JOSEPH B. MILLER, a veteran of the World war with an overseas record, a member of the Wapakoneta city council and proprietor of "The Alpha," a popular house of recreation and bowling alley on Auglaize street, in that city, one of the best known men in Auglaize county, is a "Buckeye" by birth and has been a resident of this state all his life, a resident of Wapakoneta for the past twenty years. Mr. Miller was born in the village of St. Anthony, in the neighboring county of Mercer, February 6, 1883, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Johns) Miller. The late Henry Miller was born on a farm in the vicinity of Wabash, Ind., where he grew to manhood. After his marriage he established his home on a farm of seventy acres which he had bought in the vicinity of St. Anthony, in Mercer county, this state, and was there engaged in farming for some years, at the end of which time he became engaged in the retail liquor business, and was thus engaged, at Chattanooga and at Coldwater, in Mercer county, until his death, which occurred in 1896. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, the subject of this sketch (the fifth in order of birth) having a sister, Elizabeth, and five brothers, Henry, John, Frank, William and Peter HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 171 Miller. William Miller is a veteran of the World war with an overseas record. His service was in the infantry, and he lost a leg in the fierce fighting in the Argonne forest. When he was but a child, Joseph B. Miller was taken into the home of an uncle at Sidney, Ohio, and it was thus that in this city he received his schooling. When sixteen years of age, he began to "do for himself," becoming variously employed, and for four years during seasons made a part of a threshing-machine crew. In 1917 he was called into the service of the army and was sent to Camp Gordon, Georgia. After some preliminary training there in the Officers' Training Corps, he was sent to France with the detachment to which he was attached, his first station being at Chardain, then Soissons, then Lemans. Mr. Miller was in service for fourteen months and twenty-four days, eleven months of which service was rendered overseas. Upon his return to Wapakoneta, he bought "The Alpha," a popular bowling alley and billiard emporium, on Auglaize street, and is doing well in the business. Mr. Miller is a Democrat and has for years taken an interested part in local politics, at present serving as the representative of the Third ward in the city council. He is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic church and is a member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus, and the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. In November, 1919, Joseph B. Miller was united in marriage to Nell Schockey, daughter of James Schockey, of Wapakoneta, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Joseph. HARRY B. DINGLER, D. C., who until quite recently was the ondy doctor of chiropractic in Wapakoneta, was born in that city and has resided there all his life. Doctor Dingier was born on December 16, 1890, and is a son of Dr. Charles E. and Alice (Sebring) Dingler, both of whom were born in Montgomery county, this state. Dr. Charles E. Dingler, a retired veterinary surgeon, now living in Wapakoneta, has been a resident of that city for many years, having located there in the practice of veterinary surgery not long after his marriage. Of the children born to him and his .wife, six are living, Dr. H. B. Dingier having one sister, Florence, and four brothers, Wilbur, Charles, Edward L. and Ferd L. Dingler. Reared at Wapakoneta, Harry B. Dingler received his schooling there, and after leaving high school adopted the trade of barber and for about six years followed the same. In the meantime he had become attracted to the growing call for chiropractic practitioners and he presently entered the National College of Chiropractic, from which after a three-year course he received his degree of D. C. on May 18, 1916, Thus qualified for the profession to which he had devoted his life, Doctor Dingier returned home and at Wapakoneta opened an 172 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY office for the practice of his profession and has ever since been thus engaged. He was the first practitioner of this school to locate in Wapakoneta, and his success, which was assured from the beginning, has been the subject of congratulation on the part of his friends. The Doctor is a Democrat, a member of the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of the Loyal Order of Moose and of the Modern Woodmen of America, and he and his wife are members of the English Lutheran church. On May 12, 1910, Dr. H. B. Dingier was united in marriage to Marie Britton, also of Wapakoneta, daughter of Joseph and Mary Britton, and to this union two children have been born, Mary Maxine and Ned Britton. JOSEPH BROCKIE, who as proprietor of the handle factory at New Bremen had for some years definitely impressed himself upon the industrial life of that community, and who died in 1918, was not a native son of Auglaize county, but during the time of his residence here had devoted himself so energetically to the affairs Of this county that it is considered to be but proper and fitting that there should here be carried in the history of the county in which he had elected to make his home a review of his career here, together with a modest tribute to the good memory he left at his passing. Mr. Brockie was born at Kalamazoo, Mich., March 16, 1865, and was a son of John and Hannah (Steel) Brockie. He received his schooling in the schools of that city and of Jackson, Mich., and remained at home with his parents until he was about eighteen years of age, when he started out "on his own" to learn the lumber business. By the time he had attained his majority he had acquired a good working knowledge of that business by practical application to the details of both mill and timber operations, and then was made a timber buyer, a vocation he followed for twelve or fourteen years, at the end of which time he located at Columbia City, Ind., as manager of the Peabody mills at that place. About two years later he acquired an interest in the business of the Peabody Bros. Company, and he maintained that connection until in 1911, when he disposed of his interests at La Fontaine, Ind., and in association with Mr. Hawks bought the plant of the Bell Handle Company at New Bremen and entered upon the active management of that concern, thereafter making his home at New Bremen. About a year later he bought the interest of his partner in this concern, and thereafter carried on the business alone, manufacturing farm tools and broom handles, and was so occupied until his death in 1918. Mr. Brockie was a Republican and had rendered public service as a member of the New Bremen town council, giving his earnest attention to local civic affairs. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as is his widow, and was a Scot. fish Rite Mason, a Knight Templar and a noble of the Ancient Arabic HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 173 Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Brockie has continued to make her home at New Bremen, where she is very pleasantly situated. She was born Rosa Hinckley and is a daughter of Dwight and Sarah (Buck) Hinkley, who at the time of her marriage were residents of Jackson, Mich. She has one child, a son, John Brockie, aged thirteen. ERNST H. MOELLER, a well-known and substantial landowner and retired farmer of Auglaize county, now living at New Bremen, former member of the board of township trustees of German township and a former member of the New Bremen town council, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. Mr. Moeller was born on a farm in German township on August 9, 1855, and is therefore now in the sixty-eighth year of his age and has thus been a witness to and a participant in the amazing development which has marked this region during the past half century and more. His parents, Herman and Liesette (Wiehe) Moeller, both were born in Germany and had come here with their respective parents in the days of their youth, both the Moellers and the Wiehes having settled in German township among the large number of families of German origin which established themselves there during the '30s and '40s of the past century. Herman Moeller was but a lad when he came here, and he grew to manhood in German township, and after his marriage established his home there. For some years he operated a lime kiln in the vicinity of New Bremen, and then bought a farm of 120 acres in that neighborhood and took up practical farming. He prospered in his farming and added to his holdings until he became the owner of 400 acres and was accounted one of the substantial men of his community. Upon retiring from the active operations of the farm he moved to New Bremen and there spent the remainder of his life. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, nine of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having three sisters, Minnie, wife of Charles Haseker ; Mary, who married George Newman, and Martha, who married John Quellhorst, and five brothers, Henry, Chris, William, Cort and Fred Moeller. The late Mrs. Sophia Poppe, wife of Jacob Poppe, was another sister. Reared on the home farm in German township, Ernst H. Moeller received his schooling in the schools of New Breman and continued farming with his father until after his marriage, when he bought a farm of 100 acres in St. Marys township and there established his home. He later bought an adjacent tract of ten acres, and still later a tract of eighty acres, giving him 190 acres in his home farm, besides which he also at one time had an additional tract of forty-six acres, or 236 acres in all, and still retains his 190- acre farm in St. Marys township, which is well improved and profitably cultivated. Mr. Moeller continued farming on that place until 174 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY his retirement from the active operations of the farm, when he moved to New Bremen, where he is now living, he and his family being very comfortably situated. Mr. Moeller is an "independent" Democrat and has for years given his interested attention to local civic affairs. For four years he served as a trustee of German township, for four years was a member of the New Bremen town council, and has in other ways demonstrated his intelligent interest in public affairs. He and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church, and he was for four years a member of the board of trustees of that congregation. Ernst H. Miller married Sophia Dicke, a daughter of Cort and Wilhelmina (Hartman) Dicke, also members of old families in German township, and to this union five children were born, three of whom grew to maturity, Lafe, Edwin and Freda, the latter of whom married Tod Taylor, and has one child, a daughter, Mary Jane. Lafe Moeller married Lena Doyse, and has three children, Ada, Paul and Irene. Edwin Moeller married Hilda Weikes, and has five children, Hazel, Larue, Wilhelmina, Richard and Robert. DR. GEORGE S. PLACE, a veteran of the World war and a well-known young veterinary surgeon at St. Marys, was born on a farm in Logan township, this county, October 20, 1892, and is a son of Seymour and Elizabeth (Wiesenmayer) Place, the latter of whom was born in the neighboring county of Allen. Seymour Place was born in Logan township and is a member of one of the pioneer families of that part of the county. Reared on the home farm, Doctor Place completed his public schooling in the Spencerville schools, being graduated from the high school there in 1912, and then in due time entered the veterinary college of Ohio State Uni• versity, from which, after a three years' course, he was graduated in 1917. Upon receiving his diploma, Doctor Place opened an office for the practice of his profession at Spencerville, but about three months later, in September, 1917, entered the service of the National army for participation in the World war and was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Veterinary Corps of the army and assigned to Camp Taylor for service in the 84th Division. Eighteen months later he was assigned to take charge of the veterinary base hospital at Camp Hill, Newport News, Va., and three months later was assigned to the veterinary hospital at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, where he remained until he received his honorable discharge, in July, 1919, Upon the completion of his military service, Doctor Place returned to Spencerville, and shortly after came to St. Marys, where he since has been engaged in practice and has become well established. The Doctor is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, a member of the local post of the American Legion at St. Marys and a Democrat. He is a Freemason, a member of the blue lodge of that order at Spencerville and the chapter and council of the order at St.