CELINA, MERCER COUNTY COURTHOUSE

CELINA, MERCER COUNTY COURTHOUSE

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Preface The aim of the publishers of this volume has been to secure for the historical portion thereof full and accurate information respecting all subjects therein treated, and to present in a clear and impartial manner the data thus gathered. If, as is their hope, they have succeeded in this endeavor, the credit is mainly due to the diligent and exhaustive research of the editor of the historical statement, Hon. S. S. Scranton, of Celina. In collecting and arranging the material which has entered into this history, it has been his aim to secure facts and to present them in an interesting form. His patient and conscientious labor in the compilation and presentation of the data is shown in the historical portion of this volume. All topics and occurrences have been included that are essential to the usefulness of the history. Although the purpose of the author was to limit the narrative to the close of 1906, he has deemed it proper to touch on many matters relating to the current year. The reviews of resolute and strenuous lives, which make up the biographical department of the volume, and whose authorship is wholly independent of that of the history, are admirably adapted to foster local ties, to inculcate patriotism and to emphasize the rewards of industry, dominated by intelligent purpose. They constitute a most appropriate medium of perpetuating personal annals and will be of incalculable value to the descendants of those commemorated. They bring into bold relief careers of enterprise and thrift and make manifest valid claims to honorable distinction. If "Biography is the only true History," it is obviously the duty of men of the present time to preserve in this enduring form the story of their lives in order that their posterity may dwell on the successful struggles thus recorded, and profit by their example. These sketches, replete with stirring incidents and intense experiences, will naturally prove to most of the readers of this book its most attractive feature. In the aggregate of personal memoirs thus collated will be found a vivid epitome of the growth of Mercer County, which will fitly supplement the historical statement; for the development of the county is identified with that 4 - PREFACE of the men and women to whom it is attributable. The publishers have endeavored in the preparation of the work to pass over no feature of it slightingly, but to give heed to the minutest details, and thus to invest it with a substantial accuracy which no other treatment would afford. The result has amply justified the care thus exercised, for in our belief no more reliable production, under the circumstances, could be laid before its readers. We have given special prominence to the portraits of representative citizens, which appear throughout this volume, and believe they will prove a most interesting feature of the work. We have sought to illustrate the different spheres of industrial and professional achievements as conspicuously as possible. To those who have kindly interested themselves in the successful preparation of this work, and who have voluntarily contributed most useful information and data, we herewith tender our grateful acknowledgment. Chicago, Ill., March, 1907 THE PUBLISHERS. NOTE All the biographical sketches published in this volume were submitted to their respective subjects or to the subscribers, from whom the facts were primarily obtained, for their approval or correction before going to press; and a reasonable time allowed in each case for the return of the type-written copies. Most of them were returned to us within the time allotted, or before the work was printed, after being corrected or revised; and these may therefore be regarded as reasonably accurate. A few, however, were not returned to us and as we have no means of knowing whether they contain errors or not, we cannot vouch for their accuracy. In justice to our readers, and to render this work more valuable for reference purposes, we have indicated these uncorrected sketches by a small asterisk (*), placed immediately after the name of the subject. They will all be found on the last pages of the book. THE PUBLISHERS. Contents

CHAPTER I	The Northwest Territory	16
CHAPTER II.	County Organization and History	48
CHAPTER III.	Jefferson Township and Celina	90
CHAPTER IV.	Center, Union, Dublin and Black Creek Townships	128
CHAPTER V.	Liberty, Hopewell, Washington and Butler Townships	154
CHAPTER VI.	Recovery and Gibson Townships	168
CHAPTER VII.	Granville, Marion and Franklin Townships	194
CHAPTER VIII.	Early History of the Methodist Episcopal Church	208
6 - CONTENTS
CHAPTER IX.	Roman Catholic Institutions and Churches	216
CHAPTER X	The Bench and Bar of Mercer County	241
CHAPTER XI.	The Medical Profession of Mercer County	253
CHAPTER XII	Military Record of Mercer County in the Civil War	256
	Representative Citizens	271

Index Biographical

	PAGE		PAGE
Allen, Jeremiah Alt, John Alt, Peter Archer, Joseph W. Armantrout, William Robert Armstrong, Hon. Stephen A. Ashcraft, Orville S. Baker Jacob J. Barber, Warren Barker, Orlington Bastian, William H. Bauer, Andy Beach, Adam Beams, David A. Beauchamp, Mrs. Sarah Ann Beauchamp, Wesley W. Becher, George W. Becher, Jacob Beckman, H. A. Beiersdorfer, John Beiersdorfer, Philip Bennett, Henry Brandenberg Beougher, Harvey Bertke, Edward W. Bettinger, Adam Birkmyer, Bernard Bohmann. John Boley, Daniel Evi Bollenbacher, Adam Bollenbacher, Andrew Bollenbacher, George Bollenbacher, John Jacob	726 528 556 717 427 329 631 639 447 567 285 350 740 501 573 593 567 604 718 583 592 437 513 334 601 579 574 645 400 415 390 407	Bolman, Christopher F., M. D. Bolton, William Lewis Borger, Bernard Bowman, S. A. Brackman, John Brackman, Henry Brackmann, Rev. Theodosius H. Brandon, Isaac Brandon, James Calvin Brandts, Edmund Brehm, John Brehm, Valentine W. Brewer, Alpheus Brock, Daniel Brock, Leonard Gurley Brookhart, E. J. Brown, Charles A., D. D. S. Brown, Geo. W. Bruns, Charles Bryan, William H. Bryson, Ed. L. Bucanon, John L. Buck, Reuben Buehler, Andrew Burch, Roberson Green Carmichael, Thomas J. Carpenter, Emmet F. Clay, Henry Clay, John M. Clune, Casper Coate, Noah Coate, Rev. Abither David	492 558 597 507 610 616 533 397 416 417 6c1 594 431 427 467 595 280 483 525 659 252 509 732 630 502 643 316 682 685 564 534 499
8 - INDEX
Coats, U. Grant Collins, Hon. Franklin S. Copeland, Sylvester Kennedy Cordier, Rev. Frank P. Crampton, Ira E. Cron, William Curry, William Dabbelt, Aloys Dabbelt, Barney John Dabbelt, Frank Ludwig Dammeyer, Henry Fred Davis, E. H. Day, Hon. James H. De Ford, John W. DeHays, Philip Dibble, Edward A. Dixon, Samuel Drake, Enos Nicholas Dues, Barney Dues, George H. Dues, John G. Egger, Rev. Samuel Eichar, William Eichenauer, Tobias Fast, Abraham G. Fast, Ethan H. Feltz, Louis Felver, George Fennig, Daniel Fiely, Henry John Fishbaugh, A. W. Fishbaugh, Preston Wiley Ford. Emmett T Fort Recovery Stirrup Company Fox, Henry C. Fox, Lewis Edward Frahm, August Frahm, John F. Franks, F. A. Freeman, Granville Frisinger, George W. Fullenkamp, Henry	290 571 404 496 524 746 488 479 443 462 607 626 283 339 675 389 387 490 426 410 505 650 306 743 702 725 276 364 707 668 244 584 250 500 491 661 598 603 486 378 305 586	Goecke, Henry Goldschmidt, Rev. Henry C. Graeber, John Green, David Green, George Grier, John Grieshop, Barney Grieshop, Barney, Jr. Grieshop, Henry Griffin, Claudius Griffin, George F. Grothjan, Anthony B. Hageman, Henry Hair, William Hall, Lewis A. Hamburger, August Hamburger, John E. Hamilton, Charles Justus Hamilton, Moses Silas Hamilton, William Addison Hansel, William S. Hart, Thomas Haslinger, John Bernard Hastings, Eli T. Hattery, J. E. Heap, James K. Heath, William B. Hehmeyer, Fred Heitz, Rev. Joseph, C. PP. S. Hellwarth, Benjamin Hellwarth. George F. Hemmelgarn, Paul Henry Hemmelgarn, Theodore Hildbold, Jacob Hinders, Joseph Hone, Henry Hood, Clement Vallandigham Howick, David Howick, George Howick, James M. Hoyng, Henry Huelskamp, Bernard Huerkamp, Bernard	503 503 378 436 278 510 684 713 687 456 531 398 482 386 345 396 455 647 637 635 739 672 543 304 377 748 719 657 519 696 676 473 399 738 327 344 625 541 508 544 488 612 674
Garman, George Gast, Henry Gans, Henry Gebele, Silverius Gemmill, Andrew D., V. S. Gieseke, John Godfrey, Hon. Thomas J.	580 723 497 669 334 484 271	Hulsman, Clemmons H. Hunter, John A. Huwer, Jacob Hyler, Samuel C. Imwalle, John   Jackson, E. E.	665 646 596 406 286 376
INDEX - 9
Jackson, Foster Jenkins, Roy Jewett, Harry A. Johnsman, Bernard Johnson, Hon. James D. Johnston, Joseph Jones, Aaron Jones, Abraham Jordan, Calvin Marion Jutte, John Kelly, Eli H. Kenney, Patrick E. Kettering, George Keyser, Isaac Newton Kincaid, Hugh Klingshirn, George Klostermann, Henry Klostermann, Rudolf Knapke, John J. Koch, Anton Koch, William Kramer, Henry Kramer, John Kraner, Lewis M. Kremer, Frank John Kremer, John D. Krenning, George W. Krugh, Milton O. Kuhn, Frederick Kuhn, Henry Kuhn, John George Kuhn, Joseph A. Landfair, Edward Landfair, Robert B. Lange, John Henry Larne, Abraham W. Lauber, Sebastian Laudahn, John H. LeBlond, Hon. Francis C. Le Blond, Gideon Le Blond, John P. Leininger, Jacob Leistner, Sebastian	745 327 708 617 250 537 393 365 735 692 546 249 515 335 742 673 451 448 609 663 500 430 251 328 706 705 628 480 614 618 613 561 585 252 460 279 640 633 319 387 387 619 622	Lumb, J. Frank Luthmann, John Joseph McDaniel, W. A. J. McDonald, Joseph McKim, Charles H. McQueen, John Macke, Joseph Mackenbach, Charles W. Maffett, Nelson Malick, James Marsh, Hon. Archelaus D. Marsh, Clarence E. Mattingly, Hon. Robert L. May, Clement V. Meinerding, Joseph A. Mercer; Gen. Hugh Mersman, Albert Mersman, Edward H. Mersman, Walter J. Mescher, Anton Metzger. Felix Miller, Hon. C. G. O. Miller, Henry A. Miller, Frank P. Miller, Frederick Miller, Perry C. Miller, William M. Monroe, James Francis Monroe, James H. Monroe, Walter Nimrod Moorman, Henry Morrow, James L. Morrow, John Henry Mott, Abraham Mott, James Z. Murlin, Giles Peter Myers, Jesse W. Myers, John W. Newcomb, Joseph Beach Newcomb, William Ellis Nickerson, Captain Samuel A. Niekamp, Frank Niekamp, Frank, Jr. Niekamp, Peter	417 527 583 598 298 664 658 506 568 355 346 369 246 315 662 48 439 388 406 500 675 363 250 428 356 349 369 656 654 651 526 582 566 343 318 691 469 452 449 470 589 441 471 747
Leugers, Bernard Linn, Peter Link, Jacob Loree, John Wesley Loughridge, James G. Lowry, Aaron Morten Lowry William Henry	557 565 509 246 243 690 638	Nuding, Joseph Ontrop, August Orr, William A. Overly, David Overman, Anton Overman, Bernard	314 632 317 367 721 714
10 - INDEX
Palmer, W. T. Pausch, William Frederick Pax, Joseph Pearson, James Platt, Lewis Pleiman, Joseph Powell, John Preston, Benjamin Pulskamp, Herman Puthoff, Frank Rammell, George Rathweg, Anthony Raudabaugh, Israel F. Raudabaugh, Orville Rawers, Henry George Regedanz, John Reusch, Michael Rentz, August Rentz, Xavier Rentzsch, Otto, Jr. Reuter, George A. Rhodes, Capt. John Stafford Richardson, David H., M. D. Richardson, J. V. Rickets, George Ridenour, John William, M. D. Riley, Calvin E. Riley, Calvin Willshire Riley, Capt. James Riley, James Watson Riley, James Watson Riley, Robert Ellsworth, M. D. Robinson, Frank G. Roebuck, Joseph Warren Roeckner, John F. Roether, John Roether, William Justin Rohler, Barney Romer, Frank Bernard Romer, John G. Romer, John Henry Romer, John Joseph Ross, James	357 671 599 626 699 561 652 347 746 600 439 396 245 252 733 368 611 730 693 576 627 293 353 409 310 577 383 307 313 101 314 289 244 711 608 620 629 468 517 542 534 538 274	Schneider, Adam Schott, Michael Schroyer, David Schunck, Christopher Schwietermann, Harman Gerhard Schwietermann, Harman Henry Schwietermann, John Henry Schwietermann, Joseph Scranton, Hon. S. S. Selby, Wilson Severns, Charles Severns, Richard Sheeley, Lanney Lee Shelley, William M. Shively, John W. Short, Frank V. Slabaugh, S. V. Sloan, William E. Smith, Andrew Smith, Andrew J. Smith, George Smith, George W. Smith, William N. Snavely, John Snyder. Hon. A. P. J. Snyder, James C. Snyder, Trussten Bruce Snyder, Washington Sonderman, Frank J. Spriggs, Seth Spriggs, William Springer, Joseph S. Stanbery, Henry Stanley Stark, Frank C. Stephenson, Arlington, M. D. Stephenson, Edgar E. Stewart, A. G. Streacker, Anton Stukenborg, John Swarts, J. A. Tabke, Rev. Anthony Taylor. L. L. Taylor, Martyn, M. D.	712 737 644 366 459 495 472 442 245 357 701 695 749 287 297 251 309 655 506 742 514 516 543 338 323 324 300 333 545 722 734 551 358 581 337 732 252 581 729 720 487 252 429
Sager, Joseph. M. D. Schaadt, Adam Schindler, John Schlarman, Bernard Schlosser, John M. 'Schmitt. J. B. Schmitz, Peter J. Schnarre, John	303 654 520 689 380 562 740 384	Taylor, T. P., M. D. Taylor, William R., M. D. Tennent, John Tilton, John Tingley, Jacob Alexander Tou Velle, Hon. William E. Upton, Elmore Green	408 435 596 349 477 250 703
INDEX - 11
Varwig, Mrs. Henrietta Velten, Michael Vining, Samuel J. Voke, Edward Wallischeck, Joseph Walter, Andrew X. Waters, Price T., M. D. Watkins, James Sanford Weaver, Sylvester H. Weir, William Weist, Jonas Wendeln, John Henry West, William Roscoe White, John Wilkin, Sylvester Wilson, William E.	419 666 560 649 735 485 403 736 336 744 308 536 410 413 276 385	Willcutt, George Washington Willenborg, John B., Sr. Willke, Alois John Willmann, Henry F. Windker, J. H. Winhoven, Joseph Winkeljohan, J. H. Wintermute, G. J. C. Wirt Joseph Wollam, Ira T. Wright, John Peter Zeller, Ward Clifton, M. D. Zenz, John Yaney, John H. Younger, Hon. Charles S.	681 288 730 373 578 522 498 360 633 563 479 298 425 602 354
Illustrations
Auditorium, Chautauqua Grounds, Celina Banks— Citizens', Celina Commercial, Celina First National, Celina Battles of the Maumee, Plan Illustrating the   Boulevard Along Lake Mercer  Churches— Catholic, Holy Trinity, Coldwater Catholic, Immaculate Conception, Celina Catholic, Mary, Help of Christians, Fort Recovery Catholic, St. Henry's, St. Henry Catholic, St. John's, St. Johns Catholic, St. Paul's, Sharpsburg Evangelical Lutheran, St. John's Celina Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Celina First Church Built in Celina Methodist Episcopal, Celina Methodist Episcopal, Fort Recov- ery Methodist Episcopal, Mercer	56 160 160 160 37 56 160 190 236 236 236 236 248 248 120 212 212 212	Methodist Episcopal, Rockford Presbyterian, First, Celina   Presbyterian, Rockford   United Brethren, Rockford   Family Groups— Barber, Mr. and Mrs. Warren, and Family   Carmichael, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J., and Family   Griffin Family Group of Five Generations   Hamburger, Mr. and Mrs. John E., and Family   Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Aaron, and Family   Snyder, Mr. and Mrs. Washington, and Family   Springer, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S. and Family   White. Mr. and Mrs. John, and Family   Willcutt, Mr. and Mrs George Washington, and Family Zenz, Mr. and Mrs. John, and Fam- ily   Fort Recovery, Scenes of the Destructive Explosion at	212 248 142 142 446 642 530 454 392 332 549 412 678 422 190
12 - INDEX
Forts— Fort Amanda Fort Defiance, Plan of Fort Washington Free Public Library, Celina Grand Reservoir, View on, in 1846 Mercer County Court House and Jail Celina Mercer County Fair Grounds Views— Scene on the Fair Grounds  Pioneer Home, A   Mercer County Infirmary, Jefferson Township   Portraits— Brock, Mrs. Elizabeth L. Brock, Leonard Gurley Clark, Gen. George Roger Collins, Hon. Franklin S. Dammeyer, Gustav Dammeyer, Julius Dammeyer, Theodore Day, Mrs. Frances S. Day, Hon. James H. Godfrey, Hon. Thomas J. Harmar, Gen. Josiah Harrison, Gen. William Henry Mercer, Gen. Hugh Miller, Hon. C. G. O. Mott, Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Nickerson, Mrs. Lucinda M. Nickerson, Capt. Samuel A. Platt, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Rhodes, Capt. John Stafford Richardson, David H., M. D. Richardson, Mrs. Mary L. Riley, Calvin E. Riley, Capt. James Riley, James Watson	44 39 44 120 58 80 56 56 84 465 464 28 570 606 606 606 282 281 270 28 28 49 362 342 588 588 698 292 352 352 382 312 98 302 28 494	Residences— Archer. Joseph W. Beougher, Harvey Beougher, Harvey (Old Home) Dammeyer, Henry Fred Fox, Lewis Edward Griffin, George F. Griffin, George F. (Old Home) Hood, Clement Vallandigham Riley, Calvin E. Springer, Joseph S. Springer, Joseph S. (Old Home) Tingley, Jacob Alexander Willcutt, George Washington Zenz, John Richardson Block, Celina Roman Catholic Institutions — Convent of Mary, Help of Chris- tians, near Maria Stein Novitiate of the Fathers of the Most Precious Blood, Burkettsville St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Bird's-Eye View, Carthagena St. Clair's Battle-Field, Plan of School Buildings— Celina, East Building Celina, West Building Chickasaw Coldwater Fort Recovery Mendon Mercer Montezuma Rockford Street Views— Celina, Main Street Celina, Street View in 1890 Fort Recovery, Wayne Street Rockford, Main Street	716 512 512 606 660 530 530 624 248 549 548 476 679 423 120 220 220 220 36 202 202 202 202 172 172 172 172 142 84 104 84 84
Scranton, Hon. S. S. Snyder, Hon. A. P. J. Stevens, Harry Taylor, Mrs. Jennola K. Taylor, William R., M. D. Waters, Price T., M. D. Wayne, Gen. Anthony Willmann, Henry F. Willmann, Mrs. Louisa M.	14 322 716 434 434 402 28 372 372	Tile Works— Fox, Lewis Edward Springer, Joseph S. Town Halls— Celina Coldwater Mendon Rockford Water-Works and Electric Light Plant, Celina	660 554 80 80 80 142 120