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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 325 was for some time engaged in farming, but afterward returned to this county and settled on a farm southwest of Cridersville, in Duchouquet township, where his last days were spent, his death occurring there in 1917, and where his widow is still living. They were the parenits of ten children, all of whom are living save two. O. P. McClintock was reared on the home farm and his schooling was received in the neighborhood schools. For some time after leaving school he continued to work on the farm and then he became engaged if in oil operations and was for six or seven years thus engaged, after which he bought a couple of farms, one of 120 acres and another of eighty of eighty acres in Auglaize county and was engaged in farming until 1920, when he moved to Wapakoneta and began operating a cream station there, presently changing this into a grocery store and is now engaged in the latter business, with a well stocked place at the corner of Bellefontaine and Middle streets, and is doing well. In 1903 0. P. McClintock was united in marriage to Millie Merkle, daughter of Anthony and Moreline (Conrad) Merkle, well-to-do farmers of Duchouquet township, and to this union two children have been born, sons both, Virgil and Otis, the former born in 1904 and the latter in 1910. The McClintocks reside at 409 Bellefontaine street and are quite pleasantly situated. In his political views Mr. McClintock reserves his right to vote independently of party affiliations. ALOYS J. WAGNER, of the firm of Friemering & Wagner, grocers. at New Bremen, and one of the well known young business men of that city, is a native "Buckeye" and has lived in this state all his life, Mr. Wagner Was born at Coldwater, in the neighboring county of Mercer, December 1, 1898, and is a son of Joseph and Mary Wagner, both of whom were born in that same county. Joseph Wagner, who is now living retired at Coldwater, grew up to the trade of wagon maker and worked at that vocation at Coldwater for some time after his marriage. He then became engaged in farming in Darke county and was thus engaged until his retirement and removal to Coldwater, where he is now living. To him and his wife nine children were born. Of these, five are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Agnes. and Minnie, and two brothers, John and Gus Wagner. Reared at Coldwater, Aloys J. Wagner received his schooling there and as a young man went to Fremont, where he was engaged in factory work for some time and then went to Middletown, where for ten years he was engaged working in the steel mills. He then, in April, 1920, became engaged in business at New Bremen in partnership with his brother-in-law, Alfred J. Friemering, at New Bremen, under the firm name of Friemering & Wagner, and has since been thus engaged, this firm carrying on their grocery business in up-to-date fashion. They bought out an old established business and since taking it over have done much to improve the place and add at 326 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY to its attractive power. Mr. Wagner and his wife are members of the Catholic church and are Democrats. Mr. Wagner married Margaret Friemering, a daughter of John B. Friemering, of Minster, and sister of his business partner, and to this union two children have been born, Annabel and Wallace. JOHN H. WAGNER, one of the well known farmers of Union township and proprietor of a well kept farm on rural mail rook No. 6 out of Wapakoneta, where he makes his home, was born nal farm in Clay township on March 13, 1876, and is a son of John ad Sarah Ann (Phillips) Wagner, the latter of whom is still living, The late John Wagner also was born in Clay township and was a In of John Wagner and wife, who had come here from Pennsylvania in pioneer days and had settled on a woodland farm of seventy-two acres in Clay township, where they spent the remainder of the lives. The junior John Wagner grew to manhood on that farm ad eventually became the owner of it, buying from the other heirs their respective interests in the farm, and as his affairs prospered tinued to add to his land holdings until he became the owner of 376 acres in Clay and Union townships and over in Stokes township in the neighboring county of Logan. He spent his life on the farm and death occurring in 1919. To him and his wife were born eight children, all of whom are living save two, Reuben and one who d infancy, the others (besides the subject of this sketch) being Hugh, George, Bessie and Delmar. Reared on the home far Clay township, John H. Wagner received his schooling in the boyhood school and from the days of his boyhood has been attentive to the affairs of the farm. He continued his operations in association with his father on the home place until his marriage at the of twenty-seven and then made his home on the "eighty" which ht now owns in Union township, which then was a part of his father,' holdings, and eventually came into the same by inheritance and has continued farming the place. He has a good farm plant and he and his wife are quite comfortably situated. In their political views they are Republicans. It was on December 31, 1903, that John H. Wagner was united in marriage to Minnie E. Phillips and to this union two children have been born, both of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Wagner was born on a farm in the neighboring county of Lagon and is a daughter of Joseph M. and Laura (Shockey) Phillips, who are still living there. Her father, Joseph McKee Phillips, was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, in 1852, and is a son of Isaac and Esterh M. (McKee) Phillips, the former of whom also was born in Ohio. In the early '50s Isaac Phillips settled in Pike county with his family. Six years later he moved to Ross county and in 1864 moved to Hardin county, where he spent the remainder of his life. Joseph McKee Phillips was twelve years of age when his parents settled in Har- HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 327 county and there he grew to manhood. After his marriage he bought a farm of 100 acres in Logan county and some years later nold that place and moved to Canada. Not finding things there to his liking he returned to Logan county six years later and is still living there. To him and his wife were born six children, all of whom are living save one daughter, Esther, Mrs. Wagner having three sisters, Mary May, Arabella and Elma, and a brother, Isaac, all of whom are married save Elma. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips have eleven grandchildren. GLENDOR JUNG, who is recognized as one of the most progressive young farmers of Auglaize county and who is the proprietor of a well improved and well cultivated farm on rural mail route No. 2. out of New Bremen, in German township, was born on a farm in Van Buren township, in the neighboring county of Shelby, December 20, 1892, and is the son and only child of John and Ida (Maurer) Jung, the latter of whom was born in Auglaize county, a member of one of the pioneer families here. The later John Jung was born in Van Buren township, Shelby county, and was a son of Charles and Elizabeth (Pfetzenton) Jung, both natives of Germany, who had come to this country in the days of their youth, their respective families settling in Ohio. Charles Jung Was a well grown boy when he came with his parents to this country, the family settling in Shelby county. After his marriage there he established his home on a farm in Van Buren township and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. Their son John was born on that farm and there grew to manhood. After his marriage he continued to live there until after the marriage of his son, Glendor, who made his home in this county, when he disposed of his interests in Shelby county and bought the farm of seventy acres in German township, this county, now owned by his son, and there spent his last days, death occurring on June 15, 1919. His wife had predeceased him many years, her death having occurred in 1893, not long after the birth of her son. Glendor Jung grew to manhood on the home farm in Shelby county and in the schools of that neighborhood received his schooling. Even from the days of his boyhood he was well trained in the ways of practical farming and he remained with his father moved to the farm until after his marriage, when he made his home at New Bremen. It was not long after that that his father bought the farm of seventy acres in German township above referred to and he then moved to the farm and was there engaged in farming, in association with his father, until the latter's death, since which time he has been in possession of the place. Mr. Jung is a progressive farmer and has developed his tract of seventy acres into one of the best small farms in the neighborhood. He has specialized in corn culture and in 1921 was the winner of the first prize in the county corn contest, 328 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY his corn taking first honors in the germination test. It was in 1917 that Glendor Jung was united in marriage to Lydia Schneider, dughter of Henry and Louise (Weigman) Schneider, of New Bremen, and to this union three children have been born, Mildred, Agnes and Irene. The Jungs have a very pleasant home and take an interested and helpful part in the general social activities of the community in which they live. Mr. and Mrs. Jung are members of St, Peter' Evangelical church at New Bremen and are Republicans. E. LEWIS KATTMAN, former mayor of New Knoxville, formerly and for years a justice of the peace in and for Washington township, former town clerk of New Knoxville and a veteran lumberman of that place, now living retired there, was born at New Knoxville and has lived there all his life, one of the strong and influential figures in the development of that place for the past flit years and more, the beginning of this personal influence dating bat to the days when as a young man he was engaged thereabout teaching school. Mr. Kattman was born on October 21, 1852, and is a son of William and Sophia (Niemeyer) Kattman, who were among the early residents of the village of New Knoxville. William Kattaman was a native of Germany, as was his wife. He grew to manhood in his native land, learning there the blacksmith trade, When he had passed his majority he came to the United States and proceeded on out into Ohio, locating at New Knoxville, where he set up a blacksmith shop, thus becoming the first blacksmith in the vilage —and for years the only one. Upon coming here he also entered a tract of eighty acres of land in section 29 of Washington township, this land lying adjacent to the New Knoxville town plat, and that place established his home and carried on his business, pioneer blacksmith and farrier of that part of the county. William Kattman's entry of Government land was made in 1845, three years before the erection of Auglaize county, and he thus properly must be regarded as having been one of the "fathers" of the county. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, and the descendants of these in the present generation form a no inconsiderable connection. Of these eleven children, three are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Louise and Sophia. Reared at New Knoxville, E. Lewis Kattman received his early schooling there and supplemented this by attendance on the high school at Wapakoneta, after which he became engaged in teaching school, a vocation he followed thereafter during the winters for fifteen years, teaching in the schools of Washington and German townships, this county, and in the neighboring county of Shelby. In the meantime he had been giving his attention to the lumber industry, which in the days of the "big timber" hereabout was the leading industry in this section of Ohio, and thus became thoroughly familiar with the details of lum- HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 329 ber milling and shipping. He presently became engaged in the lumber milling business on his own account, a member of the firm of Luterbein, Koch & Kattman, millers and shippers of lumber, at New Knoxville. After awhile Mr. Koch sold his interest in the concern, which thereafter was operated under the name of Luterbein & Kattman until Mr. Luterbein sold his interest to Fred Kettler, and the firm name again was changed, becoming the Kattman & Kettler tither Company, better known as the K. K. Lumber Company, which continued doing business under this firm style until March 28, 1922, when Mr. Kattman sold his interest in the concern and retired from business. Mr. Kattman thus must be regarded as one he real veterans of the lumber industry in this section. He grew with the business, in the days when it was the practice to buy up timber tracts, move a mill onto a convenient location thereon and saw up the good timber for shipping, but the central yards and offices always were maintained at New Knoxville, where he ever has had his headquarters, one of the leading men of affairs of that thriving village, In addition to his activities in an industrial way, Mr. Kattman has also for many years been one of the leaders in civic affairs in that part of the county. He is a Republican and has rendered conspicuous public service in his community, having served several terms as mayor of New Knoxville, for some time as town clerk, and for six years (1894-1900) as justice of the peace in and Washington township, and in other ways has discharged faithfully his obligations to the community of which he has been a part all his life. He and his wife, who was born in Germany, Charlotte Peters, daughter of Ernest and Sophia Marie Peters, are members of the German Reformed church at New Knoxville and have ever been active in the affairs of that congregation, Mr. Kattman, among other services to the church, having been choir leader of the church for for ten years. Mr. and Mrs. Kattman have a pleasant home at New Knoxville and have ever taken an interested and helpful part in the general social activities of the community. L. D. KOCH, a former member of the board of county commissioners for Auglaize county and a substantial farmer and landowner of Pusheta township, proprietor of a well improved farm, just north of the village of Freyburg, was born on that place and has lived there all his life. Mr. Koch was born on November 22, 1862, and is a son of John and Margaret (Fritz) Koch, both natives of Germany, the latter born at Sundorf. She was sixteen years of age when she came to this country with her parents who, with their six children, landed at the port of New York and proceeded thence immediately to Ohio to join old country friends who had preceded them here and had sent back to them good word regarding the possibilities awaiting settlers in this section of the state. Mr. Fritz bought a tract of forty 330 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY acres in Pusheta township, a part of the place now owned by William Schlagel, and there established his home and settled down to make a farm out of his woodland tract. Ten or twelve years later he died there and his widow long survived him. Of their six children Catherine, Eureka, Josephine, Margaret, Frederick and David, all are now deceased save Josephine, who is living in Cincinnati. The late John Koch was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, a grand duchy of Germany, and was twelve years of age when he came to this country with his parents, the family landing at the port of New York after a voyage on a sail boat which required ninety-seven days to make the passage. The family proceeded thence to Cincinnati, where the father, who was a shoemaker, worked at his trade a year or more and then came up here with his family and settled on a farm in Pusheta township, which then was included in Allen county, that having been before the days of the organization of Auglaize county. Grandfather Koch became the owner of 160 acres of land there, a part of the place on which his grandson, L. D. Koch, is now living, and there he and his wife spent their last days. They were the parents of four children, three sons, George, Louis and John, and a daughter all now deceased, but of their descendants in the third and fourth generation hereabout there are a considerable number. John Koch was a lad of about fourteen years of age when he came here with his parents back in pioneer days and he grew to manhood on the home place in the Freyburg neighborhood, there in the southwest quarter of section 10 of Pusheta township. Upon his father's death he bought the interest of the other heirs in the east half of this quarter section and on that eighty spent the remainder of his life, living to a green old age, he being eighty-four years of age at the time of his death. John Koch was twice married and by his first wilfe had one son, Ludwig Koch, who died at the age of sixty-eight By his union with Margaret Fritz, his second wife, he was the father of five children, three of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Fred Koch, of Ft. Wayne, Ind., and a sister, Mrs. Minnie Heisler, also of Ft. Wayne. Reared on the home farm north of Freyburg, L. D. Koch received his schooling in the German Lutheran school maintained by the congregation of that church, northwest of his father's place, this school then being known as the Ssammetinger school, and from the days of his boyhood was devoted to the affairs of the farm. He married not long after attaining his majority and after his marriage established his home on the home place, his mother having meanwhile died, and continued farming for his father until the latter's death in 1891, when he came into possession and has since resided there. In addition to this well improved farm of eighty acres Mr. Koch has another tract of twenty acres in Pusheta township, this making him the owner of 100 acres. In 1912 HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 331 he retired from the active operations of the farm which are now carried on by his son-in-law, Elmer Tueman, who makes his home on the place and is doing well, raising quite a bit of live stock in addition to his general farming. Mr. Koch is a Democrat and has for years given his attention to local civic affairs, having served for three terms (1913-15 and 1917-21) as the member from his district on the board of county commissioners. It was during his first term on the board that the county was put to much expense on account of flood damage caused by the unprecedented flood in the spring of 1913 and he thus was busied in bridge reconstruction during that term. L. D. Koch has been twice married. In January, 1884, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Seitz, who also was born and reared in Pusheta township, a daughter of Otto and Barbara (Lee) Seitz, and to that union were born two daughters, Edith, who married Elmer Tueman, now operating the Koch home place, and has three children, Harold, Lloyd and Franklin ; and Huldah, who married Harry Dobies, of Wapakoneta, and has two children, Elvier and Betty. Mrs. Elizabeth Koch died in January, 1888, and on February 3, 1890, Mr. Koch married Elizabeth Burner, who was born in the neighboring county of Logan, a daughter of Frederick and Barbara (Beck) Burner, and who died on March 24, 1920, and is buried in beautiful Greenlawn cemetery at Wapakoneta. Mr. Koch is a member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta and of the lodge of the Loyal Order of Moose at that place. The Koch home is pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 5 out of Wapakoneta. F. H. FLEDDERJOHN, better known to his friends as Henry Fledderjohn, a substantial landowner and retired farmer, now living at New Knoxville, was born in Washington township about the time Auglaize county was being organized and is thus a member of one of the pioneer families of the New Knoxville neighborhood. Mr. Fledderjohn was born on March 9, 1848, and is a son of William and Christina (Honroth) Fledderjohn, who had come to this region with their respective parents from Germany in the days of their youth and were here married. After his marriage William Fledderjohn established his home on a farm in Washington township and there he and his wife and their eldest child died of cholera during the progress of the dreadful scourge of that disease throughout this region in 1849, leaving the subject of this sketch, then but an infant, and his elder sister Elizabeth orphaned. The baby Henry also suffered from an attack of the cholera, but recovered and was reared in the household of his uncle, H. H. Fledderjohn. His sister was reared at the home of Henry Hollscher of Washington township. Henry Fledderjohn grew to manhood in Washington township and received his schooling in the local schools. At the age of 332 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY seventeen he took up the carpenter trade and followed that for five or six years, or until 1871, when he bought a piece of property in New Knoxville and set up there a cabinet making shop and furniture store, giving his attention to cabinet making during the winters and continuing to follow his work as a carpenter during the summers. About this time he married and established his home at New Knoxville, where he resided for ten years, or until 1881, when he moved with his family to a farm of 120 acres which he previously had bought down over the line in Van Buren township, Shelby county. and there settled down to farming, a vocation which engaged his attention thereafter for more than forty years, or until his retirement in 1922 and return to New Knoxville, where he is now living. quite comfortably situated. When Mr. Fledderjohn took possession of that farm down in Shelby county it was practically unimproved and upon him fell the task of clearing the same and erecting the buildings for the excellent farm plant which he gradually built up around him. He did well in his farming operations and OWns in addition to his farm and his home property in New Knoxville, a quarter of a section of land in Colorado, half of which is irrigated. Mr. Fledderjohn is a Republican and for some time prior to his removal to Shelby county served (1876-81) as treasurer of Washington town. ship. During the time of his residence in Shelby county he also for some time served as a member of the school board for Van Buren township and in other ways has given of a good citizen's service to the public need. He and his wife are members of the Reformed Church at New Knoxville and he has served as a trustee of that congregation and also as a deacon. Henry Fledderjohn married Sophia Meckstroth, a daughter of Herman W. Meckstroth and also a member of one of the pioneer families of Washington township, and to this union twelve children have been born. Of these children ten are living, Caroline, Lydia, Emma, Matilda, Minnie, Elizabeth, Herman, Henry, Silas and Rinehart all of whom are married save Herman and Henry. Caroline Fledderjohn married L. W. Eversman and has seven children Alice, Olga, Ruth, Clarence, Esther, Leona and Helen. Lydia Fledderjohn married William Rodeheffer and has two children, Cornelia and Paul. Emma Fledderjohn married Herman Kuck and has six children, Matilda, Henrietta, Ruth, Martha, Christina and Esther. Matilda Fledderjohn married Fred Lammers and has four children, Paul, Tabitha, Silas and Victor. Minnie Fledderjohn married Benjamin Weirwille and has three children, Velma, Luella and Nathan. Elizabeth Fledderjohn married Wesley Lammers and has two children, John Wesley and Loren. Silas Fledderjohn married Irma Greber and has two children, Robert and Donald, and ninety. Fledderjohn married Irene Koepke. It thus will be noted that Mr. and Mrs. Fledderjohn have no fewer than twenty-six grandchildren, in all of whom they take much pride and delight. HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 333 H. A. WILLIAM WIERWILLE, a substantial farmer and landower of St. Marys township, proprietor of an excellent farm on rural route No. 2, out of New Bremen, where he makes his home, was born on that farm, in the southeast quarter of section 25, and has lived there all his life, having taken over the farm after his father’s death twenty years and more ago. Mr. Wierwille was born on October 20, 1859, and is a son of H. H. W. and Elizabeth (Nussmeyer) Wierwille, both of whom were born in Germany, but were married in this county. The late H. H. W. Wierwille, formerly and for years one of the well known citizens of the southeastern part of St. Marys township, was nineteen years of age when he came to this country with his brother William and settled at New Bremen, in this county. For some time after his arrival there he worked on the canal, as did his brother, and in this manner earned money sufficient to buy a tract of forty acres of land a mile or more east of the canal in section 25 of St. Marys township. He married Elizabeth Nussmeyer, a daughter of Herman Nussmeyer, one of the pioneers of this county, about six years after his arrival here and established his home on that "forty." As his affairs prospered he added to his holdings by the purchase of an adjoining forty, then after awhile a tract of fifty-three acres in Shelby county and later another tract of ninety-three acres, thus becoming the owner of 226 acres of land. He continued actively engaged in superintending his farm operations until his death in 1901. His wife had preceded him to the grave more than a quarter of a century, her death having occurred in 1875. They were members of the Reformed church at New Knoxville and their children were reared in that faith. There were four of these children, all of whom are still living save one, a daughter, Christina, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Schulenerdberry, of Shelby county, and a brother, Adolph Wierwille, of St. Marys township. Reared on the home farm in St. Marys township, H. A. William Wierwille received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and from the days of his boyhood was trained in the ways of farming, and after his marriage continued farming on the home place. After the death of his father he took over eighty acres of this place, as well as a tract of fifty-three acres in Shelby county —133 acres in all—and has since been farming the same. Mr. Wierwille has a well improved farm plant, including an individual electric lighting system, and has done well in his operations. For thirty-five years he was one of the proprietors of a threshing rig and in this connection became one of the best known men in that part of the county. He is an "independent" Democrat and has rendered public service in several capacities, having been a member of the township school board for twelve years and for two terms supervisor of roads in his district. He and his wife are members of the 334 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Reformed church at New Knoxville. H. A. William Wierwille married Louise Oberwitte, daughter of Herman Oberwitte, who was a native of Germany and one of the pioneers of this county, and to this union have been born eight children, namely : Oscar, deceased; Mrs. Luetta Bierman, of Columbus, Ind.; Mrs. Emma Quellhorst, of this county ; Mrs. Amanda Haberkamp, of this county ; Mrs. Clara Ahlers, of this county ; Mrs. Leona Schrier, also of this county, and Raymond and Marie, who are at home. Mr. Wierwille has helped develop the farming interests of his home township since the days of his boyhood and in this time has witnessed amazing changes in methods, WALTER NEUMANN, chief engineer of the extensive plant of the White Mountain Creamery Company at New Bremen and the oldest employe in point of continuous service connected with that establishment, was born in this county and his lived here all his life. Mr. Neumann was born on a farm in the New Bremen neighborhood in German township on March 11, 1872, and is a son of John H, and Adaline (Sweacke) Neumann, both of whom were natives of Germany but had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their youth, the Neumanns and the Sweackes both becoming residents of the New Bremen community. John H. Neumann was but a lad when he came to this country and he grew up in the New Bremen settlement and became a practical farmer. After his marriage he settled on a farm and established his home, spending the remainder of his life there. He owned a good place of eighty acres, Of the children born to John H. Neumann and wife, six are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Sophia, and four brothers, John, August, Fred and Henry Neumann. Reared on the home farm in German township, Walter Neumann received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and remained on the farm until he was eighteen years of age when he began working in a harness shop at New Bremen. He continued thus employed until he was twenty-five years of age and then transferred his services to a grain elevator company and was employed with that concern for two years and six months, at the end of which time, in 1899, he became connected with the operations of the White Mountain creamery at New Bremen and has ever since been thus connected. Mr. Neumann thus has witnessed the development of this concern from the very beginning of its operations on more than a merely local basis, for he was the first employe taken on when Mr. Huenke started to make practical the dream he had long entertained of developing here a great creamery plant. Mr. Neumann thus "grew up" with the business and became familiar with every detail of its operation, his services in this connection long ago being rewarded by his elevation to the position of chief engineer of the plant, the position he now occupies. Walter Neumann married Elizabeth Zwez, daughter of Julius F. HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 335 Zwez, and to this union five children have been born, Celia, Gladys, Caroline, Stella and Hilmer, the latter of whom, the Rev. Hilmer Neumann, a minister of the Evangelical church, now has charge of St. John's Evangelical church at New Orleans. He completed his theological studies at the Eden Seminary at St. Louis and was ordained to the ministry in 1921. Celia Neumann married Cornelius Heinfeld and has one child, a daughter, Verneta. The Neumanns have a pleasant home at New Bremen and have ever taken an interested part in the community’s general social activities. Mr. and Mrs. Neumann are members of St. Peter's Evangelical church and Mr. Neumann has served as secretary of the congregation and also of the Sunday school. He is a Republican and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, serving at present as treasurer of the New Bremen fire department. J. GEORGE SEIBERT, one of Salem township's well known farmers and a member of one of the old families of that township, hying on the ancestral home in the southern part of the township has been a resident of Auglaize county since he was three years old. Mr. Seibert was born in Crawford county, Ohio, September 13, 1861, and is a son of Fred and Fredericka (Linn) Seibert, who became residents of Auglaize county in 1864 and whose last days were spent here. The late Fred Seibert also was born in Crawford county and was a son of Peter Seibert, one of the pioneers of that county, who had settled there not long after coming to this country from Europe, he and his wife having been natives of the grand duchy of Baden. Fred Seibert grew to manhood in Crawford county and after his mar. liege established his home on a tract of forty acres he had bought in that county. He remained there until 1864, when he sold that farm and came to Auglaize county and bought a tract of eighty-three acres, a bit more than the measured west half of the southwest guar- ter of section 3 of Salem township. On this tract, which he cleared and out of which he created a good farm, he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1915. To him and his wife were born Run children, three of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Julia, and a brother, Francis Seibert. As noted above, J. George Seibert was but three years of age when he came to this county with his parents in 1864 and he grew to manhood on the home farm in the southern part of Salem township, six miles north of St. Marys and about a mile and a half southwest of Kossuth. He received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and grew up familiar with the details of farm management, his boyhood recollections being full of many experiences incidental to the drudgery of clearing a timber tract and making a farm out of it. He married at the age of twenty-eight years and then established his home on a farm of fifty-two acres he had bought in Noble township 336 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY and continued there engaged in farming until 1916, when, after the death of his father, he returned to the old home place in Salem town. ship and has since been living there, he and his family being very comfortably situated. Mr. Seibert has a well improved farm and an excellent farm plant and is doing well in his operations. It was" February 19, 1890, that J. George Seibert was united in marriage to Wilhelmina Koenig, daughter of George and Margaret (Burkhart) Koenig, of this county, and to this union three children have been born, one of whom—Laverne is deceased, the others being Fred and Irvin, the latter of whom served as a soldier during the time of this country's participation in the World war. Fred Seibert married Julia Funk, of Wayne county, Ohio, and has one child, a son, Richard F. The Seiberts have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys. Mr. and Mrs. Seibert are members of the Reformed church at St. Marys and in their political views are inde. pendent. CHARLES F. SCHROEDER, a well-known and substantial farmer and landowner of Washington township, now a breeder of purebred Duroc Jersey hogs at New Knoxville, where he and In, family are very comfortably situated, is a conspicuous example in his life of what may be accomplished against apparently great odds. Bereft of his mother by death when he was but an infant, orphans by the death of his father when he was ten, Mr. Schroeder came to America when fourteen a penniless boy dependent upon a kindly kinsman for the passage money which brought him over. Starting to work as a farm hand, he quickly found that willing hands and stout heart had a real value in this country, and he kept going until at an age when most men are still "buckling down" to the job, he was able to retire from active labor, the owner of a valuable farm and independent of the erstwhile buffetings of fortune. Mr. Schroeder is a European by birth, born in the Prussian province of Westphalia, Germany, April 5, 1870, and is a son of William and Louise (Brocksmith) Schroeder, the latter of whom died not long after the birth of her son, leaving also another child, a son, Henry. The father of these sons, a poor tenant farmer, died when Charles was ten yearn of age, and the latter was looked after by kinsfolk in the old country until he was fourteen years of age, when his uncle, William Hoff. man, who some years before had come to this country and had become established in Darke county, this state, provided the means for his passage to this country. Upon his arrival in Darke county, Charles F. Schroeder began working as a farm hand, his pay being $4 a month for the first year of his service in this connection, Fe five years he worked in Darke county and then he went to California and began working in a large vineyard there, and was thus engaged for three years, at the end of which time he returned to Ohio and HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 337 resumed his old employment as a farm hand in Darke county. Two years later he came to Auglaize county and became engaged in farm labor in the New Knoxville neighborhood, and was thus engaged until his marriage two years later, when he rented a farm of ninety-nine acres in Washington township and started in to farm on his own account, establishing his home there. Four years later he bought a "forty" of this place, and as his affairs prospered later bought the remainder of the tract. Mr. Schroeder carried on his farming operations in a systematic manner, and these proved so successful that in 1919 he was able to retire from the farm and move to New Knoxville, on the outskirts of which pleasant village he bought a tract of ten acres, built himself a substantial and attractive dwelling house and has since lived there, the owner of 110 acres of valuable land which is being farmed in profitable fashion. He now s giving his special attention to the breeding of purebred Duroc Jersey hogs. Charles F. Schroeder married Anna Eschmeyer, daughter of Henry and Christina Eschmeyer, and to this union have been born three children, Selma, Lawrence and Evelyn, the two latter of whom are at home with their parents. Selma Schroeder married Norman Grewe and has one child, a daughter, Magdalena Mary. The Schroeders are members of the Reformed church at New Knoxville, Mr. Schroeder is a Republican and has rendered public service as supervisor of highways in his district. A. W. BOECKER, one of the best known young business men of Minster, proprietor of a grocery store and meat market there, a leader in the Commercial Club and a former member of the town board of public affairs, was born at Minster and has lived there all his life. Mr. Boecker was born on September 23, 1888, and is a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Ripploh) Boecker, both of whom also were born at Minster, members of pioneer families in that town, and are still 'lying there. Benjamin Boecker was early trained to the trade of carpenter and for some years during the days of his young manhood followed that trade and then he began to operate on his own account as a building contractor, and was thus engaged until his retirement. To him and his wife were born two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Alvina. Reared at Minster, A. W. Boecker received his schooling in the schools of that place and as a lad became engaged as a carpenter in connection with his father's operations in and about Minster. For nine years he followed that vocation and then he became engaged in business at Minster as a grocer. It was in 1910 that Mr. Boecker opened his grocery store at Minster. He continued carrying on business in the room in which he had established his store until 1919, when the growing demands of his trade required more commodious quarters and he moved into his present place of business, at the same time adding to his enterprise a retail meat (21) 338 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY market, and is now the only grocer in town who also has a meat market. In 1921 he installed in his place an up-to-date cooling device for his meats and perishable stock and in other ways also has admirable equipment. Mr. Boecker is an active member of the Commercial Club and for some time served as a member of the turd of trustees of that organization. He is a Democrat and take proper interest in local civic affairs, for some time having send as a member of the board of public affairs. A. W. Boecker married Celia Dorsten, daughter of John Dorsten, of Minster, and to union two children have been born, Wilfred and Frederick. Mr, a:. Mrs. Boecker are members of St. Augustine's Catholic church a:: he is a member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus a:: of the local aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. EDWARD F. KATTERHENRY, former assessor of Noble tom ship and a well known farmer and landowner of that township. is Hoosier by birth, but has been a resident of Ohio and of this since the days of his boyhood and there are few men in the nom... ern part of the county better known than he. Mr. Katterhenry was born in the vicinity of the city of Columbus, in Bartholomew man. Indiana, October 29, 1875, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Fetherjohn) Katterhenry, who later became residents of Auglaize county. William Katterhenry was born in Germany, where he received his schooling and grew to manhood. As a young man he came to this country and after awhile located in Waymansville, Ind., where he presently became employed as a mail carrier on a star mail route out of Columbus, which is the county seat of Bartholomew county taking its name in honor of Lieut. Col. Joseph Bartholomew, who was wounded in action during the historic battle of the Tippecanoe, November 7, 1811, when General Harrison's forces put to rout a strong force of allied redskins and thus broke the backbone of Tecumseh's proposed Indian confederation. After a sometime residence in Indiana, William Katterhenry moved to Cincinnati and was for six or seven years there employed in a pork-packing plant as a butcher. He then moved up into Auglaize county and settled at New Knoxville, where he became employed as a carpenter and builder and there remained until 1894, when he moved to Sandusky, Ohio, where his last days were spent, his death occurring there in 1907. To him and his wife were born nine children, all of whom are living save one, a daughter, Sadie, the others (besides subject of this sketch) being Louis, Anna, Catherine, William, Ida, Otto and Elizabeth. Edward F. Katterhenry was about six years of age when his parents left Indiana and moved to Cincinnati and in the schools of that city he received his early schooling. He was twelve or thirteen years of age when the family came up into Auglaize county and his schooling was completed in the schools of New Knox- HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 339 ville, As a young man he became engaged as a painter and for nine years followed that vocation at New Knoxville. He then rented the farm of forty acres on which he is now living in Noble township and, having married meanwhile, established his home on that place and has ever since been living there. In addition to the general farming operations which he carries on there, Mr. Katterhenry owns an adjaent "forty" and is farming this latter place also, making somewhat of a specialty of the dairy interests he has developed. Mr. Katterhenry is a Republican and has rendered public service as assessor of Washington township, serving one term in that important capacity. He also has served on the local election board and takes a warm interest in local political affairs. On November 3, 1898, Edward F. Katterhenry was united in marriage to Fredericka Schmidt, who was born in Germany and who came to this country with her parents, Rudolph and Sophia Schmidt, when but a child, the family settling in this county. Mr. and Mrs. Katterhenry have a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys. They are members of St. Paul's church at St. Marys and take a proper interest in church affairs, HENRY C. KELLERMEYER, a well known farmer and stockman of St. Marys township, was born on the farm on which he is now living and has lived there all his life. He was born on February 1, 1887, and is a son of Edwin and Minnie (Quellhorst) Kellermeyer, both of whom, also, were born in this county, in the New Bremen neighborhood, members of pioneer families there. Edwin Kellermeyer, who is now living retired at St. Marys, grew up on a farm n this county and after his marriage established his home on the 'arm on which his son Henry is now living, in St. Marys township, starting in there with a tract of forty acres. As his affairs prospered le added to his land holdings until he became the owner of a fine arm of 140 acres, on which he continued to make his home until is retirement in September, 1915, and removal to St. Marys, where Le since has made his home, his son Henry looking after affairs on he farm. Edwin Kellermeyer has been twice married. His first rife (Minnie Quellhorst) died in November, 1892, leaving three children, the subject of this sketch and Fred and Martha. Following he death of the mother of these children, Mr. Kellermeyer married Sarah Lenhart, who was born in the vicinity of Jackson Center, in he neighboring county of Shelby, and to this union have been born three children, Clara, Leon and Alton. Reared on the home farm St, Marys township, Henry C. Kellermeyer received his schooling in the Barrington school and from the days of his boyhood was well trained in the ways of practical farming. Following his marriage at the age of twenty-eight years, in 1915, he established his home on ie home farm, his father retiring at that time, and has since been 340 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY farming the place on a rental basis. This is an excellent farm of 149 acres on rural mail route No. 4 out of St. Marys and since taking charge of operations there Mr. Kellermeyer has done well, He gives considerable attention to the raising of live stock and feeds out around a hundred head of hogs a year. His place is otherwise well stocked and his farm plant is kept up in admirable fashion. Mr. Kellermeyer is a Democrat and he and his wife are members of St. Paul's Reformed church at St. Marys, of which congregation he is one of the deacons. It was on February 18, 1915, that Henry C. Kellermeyer was united in marriage to Sarah Wellman, also a member of one of the old families of Auglaize county, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Irene, born on October 21, 1915, who died on January 7, 1919. Mrs. Kellermeyer was born in Washington township, this county, and was twelve years of age when her parents, Herman and Caroline (Katterheinrich) Wellman, moved from that township into St. Marys township, where they are now living Herman Wellman being the owner of a farm of ninety-two acres in this latter township. To Herman Wellman and wife ten children have been born, all of whom are living save one, a daughter, Elite beth, who died at the age of sixteen years, Mrs. Kellermeyer having four sisters, Ida, Ella, Priscilla and Gertrude, and four brothers, William, Conrad, Ferdinand and Edward Wellman. JOSEPH A. WOEHRMYER, substantial farmer and landowner of Jackson township, now living retired at Minster, where he he made his home for the past ten years, was born in Jackson township on November 8, 1859, and is a son of August and Theresa (Pillage) Woehrmyer, both natives of Germany, whose last days were spell in this county. August Woehrmyer was about twenty-one year: age when he came to this country and located at Cincinnati, where. about eight years he followed his trade as a cooper. He married Cincinnati and not long afterward came up into this part of the and settled at Minster, where he opened a cooper shop. Not afterward he bought a ten-acre tract of land just north of town. the southeast quarter of section 22 of Jackson township, a half mile north of Minster, and there erected a dwelling house and a cooper shop and established his home. For twenty-five or thirty years carried on his cooperage business there, finding a ready outlet : his products in the canal trade. Meantime he had been increasing his landholdings until he became the owner of 200 acres of land, acres of which was in the neighboring county of Shelby, and his last days were spent in directing his extensive agricultural operations. which he was quite successful. To him and his wife were born q. children, the subject of this sketch and his six sisters, Mary.. beth, Anna, Louise, Rose and Kate. Reared on the home place J.. north of town, Joseph A. Woehrmyer received his schooling in: HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 341 Minster schools and as a lad began to work in his father's cooper shop. Presently he found his services more useful in connection with his father's farming operations and he became a practical farmer, He remained with his father until the latter's death, after which he took charge of the home farm and remained there until some little time after his marriage, when he moved to a farm of 165 acres north of town, where he established his home and where he continued actively engaged in farming and stock raising, making a specialty of pure bred Shorthorn cattle, until his retirement from the farm in 1913 and removal to Minster, where he since has resided and where he and his family are very comfortably situated. Mr. Woehrmyer is a Republican of the old school and has been undeviating in his advocacy of the principles of that party, his claim to be the oldest voting Republican in Jackson township being undisputed. When he cast his first vote there were but two other Republican votes cast in that township. He has ever taken an interested part in public affairs and for twelve years served as superintendent of pikes in his home district. He and his family are members of St. Augustine's Catholic church and for eight years he served as a member of the board of trustees of the valuable property held by that parish He also is a member of the St. Augustine Orphans Society and in other ways takes an interest in parish affairs. Joseph A. Woehrmyer married Josephine Fortman and he and his wife have eight children, Amelia, John, Harry, Julius, Catherine, Willard, Corena and Homer, all of whom are married save the two last named. Amelia Woehrmyer married Joseph Thieman and has two children, Burdetta and Dorothy. John Woehrmyer married Julianna Ritter and has four children, Harold, Lester, Junius and Alton. Harry Woethrmyer married Florence Tobie and has three children, Maurice, Violet and Grace. Julius Woehrmyer married Nora Ritter and has three children, Russell, Vera and Earl. Catherin Woehrmyer married Harry Heckman and has two children, Reginald and Robert, and Willard Woehrmyer, who served as a soldier during the time of America's participation in the World war, married Abalonia Bornhorst and has one child, a son, Melvin. It thus will be noted that Mr. and Mrs. Woehrmyer have fifteen grandchildren, in all of whom they take much delight. Mrs. Woehrmyer was born in the neighboring county of Shelby and is a daughter of Anton and Gertrude (Gerwells) Fortman, the latter of whom was born in Auglaize county, a member of one of the pioneer families here. The late Anton Fortman, who was a substantial farmer in Shelby county, was born in Germany and was under his minority when he came to this country and made his way out to Ohio, locating at Minster, where for some time he was employed on the state boat in the canal service. After his marriage here he took up farming and established his home in 342 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Shelby county, where he became the owner of an excellent farm of 120 acres and where his last days were spent. To him and his wife were born four children, Mrs. Woehrmyer having two sisters, Mary and Anna, and a brother, John Fortman. HENRY ELLERMAN, proprietor of an excellent farm in the western part of German township (in section 7 of that townshp about two miles and a half west of New Bremen, and long regarded as one of the most substantial farmers of that neighborhood, ma born in German township and has lived there all his life, a period of nearly eighty years. He thus has been a witness to and a participant in the amazing development that has taken place thereabout the pioneer period, for he was there even before Auglaize co had acquired a separate civic identity, when he was born, Gerr township having been included within the confines of Mercer county, Mr. Ellerman was born on April 21, 1843, and is a son of Gerhart Henry and Anna Marie Ellerman, both natives of Germany, who were among the pioneers of German township. Gerhart Henry Ellerman came to this country in the days of his young manhood, about 1832, and for some time thereafter prospected around in Indiana and Illinois. He then came over into Ohio and put in his lot with that of the considerable settlement that had been effected in the New Bremen neighborhood prior to the coming of the canal and when work on the canal was begun was for some time engaged in the labors incident to that undertaking. With the money earned by his labor on the canal he bought a small farm out west of New Bremen in German township and there established his home, continuing to live there the remainder of his life, one of the useful and influential pioneers of that neighborhood. He was a good farmer and as he cleared and developed his land continued to add to his holdings until he became the owner of 200 acres. He and his wife were the parents of four children, two of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Chris Ellerman. Reared on the pioneer farm in German township, Henry Ellerman received such schooling as the somewhat primitive schools of that time and place afforded and from the days of his boyhood was well trained in the ways of practical farming. Upon his marriage his father presented him with a tract of eighty-nine acres of uncleared timber land in the northeast quarter of section 7 of his home township, where he established his home and ever since has resided. He cleared and drained that place, made a good farm out of it and by subsequent purchase added to his holdings until now he is the owner of a fine farm 217 acres, all in one body, and has long had one of the model farm plants in that part of the county. Mr. Ellerman has two sets of buildings on his place and everything is "shipshape." Of recent years he has, of course, been living somewhat retired from the more active HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 343 labors of the farm, but continues to keep a close supervisory eye over the operations of the farm and keeps right up-to-date on changing and improved methods of agriculture. The Ellermans have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 1, out of New Bremen and are quite comfortably situated. Henry Ellerman married Anna Mary Althoff, also a member of one of the pioneer families of this county, a daughter of Henry and Mary (Kramer) Althoff, of whom further mention is made elsewhere in this volume, and to this union four children have been born, Elizabeth, John, William and Mary, twQ of whom, Elizabeth and William, are married. William Ellerman married Emma Hardwig and Elizabeth Ellerman married William Schelper, The Ellermans are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church at New Bremen and Henry Ellerman has served the congregation of that church as president of the board of trustees of the church and as a deacon of the church. He is a Democrat and has rendered public service as road supervisor in his district and for six years was director of the school in his district. Mr. Ellerman has seen some amazing changes in manners and methods hereabout since the days of his boyhood and has many interesting stories to tell regarding incidents of pioneer days and of the picturesque scenes incident to the coming and going of canal traffic. He has developed his farm from a woodland swamp to a magnificent expanse of well tilled fields and rightly feels that he has done well. GEORGE KAECK, who died at his home southwest of Freyburg four years ago at the age of seventy-six years, was born on the farm on which his last days were spent and had lived there all his life, one of the best known men in that community. Mr. Kaeck was born on October 25, 1842, almost six years before the formal organization of Auglaize county, and was a son of John and Elizabeth (Rohrbacher) Kaeck, pioneers of the Freyburg neighborhood, who had settled there in section 22 of Pusheta township not long after the lands had been opened to settlement following the departure of the Indians from this region in 1832. George Kaeck was reared on that pioneer farm, becoming a practical farmer, and after his marriage established his home there. Upon his father's death he acquired the home farm, an excellent tract of 100 acres, and continued to make his home there, engaged in farming the remainder of his life, his death occurring on December 11, 1918, and his widow survives him, continuing to make her home on the place, now operated in her behalf by her son, George Kaeck, Jr. It was on November 9, 1865, that the senior George Kaeck, then twenty-three years of age, was united in marriage to Sophia Siebold, and to that union were born eleven children, all of whom are living save two (Elizabeth and Louis), the others being Eliza, Franie, Rosa, Anna, Carrie, Lucinda, Chris, George and John, all of whom received their schooling in the Mentz school (dis- 344 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY trict No. 4) at the cross roads in the southeast corner of section 16, just east of the west branch of Pusheta creek. The mother of these children, Sophia (Siebold) Kaeck, is a daughter of Adam and Franie (Ziegenbush) Siebold, natives of Germany, who came with their family to America in 1854 and located at Ft. Wayne, Ind., where they established their home and spent the remainder of their lives. The junior George Kaeck, who is now farming the home place in his mother's behalf, finished his schooling in the Mentz school and when eighteen years of age began to make a full "hand" on the farm, He continued until 1909, when he began working in the blacksmith shop of his brother, Chris Kaeck, at Freyburg, and was thus engaged until 1914, when he returned to the farm and about one year later took over the management of the same an account of his father's sickness. and has been thus engaged since that time, carrying on his operations in up-to-date fashion, sharing in the profits of the farm, Mr. Kaeck is a member of the Swabian Society of Wapakoneta. In his political allegiance he holds to the Democratic party. The Kaecks are members of the German Lutheran church at Wapakoneta, The family is pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 8, out of Wapakoneta. WILLIAM DUHME, postmaster and merchant at New Kroxville, and for years one of the leading citizens of that well-ordered village, is a European by birth, but has been a resident of this try and of Auglaize county since he was five years of age. Mr. Duhme was born on July 4, 1868, near the city of Osnabruck, the chief town of the territory of that name in the former kingdom of Hanover and the third commercial city of Hanover (incorporated with Prussia in 1866) , and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Kuhl. man) Duhme, also Hanoverians, who in 1873 came with their family to this country and proceeded on out into Ohio and settled at New Knoxville, where they established their home and spent the remainder of their lives. Henry Duhme and his wife were the parents of four children, of whom two are living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Elizabeth. Having been but a child when he came to this county with his parents in 1873, William Duhme grew up at New Knoxville and his schooling was received in the schools of that village. For several years as a young man he was employed in the plant of the Walnut Grove creamery and then took employment as a clerk in the general store of Herman Kuhlman at New Knoxville where he acquired the taste for mercantile pursuits which ever she has kept him engaged along that line. Not long after becoming ern• ployed in the Kuhlman store Mr. Duhme decided to engage in business on his own account, and with this end in view opened a store at New Knoxville, and has ever since been thus engaged, one of the veteran merchants of the town. He carries a general line of mer- HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 345 chandise adapted to the needs of his trade area, this including groceries, queensware, hardware, paints and the like, and also manages the local buying station of the White Mountain Creamery Company. On November 26, 1897, William McKinley then being President of the United States, Mr. Duhme was commissioned postmaster of New Knoxville, and he ever since has held that responsible position, his tenure of office thus covering a period of more than twenty-five years, which is certainly a notable record. Mr. Duhme has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs and has rendered further public service as a member of the New Knoxville town council and as a member of the school board. He and his family are members of the German Reformed church. William Duhme has been twice married. His first wife, Wilhelmina Lutterbein, a daughter of Henry Lutterbein, and a member of one of the old families of the New Knoxville settlement, died leaving three children, Raymond, Edna and Bertha. Mr. Duhme later married Lena Hinzie, and to this latter union one child has been born, a daughter, Edith. Bertha hme married August Prueter and has three children, Earl, Naomi and Paul. WILLIAM SCHOWE, proprietor of what might be regarded as “an ideal forty-acre farm" southwest of New Bremen in German township and recognized as one of the most progressive "intensive" farmers in that neighborhood, was born on that farm on April 18, 1882, and is a son of August and Rosena (Donneberg) Schowe, both of whom also were born in German township, members of pioneer families there. August Schowe, who is now living retired at New Bremen, is a son of William Schowe and wife, natives of Germany, who came to this country and settled in the New Bremen neighborhood in pioneer days, establishing their home on the farm on which their grandson, William Schowe, is now living, where they spent the remainder of their lives, earnest pioneers of that section. On that farm August Showe grew to manhood and after his marriage remaied there, presently coming into possession of the place, until his retirement and removal to New Bremen, where he is now living. To him and his wife were born two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Anna. Reared on the home farm, William Schowe received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and from the days of his boyhood was a helpful factor in the labors of developing and improving the home place. After his marriage he rented the !arm from his father and continued to make his home there. He presently bought the place and since then has done much to improve and develop it, having now an admirable farm plant. Mr. Schowe rives considerable attention to the raising of pure bred hogs, feeds he grain he raises, and is doing well. William Schowe married Fredonia Brandt, daughter of William Brandt, and to this union 346 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY two children have been born, William and Wilma, both of whom are in school. The Schowes have a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 1 out of Minster. Mr. and Mrs. Schowe are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church at New Bremen and are Democrats, Mr. Schowe formerly was a deacon in the church. He has long given his earnest attention to local political affairs and is now a member of the county Democratic central committee. HERMAN KATTERHEINRICH, one of the best known farmers of Auglaize county and the proprietor of a well kept place in the New Knoxville neighborhood in Washington township, was born iin that township and has lived there all his life, a period of more than seventy years. Mr. Katterheinrich was born on a pioneer farm just east of New Knoxville on July 12, 1850, and is a son of William and Christina (Bierbaum) Katterheinrich, natives of Germany, who were married in their home country and shortly afterward came to America and proceeded on out here into western Ohio and became pioneers of the New Knoxville neighborhood, thus having been resident there when Auglaize county was erected in 1848. William Katterheinrich was a maker of wooden shoes in his native land, but when he came here his thoughts turned to land and he became a farmer, establishing his home on an uncleared tract of eighty acres just east of New Knoxville, the east half of the northeast quarter of section 29 of Washington township, which then was included within the confines of Allen county, a mile southwest of the west corner of the old Wapakoneta Indian reservation line. He built a cabin on that place and settled down to clear it and make a farm out of it, meantime occupying such leisure as came to him in making wooden shoes for such of the old-country folk thereabout as still clung to the custom of wearing pattens—and it is recalled that for years during the settlement period in that section of the count many continued to wear wooden shoes. William Katterheinrich eventually made a good farm out of his place and took in more land as his affairs prospered so that he came to be recognized as one of. the substantial and influential men of that community, and on that place he and his wife spent their last days. They were the parents of five children, two of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Fredericka. Reared on the home farm east of New Knoxville, Herman Katterheinrich received his schooling in the village schools and from the days of his boyhood has been devoted to farming, this excepting a period of some years during the days of his young manhood when he was employed as a carpenter. After his marriage he lived on a farm in Moulton township for about four years then settled down on a farm of fifty acres which he had bought before marriage and has since resided there, a period of more than forty-five years. Not a foot of this land had been cleared HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 347 improved when Mr. Katterheinrich established his home there, and the task of clearing and developing the place thus fell to him, but was not long until he had a productive farm and in all the years ie he has maintained the improvements until now he has an excellent farm plant. In addition to this place he owns a tract of seven. n acres in another part of the township. Mr. Katterheinrich is Republican and for five years served his district as supervisor of highways. He and his wife are members of the Reformed church at New Knoxville and have ever taken an active interest in the affairs of that congregation. Herman Katterheinrich married Sophia Schroer, a daughter of Herman and Sophia (Weirwille) Schroer, also members of pioneer families in this county and further reference to which families is made elsewhere in this volume, and to this union have been born six children, Anna (deceased), Flora, George H, (deceased), Matilda and Otto (deceased). Flora Katterhienrich married Chris Schroer and has had five children, Alvin, Olga, Francis, Lawrence, Marion and Elmer (deceased). The late George H, Katterheinrich, who died in January, 1922, while serving as treasurer of Auglaize county, had married Ida Schultz and was the father of two children, Harold and Marcella. The Katterheinrich home is pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 1 out of St. Marys. Mr. Katterheinrich has been a witness to the development of that section of the county since pioneer days and in that development has ever taken a useful part. HERMAN J. SCHULTZ, one of the progressive and energetic farmers of Washington township and proprietor of a well kept place on rural mail route No. 2 out of Wapakoneta, has been a resident of this country less than twenty years, but during that time has become a thoroughgoing citizen of this country of his adoption and self-determination. Mr. Schultz was born in southeastern Germany on October 30, 1881, and is a son of John and Henrietta (Jakel) Schultz, both of whom also were born in that country, where their lives were spent, and the former of whom was a stonemason by trade. John Schultz and his wife were the parents of six children, of whom two are still living, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Gustav. Reared in his native land, Herman J. Schultz remained there until he was in his twenty-fifth year when, in 1905, he came to America, landing at the port of New York, and proceeded immediately out here into western Ohio and located in Auglaize county. Upon his arrival here he secured employment as a farm hand in Washington township and was thus engaged there until his marriage two or three years later, when he began farming for himself on the farm on which he is now living and where he and his family are very comfortably situated. Mr. Schultz has a well improved farm of ninety acres and is doing well in his operations. Since taking possession of 348 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY this place he has made numerous improvements on the place and has a well equipped farm plant, this equipment including an individual electric light plant. It was on January 23, 1908, that Herman J. Schultz was united in marriage to Emma Aufderhart, who was born in Washington township, daughter of William and Mary (Bruney) Aufderhart, and to this union have been born five children, four of whom, Walter, Herta, Marta and Elmer, are living. Walter Schultz is now a student in Cleardale school and the other children are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Schultz are members of the Reformed church at New Knoxville. They have a pleasant home and take a pr part in the general social activities of the community in which live. In his political views Mr. Schultz is an "independent," HENRY W. EVERSMAN, of New Knoxville, former manager of the plant of the Auglaize Tile Company of that place, formerly engaged in the retail meat business there and a substantial landowner of this county and former farmer, now living practically retired, is a "Buckeye" by birth and has lived in this state all his life. Mr. Eversman was born on a farm in Van Buren township, in the neighboring county of Shelby, December 24, 1866, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Wierwille) Eversman, both of whom were born in Germany and had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their youth, the latter having been about fifteen years of age when she came here, a member of the well known Wierwille family, among the pioneers of the New Knoxville neighborhood. William Eversman was five years of age when he came here with his parents, Frederick Eversman and wife, the family settling on an uncleared woodland farm in Van Buren township, south of New Knoxville, in Shelby county. There he grew to manhood and it was in that same neighborhood that after his marriage he established his home on a farm, ninety acres of the old home place and on that place he continued to make his home until his retirement and removal to New Knoxville, where his last days were spent. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, seven of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Anna and Elizabeth, and four brothers, Benjamin, Louis, Ernest and Herman. Reared on the home farm in Van Buren township, Henry W, Eversman received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and continued farming with his father until the time of his marriage, when he rented the place from his father and started in farming on his own accountt Four years later he moved up into Auglaize county and rented a sixty-acre farm in Washington township and there established his home. Six years later he bought that farm and continued to farm the place until in 1908, when he became one of the organizers of the Auglaize Tile Company of New Knoxville, was made manager of that concern and moved to the village. For four years, Mr. Eversman continued HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 349   engaged in the tile business and then he sold his interest in the company and bought the local meat market, which in association with his elder son he continued to operate until he sold his interest in 1917. It was in that year that he erected his present attractive and modern dwelling house at New Knoxville and he has since been living there practically retired from the active labors of life, though giving a good deal of personal attention to his old home farm, and is in a position to "take things easy," as the saying goes. Henry W. Eversman married Caroline Lutterbeck, daughter of W. H. and Elizabeth Lutterbeck of New Knoxville, and to this union five children have been born, three of whom are living, namely : Ferd, now living at Madison, S. D., who married Zella Fledderjohann and has one child, a daughter, Jeannette ; Julius, who married Selma Kuhlman and is now living at Lima, and Sylvanus Eversman, now deputy county treasurer of Auglaize county. Mr. and Mrs. Eversman are Republicans and are members of the Reformed church of New Knoxville, the congregation of which Mr. Eversman now is serving as a trustee, a member of the committee engaged in the remodeling of the church and as a member of the church council.   IRA BARBER, one of Salem township's well known and substantial farmers and landowners and proprietor of an excellent farm in the southwestern part of the township, where he has become well established as a successful agriculturist, was born on that place, a part of the old Barber farm, and has resided there all his life. Mr. Barber was born on August 26, 1871, and is a son of Austin and Elizabeth (Hamilton) Barber, who in their generation were among the best known residents of that section of the county and of whom further mention is made elsewhere in this volume. Austin Barber was a Kentuckian by birth, but as a young man came up into Ohio and after his marriage established his home on a farm in the vicinity of Mendon, in the neighboring county of Mercer, where he made his home until in 1858, when he came over into Auglaize county and bought a tract of 320 acres, the southwest quarter of section 32 and the northwest quarter of section 5 of Salem township, and on this place settled down to the stern task of clearing and making a farm, eventually getting 200 acres of the place cleared and under cultivation, and there he spent his last days, his death occurring in 1898, He and his wife were the parents of eight children, of whom five are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Dora, and three brothers, Abram, Arthur and Walter Barber. Reared on the home farm in Salem township, Ira Barber received his schooling in the Barber school, so named because it stood at the cross roads intersecting his father's farm, and was from the days of his boyhood helpful in the difficult task of clearing and making a farm. He married when twenty-one years of age and settled down on an   350 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   "eighty" of the home place, which he bought, and has since made his home there, he and his family being very comfortably situated. To this eighty he later added by purchase an adjacent tract of forty acres, also a part of the old home place, and thus now has a fine farm of 120 acres, which he has improved in admirable fashion and on which he is carrying on his operations in accordance with modern methods and is doing well. It was on February 23, 1893, that Ira Barber was united in marriage to Mildred A. Hawkins, who was born in the neighboring county of Mercer, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Leah Marie, who married Joseph Murlin, of Mercer county. The Barbers have a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys. Mr. and Mrs, Barber are Republicans and are members of the Fairview Presbyterian church, of the congregation of which Mr. Barber has been an elder for the past twenty years.   WILLIAM MONTAGUE, a substantial farmer and landowner of Auglaize county, who died at his home in Noble township in the fall of 1916, and whose widow is still living there, had been a resident of this county for more than three score years and at his passing left a good memory. Mr. Montague was born in Fairfield count; Ohio, March 1, 1850, and was two years of age when his parents. Anderson and Ellen (Sullivan) Montague, came to Auglaize count; and established their home on a farm along the canal in the east half of the southwest quarter of section 12 of Noble township, becoming useful and influential pioneers of that section of the county, that pioneer farm William Montague grew to manhood. He recei his schooling in the somewhat primitive schools of that time place and early became employed as a boatman on the canal, a von. tion he followed for twelve years, or until after his marriage, w he rented a farm and entered upon his career as a farmer, twenty years he farmed as a renter, and then he bought the farm seventy-five acres on which his widow is now living in Noble township, and on this latter place spent the remainder of his life, activ engaged in farming, his death occurring on September 1, 1916, then being in the sixty-seventh year of his age. Mr. Montague was a Democrat, as is his widow, and had ever taken an interested part in local civic affairs, but had not been a seeker after public offie, It was in 1877 that William Montague was united in marriage to Mary Kelly, who was born in the neighboring county of Logan, and who was but two years of age when she came to Auglaize county with her parents, the Kelly family locating on a farm in Moulton town. ship, where she grew to womanhood and where she was married. To that union were born four children, Bert, Sarepta, Charles and Ralph, all of whom are married and have children of their own, Mrs. Montague having eight grandchildren, in all of whom she take   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 351   much pride and delight. Bert Montague married Edna Brewer and has one child, Algie. Sarepta Montague married Alva Crolius and has two children, Gladys and Carl. Charles Montague married Flora Hertenstein and has three children, Gerald, Bernard and Elston, and Ralph Montague married Lena Hertenstein and has two children, Mary and Irene. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Montague has continued to make her home on the farm, the management of which remains in her capable hands. She has a pleasant ion on rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys and is quite comfortably situated. Mr. Montague was a member of the Walnut Grove Methodist Episcopal church, and his widow is a Catholic.   WALTER B. SCOTT, a well-known general contractor at Wapakoneta, who formerly and for years also was well known as a school :e Chr in this county, was born on a farm in Logan township, this county, April 10, 1864, and is a son of Walter W. and Sarah Jane Bryan) Scott, the latter of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of the pioneer families here. The late Walter W. Scott, whose last days were spent at Wapakoneta, was a Pennsylvanian by birth. He was reared in the old Keystone state and remained there until he had reached manhood's estate, when he came lo Ohio and located in Auglaize county. He presently bought a small northwest of Buckland, in Logan township, and after his marriage established his home there. On that farm he lived until after death of his wife, when he retired from the farm and moved to apakoneta, where he spent the remainder of his life. To him and wife were born seven children, four of whom are still living. alter B. Scott was reared on that farm in the Buckland neighbor, id and his schooling was completed in a private school at Cold-ter, in the normal school at Ft. Recovery, and in the state normal school at Ada, these several courses being taken in preparation to Ching, and for seven or eight years he was engaged as a teacher the schools of this county and Mercer county. During the height the oil "boom" Mr. Scott became connected with the work of development that for so long was one of the most interesting fields such development, over in the Montpelier (Ind.) oil field, and in the peak of that development began to decline became engaged the carpenter contracting line at Wapakoneta, and has since been thus engaged, a general contractor, and has long been firmly established in the industrial life of that city and of the community at large, one of the best known contractors hereabout. Mr. Scott is a Republican and is a member of the local tent of the Knights of the Maccabees. In 1891 Walter B. Scott was united in marriage to Emma Yaney, daughter of William and Ann (VanGardon) Yaney, of Mercer county, and to this union two children have been born, daughters both, Mrs. May Aukerman, wife of L. E. Aukerman, who   352 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   has one child, Harold Scott Aukerman, and Mrs. Pauline widow of Harry Coffman, who has one child, Chalmer, Mr. and Mrs. Scott have a pleasant home at 16 Glynwood street, Wapakoneta   WILLIAM H. HABERKAMP, a former trustee of Washington township, present ditch supervisor for that township and one , best known and most substantial farmers and landowners c: township, now living retired on his well kept place on Center just northeast of New Knoxville, was born in a log cabin o' place and has long been the owner of the place, the third in line of the Haberkamps who have lived on that land, beg with the original entry from the Government made by his g father, William Haberkamp, back in the days of the settlement of these lands when this section, of what is now Auglaize comet: included in Allen county. Mr. Haberkamp was born on Sep, 20, 1856, and is a son of Herman H. and Sophia (Peterjohann) Haberkamp, natives of Germany; who had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their youth and had grown up in the New Knoxville neighborhood, where the Haberkamps a' Peterjohanns had settled upon their arrival here back in days. Herman H. Haberkamp, a son of William Haberkamp, the pioneer above mentioned, grew to manhood on the woodland his father had entered from the Government there in sect . less than a mile northeast of New Knoxville, and after his marriage established his home there and presently became the owner place, a fine farm of 160 acres, on which he spent his last days and his wife were the parents of six children, four of are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, and Christina, and a brother, August Haberkamp. Reared old ,home farm, where he is now living, William H. Hatt. received his schooling in the nearby New Knoxville schools and when a young man learned the carpenter trade, a vocation which he lowed for about eight years, or until his marriage, when he bought a farm of eighty acres down over the line in Shelby county and for three years made his home there. He then, in 1884, sold that place and returned to Auglaize county, buying the old home place 160 acres, just northeast of New Knoxville, and has since lived there. Since taking possession of this place, Mr. Haberkamp has made numerous and extensive improvements on the place and now has an admirable farm plant. Some time ago, for the convenience of one of his neighbors, he sold off a small tract of this place and now has 146 acres. In addition to his general farming he has long made considerable of a specialty of breeding pure bred Duroc Jersey hogs and in his operations has done well. Mr. Haberkamp is a Republican and has long been looked upon as one of the leaders in civic affairs in his home township. He has served as a member   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 353   of the board of trustees for Washington township and is now serving as supervisor of ditches in that township. He was one of the organizers of the New Knoxville Telephone Company. He and his family are members of the First Reformed church at New Knoxville and he has served the congregation of that church as a trustee and as a deacon. It was in 1882 that William H. Haberkamp was united in marriage to Magdalena Lammers, also a member of one of the old families of Washington township, and to this union nine children were born, Of these, seven are living—Herman, Alvina, Sarah, Benjamin, Henry, Ella and Julius, all of whom are married save the latter. Herman Haberkamp married Amanda Wierwille and has five children, Wilfred, Earl, Vernon, Margaret and Paul. Alvina Kampkamp married Herman Henchen and has three children, Leonard, Elmer and Reuben. Sarah Haberkamp married George Katterheinrich and has three children, Alfred, Willis and Rachel. Benjamin Haberkamp married Bertha Wierwille. The Rev. Henry Haberkamp married Elizabeth Holtkamp and has two children, Elizabeth and Lena Louise, and Ella Haberkamp married Julius Holtkamp. Mrs, Magdalena Haberkamp, who died on November 24, 1922, at the age of sixty-one years, seven months and eleven days, was born on a farm in the southwest quarter of section 28 of Washington township, on the Shelby county line, about a mile southeast of New Knoxville, and was a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Wierwille) Lammers, both natives of Germany, who had come to this country wtih their respective parents in the days of their youth and had grown up and were married in this county, of which the Lammers and the Wierwilles were early settlers. Henry Lammers was the owner of an excellent farm of 120 acres and he and his wife were the parents of eight children, all of whom are living, save to, Mrs, Haberkamp being survived by three sisters, Sophia, Fredericka and Anna, and three brothers, Herman, Ernest and Louis Lammers. The Haberkamp home is very pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 4 out of St. Marys.   WILLIAM G. BLANK, one of the well-known farmers of Union township, proprietor of a well-kept farm in section 1 of that township, is a member of one of the pioneer families of this county, his grandfather, John Blank, having been one of the early settlers in the Unioopolis neighborhood. John Blank, the pioneer, died many years ago. One of his sons, Josiah Blank, grew up there at Uniopolis and married Olive Focht, also a member of one of the pioneer families of the Uniopolis neighborhood. Josiah Blank became engaged in merchandising, owner of a store at Paulding Center, and was thus engaged at the time of his death in 1876, leaving his widow with four children, three sons, William G., John A. and Edwin, and a daughter, Rachel, now deceased. William G. Blank was born at (22)   354 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   Paulding Center on April 14, 1875, and was thus but a babe when his father died. His mother married again and he thus grew his stepfather's farm, becoming well trained in the ways of farming a vocation he ever has followed, now the owner of a well-improved farm of eighty-one acres, besides which he is farming an adjioning "forty" which belongs to his father-in-law. In addition to eral farming, Mr. Blank gives considerable attention to the of live stock and is doing well. On November 7, 1908, Blank was united in marriage to Nancy Ella Harrod, who w in this county, daughter of Felix and Nancy (Ferguson) and to this union have been born five children, Mary, Minor, Harold and Harry. The Blanks have a pleasant home on ru route No. 9 out of Lima. Mr. and Mrs. Blank are Repub Their three eldest children are attending school at Waynesfield,   FREDRICK KANTNER, a well known bachelor fanner c: Pusheta township, living on the old Kantner place west of Quake Run, about midway between Wapakoneta and Freyburg, was born on that place and has lived there all his life, a period of fifty-five years and more. Mr. Kantner was born on May 27, 1867, and is a son of William and Parmelia (Schuler) Kantner, the latter of was born in Licking county, this state, and was about ten ye: age when she came to this county with her parents, the Schuler family settling in Pusheta township, where she grew to worn.. and was married. The late William Kantner, a veteran of the Civil war, was born in Pusheta township, in the neighborhood of his last days were spent, his parents, George and Leah (Oswalt) Kantner, having been among the pioneers of that section of the county, the Kantners having entered their land there in sect of Pusheta township in 1832, the year in which the Indians left country. William Kantner grew up to the life of the pioneer and was living there when the Civil war broke out. On October 15, 1864, he enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and went to the front with Company I of the 33d regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served until his hoe discharge on July 12, 1865, the war then being over. Up completion of his military service, Mr. Kantner returned to the farm, and following his marriage not long afterward established himself on the farm where his son, Fredrick, is now living. and there spent the remainder of his life, an energetic and sue farmer. He died on that place on December 22, 1906, and his survived him for nearly fifteen years, her death occurring December 16, 1921. They were the parents of two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Libbie, who on July 12, 1921, was married to Joseph Goedde, who was born and reared in St. Louis, Mo. Fredrick Kantner was reared on the old home farm and re-   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE, COUNTY - 355   ceived his schooling in the old Kelly school house (district No. 5), in the southwest corner of section 3. From the days of his boyhood was attentive to the affairs of the farm, and as he grew to manhood, he remained on the home place, farming with his father, and since the latterls death has been in charge, carrying on in his mother's behalf until her death, and now representing also his sister's interest in the place, both co-operating in the management of the farm, which is well improved and profitably cultivated, the family having a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 5 out of Wapakoneta. Mr. Kantner and his sister are members of the English Lutheran church at Wapakoneta and are Republicans. It is narrated that when George Kantner, the pioneer, and his family settled there in section 3 of Pusheta township, on lands that had been occupied by followers of the Indian chief, Pusheta, there still were several of the old Indian cabins standing on the place, and that in these were several barrels maple sugar that had been made by the aboriginals and which was in a good state of preservation. George Kantner was but forty-five years of age when he died, leaving his wife and nine children. His widow remained on the farm and kept her family together, remaining there until in old age, when she moved to Wapakoneta, where her last days were spent.   GUSTAVE BERTKE, a widely known thresherman and a substantial farmer and landowner of German township, proprietor of a well-improved farm on rural mail route No. 1 out of New Bremen, was born in German township on July 17, 1876, and is a son of Rudolph and Caroline (Bokemann) Bertke, both of whom were born in Germany. The late Rudolph Bertke, formerly one of the substantial landowners of German township and also owner of lands over in Mercer county, came to this country in the days of his young manhood with nothing but a stout heart and willing hands to give him a start in the land in which he had elected to make his home. He located in the New Bremen neighborhood and there began working as a farm hand. After his marriage he bought a farm in the northwestern corner of German township (section 6) and there , blished his home. He was a good farmer and as his affairs prospered he added to his holdings until he became the owner of 220 acres of land, including a farm over in the adjoining county of Mercer. and on this farm spent his last days. He and his wife were the parents of twelve children, six of whom are still living, the subject this sketch having two sisters, Louise and Ella, and three brothers, 'Henry, Fred and Edward Bertke. Reared on the home farm in section 6 of German township, Gustave Bertke received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and from the days of his boyhood was well fined in the ways of practical farming. After his marriage he rented a farm over in Mercer county and there made his home until   356 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   he bought his present farm of ninety-five acres in German township where he has since resided and where he and his family are very comfortably situated. Since taking possession of that farm Mr. Bertke has made extensive improvements on the place and now has a well-equipped farm plant. In addition to his general farming, he has for the past seventeen years operated a threshing rig throughout his district, and also runs a clover huller and a corn shredder for the convenience of his neighboring farmer friends. Gustave Bertke married Ida Kuenning, who was born in St. Marys township daughter of Fred and Anna (Wissmann) Kuenning, member of old families there, and to this union have been born five children, Leta, Lorma, Roy, Verne and Lilas. The Bertkes are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church at New Bremen, and Mr. Bertke formerly was a deacon in the church. He is a Republican and for eight years served as school director in his district.   IVAN RAUDABAUGH, general foreman of the plant of the St. Marys Wheel and Spoke Works Company of St. Marys, and for years one of the best known factors in the industrial life of that city, is a native "Buckeye" and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of St. Marys since he was ten years of age. Mr. Raudabaugh was born in the neighboring county of Mercer on June 1, 1880, and is a son of Samuel J. and Hallie (Van Kirk) Raudabaugh, who have been residents of St. Marys for the past thirty years and more, Samuel J. Raudabaugh was born in Pennsylvania and was but a lad when he came to Ohio with his parents, the family settling in Van Wert county, where he grew to manhood. He "grew up" to the timber business during the days when "timber was king' in northwestern Ohio, and was thus engaged in Van Wert and Mercer county until 1890, when he made his home at St. Marys, where he is now engaged as a timber buyer for the Crane & MacMahon concer, (wheel works) . To him and his wife four children have been born, two of whom—Harry M. and Orlando—are deceased, the survivors being the subject of this sketch and his brother, Clarence Raudabaugh. Ivan Raudabaugh was ten years of age when his parents moved from Mercer county to St. Marys, and he grew to manhood at, St. Marys, receiving his schooling in the schools of that city. He married at the age of nineteen, being then employed in the plant of the wheel and spoke works, and has ever since been in the employ of that concern, during this period of nearly twenty-five years having become familiar with all departments of the great plant’s operations. In 1912 Mr. Raudabaugh was made general foreman of the plant and employment manager of the concern, and has since occupied that position, which naturally carries with it considerable responsibility. Mr. Raudabaugh is a Republican, a member of the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias and of the Woodmen of the   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 357   World, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Ivan Raudabaugh has been twice married. In 1899 he united in marriage to Louetta Heusch, of St. Marys, who died on April 3, 1901, leaving one child, a son, Samuel F. On September 4, 1902, Mr. Raudabaugh married Ida Goodapple, who was born in Ripley county, Indiana, daughter of John and Mary Goodapple, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Sarah, born in 1917. Samuel F. Raudabaugh married Louise Clark, of Chicago, and has one child.   FLOYD L. HARDEN, one of the well-known farmers of the upper part of Union township and a substantial landowner in that part of the county, is a member of one of the real pioneer families of this county, the Hardens having been represented here for nearly ninety years, or thirteen years before Auglaize county was organized. Mr. Harden was born in a house in the immediate vicinity of the place on which he is nOW living on December 16, 1861, and is a son of Noah and Mary (Lusk) Harden, the latter of whom also was a member of one of the first families in Union township. The late Noah Harden was born in Knox county, this state, and was but three years of age when he came to this part of Ohio with his parents, John and Catherine Harden, the family settling on a woodland tract there along the creeks in section 10 of Union township. John Harden, the pioneer, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and after his marriage had settled on a farm in Knox county, Ohio. When the new lands up here at the headwaters of the Auglaize were opened for settlement following the departure of the Indians, he became attracted to the possibilities of settlement here and entered a considerable tract of land in section 10 of Union township, in what then was Allen county. That was in 1835. He moved his family here and established his home on that place, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1845, he then having become the owner of several hundreds of acres of land in that vicinity. John Harden had eight children, and the Harden connection thus became a considerable one hereabout. The site of John Harden's grave became the nucleus for the establishment of the Fairmount cemetery, his body having been the first buried there. Noah Harden grew to manhood on that pioneer farm, and out of the estate left by his father received eighty acres, on which he established his home after his marriage, later increasing this tract by the purchase of an adjoining tract of thirty-six acres, and on this farm of 116 acres carried on his operations until his death in 1912, he then being right around eighty years of age. Noah Harden was twice married. By his union with Mary Lusk he had two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Anna. Mark Harden, a half-brother of these; died at the age of twenty years. Reared on the home farm in Union   358 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   township, Floyd L. Harden received his schooling in the neigborhood school (district No. 2, known as the Harden school), and from the days of his boyhood has been attentive to farming. He continued farming in association with his father until his marriage at the of twenty-six years, when he bought a farm of eighty acres in Wayne township, and there made his home for five years, at the end of w time he sold that farm and bought sixty acres of the old home in Union township, where he since has made his home and he and his family are very comfortably situated. Since taking possession of this place, Mr. Harden not only has made numerous substantial improvements in the way of modern equipment, but increased his land holdings there until now he is the owner of a fine farm of 260 acres. It was on September 26, 1888, that Floyd L. Harden was united in marriage to Rebecca Jane Myers, who was born in the neighboring township of Wayne, daughter of George and Lydia (Williams) Myers, and to this union four children been born, two sons and two daughters, Lehr, Foster F., Sarah Normal and Adena, all of whom are married. Lehr Harden married Alice Seiler and has one child, a daughter, Helen. Foster F. Harden married Audrey Lutz and has three children, Floyd P., Caroline and Kenneth E. Sarah Normal Harden married Rudolph Yoder and has two children, Floyd and Byron E., and Adena Hardee married John Fox and has one child, a son, Earl. Mr. and Mrs. Hardin are members of the Church of God at Waynesfield and are Democrats. The Harden home is pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 1 out of Uniopolis and has a well-established reputation for hospitality.   HENRY C. VALENTINE, a well-known farmer and landowner of Washington township, proprietor of a well-kept farm on rural mail route No. 3 out of St. Marys, is a native "Buckeye" and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of Auglaize county since he was six years of age. Mr. Valentine was born on a farm in Pickaway county on June 7, 1864, and is a son of Andrew and Ellen (Metzger) Valentine, both of whom were born in that same county, members of pioneer families there, and who later became residents of Auglaize county. It was in 1870 that Andrew Valentine disposed of his interests in Pickaway county and came up here into Auglaize county and bought a farm of fifty-four acres in Washington township, where he established his home and where his death occurred four years later, in 1874. His widow long survived him. They were the parents of five children, three of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch and his two sisters, Phoebe and Elizabeth. As has been noted, Henry C. Valentine was but six years of age when he came here with his parents in 1870, and he was ten years of age when his father died, he thus early having been thrown pretty largely   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 359   on his own resources in the matter of a livelihood. He received his schooling in the schools of Washington township, and from the days of his boyhood was attentive to the affairs of the home farm, a helpful factor in improving and developing the same in his mother's behalf. After his marriage he began farming on his own account, renting a "forty" in his home township, and for three years made his home on that place. He then rented a farm of eighty acres in Pusheta township and there lived for eighteen years, at the end of which time he bought his present farm of sixty-eight acres in Washinton township and has since made his home on this latter place, he and his family being quite comfortably situated. Since taking possession of this place Mr. Valentine has made numerous improvements and has a well-equipped farm plant. He gives considerable attention to the raising of live stock and is doing well. Henry C. Valentine married Callie E. Bambauer, daughter of Henry Bambauer, of this county, and to this union have been born five children, Elmer, Harry, Wilson, Lillie and Lucile, three of whom are married. Elmer Valentine married Mary Campbell and has one child, a son, Roger. Harry Valentine married Cecile Twelliger and has one child; a daughter, Helen Maxine, and Lillie Valentine married George Kreiger and has two children, Paul and Dale. Mr. and Mrs. Valentine are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Wapakoneta and in their political leanings are Democrats.   JOSEPH B. WHITNEY, one of Salem township's well-known farmers and landowners, proprietor of an excellent farm on the line between that township and Noble township, has been occupying that farm for the past twenty years and has become well established there as a progressive and successful agriculturist. Mr. Whitney was born in Darke county, this state, April 22, 1876, and is a son of David and Amanda (Hagerman) Whitney, both of whom also were born in Ohio. David Whitney was born in Darke county, a member of one of the pioneer families there, and was trained as a farmer in his youth. For some time after his marriage he continued to make his home in Darke county and then bought a farm in Mercer county and moved onto the same, spending there the remainder of his life. To him and his wife were born four children, all of whom are living save one daughter, Lucy, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Clara, and a brother, Glenn Whitney. Joseph B. Whitney was but for years of age when his parents moved from Darke county to their farm in Mercer county, and it was on this latter place that he grew to manhood. He received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and remained on the home farm, a valued assistant in the labors of developing the same, until his marriage at the age of twenty-six years, when he established his home on a farm which he had rented in Salem township, this county. For three years   360 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   thereafter Mr. Whitney was engaged there as a tenant farm and then he bought his present farm of 120 acres, a part of which is in Salem township, and the remainder in Noble township, and has ever since lived there, making a fine farm out of the place. Mr. Whitney has improved his farm in good shape and is carrying on his operations in up-to-date fashion. It was on November 7, 1902, that Joseph B. Whitney was united in marriage to Effie Lewis, who was forn in Auglaize county, daughter of Charles and Amanda Lewis, and to this union two children have been born, sons both, Ralph J. and Donald L. Whitney. The Whitneys have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys. Mr. and Mrs. Whitney Republicans.   ALBERT HERZING, president of the St. Mary's Woolen Manufacturing Company, probably the leading industrial institution of St. Marys, is a native of this county. Mr. Herzing has for many years been one of the leading spirits of this town and is generally well known throughout the state as one of Ohio's men of affairs and is nationally well known as the manufacturer of one of the highest grade lines of blankets made in this country. He is president of the Auglaize County Health League and prominent in the civic, social and forward movements locally. Aside from a period of seven years, when he was connected with the Peoples Bank of Wapakoneta, Mr. Herzing has lived in St. Marys practically his entire life. He was born at St. Marys on October 16, 1859, son of Philip V. and Elise (Pauck) Herzing, both of whom were of European birth, the latter born in the Prussian province of Westphalia, in the village of Bielefeld, September 7, 1822. The late Philip Herzing for many years one of the leading citizens of Auglaize county, was born at Wurzburg, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, October 8, 1808, and was descended from an old and distinguished Bavarian family, the Herzings having been granted a coat of arms, showing a crest of armor on a shield with hearts emblazoned, surmounted with wings of victory. No doubt this was granted anciently for distinguished military service. Philip Herzing was graduated from the University of Wurzburg and, like most of the German students of that time, became a proficient swordsman and was considered a master of the "foils." He was but a young man when there arose Germany a very formidable, though secret, democratic movement. This was largely the forerunner of the climax that occurred in 1848, when many of the leaders of this movement were forced to flee to America —among these being Carl Schurz, the noted soldier and statesman, and Franz Siegel, who became a brilliant Union general. Among those who were active in the earlier democratic movement in Germany was Michael Dumbroff, who later became probate judge of Auglaize county. Michael Dumbroff at that time was courting Eva   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 361   Herzing, sister of Philip Herzing. Philip Herzing learned that this democratic movement had been discovered by agents of the Government and that the leaders were to be arrested, including Michael Dumbroff. He hastened to inform Dumbroff, who proposed that they flee the country, and shortly afterward young Herzing, Dumbroff and Herzing's sister Eva secretly departed for America on a sailing vessel. They landed at Portsmouth, N. H., where Michael Dumbroff and Eva Herzing were married. In leaving his native land Philip Herzing was forced to use the utmost strategy, as at that time he was employed in the customs service, and secured a leave of absence under a pretext. They came to Ohio direct from New Hampshire and Philip Herzing located at Cincinnati. Later, as the canal movement extended northward, the proposal being to extend the Miami canal to the Great Lakes, a number of Cincinnatians located in this county. Young Herzing came north and settled first at Wapakoneta, subsequently removing to Saint Marys. Not long after locating there, he established the Farina mills and for many years the Farina flour was celebrated throughout this region. He was one of the distinctive factors in the development of this community, and to his personal activity was due much of the distinction St. Marys gained at that early date. He spent the remainder of his life here, his death occurring here in 1883. Philip Herzing was elected a member of the state board of public works, serving for twelve consecutive years. This board had supervision over all state works, including the extension of the national highway, canals and other public improvements. At the time of Governor Allen's election, the entire Democratic ticket was elected with the exception of the candidate for the state board of works, which went to Philip Herzing, a Republican, the only one elected on the ticket. Philip Herzing's plurality at this election was twice that of Governor Allen, who led the Democratic ticket. Albert Herzing was schooled in the curriculum of applied study—where theories are either translated into facts or promptly discarded. This practical application began at the age of seventeen when Albert Herzing became employed in the woolen mills of St. Marys and at that age began to master the business he is now engaged in. His early schooling, supplemented with the delightful cultural influence of his home life, was obtained in the St. Marys schools. In 1877, Mr. Herzing left the woolen mills to accept a responsible position with his father in the flour mills. Three years later he became associated with the Peoples Bank of Wapakoneta, where he remained until in June, 1881. At this time there was a reorganization of the St. Marys woolen mills and he became a stockholder, becoming actively identified with the mills—thus returning to his "first love." He has devoted his major attention to the mills since that time and since 1912 has been presi-   362 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   dent of the concern. The blankets manufactured by this company are recognized leaders and enjoy a very discriminating patronage, many of the exclusive and leading hotels of the country using these blankets entirely, among these being the famous Statler hotels. Not only has Mr. Herzing been diligent in his own business and has thus been able to build up a great establishment on the canal at St Marys, but he also has been attentive to all movements in the development of the best interests of his home town—in all philanthropic, community and social movements. To his activity much credit is due in the creation of the beautiful Memorial Park, he having given this movement his heartiest support, both moral and financial. Thin memorial—a beautiful and fitting tribute—is a practical expression of St. Marysl citizens to the memory of the boys who made the supreme sacrifice in the World war. When, in 1917, the Auglaize County Good Roads Federation was formed for the purpose of stimulating the growing sentiment in favor of modern and extensive road construction, Mr. Herzing was called on by this voluntary federation of leading citizens of the county to accept the presidency of the federation. In the summer of 1922, in conformity with a state-wide movement, the Auglaize County Health League was organized—representation including leading citizens of each township. Mr. Herzing was again called on to lead and was selected as president of this league. He had the reputation of getting things done— in other words, the ability to organize and to achieve, and he brought to these movements the same acumen that has made his own business highly successful. On March 6, 1882, Mr. Herzing was united in marriage to Fredericka Moser, daughter of John J. and Caroline S. (Bernhardt) Moser, of Wapakoneta. John J. Moser for many years conducted the well known retail jewelry store which he founded in Wapakoneta, now owned by his son, Emil Moser. To Albert Herzing and wife have been born four children, Helen, Norma, Wanda and Philip. Helen Herzing married Walter Meyer and has two children, Walter and Thomas. Norma Herzing married Clinton W. Clark and has two children, Clinton W. and Nancy, Wanda Herzing married Lowell P. Rieger and also has two children, James H. and Frederick. Philip Herzing married Ruth Herrington.   EMANUEL KANTNER, one of the well-known veteran farmers and landowners of Pusheta township and the proprietor of a we improved farm lying west of Quaker Run, about two miles southeast of Wapakoneta, where he has lived for many years, was born in that township and is thus a member of one of the pioneer families in that part of the county. Mr. Kantner was born on December 26. 1848, the year in which Auglaize county was organized, and is a so. of George and Lena (Oswold) Kantner, natives of Pennsylvania, who had come to this region with their respective parents in pioneer   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 363   days and were here married. George Kantner became a substantial tanner of Pusheta township, the owner of 240 acres in the neighborhood of where his son, Emanuel, now lives, and there spent his last days, his widow long surviving him. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, of whom three are still living, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, John and Isaac Kantner. Reared on the home farm in Pusheta township, Emanuel Kantner grew up thoroughly familiar with conditions which faced the pioneers of that section. He received his schooling in the old Keller school (district No. 5), in the southwest corner of section 3, and from the days of his boyhood was well trained in the ways of the farm. When he was about thirty years of age he and his widowed mother moved to Wapakoneta, where he became engaged in teaming, and there he remained until a short time after his marriage, when he and his brother, the late Samuel Kantner, bought the "eighty" on which Emanuel Kantner is now living, and the latter has ever since made his home there. The brothers farmed this place together for eight years, and then Emanuel Kantner bought his brother's interest in the farm and has since been farming it alone. He long ago replaced the old log house and stable which stood on the place when he went there by substantial buildings, a comfortable dwelling house and ample farm buildings, and has a well-equipped farm plant there on rural mail route No. 5 out of Wapakoneta. Mr. Kantner and his wife are members of the German Lutheran church at Wapakoneta and are Republicans. Emanuel Kantner has been twice married. In 1881 he was united in marriage to Minnie Strome, and to that union one child was born, a daughter, Isabella, who married Elmer Smeltzy, now living in Detroit, and has one child, a son, Elmer Jr. By a former marriage to Charles Ziegler, Mrs. Isabella Smeltzy had two children, Elzena and Koneta (deceased). Some time after the death of his first wife, Mr. Kantner, on April 16, 1891, married Ida Ziegler, of Wapakoneta, and to this union three sons have been born, Louis, Christian and Carl, the two latter of whom are at home carrying on the affairs of the farm in their father's behalf. Louis Kantner, who also is farming in Pusheta township, married Ida Dearinger and has four children, Verdean, Leona, Helen and Roy. Mrs. Ida Kantner was born at Wapakoneta and was reared there, a pupil in the old Third Ward (Williamson) school building the year that now historic building was opened for attendance. She is a daughter of Christian and Rosena (Schragle) Ziegler, natives of Germany, who had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their youth, the vessel on which the Zieglers sailed having taken eighty days to make the passage, and the vessel on which the Schragles sailed forty days. The two families located in Pennsylvania, where Christian Ziegler became a cooper. After his marriage he came   364 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   with his wife to Ohio and located at Wapakoneta, where he became established in his trade. He and his wife had six children, four of whom are still living, Mrs. Kantner having three sisters, Anna. Louise and Matilda.   WILLIAM SCHROER, a former trustee of Washington township and one of the best known farmers of that township, now retired on his snug little farm on rural mail route No. 3 out o: Marys, was born in Washington township, a member of one of pioneer families of the New Knoxville neighborhood, and has there all his life, a period of more than seventy years. Mr. Schroer was born on October 6, 1851, and is a son of J. H. and Sophia (Haberkamp) Schroer, who were among the substantial pioneers of neighborhood. Both were born in Germany and had come to country with their respective parents in the days of their youth. Mr. Schroers and the Haberkamps becoming pioneers of the New Knox. ville neighborhood. For several years after coming here, J. H. Schroer, then a well grown lad, spent his summers working in a brick yard at Cincinnati, giving his attention to the clearing work on his father's farm during the winters, and thus earned the money with which he bought a farm of his own, where he established his home after his marriage. He was a successful farmer, and with the land he bought and that inherited at the death of his father became the owner of 230 acres in Washington township and a man of influence and standing thereabout. He and his wife had eleven children, of whom three are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Sophia and Emma. Reared on the home farm in Washington township, William Schroer received his schooling in the local schools, and from the days of his boyhood was attentive to the affairs of the farm. After his marriage he rented a farm of 160 acres r Washington township, and on that place made his home for about eleven years, at the end of which time he bought the farm of thin:, acres on which he is now living, in that same neighborhood, and ha, since made his home there, he and his family being comfortably situated. Mr. Schroer continued actively engaged in his farming operations until his retirement in the spring of 1922, and is now taking things somewhat easier than during the long years of 11:s activity on the farm. He is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, having rendered pub!. service as a township trustee and as a member of the school bon: William Schroer married Dina Oelrich, a daughter of Henry Oelrich, and also a member of one of the pioneer families of this county and to this union seven children have been born, six of whom are living Cora, Anna, Richard, Lydia, Gilbert and Andrew, two of whom Richard and Anna, are at home looking after the affairs of the horn, place in behalf of their parents. Cora Schroer married Henry Holt-   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 365   kamp and has five children, Gladys, Hilda, Esther, Lawrence and Ruth. Lydia Schroer married George Holtkamp, and the Rev. Gilbert Schroer married Cornelia Rodeheffer and is now serving as a missionary of the Reformed church in Japan. Mr. and Mrs. Schroer are members of the First Reformed church at New Knoxville and have for years given their earnest attention to church affairs.   HOWARD STILES, one of the well-known farmers and landowners in the upper part of Union township, was born in that township on March 17, 1884, and is a son of William and Mary T. (Harrod) Stiles, both of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families here, and the latter of whom died on February 29, 1920, William Stiles, who is now living retired from the active labors of the farm, was born in Union township and is a son of Elias and Jane Stiles, who were pioneers of that township. Upon coming here Elias Stiles settled on a quarter section of land along Wrestle creek, the southwest quarter of section 4, in Union township, and became one of the substantial pioneers of that section. William Stiles grew up on that farm and after his marriage was engaged for some years in farming the home place. He then bought a tract of land in that neighborhood, later increased his holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of 290 acres, and continued farming until his retirement, and is now living at Uniopolis. To him and his wife were born three children, one of whom (Cora D.) is deceased, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Donald B. Stiles. Reared on the farm, Howard Stiles received his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and from the days of his boyhood was well trained in the ways of the farm. He continued actively engaged in the operations of the home farm until his marriage at the age of twenty-eight, when he began farming on his own account and bought a farm of 110 acres, the place where he is now living and where he and his family are very comfortably situated. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Stiles gives considerable attention to the raising of live stock and is doing well. In his political views he reserves the privilege to vote independently of party ties. He is a member of local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at Uniopolis. On November 29, 1912, Howard Stiles was united in marriage to Eva G. Carter, who also was born in this county, and to this union two children have been born, sons both, Robert and Ivan. The Stiles home is pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 1 out of Uniopolis. The first of the Stiles family to settle in what is now Auglaize county was Jonathan Stiles, a Vermonter, who came here in 1835 with his family and settled in Union township in what then was Allen county, but which became attached to the new county of Auglaize in 1848. His son Elias Stiles, mentioned above, was the grandfather of Howard Stiles, the latter's sons thus representing the fifth generation of this family in this county.   366 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   CHARLES SCHMIDT, who is living on the old Schmidt farm two miles west of New Bremen, one of the well known and substantial farmers and landowners of that neighborhood, was born on that farm and has lived there all his life. Mr. Schmidt was born on February 16, 1858, and is a son of Henry and Louise (Koch) Schmidt, both of whom were of European birth, natives of Germany, who had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their childhood and some time after their marriage had settled on the farm above referred to. The late Henry Schmidt's first home on coming to America was at Cincinnati. There he experienced "land hunger" and decided to become a farmer. With that end in view he came to this part of Ohio and became a member of the New Knoxville settlement, but not long afterward moved over into German township and bought an "eighty," the east half of the southwest quarter of section 8 of that township, two miles west of New Bremen, and there established his home. He got that place under cultivation and added to his holdings until he became the owner of 120 acres, and on that farm spent the remainder of his life. In addition to his farming he also was widely known as a veterinarian, and his services in the treatment of the ailments of the domestic animals of his neighbors were much appreciated in pioneer days. That was in the day before the science of the modern veterinary surgeon had become the highly specialized profession it now is, and the old-time "horse doctor" did not have the aids to practice now possessed by the professional veterinarian. Henry Schmidt and wife were the parents of twelve children, five of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Julia, and three brothers, William, Henry and Benjamin Schmidt. Reared on the farm on which he was born, Charles Schmidt received his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and from boyhood has been devoted to the affairs of the farm. After his marriage he continued to make his home on the place, working in association with his father, and after his father's death took over the home place and has since resided there, though some time ago he sold a "forty" off the former tract of 120 acres and thus now has but the original "eighty" which his father bought upon settling there. Mr. Schmidt and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church at New Bremen, of which congregation he formerly was a deacon, and are Democrats. They have a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 1 out of New Bremen. Charles Schmidt married Mrs. Augusta (Waesch) Gilberg, daughter of Karl Waesch and widow of Henry Gilberg, and to this union two children have been born, Karl and Herman, the former of whom married Lorma Schroeder. By her first marriage, Mrs. Schmidt is the mother of one child, a daughter, Emma Gilberg, Mrs. Schmidt was born in this county, and her parents, Karl and   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 367   Sophia Waesch, were born in Germany, where they were married. Not long after their marriage they came to America and shortly afterward settled at New Bremen, but presently moved to St. Marys township, where Karl Waesch became the owner of a forty-acre farm and where he spent the remainder of his life. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, six of whom are living, Mrs. Schmidt having two sisters, Louise and Sophia, and three brothers, Otto, William and Herman Waesch.   ABRAM H. BARBER, one of the trustees of Salem township and a well-known farmer and landowner of that township, was born on the place on which he is now living and has lived there all his life, his farm being a part of the tract his father had taken there in pioneer days. Mr. Barber was born on February 20, 1867, and is a son of Austin and Lucinda E. (Hamilton) Barber, the latter of whom also was born in Ohio, a daughter of the Hon. Justin Hamilton, a former member of the General Assembly of this state. The late Austin Barber was a Kentuckian by birth and was but a lad when he came to Ohio with his parents, Samuel Barber and wife, the family locating in Mercer county, where they established their home and where the pioneer Samuel Barber and his wife spent their last days, substantial farming people. Austin Barber grew to manhood on the home farm in Mercer county and was for some years engaged as a school teacher in that county. After his marriage he bought the home farm of 300 acres and continued to make his home there for some years, at the end of which time he sold that place and came over into Auglaize county and bought a tract of 320 acres in Salem township—the southwest quarter of section 32 and the northwest quarter of section 5—and there established his home in the then timber wilderness. He set about clearing the place and in time got 20 acres of it under cultivation and continued to make his home there until his retirement in 1888 and removal to Spencerville, where for four years thereafter he was engaged in the grocery business. His last days were spent at Spencerville, his death occurring there in 1898. To him and his wife were born eight children, five of whom are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being Dora, Arthur, Ira and Walter A. The deceased children of this family were Ella, Irene and Hannah. Reared on the home farm in Salem township, Abram H. Barber received his schooling in the district school house which stood at the section cross roads cutting through and bordering the Barber farm, and from the days of his boyhood has giveri his attention to farming on that place, eighty acres of which he now owns, he having established his home there after his marriage in his twenty-second year. Mr. Barber has a well-improved farm and an up-to-date farm plant and has his affairs in good shape. He is an ardent Republican and has for years been looked upon as   368 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   one of the leaders of that party in Salem township, having served as trustee of the township for the past ten years and more. He has rendered public service as school director in his district. and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church at St. and take a proper interest in church affairs. It was on September 25, 1889, that Abram H. Barber was united in marriage to Mitt Wright, daughter of Frank M. and Nancy (Matson) Wright, both members of pioneer families in Auglaize county, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Ernest Barber, who married Anna Horton and has two children, Vernon and Mary. The Barbers hare a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys.   ANDREW McCLINTOCK, who died at his home in Duchouquet township in the fall of 1916 and whose widow is still living there, was one of the best known men in that part of the county in his generation, a substantial farmer and landowner and an honored veteran of the Civil war, and at his passing left a good memory. It is but proper, therefore, that there here should be preserved some modest tribute to that memory. Mr. McClintock was born in Pick. away county, Ohio, April 22, 1844, and was a son of George W. and Margaret (Steen) McClintock, who four years later came to Auglaize county and became numbered here as among the pioneers of Duchouquet township. George W. McClintock, the founder of the. McClintock family in this county, was a native of Ireland, born on February 28, 1821, and was ten years of age when, iri 1831, he crossed the Atlantic with his parents, the family locating in New Brunswick, where he grew to manhood and where in his twenty. second year he married Margaret Steen. In that same year, 1842, he and his wife came to Ohio and settled in Miami county, where they remained for six years, or until in 1848, the year in which Auglaize county was organized, when they came up here and settled in the timber along Two Mile creek, in the southwest quarter of section 32 of Duchouquet township. There George W. McClintock put up a log cabin and started in to clear his land and make a farm out of it. He later added to his holdings until he became the owner of an excellent farm of right around 150 acres, and was long accounted one of the substantial farmers of that community. On that place he spent his last days, his death occurring on August 8,1887, he then being past sixty-six years of age. George W. McClintock was twice married. His first wife (Margaret Steen) died in 1851, three years after the family came to this county, and two years later he married Elizabeth Barr. By his first wife he was the father of six children, George, William, Anna Jane, Mary Ann, Margaret, and the subject of this memorial sketch, all of whom are now de. ceased. By his second union he was the father of eight children, Lorena (deceased), Robert, Ellen, Diana (deceased), Floretta,   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 369   Emory, Edward and Effie (deceased). As has been noted above, Andrew McClintock was but four years of age when he came to Auglaize county, and he grew to manhood on the home farm there on Two Mile creek, thus becoming thoroughly familiar with the hard details of making a farm in a timbered land, and was living there when the Civil war broke out. At the age of nineteen he enlisted his services in behalf of the Union and went to the front as a private in the 54th regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, attached to the 15th Army Corps, and with that command saw much strenuous service, including the campaign incident to the siege of Vicksburg and the Atlanta campaign, and during his service in this latter campaign was wounded. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. McClintock returned home and resumed his place on the farm, remaining there until his marriage in 1867, when he began farming on his own account. Six years later he bought a farm of 160 acres in Logan township, and there made his home for two years, at the end of which time he moved up across the line and bought a "forty" in Perry township, Allen county. On this latter place he made his home for nineteen years and then returned to the old home neighborhood in Duchouquet township, this county, and bought a tract of 117 acres, where he established his home and where his widow is now living. Mr. McClintock did well in his farming operations and added to his holdings until at the time of his death he was the owner of a fine farm of 195 acres. On that place he spent his last days, his death occurring on October 4, 1916. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as is his widow, and their children were reared in that faith. Since the death of her husband Mrs. McClintock has continued to make her home on the farm, where she is very comfortably situated. She was born (Uretta Reed) on a farm in Shawnee township, in the neighboring county of Allen, and is a daughter of Emanuel and Elizabeth (O'Hara) Reed. She competed her schooling in the Lima schools and was for some time before her marriage engaged as a teacher in the schools of this county. To Andrew and Uretta (Reed) McClintock were born ten children, all of whom are living save two sons, Earl and Leroy, the others being Maude A., Albert C., Anna, Oran P., Florence, Eva, Ethel and James G., all of whom are married. Maude A. McClintock married William H. Phillips, of Lima, and has six children, Clue, Ray, Gale, Paul, Vera and Rhea. Albert C. McClintock married Catherine Lee Adams. Anna McClintock married Oscar Ritchie and has three children, Earl, Orville and Warren. Oran P. McClintock married Millie Merkley, of Wapakoneta, and has two children, Virgil and and Otis. Florence McClintock married Irvin Terwilliger and has nine children, Bernice, Cecil, Raymond, Gerald, Howard, Gladys, Iva, Virgil and Lulu May. Eva McClintock married George Dumm (23)   370 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   and has seven children, Mildred, Ruth, Mary, Harry, Chester, Franklin and Francis. Ethel McClintock married Roy H. Ritchie and has seven children, Ferald, Harry, Herbert, Janice, Dale, Betty J. Robert, and James G. McClintock married Mildred Frey and has one child, a daughter, Phyllis L. The late Leroy McClintock married Elizabeth Turner and died without issue. In the interesting a aggregate here set out it will be noted that Mrs. McClintock has no fewer than thirty-five grandchildren, in all of whom she takes much pride and delight. She has a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 4 out of Wapakoneta. Not unmindful of her former days as a teacher in the schools of this county, she has ever taken an interested part: the general social and cultural activities of the neighborhood in which she lives and has been a helpful factor in promoting such movements as have had for their object the betterment of conditions thereabout.   WILLIAM SCHMIDT, who is living next to the old Henry Schmidt place west of New Bremen, one of the well-known farmers and landowners of that neighborhood, now living practically retired from the active labors of the farm, was born on that place and has lived there all his life. Mr. Schmidt was born on February 13, 1862, and is a son of Henry and Louise (Koch) Schmidt, both natives of Germany, who had settled on the farm here referred to back in the early '50s of the past century and concerning whom further is made elsewhere. Henry Schmidt was a veterinary surgeorn, better known in those days as a "horse doctor," and his services wide demand throughout that part of the county in his day. was a good farmer and was the proprietor of a fine farm of 12, which is still in the family, his original "eighty" there bei owned and farmed by his eldest son, Charles Schmidt, the remainder of the farm, with an additional "forty," being owned by William Schmidt, the brothers thus farming side by side. Henry Schmidt and wife were the parents of twelve children, five of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Julia, and three brothers, Charles, Henry and Benjamin Schmidt. Reared on the home farm west of New Bremen, William Schmidt received his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and from the days of boyhood has been a farmer. He remained at home working on the farm with his father until his marriage, after which he bought the farm of sixty acres on which he is now living, and a part of which had belonged to the old home place, and ever since has resided Mr. Schmidt has his place well cultivated and has a well-equipped farm plant. In 1918 he retired from the active labors of thy and has since rented his fields out, taking things somewhat than during the years of his more strenuous activity. He is a Democrat with "independent" leanings, and he and his family are   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 371   bers of St. Paul's church at New Bremen, of the congregation of which he formerly was a deacon. William Schmidt married Mary Walters, also of this county, daughter of John P. and Dorothea (Weddermann) Walters, and to this union two daughters were born, Hilda and Huldah, the latter of whom married Elmer Tilker and has one child, Mary Jane. Hilda Schmidt married Royal Tangerman and has two children, Jean and James. The Schmidts have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 1 out of New Bremen.   DAVID J. BRAUN, president of the Pusheta township school board and a well-known farmer and landowner of that township, proprietor of a well-improved farm at the forks of Pusheta creek, less than two miles south and west of Wapakoneta, was born on that farm and has lived there pretty much all his life. Mr. Braun was born on December 29, 1873, and is a son of John M. and Mary E. (Hessenboehler) Braun, the latter of whom was born at Basel, in the republic of Switzerland, and was but nine months of age when she came with her parents to this country. The late John M. Braun, who in his generation was one of the best known men in the Wapakoneta neighborhood, was born in Seneca county, Ohio. On May 2, 1871, at Wapakoneta, he married Mary E. Hassenboehler, and thereafter until his retirement many years after made his home on his farm, the place above referred to, southwest of town. He not only was a good farmer, but he was an expert manufacturer of sorghum molases, and for thirty-three years operated a sorghum mill on his place, maintaining this mill until his retirement from the farm in 1901 and removal to Wapakoneta, where he died in the next year, December 2, 1902. He and his wife were the parents of three sons, all of whom are living, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, Joseph A. Braun, of Globe, Ariz., and Frank P. Braun, of Wapakoneta. Reared on the home farm in Pusheta township, David J. Braun received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and in St. Joseph's parochial school at Wapakoneta, and from boyhood been interested in the affairs of the farm, though for one year the days of his young manhood he did work at Wapakoneta, in the employ of Charles N. Yokel. He married in his thirtieth year and has since made his home on the old home place, having taken charge of the farm after his marriage, his father retiring at that time, and later bought the place. Since taking possession of the farm, Mr. Braun has made numerous substantial improvements, including the erection of a new set of buildings, and now has a well equipped farm plant. He has 113 acres, all of which is tillable, and addition to his general farming has long given considerable in attention to the raising of live stock, with particular reference to purebred Holstein cattle and Poland-China hogs. Mr. Braun also still maintains the old sorghum mill which was established on the farm by his   372 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   father more than fifty years ago, and though the sorghum industry this county is not what it once was, grinds out quite a bit of the old-fashioned molasses every season. Mr. Braun has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs and since 1916  has been rendering public service as a member of the Pusheta township school board, present president of the board. It was on June 5, 1901, that David J. Braun was united in marriage to Louise Klug, a member of one of the old families of this county, and to this union eight children have been born, Celeste, Cavel, Myron, Mildred, Louis, Noel, Ivan and Mary Louise, the two elder of whom have been graduated from the Wapakoneta high school, and the others, with the exception of little Mary Louise, are still in school. Celeste Braun is now employed in the Doty Dry goods store at Wapakoneta, and Cavel Braun is employed in the establishment of the General Motors Corporation at Dayton. The Brauns are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church at Wapakoneta, and Mr. Braun is a member of the local council of the Knights of the Columbus at that place, and of the Knights of St. George. He likewise is affiliated with the local lodge of the Loyal Order of Moose there, and with the Swabian Society. Mrs. Braun was born at Wapakoneta on January 22, 1874, and is a daughter of Joseph and Barbara (Helpling) Klug, the latter of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of the pioneer families of Pusheta township. The late Joseph Klug was born at Dayton, Ohio and was married at Wapakoneta in May, 1871. He early learned the trade of shoemaker, a vocation he followed at Wapakoneta for some time, but later became employed as a machinery salesman by J. H. Doering Hardware Company at that place, and was thus for thirty years connected with that concern. Joseph Klug and wife were the parents of four children, two of whom are living, Mrs. Braun having a sister, Theresa. The deceased children of this family were Elizabeth and Joseph. The Brauns have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2 out of Wapakoneta.   GORDON W. JACOBS, a former trustee of Union township and one of the best known farmers in the upper part of that to that township, proprietor of a well-improved farm at the forks of the creek in the southeast quarter of section 3, which is a portion of the first tract of land entered for ownership following the opening of lands for settlement here ninety years ago, was born on that farm, which has been in the undisturbed possession of the family since its entry by his grandfather, Jehu Jacobs, back in 1832, the year in which the Indians were removed from this region. Mr. Jacobs was born on October 20, 1861, and is a son of Samuel F. and Nancy (Hardin) Jacobs, the latter of whom was a member of the pioneer Hardin family which proved so influential a factor in the days of the settlement of that part of this county. Samuel F. Jacobs was born in   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 373   Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in 1802 and was twelve years of age when he came to this state with his parents, Jehu Jacobs and wife, the latter of whom was a Koch, the family settling in the Quaker settlement which had been effected down in Warren county, for Jehu Jacobs, and his wife were earnest Quakers. Jehu Jacobs became a man considerable substance, and when the lands were opened for settlement up here in what then was Allen county, in 1832, he realized the value of holdings here and came up and entered his claim to the south half of section 3 in the township (5 south of range 7 east) which two years later came to be organized as Union township. He, ever, did not become a resident on this land, reserving it for his , and remained on his farm of 110 acres in Warren county, where was well established, his last days being spent there, and Samuel F. Jacobs and his two brothers inherited this half section, together an additional quarter section up over the line in Allen county. Samuel F. Jacobs came into possession of the tract at the fork of creeks, a fraction more than 101 acres, and after his marriage established his home on that place and proceeded to clear and improve the same, his first house there being a two-story log cabin. also erected a grist mill on the creek and put in a saw mill, both by water power, and thus his place became recognized as a sort a community center back in pioneer days, for these mills proved valuable conveniences to his widely scattered neighbors. On that ce he spent his last days, his death occurring in 1879, and his sow survived him for fifteen years, her death occurring in 1894. They were the parents of nine children, of whom three are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Delleina, and a brother, Jehu Jacobs. The deceased children of this family were Rebecca, Samuel, Martin, John P. and two who died in childhood. Reared on the old home farm there at the forks of the creek, Gordon W. Jacobs received his schooling in the neighborhood school (district No. 2), and from the days of his boyhood has been attentive to the affairs of the farm. He was seventeen years of age when his father died, and he continued farming on his mother's behalf until her death in 1894, after which he inherited a one-fifth interest in the place, and in upon his marriage about that time established his home there and has ever since resided there, later buying the interests of the other, heirs. so that he has an excellent farm of something more than 100 acres. Sirice coming into possession of this place Mr. Jacobs has made extensive improvements on the farm and has an admirably equipped farm plant, his operations being carried on in accordance with modern methods of agriculture. Mr. Jacobs has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs and has rendered public service in Union township as a township trustee and also for some time, years ago, as a constable. He is a member of the Masonic   374 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   lodge at Wapakoneta, and of the Odd Fellows lodge at St. Johns It was on June 17, 1894, that Gordon W. Jacobs was united in marriage to Lillie B. Faler, who also was born in this county, daughter of Eli and Rebecca J. Faler. The Jacobs home is pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 1 out of Uniopolis, and Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs ever keep the latch string out for their many friends in that neighborhood.   OLIVER W. HOERATH, former mayor of the village of New Knoxville, former clerk of the village, former presiderit of the local board of education there, chairman of the board of directors of the Home Benefits Association at that place, formerly and for years a teacher in the schools of this county and present secretary and treasurer of the Detjen Grain Company of New Knoxville and Moulton, was born at New Knoxville and has resided there practically all his life. Mr. Hoerath was born on October 23, 1881, and is a son of John and Fredericka (Schneider) Hoerath, both of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families here, the former born at St. Marys and the latter in German township. John Hoerath grew to manhood at St. Marys, where he received his schooling, and as a young man went to Cincinnati, where he learned the trade of harness making. Upon finishing his trade he returned to this county and opened a harness shop at New Knoxville, where he continued in business for about forty years. He was twice married and by his first wife (Fredericka Schneider) was the father of two sons, the subject of this sketch and Arthur J. Hoerath. Upon the death mother of these sons, Mr. Hoerath married Fredericka Schroer, a member of one of the old families of Washington township, and to this union two sons were born, Julius and Walter Hoerath. Reared at New Knoxville, where he was born, Oliver W. Hoerath received his early schooling in the schools of that village and then enter the St. Marys high school. Upon finishing the high school course he secured a license to teach school, and in the following winter taught a district school in St. Marys township. In the next year he began teaching in the schools of Washington township, and was thus engaged during the winters for six years, at the end of which time he was appointed to the schools of New Knoxville, and for seven years was a teacher in the village schools, at the same time and meanwhile becoming active in the general affairs of that village. In 1912 Mr. Hoerath left the school room to give his attention to the affairs of the Detjen Grain Company of New Knoxville and Moulton, of which concern he was elected secretary and treasurer, and has since devoted his chief attention to the operations of that company, which not only maintains grain elevators at New Knoxville and Moulton, with its rail outlet at the latter place, but also is extensively engaged in the sale of coal, lumber and builders' supplies and farm implements,   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 375   with sales establishments in both villages. Mr. Hoerath has long been looked upon as one of the "live wires" in the business life of his home town, He was one of the organizers of the Home Benefits Association of that place and is the present chairman of the board of directors of the same. He is a Democrat and has long taken an active interest in local civic affairs, having at various times rendered public service as mayor of New Knoxville (two terms), two terms as clerk of the village, and four years as president of the local board of education. Oliver W. Hoerath married Ida Headapohl, daughter of Catherine Headapohl, and also a member of one of the old families in this county, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Kathryn. Mr. and Mrs. Hoerath are members of the First Reformed I church of New Knoxville, of which congregation Mr. Hoerath is one of the deacons, and of which he also for the past five years and more has been serving as clerk, or secretary of the church. The Hoeraths have a pleasant home at New Knoxville and have ever taken an interested and helpful part in the general social activities of that community.   FRED R. SNIDER, a well-known and progressive young farmer and landowner of Union township, is a native son of Ohio and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of Auglaize county since the days of his youth. Mr. Snider was born on a farm in the neighboring county of Shelby on October 27, 1896, and is the son and only living child of George and Belle (Brandenburg) Snider, both of whom died when he was but a small child. George Snider also was born in Shelby county, a member of one of the pioneer families there, and after his marriage settled down to farming and became the owner of an excellent farm of 135 acres in that county, where his last days were spent. Fred R. Snider was but six years of age when be was left an orphan and he was taken into the household of his uncle, Grant Snider, in Auglaize county, where he was reared and well trained in the ways of farming. Upon attaining his majority be came into his inheritance of the farm left by his father in Shelby county, and a year before his marriage he sold that farm and bought the farm of 110 acres on which he is now living in Union township, and has since made his home there, he and his family being very comfortably situated. It was on October 27, 1917, that Fred R. Snider was united in marriage to Helen Foreman, of Logan county,. this state, and to this union have been born three children, Alice, Eunice and William. The Sniders have a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 6 out of Wapakoneta, and Mr. and Mrs. Snider take an interested part in the general social activities of the community in which they live. They are Republicans, and Mr. Snider is a member of the Masonic lodge of Jackson Center, and of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at Uniopolis.   376 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   E. BAKER COPELAND, former justice of the peace in and for Union township, and a well-known and substantial farmer and landowner of that township, proprietor of "Eminence Farm," just north of St. Johns, is a native son of Auglaize county, a member of one of the old families here, and has resided here all his life, a period of three score years and ten. Mr. Copeland was born on a pioneer farm in Clay township on May 15, 1853, and is a son of Amos and Mary J. (Layton) Copeland, both members of pioneer families in that part of the county. The late Amos Copeland was born in Greene county, this state, August 6, 1816, and was twenty years of age when, in 1836, he came up into this part of the state with his parents, John and Cynthia (Scroggs) Copeland, the family settling in Clay township of what then was Allen county, but which in I848 became a part of the newly erected Auglaize county. John Copeland, the pioneer, entered from the Government three "eighties' in Clay township and set about clearing and improving the tract; and in the home he established there spent the remainder of his days, one of the useful and influential pioneers of that section, as set out elsewhere in this work. Upon coming here with his father, in 1836, Amos Copeland entered upon the task of helping to clear and bring under cultivation the lands taken by the family, and after his marriage four years later started farming on his own account, buying a tract of 200 acres in Clay township. With the improve, ments he made on that place he exchanged it six years later fora farm of 181 acres, on which he made his home until in the fall 1869. Later he bought a tract of 113 acres just over the line in Union township, the place where his son, Baker, is now living, is section 32, and increased his land holdings until at one time he 517 acres. There he made his home until in 1875, when he retired from the farm and moved to St. Johns, where he spent the remain of his life, his death occurring on July 25, 1898, he then being y under eighty-two years of age. To Amos Copeland and wife Iv born nine children, of whom six are still living. The second John M. Copeland, enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of Union during the Civil war, in September, 1862, went to the it as a member of Company C, 57th regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was killed in the battle of Resaca, Ga., May 14, 1864. George H. Copeland, the eldest son, also served as a soldier during the C. war, serving with the 54th Ohio until wounded and discharged, after his recuperation as a volunteer in the 37th Ohio. Another the sons, Enos A. Copeland, is deceased, and one of the daughter Cynthia, died in childhood, the survivors of this family (besides subject of this sketch) being George H., Julia, William N., Mir and Winfield S. Copeland. E. Baker Copeland was sixteen years of age when his parents moved from the Clay township farm to the   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 377   farm in Union township, and his schooling was completed in the little old log school house known as the Brackney school in this latter township. He remained with his father on the farm until his marriage at the age of twenty-three, when he rented a farm and began operations on his own account. A few years later he bought thirty- five acres of the home place, his father retiring from the farm at that time, and has since resided there, adding to his holdings until now he owns 144 acres, to the operations of which he continues to give his oversight. Since coming into possession of this farm Mr. Copeland has made extensive improvements in the way of new buildings on the place and has an admirably equipped farm plant. Mr. Copeland is a Republican and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, having served for seven years as a justice of the peace in his home township, and also for some years m a school director. F. Baker Copeland has been twice married. On September 19, 1876, he was united in marriage to Anna Marie Herring, of this county, and to this union two sons were born, Clyde and Howard, both of whom are married. Clyde Copeland married Maude Emerson, and Howard Copeland married Martha Elster and has two children, Gertrude and Elster. Mrs. Anna Marie Copeland died on August 17, 1904, and on October 24, 1907, Mr. Copeland married Emma (DeLong) Woods, who was born at Omega, in Pike county, this state, and who was reared at Denver, in the adjoining county of Ross, a daughter of William P. and Eva (Richardson) DeLong. The Copeland home is very pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 1 out of Wapakoneta.   CHRISTOPHER GEORGE SCHNELL, a well-known automobile salesman of Wapakoneta and who formerly was engaged in the saloon business in that city, was born at Wapakoneta and has been &resident of that city all his life. Mr. Schnell was born in 1871 and is a son of Christopher and Caroline (Warner) Schnell, the latter of whom is still living, making her home at Wapakoneta. The late Christopher Schnell, who for years operated a brick-making plant at Wapakoneta, was born in the city of Baltimore, Md., and there received his schooling. He served a thorough apprenticeship as a brickmaker, and then as a young man seeking a location for the exercise of his activities in that direction came to Ohio and located at Wapakoneta. He established a brick-making plant across the railway tracks from the old cemetery, and for thirty years thereafter was engaged there in brickmaking, the products of his kilns finding a ready market throughout a wide territory in this part of the state. He operated three kilns and the capacity of his plant ran from 800,000 to 1,000,000 bricks annually. Much of this product was designed for the outside market, and the high quality of the Schnell bricks always insured a ready market. In 1902 Christopher Schnell retired from   378 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   business. The rest of his life was spent in Wapakoneta, where he died in 1907. His widow survives him and is still living at Wapakoneta, now making her home with her daughter, Mrs. Nellie Locher, Christopher Schnell and wife had eight children, five of whom are still living, those besides Mrs. Locher—just mentioned—and the subject of this sketch being another daughter, Mrs. Anna Wolf, and two other sons, Herman and August Schnell. Reared at Wapakoneta, Christopher George Schnell received his schooling in the local schools and for some time as a young man continued engaged working in the brick plant in association with his father. He then became engaged in business for himself, opening a saloon at Wapakoneta, and for two years carried on this business, after which he disposed of the saloon and began operating in the oil fields in this state and in Indiana, carrying on in that line during the height of the oil "boom," and then resumed the saloon business at Wapakoneta and so continued for ten years or more, or until the dissolution of the liquor business in Ohio, when he became engaged as an automobile sales man for the Hauss & Bitler firm at Wapakoneta, and has since beer. thus engaged, giving his special attention to the sale of tractors and trucks, and has done well. In 1897 Christopher G. Schnell was united in marriage to Flora Crow, daughter of Oren and Mary E. (Musser) Crow, the latter of whom is a member of one of the old families of this county. Oren Crow was a native of Licking county, this and became a farmer in Auglaize county, the owner of a quite extensive farm here. Mr. and Mrs. Crow have eight children, C Dora, Grant, Effie, Flora, Haman, Ziba and Lulu. They are members of St. Mark's Lutheran church. Mr. Schnell is affiliated w,. local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Loyal Order of Moose, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and with the Swabian Society. In his political views he is "independent.' Schnells have a pleasant home at 411 McMurray street.   FERD POPPE, a well known and progressive farmer of German township, residing in the neighborhood of New Bremen, was born in the neighboring township of St. Marys on May 10, 189.: and is a son of Jacob and Sophia (Moeller) Poppe, the latter whom was born in German township, a member of one of the pioneer families there. The late Jacob Poppe was born in St. Marys toy. ship and was a son of August Poppe, a native of Germany, who t. came one of the pioneers of that township, establishing his home there at the headwaters of Center branch in section 25, in southeastern part of the township, many years ago. On that pioneer farm Jacob Poppe grew to manhood. Re completed his schooling in the New Bremen schools and after his marriage began farming on his own account, later moving to German township, where he became the owner of a farm of 120 acres and where he and his wife   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 379   spent their last days, her death occurring in 1906 and his on June 29, 1919. They were the parents of four children, two of whom are living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Amanda. Reared on the farm, Ferd Poppe completed his schooling in the' schools of New Bremen and from boyhood was well trained in the ways of the farm. After his marriage he rented his father's farm and there carried on operations on his own account for two years, at the end of which time he found employment at Sidney and for awhile lived in that city, later moving to New Bremen, but after about three years of this outside employment returned to the home farm and again took charge of it as a renter. After the death of his father he took over the farm of 120 acres and has since been operating the same. He has ninety-five acres of the place under cultivation and is doing well in his operations, which are carried on in accordance with up-to-date methods. Ferd Poppe married Myrtle Greer, daughter of William and Dena Greer, and to this union two children have been born, a son and a daughter, Virgil and Pauline. The Poppes have a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2, out of New Bremen. Mr. and Mrs. Pope are members of St. Peter's Evangelical church at New Bremen and in their political views hold emselves independent of party ties.   STAFFORD S. NOBLE, proprietor of the artificial ice plant at St. Marys and a member of one of the old families of Auglaize county, was born on a farm in Noble township, this county, May 13, 1884, and is a son of Alva and Mattie (Whetstone) Noble, both of whom are members of pioneers families in Auglaize county and are now living retired at St. Marys. The Nobles were among the early residents of that section of the county now comprising Noble township and it was in honor of Elisha Noble, who was a county commissioner during the time that region was included in Mercer county and who later became a commissioner of Auglaize county, that this township was named, and Henry Noble, father of Alva Noble and grandfather of the Subject of this sketch, was one of the sons of this pioneer. Henry Noble had an excellent farm of 160 acres, the southeast quarter of section 24 of Noble township and it was on this farm that Alva Noble was reared. After his marriage he established his home there and continued to farm the place, of which he became the proprietor, until his retirement and removal to St. Marys, where he is now living. To him and his wife were born eight children, all of whom are living, the subject of this sketch (the sixth in order of birth) having two sisters, Lulu and Jeannette, and five brothers, Frank Noble, Dr. Harry Noble, Dr. Guy Noble, Dr. Vernon Noble and Dr. Walter Noble. Reared on the home farm in Noble township, Stafford S. Noble received his early schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home   380 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   (old district No. 5) and supplemented this by attendance at the St. Marys high school and a six-months course at Indianapolis, after which he entered the mechanical engineering department of Ohio State University and after a year there entered the employ of a sheet and tube company at Youngstown, Ohio, as boiler and steam inspector, afterward being made the traveling agent of that company as an inspector of machinery in their trade area. In February, 1921, Mr. Noble returned to St. Marys, having determined to enter business for himself, and there erected an artificial ice plar which he has since been quite successfully operating. This pia' has a daily capacity of about seventeen tons of ice and is now supp ing the bulk of the ice trade in St. Marys, New Bremen, Celina, Spencerville, Buckland and Kossuth. Stafford S. Noble married Air Helmstetter, who was born at St. Marys, daughter of Louis and Emma Helmstetter, and to this union two children have been born, sons both, Alvin and Robert. The Nobles have a pleasant home at 217 North Wayne street. Mr. and Mrs. Noble are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are Democrats and Mr. Noble is a member of the Masonic lodge at St. Marys and of the lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta.   WILLIAM H. PARLETTE, a former trustee of Union township and a well known farmer and landowner of that township, proprietor of a well improved farm on rural mail route No. 1, out Uniopolis, is a native "Buckeye" and has lived in this state all life, a resident of Auglaize county since the days of his infan Mr. Parlette was born in Greene county, Ohio, April 4, 1866, and a son of William C. and Anetta (Woolery) Parlette, the latter whom died when he was a small child. The late William C. Parlette was a Virginian by birth, born in that section of the Old Dominion now included in West Virginia, and was but one year old when came with his parents, David and Elizabeth Parlette, to Ohio, family settling in the vicinity of Columbus, where David Parlette died about ten years later. His widow remarried and later came to Auglaize county, the family settling on a farm in Duchouquet township. William C. Parlette was but a boy when this change residence was made and he was taken into the home of an aunt at St. Johns, where he grew to manhood. He early became employee as a timberman in the then "big woods' hereabout and the rest his life was spent as a timberman. After his marriage he es:. lished his home in Greene county and some years later moved to neighboring county of Clinton, where he spent the remainder of life, his death occurring on June 14, 1904. Of the nine child, born to him and his wife six are still living, the subject of this sketch (the next to the last in order of birth) having four sisters, Eliza. beth, Ella, Hannah and Jennie A., and a brother, James A, Par-   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 381   lette. William H. Parlette was but two years of age when his mother died and he was taken into the home of an aunt in this county. A year later his grandmother took him in charge, an uncle later taking care of him, and at the age of fourteen he began "working out" as a farm hand. He married at the age of twenty-one and then rented a farm of 160 acres in Union township and worked that place for a year, at the end of which time he rented an "eighty" in that same township. Three years later he took charge of a "forty" in that neighborhood and there made his home until he moved to the farm on which he is now living in that township, his wife having inherited fifty acres of this tract, a part of the Naus place, and has since resided here, having meanwhile added to the tract by the purchase of an adjoining tract of twenty-six acres, so that now he has a well improved place of seventy-six acres and is doing well in the operation of he same. It was on December 24, 1887, that William H. Parlette was united in marriage to Ida Naus, who was born in Union township, daughter of Charles and Imelda (Metz) Naus, and to this union have been born eight children, all of whom are living save one who died in infancy, the others being Lillie, Annetta, Virgil, Charles, Nellie, John and Ernest, three of whom are married. Annetta Parlette married Jason Stimmel and has one child, a son, Clayton. Virgil Parlette married Emma Emerick and Charles Parlette married Gladys Shade and has one child, a son, Charles Eugene. Nellie Parlette married Ortho T. Graham and now lives in Allen county. Mr. and Mrs. Parlette are members of the Methodist Protesant church and have ever taken an interested part in the affairs if hat congregation. Mr. Parlette is a Democrat and has long been ooked upon as one of the leaders of that party in his home town- hip, having served a term as one of the trustees of the township nd in other ways having given his interested attention to local civic affairs. All of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Parlette have aught school with the exception of the youngest son, Ernest, who a mechanic at Uniopolis, employed by his brother Virgil, who is he proprietor of a garage there. Three of these children are still ?aching, Miss Lillie Parlette, teaching the Hardin school (district No. 2) ; Charles Parlette, teaching the Walton school (district No. 3), and John Parlette, teaching in the high school at Ridgeway in the neighboring county of Hardin. Virgil Parlette is a veteran of the World war, with an overseas record. He entered army service on May 28, 1918, at Camp Taylor (Kentucky) and three weeks later was transferred to Camp Beauregard, where he was made a corporal. There he was attached to the 142d Field Artillery, a unit of the 39th Division, and with that command left Camp Mills for overseas service, the command landing at Brest, France. He was overseas three months and received his discharge on January 18, 1919, the   382 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   war being over. Jason Stimmel, one of Mr. Parlette's sons-in-law also is a veteran of the World War. He entered the service on June 25, 1918, and was at Camp Jackson (South Carolina) when the armistice was signed. He suffered a nervous breakdown after leaving the army and in December, 1921, was sent to the soldiers' sanitarium at Marion, Ind., where in January, 1923, he was transferred to the hospital at Waukesha, Wis.   ERNST VOHS, a substantial landowner of Van Buren township, over in the neighboring county of Shelby, now living retired the village of New Knoxville, where he and his family are very comfortably situated, is a European by birth but has been a resident of this country and of this section of Ohio since he was eighteen years of age, a period of more than fifty years. Mr. Vohs was born in Germany on October 30, 1853, and is a son of Frederick and Elizabeth (Katterheinrich) Vohs, the latter of whom was a member of the well known family of Katterheinrichs that became pioneer of Washington township, this county, and which family is largely represented hereabout in the present generation. Frederick Vohs died in Germany, leaving his widow with four children, about the year 1870. In the next year, 1871, the Widow Vohs came this country with her children to join kinsfolk who had settled in New Knoxville neighborhood and she set up her home at New Knoxville. Of the four children who accompanied her here two are s. living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Fredericka. As will be noted by a comparison of dates above, Ernst Vohs was eighteen years of age when he came here with his mother and at New Knoxville. He had received excellent schooling in his home land, but after his arrival here for some time attended night school at New Knoxville in order to acquire a better working knowledge of the language of his new country. Upon his arrival he began working in the saw mill and for about eight years continued thus employed in the timber and lumber industry. That was in the days of the big timber and there always was plenty of work for the willing timberman, for there were many calls on the lumber mill, the money thus earned Mr. Vohs, who meanwhile had married, decided to buy a farm and settle down as a farmer. He went down over the line in Van Buren township, Shelby county, arid bole a tract of fifty acres there and on this place established his home. As he got that cleared and improved he bought an adjoining forty and thus got a farm of ninety acres, on which he continued to make his home until his retirement from the active labors of the farm a removal in 1919 to New Knoxville, where he bought a comfortable home and where he has since resided, now renting his farm, Mr. Vohs has been twice married. His first wife, Mary Niemeyer, daughter of Henry and Mary (Katterheinrich) Niemeyer, died leaving   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 383   three children, Emma, Henry and Sophia, after which Mr. Vohs married Elizabeth Fenneman, daughter of William Fenneman, also a member of one of the old families of Washington township. Mr. and Mrs. Vohs are members of the Reformed church at New Knoxville and are Republicans. Mr. Vohs's children all are married. Emma Vohs married Benjamin Neuman and has one child, a son, Leonard. Henry Vohs married Mary Schroer and has three children, Rinehart, Leonard and Olga, and Sophia Vohs is the wife of George Clausing.   WILLIAM DOENGES, of the firm of Doenges & Doenges, vulcanizers and dealers in automobile tires at New Bremen, and one of the best known men in that community, a retired farmer of St. Marys township, now living at New Bremen, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here all his life. Mr. Doenges was born on a farm in the southwestern part of St. Marys township on March 18, 1865, and is a son of Louis and Elizabeth (Wagoner) Doenges, the lattr of whom was born in Pennsylvania, but had come to Ohio with her parents in the days of her girlhood, the family settling in this county. Louis Doenges, who is now living at a ripe old age at New Bremen, was born in Germany and was but eight years of age when he came to this country with his parents, the family proceed on out into Ohio and settling on a farm in St. Marys township, this county, where they established their home. He grew to manhood on that farm and after his marriage became a farmer on his own account and became the owner of a well-kept farm of ninety-two and one-half acres. Before settling down on the farm he had worked for eight years as a driver on the canal and thus has many interesting stories to tell of the lively times in the old canal days hereabout. Upon his retirement from the farm, which is now owned by his son, William, he moved to New Bremen, where he is now living. To him and his wife were born four children, three of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, August and Charles Doenges. Reared on the home farm in St. Marys township, William Doenges received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood (old district No. 8), and as a young man remained at home, continuing to assist in the development of the farm. After his marriage he rented the place from his father, and some years later bought the same and continued farming there until, with the development of the vulcanizing and automobile tire business of Doenges & Doenges at New Bremen, he bought into that concern and moved to town to give his active attention to the business, and has since resided there. He still holds his farm of ninety-two and one-half acres in section 30 of St. Marys township, a mile or more south of the Reservoir, and continues to keep a close supervisory eye on the operations of the same. The Doenges firm has a well-equipped vulcanizing plant and   384 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   does a good business, carrying the local agency for the Mohawk, Miller, Victor and Master Cord tires. Mr. Doenges is a member of the local grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, with which he has been affiliated for many years. He is a Democrat, was formerly a member of that party's central committee in St. Marys township, and is a member of St. Paul's Lutheran church, of which for some years he was a deacon. William Doenges married Elizabeh Hespe, who died on November 24, 1918, and to that union were born four children, Alma, Adley, William Jr. and Gladys, the latter of whom is at home with her father. Alma Doenges married Otto Schneider and has one child, a son, Victor. Adley Doenges married _____ Latamier and has two children, James and ____, and William Doenges Jr. married Marie Oldiges and has two children, Louis and Edward.   HENRY O. KUCK, a well-known and substantial farmer and landowner of Washington township and proprietor of a well-kept farm on the Botkins road just out of New Knoxville, in section 29, was born on that farm and has lived there practically all his life, the owner of the same since the death of his grandfather, the lamented Rev. F. H. W. Kuckhermann, in 1915. Mr. Kuck was born on February 13, 1871, and is a son of Ernst and Sophia (Hoge) Kuck, the latter of whom, also a member of one of the pioneer families of Washington township, died within a week after his birth. The late Ernst Kuck, whose last days were spent down in the neighboring county of Shelby, was born at New Knoxville and was a son of the Rev. F. H. W. Kuckhermann, who for nearly fifty years was the beloved pastor of the First Reformed church of New Knoxville as is set out in the chapter on churches in this work. The Reverend Kuckhermann was a native of Germany and in his home land had received a liberal education. He came to this country in the days of his young manhood and became employed as a teacher in the New Knoxville schools, later becoming ordained as a minister of German Reformed church, and in 1852 was installed as pastor of the First Reformed church at New Knoxville, a labor of love which he maintained until his retirement on account of infirmity and ill health in 1890. Ernst Kuck, his son, shortened the name for convenience sake, and this form of the original name also is maintained by the latter's son, Henry, and his children. Ernst Kuck grew to manhood at New Knoxville, and after his marriage became well established as a farmer, the owner of a. farm of 100 acres down over the line in Shelby county, on which latter place he spent his days. He was twice married. His first wife, Sophia Hoge, died, as is noted above, a few days after the birth of their only child, and he an later married Sophia Niemeyer, also a member of one of the old families in this county, and to this union seven children were born,   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 385   all of whom but one (Sophia) are living, these being August, Herman, William, James, Caroline and Anna. Bereft of his mother when he was but a babe, Henry O. Kuck was reared in the household of his grandfather, the Rev. F. H. W. Kuckhermann, at New Knoxville, and there received careful schooling. In his youth he became attracted to farming as a vocation, and after his marriage established his home on his grandfather's farm, just southwest of the village, the place on which he is now living, his grandfather spending his last days there with him. Following the death of his grandfather, in the spring of 1915, Mr. Kuck took over the place, an excellent and well-improved farm of 110 acres, and has continued to make his home there, he and his family being very comfortably situated. Since taking possession of this farm Mr. Kuck has made numerous improvements on the place and has a well-equipped farm plant. He a Republican and has rendered public service as a member of the board of education of New Knoxville village. He and his wife are members of the First Reformed church of New Knoxville, and he has served as a deacon of that congregation. It was in 1892 that Henry O. Kuck was united in marriage to Elizabeth Warner, daughter of Carl Warner, and to this union have been born six children, Edwin, Adiel, Matilda, Meta, Alice and Calvin, the first named of whom, Edwin Kuck, married Lucile Loy and has one child, a son, Robert. The second son, Adiel Kuck, is a student at the Mission House College at Plymouth, Wis., taking studies preparatory to Balance upon the ministry of the Reformed church. The Kuck home is very pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 2 out of Botkins.   W. H. LUTTERBECK, one of the best known farmers and landowners of Washington township, now living retired at New Knoxville, where he has interests in the tile works and in the gas plant, was born on the farm which he now owns, in the southwest garter of section 8 of Washington township, two miles north of New Knoxville, January 20, 1846, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Fennemann) Lutterbeck, who had settled there in the woods bout hree years prior to that date. Henry Lutterbeck, one of the sal pioneers of Washington township, was a native of Germany, where he grew to manhood and was married. Following his mariage he came to this country with his wife and proceeded on out into Ohio. That was in 1840 during the progress of work on the instruction of the canal up through this part of the state. He was skilled ropemaker and upon his arrival here he set up a rope-walk id began to manufacture snub ropes and tow ropes for use on the anal and also did a considerable business in the manufacture of bed cords for the use of the pioneers. In this manner he got a start toward the accomplishment of his design, which was to become a (24)   386 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   landowner in this then new country, and in 1843 he bought a tract of forty acres in the southwest quarter of section 8 of Washing township, which then was a part of Allen county, for that was years before the erection of Auglaize county. Henry Lutterbeck built a cabin there in the woods and settled down to the strenuous task of clearing his place and making a farm out of it, for hat there between the creeks, was then all densely wooded. As he oped this place he added to his holdings until he became the own, all that quarter section besides an adjoining tract of twenty over in section 7. On that place he spent the remainder of his his death occurring in 1893. To Henry Lutterbeck and wife born five children, the subject of this sketch and his three sisters, Elizabeth, Christina and Mary, and his brother, William Lutterbeck. As will be noted by a comparison of dates above, W. H. Lutterbeck, was two years of age when Auglaize county came into civic b: He received his schooling in the little old pioneer school house (district No. 4) just across the road from the southwest corner of the father's farm, and from the days of his boyhood was trained in the ways of the farm. After his marriage he continued to reside there, assuming management of the place as his father retired from the active labors of the farm, and after his father's death in 1893: took over the home place of 177 acres and there continued to reside until there, his retirement in 1909 and removal to New Knoxville, where he has since resided. Besides the old home farm which he owns Mr. Lutterbeck has other land holdings, the owner, all told, of 224 acres in this county. In addition to the general farming operations which he has carried on, he also gave considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has done well, his farms being well improved and adequately equipped. Since his removal to New Knoxville, Mr. Lutterbeck has maintained an active interest not only in his farming operations but in the general business interests of the community and is one of the leading stockholders of the Auglaize Tile Company at New Knoxville. He also is interested in the operations of the New Knoxville gas plant, of which concern he also is one of the stockholders. In his political views Mr. Lutterbeck is a Democrat and he and his wife are members of the First Reformed church of New Knoxville, of which congregation he was for three years a director. W. H. Lutterbeck has been twice married. His first wife (Elizabeth Smithkamp) was the mother of six children, three of whom died in infancy. She died in 1897, leaving three daughters, Sarah, Caroline and Lydia, and Mr. Lutterbeck later married Elizabeth Katterheinrich, also a member of one of the old families of this county. Sarah Lutterbeck, Mr. Lutterbeck's eldest daughter married Ernest Holtkamp and has two children, Otto and Esther, the former of whom is married and has a child, thus placing Mr.   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 387   Lydiarbeck in the great-grandfather class, a distinction which he very properly regards quite highly. Caroline Lutterbeck married Henry Eversman and has three children, Ferd, Julius and Sylvanus, and Lydia Lutterbeck married Maurice Knoll and has two children, Robert and Florence.   ADOLPH ESCHMEYER, former mayor of New Knoxville and formerly and for years engaged in that village as a building contractor and brickmaker, now living retired and giving his attention to his farming interests in the immediate vicinity of the village, was born on a farm just a half mile west of the village of New Knoxville, on February 13, 1851, and has lived thereabout all his life, a period of more than seventy years. Mr. Eschmeyer is a son of Adolph and Christina (Hoelscher) Eschmeyer, natives of Germany, who settled a small farm west of New Knoxville back in pioneer days and fame substantial residents of that neighborhood. The senior Adolph Eschmeyer was about twenty-eight years of age when he fie to this country and proceeded on out here into western Ohio. Not long afterward he bought a tract of sixty-seven acres in the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 19 of Washington township, in this county, and there established his home and ginned to farm there the remainder of his life, meanwhile in-wing his holdings until he became the owner of a good farm of 144 acres. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, of whom but two are now living, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Ernest Eschmeyer. By a former marriage to Adolph Fledderjohann, Mrs. Christina Eschmeyer was the mother of a son, William Fledderjohann, who is now living at Richmond, Ind. Reared on ,home farm, the junior Adolph Eschmeyer received his schooling the schools of New Knoxville, and when sixteen years of age an to work at the carpenter's trade, a vocation which he followed for twenty years or more, meanwhile becoming a building contractor his own account. He also after awhile started a brick yard at New Knoxville and for twenty years continued to operate the same, during that time manufacturing much of the brick that entered into construction work throughout that trade area, the last sixteen years of his activity in the local industrial field having been given over largely to the operations of this brick yard, giving these a preference over his building operations. In 1898 Mr. Eschmeyer sold his brick-making plant and has since been giving his attention to his farming interests, living on his well-kept place of twenty-four acres on the outskirts of New Knoxville and renting the farm of something more than ninety-eight acres he owns in German township. Mr. Eschmeyer is a Republican and has ever given his thoughtful attention to local civic affairs. Years ago he served for some time as a constable in and for Washington township, and he also has served as   388 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   mayor of the village of New Knoxville. Adolph Eschmeyer married Elizabeth Fennaman, daughter of William Fennaman, and also a member of one of the pioneer families of Washington township, and to that union were born three children, two of whom are living, Anna and Matilda, the latter of whom married Ernest Eversman and has four children, Oliver, Carl, Dorothy and Louise. Anna Eschmeyer, the elder daughter, married Henry Roediger and has twelve children, Esther, Leota, Walter, Frank, Marie, Chester, Elmer, Emiel, Ruth, Vernon, Mildred and Kenneth. Mrs. Elizabeth Eschmeyer died on May 16, 1922. Mr. Eschmeyer is a member of the Reformed Church at New Knoxville, as was his wife, and he has served the congregation of that church as a deacon.   PETER SEIBERT, formerly and for years one of Salem township's best known and most substantial pioneer farmers and landowners and a man of wide influence in his community in his day and generation, left a good memory at his passing more than thirty years ago, and it is but fitting that in making up a historical and biographical review of this character there should be carried here some modest tribute to that memory, for he had done well his part in the development of his community. Peter Seibert was born in Crawford county, Ohio, May 15, 1836, and was a son of Peter and Charlotte (Wendeling) Seibert, natives of Germany, who had came to this country following their marriage in their native land and had established themselves on a pioneer farm in Crawford county, among the early settlers of that part of the state. The junior Peter Seibert grew to manhood on that farm in Crawford county and was there married. In 1864, shortly after his marriage, he sold a "forty” he owned in Crawford county and came to Auglaize county with his wife and bought a fraction more than eighty-three acres—a bit more than the measured east half of the northeast quarter of section 3 of Salem township—and on that place established his home, Even at that comparatively late date Salem tOWnship was just properly emerging from its primitive wilderness state and native conditions thereabout were pretty raw, but Mr. Seibert was a man of progressive thought and methods and it was not long until he had made a farm out of his place and was beginning to take in more land, The original landowner on this tract had put up a log cabin and a log stable, and these were the only improvements on the place when Peter Seibert took hold. His location in the woods about a mile and a half west of the canal and about the same distance south Kossuth gave him a good outlet for the products of his farm and his agricultural affairs prospered from the start, so that he gradually added to his holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of 275 acres and was accounted one of the substantial citizens of Auglaize county. On that place he spent his last days, his death occurring in   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 389   January 27, 1890, he then being in his fifty-fourth year, in the very prime of his life. His widow survived him until 1917. She was Anna M. Uhl, daughter of John H. Uhl, of Crawford county. Peter Seibert was a stanch Democrat, and he and his wife were members of the United Brethren church, in the faith of which communion their children were reared. They had eleven children, of whom six are now living, John H., Lewis, William T., Samuel P., Daniel G. and Caroline. William T. and Samuel P. Seibert, who have stuck to the old home place, are among the best known citizens of that community. William F. Seibert grew up to the life of the farm on the home place and acquired other interests in the farm until he now is the owner of 203 acres of the old home place, where he has an excellent farm plant and is carrying on his operations in up-to-date and profitable fashion. His brother, Samuel P. Seibert, who is also living on the old home place, married Margaret A. Haver and has live children, Margaret, Martha, Walter, Benjamin and Elmer. The Seibert brothers are Democrats and are members of the United Brethren church. The Seiberts have a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys.   OTTO VOGEL, former member of the board of trustees of Noble township and a well known farmer of that township, living on rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys, was born in Germany on February 12, 1862, and was eight years of age when, in 1870, his parents, William and Sabilla (Otto) Vogel, came with their family to America and proceeded on out into Ohio and located in Noble township, this county. For some time after coming here William Vogel, who had been a weaver in his native country, farmed as a renter in Noble township and then bought a farm in the northwest quarter of section 1 of St. Marys township. He started in with but twenty acres, but as his affairs prospered he added to his land holdings until he was the owner of an excellent farm of 110 acres north of the old plank road a mile or more east of St. Marys and became one of the substantial citizens of that neighborhood. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, four of whom— the subject of this sketch, Louise, Emma and one who died in childhood—were born in Germany and the others, Henry, Gus, John, Emelia and William, in this county. As noted above, Otto Vogel was eight years of age when his parents arrived in this country and his schooling was completed here. As a young man he became employed as a carpenter and followed that vocation for four years, at the end of which time, after his marriage, he established his home on his wife's farm of eighty acres in Noble township and has ever since resided on that place. Mr. Vogel has improved his farm in up-to-date fashion and has a well equipped farm plant. In addition to his general farming he gives proper attention to the raising of   390 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   live stock and is doing well in his operations. Mr. Vogel is a democrat and for three years rendered public service as a member of the board of trustees of Noble township. He also has served as member of the local school board and has in other ways given a good citizen's attention to civic affairs. Otto Vogel married Mary Schmidt, daughter of Chris and Caroline Schmidt, of this county and to this union six children have been born, Helen, Tessie, Lambert, Edward, Frank and Alfred, the three first named of whom are married. Helen Vogel married Jesse Glass and has four children; Catherine, Grace, Alice and Arthur. Tessie Vogel married William Glass and has five children, Mary, Dorothy, Pauline, Otto and Juanita, and Lambert Vogel married Dorothy Worman and has on child, a son, Lambert, Jr. The Vogels are members of St. Paul’s Reformed church at St. Marys and Mr. Vogel has served the cow gation of this church as a deacon and is now an elder of the church   JOHN F. NEUMAN, third in direct line of ownership of the old Neuman farm west of New Bremen and whose son (in the fourth generation) now is farming the place, was born on hat plat and has lived there pretty much all his life. It was his grandfather John Bernard Neuman, who made the original entry to that place the north half of the northeast quarter of section 17 of German township, a mile west of the corporate limits of New Bremen. date of this entry being April 24, 1820. On that place John Bernard Neuman and his wife, natives of Germany, established the home and reared their family, substantial pioneers of the New Bermen neighborhood. One of their sons, John H. Neuman, born. the place, in time came into possession of the "eighty" and here reared his family. Upon his death his son, John F. Neuman, ben.. the interests of the other heirs and thus came into possession.. third John Neuman to own the place, and the latter's son, Lafe Neuman, in the fourth generation, now is carrying on the opera. of the farm. The late John H. Neuman, son of the pioneer, and wife (Adaline Sweacke), who also was a member of one of pioneer families of the New Bremen neighborhood, and comer: whom further mention is made elsewhere in this work, were parents of a goodly family of children, six of whom are still the subject of this sketch having a sister, Sophia, and four brothers Walter, August, Fred and Henry Neuman. It was thus that John F. Neuman, born on that place on August 1, 1857, was reared there. He received his schooling in the New Bremen schools and from the days of his boyhood was well trained in the ways of the farm. Following his marriage he, for a time, made his home in New Bremen and then he rented a farm of ninety-five acres in the immediate vicinity of New Knoxville and was there engaged in farming for seven years, at the end of which time he returned to the home farm   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 391   west of New Bremen and took charge of the same, renting from his father. Upon his father's death in the following year he bought from the other heirs their respective interests in the place and has since been living there. Mr. Neuman continued actively engaged in farming until 1914, when he retired from active management of the place, which has since been farmed by his son, Lafe Neuman, who is married and is living on the place. Since he came into possession of this farm Mr. Neuman has made extensive improvements and has two sets of buildings on the place and an excellent farm plant. John F. Neuman married Minnie Kettler, daughter of Henry Kettler, and has two children, a son and a daughter, Lafe and Ida, the latter of whom married Otto Dammeyer. Lafe Neuman, who, as noted above, is now operating the home farm, married Ida Bushman and has four children, Violet, Alfreda, Mary and Leta. The Neumans have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 1, out of New Bremen. They are Republicans and are members of St. Peter's Evangelical church at New Bremen. John F. Neuman formerly was a member of the board of trustees of that congregation.   FRED D. BACOME, proprietor of the restaurant at Uniopolis and one of the best known young business men in that pleasant village, is a member of one of the pioneer families of that part of the county. He was born on a farm in Union township on February 6, 1891, and is a son of David and Christine (VanScyock) Bacome, both members of old families here and who are now living on their farm in that township. David Bacome is a son of James and Polly Bacome, who were among the pioneers of Union township. James Bacome came here from Knox county, Ohio, during settlement days and located on a parcel of land which he had bought in section 2 of Union township, where he established his home and spent the remainder of his life, one of the useful pioneers of that section. David Bacome was born on that place and there grew to manhood. For some time after his marriage he continued engaged in farming there and then bought the farm of eighty-seven acres on which he is now living in Union township and has since made his home on this latter place. He and his wife have four children, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Sylvia and Flora, and a brother, Clyde Bacome. Reared on the home farm in Union township, Fred D. Bacome received his schooling in the neighborhood school and after his marriage remained on the home farm, helpful in the labors of cultivating and improving the same, until in 1920, when he left the farm and bought the restaurant at Uniopolis and has since been engaged in business at that place. Mr. Bacome has a well equipped place of business and since taking possession of the restaurant has done much to develop the establishment and bring its service up to modern standards of excellence. It was on October 17, 1913, that   392 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   Fred D. Bacome was united in marriage to Sarah Sanders, who was born in the neighboring county of Allen, daughter of Harvey Sanders, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Donald Bacome. Mr. Bacome is a Democrat and in his fraternal relations is affiliated with the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at Uniopolis and with that of the Masons at Waynesfield. He is an alert young business man and since becoming engaged in business at Uniopolis has taken an active part in the general commercial life of that village.   JOHN E. BAYLIFF, M. D., one of Auglaize county's widely known physicians, who for years has been engaged in practice at Uniopolis, where he has his home, is a native son of Auglaize county, a member of one of the real pioneer families here, and has resided here all his life. Doctor Bayliff was born on September 3, 1861, and is a son of Louis P. and Christina Elizabeth (Waggoner) Bayliff, both of whom also were born in this county, their respective parents having been among the pioneers of the eastern part of the county, which at the time of the settlement here of these families was attached to Allen county. The late Louis P. Bayliff, who for many years was one of the leading teachers in the schools of Auglaize county, was born on a farm in Clay township and was a son of Joel and Peggy (Copeland) Bayliff, who were among the pioneer of that section of the county. Joel Bayliff, who came here from Pennsylvania in the early '30s of the past century, entered from the government a claim to a quarter of a section of land in section 12 of what is now Clay township, and was living there when, in December, 1834, the commissioners of Allen county granted a petition of the settlers who had by that time located thereabout to have a township organization of their own "to be designated and known by the name of Clay." He was clerk of the first election held in this township and in that election was elected treasurer of the township. In other ways he did his part in the formative period of that now flourishing and well-established community and was thus one of the influential and helpful pioneers of that region, where he spent the remainder of his life, he and his sons doing well their part in helping to bring about proper social conditions in the community. Louis P. Bayliff completed his schooling at Antioch College under the inspiring influence of Horace Mann and devoted his life to public service as a teacher of the youth of his home county, for more than thirty-five years giving of the best that was in him to schoolroom service. Mr. Bayliff died on January 12, 1902, and at his grave, left a good memory. His wife had long preceded him to the grave, death having occurred in 1869, when the subject of this sketch was but eight years of age. There were five children of this family, of whom three are still living, Doctor Bayliff having a sister, Eliza-   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 393   both, and a brother, George J. Bayliff. Two daughters, Amanda J. andElla, are deceased. Reared on the Bayliff place in the vicinity of St. Johns, Doctor Bayliff completed his public schooling by attendance on the Wapakoneta high school, and for six years thereafter was engaged as a teacher in the schools of this county, meantime giving his attention to preliminary studies in medicine, and then entered Pulte Medical College at Cincinnati, which institution later merged with others and became a department of the Ohio State University, and after a course of four years of study there was graduated from that institution in 1887. Upon receiving his degree Doctor Bailiff returned to Wapakoneta and opened there an office for the practice of his profession. Two years later he established his present practice at Uniopolis and has since made his home in that pleasant village, where he and his family are very pleasantly situated. On April 12, 1886, a year prior to his graduation from medical college, Dr. John E. Bayliff was united in marriage to Lucinda J. Howe, daughter of T. D. Howe, of Uniopolis, and to this uion two sons have been born, Walter and Russell, both of whom are at home. Doctor Bayliff is a member of the Ohio State Medical Society and of the Auglaize County Medical Society. He is a Democrat and for four years served as clerk of Union township. The Doctor is a charter member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at St. Paris, Ohio.   EARL F. KENT, principal of the Clay township consolidated public schools at St. Johns and a well known resident of Wapakoneta, where he makes his home, was born at Uniopolis on May 8, 1893, and is a son of Robert F. and Sarah Jane (Copeland) Kent, both members of pioneer families in Union township, this county, and who are still living in the vicinity of Uniopolis. Robert F. Kent was reared to farming and for some time followed that vocation, but is now employed on mill work in the lumber yard at Uniopolis. He and his wife have four children, the subject of this sketch having three brohers, Herman, Russell and Howard Kent. Reared at Uniopolis, Earl F. Kent received his schooling in the schools of that village and in 1913 became licensed to teach school and in the fall of that year began teaching his first term of school, this having been in Stokes township in the neighboring county of Logan. Since then Mr. Kent has been engaged in teaching, meanwhile continuing his studies, and has taken six summer courses in Ohio Northern University at Ada. After his first school in Logan county he began teaching in Auglaize county and has ever since been thus engaged here, for four years a teacher in the schools of Logan township, two years in Duchouquet township and his second year as principal of the consolidated schools at St. Johns, where his wife is also engaged as a teacher. It was on February 2, 1914, that Earl F. Kent was united   394 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   in marriage to Lela Shaffer, also a member of one of the old families of this county. Mrs. Kent was born at Cridersville and is a daughter of Henry and Clara (Moyer) Shaffer. She supplemented the schooling received in the schools of her home town by attendance for several terms on the summer course at Ohio Northern University and for the past six years has been engaged as a teacher in the schools of this county, now a teacher in the St. John's school. Mr. and Mrs. Kent have a pleasant home at Wapakoneta. They are members of Grace English Lutheran church.   WILLIAM J. SETTLAGE, one of Washington township's well known farmers and proprietor of a well improved farm on rural mail route No. 1 out of St. Marys, was born on the farm on which he is now living and has lived there all his life. Mr. Settlage war born on November 13, 1877, and is a son of William and Mary (Katterheinrich) Settlage, the latter of whom was born in that s: township, a member of the well known pioneer Katterheinrich fa: which still is so largely represented in this county. William Sett: was born in Cincinnati and was but a child when his parents, He A. and Mary E. (Katterheinrich) Settlage, natives of Germany, that city and came up here into this section of Ohio. Henry A. S lage was a blacksmith and for some years after coming here lowed that vocation at New Bremen. He then bought a fan Washington township and on this latter place spent the remain. of his life. William Settlage was about fifteen years of age when: parents moved onto the farm there along Center creek in the 1, half of section 18 of Washington township, about two miles and west of New Knoxville, and he grew to manhood there. A his marriage he established his home on that place, eventuall came the owner of a fine farm of 103 acres, the place now owner his son, William J., and there spent his last days, his death or ring in 1912. William Settlage was twice married. By his : wife, Rebecca Meyers, he had two sons who grew to maturity, Herman and August C. Settlage. By his union with Mary Kau rich he had nine children, those besides the subject of this skt the fourth in order of birth, being Sarah, Callie, Matilda, He: Flora, Elizabeth, Pauline and Anna, all of whom are living , Matilda, who died in 1921. Reared on the home farm, William J. Settlage received his schooling in the neighborhood school (district No. 4), and from the days of his boyhood was attentive to the ail, of the farm. After his marriage he rented the home acres and carried on operations there on that basis until after his father's death in 1912, when he bought the home place of 103 acres and has s been proprietor of the same, in the meantime making numerous improvements, including the erection of a modern dwelling house 1918, and now has an admirably equipped farm plant. In addition   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 395   to his general farming, Mr. Settlage gives considerable attentIOn to the raising of live stock and is doing well. In his political views he leans to the "independents," of whom there seem to be a continually growing number in this county. William J. Settlage married Ida Wellman, also a member of one of the old families of Washington township, and to this union three children have been born, Rufus, Ruth, and Adrian. Mr. and Mrs. Settlage are members of the Reformed church at New Knoxville and Mr. Settlage has served the congregation of that church as a teacher in the Sunday school. Mrs. Settlage was born in Washington township and is a daughter of Herman and Caroline (Katterheinrich) Wellman, both of whom were born in that same township, members of pioneer families there. Herman Wellman for years farmed in Washington township and then moved to St. Marys township, where he is now living, the owner of a farm of ninety-three acres. To him and his wife were born ten children, those besides Mrs. Settlage being William, Conrad, Sarah, Ferdinand, Elizabeth, Edward, Ella, Priscilla and Gertrude.   CONRAD KOEPER, one of the well-known and substantial farmers and landowners of German township and proprietor of a well-improved farm northwest of New Bremen, was born on that farm and has lived there all his life. Mr. Koeper was born on May 5, 1856, and is a son of Henry and Anna (Seimer) Koeper, both of whom were born in Germany, and the latter of whom was but a child when she came to this country with her parents, the family settling in the New Bremen neighborhood. The late Henry Koeper grew to young manhood in his native country, where his circumstances in life were such as to offer little hope for material advancement, and he decided to come to America and seek his fortune amid the more promising conditions which seemed to offer hope to a young man. When he landed in this country he was in debt for his passage, but he felt assured of his right to a proper livelihood. He had letters of introduction to "old country" folk at New Bremen, and he came on out here and put in his lot with that of the people of that town, which then, on account of the growing interests which were being developed around the canal traffic, was regarded as one of the most promising towns in northwestern Ohio. For some time after settling at New Bremen he was engaged working as a carpenter, and by this means earned a sum of money sufficient to discharge the obligation incurred by his passage across the ocean and to encourage him to become a landowner. He also saw his way clear to marriage. After his marriage he bought a "forty" just off the old Wayne trail (the St. Marys- New Bremen road)—the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 4—a mile or more west of north of New Bremen, and there established his home. He cleared and improved that place, and as his affairs prospered added to his land holdings until he be-   396 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   came the owner of a fine farm of 216 acres, and there he made his home until his death at the age of eighty-seven years. He and his wife were the parents of six children, those besides the subject of this sketch (the second in order of birth) being August, Mary, Sophia. Louise and Henry. Reared on the home farm, Conrad Koeper received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and was early trained in the ways of practical farming. He remained wit father on the farm, and after his marriage rented the home and began farming on his own account, establishing his home Upon the death of his father and the consequent distribution estate, he received 130 acres of the home place and has since tinued to reside there. He has his farm under a fine state of vation and has an excellent farm plant, long having been recognized as one of the progressive farmers of the community. Conrad E married Lena Dicke, and to this union two sons have been Harry and Ernest, both of whom are unmarried and living at associated with their father in his farming operations. The K are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church at New Bremen a, Democrats. They have a very pleasant home on rural mail No. 1 out of New Bremen. Mrs. Koeper was born at Wabash, and is a daughter of Deitrich Dicke, who later moved to a farm . the vicinity of Ft. Wayne, in Allen county, Indiana.   HENRY DEERHAKE, one of the well-known farmers and landowners of Washington township, proprietor of a well-kept place on rural mail route No. 1 out of St. Marys, was born on a farm a' the Wapakoneta-St. Marys road, in the extreme northwest corner of Washington township, June 22, 1871, and is a son of William E.and Christina (Haberkamp) Deerhake, the latter of whom also was born in Washington township, a member of one of the pioneer families there, and the former of whom is still living on the old home place there. William E. Deerhake is a native of Germany, but has been a resident of this country since he was twenty-one years of age having come here with his parents, Adolph and Catherine (Luebke) Deerhake, in 1871, the family settling in Washington township, as is set out elsewhere in this volume. After his marriage, William E. Deerhake bought the farm on which he is now living, in the northwest quarter of section 6 of Washington township, and has ever since resided there. It was on this farm that Henry Deerhake was born and grew to manhood. He received his schooling in the neighbor. hood schools, and as a lad was helpful in the labors of the farm, co firming thus engaged with his father until his marriage, at he age of twenty-five, also working during the winters in a saw mill for five years, and then moved onto the fifty-acre farm where he is now living, in that same part of the township, and has since resided there a period of twenty-six years. It was in 1896 that Henry Deerhake   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 397   was united in marriage to Anna Luft, who also was born in Washington township, and to this union have been born eleven children, sile of whom are still living, Leroy, Lydia, Raymond, Homer, Mary, la, Edna, Vernon and Mildred. Mr. and Mrs. Deerhake are members of the Reformed church at New Knoxville and are "independent" publicans. Mr. Deerhake has given proper attention to local civic airs and has served as school director in his district. Mrs. Deere was born in Washington township and is a daughter of Chris, and Elizabeth (Wierwille) Luft, the latter of whom was a fiber of the well-known pioneer Wierwille family of that town, Christian Luft, who was a harnessmaker, died when his daughter, Anna (Mrs. Deerhake), was six weeks old. Mrs. Deerhaker has two sisters, Amelia and Malinda. Elsewhere in this volume there is further mention of both the Deerhake and the Wierwille families, both of these families having been represented here since pioneer days. Mr. Deerhake has a sister, Helena, and two brothers, Benjamin and William Deerhake.   WILLIAM EASTERLY, a well-known farmer and landowner of Salem township, where he has made his home for the past thirty years or more, was born in that township on March 17, 1863, and is son of Frederick and Catherine Magdalena (Ashbacher) Easterly, both of whom were born in Germany and had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their childhood. Frederick Easterly was but a small boy when his parents came to America with their family and proceeded on out into Ohio and settled in Crawford county, where he grew to manhood and was married. After his marriage he came to Auglaize county and bought a tract of forty acres of uncleared land in Salem township, but not long afterward disposed of that place and returned to Crawford county. The lure of Auglaize county, however, was too strong to resist, and it was not long until he returned here and bought a sixty-acre farm in Noble township, where he established his home and spent the remainder of his life, adding to his holdings there until he became the owner of a fine farm of 190 acres. Frederick Easterly was twice married. By his first wife (Catherine Magdalena Ashbacher) he was the father of four children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Matilda, Charles and Louis. Following the death of the mother of these children, Mr. Easterly married Caroline Hausmann, and to that union were born four children, Clara, Anna, Cora and Emma. William Easterly was but a lad when his father established his home in Noble township (in the southwest quarter of section 10), and he grew to manhood there, receiving his schooling in the school house (district No. 2) which stood at the cross roads bordering the Easterly farm on the south and west. After his marriage, when about twenty-five years of age, he rented his father's farm and was for two   398 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   years thus engaged in farming that place on his own account, He then, in 1890, bought a tract of 100 acres in Salem township, the place on which he is now living, and has ever since resided there, To that tract he added by the purchase of an adjoining tract of two:. acres and now has a well-improved and profitably cultivated pia, 120 acres, all of which has been cleared save a five-acre woodlot. addition to his general farming, Mr. Easterly gives proper attention to the raising of live stock and is doing well. He is a Democrat has rendered public service as a school director in his district. is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd lows at Kossuth, and of the encampment of that order at Spencerville, and is also affiliated with the local grange of the Patro Husbandry at Kossuth, while he and his family are connected the St. Paul's Reformed church at St. Marys. William Easterly married Rebecca Croft, daughter of Christian and Phoebe (Zimmerman) Croft, and to this union have been born seven children, all of w are living save one (John), the others being Alma, Laura, Del Norma, Marie and Frederick, all unmarried save Marie, wife of Robert Montague. The Easterlys have a very pleasant horn, rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys.   E. C. KUENZEL, secretary of the Kuenzel Mills Company New Bremen, was born at New Bremen on May 30, 1865, and is a son of John A. and Wilhelmina (Mohrman) Kuenzel, natives of Germany, who early became established at New Bremen, and who in their generation were recognized as among the most useful influential members of that community. The late John A. Kuenzel, one of the founders of the woolen mills at New Bremen and former postmaster of that place, was sixteen years of age when he came to this country from Germany and located at Louisville, Ky. He had had some training as a shoemaker in his home land, and upon taking up his residence at Louisville began working there as a shoemaker Not long afterward he came up into Ohio and settled at New Bremen, where he had kinsfolk, and opened a shoe shop. That was in the days when custom-made boots and shoes were much more coma. worn than now, and it was not long until the excellent character of the output of his shop had attracted a good trade. The actin:` attendant on the operation of the canal then were at their height New Bremen was a busy place. Mr. Kuenzel married here and tied down." He did well in his business and presently was r postmaster of the town. After awhile it became apparent that Bremen offered an excellent site for the erection of a woolen and Mr. Kuenzel became one of the founders of the mill which bears his name, and with which he continued connected until death. It was during the time of his active connection important industrial enterprise that a merger was effected   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 399   flouring mill, and since that time the woolen mill and the flour mill, sere along the canal in the center of the town, have been operated Oder the one management. When the woolen mill was organized, in 1868, it was operated under the firm name of Finke, Bakhaus & Kuenzel, and so continued until the time of the incorporation of the company, in 1899, under the name of the Bakhaus-Kuenzel Company. nee he time of the company's reorganization, on January 7, 1914, e business of this dual industry has been carried on under the firm yle of the Kuenzel Mills Company, Godfrey Kuenzel, elder son of dm A, Kuenzel, being the president of the company and giving his particular attention to the details of the flouring mill, even as his other, E. C. Kuenzel, secretary of the company, gives his technical tention to the operation of the woolen mill. When the woolen mill is started it was operated simply as a neighborhood custom mill, product being confined to satinets, flannels, jeans, yarn and batting, as its operations expanded it began to develop outside trade d has long given special attention to the manufacture of blankets and blanket cloth, the only woolen mill known that specializes in the latter line, its celebrated "Kuneta" blanket cloth being in wide mild, Its "New Bremen" brand of blankets also are in wide maul and it turns out no fewer than 30,000 pairs of these annually. Len are forty-seven persons employed in the woolen mill, and eight the flour mill. This latter mill has a capacity of ninety barrels a y and specializes in its widely known brand of "Gold Lace" flour. C, Kuenzel, secretary of the operating company in charge of these milIs, was reared at New Bremen, where he received his schooling. on leaving school he went to the neighboring town of St. Marys, ere for two years he was engaged in clerking in a grocery store. then went West and presently located at Syracuse, Neb., where er awhile he became engaged in the banking business, and where remained for eleven years, at the end of which time he moved to icago, where he made his home for ten years, or until the death his father, when he returned to New Bremen, it becoming necessary for him to assume his father's interest in the mills there, and since has given his undivided attention to the promotion of these ensive milling interests. Mr. Kuenzel is a Republican and has ved the public as a member of the New Bremen town council. and his wife are members of the Zion Reformed church, in the faith of which church their children have been reared, and he is a mason of high degree, a member of the blue lodge at St. Marys, of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of the Valley of Dayton orhern Masonic jurisdiction). He also is a member of the local ge of the Knights of Pythias at New Bremen. In 1893 E. C. enzel was united in marriage to Myra Hunter, of Kansas City, Mo., and to this union five children have been born, namely: Hunter