(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE)

BIOGRAPHY CLEMENT A. STUEVE, senior member of the law firm of Stueve & Tangeman at Wapakoneta, former mayor of that city, former judge of probate for Auglaize county, a member of the directorate of the Peoples National Bank of Wapakoneta, a onetime member of the board of school examiners for this county and in other ways for years recognized as one of the most influential factors in the general social and civil life of the community at large, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here most of his life, the exception being a period during the days of his young manhood when he was completing his studies and fitting himself for the larger sphere of influence into which he found himself logically and irresistibly drawn upon his entrance into the practice of law in this county forty years ago. Judge Stueve was born in the village of Minster on November 27, 1855, and is a son of Clemens and Elizabeth (Vogt) Stueve, both of whom were of European birth and who had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their childhood. The late Clemens Stueve, who for many years was one of the most forceful figures in the general industrial life of this county, was born at Oythe, in the grand duchy of Oldenburg, at that time a constitutional ducal monarchy, but which later became a part of the German empire, September 30, 1826, and was less than eight years of age when in the summer of 1834, following the unsuccessful revolution in the Palatinate and in others of the German states, his parents, Herman H. and Catherine M. (Friedrichs) Stueve, decided to leave their native land and with their three young sons, Clemens, Bernard and Herman, come to America. This freedom-loving family took passage at Bremen on June 16, 1834, and eight days later the vessel left Bremerhaven on its trip across the Atlantic, a voyage which required nearly three months, for it was not until the following September 10 that the vessel arrived at Baltimore. In accordance with arrangements previously made, the objective of this family was the Stallo settlement which had been effected the year before at what is now the town of Minster and which then was located in Mercer county, this state, and from Baltimore the family proceeded to Wheeling, whence boat passage was secured to Cincinnati, at which latter (2) 34 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY place the family arrived on October 8. At Cincinnati, Herman H. Stueve secured a Conestoga wagon and a teamster and with such treasured family possessions as had been brought from the old country and such new furniture of an essential character as was procured at Cincinnati, he and his family began the toilsome trip up into this part of Ohio. The fact that this journey required a bit more than a month in the making, for the family did not arrive at Stallo Town (Minster) until November 9, is its own illuminating commentary on the progress that has been made in the matter of highway transportation during the past eighty-eight years. A mere pleasant day's drive these days. It is to comparisons of this sort that the attention of the younger readers of these reviews is particularly invited. Upon his arrival at Stallo Town, which, as will be noted by reference to the history of the Minster community set out elsewhere in this work, at that time was but a scattered collection of newly built log cabins in the wilderness along the old Wayne trail, Herman H. Stueve, who was a carpenter by vocation, set about getting up a house for his family. The saw mills had not yet begun to penetrate this section and this skilled carpenter and joiner found himself confronted by a problem that had perplexities upon which he had not counted. Woods- craft architecture was something new to him and the raising of a house of logs offered architectural difficulties that might not readily have been overcome even by this master carpenter without the helpful instruction and assistance of those of his new neighbors who previously had been able to profit by the instructions in primitive woodcraft so generously offered by the "yankee" backwoodsmen who had generously and gladly given of their help in all the new steps being taken by these newcomers from another land. It is a fact, noted by many of the commentators on the history of pioneer days in Ohio, that perhaps the chief difficulty which confronted the German settlers in this state was that attending the erection of their log cabins and that in the beginning they found it necessary to rely upon their yankee neighbors to show them the "short cuts" in the process of getting up a serviceable home in the woods. However, it did not take Mr. Stueve long to adjust himself to the new conditions and he straightway became a valued factor in the development of that community. The saw mills presently came in and he continued his activities as a builder for nearly fifteen years thereafter, or until he fell a victim to the dreadful cholera scourge which swept over that community not long after work on the building of the canal was begun, his death occurring on July 28, 1849. His wife had preceded him to the grave a little more than a year, her death having occurred on April 26, 1848. They had four children, Clemens Stueve having had a sister, Gertrude, who was born here and who died in infancy at Minster, and the two brothers, Bernard and Herman, the latter of HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 35 whom died in 1869, of yellow fever, in Galveston, Tex. Herman H. Steuve, in addition to the valuable service he rendered in the Minster community, of which he was a pioneer, as a carpenter and builder, took well his part in the civic life of the new community and was a member of the town council at the time of his death. His son Clemens in his turn also took his part in the civil life of the community and as he grew into favor served in turn as town clerk and then as town councilman and in other ways assumed his share in public service. Clemens Stueve grew up familiar with the pioneer conditions that necessarily were imposed upon the people of the Stallo settlement and under the direction of his father became a skilled carpenter, and also served an apprenticeship as a wagon maker. He was still in his boyhood when work on the canal was begun in this part of the state and, in common with most of the boys and young men of the settlement, took a part in the labors of that great public work, aiding in the construction of the Grand Reservoir. When the canal was completed he started a saw mill at Minster and with the new market opened for lumber by the operation of the canal did a thriving business, continuing thus engaged until in February, 1856, when he sold his lumber plant to advantage and then took a prospecting trip through the West, investigating conditions in Missouri, Kansas and Iowa, as well as in Indiana and Illinois, but re. turned to Minster upon the completion of this trip and there became engaged in general merchandising, to which line he presently added pork packing and dealing in grain. Thus he found his way again to be helpfully useful in the community in which he had elected definitely to put in his part and in that way steadfastly walked to the end, and it was not long until he generally was recognized hereabout as one of the most substantial citizens of northwestern Ohio. Unhappily, following the stress of "hard times" which came about following the panic in 1873 he found his obligations exerting a strain upon his fortune which could not easily be overcome and his business interests suffered accordingly. Thereafter he lived practically retired from business pursuits, though maintaining a helpful influence in the community. From Minster he moved to Anna, down in Shelby county, and thence some time later to Wapakoneta, where he took over the management of the old Henry House and was thus for some years engaged in the hotel business at the county seat. His last days were spent at Wapakoneta, his death occurring there on August 16, 1896, he then being just under seventy years of age. Clemens Stueve was twice married. In 1848 he was united in marriage to Elizabeth M. Vogt, who was born at Vechta in the grand duchy of Oldenburg on August 18, 1829, and who had come to this country with her parents in the days of her youth. To that union were born five children, two sons and three daughters, all of whom are now deceased save 36 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Judge Stueve and his sister, Mrs. Catherine E. Johnston. The mother of these children died on June 10, 1863, and in the following September, Clemens Stueve married Mary Westbrock. To this latter union four sons were born. Clement A. Stueve, third in order of birth of the children born to Clemens and Elizabeth M. (Vogt) Stueve, was born on November 27, 1855, and was reared at Minster, where he received his early schooling. This was supplemented by a course in the Toledo high school and in a business college at Cincinnati, the latter course being completed in the fall of 1873. Upon his return to Minster he became employed there in clerical work and remained at home for three years, or until in September, 1876, when he became employed in a similar capacity at Decatur, Ind. A year later he returned to Cincinnati, but after less than a year of employment in that city returned to Auglaize county and at Wapakoneta took up the study of law under the preceptorship of R. D. Marshal and about that time also became employed as an assistant in the office of the county treasurer. In 1880 Mr. Marshall moved his law office to Dayton and in 1881 Mr. Stueve followed his preceptor to that city and under this direction completed his law studies and in June, 1882, was admitted to the bar. Thus qualified to practice the profession to which he had devoted himself he returned to Wapakoneta and in January, 1883, became associated in practice with F. C. Layton, afterward member of Congress from this district and present judge of the court of common pleas. This mutually agreeable partnership continued until in 1898 when the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Stueve formed a partnership with the late J. J. Connaughton, an arrangement which continued until his election to the bench of the probate court in 1902. By re-election Judge Stueve served as probate judge until February 9, 1909, when he resumed his practice at Wapakoneta and has since been thus engaged, one of the leading lawyers in northwestern Ohio. In 1911 he entered into a partnership arrangement with Theo H. Tangeman, one of the recognized leaders of the local bar, and this law firm has since been carrying on under the firm name of Stueve Tangeman, with offices in the Brown Theater building at Wapakoneta. Judge Stueve for years has been regarded as one of the leaders of the Democratic party in this district, and has rendered yeoman service in behalf of that party. In his law student days he served as town clerk of Wapakoneta (1880-81) and later (1888-91) as mayor of the town. He also has served as a member of the county board of school examiners and in other ways has taken his part in public service. He was judge of the probate court when the juvenile court was created and in this latter behalf rendered valuable service in the organization of the new court. Besides his law practice he has other interests and is a member of the board of directors of the Peoples National Bank of HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 37 Wapakoneta. He and his wife are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church and he is a past grand knight of the local council of the Knights of Columbus, a member of St. Martin's Benevolent Society, of the local Swabian society and of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. On October 17, 1882, shortly following his admission to the bar, Clement A. Stueve was united in marriage to Mary A. Dickman, daughter of Theodore and Mary (Weinmar) Dickman, of Wapakoneta, and to this union five children have been born, Richard C., Winfred H., Theodore F. (deceased), Thecla and Marianne. Mrs. Stueve is a sister of Gen. Joseph T. Dickman (retired), of the United States army, who led the Army of Occupation into Germany following the close of the World War in the fall of 1918 and concerning whom further and fitting mention is made elsewhere in this work. FRED A. KLIPFEL, mayor of Wapakoneta, and secretary and manager of the Citizens Building and Loan Company, has had extensive and valuable training in municipal affairs, having served as clerk of the town, later as city auditor and is now serving his second term as mayor, bringing to his administration an accumulation of experience which has proved valuable to the community in many ways in the exercise of his executive prerogatives. Mayor Klipfel is a native son of Wapakoneta and has lived in that city all his life, receiving his schooling and business training there and is thus familiar not only with the history and traditions of the place but with its essential civic needs, so that he is able to bring to his administrative office a ripened judgment that among his associates lends much weight to his estimate of public affairs. The mayor was born on September 26, 1878, and is thus in the very prime of his useful career. He is a son of August W. and Mary (Bitler) Klipfel, both of whom also were born in this county, members of old families here, and the latter of whom is still living. The late August W. Klipfel was for thirty years engaged in the transfer business at Wapakoneta and then became engaged in the grocery business there, which business he carried on until his death in 1919. To him and his wife were born two sons, Mayor Klipfel having a brother, Arthur A. Klipfel, cashier of the Auglaize National Bank at Wapakoneta. Upon his graduation from the Wapakoneta high school, Fred A. Klipfel entered his father's grocery store and for fourteen years thereafter devoted his attention to that business. In the meantime he had taken an interest in the promotion of the Citizens Building and Loan Company at Wapakoneta, becoming connected with that concern in its "day of small things," and on June 1, 1899, was made secretary of the company, carrying on the clerical details of the organization in the office of the grocery store. With the gradual expansion of the company's business it after awhile became necessary to outfit a more 38 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY adequate office for the concern and the present quarters on Auglaize street were secured, since which time (in 1912) Mr. Klipfel has been devoting his undivided attention to the company's affairs, continuing as secretary and manager of the concern, at the same time finding time to carry on his official duties in connection with the administration of the city's affairs. Busy men are constantly being asked to assume new responsibilities. They are the ones who get things done and this quality is quickly recognized. When, back in the present city's village days, Fred Klipfel was elected village clerk the people knew he had this capacity for getting things done, and he proved his usefulness in that clerical position. It was on January 1, 1908, that he entered upon the duties of village clerk. For four years he continued thus engaged, the city, in the meantime beginning to function under its city charter, and Mr. Klipfel was elected city auditor, entering upon the duties of that office on January 1, 1912. In this latter capacity he also served for four years and then was elected mayor of the city, entering upon his administrative duties on January 1, 1916, and serving by re-election until January 1, 1920, thus occupying this important administrative office during the period of America's participation in the World war, a period which entailed many new and in some instances trying duties in the offices of the executives of American citieS. In 1921 Mr. Klipfel again was elected mayor and on January 1, 1922, resumed that office for a term of two years, thus again exercising his administrative talents in behalf of the city. During the days of the old Wapakoneta Commercial Club, Mr. Klipfel served for some years as secretary of that organization and he also is one of the active factors in the present commercial organization at Wapakoneta, the Chamber of Commerce. He has been a member of the official council of the English Lutheran church at Wapakoneta for twelve years and for four years served as secretary of the church body. He is affiliated with the local lodges of the Freemasons, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles and is one of the active members of the local Kiwanis Club, whose motto is "We Build," and which organization has of late been doing much to promote the general interests of the new Wapakoneta. On October 23, 1902, Fred A. Klipfel was united in marriage to Katherine L. Morey, who also was born in this county, daughter of Andrew J. and Sophia (McMurray) Morey, the former of whom was born in Licking county, this state, and the latter in Campbell county, Kentucky. To this union three children have been born, Augustus W., who was graduated from the Blume high school (Wapakoneta) and is now a student at Wittenberg College, and Frederic A. and Mary Katherine, who are still in high school. Mayor Klipfel is a Democrat and has for years been looked upon as one of the leaders of that party in this county and throughout the district. HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 39 WILLIAM D. CLOVER, vice president of the Neeley-Clover Company, oil producers, at St. Marys, and for years recognized as one of the important factors in the development of the oil fields in Ohio, is a Pennsylvanian by birth, but has been a resident of Ohio since the days of the uncovering of the great Lima oil field and there are few men in the oil industry who have a wider acquaintance than he or whose activities along that line have been more varied and comprehensive. Mr. Clover was born at Salem, Pa., June 20, 1865, and is a son of Henry B. and Agnes (Neeley) Clover, both of whom also were born in that state and whose last days were spent in St. Marys, to which place they moved some time after their sons had become active in the oil business there. Reared in Pennsylvania, William D. Clover received his schooling there and as a young man became interested in oil development, becoming engaged in development work then going on in New York state, and there laid the foundation for the comprehensive knOWledge of the oil industry now possessed by him. When the Lima oil field was opened in the late '80s Mr. Clover came to Ohio and got in on the "boom" that then was attracting so much attention throughout this part of the state. He took an active part in several developments that marked that boom and in 1887 became attracted to the possibilities of the St. Marys field, he and his brother, M. K. Clover, taking a hand in the rich development that soon thereafter followed in that field. In 1890 these brothers and their cousins, the Neeley brothers, associated themselves in this development work and not long afterward formed the Neeley-Clover Company, which ever since has been one of the big factors in the oil industry, heavy producers not only in Ohio but in Indiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania, and of which company William D. Clover is the vice-president. This company also has leases in Kentucky and West Virginia and Mr. Clover likewise is a considerable stockholder in the Lemon G. Neeley Company and the Iron Mountain Company, the offices of which latter companies are at Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mr. Clover is a Scottish Rite (32̊) Mason and a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with the blue lodge, the chapter and the council of the Masonic order at St. Marys and with the consistory and shrine at Dayton, and is also a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at St. Marys. In his political views he is a Democrat. In 1895, some years after he had taken up his residence at St. Marys, William D. Clover was united in marriage to Emma Scott, who was born in this county, daughter of Thomas and Amanda (Good) Scott, and to this union six children have been born, three of whom are living, Hazel, Orville and Robert, all of whom have been graduated from the St. Marys high school. The deceased children of this family were Scott, John and Walter. 40 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Mr. and Mrs. Clover have a very pleasant home in St. Marys and have ever taken an interested and helpful part in such movements as have been designed to promote the general welfare of the community. JASON H. MANCHESTER, a retired farmer of Goshen township, now living at Wapakoneta, where he has made his home for years, and who is recognized as the largest individual landowner in Auglaize county, is a "Buckeye" by birth and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of this county since the days of his youth. Mr. Manchester was born at Raymond, in Union county, Ohio, March 21, 1853, and is a son of Philander and Rebecca (Hewitt) Manchester, both of whom were born and reared in Vermont, where they were married. Not long after their marriage, Philander Manchester and wife came to Ohio, intent upon making their home in this state. They drove through in a buggy, one of the members of the party being Mrs. Manchester's sister, and settled in Morrow county. Not long after establishing their home there, Mrs. Manchester's sister died and temporary interment was made in the local cemetery which had been established by the pioneers of that neighborhood, but a year later the body was disinterred and taken back to the old family burying ground in Vermont, the sorrowful journey being made in a spring wagon, Mr. and Mrs. Manchester thus twice making the long overland trip within a period of three years. Upon their return to Ohio they resumed their pioneering in Morrow county, but after awhile moved to Fredericktown, in the adjacent county of Knox, where they resided for several years, and then moved over farther west and located at Raymond, in Union county, where Mr. Manchester became engaged in the mercantile business, establishing there a general store. He remained there until 1865, when he became attracted to the development of lands over in Auglaize county, and disposed of his interests at Raymond and came over here, settling on a 200-acre farm he had bought in lot No. 2 of the Virginia military lands tract in Goshen township. As has been set out elsewhere in this work, the land in that part of the county was not considered by any means the most desirable land in the county, but Mr. Manchester had the pluck and the perseverence to make the most of what at the time seemed to him a pretty hard proposition in the way of development and in due time had a good farm there. As his affairs prospered he demonstrated his confidence in the outcome of the land there by adding to his holdings from time to time, until he came to be the owner of between 600 and 700 acres of land, the nucleus of the present great Manchester farm there, and on that place he and his wife spent their last days, helpful and influential factors in the development of that community. They were the parents of two children, Fay and Jason H., the former of whom died when twenty- one years of age. Jason H. Manchester was twelve years of age HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 41 when he came to Auglaize county with his parents in 1865, and he completed his public schooling in the somewhat primitive little school maintained then in the neighborhood of his home in Goshen township, supplementing this by a two years' course in the normal school at West Randolph, Vt., his father sending him East to get a bit of "yankee" training in preparation for the big job of farm development he was getting in hand for him. Upon his return from the East, he buckled down to the task awaiting him on the farm and became an efficient aid to his father in helping carry out the latter's program of farm development. His father presently gave him a portion of the home acres, and following the death of his parents he came into the whole of the considerable estate, to which he continued to add, until now he has land holdings aggregating 2,800 acres, all of which lies in Goshen township, save a tract of 343 acres over the line in the neighboring county of Hardin, and a tract of 440 acres which he has acquired in Kosciusko county, Indiana. During the years in which Mr. Manchester has been developing this great estate he has carried on there an improvement program that has caused the Manchester farm to become recognized as one of the model farms in the middle West, and he certainly has on the central farm one of the model farm plants in all Ohio. Some years ago Mr. Manchester secured a comfortable town house at the corner of Court and Main streets, in Wapakoneta, and has since been living there, practically retired from the active duties of the farm, which he rents out by "grain rent," the general direction of the farm interests now being in the hands of his son, Crosby M. Manchester, who makes his home on the old home place, which has been improved in admirable fashion. Mr. Manchester is a Republican and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, continuing to maintain his connection with the congregation of that church at Roundhead, the village on the Sciota over east in Hardin county, not far from his home place. On March 4, 1385, Jason H. Manchester was united in marriage to Laura L. Krebs, of Waynesfield, who died on the home farm on May 25, 1919. Mrs. Manchester was born at Waynesfield, this county, and was a daughter of Dr. Rufus I. and Lucina (Myers) Krebs, the latter of whom was born in Licking county, this state. Dr. Rufus I. Krebs was a Pennsylvanian, born at Littletown, Pa., in 1832, a son of Isaac and Esther Krebs, Virginians. Doctor Krebs was graduated from the medical college of the University of Pennsylvania in 1853, and not long afterward came to Ohio and opened an office for the practice of his profession at Portsmouth, where he remained for about five years, or until 1858, when he came to Auglaize county and established himself in practice at Waynesfield, where for many years he exerted a fine influence upon that community and where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there on January 42 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY 19, 1900. Doctor and Mrs. Krebs had three children, Mrs. Manchester having had a sister, Jennie, wife of Ira Harrod, and a brother, Francis G. Krebs. Mrs. Manchester was a graduate of Ohio Northern University at Ada, and also for some time attended Cincinnati Medical College and was preparing to follow her father's profession at the time of her marriage. To Jason H. and Laura L. (Krebs) Manchester were born two sons, Hewitt K., born in 1890, who died in February, 1892, and Crosby M., born on December 13, 1892. Crosby M. Manchester, who is now farming on an extensive scale on the old home place in Goshen township, and to whom 1,900 acres of his father's big estate have been set off in his own right, was graduated from the Roundhead high school in 1909 and then entered the agricultural college of Ohio State University, from which he was graduated in 1912, since which time he has devoted his attention to the further development of the Manchester agricultural interests, bringing to this development all the latest and most approved methods of the agricultural schools. On March 4, 1914, Crosby M. Manchester was united in marriage to Ruth May, one of his former classmates in the Roundhead school, and to this union two children have been born, sons both, John, born on October 27, 1915, and Crosby M. Jr., July 26, 1918. Mrs. Ruth Manchester was born at Roundhead and was graduated from the high school at that place with the class of 1909, later attending Harcourt College at Gambier, Ohio, from which she was graduated in 1911. She is a daughter of John W. and Mary (Bowdle) May, and has two sisters, Mrs. Earl Harrod and Grace. Mr. and Mrs. Crosby M. Manchester are members of the Roundhead Methodist Episcopal church and are Republicans. THEO PURPUS, justice of the peace in and for German township, formerly and for years editor and proprietor of the Stern des Westlichen Ohio ("Star of Western Ohio"), formerly and for years a teacher in the schools of New Bremen, for forty years the secretary of the Concordia Building and Loan Association of that place and for many years engaged in the general insurance business there, one of the best known citizens of Auglaize county, is a European by birth but has been a resident of New Bremen since the days of his majority and has thus been a witness to and a participant in the development of that community for more than half a century. Mr. Purpus was born in Rhenish Bavaria (then a part of the old Germanic Confederation) on November 6, 1844, and is a son of Louis and Louise (Kohl) Purpus, also Bavarians, who came with their family to America in 1866 and whose last days were spent at New Bremen, where they had settled upon coming to this country. Louis Purpus was a brewer by vocation and after taking up his residence at New Bremen acquired a brewery in the village and in association with his son Edward Purpus operated this brewery until his retirement from active business HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 43 some years before his death. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, of whom but two are now living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Louise, wife of John Gemmer. As will be noted by a comparison of dates above, Theo Purpus was just past his majority when he came to this country with his parents in the spring of 1866. He had received excellent schooling in his home land and for some time before coming here had been employed in the office of the provincial treasurer, where he had acquired much valuable training in business forms. For some months after his arrival at New York he remained in that city, absorbing there much of useful information regarding the customs of the people among whom he had elected to cast his lot, and then came to New Bremen, where in the fall of 1868 he was employed as a teacher in the local schools. So satisfactory were his services as a teacher that he was retained in the schools thereafter for many years, or until his retirement from the school room in 1882, his growing interests of another character by that time requiring his undivided attention. In 1873, when the old New Bremen Building, Loan and Savings Association was organized Mr. Purpus was elected secretary of the organization and so continued until its liquidation in 1881. Upon leaving the school room in 1882 Mr. Purpus bought the plant of the German language newspaper, the Stern des Westlichen Ohio, which not long before had been established at Minster by John Schieffer, and as editor and proprietor of that newspaper continued for more than twenty years to exercise in that community an even more widely expressed influence than had been exerted by him through his position in the school room. When in 1883 the present Concordia Building and Loan Association was organized at New Bremen to carry on the work formerly undertaken by the other building and loan association, Mr. Purpus was elected secretary of this latter organization and has ever since been serving in that capacity, one of the best known factors in the building and loan line in western Ohio. Upon retiring from the newspaper business about twenty years ago, Mr. Purpus accepted the position of manager of the New Bremen Telephone Company, but did not retain that position long, his energies seeking an outlet in another direction, and it was then that he took up the insurance line in which he since has been so successfully engaged, carrying on this business in addition to his activities in connection with the building and loan association, and has done well. Mx. Purpus is a Democrat and has for many years been regarded as one of the leaders of that party in his part of the county. Some time ago he rendered public service as assessor of German township and he now is serving as justice of the peace in and for that township, his mature judgment and wide experience in affairS eminently qualifying him for this magisterial function. He and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church and their 44 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY children were reared in that faith. It was in 1869, two years after taking up his duties as schoolmaster at New Bremen, that Theo Purpus was united in marriage to Antoinette Volckell, daughter of William Volckell, and to this union eight children were born, of whom six are now living, Theo J., Louise, Alfred, Adolph, Otto and Leo, the latter of whom married Pearl Cleveland and has one child, a daughter, Antoinette. Louise Purpus married Gustave Gilberg and has four children, Pauline, Louis, Theodora and Vera. Adolph Purpus married Eva Hamilton. ERNEST M. VEENFLIET, secretary and treasurer of the St. Marys Woolen Manufacturing Company at St. Marys, vice-president of the Home Banking Company of that city, and for years one of the most influential factors in the commercial and industrial life of Auglaize county, was born at Blumfield, in Saginaw county, Michigan, August 17, 1855, and is a son of George F. and Caroline (Kremer) Veenfliet, both of whom were of European birth, the latter born at Denslaken, Germany, February 25, 1814, but whose last days were spent in this country, residents of Michigan, where they had settled seventy-five years ago. George F. Veenfliet was born in Germany on April 2, 1813, and finished his schooling at the University of Bonn. His father was a manufacturer of knit goods and yarn, and some time after his marriage he succeeded to that business, operating a factory at Wesel, on the Rhine, and was thus engaged until following the civil disturbance which drove so many freedom loving Germans out of that country in 1848, he disposed of his interests there and with his family came to America. He was possessed of ample means, a portion of which he invested in the purchase of several thousand acres of the land then being opened to settlement in Saginaw county, Michigan, and on that tract created the nucleus around which settled an energetic group of German colonists, under his direction, and there established the township of Blumfield, which was given its name in honor of the memory of Robert Blum, one of the heroes and martyrs of the revolution of 1848, who in that year was elected vice-president of the provisional parliament at Frankfort, ruling that turbulent assemblage by sheer presence of mind and stentorian voice. When the people of Vienna rose in the following October, he joined the insurgents there and was arrested and shot, his execution causing an indignant outcry among the democrats of Germany. George F. Veenfliet, as leader of this colony in Michigan, became a man of much influence in the formative period of that section of the state and was called to public service right from the start, serving variously as state immigration officer, as recorder of Saginaw county, as county treasurer and as representative from that district in the state Legislature. Upon the organization of the Republican party, he became an ardent advocate of the principles of that HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 45 party and was a delegate from his district to the Republican national convention which, at Chicago, in 1860, nominated Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. During the Civil war he served as enrolling officer for his district and in other ways gave of his time and talents to the service of the public and of his adopted country, continuing in the public service until his retirement to the extensive farm which he meanwhile had been developing in the township of Blumfield, and where his last days were spent, his death occurring there on April 3, 1896, he then being one day past eighty-three years of age. His widow survived him for six years, her death occurring in April, 1902, she then being past eighty-eight years of age. They were members of the German Evangelical church, and their children were reared in that faith. Two of these children, sons both, they brought with them from Germany. Both of these sons, Richard and Fred A., served as soldiers of the Union during the Civil war, and the latter, a lieutenant, was killed at the battle of Nashville. The first child born to George F. Veenfliet and wife after their settlement at Blumfield was the first white child born in Blumfield township. Ernest M. Veenfliet, the eighth in order of birth of the children of this earnest pioneer couple, was reared at Blumfield and thus was a witness to and a boyish participant in the strenuous labors accompanying the development of an American timber settlement "out of the raw." As schools were one of the first considerations of these colonists among whom he was reared, he suffered no lack of primary schooling, and thus prepared was sent to Union College, at Schnectady, N. Y., from which he was graduated in 1876, in his twenty- first year, with the degree of civil engineer, his studies having been especially directed toward preparation for railroad work, the tremendous program of railway construction then being carried out creating a call for railway engineers which hardly could be filled. The Lake Erie & Louisville railroad then was being constructed, the survey for this line extending down from Fremont to St. Marys, and thence to Louisville, and Mr. Veenfliet was given a position as an assistant civil engineer on this construction, it being thus that he became introduced to St. Marys and the influences which afterward caused him to become a resident of that city, for it was as a young civil engineer just out of college that he met and courted the St. Marys girl who presently became his wife, and it was through his initial acquaintance formed there during the period of his stay in the town as a civil engineer that the business alliance afterward so agreeably formed came about. When the L. E. & L. railway reached St. Marys, in 1877, the company promoting the construction of the road decided to change the survey and make of their line a western instead of a southern connection, and the road was completed pleted on west instead of along the line of the original survey, and 46 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY thus became the Lake Erie & Western road instead of the Lake Erie & Louisville road, and Mr. Veenfliet was one of the engineers who laid out the new lines. He remained with the L. E. & W. for two or three years, or until 1879, when he transferred his connection to the line now known as the Pere Marquette road, and was assistant engineer of that line for two years, or until 1881, when he became the assistant engineer of the Wabash Terminal road at Detroit. In the meantime he had been keeping in close touch with developing conditions at St. Marys, for in 1880 he had married the St. Marys girl who had proved so strong an attraction during the time of his stay there on the Lake Erie job, and in 1887, when the breath of life was being blown anew into the old woolen mills at that place, he accepted an opportunity to participate in the reorganization of the concern and was elected treasurer of the St. Marys Woolen Manufacturing Company, took up his residence at St. Marys, and has ever since given his attention to the work of the woolen mills, one of the best known wool men in the country. In 1912 Mr. Veenfliet's duties and responsibilities in the mill were increased by his election as secretary of the company, and since then he has been filling the dual position of secretary and treasurer. He has other business interests in the town, is a member of the board of directors and vice-president of the Home Banking Company, a member of the directorate of the Elm Grove Cemetery Association, and in other ways interested in movements designed to promote the common good hereabout. He is a Freemason, as was his father, and is a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with the temple of that order at Dayton, having entered the temple through the Scottish Rite of the Masonic order, and is a member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta. It was on March 11, 1880, that Ernest M. Veenfliet was united in marriage at St. Marys to Minnie Althausen, daughter of Albert and Louise (Herzing) Althausen, of that city, and to this union three children have been born, Lulu and Albert (deceased) , and Erma, the latter of whom married Sayre Broadhead and is now living at Denver, Col. The late Albert Veenfliet was born at St. Marys on December 16, 1884, and was graduated from the high school there in 1902. He then entered Harvard University, from which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1906, after which he entered the law school of Harvard, from which he was graduated in 1909, meanwhile having taken a year of European travel, during which time he took a course in the Dresden Polytechnic School. Upon the completion of his law studies at Harvard, he returned to St. Marys and there died, in that same year (1909), from an attack of meningitis. Mrs. Veenfliet's father, the late Albert Althausen, pioneer banker of St. Marys, and also formerly and for years a directing force in the HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 47 woolen mills there, was in his day one of the most influential factors in the development of the commercial and industrial life of that town and left a good memory there, even as did her maternal grandfather, Philip Herzing, who was a pioneer mill man at St. Marys and a prime force in the social life of the town in its formative period, and who was the father of Albert Herzing, present president of the St. Marys Woolen Manufacturing Company and close business associate of Mr. Veenfliet, the two forming a most agreeable and effective combination in the direction of the mill's wide interests. BERT T. BLUME, clerk of Auglaize county, was born at Wapakoneta on July 9, 1866, and has been a resident of that city all his life, for years one of the best known men in this section of Ohio. Mr. Blume is a son of Leon and Eleanor (Beer) Blume, the latter of whom also was born in Ohio, a native of Miami county. Leon Blume, who died at his home in Wapakoneta in 1888, was a native of France, who upon crossing the Atlantic spent some time in Montreal, Canada, and then came to Ohio and became a resident of Auglaize county, locating at the picturesque village of St. Johns, where he became engaged in the mercantile business and where for some time he also operated an "ashery," an industry which in the days when the timber cumbered the earth hereabout was a quite important one, the ashes being utilized for their potash content. He later made his home at Wapakoneta, where his last days were spent, and at his passing left a good memory, for he had made many friends in the country of his adoption and hiS surviving contemporaries hold him in pleasant remembrance. Bert T. Blume received his schooling in the excellent public schools of Wapakoneta and as a young man became engaged in the service of the Wapakoneta Wheel Works, with which concern he continued to be connected for a period of fifteen years, his service during the latter part of this period being that of salesman for the company. In 1908 Mr. Blume was appointed deputy state oil inspector for this section of Ohio, during the administration of Governor Harris, and served in that capacity for eight months, or until his appointment to the position of assistant to the postmaster at Wapakoneta, a position he retained until his election in the memorable election of 1920 to the office of clerk of the court for Auglaize county, the first Republican ever elected to that office in this county, his majority over his Democratic opponent in that election being more than 1,200 votes. For many years Mr. Blume had been looked upon as one of the mainstays of the Republican party in this traditionally Democratic county and his friends hailed his election as a partial and highly deserved reward for the many sacrifices he willingly had made in times past in behalf of the party interest. Mr. Blume is a Mason, a member of the local Masonic lodge at Wapakoneta, and is a past exalted ruler of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Pro- 48 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY tective Order of Elks at that place. On April 3, 1893, Bert T. Blume was united in marriage to Catherine O'Neill and to this union five children have been born, Naomi, Helen, Myron, Betty and Bob. Naomi Blume is the wife of Arthur Bitler. Helen Blume married Harry Van Skiver and has two children, daughters both, Mary Eleanor and Jean Christina. Mrs. Blume's father, Cornelius O'Neill, was a former resident of Miami county, later and for years a resident of Auglaize county and is now living at Springfield, Ohio. J. HENRY GROTHAUS, president of the First National Bank of New Bremen, former treasurer of Auglaize county, and for years recognized as one of the leading figures in the civic and commercial life of this county, is a "Buckeye" by birth and has been a resident of this state all his life, a resident of New Bremen since the days of his childhood. Mr. Grothaus was born on a farm in VanBuren township, in the neighboring county of Shelby, February 20, 1859, and is a son of William and Eliza (Lanfersieck) Grothaus, the latter of whom was born in Auglaize county, a member of one of the real pioneer families here. William Grothaus was born in the kingdom of Hanover, December 23, 1824, and was but fourteen years of age when he came to this country "on his own" and located in Pennsylvania, where for some time he worked as a farm hand, presently going to Cincinnati, where he was living when the discovery of gold in California was announced in 1849. In the following year (1850) he joined the rush for the gold fields, going by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and remained in California for three years, at the end of which time he returned to Cincinnati, where he became engaged in the grocery business. Not long afterward, however, he became attracted to the agricultural possibilities up in this section of Ohio and bought a farm in VanBuren township, Shelby county. He was married here in 1856 and continued to make his home on the farm for ten years thereafter, or until 1866, when he came up into Auglaize county and located at New Bremen, where he became engaged in the wholesale and retail cigar business, and where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on December 8, 1885. William Grothaus was possessed of a peculiarly genial personality, and during the twenty years of his residence at New Bremen created a distinct impression upon that community. For nine years he served as mayor of the town, and he also served for some years as justice of the peace in and for German township. To him and his wife were born eight children, all of whom are living save one, Elizabeth ; the others besides the subject of this sketch being Emma, Adeline, William, Edmund, Augusta and Lillian. J. Henry Grothaus, the second of these children in order of birth, was reared at New Bremen, and there received his schooling. At the age of fifteen years he became employed in the works of the Lanfersieck Plow Company, at New Bre- HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 49 men, and when twenty-two years of age became associated in a partnership with J. F. Lanfersieck for the manufacture of plows and the assembling of steel bridges, this concern presently being incorporated as the Lanfersieck-Grothaus Company, which was maintained until 1911, when the plant was sold to the Auglaize Motor Car Company. In the following year Mr. Grothaus became one of the organizers of the New Bremen Bridge Company and was elected secretary-treasurer of the same, a position which he still occupies. In 1902 Mr. Grothaus was elected a member of the directorate of the First National Bank of New Bremen, was later elected vice- president, and in November, 1921, was elected president of that sound financial institution. He also has other interests of a commercial and industrial character in and about New Bremen, and has for many years been regarded as one of the real "live wires" of that prosperous community. Mr. Grothaus is a Democrat and has long been looked upon as one of the leaders of that party in this county. He served one term as county treasurer (1902-06), and has served his home town in several public capacities, for six years as a member of the local school board, for six years as town clerk, and for a like period as a member of the town council. He is a Scottish Rite (32̊) Mason and is a past noble grand of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. On November 14, 1888, J. II. Grothaus was united in marriage to Emelie Vogelsang, daughter of Fred and Minnie (Kuenning) Vogelsang, both members of old families in this county, and to this union two children have been born, sons both, Alvin and Walter, the latter of whom, a graduate of Ohio State University, is now a student in the dental college of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor. Alvin Grothaus is the assistant bookkeeper in the First National Bank of New Bremen. The Grothauses are members of the St. Paul's German Lutheran church at New Bremen, and take a proper interest in congregational affairs, as well as in the general social activities of the community. During the time of the World war, Walter Grothaus served for seven months in the United States army, being stationed at the camp at Louisville, and also served in the officers' training camp. DAVID ARMSTRONG, veteran dry goods merchant of St. Mary's, now living retired in that city, the oldest native born son of St. Marys now living, has been a resident of that place all his life, a period of almost ninety years, and has thus seen the growth of the city from the time when it was but a cluster of a few rude log cabins to its present state of development. Mr. Armstrong was born in a log cabin along the riverside at what is now the corner of Front and High streets in St. Marys on September 28, 1833, and is a son of David and Eleanora (Scott) Armstrong, who were among the early residents of the village that sprang up at the old fort site at what (3) 50 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY then was the head of navigation on the St. Marys river. Though the town then was the county seat of Mercer county, it was but a ragged and straggling frontier village, with but few and widely separated settlements west of it until Ft. Wayne was reached, the trading post at the head of navigation on the Maumee. Chicago at that time also was but a straggling frontier post, containing hardly more than a dozen families besides the officers and soldiers in old Ft. Dearborn. In fact, the treaty with the Pottawatomies, by which these aboriginals gave their consent to clear out of the Chicago country, was not made until two days before Mr. Armstrong's birth (September 26, 1833). Just the year before (1832) the Indians had left this part of Ohio, the Wapakoneta and Hog River reservations having been ceded to the Government late in the year prior to that, and consequently things were in pretty much their original wilderness state hereabout at the time Mr. Armstrong came on the scene. Though St. Marys had been "on the map" for ten years and was the local seat of government, there was little development in the place until the coming of the canal ten years later, and thus Mr. Armstrong's personal recollection and observation cover what may practically be regarded as the whole of the real development period of the city. His father, the senior David Armstrong, a Virginian by birth and a son of Judge John Armstrong who had come up here from Greenville when lands were opened for settlement here and had become one of the most forceful factors in the development of this region, was a vigorous young man when he came here with his father and with the latter became engaged in boating on the river between St. Marys and Ft. Wayne, erecting a "ship yard" on the river bank at the point now occupied by the Fountain hotel on Spring street, and running a string of flat boats down to the trading post at Ft. Wayne. Judge Armstrong and his son also entered lands here and early began to develop their farming interests, and in other ways took an active part in helping to bring about orderly processes in the formative period of the community. David Armstrong and his cousin, William Armstrong for some time carried on quite a trading business, with dealings from Dayton to Ft. Wayne and Defiance. William Armstrong married his cousin, Sarah, a daughter of Judge Armstrong, and in 1827 was elected auditor of Mercer county. Judge Armstrong had two other daughters, Nancy, who married John Blew, and Polly, who married Richard P. Barrington. He also had, besides David, another son. This latter joined the rush to the gold fields following the discovery of gold in 1849 and died in California in 1852. David Armstrong, the pioneer trader, was married after he took up his residence at St. Marys, his wife (Eleanora Scott) having come here with her parents in 1826, the Scotts, as previously set out, having been among the early settlers of the St. Marys community. He died in the very HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 51 prime of his manhood in December, 1833, being then but thirty-three years of age, leaving his widow with two young sons, the subject of this sketch—then but a babe of three months—having had a brother, Harvey, who died in 1849. The mother of these sons died in 1852. The junior David Armstrong (subject of this sketch) was reared at St. Marys and his schooling was received in the log school house at what is now the corner of Perry and South streets and which on Sundays also was used as a meeting house by the Presbyterians. His first work was that as a farm boy, plowing with oxen on a farm north of the village, but he did not keep this up very long, presently becoming employed as a clerk in the dry goods store of Joseph Kelsey, that store then being situated along the canal on Spring street at the point now occupied by the American State Bank. In 1860, Mr. Armstrong, who meanwhile had been giving his close attention to acquiring a full knowledge of the details of the dry goods business, opened a store of his own. This store occupied a site on East Spring street, about a block east of the site of the present Armstrong store on the north side of that street; and he continued to carry on his business there until in 1875, when he erected his present building and moved into the new store, where he continued active in business until his retirement in 1917, since which time his daughter, Lillian Armstrong, has been in active charge of the business, though Mr. Armstrong retains much of his former interest in the place. Not only as one of the leading merchants of St. Marys but as a man of active and influential interest in local civic affairs, Mr. Armstrong has done well his part in the community. He served for some years as city treasurer and has rendered public service in other capacities from time to time as called on to do so. David Armstrong has been twice married. In 1857 he was united in marriage to Fredonia Rankin, of St. Marys, who died in 1864, leaving one child, a son, Russell Harvey Armstrong, born in 1858, who has for years been engaged in business at St. Marys as a shoe merchant. On November 26, 1866, Mr. Armstrong married Henrietta Carr, who was born at Plymouth, Ind., December 28, 1847, and who was but a child when she came to Ohio with her parents, James H. and Rachel (Carmony) Carr, the family locating at Piqua, where she received her schooling and remained until she was about seventeen years of age, when the family moved to St. Marys. To David and Henrietta (Carr) Armstrong were born two daughters, Nellie, born on September 29, 1867, who married James F. Stout and died at the age of twenty-six years, and Lillian C., born on July 8, 1875, and who since her father's retirement from business has been in active charge of the Armstrong dry goods store at St. Marys. Mrs. Henrietta Armstrong died on June 11, 1921, she then being in her seventy-fourth year. She was from the days of her girlhood an active and earnest member of the 52 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY Presbyterian church, as is her daughter. Miss Lillian C. Armstrong received her schooling in the excellent schools of St. Marys and early became acquainted with the details of her father's dry goods establishment. About eighteen years ago she became associated with him as an active participant in the business and thus upon his retirement in 1917 was well qualified to take over the business and keep it going, adding to it from time to time as demands arose such new equipment and lines of stock as the times required to keep it "up to date," thus following out the policy that has governed in this establishment ever since it was founded, sixty-two years ago. Mr. Armstrong and his daughter have a pleasant home at 211 North Walnut street, where they have resided for many years. MAJOR EMIL F. MARX, a veteran of the World War with a conspicuous overseas record, for years an active figure in the Ohio National Guard and present major of the 148th regiment (infantry) of the 37th Division of the United States National Guard of Ohio, residing at St. Marys, one of the best known young men in that city, was born at Botkins, over the line in the neighboring county of Shelby, December 28, 1891, and is a son of Michael A. and Philomena (Brinegar) Marx, the latter of whom, also born at Botkins, a member of one of the old families of that community, died at St. Marys in 1908 and is buried in the Catholic (Gethsemane) cemetery there. Michael A. Marx, who was born at Wapakoneta, has for years been a resident of St. Marys, where he is engaged in the real estate business. To him and his wife were born two sons, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Sylvan J. Marx. Reared at St. Marys, to which town his parents had moved when he was but a child, Emil F. Marx completed the course in the high school of the Holy Rosary parochial school there and then entered St. Joseph's College at Rensselaer, Ind., from which institution he was graduated in 1911. Upon his return to St. Marys, he became engaged in the moving picture business and made quite a success in that line. In the meantime he had become connected with old Company K of the 2d regiment (infantry) of the Ohio National Guard at St. Marys and when this company was called into Federal service to take part in the expedition into Mexico following the Villa flurry along the border in June, 1916, he was serving as second lieutenant of the company. Upon thus being called into United States military service he sold his theater and with his company went to the border, where he was in service until in the following March when the company was returned North and at Ft. Sheridan (Chicago) was mustered out of the Federal service, though still retained as a unit in the Ohio National Guard. In the following month, April 6, 1917, this country declared war on Germany and the National Guard again was called into Federal service, Company K being mobilized at Camp Sheridan in   MAJOR EMIL MARX   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 53   the following June, Lieutenant Marx thus for the second time within a year being called to the aid of his country's arms. His service in the World War was contemporaneous with that of the command to which he became attached and may well be -summarized from the story relating to that command set out in the historical volume of this work, where it is stated that Company K was aSsigned at Camp Sheridan as Company B of the 146th regiment of the 37th Division, National army, and on May 15, 1918, was transferred to Camp Lee (Va.), whence a month later it sailed with this division for France, arriving at Brest on June 22, 1918. A week later this division was assigned to service in the Beaumont sector and on July 25 took over the front lines in the Bacarat sector, remaining there until September 12, when it went into action in the Argonne drive and on September 26 took part in the Avacourt engagement. It then captured Montfaucon, where it remained until October 1, when it was sent to the St. Mihiel sector, holding there the front from October 4 to October 14, when it was relieved and sent into Belgium, where it took part in the Ypres campaign and in the Lys first and second offensives, and was there when the armistice was signed on November 11. This company, with the division to which it was attached, sailed for the United States on March 13, 1919, and on March 31 was sent to Camp Dix and thence presently to Camp Sherman (Chillicothe, Ohio), where it was discharged on April 13, having paraded enroute at Canton, Akron and Columbus. In the meantime the movement to reorganize the National Guard under Federal direction was under way and upon receiving his discharge Lieutenant Marx offered his services in this behalf. He had been promoted to the rank of first lieutenant on April 29, 1918, and on June 17, 1919, was given a captainls commission. Upon his return to St. Marys, Captain Marx at once set about the reorganization of old Company K under the provisions of the new Federal organization law and on June 22, 1919, the new company was mustered in as Company K of the 148th Regiment (infantry) of the 37th Division of the United States National Guard of Ohio, with Captain Marx commanding. On March 1, 1921, Captain Marx was promoted to the rank of major and has since been serving in that capacity. His Company K was the first unit of the new National Guard to be organized in this state and he has aided in the organization of all other companies in the state under the new laws. Company K now (1922) has 70 men and is officered as follows: Captain, Thomas J. Needles ; first lieutenant, Joseph E. Walsh. A medical detachment of the 148th Regiment also has been organized at St. Marys, this detachment having thirty-four men and three officers, these latter being Captains Frank E. Ayers and George E. Raudebaugh and First Lieut. Ivan W. Wright. With the reorganization of old Company K, the people of St. Marys united in a   54 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   movement to procure for the city an adequate armory and in due time there was erected there a handsome armory building overlook- ing beautiful Memorial park, which servesirot only as an armory, but as a much needed and very useful community house. This armory was erected at a cost of $59,000, of which $6,000 was raised by the people of the town and $4,000 was provided by the Community Welfare Association, which also donated the ground, the remainder of the expense being assumed by the state. The building, which was designed in accordance with approved official plans, is fire proof and is provided with a room for the use of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic and rooms for the company club and canteen. The drill floor is 50 by 100 feet in dimensions and carries equipment for basket ball and other indoor athletics. On June 28, 1921, Major Emil F. Marx was united in marriage to Mary Eckert, of St. Marys, daughter of Edward Eckert, and who as well as him- self is a member of Holy Rosary Catholic church. The Major also is a member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus at St. Marys and is likewise affiliated with the local aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles at that place. Major and Mrs. Marx have a pleasant home at St. Marys and take an interested and helpful part in the general social activities of the community.   LAWRENCE BIMEL, who was the founder of the old carriage factory at St. Marys and the old spoke and wheel works there and who for years was one of the most influential factors in the development of the industrial interests of that town and of the county at large, left a good memory at his passing and it is but fitting that there should be carried here in the definite history of the county, with which he was so long identified, some modest tribute to that memory. Mr. Bimel was born in Germany in 1827 and was three years of age when he came to this country with his parents, Michael and Maria Bimel, in 1830, the family coming on west and locating in Ohio, some years later taking up their permanent residence in Auglaize county, where Michael Bimel entered from the government a tract of land, not long after the Indians had taken their exodus from this region, and thus became one of the pioneers of this county, with his residence on a farm near Wapakoneta. Lawrence Bimel grew to manhood here and after completing his schooling served an apprenticeship as a blacksmith and wagon maker. Upon acquiring his trade he opened a carriage and wagon-making shop at Sidney and some years later closed out that business and moved to St. Marys, where he established himself in business and where he spent the remainder of his life. It was in 1855 that Lawrence Eimel founded his industries at St. Marys and for many years thereafter he was one of the most active factors in the development of the industrial interests of that town. That was about ten years after canal navi-   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 55   gation had been opened through St. Marys and the big woodworking industries for which the town so long has been famous were just getting a good start. The enterprise displayed by him and the energy with which he carried on his spoke and wheel works and his carriage factory, in due time these activities being supplemented by those of his sons, Fred and William Bimel, helped to give an impetus to all forms of industry thereabout and undoubtedly did much to spread abroad the fame of St. Marys as a manufacturing center in what properly may be called the days of pioneering in industry here. Salesrooms of the Bimel products were opened at different places to supply the local trade, while the canal traffic gave an outlet for these products both to the river and to the lake, so that a flourishing business was carried on by the Bimel plants. In 1879 Lawrence Bimel established a branch plant at Portland, Ind., where the big timber industries then were just at their height, and his son Fred, who just about then was coming into his majority, was put in charge of the same, this plant being equipped for the manufacture of spokes, hubs, felloe strips and similar accessories of the carriage manufacturing line, and Fred Bimel quickly became recognized as one of the leaders in the industrial and commercial life of that town, even as his father was of St. Marys. In 1910 the Portland plant was enlarged and modernized and to its output was added the manufacture of automobile wheels ,this latter product now having a wide reputation in the automobile industry, and the plant is still operated by the Bimel interests, Carl Bimel, son of the late Fred Bimel and grandson of Lawrence Bimel, being the head of the concern, in succession to his father, who died in 1912. In the old Sutton "Atlas of Auglaize County" (1880), there is a page devoted to the Lawrence Bimel interests at St. Marys, this page depicting in reproductions of admirable crayon drawings the portraits of Lawrence Bimel and his wife (Elizabeth) and of the Bimel home and the Bimel factories, the spoke and wheel works and the carriage factory, this latter picture carrying underneath it a legend setting out that the carriage works had "the best facilities for good work of any factory in northwestern Ohio." This factory was located on South street between Front and Main, and it was there that Lawrence Bimel carried on his business until his death, a useful and influential citizen. To Lawrence and Elizabeth Bimel were born five children, the two sons, Fred and William (both now deceased), and the three daughters, Amelia, Anna, who married Henry Schroeder, and Edith, who married Charles Pauck, of St. Marys. Mrs. Amelia Fisk, the eldest of these daughters, is living at St. Marys, where she is very pleasantly situated at 217 North Main street. She has two children, a son and a daughter, Wilbur and Ethel, the latter of whom is now living at Pittsburgh, Pa., where   56 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   she is connected with the operations of a lyceum bureau. Wilbur Fisk, who is living at St. Marys, married Huldah Cranes and has one child, a son, Charles.   FERDINAND F. FLEDDERJOHANN, M. D., one of Auglaize county's best known physicians and a resident of New Bremen since the day nearly twenty years ago, when fresh from medical college, he first became engaged in the practice of his profession, 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 Fledderjohann was born at Lock 6 on the Miami & Erie canal, in section 26 of St. Marys township, December 26, 1876, and is a son of Herman Henry and Engel (Wellman) Fledderjohann, both of whom were born in Germany and both now deceased. The late Herman Henry Fledderjohann, who for many years was one of the best known citizens of Auglaize county, was twenty years of age when he came with his parents to this country in the '30s of the past century, the family coming on out into Ohio and settling in what is now the New Knoxville neighborhood in Washington township, this county, the father becoming one of the pioneers of that community. It was about that time that the canal project was being pushed on up through this part of the state and the young Henry Fledderj ohann found ready employment on that public work. His aptitude for that sort of constructive work soon was recognized and he was made a foreman, in which capacity he superintended the construction and reconstruction of a number of the canal locks in this county. Some time after his marriage he set up a saw mill at Lock 6 and there established his home, continuing to operate the saw mill for forty years or until the big timber was practically exhausted thereabout and the days of lumbering here were over. At his well improved place there he spent his last days, his death occurring on July 25, 1904. In addition to his milling interests he had a hand in other enterprises of one sort and another and also was a large landowner, long having been regarded as one of the county's most substantial citizens. He was twice married and raised a large family. Of these, seven children by his second marriage are now living, those besides the Doctor being Minnie, Dr. H. E., Herman, B. A., Louise and George. B. A. Fledderjohann is a former representative from this district in the Ohio General Assembly. Dr. H. E. Fledderjohann is a practicing physician at New Knoxville, and George Fledderjohann is a farmer. Dr. Ferdinand F. Fledderjohann was reared on the home place at Lock 6 and received his common schooling there. After taking a course in the New Bremen high school he began reading medicine and presently entered the Medical College of Ohio, where he studied for one year, at the end of which time he entered Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia and was graduated from that institution in   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 57   1903. Thus equipped for the practice of the profession to which he had devoted his life, Doctor Fledderjohann returned to his home county and opened an office at New Bremen, where he ever since has been engaged in practice and where he is very pleasantly situated. The Doctor is a member of the Ohio State Medical Society and has ever taken an interested part in the deliberations of that body. He is a member of the Zions Reformed church and has from the days of the beginning of his residence in New Bremen taken an interested part in the general social and cultural activities of that community, at present serving the public as a member of the local school board. In his political views he holds himself as an "independent," reserving the right not to be bound by mere party ties. His father was long looked upon as one of the leaders of the Democratic party in that part of the county and was a staunch and outspoken defender of the principles of that party. On Sept. 7, 1905, Dr. F. F. Fledderjohann was united in marriage to Emma Bierbaum, a daughter of William and Mary (Henkener) Bierbaum, and to this union were born three children, Orlando, Norman and Elodie, the latter of whom died on March 21, 1910. The mother of these children died on October 23, 1918.   JOHN D. H. QUELLHORST, a well-known and substantial farmer of St. Marys township, now living retired at New Bremen, where he has made his home for some years past, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here all his life. Mr. Quellhorst was born on a farm in St. Marys township on September 17, 1855, and is a son of Charles H. and Anna (Meyer) Quellhorst, the latter of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of the pioneer families here. Charles H. Quellhorst was a native of Germany who had come to this country with his father when twenty-one years of age, the family locating in St. Marys township, this county. Charles H. Quellhorst was for some time after his arrival here employed on one of the state boats running on the canal and then he became engaged in farming, buying a small tract of land in St. Mary's township, about midway between St. Marys and New Bremen, and after his marriage established his home there. As his affairs prospered, for he was a good farmer, he added to his holdings there until he became the owner of a fine farm of 240 acres and was regarded as one of the substantial and influential citizens of that neighborhood. To him and his wife were born ten children, seven of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Sophia who married Edward Floerke, and Flora who married John Poppe, ',and four brothers, Florence H., August, Fred W. and Edward Quellhorst. Reared on the home farm in St. Marys township, John D. H. Quellhorst received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and remained on the farm, a valued aid to his father in the labors of   58 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   developing the place, until his marriage in 1879, when he bought a tract of eighty acres in that same neighborhood and began farming on his own account. He established his home on that place and continued to reside there until his retirement from the farm and removal in 1909 to New Bremen, where he since has resided and where he and his wife are very comfortably situated. Mr. Quellhorst was a good farmer and during the days of his active farming he gradually added to his land holdings until he became the owner of 437 acres. He still owns 300 acres, a farm of 140 acres in this county and a quarter-section tract in Harper county, Kansas. In his political views Mr. Quellhorst reserves the right to "independence." He and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church and he was for three years treasurer of the congregation and also served for some time as a member of the church council. As noted above, it was in 1879 that John D. H. Quellhorst was united in marriage, to Catherine Poppe, who also was born in St. Marys township, daughter of Henry and Catherine (Schleselman) Poppe, and to this union four children have been born, namely : Ida, who died in infancy ; Henry, who married Emma Wierwille and has four children, Alfreda, Clifford, Cordelia, and Alton ; Amanda, who married Edwin Fork and has five children, Larma, Edith, Irene, Vernon and Marjorie ; and Clarence, who is unmarried. Mrs. Quellhorst's parents were born in Germany and did not come to this country until after their marriage. They came on out into Ohio and settled in this county, locating on a farm in St. Marys township, where they established their home and spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom are still living, Mrs. Quellhorst having two sisters, Minnie, who married John Schneider, and Anna, who married Henry H. Eisenhauer, and three brothers, Joseph, William and Fred Poppe.   JACOB T. KOENIG, former judge 9f the probate court of Auglaize county, one of the leading members of the bar of this county, a practicing attorney with offices at Wapakoneta, where he has made his home since his elevation to the bench in 1911, a member of the school board and in other ways interested in movements having to do with the cultural development of the city, is a native son of Auglaize county and has resided here all his life. Judge Koenig was born on a farm in section 31 of Noble township, northwest of St. Marys, June 10, 1880, and is a son of Jacob and Barbara (Hoppel) Koenig, the latter of whom also was born in this state, in the Dayton neighborhood, February 23, 1844. The late Jacob Koenig, father of Judge Koenig, was a Wurtemberger by birth, born in the vicinity of the city of Stuttgart on June 6, 1843, and was but a lad when he came to this country with his parents in the late '40s of the past century, his father, George Koenig, becoming one of the pioneers of this county, settling with his family in what then was a practical   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 59   wilderness in Noble township, northwest of St. Marys, the Koenigs thus being one of the old established families of Auglaize county. Though the original spelling of the family name has been retained in this generation its pronunciation has long been Anglicized, Judge Koenig thus being known as Judge "King." Jacob Koenig grew to manhood on the pioneer farm which his father had entered from the government in the St. Marys neighborhood and after his marriage took up farming on his own account, a vocation he followed all his life. In time he came into possession of the old home place in Noble township and came to be recognized as one of the substantial and influential citizens of that part of the county, the owner at the time of his death of a good farm of about 117 acres. He had served his community in a public capacity as a township trustee and as a member of the local board of education and in other ways did well his part as a helpful citizen. To him and his wife were born four children, the subject of this sketch having one brother, John H. Koenig, and two sisters, Rosa and Laura. Jacob T. Koenig received his early schooling in the district schools of his home neighborhood and then attended the high school at St. Marys, from which he was graduated in 1899. Thus equipped by preparatory study he entered the law office of his elder brother, John H. Koenig, at St. Marys, and after three years of study there in the elements of law entered the law school of the University of Ohio. He completed his law studies in the law school of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and later received a degree from the Hamilton College of Law at Chicago. Upon his graduation and admission to the bar he became associated with his brother in the practice of law at St. Marys, under the firm style of Koenig & Koenig, and was thus engaged for something more than seven years, or until his appointment on January 9, 1911, by Governor Harmon, to the position of judge of the probate court of Auglaize county to fill the unexpired term of Judge Christian Langhorst, deceased. In the following election, in November, 1912, Judge Koenig was elected to succeed himself and thus served as judge of the probate court for more than six years, or until the expiration of his term of office in February, 1917, when he opened an office for the practice of law at Wapakoneta and his since been thus engaged. Judge Koenig is a Democrat and he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. He is chairman of the nome service department of the local chapter of the American Red Cross. The Judge is a Scottish Rite Mason, a member of the consistory at Dayton, and is also affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and with the Kiwanis Club. His Masonic affiliations at Wapakoneta include both the cryptic and capitular branches of Freemasonry as well as that of the Order of the Eastern Star, of which latter order Mrs. Koenig also is a member. On July 4, 1906, Jacob T. Koenig was   60 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   united in marriage to Irma B. Pepper, daughter of Rudolph and Harriet E. Pepper, and to this union six children have been born, Jacob Rudolph, Robert P., Harriet E., Rosemary, Marshall B. and William H.   ADAM E. SCHAFFER, postmaster at Wapakoneta, manager of the Democrat Printing Company and manager of the Daily News and the Weekly Democrat, secretary of the Auglaize County Fair Association, former treasurer of the city of Wapakoneta, former auditor of Auglaize county, and who has been referred to as "perhaps the best known man in Auglaize county," is a native son of this county, a member of one of the pioneer families here, and has lived here all his life. Mr. Schaeffer was born at Wapakoneta on August 10, 1866, and is a son of George and Mary (Lenhart) Schaffer, the latter of whom was born in the neighboring county of Shelby, May 8, 1839, her parents having been pioneers of that county. The late George Schaffer, who for years was one of the leading merchants of Wapakoneta, proprietor of a grocery store there, was a European by birth, born in Germany, June 10, 1836, and was but a child when he came to this country with his parents, the family locating in Auglaize county. George Schaffer established his home at Wapakoneta after his marriage and was for many years engaged there in the grocery business, his death occurring in that city in 1913. A. E. Schaffer was reared at Wapakoneta, receiving his schooling in the local schools, and early became engaged in the grocery business with his father, continuing thus engaged until after his marriage in 1890, at the age of twenty-three years, when he embarked in business for himself, erecting the Schaffer block on East Auglaize street and there conducting a grocery store for ten years, or until 1900, since which time other interests have occupied his attention, it having been about that time that he became engaged in the newspaper business which since has been perhaps the paramount interest in his life and in which he has been eminently successful. It was under his management that the old established Democrat began to develop along modern lines, the new life thus injected into the enterprise resulting in the extension of that paper's interests along all lines, and it also was under his direction that the paper began to be issued as a daily in the summer of 1905 under the name of the News, an institution which at once found a place for itself in the community and has long been recognized as one of the leading daily newspapers in northwestern Ohio. Mr. Schaffer also extended the printing plant connected with the newspaper and as a producer of general job printing the Democrat Printing Company has an established reputation covering a wide territory throughout this part of Ohio. Mr. Schaffer's management of the newspaper naturally has for years made him one of the leaders in the counsels of the Democratic party in this district   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 61   and he also has done his part in rendering public service. He had served for two terms as treasurer of Wapakoneta and in 1908 was elected auditor of Auglaize county. By re-election he served two terms in this important office (1909-13) and new business methods introduced by him in the administration of that office established a new standard in public service there, a standard that since has been maintained. On November 1, 1915, Mr. Schaffer received his commission as postmaster at Wapakoneta and has since been serving in that position of trust and responsibility. It was thus that upon his ready shoulders fell many of the tasks that devolved upon the local representative of the Government during the period of this country's participation in the World war, and it is needless to say that every responsibility thus imposed upon him was met with that same alert administrative capacity and keen precision of judgment that have characterized his dealings in his own private affairs, so that it properly may be said that he was a real tower of strength in the local field during that time of national stress. It seems that in so many ways A. E. Schaffer has been relied on by his friends in and about Wapakoneta "to get things done." In an interesting local review written some years ago it was observed by the reviewer that "in every community the business of boosting and serving gratis upon soliciting committees and the like, seem usually to fall upon one or two of its most active men, and in Wapakoneta these duties have devolved upon Mr. Schaffer for a decade of years. Hence, having always been among the first to contribute money to every project having in view the welfare of the town, he has perhaps been responsible for more of its improvements than any other citizen now living." High praise, indeed, but an estimate which the friends of Mr. Schaffer declare is correct to the letter and in this connection they ever are glad to point to the record he has made as secretary and manager for the past thirty-six years of the Auglaize County Fair Association, an organization which under the capable and experienced direction of Mr. Schaffer has developed a standard of excellence in the annual exposition of the Auglaize county fair that has gained for this exposition a reputation exceeded by no other county exposition in the state. Indeed, as is set out elsewhere in this work, and has been pointed out in previous reviews, "it is conceded by every one familiar with the facts that A. E. Schaffer is without question the best fair secretary in Ohio." More high praise, but apparently fully justified, for the annually recurring success of the Auglaize county fair tells its own story. It was on May 30, 1890, that A. E. Schaffer was united in marriage to Margaret Culliton, of Wapakoneta, and he and his wife have a very pleasant home at the corner of Blackhoof and Mechanic streets, the site formerly occupied by the historic old first Auglaize county court house. Mr. and Mrs. Schaffer are members   62 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   of St. Joseph's Catholic church and Mr. Schaffer is affiliated with the local council of the Knights of Columbus, with the Swabian society and with the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Fifteen years ago Mr. Schaffer was elected secretary of The Ohio Fair Boys Association, with A. P. Sandles as president of the same—an association that was destined to have a marked influence upon the extension and development of the interests of the county fairs of this state. This association, which was promoted by the six leading spirits in county fair work in Ohio, now takes in local fair associations in eighty-two of the counties of the state and Mr. Schaffer's continued activities in that connection have been largely effective in helping to promote the general development of the fairs in this extensive circuit.   CAPT. LOUIS E. LAMBERT, who died at his home in St. Marys in the summer of 1922, was an honored veteran of the Civil war, former mayor of the city of St. Marys, formerly engaged in manufacturing in that city but who of late years had been giving his special attention to the real estate and insurance business he had built up there during his residence of nearly thirty-five years in that city, was one of the best known citizens of Auglaize county and it is but proper that there should here be paid some modest tribute to the good memory he left at his passing. Captain Lambert was a European by birth, but had been a resident of this country since the days of his childhood. He was born in the province of Lorraine, then a part of France, in 1870 taken over by Germany and in 1918 restored to France, June 12, 1842, and was a son of Jacob and Sophia (Roechling) Lambert, the latter of whom was born at Saarbrucken, in Rhenish Prussia, April 24, 1813. Jacob Lambert was born at Ingenheim, in the French province of Lorraine, April 4, 1798, and was early trained as a woodworker, a vocation he followed all his life. After his marriage he established his home in his native land and there continued to reside until 1847, when he emigrated with his family to this country and located at Cleveland, Ohio, where he became engaged in the manufacture of wooden tubs and was thus engaged until his death in 1858, he then being sixty years of age. To him and his wife were born seven children, but one of whom now survives, the late Captain Lambert's sister, Augusta (Mrs. August Kirkhoff). As will be noted by a comparison of dates above, Louis E. Lambert was five years of age when he came to this country with his parents in 1847, and he was reared at Cleveland, completing his schooling there in the old Langsdorf Academy, from which he was graduated, and was living at Cleveland when the Civil war broke out in the spring of 1861. He straightway enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and was mustered in as a corporal in the famous 37th regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, attached to the Army   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 63   of the Tennessee, and with that gallant command served until the end of the war, being gradually promoted in the ranks for meritorious service in the field from corporal to first sergeant, then second lieutenant, then first lieutenant, captain of Company G of the 37th regiment and regimental adjutant. During this period of service Captain Lambert participated in much strenuous service, including Sherman's march to the sea, and was wounded four times in battle, at one time having been reported dead on the field. Upon the completion of his military service Captain Lambert returned to Cleveland and for some time thereafter was engaged in clerical work, a bookkeeper, but presently became engaged in business for himself, opening a men's fur- lashing goods store at Cleveland. He married in 1876 and continued to make his home in Cleveland until in 1888, when upon the opening of the oil and gas "boom" hereabout he came to Auglaize county and located at St. Marys, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there in August, 1922. It will be recalled that there were more than eighty Auglaize county men connected with the old 37th Ohio and Captain Lambert, who had frequently visited here and had married a St. Marys girl, thus had a good many friends here who lost no time in bidding him a welcome to his new home upon his arrival here in 1888 and there is no evidence that he ever regretted the choice which brought him here for permanent residence. Upon taking up his residence at St. Marys, Captain Lambert became connected with the operations of the chain works there and at the same time began to develop a local real estate and insurance business. In this latter line he soon found himself so successful that he presently began to devote his whole attention to it and so continued until his final illnesS, though of recent years he had sought retirement from the more active phases of the business. The Captain had other interests of a business character, including a place on the directorate of the First National Bank of St. Marys, and had been for years one of the active factors in the promotion of the general commercial and industrial interests of his home town. He was an ardent Republican and had served one term as mayor of the city of St. Marys, elected in 1898. He was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, a member of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee and of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic and in the affairs of these several patriotic orders had ever taken a warm and active interest. He was a member of the German Reformed church, as was his wife, and he was affiliated with the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias. It was on October 12, 1876, that Capt. Louis E. Lambert was united in marriage to Bertha Dieker, of St. Marys, a daughter of Fred Dieker, who in his generation was one of the best known men in western Ohio, proprietor of the old Dieker House at St. Marys and in other ways active in affairs hereabout, as   64 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   will be noted elsewhere in this work, and to that union three children were born, a daughter, Florence E., and two sons, Carl F. and Frederick X., the latter of whom is now deceased. Florence E. Lambert married Herman Brinkmeyer, of St. Marys, and has one child, a son, Robert. Carl F. Lambert married Theresa Dick (now deceased) and is now living in Kansas.   WILLIAM C. FISHER, secretary-treasurer of the Glass Block Company (Inc.) and general manager of that concern's extensive department store at St. Marys, is a "Buckeye" by birth and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of St. Marys for the past twenty years. Mr. Fisher was born in the village of Lafayette, in the neighboring county of Allen, November 30, 1872, and was but a child when his parents, James M. and Rachel (Nash) Fisher, moved to the city of Lima, where he was reared and where he received his schooling. Upon leaving school he began working as a clerk in the Bitzer furniture store at Lima and was there employed for about seven years, or until he was twenty-seven years of age, when he was made assistant secretary of the Lima Waterworks Company, a position he occupied for two years, at the end of which time, in 1903, he became bookkeeper in the Glass Block store at St. Marys and has ever since been connected with that establishment. Two years after Mr. Fisher entered this store the present corporation controlling it was organized, a stock company organized as the Glass Block Company (Inc.), and Mr. Fisher was elected secretary and treasurer of the company. That was in 1905. Ten years later, in 1915, he was made general manager of the store, which meanwhile had been developed into one of the most extensive department stores in western Ohio, and he has since been in charge of the concern's growing interests, these including seven complete departments, each with its own head under Mr. Fisher's general direction, and including pretty much every variety of merchandise demanded in the community. The Glass Block Company is incorporated for $60,000, its present officiary being as follows ; President, Marvin K. Clover ; vice-president, William F. Brodbeck ; secretary-treasurer, William C. Fisher, these officers, together with Albert Herzing, C. P. Tomhafe, S. L. Clay and W. A. Guertin constituting the directorate of the company. The modern and well arranged building in which the department store is located is leased from the St. Marys Woolen Manufacturing Company and provides floor space aggregating 37,500 square feet. Mr. Fisher is a Democrat and gives proper attention to the general civic affairs of the community, one of the real town "boosters" at St. Marys. He is a Freemason and has taken both the council and the chapter degrees of that order and is also an Odd Fellow and a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, while he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church. In February,   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 65   1917, William C. Fisher was united in marriage to Clara Stalder, of St. Marys, and they have a very pleasant home in that city. Mrs. Fisher was born at St. Marys, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Weber) Stalder, and has lived in that city all her life.   GODFREY KUENZEL, president of the Kuenzel Mills Company of New Bremen, and long recognized as one of Auglaize county's leading business men, was born at New Bremen and has lived there all his life, now the eldest living representative of the Kuenzel family which has been prominently identified with the affairs of New Bremen almost from the days of its inception back in the days when the wilderness ruled hereabout. Mr. Kuenzel was bon, on August 16, 1855, and is a son of John A. and Wilhelmina (Mohrman) Kuenzel, the latter of whom was a daughter of one of the original residents of the Bremen colony which came up here from Cincinnati and established a village along the old Wayne trail in 1833. John Adam Kuenzel, father of Godfrey Kuenzel, was a son of J. C. and Maria (Wunderlich) Kuenzel, Bavarians, and was but a lad when he came to this country with his parents, the family arriving at the port of New Orleans and presently joining the Bremen colony which had shortly before established itself here in what then was Mercer county. J. C. Kuenzel was a tanner and upon his arrival here established a tannery in the New Bremen neighborhood at the point which came to be known as Amsterdam, but which long ago lost its place on the map. John A. Kuenzel became a valued assistant to his father in the operations of that pioneer tannery and later became engaged in the boot and shoe business at New Bremen, becoming one of the leading merchants of the place, and for twelve or thirteen years also served as postmaster of the town. Not long after the close of the Civil war he sold his shoe store and became connected with the woolen mill enterprise which had become established along the, canal adjoining the flour mill at New Bremen and turned his attention to the enterprise, operating under the firm name of Bakhaus & Kuenzel, which some years later bought the adjacent flour mill, both concerns thereafter being operated together under the firm style of the Bakhaus-Kuenzel Company, which built up one of the leading industries in this part of the state and in which the Kuenzel interest still is the dominant one, the elder son of John Adam Kuenzel now being president of the company, which was re-organized in 1914 as the Kuenzel Mills Company, and the younger son, E. C. Kuenzel, secretary-treasurer of the company, all of which, together with important details of the operation of the mills and the products of the same, is set out elsewhere in the biographical sketch of the latter elsewhere in this work. Of the eight children born to John A. and Wilhelmina (Mohr- man) Kuenzel these two sons alone survive. Godfrey Kuenzel was reared at New Bremen, where he received his schooling, and after (4)   66 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   leaving school became identified with the operation of the woolen mills, starting in the weaving room and gradually becoming thoroughly familiar with all departments of the process of manufacturing woolen cloth and yarn. Upon the firm's acquisition of the flour mill he turned his attention to that enterprise, was made manager of the same and has been in active charge of the flour mill ever since, an industry which has been developed until it now has a capacity of right around one hundred barrels a day. When the Kuenzel Mills Company was incorporated under the reorganization of the same in 1914, Godfrey Kuenzel was made vice president of the company and presently was elected president, a position he since has occupied. Mr. Kuenzel is a Republican and has rendered public service as a member of the board of public works of the town of New Bremen. He and his family are members of the German Reformed church. For a number of years he was one of the elders of the congregation and he also has served as secretary. On April 25, 1882, Godfrey Kuenzel was united in marriage to Julia Haveman, daughter of Dr. William Haveman, of New Bremen, and to this union seven children have been born, Oscar, Felix, Beata, Paul, Ruth, Wilhelmina and Theo, all of whom are living. Oscar Kuenzel, a mechanical engineer, is now engaged in business at Newcomerstown, this state. Felix Kuenzel, who married Helen Bienz, "grew up" to the business which his grandfather had helped to establish and is now superintendent of the woolen mills. Beata Kuenzel married the Rev. William F. Kissell, of Lima, and has two children, Julia and John. Paul Kuenzel married May Bartlett and is now living at Portland, Ore. Ruth Kuenzel early turned her attention to the service of the church and upon completing her schooling entered the missionary field of the German Reformed church and is now stationed in Japan in that behalf. Wilhelmina Kuenzel was graduated from Oberlin College with the class of 1922 and Theo Kuenzel is a student in that college, a member of the class of 1924.   CLIFFORD J. AND GEORGE F. GAST, of the Gast Implement Company of New Bremen, two of the best known young men in that part of the county and successors to their father, the late Gregory Gast, who laid the foundations there for the present company, have been residents of that place since the days of their childhood. They are sons of Gregory and Bertha (Klopf ) Gast, the latter of whom, now living at Lima, was born at Piqua, this state. The late Gregory Gast was a European by birth, an Alsatian, who came to this country alone when about sixteen years of age and located at Minster, in this county, where he became a proficient blacksmith. Having mastered this trade he went to Chickasaw, over in the neighboring county of Mercer, and opened there a shop of his own. He married while living there and after remaining at that place six or seven years   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 67   came back to Auglaize county and opened a blacksmith shop at New Bremen, where he spent the remainder of his life. During the twenty- three years of his business career at New Bremen Gregory Gast built up a dependable establishment, which has been amply enlarged by his sons since they have been in charge. About 1903 Gregory Gast added to his line the sale of agricultural implements, and it is this branch of the business which recently has been so greatly expanded. He died on June 26, 1913, and the business has been carried on by his sons, who "grew up" to the business and have expanded it to meet modern demands and conditions. To Gregory Gast and wife were born six children, George F., Lulu, Charles, Romand, Clifford J. and Irene, all of whom are living, Clifford J. Gast and George F. Gast carrying on the old established business founded by their father under the name of the Gast Implement Company, general repair work and dealers in agricultural implements and automobiles. Clifford James Gast, general manager of the concern, was born October 24, 1893, and was reared at New Bremen. He was graduated from the high school there and early became familiar with the details of his father's business. His father's death occurring not long after his graduation from the high school, he became associated with his brother George and stepped into the business, taking charge of the implement line, his brother taking charge of the smithy end of the concern and the repair branch. The brothers continued to carry on the business under the old name of Gregory Gast until on January 1, 1916, when they formed a partnership and have since been doing business under the firm style of the Gast Implement Company, and since then have made many improvements to the plant and extended its affairs in several directions, though continuing to occupy the building so long occupied by their father. Clifford J. Gast is a member of the local council of the Loyal Order of Moose at Wapakoneta and George F. Gast is a member of the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at that place. The brothers are Democrats and George F. Gast is chief of the New Bremen fire department. In the old days when the rivalries between the two sides of the town (east of the canal and west of the canal) were such as not only to find a reflection in the commercial and social life of the town but in its civic life, two engine houses were maintained, one east and one west of the canal, but with the subsidence of that old feeling this unnecessary duplication was abandoned and the fire fighting energies of the corporation were centered in the new and well equipped engine house on the East Side, though the quaint old engine house No. 1 on the West Side is still standing and is preserved as an interesting relic of the days that have gone. George F. Gast, the elder of the partners in the affairs of the Gast Implement Company, married Louetta Weinberg and has one child, a son, Gregory, named in honor of the lad's   68 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   grandfather. Clifford J. Gast married Irene Dinkel and has two children, Beverly and Virginia. Charles Gast, another of the sons of Gregory Gast, is a structural engineer, employed on the staff of the John Gill Company of Cleveland, and Romand Gast is factory superintendent of the plant of the Lincoln Electric Company.   MUELLER BROTHERS (John F. and August) , proprietors of one of the leading mercantile establishments in New Bremen and dealers in men's clothing and furnishings, are members of one of the pioneer families of the New Bremen neighborhood and have lived there all their liven. Both were born on the old Mueller farm just beyond the eastern limits of the city, where they were reared, and their schooling was received in the New Bremen schools. They are sons of Henry F. and Mary (Sunderman) Mueller, both members of old families in that vicinity. Henry F. Mueller, who is now living retired on his well kept farm place at the edge of town, was born there and is a son of the pioneer, Gerhardt Frederick Mueller, a Hanoverian, who had settled at New Bremen upon coming to this country back in the '30s of the past century and, who, by working on the construction of the Miami & Erie canal, had acquired a sufficient fund to start him as a landowner in the New Bremen neighborhood and, who, in time, became one of the most substantial farmers thereabout, the owner of 400 acres of land and a well improved farm plant, which he had developed from the little log cabins in which he and his family had their "day of small things" upon settling here. He lived to see New Bremen grow until it became a widely known industrial center and his family, in the fourth generation, is still prominently connected there. Henry F. Mueller grew up on that pioneer farm and continued farming after his marriage, in time coming to be the owner of 100 acres of the old home place, which he improved in admirable fashion and where he is now living retired. To him and his wife were born seven children, all of whom are living, save Alvina, the others besides the subjects of this sketch being Rosina, Henry, Emma and Edwin. John F. Mueller, the senior member of the clothing firm of Mueller Bros., remained on the home farm until he was grown and then took up the carpenter trade, which he followed six years, at the end of which time he took a course in the Becks Commercial College at Dayton, preparatory to entering upon a business career. Thus equipped for business he found ready employment as a bookkeeper in the John Garmhausen store at Lock 2, formerly known as New Paris, in the neighborhood of his home and was there thus engaged for four years, or until 1899, when he and his brother, August Mueller, formed their present association and became engaged in the men's clothing business at New Bremen, under the firm name of Mueller Bros., which mutually agreeable arrangement has since continued. Upon entering the commercial field at   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 69   New Bremen the Mueller brothers occupied the room on the corner now occupied by the offices of the New Bremen Sun. Two years later they moved their store to the Boesel block and were there for four years or until their expanding business demanded larger quarters and in 1905 they bought the building in which they are now carrying on their business, a building 50 by 75 feet in ground dimension, the store occupying all of the ground floor and basement and half of the second floor. This is the only exclusive men's clothing and furnishing store in New Bremen and the proprietors carry on their business in strictly up-to-date fashion. August Mueller, the younger brother, remained on the farm until he was twenty-three years of age, when he began working in the sash factory at New Bremen, operated by the Henifeld Manufacturing Company, and remained with that concern for more than four years, at the end of which time he became engaged in business with his brother. Both brothers are members of the St. Peter's Evangelical church and both are married and have pleasant homes. John F. Mueller married Florentina Kettler and has two children, Adiel and Theophil. August Mueller married Amanda Dinkel and has three children, Marie, Carl and Harold.   JAMES P. ANDERSON, a veteran of the World war, proprietor of the Central drug store at Wapakoneta and one of the most alert and energetic young business men of that city, was born at Wapakoneta on November 9, 1895, and is the son of Robert B. and Jennie (Wilson) Anderson, the latter of whom also was born at Wapakoneta and the former at Piqua, Ohio. Reared at Wapakoneta, James P. Anderson was graduated from the high school in 1913 and then after some experience as a drug clerk entered the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, from which he was graduated with the class of 1917. That was the spring in which this country took a part in the World war and two weeks before his graduation Mr. Anderson enlisted his services in behalf of American arms. After a period of preliminary training in the barracks at Philadelphia he was assigned to the 19th Railway Engineers and with that outfit sailed for France on August 9, 1917. For about one year he was with this command and then was transferred to a replacement division of infantry and thirty days later was assigned to the quartermaster's corps, with which he was serving when the armistice was signed, and during the last three months of his service overseas was on duty at Marseilles, where he was stationed when the order came to return to the States. He arrived on July 30, 1919, and was sent to Camp Sherman (Chillicothe, Ohio), where he received his discharge in the following August, after a service of two years in the army. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Anderson returned home and shortly afterward went to Detroit, where he entered the great chemical laboratory of Parke,   70 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   Davis & Co., manufacturing chemists, for a bit of intensive practical application of his pharmaceutical studies, and after six months of such experience there accepted a position in a Market street drug store at Lima, where he remained a year, at the end of which time he returned to Wapakoneta and was made manager of the Central drug store, John Purvis, proprietor. About a year later, in September, 1921, he bought the drug store from Mr. Purvis and has since been carrying on the business for himself. Since taking over the old established Central drug store Mr. Anderson has made some effective improvements in the place and has enlarged his line until now the Central is recognized as one of the most complete and up-to-date drug stores in western Ohio. Upon taking charge of the store Mr. Anderson adopted as his slogan, "Quality, Service, Price," and in maintaining all the standards implied in such a slogan has the enthusiastic assistance of a competent and accommodating staff of clerks. Mr. Anderson is one of the active members of the Kiwanis Club of Wapakoneta, is a member of the local post of the American Legion and also is affiliated with the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In his political views he claims the right to be regarded as "independent" of mere party ties. On August 12, 1919, immediately following his return from army service, James P. Anderson waS united in marriage to Helen House, of Wapakoneta, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter, Alice Jeanne, born in January, 1922. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have a pleasant home at Wapakoneta and take an interested and helpful part in the general social activities of the community. Mrs. Anderson was born at Sidney, Ohio, September 20, 1895, daughter of James E. and Carrie House, and was but twelve years of age when she moved with her parents to Wapakoneta, where she completed her schooling in the high school.   FRANK J. ZOFKIE, senior member of the firm of Zofkie, Foos & Company of Wapakoneta, president and manager of that concern, and for years one of the best known merchants of that city, is a European by birth but has been a resident of this country since the days of his infancy and is thus as much an American as though "to the manner born." Mr. Zofkie was born in Austria on November 15, 1871, and is a son of John and Mary Zofkie, who in 1872 came to America with their little family and located at Cleveland, Ohio, where they spent the remainder of their lives. John Zofkie was a stonemason and followed that vocation all his life. He and his wife were the parents of six children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Anna (deceased), John Zofkie, of Chillicothe, Ohio ; Charles Zofkie, of Cincinnati, and Mary and Rose, of Cleveland. Reared at Cleveland, he having been but a babe in arms when his parents made their home there, Frank J. Zofkie attended a parochial school there—his parents   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 71   being Catholics and their children reared in that faith—and at the age of thirteen years began an apprenticeship to a tailor, under the direction of John Ledinsky, and upon completing his apprenticeship remained in Cleveland until he was twenty years of age when he went to Blairsville, Pa., and began working in a tailor shop there as a coatmaker, and was working there when the Columbian Exposition at Chicago attracted the attention of the world in 1893. He attended this great world's fair and then returned to his home at Cleveland and not long afterward became employed in a tailor shop at Elyria, where he added to his art that of cutting. Thus qualified as a cutter he went to Salem, in Columbiana county, and there he remained until on February 13, 1895, when he came to Wapakoneta to accept a position as cutter in the tailoring department of the Timmermeister & Rogers store and he ever since has been a resident of Wapakoneta. Two years after his arrival in Wapakoneta he married and established his home there. Mr. Zofkie remained with Timmermeister & Rogers until December 31, 1903. A month later, February 1, 1904, he started in business for himself, opening a tailoring shop in the room in the Moser building on Auglaize street now occupied as a plumbing shop, this room prior to that time having been occupied as a cirgar factory. Gregor L. Foos, who previously had been carrying on business with a line of men's furnishings, took a part of the room and the combination of the two lines carried on in the same room proved so agreeable to both men that presently Mr. Zofkie and Mr. Foos formed a partnership and on January 13, 1905, bought the clothing store which then was being carried on by Schubert & Levy in the room now occupied by the Zofkie-Foos Company on Auglaize street and moved their stock into this latter room and have ever since been located there, their trade name thus being one of the most familiar ones in the county. Not long after this change, in 1905, Henry F. Woehler, who had been a salesman in the Timmermeister & Rogers store, entered the firm and has since been associated with the founders of the business. In 1919 Mr. Zofkie's son, Cletus C. Zofkie, was admitted to partnership in the firm. The Zofkie-Foos store room covers an area of 25 by 85 feet of floor space and is well equipped and well stocked, the firm handling only dependable and popular brands of clothing and men's furnishings. Besides the sales force, two tailors are engaged in the store and the business is a growing one. Mr. Zofkie is an active member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus at Wapakoneta and is also affiliated with the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Loyal Order of Moose at that place, while he and his wife are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church. Mr. Zofkie was a member of the building committee of this church when the present handsome edifice was erected in 1910, and has ever been an influential factor   72 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   in the promotion of the affairs of the parish. It was on August 4, 1897, that Frank J. Zofkie was united in marriage to Mary A. Distelrath, who was born in Wapakoneta on September 16, 1871, a daughter of John G. and Sabina (Klug) Distelrath, the latter of whom also was born at Wapakoneta, a member of one of the first families there. John G. Distelrath, who was sheriff of Auglaize county for four years (1884-88), was a native of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Zofkie have one child, a son, Cletus C. Zofkie, who was born on June 6, 1900, and who —as set out above—is now a member of the firm which his father founded at Wapakoneta many years ago. Following his graduation from the parochial school at Wapakoneta, Cletus C. Zofkie entered Dayton University, formerly known as St. Marys College, and was graduated from that institution, later taking a post-graduate course at Notre Dame University. While attending this latter school he enlisted in the United States navy and was placed on the naval reserve list, serving thus for a period of three years. Upon his return home in 1919 he was admitted to the firm of the Zofkie-Foos Company and has since been giving his undivided attention to the affairs of that company. He is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic church and is also affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.   J. HENRY MEYER, a well known architect and consulting engineer of Wapakoneta, former surveyor of Auglaize county and present city civil engineer, author and publisher of a standard atlas of Auglaize county and for years recognized as one of the real "live wires" in the civic life of this county, particularly as a potent factor in the development of the increasing demand for better homes and for better streets and highways, has done a work in this county that must be accounted as really remarkable when it is considered as the accomplishment of a man still in his early "thirties." When it is considered that he was just turning into his majority when he was appointed city civil engineer, and this at a time when the city of Wapakoneta was just beginning to be aroused to the modern demand for paved streets and all the essentials of improvement which accompany such a step, and that in the next year he was elected county surveyor, at a time when some of the county's most important drainage and highway problems were being worked out, it will be realized that the boy had frittered away no time while laying the foundations upon which this communal recognition of his abilities was based. That he was able to rise fully equal to all the responsibilities thus laid upon his youthful shoulders and to maintain this position so uprightly as to compel continued retention in the important and responsible branch of the public service for which he had so thoughtfully qualified himself is its own logical commentary. He "made good" from the outset and has so continued, so that now in the ranks of the many emi-   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 73   nent consulting engineers and architects that are so deeply concerned in the practical "rebuilding" of the proud state of Ohio there are not many names more widely recognized than his, nor are there many whose counsels along those lines receive more respectful consideration than do his. By the standard of his work he has proved his right to speak and by the rightness of his judgments have his counsels attained weight. Henry Meyer has done much to emphasize the suspicion that long has been dawning upon the consciousness of the elders that this is an "age of the young men" and his work has been such as to reflect credit upon the judgment of those who had decided, even when he was little more than a boy, that he "had it in him" to go far along the line he had laid out for himself and were willing that the opportunity for public service should be his. That this confidence was not misplaced has been demonstrated through the years since these responsibilities were placed upon him and Auglaize county has profited by his services. Perhaps more than any other person it was he who "sold" the people of this county on the good roads proposition, even as it was he more than any other who "sold" the people of Wapakoneta on the important proposition of paved streets, and this sort of salesmanship is the kind from which all the community profits. Henry Meyer is a Wapakoneta product, born in that city on May 9, 1889, and is a son of William H. and Minnie L. (Schmidt) Meyer, both of whom are members of pioneer families hereabout, and who are still living in that city where they have resided for many years. Reared at Wapakoneta, Henry Meyer received his early schooling in St. Joseph's parochial school, supplementing this by a course in the city high school, from which he was graduated, and then he entered Ohio State University, where his studies were chiefly directed along the lines upon which he had determined as a boy, architecture and civil engineering. Upon thus qualifying himself for this profession he returned to Wapakoneta and not long afterward was elected city civil engineer. That, was in 1910 and so effective have been his services in this behalf that he ever since has been retained in that position. About the same time he also was elected county surveyor and by re-election served in that office for four years (1911-15) . In the summer of 1911 he married and established his home in Wapakoneta, where he and his wife are very pleasantly situated. It also was in that year that he became the general manager of the B. H. M. Cement Products Company and embarked in business in addition to his professional and public service duties ; like all busy men, finding time to "look after more than one iron in the fire." In 1914, he added to his other activities the management of the Brown theater and for some years carried on that business until it was taken over by the present management of the theater. In the meantime his business as an architect constantly was growing and   74 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   his field in that line expanding, so that for years past the demands upon this form of service have not been confined to the local field, but have called him to other fields covering a wide territory hereabout, the substantial character of the Meyer architectural designs, combined with the "classy" individuality Mr. Meyer ever has been able to impart to these designs having long ago brought him recognition as one of the leading architects in Ohio. As county surveyor, Mr. Meyer did much to advance the cause of better drainage and better highways in this county, and in 1917 when the Auglaize County Good Roads Federation was organized he was made a director of that organization and secretary of the same. At the same time he continually was pushing the cause of better streets in his home town and in his official capacity of city engineer was seeing to it that in the carrying out of the city's extensive paving program the work done along that line should be fully up to standard, with the result that now it is a matter of just local pride that there are few, if any, cities of like population in the Middle West that have better streets and sidewalks than has Wapakoneta, and the same may be said of such sewer and waterworks extensions as have been made during Mr. Meyer's administration of that branch of the public service. One of the initial services rendered by Mr. Meyer in behalf of the public was that rendered in 1910, when, fresh from college, he issued a comprehensive atlas of the county, his maps and original surveys bringing down to date a service that long had been neglected. In 1917 he recognized the need of a further revision of the county atlas and meeting that need revised his former atlas, bringing all surveys down to date and compiling new maps and additional data, to which he added much comprehensive information of an official historical character, and published a new "Atlas and History of Auglaize County," a work of 166 pages, carrying complete farm maps of every township in the county and plats of all towns and villages, and setting a new standard in local map publication. Unfortunately, the great expense attendant on this publication was such that there could be no hope of profit, and in fact Mr. Meyer confronted a deficit when he came to balance his books and "close the files" on that enterprise that revealed him stript of the savings he had accumulated during the time of his other activities. However, in compiling that atlas he rendered an important public service and the book is a monument to his enterprise that cannot now be detracted from. Pocketing his losses with the ever ready smile with which he is able to meet all situations that may arise, Mr. Meyer buckled down to the continuing tasks that daily met him and has long ago charged off to "experience" his unfortunate foray into the publishing field. It was on June 21, 1911, that J. Henry Meyer was united in marriage to Leo Mary Blair, of Wapakoneta, daughter of Frank and Rosetta (Craig) Blair, and a member of   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 75   one of the pioneer families of this section of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church and take a proper interest in parish affairs as well as in the general social and cultural affairs of their home town. Mr. Meyer is a past grand knight of the local council of the Knights of Columbus, is a director and former secretary-treasurer of the Wapakoneta Outing Club, is a member of the college fraternity, Kappa Sigma, and is affiliated with the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Loyal Order of Moose. Mr. Meyer is a former member (private) of old Company K, 2d Regiment (infantry) of the Ohio National Guard, with which he served for eight months. It was during this period of service that this company was called into Federal service in connection with the flurry on the Mexican border in 1916, being federalized at Camp Willis. He received his discharge at Columbus on July 31, 1916.   ERNEST J. BOWSHER, local agent for the American Railway Express at Wapakoneta and one of the best known young business men of that city, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here all his life. Mr. Bowsher was born on a farm in Duchouquet township on June 26, 1888, and is a son of John G. and Sarah (Nungester) Bowsher, the latter of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of the old families here. John G. Bowsher was born in Ross county, Ohio, and died on July 20, 1922. To him and his wife were born six children, all of whom are living, the subject of this sketch having four sisters, Mrs. Marietta Mowery, Mrs. Annabel Porter, Mrs. Gertrude Bowsher and Mrs. Ella Miller, and a brother, Cloyd W. Bowsher. Reared on the home farm, Ernest J. Bowsher received his schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home in the northwestern part of Duchouquet township and until after his marriage at the age of twenty-six was variously employed. He then, in 1915, became employed at Wapakoneta as driver of the wagon for the Wells-Fargo Express Company and was thus engaged for six months, at the end of which time he was promoted to act as messenger on the local division of the Western Ohio lines between Wapakoneta and Celina and from St. Marys to Ft. Loramie, and he continued in this service until the consolidation of the local service of the Wells-Fargo Company and the American Express Company was effected at Wapakoneta in 1916, when he was appointed agent for these joint interests at that place. When in 1918, under the stress of war activity, the express interests of the country were merged into the American Railway Express, Mr. Bowsher was retained as agent of the latter interest at Wapakoneta and has since been serving in that important and responsible capacity. Mr. Bowsher is a Republican. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the local lodge of   76 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   the Loyal Order of Moose at Wapakoneta and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. On December 31, 1914, Ernest J. Bowsher was united in marriage to Grace Chiles, who was born and reared in Union township, this county, and is a member of one of the pioneer families of the county. Mrs. Bowsher is a daughter of Seabury and Belle (Roney) Chiles, both of whom also were born in this county and the former of whom is a well-to-do farmer of Union township.   ERWIN J. GARMHAUSEN, manager of the St. Marys grain elevator for the Lock 2 Grain and Milling Company and formerly and for some years an active figure in community service work, a recognized expert along that line and a valuable factor in that service in connection with military camp community activities during the time of this country's participation in the World war, is a native son of Auglaize county whose activities since he left college have given him a varied and interesting experience. Mr. Garmhausen was born at Lock 2, formerly known as New Paris, on the canal just northeast of New Bremen, September 15, 1887, and is a son of Florenz and Cordelia (Hilgeman) Garmhausen, both members of pioneer families of this county and concerning whom further and fitting reference is made elsewhere in this volume, together with additional details regarding the Garmhausen family in this county. The late Florenz Garmhausen was a son of John Garmhausen, who came up here from Cincinnati in the early '50s of the past century, not long after the opening of the canal, and became engaged in the mercantile and milling business at Lock 2, establishing there a commercial and industrial enterprise which has ever been kept alive by the family and now in the third generation is being operated by the Lock 2 Grain and Milling Company, a Garmhausen concern, as is set out elsewhere. Florenz Garmhausen grew up to the business there at Lock 2 and after completing the course in a business college at Cincinnati devoted his time and attention to the further development of the business which his father had created, he and his brothers eventually organizing the Lock 2 Grain and Milling Company, of which he was elected president, a position he held until his death, and was succeeded by his son, Herbert Garmhausen, brother of the subject of this sketch, who continues as the head of the concern, whose activities also include the operation of the general store at Lock 2, as is set out elsewhere. Reared in the old home at Lock 2, Erwin J. Garmhausen was graduated from the New Bremen high school in 1909 and then entered Ohio State University, from which institution he was graduated in 1911 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. During his course at the university, Mr. Garmhausen had given special attention to researches in connection with the rapidly developing field of social and general community welfare service and upon leaving   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 77   school accepted an appointment to become conductor of welfare service at the Noel Settlement House, Washington, D. C. After a period of valuable service there he was called to Macon, Ga., as the director of the city recreational service there and was serving in that capacity when this country took a hand in the World war, when he enlisted his services in behalf of the war camp community service and was assigned to Newport News, Va., as director of recreational service, his held of activity embracing the territory from Williamsburg to Old Point Comfort. He remained there from April, 1918, until the early part of 1919, when he received his discharge, the war then being over, and then took up special community service organization work in connection with the activities of Community Service, Inc., with headquarters at New York. He was given charge of the Virginia district, with residence at Richmond, where he remained until in March, 1922, when lie returned home to take his place in the direction of the family interests incorporated in the Lock 2 Grain and Milling Company and was made manager of the grain elevator at St. Marys, which position he now is occupying, an active factor in the general business life of that city. Erwin J. Garmhausen married Hazel Karshner, daughter of Charles and Minnie (Bookwalter) Karshner, of Cleveland, Ohio, and to this union three children have been born, John F., Hilda Ruth and Hazel Jean. Mr. and Mrs. Garmhausen have a pleasant home at St. Marys and take an interested and helpful part in the general social and cultural activities of the community.   EDWARD M. STURGEON, a salesman for the Standard Oil Company, traveling out of St. Marys, one of the best known young men in that city, is a member of one of the real pioneer families of Auglaize county, the Sturgeons having been here from the days of the beginning of orderly settlement hereabout. Mr. Sturgeon was born on the old Sturgeon farm just west of the town of St. Marys on August 14, 1889, and is a son of Thomas and Rebecca (Crowe) Sturgeon, the latter of whom also was a member of one of the county's old families and both of whom are now deceased. The late Thomas Sturgeon was born on that same farm and was a son of Thomas S. and Mary D. (Ross) Sturgeon, who had settled there in 1830 and whose last days were spent on that place, influential and useful pioneers of the St. Marys neighborhood. Thomas S. Sturgeon, the pioneer, was a Pennsylvanian by birth, born in Mifflin county in 1803, and was about sixteen years of age when he accompanied his parents to Ohio, the family locating in the vicinity of Troy, the county seat of Miami county, in 1819. Ten years later (in 1829) Thomas S. Sturgeon was married in that county to Mary D. Ross, who also was born in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, and in the year following he and his wife established their home on the quarter section he had entered   78 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   from the government a few years prior to his marriage in section 4 of St. Marys township, in what then was in Mercer county but which in 1848 became a part of Auglaize county, this quarter section (the southeast quarter of section 4) adjoining on the west the St. Marys townsite, the original plat of which had been laid out in 1823. On that tract of unbroken woodland wilderness Thomas S. Sturgeon erected his log cabin and settled down to the clearing and development of a farm. It is narrated in one of the older local chronicles that after he had got himself settled here he found his remaining capital to be but fifty cents, but money was not such an essential to the pioneers as it is to their descendants in this day and he found himself getting along pretty well, for the woods were full of game and the problem of subsistence was not such a difficult one, after all. It was not long until he had the greater part of his land cleared and a good farm under way. In the middle '60s he erected on that place a substantial farm house, one of the best dwellings thereabout, for he had prospered and had become, as the older chronicle has it, "one of the solid men of the township." In that house his wife died on December 5, 1868. He survived her less than seven years, his death occuring on May 5, 1875. It has been written of this pioneer that "he was a quiet, reserved man of few words, which were always to the point. He held various local offices, and helped to organize the Presbyterian society at St. Marys, acting as elder of the church until his death." To Thomas S. Sturgeon and wife were born eight children, four of whom grew to maturity, and the Sturgeon family still is prominently represented in the community in which it has been known for nearly one hundred years. The junior Thomas Sturgeon, one of the sons of this pioneer couple, was born on that farm and there grew to manhood. After his marriage to Rebecca Crowe he established his home on the place, continuing to operate the farm, and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on March 18, 1917. His widow survived him a little less than two years, her death occurring on February 27, 1919. They were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Mary, and a brother, William T. Sturgeon. Reared on the old home farm west of town, Edward M. Sturgeon completed his schooling in the St. Marys high school and until he was about twenty-five years of age, or a year or two following his marriage, continued as an assistant in the labors of developing the farm. He then, in 1915, became employed as a traveling salesman, representing the Standard Oil Company throughout the territory assigned him, and has been thus employed since that time, making his home at St. Marys, he and his family being very comfortably situated at 111 North Ash street. It was on October 9, 1913, that Edward M. Sturgeon was united in marriage to Florence Schlechte, who was born in St. Louis, Mo., daughter of Louis and Dora Schlechte, and to this   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 79   union three children have been born, Louis, and Thomas and Mary Catherine (twins). Mr. and Mrs. Sturgeon are members of the Presbyterian church at St. Marys, of which Mr. Sturgeon's grandfather was one of the founders, and take a proper interest not only in the work of the church but in the general social activities of the community. Mr. Sturgeon is a Freemason and in his political views is "independent."   FRED WIEMEYER, secretary of the Arcade Department Store Company of New Bremen, former secretary of the City Building and Loan Company of that place, former city clerk and former member of the city council and in other ways actively interested for years in the civic and commercial life of that place, has been in business since the days of his boyhood and has a wide acquaintance throughout this part of the state. Mr. Wiemeyer was born at. New Bremen on July 8, 1858, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Solms) Wiemeyer, both of whom were born in Germany but who had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their youth, both the Wiemeyer and Solms families having become pioneers of the New Bremen settlement. William Wiemeyer was but a lad when he came to this country with his parents and he grew up at New Bremen, where after his marriage he established his home and spent the remainder of his life, becoming one of the best known and most influential business men of that community. He early started a little store, handling a general line, dry goods, groceries, etc., and as his business expanded added to his stock until his place on Washington street became a real village emporium. He also during the days of canal activity was extensively engaged in the grain business and in pork packing and was one of the real factors in the development of the commercial activities of the place, continuing actively engaged in business until his death. He and his wife were the parents of five children, three of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Sophia, and a brother, William Wiemeyer. Reared at New Bremen, Fred Wiemeyer received his schooling in the local schools and began to learn the dry goods business, early familiarizing himself with the details of this line. With a view to enlarging this experience, after he left school he went to Wapakoneta in 1874, he then being sixteen years of age, and for three years was engaged there as a clerk in the J. H. Timmermeister store. In 1877 he took a course in the Miami Commercial College at Dayton and for a short time thereafter was engaged as a clerk in a Dayton dry goodS store, but presently returned to Wapakoneta and was for two years engaged there as a clerk in the Peoples Bank. Thus equipped by a pretty general business course, Mr. Wiemeyer returned home and in 1880 opened at New Bremen a general store that for its up-to-date character was something new in the town and he has ever since been   80 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   engaged in business there, continuing to operate his store alone until 1903 when he effected a merger of his interests with those of the old Speckman-Nieter store, the Theodore Rabe store and the Faehl & Nieter store, a merger of four establishments, the combination being incorporated as the Arcade Department Store Company, and he was elected secretary of the same, a position he since has occupied. Further details regarding this department store are set out elsewhere in this work. Mr. Wiemeyer for a number of years was secretary of the City Building and Loan Association of New Bremen and has in other ways been active in the business affairs of the community. He is a Democrat and has ever given his interested attention to local civic affairs, having served several terms as a member of the town council. He also has served as town clerk and as a member of the local school board. Mr. Wiemeyer has been twice married. His first wife was Mary Reichle, daughter of John Reichle. She died leaving one child, a daughter, Bertha, who married Roy Hawkey, of St. Marys, now recorder of Auglaize county, and died a few years ago leaving one child, a daughter, Mary Elizabeth. Mrs. Mary Wiemeyer died in 1901, and in 1905 Mr. Wiemeyer married Alinda Lanfersieck, daughter of J. F. Lanfersieck, a member of one of the old families of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Wiemeyer have ,a pleasant home at New Bremen and take an interested part in the general social activities of the community.   DR. H. H. VORDERMARK, D. D. S., a well known young dental surgeon at New Bremen, at which place several years ago he succeeded to the practice of the late Doctor Burke, was born on a farm in the neighboring county of Shelby on January 26, 1890, and is a son of R. G. and Elizabeth (Wiervelle) Vordermark, the latter of whom was born in Auglaize county, a member of one of the pioneer families here. R. G. Vordermark, who is now living retired at New Knoxville, this county, was born at Cincinnati, but in his youth became a resident of this part of the state and after his marriage located on a farm in Shelby county, where he engaged in farming until 1900, when he retired and moved to New Knoxville, where he is now living, very pleasantly situated. To him and his wife were born four children, three of whom are living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Caroline, and a brother, William Vordermark. H. H. Vordermark was ten years of age when his parents moved from Shelby county to New Knoxville and he supplemented the schooling he received there by a course in Heidelberg Academy at Tiffin, after which for two years he was engaged in teaching school. He then went West and spent a couple of years in South Dakota. Upon his return to Ohio he became employed as a carrier on a rural mail route, in the meantime perfecting himself in the study of short hand, and not long afterward took the civil service examination for stenographers   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 81   in the Government service and was attached to the office of the department of Indian affairs in the Interior Department at Washington, D. C. For four or five years he was thus engaged, meantime giving his attention to the study of dentistry and presently entered the dental department of the George Washington University at Washington and in 1917 was graduated from that institution. Doctor Vordermark was in no hurry about seeking a definite and permanent location for practice and thus when in 1919 a field was opened at New Bremen by the death of Doctor Burke he took over the latter's lease at that place and has since been engaged in practice there, where he has become well established and has done well. Since taking that office, Doctor Vordermark has made numerous improvements in the office and has added to his equipment such up-to-date appliances as an X-ray apparatus and other details now regarded as essential to a modern dentist's office. The Doctor is a member of the MercerAuglaize Dental Association and keeps fully abreast of all late developments in his profession. He and his wife are members of Zion's Reformed church at New Bremen and he is the present treasurer of that congregation. Dr. H. H. Vordermark married Esther Reineking, daughter of Fred Reineking, and has a very pleasant home at New Bremen.   WILLIAM UETRECHT, a well known merchant of St. Marys, proprietor of a well appointed grocery store there, was born on a farm west of New Bremen, in this county, September 18, 1861, and is a son of Christian and Sophia (Waterman) Uetrecht, both of whom were members of pioneer families in the New Bremen neighborhood. Christian Uetrecht was of European birth, born in the vicinity of Linden, in the kingdom of Prussia, and was fifteen years of age when he came to this country with his parents, the family proceeding on out into Ohio and locating on a farm west of New Bremen, in this county, where the Uetrecht home was established. On that pioneer farm Christian Uetrecht grew to manhood and after his marriage established his home there, taking over the operation of the home farm of ninety acres, and on that place spent the remainder of his life, one of the substantial citizens of that community. To him and his wife were born eight children, six of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having five brothers, Henry, Fred, Herman, John and Emil Uetrecht. Reared on the home farm in German township, William Uetrecht received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and as a young man continued working as a farmer until he was about twenty-one years of age, when in 1882 he became employed as a carpenter and cabinet maker, a vocation he followed for eighteen years, at the end of which time he started a grocery store at Ft. Wayne, Ind. For eighteen months he continued in the grocery bush ness at Ft. Wayne and then he returned to this county and opened a (5)   82 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   grocery store at New Bremen. For fourteen years Mr. Uetrecht remained in business at New Bremen and then he disposed of his grocery store and was employed in the furniture factory for two years, at the end of which time, in 1916, he moved to St. Marys, established himself in the grocery business in that city and has since been thus engaged, one of the best known merchants in the city. Mr. Uetrecht is a Democrat and he and his wife are members of St. Paul's Reformed church. William Uetrecht married Anna Hespe, who also was born in German township, this county, a member of one of the pioneer families of that part of the county, and to this union five children have been born, Laura, Fredia, Edna, William and Lester, the three first named of whom are married. Laura Uetrecht married Emil Wellman and has four children, Annabelle, Roland, William and Carl. Fredia Uetrecht married Clem Crowe and Edna Uetrecht married Simon Hay and has two children, Mary Louise and Richard.   WILLIAM SCHELPER, a well known live stock buyer of this county and proprietor of an old established meat market at New Bremen, was born at New Bremen and has lived there all his life. Mr. Schelper was born on September 30, 1867, and is a son of Henry and Annie (Websey) Schelper, both of whom were born in Germany and the latter of whom is still living, making her home at New Bremen, where she has resided for many years. The late Henry Schelper, who established the business in New Bremen in which his son William is now engaged, grew up in Germany where he became a skilled butcher and where he was married. Shortly following their marriage he and his wife came to this country and proceeded on out into Ohio and located at New Bremen. When Henry Schelper arrived at New Bremen he was practically "broke," it having taken all his available funds to finance the trip over, and he sought the first "job" that offered. This happened to be a place on the construction force that then was erecting the woolen mill at New Bremen and he went to work with the gang that was digging the basement for the same. This was but incidental employment, however, for his plan upon coming here was to become engaged in the butcher business, a trade for which he had thoroughly qualified in the old country, and after establishing himself in his new home he borrowed a few dollars from a friend to buy his first butcher stock, rented a small room and started in with a retail meat market. It was not long until he had his trade established and from that day until the time of his death in 1895 he continued to do a thriving business, having thus founded the establishment which is still being carried on so successfully in the present generation. To Henry Schelper and wife were born seven children. Of these three—Maymie, Katie and Henry—are dead, the others besides the subject of this sketch being Elizabeth, Dora and Rosenna. Reared at New Bremen, where he was born, William Schelper received   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 83   his schooling in the schools of that place and early made for himself a place in his father's meat market, learning there all departments of the business, and remained with his father until the latter's death. For a year thereafter he carried on the business in his mother's behalf and then took over the shop and has since been engaged in business for himself. During this time Mr. Schelper has continued to occupy the old stand established by his father, but has improved it by the addition of modern appliances and facilities for the up-to-date conduct of a meat market until he has one of the best equipped establishments of this sort in western Ohio. When fourteen years of age William Schelper took his first lessons in stock buying from his father and he has ever made a specialty of that end of the business. In 1914 he began buying live stock for the market and has since been shipping cattle East, having built up an extensive business along that line. Mr. Schelper is a Democrat. He is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at New Bremen and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta and he and his wife are members of the St. Paul's Lutheran church. His wife (Elizabeth Eller- man) is a daughter of Henry Ellerman.   ANDREW H. LAMPERT, treasurer of Auglaize county and one of the best known young men hereabout, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life save for a period of four years during the days of his youth when he was employed in a drug store at Cincinnati. Mr. Lampert was born at Minster on December 26, 1893, and is a son of Ben and Anna (Pauswells) Lampert, the latter of whom also was born at Minster, a member of one of the old families there, and both of whom are still living there. Ben Lampert was born at Cincinnati. Early orphaned, he was reared in the household of kinsfolk at Minster, where he grew to manhood and where he received his schooling. After his marriage he bought a farm in the immediate neighborhood of Minster and continued actively engaged in farming until his retirement and removal to Minster, where he is now living. He has a well improved farm of fifty-two acres and is well situated. To him and his wife were born six children, all of whom are living save one, Charles—the others besides the subject of this sketch being Carrie, Ben, Jr., Alfred and Cletus. Ben Lampert, Jr., is a veteran of the World war, his station having been at Camp Beauregard in Louisiana. Reared at Minster, Andrew H. Lampert received his schooling in the schools of that place and after leaving school went to Cincinnati, where for four years he was employed in a drug store. Upon his return home Mr. Lampert became employed in the office of the Minster Post, where he remained for three years, during which time he became well trained in the several departments of newspaper work. He then transferred his services to the Evening Leader at St. Marys and remained with that newspaper for four years, at the end   84 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   of which time he began working in the plant of the Creamery Patron Printing Company at St. Marys and was thus engaged when during the campaign of 1920 he received the nomination of the Republican party in this county for the office of county recorder. In years past the nomination to office on the part of the Republicans of Auglaize county had been a rather barren and empty honor, but in 1920 the political tide turned and the entire Republican ticket was elected in this county, Mr. Lampert thus going into the recorder's office by a handsome majority. He entered the office in September of the following year and was thus serving as recorder of the county when in the following February a vacancy was created in the county treasurer's office by the death of George H. Katterheinrich, county treasurer, The county commissioners appointed Mr. Lampert to fill the unexpired term and on February 22, 1922, he left the recorder's office and went up the corridor to the treasurer's office, where he since has been in charge. In the election of 1922 he was re-elected to the office of county treasurer by a majority of 1,297 votes, a pretty substantial testimonial of the esteem in which his public services are held in this county. Mr. Lampert has been an earnest worker in the ranks of the Republican party in this county since the days of his boyhood and is regarded as one of the younger leaders of that party hereabout. He is a member of St. Augustine's Catholic church at Minster and of the local council of the Knights of Columbus there and is affiliated with the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta and with the local Kiwanis Club of that city, of which latter organization he is one of the most active "boosters".   DR. GEORGE L. LYNE, a practicing physician at Wapakoneta and district health commissioner for Auglaize county, is a native son of Ohio and has resided in this state all his life, a resident of Wapakoneta since 1915. Doctor Lyne was born on a farm in Morgan county, this state, November 8, 1868, and is a son of Theodoric and Philena (Mummey) Lyne, the latter of whom was born in that same county, a member of one of the pioneer families there. Theodoric Lyne was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, of English ancestry, and was ten or twelve years of age when he came with his parents to Ohio, the family settling in Morgan county, where he grew to manhood. For some time in the period of his young manhood he was engaged in the cooperage business, but presently bought a farm and was thereafter engaged in farming. Both he and his wife spent their last days in Morgan. county. They were the parents of seven children, but Doctor Lyne is the only one of these who resides in Auglaize county. One of his brothers, Dr. T. J. Lyne, is a practicing physician at Stockport, Ohio, and another brother, Judge John Q. Lyne, is judge of the common pleas court for Morgan county, at McConnellsville, Ohio. Several paternal uncles live in Union county,   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 85   this state. Doctor Lyne's early schooling was received in the schools of his native county and for some time after leaving school he was engaged during the winters in teaching school. He then entered college, but before completing the course took up the study of pharmacy in the drug store of his brother in the village of Stockport in Morgan county. Thus prepared for further study along that line he presently entered the Ohio Medical College, where he studied medicine and pharmacy, but did not complete either course there, after awhile entering Ohio Northern University, where he completed the pharmaceutical course in 1895. He then entered the medical school of Dartmouth College and in 1896 received his medical degree from that institution and located at New Paris, in Preble county, where he opened a drug store and an office for the practice of medicine. For about ten years Doctor Lyne remained at New Paris and then he moved to Washington county, this state, where he became engaged in practice and where he remained until 1915, when he moved to Wapakoneta, where he since has been engaged in practice. In 1920, upon the creation of the office of district health commissioner, Doctor Lyne was appointed health commissioner for Auglaize county and is thus serving in that important official capacity. The Doctor is a Freemason, a member of the Masonic lodge at Lowell, Ohio, and is also affiliated with the lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at that place and with the lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles of Wapakoneta. He is independent in politics. On May 10, 1896, Dr. George L. Lyne was united in marriage to Emma Riecker, of Stockport, Ohio, and to this union two children have been born, a son, Dr. Frank R. Lyne, who was graduated from the Western Reserve Medical College in 1922, and is now a pathologist with the Hanna Foundation, and a daughter, Edith, who is a student in Miami University at Oxford, Ohio.   OHIO W. TAYLOR, for years one of the best known citizens of New Bremen, a former member of the town council and present agent at that place for the Lily White Gas and Oil Company, in charge of that company's filling station there, is a native "Buckeye" and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of New Bremen for the past forty years and more. Mr. Taylor was born at Georgetown, in Brown county, Ohio, December 11, 1847, and is a son of the Rev. George and Mary (Watterman) Taylor, the latter of whom was born in Pennsylvania, of Dutch stock. The late Rev. George Taylor was born on the Isle of Guernsey, the second in size of the Channel Islands, off the English coast, and was about eleven years of age when he came to this country with his parents in the late '30s of the past century, the family settling at Bethel in Clermont county, this state, where he grew to manhood. He early qualified himself as a school teacher and   86 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   after his marriage established his home at Georgetown, where he taught his first term of school. He continued teaching for a number of years, meanwhile studying for the gospel ministry, and at New Vienna, in Clinton county, was ordained a minister of the Baptist church, his ministerial duties thereafter taking him to various points during the fifty years of his continuous service in the pulpit and his last days were spent in Nebraska, where he died in February, 1920, he then being ninety-three years, four months and three days of age. Of the seven children born to the Rev. George Taylor and wife, five grew to maturity, those besides the subject of this sketch being Ellen, Judson, Henry and Melita. Due to his father's pastoral itinerary, Ohio W. Taylor's schooling was received at various points and was ever helpfully supplemented by the sound training he received at home. He early became attracted to the telegrapher's key and during the days of his young manhood was for several years employed as a telegraph operator, the last place he was thus employed before taking up his residence at New Bremen having been at De Graff, in the neighboring county of Logan, where he was employed by the Big Four Railway Company. In the meantime he had become familiar with the shipping business, with particular reference to country produce and in 1880 left railway work and became the local agent at New Bremen for the firm of Thomas & Son, of Sidney, dealers in butter, eggs and poultry. For fourteen years Mr. Taylor continued to act as the local agent for this concern at New Bremen and then he became the village night watchman, a position of public trust which he occupied for about fifteen years. In October, 1920, Mr. Taylor became connected with the Lily White Oil Company's operations and has since had charge of that concern's well equipped filling station at New Bremen, supplying oil and gasoline to the general trade as well as to the automobile trade. Mr. Taylor is a Republican and has rendered public service as a member of the town council, He is one of the charter members of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at New Bremen, is a past chancellor commander of the lodge and has represented the same in the state grand lodge. In 1892 Ohio W. Taylor was united in marriage to Caroline Hayes, of De Graff, and of the children born to this union seven grew to maturity, namely: Winona, Lulu, Melita, Caroline, Earl, James and George, the last named of whom, a veteran of the World war, is now serving as clerk in the office of the probate court of Auglaize county. Winona Taylor is the wife of Paul Greatz. Lulu Taylor married Herbert Schulenberg and has three children, Cade, Elton and Ione. Melita Taylor married Charles Steinbrey , and has two children, Elizabeth end Charles. Caroline Taylor married Joseph Brucken and has one child, a son, Harold. James Taylor married Rhea Riley and has one child, a son, Paul, and George Taylor married Freda Moeller and has one child, a daughter, Mary Jane.   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 87   ANDREW HELMSTETTER, former head of the old volunteer fire department at St. Marys and formerly and for years engaged in the transfer business in that city, but who now is living retired, one of the best known men in St. Marys, was born in the city of Pittsburg, Pa., April 13, 1856, and is a son of Joseph and Catherine (Gasman) Helmstetter, both of European birth, the latter born in the grand duchy of Baden and the former in the kingdom of Bavaria, who became residents of St. Marys in the late '50s and whose last days were spent there. Joseph Helmstetter was reared in Bavaria and grew up there trained to the cooper's trade. As a young man he came to this country and located at Pittsburg, where he established his home after his marriage and where he remained until 1859, when he came to Ohio and settled at St. Marys, which at that time was a center for the cooperage industry, the stave factories there and the millions of hoop poles hauled in from all directions thereabout, following the opening of the canal, creating a call for coopers which brought men of that craft here from all over the country. Joseph Helmstetter was a good cooper and he did well at his trade at St. Marys, where he spent the remainder of his life, one of the active figures in the industrial life of that town during the closing years of the pioneer period. To him and his wife were born six children, three of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, Ferd and Joseph Helmstetter. Andrew Helmstetter was but a child of three or four years when his parents moved from Pittsburg to St. Marys and he grew to manhood in the latter place, receiving his schooling there. As a young man he became employed in the maintenance of way department of the railroad and presently was made foreman of the local section of that department's work, a vocation he followed for several years or until in 1881, a year or two following his marriage, when he became engaged in the drayage and transfer business at St. Marys and worked up quite a successful business along that line. Mr. Helmstetter continued in this calling for thirty-eight years or until his retirement in 1919, since which time he has been in a position to "take things easy," following his many years of active and strenuous service. He is a Democrat and has ever taken an interested part in local civic affairs, for seventeen years having served as head of the old volunteer fire department at St. Marys. He and his wife are members of the Holy Rosary Catholic church and he is a member of the local council of the Knights of Columbus. The Helmstetters have a pleasant home at 133 South Pine street. It was on November 25, 1879, that Andrew Helmstetter was united in marriage to Mary Walter, who was born at St. Marys, daughter of Michael Walter, one of the pioneers of that town, and to this union nine children have been born, all of whom are living save two who died in infancy, the others being Joseph, Anthony, George, May, Bernard, Agnes, and Matilda, the two first named of   88 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   whom are married. Joseph Helmstetter, who is engaged in the coal business at Dayton, married Addie Haysbrook and has three children, Ralph, Mary Ellen and John. Anthony Helmstetter, a shipping clerk, married Elizabeth Luma and has one child, Angelo. George Helmstetter is a stock keeper and Bernard Helmstetter, a veteran of the World war with an overseas record, is a mail carrier. The Misses May, Agnes and Matilda Helmstetter are accomplished musicians and as "The Helmstetter Trio" have become widely known as professional entertainers on the Chautauqua circuit. During the time of this country's participation in the World war their talents were contributed to the cause of the soldiers welfare service and in that connection they gave no fewer than sixty concerts in the Government camps in the vicinity of Washington. May Helmstetter's specialties are piano and vocal, Agnes Helmstetter plays the violin and xylophone and Matilda Helmstetter is a violoncellist and reader.   OLIVER S. BRECOUNT, former proprietor of the old Lock 2 grain elevator, a resident of St. Marys and a well known grain man throughout this part of the state, left a good memory at his passing in 1907, and it is but fitting that there should here be presented some slight tribute to that memory. Mr. Brecount was born on a farm in Miami county, Ohio, in 1878, and was a son of Hon. H. H. Brecount, a substantial farmer and landowner of that county, who was also widely known as a horse dealer and who was an active figure in the civic life of that section of the state, having served his district as a representative in the Legislature. The Brecounts are of French descent, the first of the family to settle in Ohio having been H. H. Brecount's grandfather, who came here from the French province of Loraine. His mother also was a native of Loraine. Reared on the home farm in Miami county, Oliver S. Brecount supplemented the schooling received in the local schools by a course in Ohio Northern University at Ada and for several years thereafter was engaged in teaching school. He was a particularly well skilled penman and in pursuit of further proficiency along this line became a graduate of the Penmanart School at Delaware. After his marriage Mr. Brecount became engaged as a grain operator, building a grain elevator at St. Paris, in Champaign county, and became a member of the firm of McMoran Bros., of that place, a connection he maintained until his death. He also had other interests along this line, one of which was the old grain elevator at Lock 2 along the canal in this county and it was during the time of his activities in this connection that he bought the house at St. Marys in which his widow is now living. Oliver S. Brecount died at Thackery, in Champaign county, this state in 1907. He was a Republican and for some time during the time of his residence in Champaign county had served as president of the local school I board. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias order and was   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 89   a member of the Lutheran church, as is his widow. It was in 1892, in Champaign county, that Oliver S. Brecount was united in marriage to Emma Snapp, who was born in that county, and to this union were born three children, namely : Hubert Brecount, who served as a mechanic in the aviation corps, stationed at St. Louis, during the time of this country's participation in the World war and who is now at home ; Mrs. Helen Frahm, now living at Detroit, Mich., and Virginia, who is at home with her mother. Mrs. Brecount is a daughter of Daniel and Julia (Berger) Snapp, both members of old families in Champaign county. Daniel Snapp was born in that county, his parents having settled there upon coming to Ohio from Pennsylvania. The father of Daniel Snapp, of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, was a very successful farmer and cleared nine farms in Champaign county, presenting each of his nine sons with farms as a nucleus to their later land holdings. In this distribution Daniel Snapp received a farm of 100 acres and he continued farming until his retirement from the farm and removal to Columbus, Ohio, his last days being spent there in the home of one of his grandsons. He and his wife were the parents of twelve children, eleven of whom are still living. Mrs. Brecount and her son and daughter have a very pleasant home at 725 West Spring street, St. Marys. It was to this home that Mrs. Brecount returned after the death of her husband. For some time she looked after the interests of her deceased husband's grain elevator at Lock 2 and then sold the plant to the Lock 2 Grain Company, which is now operating it.   WILLIAM MEYER, a well known and substantial farmer and landowner of this county, now living retired at St. Marys, where he has made his home for the past ten years and more, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here all his life, a period of more than sixty years. Mr. Meyer was born on a farm in Washington township on May 26, 1859, and is a son of Cord and Margaret (Lamkuhl) Meyer, who were among the well known pioneers of that township. The late Cord Meyer was born in Germany and was twenty- five years of age when he came to this country. He made his way out into Ohio and settled in Auglaize county, establishing his home on a tract of land he bought in the southwest quarter of section 18 of Washington township. His original purchase there was a tract of eighty acres, but as his affairs prospered he added to his holdings until he became the OWner of an excellent farm of 220 acres and was accounted one of the substantial men of that community. To him and his wife were born twelve children, five of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Adaline, and three brothers, August, Fred and George Meyer. Reared on the home farm in Washington township, William Meyer received his schooling in the neighboring district school and from the days of his boyhood was a helpful   90 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   factor in the labors of developing the home farm. He married when twenty-seven years of age and then began farming on his own account, renting a portion of the home farm and upon the distribution of the estate came into 106 acres of that farm, which he presently sold and then bought a tract of 160 acres in St. Marys township and in 1910 made his home on this latter place. In the following year, however (1911) , he retired from the farm and moved to St. Marys, where he has since resided, he and his wife having a very comfortable home at 214 North Perry street. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are Republicans. It was in 1886 that William Meyer was united in marriage to Catherine Longwith, who was born in St. Marys township, a member of one of the pioneer families of that part of the county, daughter of John and Ruth (Hockenberry) Longwith, and to that union have been born five children, Herbert, Vernon, Flossie, Howard and Ruth, all of whom are married. Herbert Meyer married Dessie Arnett. Vernon Meyer married Mayme Sauers and has one child, a daughter, Caroline. Flossie Meyer married Carl Stroh and has five children, Anna, Arabella, Everett, Mary and Eugene. Howard Meyer married Hope Smith and has one child, a son, Rodney, and Ruth Meyer married Ralph Hunter and has one child, a son, William.   AUGUST DIERKER, veteran merchant and tinsmith at New Bremen and former member of the town council there, for many years one of the best known business men in that part of the county, is a "Buckeye" by birth and has resided in this state all his life, a resident of New Bremen for more than forty years. Mr. Dierker was born in the city of Piqua on January 29, 1854, and is a son of Henry and Lucetta (Hoereth) Dierker, both of whom were born in Germany but had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their youth. Henry Dierker was early apprenticed to the cooper's trade at Piqua and followed that for some time, or until he gave it up and became engaged in the grocery business at Piqua, where he died in 1853. There were two other children besides the subject of this sketch, but one of whom is now living, Mr. Dierker having a brother, Louis Dierker. Reared at Piqua, August Dierker received his schooling in the schools of that city and when past thirteen years of age was apprenticed to a tinsmith. After three years of this apprenticeship he went to Cincinnati, where he worked for nine months, "finishing" his trade. He then returned to Piqua and started to work there as a journeyman tinner and was thus engaged there until 1879, when he came to New Bremen and began working for Vogelsang & Son in the stove store and tin ship and so continued until the death of the elder Vogelsang, when he formed a partnership with the latter's son, Emil Vogelsang, and the business was carried on under this arrangement for eighteen months, at the end of which time Mr.   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 91   Dierker bought his partner's interest in the business and has since been carrying on the concern's affairs alone. During all this time he has kept pace with the advance in the industry along that line and has an admirably equipped tin shop and well stocked stove store. He has been engaged in the tinning business for fifty-five years and is thus one of the real veterans in that line in this part of the state. Mr. Dierker is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, for two terms having served as a member of the town council. He is a past noble grand of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at New Bremen and also has been "through the chairs" of the encampment degree of that order and is likewise a past chancellor commander of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias. He and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church and he was a member of the board of trustees of that congregation at the time the handsome new church edifice was erected. Mrs. Dierker (Minnie Volpp) is a daughter of Henry Volpp. Mr. and Mrs. Dierker have an adopted daughter, Minnie, who married Carl Quist, of Lima, Ohio, and has one child, a daughter, Mary Louise.   JACOB C. ZINT, of the firm of Zint Bros., shoe dealers at Wapakoneta, was born in that city and has lived there all his life, engaged in mercantile pursuits since the days of his young manhood. Mr. Zint was born on February 22, 1869, and is a son of Joseph and Otilia (Braun) Zint. The late Joseph Zint, for many years a well known resident of Wapakoneta, was born in Switzerland and was thirty-five years of age when he came to the United States. He proceeded on out into Ohio and located at Wapakoneta, where for years he was connected with the operations of the brick kiln, and his last days were spent in that city, his death occurring on March 14, 1911. To him and his wife were born eleven children, six of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Anna and Ida, and three brothers, William, George and Charles Zint. Reared at Wapakoneta, Jacob Zint received his schooling in the local schools and in his boyhood became employed in the brick yard. He worked there for six years and then became engaged in factory employment and a year later was made janitor of the old Third Ward school building (Williamson school) , a position which he retained for six years, at the end of which time he became engaged in business, embarking in the refreshment, restaurant and confectionery line, subsequently opening a shoe store, and this was the beginning of the present successful Zint shoe store. For seventeen years Mr. Zint continued in this business in Wapakoneta, or until 1913, when he closed out all but the shoe line and this latter line continued until 1919, when he sold the shoe store and retired from business until in May, 1922, when he again established himself in the shoe business on Auglaize street, where he is doing well. Mr. Zint is a Democrat. He is affiliated with the local   92 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles at Wapakoneta and he and his wife are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church. On June 17, 1896, Jacob C. Zint was united in marriage to Catherine Schmidt, daughter of Capt. Henry Schmidt, of Wapakoneta, and to this union eleven children have been born, all of whom are living save one, these being Frederick, Beulah, Raymond, Kermit, Arthur, Lucille, Jacob, Mary Catherine, Eugene and Bobby. Frederick Zint married Pearl Olson and is now living in Detroit. The Zints have a pleasant home at 805 West Pearl street. Beulah, Raymond and Kermit Zint are now students at Ohio State University. Six of the children of this interesting family are musicians and have played professionally.   OLIVER H. SOLMS, of the firm of Burden & Solms, lumber dealers and proprietors of the saw mill at New Brernen, was born at New Bremen and has lived there all his life, an active factor in the industrial life of that community for many years. Mr. Solms was born on October 10, 1865, and is a son of Frederick and Louise (Haverman) Solms, the latter of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of the pioneer families of the New Bremen neighborhood. Frederick Solms was a native of Germany and was reared in that country, remaining there until he had passed his majority when he came to America and proceeded on out into Ohio, locating at New Bremen, where after his marriage he established his home and became engaged in the grocery business. He later became engaged in the packing business, making a specialty of sugar-cured hams and the products of his plant had a wide reputation in those days. He continued active in business until his death in December, 1874. He and his ,wife were the parents of seven children, four of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Frances and Emma, and a brother, Emil Solms. As will be noted by a comparison of dates above, Oliver H. Solms was but nine years of age when his father died, and he thus early was thrown pretty largely upon his own resources. He received his schooling in the New Bremen schools and early began working in the neighborhood as a farm hand, a vocation he kept up until he was twenty-five years of age, when he became employed as a teamster for the grist mill at New Bremen, continuing thus engaged for eight years, at the end of which time he started out "on his own" and began to do general draying about town, a line which he followed for six years. While thus engaged Mr. Solms began buying and selling timber and there found his forte. It was not long until he realized that all his time would have to be given to his growing timber interests and he gave up draying and started a saw mill and a general lumber business, one branch of which was the manufacture of his formerly celebrated "Buckeye" handles, his handle factory turning out a product which for some years was in wide demand. In October, 1919, Mr. Solms   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 93   entered into a partnership with Fred Burden, of Wapakoneta, and the milling and lumber business which he had built up at New Bremen since has been carried on under the firm style of Burden & Soims. Mr. Soims is a Republican and he and his wife are members of the Reformed church. Mr. Soims married Clementine Gagel and to this union five children have been born, namely : Huldah, wife of James Bishop; Marie, wife of Wilmer George Gentzler ; Carl, a veteran of the World war, and Frances and Frederick.   ARTHUR A. KLIPFEL, cashier of the Auglaize National Bank of Wapakoneta, formerly and for years secretary and manager of the Citizens Building and Loan Company and also former cashier of the Peoples National Bank of that city, for years recognized as one of the leading factors in the commercial life of the town, was born at Wapakoneta and has been a resident of that city all his life. Mr. Klipfel was born on August 27, 1875, and is a son of Augustus W. and Mary (Bitler) Klipfel, both of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families here, and the latter of whom is still living, continuing to make her home at Wapakoneta, where she has resided for many years. She is a daughter of Arthur and Margaret (Baughman) Bitler, both members of old families in this county and of whom further mention is made elsewhere in this volume. The late Arthur Bitler, former treasurer of Auglaize county and for years thereafter actively engaged in the grain business in Wapakoneta, was but two years of age when his parents, William Bitler and wife, came up here from Columbus in 1834, two years after the Indians had retired from this region, and became prominent pioneers of the St. Johns neighborhood, as is told elsewhere. The late Augustus Klipfel was born on a farm in Duchouquet township, a son of William Klipfel, one of the pioneers of that part of the county, and was there reared. He later became engaged in business in Wapakoneta, where after his marriage in 1873 he established his home. For a period of forty years he was proprietor of a grocery store in Wapakoneta and also for years carried on a transfer line, his death occurring in that city in 1921. To him and his wife were born two sons, both of whom survive, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Fred A. Klipfel, present mayor of the city of Wapakoneta and of whom further mention is made elsewhere. Arthur A. Klipfel grew up in Wapakoneta and from the days of his boyhood was attracted to business forms, his early familiarity with this line of business being gained through close personal contact with the affairs of his father's store. Following his graduation from the Wapakoneta high school he took a course in the Eastman Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and then entered his father's store as a practical assistant, taking charge of the books and general business direction. Not long afterward he also was made secretary and office manager of the Citizens Building and Loan Com-   96 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   for service in this reserve, in the grade of major, and is thus serving in that behalf, the appointment being for a period of five years, this corps having been created for the purpose of providing a reserve of officers available for military service when needed. The President may order reserve officers to active duty at any time and for any period, but except in time of a national emergency, expressly declared by Congress, no reserve officer shall be employed on active duty for more than fifteen days in any calendar year without his own consent. Upon the completion of his military service Major Finke returned to St. Marys, where he had established his home after his marriage in the fall of 1910, and was employed as office manager in the local plant of the wheel works there. Not long afterward he was promoted to the position of assistant general manager of the works and thus served in that capacity, one of the most active figures in local industrial circles, until he transferred his services to his present connection with the field service of the gas company. It was on October 26, 1910, that Emil H. Finke was united in marriage to Louetta E. Orphal, who was born at St. Marys, daughter of Fred and Eliza Orphal, and to this union three children have been born, Robert, Eugene and Frederick, The Finkes have a very pleasant home at 312 North Wayne street. Major and Mrs. Finke are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are Democrats. The Major is a member of the local post of the American Legion and of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias.   JOSEPH C. COPELAND, representative in the lower House of the Ohio General Assembly from this district and for years an influential factor in educational circles hereabout, as teacher, supervisor and district superintendent having done much to advance the interests of the schools in this county, is a member of one of the real pioneer families of Auglaize county. He was born on a farm in the northeast quarter of section 27 of Union township, this county, July 25, 1881, and is a son of John Abner and Cynthia B. (Lusk) Copeland, both of whom also were born in this county, the Copelands and the Lusks having been among the earliest residents of Union township. The late John Abner Copeland, an honored veteran of the Civil war, was born in Union township, in what then was in Allen county but which in 1848 became a part of Auglaize county, in 1843, and was a son of Joseph P. and Mary Ann (English) Copeland, who had come here with their respective parents in the days of the early settlement of this region and were here married. Joseph P. Copeland was born in Greene county, this state, February 5, 1818, a son of Abner Copeland and wife, Virginians, and was seventeen years of age when in 1835 his father came up here and entered from the government a tract of land in the southeastern part of Union township (then in Allen county) and established his home there, becoming one of the most substantial pioneers of that section. Joseph   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 97   P. Copeland became a helpful factor in the labors of developing that pioneer farm and after his marriage at the age of twenty-two years began farming on his own account and in time became one of the most substantial landowners in Auglaize county, the proprietor of more than 900 acres of land. It was on October 4, 1840, that he married Mary Ann English, who was born in New Jersey and who was but a child when she came to Ohio with her parents, John and Elizabeth (Fennimore) English, the family at first locating in Franklin county, whence, in 1833, they moved up here and became pioneers of Union township, lands there having begun to attract the attention of settlers following the exodus of the Indians the year before, the English family settling in section 22 in the immediate neighborhood of where the Copelands settled two or three years later and where the Lusks also had settled in 1833, it thus being clear that the subject of this sketch is of pioneer descent along all lines. In the Sutton "Atlas of Auglaize County" (1880) there is a page devoted to the Copeland family, made up of reproductions of crayon drawings that now are of priceless value to the family. Here are set out portraits of Abner Copeland and his wife and of Joseph and Mary Ann (English) Copeland and their son, John, and their three daughters, Dora, Jennie and Maggie, together with sketches of the old Abner Copeland log cabin and of the John English log cabin of 1833, offset by a large picture of the Joseph Copeland farm plant representing the period of the picture's publication, the large barn on the farm bearing date "1870," the whole presenting a view which now is invaluable for historical comparison. Joseph Copeland lived to be almost eighty years of age, his death occurring on June 19, 1902. John Abner Copeland, father of Representative Copeland, grew up on that pioneer farm and was eighteen years of age when the Civil war broke out. He straightway enlisted his services in behalf of the Union cause, going out with the first ninety-day men, and upon the completion of that service re-enlisted for the period of the war's duration and continued in service until his discharge in 1864 on account of illness. During this time he participated in considerable strenuous service, including the battle of Shiloh, and was discharged with the rank of sergeant. Upon the completion of his military service he returned home and not long afterward married Cynthia Lusk, daughter of Joseph and Julia Ann Lusk, who, as noted above, were among the pioneers of Union township, and after his marriage began farming on his own account, becoming the owner of 200 acres of his father's place, and continued actively engaged in farming until some little time after the death of his wife in 1918, after which he made his home with a daughter at Lima, where his death occurred in 1921, he then being seventy-eight years of age. For many years John Abner Copeland was one of the firm supporters (6)   98 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY   of the Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal church, which stood on the old Copeland farm in section 27 of Union township. He was a Republican and did his part in public service, for twelve years serving as a member of the board of education in Union township and in other ways doing what he could as a good citizen to advance the common good. To him and his wife were born eight children, all of Whom are living save one, and thus the Copeland name is being carried on in the present generation. Joseph C. Copeland, son of John A. and Cynthia (Lusk) Copeland, was reared on the farm and his preliminary schooling was completed in the Union township high school, after which he entered Ohio Northern University at Ada and in 1904 was graduated there with the degree of Bachelor of Science, In the following year he was graduated from the commercial school of the university and also spent some months in the study of the fundamentals of law. In the meantime he had been giving some thought to a commercial career and for eight months was engaged in carrying on business in a partnership general store at Uniopolis, under the firm name of Lusk & Copeland, but after his marriage in 1905 established his home at Dayton, Ohio, where he was engaged in clerical work for three years, at the end of which time he returned to Auglaize county and for three years thereafter was engaged as a teacher and supervisor in the rural schools of Union township, filling in his vacations in clerical work. He then was made superintendent of the Uniopolis schools, a position he occupied for five years, at the end of which time he was made district superintendent of schools in this county, with supervision over the schools of the four townships, Duchouquet, Pusheta, Moulton and Logan, and the villages of Cridersville and Buckland, and was for three years thus occupied, or until in August, 1921, when he accepted the superintendency of the schools of the village of Van Buren, in Hancock county, one of the largest centralized schools in Ohio, it requiring thirteen trucks to carry the 412 pupils in attendance. In the meantime while faithful in school work, Mr. Copeland had been diligent also in other public service and in 1918 was elected to represent Auglaize county in the lower House of the Ohio General Assembly, the first Republican in the history of this county thus honored. In the memorable campaign of 1920 he was re-elected and is thus now (1922) serving his second term in the Legislature. Mr. Copeland's first public service was rendered as clerk of Union township, in which capacity he served for four years (1913-1917) and he afterward served as justice of the peace in and for that township. One of the special bits of service rendered by him as representative from Auglaize county in the Legislature was to secure an additional appropriation of $2,850 (now available) for the extension of the park surrounding the state preserve and monument at old Ft. Amanda, as is set out elsewhere in   HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 99   this work. Mr. Copeland is a Freemason, up through the capitular and cryptic degrees, affiliated with the blue lodge and the chapter and council at Wapakoneta, is also a member of the local lodge of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Wapakoneta. In 1905 Joseph C. Copeland was united in marriage to Rowenna B. Wagstaff, daughter of H. V. Wagstaff and wife, of New Hampshire, this county, the former of whom is a hardware merchant in that village, having moved there from Upper Sandusky, this state, and to this union two children have been born, sons both, Robert, born in 1910, and Emil, 1913. Upon leaving the school room following his election to the Legislature, Mr. Copeland moved to Wapakoneta, where he has since resided, and he and his family are very pleasantly situated at 607 East Bellefontaine street.   ALPHONS SCHNEIDER, well known proprietor of an automobile repair shop and painting establishment in Wapakoneta, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here the greater part of his life. Mr. Schneider was born on a farm in the Freyburg neighborhood in Pusheta township on December 11, 1877, and is a son of Michael and Catherine (Messmer) Schneider, the latter of whom also was born in this county, a member of one of the pioneer families here. Michael Schneider, who is now living retired in Wapakoneta, is an Alsatian by birth, born in the then French province of Alsace, which was taken over by Germany in 1871 and restored to France in 1918, and was but one year old when he was brought to this country by his parents, Michael Schneider and wife, the family proceeding on out into Ohio and settling in the Freyburg neighborhood in Pusheta township, this county, where the elder Michael Schneider established his home, became a substantial farmer and spent the remainder of his life. The junior Michael Schneider grew up on that farm and after his marriage began farming on the Messmer farm, afterward becoming the owner of a well improved farm of 100 acres in Pusheta township, where he remained engaged in farming until his retirement in 1904, when he sold his place and moved to Wapakoneta, where he since has made his home. To him and his wife were born twelve children, all of whom are living save one, the subject of this sketch having four sisters, Mary, Matilda, Ida and Emma, and six brothers, Michael (III), AuguStus, Robert, Leander, William and Albert. Reared on the home farm in Pusheta township, Alphons Schneider received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and remained at home, a helpful factor in the labors of developing the farm, until he was twenty-one years of age, when he went to Dayton, Ohio, and took employment in the car shops there. For sixteen years Mr. Schneider remained at Dayton and in the car shops became thoroughly familiar with all details of carriage painting and general repair work. He