724 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

AUBURN TOWNSHIP.

JOHN ANDERES, farmer, stock-dealer and cheese manufacturer, P. O. Ragersville, was born, February 13, 1827, in the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, and is a son of John and Anna Anderes. The family came to Tuscarawas County October 6, 1851, and settled in Auburn Township. Our subject received his education in the German language in the mother country, and since coming here he has learned the English language. He was married, April 20, 1848, in Switzerland, to Elizabeth Shank. Their family numbered nine children, of whom seven are living-Edward, John W., Frederick. Mary Zimmerman, Rosa Shank, Elizabeth Zimmerman and Emma Anderes. In 1851, our subject purchased the farm he now lives on in Auburn Township, consisting of 229 acres, with good buildings thereon. He also owns 105 acres of excellent land just north of Ragersville. Mr. Andrews takes a lively interest in the rearing of fine stock on his farm, and is proprietor also of a well established cheese-factory, which enjoys a first-class reputation and a large custom. Mr. and Mrs. Anderes are members of the German Reformed Church. In politics, he is a Democrat..

CHARLES A. ECKERT, SR., merchant, Ragersville. was born May 22, 1821, in Bisterschied, Bavaria, Germany. His parents, Andrew and Elizabeth Eckert, came to this country in 1833. His father served eight years with Napoleon. In 1838, Charles went to Pittsburgh, Penn., where he lived until 1846, when he returned to Ragersville and established a general merchandising store, which he still carries on. He was united in marriage. January 20. 1847, with Caroline Barnhart, also a native of Germany, having come to America at twelve years of age. To them have been born three children-Elizabeth, deceased; Charles. now living in Colorado; and Phebe, married to Daniel Zimmerman, of Dennison, Ohio. In 1863. he was drafted, but furnished a substitute. Mr. Eckert has here a full and complete general stock of dry goods, clothing, hats, caps, boots and shoes, groceries, queensware, hardware and schoolbooks. He has built up the largest trade in the town of Ragersville, and is regarded as an honorable and reliable business man. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. In politics, Mr. Eckert is a Republican.

FREDERICK ECKERT, farmer. P. O. Ragersville, was born March 24, 1824, in Bisterschied, Bavaria. Germany. He emigrated to America when nine years of age, coming direct to Tuscarawas County. Here he was raised on the farm, and obtained his education, both in German and English. He was united in marriage, March 24, 1845, with Phebe Gribble, of this township, and a na-

AUBURN TOWNSHIP. - 725

tive of Germany. They have seven children-Elizabeth, wife of Fred Myer; Phebe, wife of Daniel Lembrech; Peter A.; Caroline, wife of Jacob Kutscher; Edward; Mary R., wife of Dr. A. C. Goudy, of Strasburg; and Ernest H. After his marriage, Mr. Eckert lived in Bucks Township for five years, and in 1850 purchased land in Auburn Township on which he has resided since 1874. Mr. Eckert acquired, in all, a property of 368 acres, part of which he has sold and part he has given to his children, to whom he gave a good start in the world. The entire family are members of the German Reformed Church. In politics, Mr. Eckert is a Democrat.

SIMON HITZRICH, farmer, fruit-grower and merchant tailor, P. O. Ragersville, was born, October 28, 1828, in Allendorf, Hesse-Cassel, Germany, His father, Heinrich, died in the Fatherland. His mother, Annie, came to Amer ica at the age of seventy years, and died six years after, in November, 1877. Our subject emigrated to America, coming by the way of Baltimore and Wheeling, W. Va., in 1847. Having learned the tailoring trade in Germany, he continued it in this country. On July 6, 1852, he married Barbara Specht, also a native of Germany. In 1860, Mr. Hitzrich, having made several visits to this country, was induced to buy some property and move his family here. He bought a farm of fifty-seven acres, which his sons manage, whilst he himself opened a custom tailor shop, one mile and a quarter from Ragersville. He has also one of the best fruit farms in Tuscarawas County, it being well stocked with choice and rare varieties of all kinds of fruit. Mr. and Mrs. Hitzrich have a family of eight children living, viz., Annie (wife of J. Youngen), Henry S., Charles W., Simon C., George E., Adam H., John E. and Jacob H. They are members of the German Reformed Church. Our subject is a member of the I. O. O. F. In politics, he is a Democrat.

HENRY KUHN, farmer, P. O. Blackband, was born June 22, 1819, in Diedenshausen, Province of Westphalia, Prussia, Germany. His parents were Philip and Anna Elizabeth (Hackenbracht) Kuhn, who had eleven children Daniel (deceased), John (emigrated to this country in 1836 and died in 1882 , in Fry's Valley, this county, aged seventy-seven years), Wilhelmina (deceased, wife of Henry Beitzel, deceased), Amelia (emigrated to America in 1837, wife of Wilhelm Kuhn, deceased). Anna Elizabeth (deceased, wife of Christian Haf, also deceased, who emigrated to this country in 1857), Catherine (emigrated to this country in 1837, wife of John Blous, living in York Township, this county), Henry, Mary Elizabeth (deceased wife of Louis Glauner), Anna Catharine (wife of Henry Kuhn, deceased), Louisa (wife of John Kuhn) and Mary Catharine (now a resident of Minnesota). Henry, our subject, emigrated to this country in 1841, locating in York Township, this county, where he lived with his family over twenty-five years. Leaving that township, they settled in Auburn Township, where they now reside. Our subject was married to Elizabeth Benfer, by whom there has been a family of nine children, viz. : Philip H., John H., Ernst George, Catharine (wife of George Fried), Susanna (wife of James Griffin), Henry August (deceased), Elizabeth (wife of Henry Espenschied), Franz and Emma. Mr. Kuhn owns a farm of sixty acres, with good buildings thereon. He taught public school for twenty-four years; has served twelve terms as Township Trustee and seven terms as Assessor. The family are members of the German Reformed Church. Mr. Kuhn and his sons are, in politics, Democrats.

GOTTLIEB LADERACH, farmer, stock-raiser and cheese manufacturer, P. O. Ragersville, was born in 1833 in the Canton of Berne, Switzerland. He is a son of John Laderach, who emigrated to America in 1855. They settled in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where our subject's mother, Elizabeth Laderach,

726 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

died in 1870.Mr. Laderach by that time had become owner of a fine farm and has reared a family of six children. He afterward married Mary Bigler. and took up his residence south of Ragersville. The subject of this sketch was raised in the mother country and married, after coming to America, Magdalena Zimmerman. Their family numbers fourteen children, viz.: Mary Anderes, John, Ernest, Robert, August, Daniel, Louis, Emma, Albert, Edwin. Samuel, Otto, Emanuel and an infant not named. Mr. Laderach has acquired, by industry, a fine farm of forty-five acres. He pays special attention to the rearing of live stock. In 1866, he established a cheese factory. which he operates with great success. He and his wife are members of the German Reformed Church. In politics, he is a Democrat.

JONAS NEFF, retired farmer, P. O. Ragersville, is the oldest citizen of this township. He was born November 20, 1808, in Somerset County. Penn.. and his father was Christopher Neff, who married Miss Elizabeth Snyder. They came to Tuscarawas County with their family in 1820. and settled in what is now Auburn Township, where they developed a fine farm and raises: their children. Mr. Neff died April 17, 1824, followed by Mrs. Neff March 25, 1845. Of their family of seven children, our subject is the only one no living. He was brought up on the farm, and on June 1, 1829, he married Susanna Royer, of this township. She was also a native of Pennsylvania. They purchases! the old family homestead farm, where they have ever since resided. To them were born ten children, nine of whom are now living. viz.. David, in this township; Jacob, in Portage County; Simon. of this township, Mary Ann, wife of Martin Shaffer, of Indiana; Jonas. in Kankakee County. Ill.; Elizabeth, still at home; Ezra, of New Philadelphia; Martin Luther, of this township; and Susanna, still at home. Mrs. Neff departed this life June 9, 1859. She was a pious member of the German Reformed Church. Subsequently, Mr. Neff married Miss Elizabeth Grove. of Sandy Township, this county. To them was born one son-James Austin, who was killed by a horse March 20, 1873, in his thirteenth year. Mr. Neff has acquired, largely by his own efforts, a farm of 157 1/2 acres, with good buildings thereon. He has been almost a life-long member of the Lutheran Church, in which he was once a minister, and has held important church offices nearly all the time. He is a Republican in politics, formerly belonging to the Whig party.

MARTIN L. NEFF, teacher and farmer. P. O. Ragersville, was born May 16, 1849, and is a son of Jonas Neff, whose sketch precedes this. He was reared in Auburn Township. and obtained his education in the schools of Ragersville. On September 26, 1872, he married Elizabeth Youngen. of this township. They have five children, viz., Jacob Herbeit, Anna Lydia, Jonas Abraham, Clara Caroline and Irving Le Roy. Mr. Neff has the reputation of being an excellent teacher.

MATHIAS SCHNEIDER, teacher. Ragersville, was born April 6, 1854, in Wayne Township, this county. His father, John George Schneider, is now living in Bucks Township. He was brought up on the farm. and obtained his education at the common and high schools of the county, which he has improved by private study. At the age of seventeen. he began teaching, which profession he still follows. He has a record as a gentleman of education and culture, a faithful teacher and a successful educator. For three years 1874 to 1877-he was engaged in the store of his brother, John Schneider, at Strasburg. Our subject was united in marriage. December 27. IS 15, with Elizabeth Schaad, daughter of John M. Schaad, and sister of Rev. Frederick Schaad. They have one son-J. F. A. Schneider. Mr. Schneider is a Democrat in politics, and he and his wife are members of the German Reformed Church.

AUBURN TOWNSHIP. - 727

JOHN and ADAM STINGEL were born in Wurtemberg. Germany, and are sons of Jacob and Regina Stingel. John was born in 1853, Adam in 1856, and both came to America, and to Shanesville. Ohio, in 1873, Adam preceding his brother by two months. They then learned the blacksmith trade. John in Winesburg, and Adam with Michael Schott, Shanesville. John was married in 1878, to Caroline Wheeler by whom he has two children-Salome and Edward. Adam was married in 1881, to Ida May, daughter of Dr. Wright. They have one child-Jacob Roy. In 1878, they established their present shop at Ragersville, where they do a general wagon and buggy business and repair work. They are good, industrious mechanics, and have built up a good custom with the surrounding community.

ISAAC SWIHART. farmer. P. O. Ragersville, was born August 10, 1851, in Auburn Township. this county. His .father. David Swihart. was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to this county at a very early date. He died in 1875 Our subject spent his youth on a farm. and obtained his education at the schools of this township. He was united in marriage, October 5, 1876. with Mary Violet, daughter of G. W. Goudy present Sheriff of Tuscarawas County. By this union there is one child-Harry. After marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Swihart settled clown on the farm on which they now reside, consisting of 100 acres of fine land. In politics. Mr Swihart is a Republican.

LEVI TRAVIS, Justice of the Peace and Notary Public. Ragersville, was born December 16, 1828, near Reading, Berks Co.. Penn., and is a son of John S. and Hannah (Klein) Travis. The former was born in Philadelphia, Penn.. in which State he was married. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He and his wife subsequently moved to Tuscarawas County. Ohio, and settled in this township (then a part of Bucks Township), in 1832. Here Mr. Travis was occupied as a farmer and miller, entering land which he cleared. Of their family of eight children, five are living-Levi, our subject; George, also in this county; Louisa (Neff), in Portage County, Ohio: William and Wilhelmina (Blair). both in Indiana. Mr. Travis died June 17, 1868: his widow died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Neff, in Portage County, August 1, 1883. aged eighty-four years eight months and twelve days. The subject of this sketch was brought up on the farm, and received a common school education. He learned the trade of stonemason, which he followed for sixteen years. On May S. 1853. he was married to Elizabeth Walker. also a native of this county, Their children are Eli, of Dover. Ohio. and Lewis, now in this township. Mrs. Travis died July 19, 1879. He was a devoted wife and kind mother: a member of the Christian Church. Her death was occasioned by a fall from a cherry tree. In 1848, our subject began the profession of teaching, which he followed for twenty-seven conservative years. He was elected Justice of the Peace, in April, 1864, which office he has ever since held. He was admitted to the bar at New Philadelphia, September 15, 1875, and has a good local practice. In politics, he is a Democrat.

DR. BENJAMIN WRIGHT. deceased, was born August 11, 1817, in Harrison County, Ohio. He adopted the medical profession. and moved to Keene, Coshocton Co., Ohio, where he practiced for several years. and then moved to Ragersville, Tuscarawas County. Here he was united in marriage, September 5, 1842, with Lucinda Rager. She was born February 28, 1825, and was a daughter of Conrad Rager, a native of Pennsylvania, and his wife, Catherine Swagler, of Sharpsburg, Md. They came to this county at a very early date. and were married March 14, 1824. in New Philadelphia, where Mr. Rager was engaged as a merchant. He came out to this portion of the county before the organization of Auburn Township, and established here the first store. He laid out and organized the town of Ragersville, giving it his name, and

728 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

lived a long, active and useful life. His widow survived him ten years and died February 24, 1880. To return to our subject, Dr. and Mrs. Wright settled in Jacobsport, and here the Doctor built up a large and prosperous practice. He was respected as a man of first-class scientific attainments. Their family numbered nine children, of whom seven are living, viz., Dr. J. N. Wright, Columbus, Ohio; James L., Superintendent of Orrville Public Schools; Mary C. Webb, of Montezuma, Colo. ; Frank P., of Minneapolis, Minn.; Thomas L., Uhrichville, Ohio; William V., at home; and Ids M. Stingel, of Ragersville. Dr. Wright departed this life in 1873, at Richwood, Union County, Ohio. His widow survives him, and has moved to her old home at Ragersville. William V. Wright has adopted the profession of teaching, and is a young man of high literary culture.

ABRAHAM YOUNGEN, merchant, Ragersville, was born June 16, 1859, in Auburn Township, this county, and is a son of Abraham Youngen, who came from Switzerland, and engaged at his trade of shoe-maker for a few years, and subsequently bought a farm in this township, and resided there until his death, which occurred April 2, 1881. His widow, Mrs. Anna Youngen, still lives on the homestead. Of their twelve children, six are now living - John, Jacob, Daniel, Sarah, wife of Jacob Zimmerman, Elizabeth, wife of Martin Neff, and Abraham. The subject of this sketch was brought up on the farm and obtained his education at the schools of this township.In January, 1881, he went into partnership with Henry Conrad in a general store, in Ragersville, but in February, 1883, bought out his partner's interest, and is now carrying on the business alone. He has a good general stock of dry goods, hats and caps, groceries, queensware, hardware, books, stationery and notions. He has a wide and flourishing trade, which is daily increasing. Mr. Youngen taught one term (1880-81) at the School District No. 2, Bucks Township. He is considered a solid, reliable business man. In politics, he is a Democrat; he is a member of the German Reformed Church.