USA > Ohio > Putnam County > A Portrait and biographical record of Allen and Putnam counties, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Ohio, pt 2 > Part 46
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Alonzo T. Prentiss, father of T. W. Pren- tiss, our subject, was born April 7, 1819, in Portage county, Ohio, and after the loss of his father at sea, as noticed above, his mother married Anson Messinger. Alonzo T. was reared, until seventeen years of age, in Portage county, Olio, when he came to Putnam and
bought from his step-father a tract of eighty acres of land in section No. 35, Liberty town- ship, which he cleared and placed in a thor- ough state of cultivation. April 4, 1842, Mr. Prentiss was married, and became the father of the following children: Thomas W., our subject; Nicholas A., deceased; Rev. Lyman E., pastor of the Draper Methodist Episcopal church of Dayton; Ruth E., wife of David C. Williamson; Osmond A., deceased, and two infants, deceased.
Alonzo T. Prentiss was imbued strongly with a martial ardor, as will be seen from the fact that, but few years after his marriage, he was elected, in 1848, orderly sergeant of the Black Hawk guards, of Putnam county, who tendered their services to the government as volunteers in the Mexican war, but, as the state quota was already filled, their services were declined. Relinquishing farming in 1852, he engaged in mercantile business in Ottawa and West Leipsic until 1858, and then, Sep- tember 3, 1861, was mustered in as first lieu- tenant of company I, Forty-ninth Ohio, volun- teer infantry, and served until March 10, 1862, when he engaged as sutler to the Third brigade of the Third division, army of the Cumberland, Fourteenth and Twentieth corps. After the close of hostilities he went to Chicago, Ill., and engaged in contracting and building until 1876, when he went to California and followed the same line of business for some years, but is now carrying on a fruit farm in Alameda county, that state.
Thomas W. Prentiss, the subject of this biographical memoir, was born on the McCon- nell homestead in Liberty township and was reared on his father's farin. His elementary education was imparted in the common schools, and in 1860 he was admitted to the Urbana Collegiate institution, a United Presbyterian institute of learning, but on August 23, 1861, he left school, and, inspired by the patriotism
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that filled the hearts of the youth at that day and the military ardor inherent in his nature, enlisted in company I, Forty-ninth Ohio vol- unteer infantry, serving with his regiment in all its marches, skirmishes and engagements until March 27, 1863, when he was honorably discharged on account of disability arising from a wound received in the battle of Stone river, December 31, 1862. Among other battles in which he took part were Shiloh, Perryville and Bald Knob. After he had recovered he was appointed to the secret service under Col. Trusdall, with whom he remained until No- vember, 1863, when he was commissioned second lientenant, and in April, 1864, was as- signed to the Twelfth Tennessee cavalry, detailed as quartermaster of the Second bri- gade of the Third division of the cavalry corps under Gen. Alonzo C. Gilham, and in August, 1864, returned to his regiment. September 7, 1864, he was again detached and sent to Gen. Sherman's headquarters, where he was assigned to duty as a military railroad con- ductor, remaining at the headquarters of Sher- man and Thomas, with the rank of second lieutenant, until July, 1865, when he was pro- moted to a captaincy and made assistant chief of military conductors, which position he held until commissioned major. November 27, 1865, he was mustered out of the service and for a time made his residence in Nashville, Tenn. In January, 1867, he was selected by the governor of the state to lead a squad of twenty-four men into Dyer county, to sup- press a lawless band of the K. K. K., and re- turned in March after successfully accomplish- ing his mission. In April of the same year he moved to Chicago, Ill., and engaged in con- tracting and building until 1869, when he turned to Putnam county, Ohio, taught school, and read law with C. Barr, of Leipsic. After boishing his studies under that gentleman, Mr. Prentiss went to Elkhorn, Wis., completed his
legal training under Col. Elder of that place, was admitted to the bar of Wisconsin in 1876, and practiced the profession at Elkhorn until 1879. In this year he returned to Leipsic, Ohio, where he soon established a fine reputa- tion as a practitioner, and on December 3, 1891, was admitted to the bar of the state of Ohio. His practice is now overwhelming and lucrative, and his fame as a lawyer extends far beyond the limits of his county, and, indeed, his state.
In politics a democrat, Maj. Prentiss is act- ive and popular. He served as a member of the school board of Leipsic for three years and was its president for two years; he has been a member of the democratic central committee twelve years and is at present a member of the democratic senatorial com mittee (1895). and for many years has represented his party as delegate to its state, congressional and sena- torial conventions. Fraternally he has held high rank in the G. A. R., having served for six years as commander of David Miller post. of which he is the present chaplain; he is also past junior vice-department commander of the department of Ohio, and is likewise a member of the I. O. O. F .; religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Maj. Prentiss has been three times wedded. His first wife, whom he married September 15, 1863, bore the maiden name of Susannah Humphreys, and died August 22, 1864. the mother of one child, also deceased. His sec- ond marriage took place December 5. 1865. with Miss Ellexena A. Pacand, of Clarksville, Tenn., who died March 22, 1881, also the mother of one child, likewise deceased. The third marriage of the major, September 3, 1882, was with Miss Olive, daughter of Philip Stambangh, and this happy union has been blessed by the birth of two children, viz: Blanch O., who was born November 10 1883, and died September 30, 1892, the surviving
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child being Ray A., who was born November 22, 1885. That Maj. Prentiss is a gentleman of great energy and perseverance has been made manifest by his whole career, and that he is a man of erudition, talent and intelli- gence has equally been made evident by the enviable reputation he has achieved as a mem- ber of the bar. His social standing is with the most exalted personages of the county and state, and his popularity as a politician indi- cates a future that will make his fellow-citizens still more proud of his acquaintanceship and friendship.
J 'OSEPH W. REKART, a substantial farmer of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, is a son of the German Catholic pioneer, William Rekart, who did so much to build up the county in the early days, and of whom so much may be read in the biography of Sigmund Rekart on an- other page. William Rekart was born in the village of Kinsingen, kingdom of Baden, Ger- many, the eldest child of Joseph and Magda - lena (Geakle) Rekart, 1819. In 1828 Joseph Rekart came to America with his parents, who sailed from Havre de Grace, France, and after a passage of fifty days arrived in New York, losing one boy, Otto, on the way. July 1, 1839, the family came to Putnam county and settled on what is now known as the Frederi: + Smit farm in Jennings township, and there Joseph, the father of our subject, grew to manhood. He worked on the canal with his brother Sigmund from its incipiency to its completion, and later kept lock No. 13, also keeping a grocery store and a butcher shop. In an early day Joseph moved to Ottoville and opened a general store. He was first married in 1848, in Putnam county, to Mary Nierman, the union resulting in the birth of three chil- Aren: Annie M., Joseph W. and Leo. The
mother of these died, and for his second wife Mr. Rekart married Louisa Stackley, to which union were born four children, viz: Henry, John, Sabina and George.
About the year 1851, Joseph Rekart moved to his farm, a part of which he had entered years before, and which was entirely covered with timber, and contained 240 acres. With the assistance of his sons he cleared off this land, and also bought and cleared off 120 acres on the creek, and also other lands in the neigh- borhood, which he sold. At his death he owned his homestead of 160 acres and 121 acres in Van Wert county. besides consider- able town property. He was a devout Cath- olic and assisted in building the first Catholic church in Ottoville, and was also a member of the building committee who superintended the erection of the present magnificent Catholic structure. He was a democrat in politics, held the office of township trustee, and was a member of the school board, and was likewise township clerk. He died December 14, 1887, aged sixty-eight years, eight months and eleven days-a man of most unimpeachable character and honored wherever his name was known.
Joseph W. Rekart, our subject, was born at lock No. 16, on the Ohio & Erie canal, now known as Ottoville, November 19, 1851. He was but about two years of age when he lost the loving care of his mother, who, at her death, left also an infant son. Leo, aged but seven days. Joseph W. was educated in the pioneer schools and was also early instructed in the details of clearing lands, the whole country being at that time an almost unbroken wilderness, and he greatly assisted his father in denuding the homestead, as well as several other farms, of the forest growth -- becoming at the same time a practical farmer. He was married at Ottoville, October 6, 1874. to Miss Josephine Sallet, who was born in the province of Alsace, France now Germany), September
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14, 1850, a danghter of Morand and Kate (Wolf) Sallet-the former a shoemaker by trade. (See sketches of Benedict Wannemacher and M. Schnlien.) After his marriage Mr. Rekart lived for two years and a half on the homestead of William . Rekart. (William Rekart, by the way, was the first to introduce horses on his farm-a sorrel mare and a pair of grays, oxen having previously been used.) Joseph W. then settled on eighty acres of his present farm, which by good management he has increased to 150 acres, owning, besides, eighty acres one-quarter of a mile to the north, and eighty acres in Van Wert county, making his total possessions 310 acres-all fine farm- ing land. To Mr. and Mrs. Rekart have been born ten children, viz: Charles, William, Annie, Mary, Edward, Kate, Rosie, Frank, Matilda and Olive, The family are true Cath- olics, and in politics Mr. Rekart is a democrat. Mr. Rekart aided in clearing the land on which Father Mueller's house now stands and has otherwise greatly assisted the church with his labor and means; including his aid in the con- struction of the present grand church edifice, at Ottoville. He possesses the full confidence of the people and has served as township trns- tee for nine consecutive years. He is a good business man, and was a director of, as well as collector for, the Farmers' Mutual Fire In- surance company. He is a man of unsullied rep- ntation and " his word is as good as his bond."
S IGMUND REKART, one of the oldest and most substantial farmers of Jen- nings township, Putnam county, Ohio, was born October 15, 1820, in the village of Kenzingen, Baden, Germany, and is one of the earliest settlers of Putnam county. His father, Joseph Rekhart, was born in the village named above in 1788, was a copper- mith by trade and married Magdalena Geakle,
a native of the same village, she becoming the mother of seven children, viz. : William, Sig- mund, Joseph, Barbara, Otto, Mary and Jacob, all born in Baden, except Mary and Jacob, born in Pennsylvania.
Joseph Rekart, the father of our subject, had been a prosperous artisan in his native country, and was the owner of his own shop and other property. In the fall of 1828, Mr. Rekart, with his family, embarked in a sailing vessel at Havre de Grace, France, and after a voyage of sixty days landed in New York, the boy Otto, however, dying on the voyage and being buried in mid-ocean. Mr. Rekart, with the remainder of his family, journeyed by steam- boat and stage from New York to Philadelphia and for a few months worked in the latter city at any thing he could find to do, and then moved to a place in Montgomery county, Pa., about twenty-five miles from Phila- delphia. In the year 1835 he started with his family and his own horse and wagon for the west, crossing the Alleghany mountains and coming via Harrisburg and Pittsburg to Ohio, and crossing the state via Wooster, Mansfield, Bucyrus and Finlay to Putnam county -- Mr. and Mrs. Rekart and the family, with the exception of the youngest two of the cluldren, walking all this distance and toking six weeks for the trip-reaching Ottawa in October, when there was but one house in that town Mr. Rekart first rented a house four miles northwest of this then embryo city, in which the family lived four years. In 1839, on Jan- uary 1, they came to Jennings township and settled on what is now the Frederick J. Smit farm, Mr. Rekart having purchased fifty acres of land in the woods of Henry Boehmer. Of this land he cleared abont thirty acres, built a log cabin, lived on the place about fourteen years, and then sold ont to ME Sinit, above mentioned, retired from active labor and made his home with his son Sigmund until
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his death, which occurred in 1861, at the age of seventy-five years. Mr. Rekart was a pious member of the Catholic church and liberally contributed to the erection of the first Catholic church building in Fort Jennings. He was first a member of the congregation at Glandorf, who worshiped in a cabin built of round logs in the woods and listened to the pioneer priest and colonizer, Prof. Horstman, and stopped at the house of Jolin Discher while locating his land. Mr. Rekart was a man of sterling integrity and was one of the most honored pioneers of Putnam county, and his widow, who survived him until 1871, died also full of years and respected by all the people for miles round about her.
Sigmund Rekart was seven or eight years of age only, when he came with his father to America, but can well remember his native vil- lage and the voyage across the Atlantic. He received a good common-school education in Pennsylvania, and was abont fifteen years old when he accompanied the family on foot from the Keystone state to Putnam county, Ohio. On the way hither the three boys would sleep in the wagon at night, while the father and mother and the smaller children sought shelter in the pioneer towns, and at other times they all camped by the wayside. They always cooked their own provisions, which they brought with them or bought on the road, and which were of a simple but hearty nature -- such as bread, meat, potatoes, coffee, etc. ; but these nearly gave out just west of Bucyrus and the family shifted as best they could on short rations until they reached their destina- tion. They at first occupied a rude log cabin which a former settler had just vacated for a more convenient bewn-log house, and for the first two years had a hard struggle, after which, through unceasing industry, affairs were made to asssima a more comfortable shape. When the famdy settled on what is now known as the
Smith farm, our subject was about nineteen years old, and this place he assisted in clearing up from the wilderness and in making of it a comfortable home.
February 4, 1847, at the age of twenty- seven years, Mr. Rekart was married, at Fort Jennings, to Miss Mary Discher, who was born June 20, 1826, in the village of Verno, Ger- many, one mile from the birthplace of Henry Raabe, the aged pioneer, who came with his family to Fort Jennings at the same time that John Discher and his family came, February 11, 1833-John Discher and his wife (who bore the maiden name of Catherine Stemler) being the parents of Mrs. Rekart. John Discher was a magistrate in his native conntry and was a man educated above the average, having graduated from a high-school. He was three times married; to his first union was born one child that died in infancy --- the mother soon following to the grave. His second wife, Catherine Stemler, bore him four children, as follows: Margaret E., Mary, Catherine and John-all still living and all born in Germany with the exception of John, who was born on the ocean. Mr. Discher, on reaching Putnam county, Ohio, settled on the same farm with Conrad Raabe, their wives being sisters. The farm was a half inile south of Fort Jennings, and of this, known as the Dickson place, Mr. Discher bought fifty-six acres, all in the woods, and a place had to be cleared before a cabin could be built.
Mrs. Mary Rekart was six years of age in June of the same year of the arrival of the fam- ily at Fort Jennings, and still well remembers the event of their wagon breaking down and their inability to proceed further. The first night at Fort Jennings (February 11, 1833) both families stopped at the cabin of Jim Thatcher, an American, who had settled a half mile south of Fort Jemungs, on the place now occupied by Harmon Schmmoeller. She
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also well remembers the old fort, with the pickets still standing and extending some dis- tance down the stream, and of the two log cabins at the fort, beside those occupied by the soldiers, she thinks that a family lived in one --- that of Edward Ladd, an American,
John Discher finally located where Mr. Dickman now lives, entering sixty acres of land in the land office, then in Piqua, to which he subsequently added sixty-six acres. Here the death of his second wife took place, and for his third helpmate he married Mary A. Hed- rick, who bore him seven children, named Elizabeth, William, Lena, Rosa, Barbara, Henry and Jacob. In his old age Mr. Discher retired from active work and went to live with his daughter Elizabeth, who had married John Raabe, and at her house he died September 6, 1875, in the eighty-third year of his age, and a member of the Lutheran church.
After his marriage Sigmund Rekart settled on his present farm, having entered ninety acres in the woods, on which he put up a log cabin 16x16 feet, and still had plenty of room for the accommodation of the pioneer traveler and land-seeker. He was industrious and worked hard, and accumulated from time to time until he owned 132 acres, of which he has given his son Jacob forty acres To Mr. and Mrs. Rekart have been born the following children: Mary J., Otto (died at six years of age), Caroline, Adam, Jacob, Catherine, Rosa, Elizabeth, Amelia and Sigmund O. The father and the children belong to the Catholic church, while Mrs. Rekart adheres to the faith of her parents-the Lutheran. In politics Mr. Rekart is a democrat, was land appraiser in an early day and was township treasurer ten years and township trustee a number of years. He and his faithful wife are among the few remaining pioneers who settled in the woods about Fort Jennings and transformed the wilderness into a fertile and blooming field, and both are hon-
ored as being among the sturdy, upright, help- ful, generous and hospitable pioneers of Put- nam county.
PILLIAM J. REKART, of Monterey township, Putnam county, Ohio, is a son of one of the sturdy pioneers -Joseph Rekart-who was the first settler on the farm now occupied by our sub- ject, cut the first tree from the forest, and wrested from the wilderness the 160 acres that afterward became so favorably known as the Rekart farm, and of which, at his death, he gave his son-in-law, Henry Beckman, forty- eight acres. To Joseph Rekart and wife (of whom further may be read in the biography of Sigmund Rekart) were born eight cladren, viz: Sigmund, Charles, Louisa, Edward, Will- iam J., Emma, Matilda and Mary. The death of Joseph Rekart took place April 28, 1886, a member of the Catholic church, and one who freely aided the fund with which the present stately Catholic church edifice was built at Ottoville. He was one of the foremost farm- ers of Monterey township, a man of the most honorable character, and reared a highly re- spected family of children.
William J. Rekart was born Angust 6, 1858, on the homestead, on which he still re- sides. He received a very good cominon- school education, and, being thoroughly trained to farming, fell into his father's place as man- ager of the homestead. He was married to Nora Kromer, who was born February 3, 1869, at Fremont, Ohio, a daughter of Andrew and Emma (Walker) Kromer, all of German stock -the father having been born in Germany, April 14, 1842, a son of Andrew Kromer, a farmer, who came with his family to America in 1843 or 1844, and settled about six miles from Sandusky, Oho. Andrew Kroner, Jr .. father of Mrs. Rekart, also a farmer, located
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at years of maturity, four miles from Fremont, Ohio, and in 1883 came to Putnam county and settled on 160 acres in Monterey township, rearing a family of six children, named as fol- lows: Nora, Mary, William, Frank, Katie and Leah. Mr. Kromer died April 14, 1895, at the age of fifty-three years; with his wife and family he was a true Catholic, and in pol- itics a zealous democrat-holding the position of school director, and his name and that of the family were highly honored wherever known.
Mr. W. J. Rekart and wife settled, imme -- diately after their marriage, on the old home- stead, where have been born their four chil- dren, viz: Ida, Millie, Josie and Fannie. In religion Mr. and Mrs. Rekart are dutiful mem- bers of the Catholic church, to the support of which they contribute most liberally. In pol- itics Mr. Rekart is a democrat, but has never been an office seeker. He is a practical farmer and a good business man, and is public spirited to an extreme degree. He has taken great interest in educational matters and is at pres- ent a member of the school board, on which he serves from a feeling of public duty, and not from any mercenary motive. His farm of 160 acres is a model in every respect, and no name stands higher in the regard of the people of Monterey township than that of William J. Rekart, where he maintains the good name of his ancestors.
R OGER S. REYNOLDS is one of the thrifty farners of Union township, Putnam county, Ohio, a son of Roger and Elizabeth (Bowen) Reynolds, and is a native of the Buckeye state, having been born in Columbus, February 11, 1847. The father, Roger, was born in the north part of Wales, January 14, 1801, was a son of Samuel Reynolds and was reared a farmer. In 1844,
Roger came to America and for seven years resided in Columbus, Ohio, marrying, however, shortly after his arrival, Elizabeth Bowen, whose sketch, as that of Elizabeth Reynolds, widow, will be found on another page of this volume, and in which will also be found the names of the brothers and sisters of Roger S. Reynolds, our subject.
Roger S. Reynolds was educated in Frank- lin and Putnam counties, and also throughly trained to farmning pursuits. October 29, 1869, he married Miss Sarah E. Good, daughter of Abram and Malinda (Askens) Good, whose biography may be also found on another page. This lady was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, May 20. 1851, and was brought to Putnam county by her parents in 1854. She has borne her husband eight children in the order follow- ing: Lillie, born December 24, 1871, at home; Frances, who died when fifteen months old: Elizabeth, born June 3, 1875; George Wesley, who died at the age of two years; Nellie M., born June 15, 1880; Sarah M., born April 1, 1883; Mary, May 23, 1886, and an infant dangh- * ter, deceased.
After his marriage, Roger S. Reynolds lived in Sugar Creek township for four years, and in 1873 bought his present farm in Union town- ship, at the time all in a dense forest. He cleared away the forest with infinite labor and lived in a log cabin until 1887, when he erected the handsome brick dwelling he now occupies, and to-day his farm has no superior in the township as to productiveness or beauty. In politics Mr. Reynolds is a republican and serv- ed as a school director, and is a member of the school board of Kalida. With his wife and two of his daughters he is a member of the Christian church, in which he has been a com- municant for over twenty years. He is a pro- gressive farmer and public-spirited citizen, and is respected by all as a man of integrity and as a christian gentleman.
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RS. ELIZABETH REYNOLDS, one of the most highly respected lady residents of Sugar Creek town- ship, Putnam county, Ohio, and widow of the lamented and prominent pioneer farmer, Roger Reynolds, was born in northern Wales, July 16, 1826, and came with a small colony to America in 1844, finding her first home, in this country, in Columbus, Ohio, where, for a short time, she worked as a do- mestic, but, before the year had passed, was married to Roger Reynolds, who had come to this country in the same colony with herself.
Roger Reynolds was born in Wales. January 14, 1801, and was reared to the pur- suit of farming. He had one brother, who accompanied him to America in the colony named above, but neither of the two was pos- sessed of any means, and day labor was their only resource for a livelihood. Roger made his start in Columbus, where he and his wife remained seven years, each performing such work as fell to his or her lot, he being chiefly employed as a plasterer's attendant. The saved money, however, and in 1851 went to Brown township, Franklin county, where a small farm was purchased, on which they lived fifteen years. In 1867 they sold this property and came to Putnam county, where Mr. Rey- nolds bought the 416-acre farm on which his widow still resides. This farm was improved with a good house, and about forty acres were cleared off; now there are left only about forty acres that have not been cleared. Mr. Rey- nolds took but little interest in politics, pre- ferring to devote his time to the duties of his farm and the providing for his large family, and in this commendable effort he succeeded admirably. He was, however, considerably interested in church affairs and an active mein- ber of the Calvinistic Methodist church, and in this faith he died June 24, 1881. By a former marriage Mr. Reynolds was the father of one
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