USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 26
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 26
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ENRY G. LEHMANN, the subject of this review, holds distinctive prestige as one of the representative citizens and most prominent business men of the city of Van Wert, where he conducts, un- der the firm name of H. G. Lehmann & Son, an extensive retail dry-goods business, and it
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would be flagrant neglect were there failure to incorporate a review of his life in this compila- tion. Mr. Lehmann traces his lineage back to the German empire, and on either side to fam- ilies of prominence and influence, being the son of Gabriel and Anna E. (Bochman) Leh- mann, the former of whom was a native of Baden and the latter of Bavaria, Germany. The grandfather in the agnatic line was Leo- pold Lehmann, was a soldier for six years un- der the great Napoleon in Spain, and partici- pated in the campaign through Russia; was also a physician of eminence, and emigrated to the United States about the year 1834, and soon after his arrival located in Columbus, Ohio, where his wife died. His family com- prised seven sons and four daughters, all of whom accompanied him on his emigration to the United States. After a time he removed from Columbus and took up his abode near Fremont, Ohio, where he was engaged in the practice of his profession, and where he re- mained in practice until his increasing age compelled his retirement. He thereafter main- tained his home with his son, Ludiger, near Rising Sun, Wood county, Ohio, until his death, which occurred July 27, 1872.
Gabriel Lehmann, father of our subject, was born in Baden, Germany, in the year of 1819, and was there reared and educated. At the age of sixteen years he was apprenticed to learn the tailor's trade, in which he became an expert workman. In 1842 he began busi- ness upon his own responsibility, at Fort Wayne, Ind., and after one year he moved to Charloe, which was then the county seat of Paulding county, and there conducted business for one year, when he settled in Delphos, then called Section 10, and established him- self as a merchant tailor, and a dealer in men's furnishing goods. In 1860 he effected the purchase of a farm in Washington town- ship, Van Wert county, and here he resided at
the time of his death, in 1879. In politics he was originally a whig, but becanie a republican upon the organization of that party. He was reared in the faith of the Roman Catholic church, but before attaining his majority joined the Presbyterian church, of which he was a member at the time of his demise. In 1842 Gabriel Lehmann was united in marriage to Anna E. Bochman, and they became the par- ents of the following-named children: Henry G., the immediate subject of this review; Charles L .; Frederick H., and Matilda, who became the wife of Rev. G. H. Priddy, and who died in 1874.
Henry G. Lehmann, the subject of this sketch, was born in Fort Wayne. Ind., De- cember 27, 1842, and his youthful years were passed at Delphos, where he was able to secure a good practical education. At the age of thirteen years he began his business career by engaging as a salesman in a dry-goods establishment at Delphos, Ohio. When his father retired to his farm, our subject accom- panied him and there remained until August 19, 1861. At this time he responded to that imperative call which the nation made to all loyal men to aid in suppressing armed rebellion, and he enlisted in company H, Thirty-second regiment of Ohio volunteer infantry, in which he served his full term, and then re-enlisted in the same company and regiment at Vicksburg, Miss., on the Ist of January, 1864. He was honorably discharged from the service of the United States on the 3d day of August, 1865. at Columbus, Ohio, his military record having been one of distinction and one in which he may well take pride. September 1, 1862, at Winchester, Va., he was appointed sergeant. and November 7, 1862, at Vicksburg, Miss .. he was detailed as clerk of the headquarters of the Seventeenth army corps, Maj .- Gen. James B. McPherson, commanding. Upon the re- organization of the department and army of
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the Tennessee, under Maj. - Gen. Mc Pherson, in 1864, he was detailed for duty as clerk in the adjutant-general's office of said department. and army, continuing to serve in that capacity until he was detailed for similar duty in the adjutant-general's office, war department, at Washington, D. C., in June, 1865, which in- cumbency he retained until he was relieved at his own request, in order to enable him to be mustered out of the United States service, his regiment having been mustered out July 31, 1865. This antedated his discharge a few days, the date of the later being August 3, 1865. In token of his loyal and valiant service Mr. Lehmann was awarded the "medal of honor," on the 4th of April, 1864, said medal having been conferred by Maj .- Gen. McPher- son, commanding the Seventeenth army corps. Mr. Lehmann participated in all the battles of the Allegheny inountains in West Virginia; in the engagements at McDowell, W. Va. ; Cross Keys, Va .; Harper's Ferry, Va., 1862; and all the engagements of the Vicksburg campaign in 1863, and the siege and surrender of that stronghold.
After the close of his military service our subject returned to the parental homestead and shortly afterward accepted a position as book-keeper for A. B. McCurdy & Co., hard- ware dealers in Van Wert, which incumbency he retained for six years. He then associated himself with David Casto and John S. Eyler under the firm name of Casto, Lehmann & Co., and engaged in the hardware business, securing excellent patronage and continuing the prosperous enterprise until 1874. By this time his health had become seriously impaired, rendering it imperative that he should seek less sedentary occupation, and accordingly he disposed of his business interests, purchased a farm and was engaged in agricultural pursuits until the year 1882. In that year he became identified with the mercantile business in Con-
voy by purchasing a dry-goods establishment in that place, and he there conducted a suc- cessful business until 1888, when he came to Van Wert and established his present enter- prise, which he has since conducted with a marked degree of success, the establishment being one of the best equipped and most pop- ular in the city, and a representative patronage being accorded.
In his political adherency, Mr. Lehmann is stanchly allied with the republican party, and fraternally is a member of the W. C. Scott post, G. A. R., of Van Wert, and is also identified with the Knights of Maccabees. In his religious convictions he holds to the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he holds official preferment as trustee. In 1866 Mr. Lehmann was united in marriage to Eliza J. Zimmerman, daughter of Abraham Zimmer- man, and to this union have been born the following children: William A., who is asso- ciated with his father in business; Anna L .. wife of D. H. Shepard; Mary E .; Rosa B .; Levi F .; M. Pearl; John L .; Alice A., and Henrietta G. Mary E., Levi F. and John L., died in infancy.
EORGE LESLEY, probably the old- est resident of Pleasant township, Van Wert county, Ohio, is a native of Pennsylvania, born on the 24th day of August, 1815, near the city of Pittsburg. His paternal ancestors were among the early settlers of the Keystone state, and his father. Daniel Lesley, was born about the year 1777. Daniel Lesley was reared to manhood in Penn- sylvania, was there married, and for a number of years followed the occupation of salt-nak- ing. He reared a family of five children, viz: Elizabeth, deceased wife of William Hutchi- son; Harrison C .; George, whose name intro-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
duces tliis mention; Ellen, deceased wife of George Smith; Orpha, deceased wife of Jesse Bailey, and Wyatt, of Napoleon, Ohio, About the year of 1820, Daniel Lesley and family immigrated to Harrison county, Ohio, being among the first pioneers of that section of the state, and there he lived the remainder of his days, departing this life in 1822. The wife, who had been his faithful companion for many years, died about the same time, and lies buried by his side.
George Lesley was left an orphan at a very early age, and when but seven years old was bound to one Isaac Thomas, a Quaker, with whom he lived until attaining his majority. He received his education in such schools as the country at that time afforded, in the prim- itive log school-house. Mr. Lesley began life for himself as a mechanic, and was employed for some time as salesman and builder of threshing machines, in which he acquired con- siderable efficiency. For a period of eleven years, he operated threshing machines and dealt in live stock in the counties of Licking, Knox and Harrison, and afterward engaged in agricultural pursuits in Perry and Licking counties. In 1854, he moved to the county of Van Wert, locating on the place where he now resides, which at that time was a tract of wild woodland, upon which but few, if any, attempts at improvements had been made. He erected a small house of logs, and at once set himself to the task of removing the forest growth and fitting the soil for cultivation, developing, in due time, a fine farm, upon which he expects to pass the remainder of his days.
In 1843, Mr. Lesley was united in mar- riage to Nancy Henderson, daughter of James and Nancy (Day) Henderson, to which union seven children have been born, viz: Frank, cominercial traveler, whose home is in the city of Van Wert; James G., a painter, of the saine city; Joseph, who holds the position of night
marshal of Van Wert; Alice, wife of Joseph Hook, of Mercer county; Uretta, wife of Riley Horr, of Parsons, Kans .; William, deceased, and Mary O., wife of Samuel Balyeat, of Pleasant township. The mother of these chil- dren was born in Perry county, Ohio, in 1821. a descendant of an old Pennsylvania family, a number of representatives of which were among the pioneer settlers of Ohio at the beginning of the present century. She was a woman of many excellent traits of character. a devout member of the Baptist church, and her death occurred in the year 1878.
Mr. Lesley has been prominently identified with the agricultural interests of Pleasant township ever since his settlement at the date above mentioned, and it is but a just tribute to state, in this connection, that he has ever been regarded as one of the honored and ex- emplary citizens of the community. toward which he has done so much to develop. He has already reached his four-score years, and looks back upon a life well spent, realizing that all of his success has been achieved by his own unaided efforts. He possesses a reasona- ble amount of this world's goods, takes an active interest in the local affairs of his town- ship, and has more than once been called to fill important official positions. Politically Mr. Lesley has been a stanch supporter of the re- publican party ever since its organization, and has never wavered in his belief that its princi- ples are for the best interest of the country.
ACOB LEPLEY, a wealthy farmer of Ridge township, Van Wert county. Ohio, is a native of Columbiana county. in the same state, and was born June 26, 1815. His parents, John and Eve Piper Lepley, were natives of Maryland, but early became settlers of Ohio, and both died in
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Peter Knittle
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
Trumbull county. Their children were born in the following order; Christina, deceased wife of William Forney; Michael and John, both deceased; Elizabeth, wife of Jehu Taylor; Susannah, deceased wife of Samuel Menser; Christian, a Lutheran clergyman of Springfield, Ohio, and Jacob, the subject of this sketch. The father of this family was a gentleman of limited means only, was a wagon-maker, and also carried on farming in a moderate way.
Jacob Lepley began his business life in IS39, as a clerk, at Kenton, Ohio, in the dry- goods store of his brother. in-law, Samuel Menser, but in 1840 returned to his father's home and worked for his brother Michael at. wagon-making for two years. September 23, 1841, he married Elanor Creighton, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Montgomery) Creighton, who died July 10, 1895, the union resulting in the birth of the following children: Susan- nah, the widow of Simeon Hickman, of Van Wert county; Sarah Ellen, who died in child- hood; Mary Ermina. wife of James Crooks, of Van Wert city; Martin Luther, who died in boyhood; Thomas, at home; Omar, a merchant of Hastings, Nebr .; Emmett, deceased; Nancy, wife of Clark Callahan, a farmer residing near Salem, Ohio; Franklin, deceased, and William J., a telegraph operator at Sawyer, Nebr. After marriage Mr. Lepley followed farming for about twenty years before coming to Van Wert county, but in the winter of 1860 pur- chased 160 acres in Ridge township, which he has converted into a lovely home. He has met with abundant success as a farmer and is now one of the most thriving agriculturists of Ridge township, if not in the county of Van Wert. With his wife, he is a sincere Presby- terian, and has been a ruling elder in the church for more than thirty years. Since the organi- zation of the republican party he has been one of its ardent members, although previously he had been a democrat. He and family are
greatly respected by the people of Ridge and adjoining townships, and are well deserving of the regard in which they are held.
ETER KNITTLE, one of the well-to- do farmers of Ridge township, Van Wert county, was born in Allen county, Ohio, April 8, 1850, a son of George and Margaret (Walters) Knittle, the former of whom was a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Hocking county, Ohio. George Knittle was born July 23, 1803, and after an extraordinarily prolonged and useful life, died May 10, 1894; his wife was born in 1827, but did not reach the longevity that was granted to her husband, having died July 26, 1870. The more prominent events in the life of George Knittle may be briefly summed up as follows: As a child he was brought from Pennsylvania to Ohio by his parents, who set- tled in Fairfield county, where George was reared to farming. In Fairfield county, also, George Knittle was first married, and in 1833 moved to Allen county, where he entered 160 acres near Elida, on which he settled with his wife and first-born child, John, and after his settlement in Allen county, this little fam- ily was increased by the birth of Elizabeth, Sarah and William-all four of whom are now deceased. In 1842 his first wife died, and to his second marriage, with Margaret Walters, were born three children-Samuel, who resides in Ridge township; Caroline, the wife of Jacob Burgner, a farmer of Pleasant township, Van Wert county, and Peter, our subject. In 1853. George Knittle came to Van Wert county and purchased 320 acres in section No. 14, Ridge township. To this land he added acreage to some extent, and after giving to his surviving children eighty acres each, had a residne of 240 acres, which have since been partitioned.
Peter Knittle, our subject. besides being a
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practical farmer, has devoted considerable of his time to carpenter work, blacksmithing and threshing, being in every respect a thorough- going business man, filled with energy and ex- pedients. He has served his fellow-citizens four years as township trustee, and in the fall of 1892 was elected to the office of county com- missioner, receiving the largest vote of any can- didate on his ticket, and in both positions his duties were well and creditably performed and in a manner that has redounded to his own good name and to the benefit of his constitu- ents-many miles of ditching having been com- pleted during his incumbency of his last posi- sition. In the fall of 1895 Mr. Knittle was elected to the second term of county commis - sioner, being the only democrat elected in the county, and, having a majority of ninety-six to overcome, was elected by thirty-two votes.
Mr. Knittle was happily married, June 24, 1875, to Miss Lucy A. Stewart, daughter of Thomas and Angeline (Nye) Stewart, of Fair- field county, Ohio, the result of the union being five children, viz: Nettie May, Joseph Edward, Laura Emma. Ora Edith and Noah Andrew. Mrs. Knittle and her eldest daughter, Nettie, are devont members of the Lutheran church, and the entire family have so lived as to win the respect and good will of all that know them.
Mr. Knittle owns 220 acres of fine land situated in section No. 14, Ridge township, with fine buildings and well drained, and in company with Philip Paulus owns a com- plete Rumley thresher outfit, picket-mill, corn husker, etc.
T. LEITNER, an experienced farmer of Union township, Van Wert county, Ohio, comes of good old sturdy Holland-Dutch stock, and is a son of William B. and Elizabeth (Miller) Leitner. His grandfather, Adam
Leitner, was born in Holland about 1750, and when a young man was banished from his native country on account of his religious belief, he being a Protestant. On coming to America it is probable that he first settled in Maryland and later moved to Pennsylvania. as he died in Little York at the age of eighty-five years. He had married, in Holland, the Princess Wilhelmina Berrypole, the result being the birth of six children, named John, William B., Adam, Samuel; Peter and Lena. The father of our subject, William B. Leitner. was born in Pennsylvania in ISO8, and grew to manhood in Little York, where he learned the hatter's trade. In 1832 he was united in mar- riage with Elizabeth Miller, who was born in Cumberland county, Pa., in 1808, a daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Loganecker) Miller, and in 1840 came to Ohio and located in Wayne county, making the journey in wagons. Here he worked at his trade for seven years. when he removed to Shelby, in Richland county, and became connected with the rail- road. About IS58 he moved to Crestline and remained with the railroad company until 1867, when he come to Van Wert county and purchased a farm in Union township, on which he lived until ISSo, his wife dying in 1875. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Leitner numbered nine and were named as follows : Sarah, deceased wife of H. B. Matoon; Wil- helmina, deceased wife of T. S. Raymond: Catherine, deceased; Elizabeth, wife of T. S. Marvin; Caroline, who died in childhood: Susan, married to Dr. A. R. Lord; Elsetta M .. wife of S. A. Murphy; Adeline, wife of B. F. Baxter; and M. T., the subject of this sketch. The parents of this family were both members of the Church of God, and in politics Mr. Leitner was was first an old-line whig, but later a stanch republican.
M. T. Leitner, the subject proper of this sketch, was born in 1837 and received his
£
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
early education in a little log school-house in Shelby, Ohio. At the age of thirteen he entered the freight office of the Bee Line Rail- road company as clerk, and there remained until 1861, when he responded to his country's call and enlisted in company I, Fifteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, under Capt. Burns, for three years. He was assigned to the Sixth brigade, under Gen. McCook, in Tennessee, and took part in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Tuscumbia, Guntown, Battle Creek, Mission- ary Ridge, Chickamauga, Chattanooga and Kenesaw Mountain. He was wounded at Corinth, Miss., while in skirmish line, sent home on furlough, and discharged August 6, 1862, but re-enlisted in company K, One Hundred and Twentieth Ohio, and was sent to Gen. Grant's army at Memphis, Tenn., with which he participated in the Mississippi campaign, fighting at Fort Pickering and Young's Point, and then skirmishing forty-two days near Yazoo Pass. He was then sent up Red river under Gen. Banks, but the boat on which he was embarked was sunk and all but fifteen of his regiment captured, Mr. Leitner being among those who escaped. He was then sent to Saint Louis, Mo., where he remained until the close of the war, and was honorably discharged, August 26, 1865. He then returned to Shelby, and in 1867 came to his present home in Union township, Van Wert county.
The marriage of Mr. Leitner took place January 25, 1872, to Miss Elizabeth C. Mur- phy, born in 1847, a daughter of John and Nancy A. (Porter) Murphy, whose sketch will be found on another page. To this union have been born four children, viz : Catherine, who died in infancy; Eva, Maud and John W. Both Mr. and Mrs. Leitner are members of Lutheran church, and politically he is a repub- lican. In 1882 he was elected township clerk, and in this capacity served four years, and is
at present a notary public. Mr. Leitner is an enterprising, public-spirited citizen, and enjoys the respect and esteem of all his neighbors.
e LI P. LESLIE, deceased, at one time a prominent physician of Van Wert county, was born November 18, 1817. He was a son of Elisha Leslie, a na- tive of Columbiana county, Ohio, having been born- there October 27; 1789. In his native county he early learned the trade of a tailor. and for many years followed that trade, being unusually successful in his calling. He mar- ried Miss Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, who came from Virginia to Ohio, and after their mar- riage they removed to Hancock county, Ohio, remaining there until, at a very old age, they removed to Bluffton, Allen county, where they died. he at the age of seventy-seven, she at the age of seventy-one. They were the parents of the following children: Joseph, Mary, John, Eli P., Sarah and Elizabeth. Only one of these six children is now living. viz: Elizabeth, a widow, of Dunkirk, Ohio. She is the mother of ten children. Elisha Leslie was in his early life a whig, but toward his latter days he was a republican, that party advocating principles in which he believed. In religious views both he and his wife were Methodists, and both were excellent people in every respect.
Eli P. Leslie was born in Columbiana county, Ohio. He was educated in the country schools of that county, and having made good use of his time was enabled to teach school when he was sixteen years of age. This pro- fession he adopted early in order to earn money with which to pay his expenses while studying medicine at the medical school at Springfield. which he attended for some time, and then went to Columbus, where he remained three years, graduating with the highest honors of
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his class in 1853. After graduating he located in Williamstown, Hancock county, Ohio, and practiced there one year. Then he removed to Cannonsburg, where he practiced sixteen years, wth gratifying success. From there he removed to Logan county, where he remained four years, and then returned to Hancock county, where he remained nine years. In 1870 he located in Bluffton, Allen county, and in 1878 he finally removed to Van Wert county, where he was elected superintendent of the county infirmary and physician for the same institution, which positions he filled four years. He was a strong man-strong in every- thing that he was or that he undertook. In politics he was a strong democrat, and in re- ligious matters he was a strong Lutheran. Nothing about him was at all half way. But, withal, he was a very liberal man both with his means and in his opinions. He recognized the right of every man to form his own belief and to arrive at his own conclusions, without reference to him or to the precon- ·ceived notions of any person or class of persons. He lived in Convoy, Van Wert county, from the time of his location there, in 1878, until his death, wich occurred February 29, 1888. On October 24, 1841, he was married to Miss Hannah Marshall, of Trumbull county, Ohio, by whom he liad ten children, as follows: Frank, James, Albert J., Samantha, William, Melissa, Joseph, Eliza, John and Clements, of whom six are living. The deaths of the others occurred as follows: James B., July 23, 1845; Albert J., March 28, 1881; John, March 9, 1879, and Samantlia, September 28, 1850.
Dr. Eli P. Leslie, when he died, left his family in good circumstances. Three of his children live in Convoy, Ohio; one in Van Wert, Ohio, and one in Chicago. All are mar- ried and heads of families except Eliza, who is single.
Hannah Marshall, the wife of Dr. Leslie, .
was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1820. Her father, Benjamin Marshall, was born in Pennsylvania, July 5, 1791. He was of Irish descent, and a farmer by occupation during his entire life. At the age of twelve he left Pennsylvania and removed to Ohio, locating on a farm in Trumbull county, on which he lived until his death, which occurred in 1862. In politics he was a democrat, and he was a member of the Presbyterian church. By his marriage to Jane Mckinley-cousin of Maj. William Mckinley-he was the father of nine children, as follows: William, Carson, Han- nah, Eliza, Isaac, Emeline, Lida, Clark and John. Four of these children are still living, three in Ohio and one in Nebraska. All are married. Hannah Marshall, the wife of Dr. Leslie, met him at Cannonsburg, and they were married after an acquaintance of six weeks; but notwithstanding this short courtship their lives were very happy ones. She is now living in Convoy, Ohio, with her daughter Eliza, highly esteemed by all for her sterling quali- ties of character.
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