USA > Ohio > Erie County > A standard history of Erie County, Ohio: an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, civic, and social development. A chronicle of the people, with family lineage and memoirs > Part 18
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Dr. Michael Patterson, the oldest son of the late Samuel Patterson, is now a prominent physician in Iowa and has a family of children. Dr. James, the second son, died at Norwalk, Ohio, about twenty-five years ago, leaving children. Albert is still unmarried and a resident of Berlin Heights.
Serena Patterson, the only daughter of the late Samuel Patterson, was born and reared and educated at Berlin Ileights, and is now living there in comfort in a fine home, surrounded by a little fruit farm com- prising abont two acres, all situated within the village limits. Miss Serena Patterson married Leman Smith Van Benschoten, who for many years was a leading and prominent man of affairs of Berlin Heights, and was associated with Samuel Patterson in the box industry. Mr. Van Benschoten was born in Orland, Indiana, February 26. 1860, came to Erie County when sixteen years of age, and died in 1899. Mrs. Van Ben- schoten is the mother of three children. Marlie, who graduated from the Berlin Heights High School and was trained as a kindergarten teacher at Oberlin, married Guy E. Sturtevant, and they have two children. Laura and John Van. Linna, the second daughter, is the wife of August L. Bechtel of Cleveland, where he is manager of the Cleveland Punch and Shear Company, and they have a daughter. Ruth L. Lucius Daniel is president of the Berlin Heights Fruit Box Company, and a very sue- cessful young business man, and by his marriage to Miss Ada Jenkins, a well-educated Berlin woman and former teacher. has two daughters. Mary Jane and Martha Ada.
GUY C. STURTEVANT. Some mention has been made in the preceding sketch of the late Samuel Patterson of the Berlin Heights Box Company. manufacturers of fruit, berry and vegetable packages. Fifty years ago in 1865 Samuel Patterson established at Berlin Heights a sorghum mill on a co-operative basis. Abont 1867 they began making fruit packages. and in time this became the important feature of the business. In 1885 the business was incorporated by Samuel Patterson, Luther L. Van Benschoten and others, and at the present time the business is under the active management of Guy (. Sturtevant and Lucius Van Benschoten,
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the latter a grandson of Samuel Patterson and the former the husband of a granddaughter of the original founder of the concern. From the manufacturing of fruit packages another department was added for the making of apiary supplies. In the early days prior to 1885 the prices for such goods were just about double the prices maintained on the pres- ent schedule.
Since 1885 the capital stock of the company has been $10,000, all paid in. It is one of the most flourishing industries of Berlin Township. The success of the business is largely due to the high standard always maintained and the output of the plant is recognized as reaching the highest mark of superior quality. Particularly is this true of the quart measure for berry boxes, which among the trade is considered par excellence. While a large part of the output goes to the local fruit growers, the packages are sold practically over the entire territory east of the Mississippi and north of Mason and Dixon's Line. Particularly under the present management during the last five or six years the busi- ness has grown and increased rapidly. About forty persons find employ- ment in the plant and the latest machinery has been installed in all departments of the manufacture.
Guy C. Sturtevant, a vigorous young business man now thirty-six years of age, was born at Brownhelm in Lorain County, Ohio, but was reared and educated at Berlin Heights. His first employment was in a clerical capacity and he was thus engaged in Cleveland for ten years, after which he returned to Berlin Heights and took charge of the office and the sales management of the Berlin Heights Box Company.
Mr. Sturtevant is a factor in other business affairs at Berlin Heights. Three years ago he and Arthur W. Clinger established a printing plant and also the Berlin Call newspaper, and have made this a prosperous concern. Mr. Sturtevant is one of the editors of the Call.
Mr. Sturtevant married Miss Marlie Van Benschoten, daughter of Leman and Serena Van Benschoten. Her father was one of the leading business men of Berlin Heights, and was associated actively with the late Samuel Patterson in establishing the fruit box company. Mrs. Sturte- vant's mother is still living in Berlin Heights. Mr. and Mrs. Sturtevant have two children : Laura and John, both of whom are attending school. Mr. Sturtevant is a member of the Blue Lodge of Masons, Marks Lodge No. 359. A. F. & A. M., and has also filled the different chairs in the local lodge of Knights of Pythias. In politics he is independent.
EDWIN A. PENNY. The record of years well lived, with a creditable performance of all those duties which come to a man of high principles and integrity of character, was that of the late Edwin A. Penny, whose career was for many years identified with Berlin Township. Mrs. Jane M. Penny is still living and occupies the old homestead in Berlin Township. She is a woman of remarkable activities and lovely ehar- acter, and few women grow old so gracefully as Mrs. Penny.
The late Edwin A. Penny was born near Maumee, Ohio, January 28, 1834. and died at his home in Berlin Township, a mile east of the Vil- lage of Berlin Heights, Angust 4, 1883, being at that time in his forty- ninth year. His ancestry was English, but his parents, Asher and Caroline E. (Bacon) Penny, were natives of Long Island, New York. A few years after their marriage they eame west and located near Perrysburg. Ohio, and were pioneer farmers in that vicinity. Asher Penny died there in 1842 at the age of thirty-six. A short time before his death he had come to Erie County and bought seventy-three acres east of Ogontz in Berlin Township. His death threw upon his widow the responsibilities of a family of six children, the last of whom was horn after its father's death, and they had also lost one child before
I. Mina Meyers.
L.G. Aleyers,
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the husband's demise. With this large household she came to the nearly new farm in Erie County, and there did such a part in the rearing and training of her children and providing for their needs as to con- stitute her one of the noblest of pioneer women. She looked after the management of the farm, improved and cultivated it, and in all things her life was so exemplary and fruitful of good that her memory was a blessing to her children. She subsequently went to Amherst in Lorain County, and died there a few years later at the age of seventy- eight. She was a member of the Congregational Church. Edwin A. Penny was the third in the family of seven children. Only two are now living. Edgar, a farmer in Berlin Township, first married Martha L. Gibson, who died leaving him one son, and his present wife was the widow of Doetor Lockwood of Birmingham, Ohio. The other living member of this generation is Ann, wife of John Cook of Charlotte Courthouse, Virginia, and they have three living children.
When he came to Erie County with his mother, Edwin A. Penny was still a small boy and he grew up in Berlin Township and early became acquainted with the responsibilities and duties of the farm. After his marriage he acquired ninety-six acres of farm land, and in the subsequent years did much to develop it, particularly as a fruit farm. Ile left this place to Mrs. Penny, who has shown equally good judgment in its management and has derived a considerable revenue from her crops and stoek. She has a substantial though old-time home and good barns and other improvements.
On April 4, 1861, at Berlin Heights Edwin A. Penny married Jane M. Baker. She was born in Tioga County, New York, November 26, 1831, and when about two years of age eame with her parents, Philip S. and Hannah (Pearl) Baker to Berlin Township. The family loeated in the south-eastern part of the township and their first home there was a log cabin and they met and endured practically all the experienees of pioneer farming. Her father was noted as a nimrod and trapper, and he accommodated his early pursuits and the work of his farm to this favorite pursuit. Ile died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Penny, in 1880, being then in advaneed years. He was born in 1793 and saw some active and hard service as a soldier in the War of 1812. ITis wife had passed away in 1849. Mrs. Penny was one of four sons and four daughters who grew to maturity, and all of whom married. One of her brothers, Oscar F., recently died at the age of eighty-five, and William W. and Amanda also lived to old age, as did her younger brother, John D., who died at seventy-seven. Mrs. Penny has two sisters, Mrs. Mary E. Davis and Mrs. Laura P. Close, still living in Erie County.
Without children of her own, Mrs. Penny adopted her niece. Della Baker Penny, who was born November 8, 1872, and was reared and edneated in the home of her foster mother. She first married San- ford L. MeKnight, and her two children by that marriage are William Warren and John R., both students in the local schools. Her second husband is Burton O. Wikel, a son of Adam Wikel, a well known and prosperous citizen of Berlin Township.
Lois C. MEYERS. No survey of the work and progress of Eric County would be complete without some description of the typical and representative rural homes found scattered over this block of Ohio terri- tory stretching back from the Lake Erie shore. Special interest attaches to the Meyers farm in Berlin Township near the Village of Berlin Ileights not only for its improvements and products but also because it represents the thrifty enterprise of Mr. and Mrs. Meyers, who started out as young people after their marriage to make a success as farmers and have given a most ereditable account of their endeavors.
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Mr. and Mrs. Meyers have lived on their present farm for the past twenty-nine years. it comprises seventy-eight aeres, and a large part of it is devoted to fruits. lle has three aeres in apples, fifteen acres in peaches, two acres in cherries and plums, and two aeres of grapes. Mr. Meyers himself put out all the fruit trees sinee he took possession of the land, and as a result of study and experience developed a repu- tation as one of the ablest fruit growers of the county. llis orchards show the result of careful and methodical maintenance. His orchards stretch along sandy ridges, and in quality and flavor the fruit from this farm grade up to some of the highest standards expected of North Ohio horticultural products. Besides his fruit crops Mr. Meyers cultivates his land to eorn, oats and wheat and has found a great deal of profit in sheep husbandry. He keeps about a hundred head of Delaine sheep, and about fifty head of hogs, horses and cattle. Ilis farm also attracts atten- tion by reason of its location, and has been given the most appropriate name of Pleasant View Farm. He has constructed a group of substan- tial building improvements, including one barn 66x30 feet, a horse barn 26x36 feet, a sheep shed 16x24, and two other sheds, one 16x26 and the other 14x20. From the midst of these buildings and with the attractive environments of shade trees and orchards rises the large and commodious ten-room house, which Mr. Meyers built in 1899.
Lonis C. Meyers was born in Florence Township of Erie County August 9, 1862, and was educated in that and in Berlin Township, and prior to his marriage was a popular young teacher in the country dis- triets. The results of his achievements since he was married are well measured by the fine homestead above described, and which was bought and paid for by the well directed efforts and close co-operation of him- self and Mrs. Meyers. His parents were Joseph and Elizabeth (Hum) Meyers, both of whom were born in Switzerland, the former in 1833 and the latter in 1840. They were still young people when they came to America. Joseph Meyers eoming with the Hum family. They embarked on a sailing vessel and after seven weeks landed in New York, journeyed on west to Cleveland, where they arrived on Christmas day, and soon penetrated into the back country in Florence Township. Soon afterward Joseph Meyers and Jacob Hum, a brother of Mrs. Meyers, started out to find work. and his first regular employment paid him ten dollars a month. He later followed the trade of mechanie and carpenter which he learned in Switzerland. ,After returning to Florence Township he married and soon after that the Civil war broke out. In the early part of 1862 he enlisted in the 107th Ohio Infantry in Company Il and was in active campaigns at the front nearly four years. At the expiration of three years he had veteranized, and his record as a faithful soldier is one that will always be prized by his descendants. During a greater part of the time he was under Gen. Phil Sheridan. Ile escaped with- out wounds or capture, and the worst hardship he had to endure was an illness from typhoid fever. With the elose of the war he located on a small farm, which he later sold and bought eighty acres, and then sold that and purchased 126 acres. Ilis farms were in Florence Township. excepting the last mentioned, which was located in Berlin Township. Joseph Meyers died at the age of seventy-two. His wife passed away when not yet fifty-six years of age. Her father had married his second wife back in Switzerland, and he died after the death of his daughter, Mrs. Meyers. Both families were members of the German Reformed Church. Louis C. Meyers was the only son and the oldest of the four children. His sister Emma died while still a young girl, his sister Della died in young womanhood, and Elizabeth, the youngest, is the wife of P. J. Phillips, and they now ocenpy the old Meyers homestead in Berlin Township.
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On October 20, 1887. Louis (. Meyers married Miss Nina Sherman, who was born in Ottawa County, Michigan, on the Grand River on November 30, 1863. As a child she was left an orphan and was reared as the adopted daughter of Dr. Adna Sherman and wife, both of whom are now deceased, her foster father having died in Idaho and her mother at the home of Mrs. Meyers. Mr. and Mrs. Meyers have one son : Leroy J., who was born September 15, 1888, completed his education in the Berlin Heights High School, is now a prospering young farmer and fruit grower at Ogontz, and by his marriage to Minnie Heckelman of Milan Town- ship has a son, Louis (., Jr., who was born April 21, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Meyers and family attend the churches at Berlin Heights, but have no regular membership therewith. Mr. Meyers and his son are democrats in their national party affiliations.
MAX C. KRUEGER. Erie County like so many other sections of the ITnion owes a great debt to the thrifty German people who at different times in the past century have settled within its borders. The people of this nationality brought with them their thrift and industry, and have done much to shape the destinies of many new countries, have proved their loyalty both in peace and in war, and in every branch of human endeavor and human achievement have made compensation to the land of their adoption. One of this fine class of people, himself a native of Germany, but since childhood a resident of Erie County, is Max C. Krueger, a general farmer, stock raiser and fruit grower, whose home is on Rural Route No. I. a mile east of the Village of Berlin Heights.
Ilis farm comprises 106 acres, nine acres of which is set in orchard. apples, peaches and other fruits, and in horticulture as in every other branch of his undertakings succeeded beyond the ordinary. IIe has his f'arın well stocked with sheep, hogs, eattle and horses, and grows abund- ant crops of wheat, corn. oats, potatoes and cabbage. Ilis home is a com- fortable eight-room house, and his feed and stock barns are well adapted for his purposes. Mr. Krueger bought this farm in 1906. He formerly lived for several years on the John C. Moats Farm in Berlin Township, also lived in Huron County, and also ocenpied the Chestnut Hill Farm, better known now as the A. M. Woolson Farm.
Max (. Krueger was born in Mecklinburg, Germany, October 14. 1862, a son of Charles and Elizabeth Krueger. His father was born in Prussia and his mother in Meeklinburg, her father being a harness maker. After their marriage Charles Krueger had to gain his livelihood as best he could by general work. While still living in Germany three children were born: Anna, Max C. and Albert and seven were born in America. In order to provide for the necessities of a growing house- hokl Charles Krueger in 1865 borrowed money and set out to seenre the opportunities and advantages of the New World. Leaving Hamburg, the voyage was one of two weeks duration to Castle Garden, New York. and thence they came west to Buffalo, and a few months later down Lake Erie to Sandusky. Charles Krueger arriving in that city found employ- ment in the Jones Stone Quarry. By hard work and close economy he saved the capital which eventually enabled him to buy the quarry, and he operated it until two years before his death. He then sold out, in- vested in some valuable property at Sandusky, and at his death in June, 1909, the value of his estate was estimated at $20.000. He would have been seventy-four years of age on the 25th of July following his death. He was in many ways a remarkable man, and a fine example of the poor German emigrant who came to this country with practically nothing and lived to enjoy prosperity to a greater degree than most of his neighbors. His wife had preceded him in death two years, and was seventy-one years of age. They were for many years members of St.
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Stephen's Lutheran Church at Sandusky, and he was one of the liberal contributors to its support. In national polities he was a democrat.
While the practical business achievements of the late Charles Krueger lent him distinction, he and his wife were even more fortunate in their fine family of children. After they came to this country and while living at Sandusky the children born to them were named -Mary, ('harles, William, Elizabeth, Emma, Frank and Julia. All these children and the three born in Germany are still living, are all married and all have families of their own, and they are well situated above the level of average prosperity, and each and every one a credit to themselves and the community in which they live. It well illustrates the fair and methodieal manner in which the late Charles Krueger was wont to ar- range all his affairs when it was found that his estate was so adjusted that after his death it required an expense of only five dollars to admin- ister it and divide it among his natural heirs.
Max C. Krueger by his own accomplishments has contributed to the creditable record of his family. He lived at home in Sandusky, obtained a common school education, and while gaining success his entire career has been passed in such friendly relations with his neighbors and friends that he has never been engaged in a law suit. He was married at Sandusky to Miss Clara Weichel. She was born near Sandusky November 15, 1867, and grew up in that vicinity. She has proved her- self the capable wife of a capable farmer and citizen. Her parents were Henry and Louisa (Bauer) Weichel. Her father was born in Erie County of German parents, and the mother was born in Germany and came to Erie County with her parents when young. Iler grand- parents on both the Weichel and Bauer side lived to advanced years in the vicinity of Sandusky. They were members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. and Mrs. Krueger attend the Congregational Church at Berlin Heights, and Mr. Krueger's sons are independent democrats in polities.
There are four sons who comprise the family of Mr. and Mrs. Krue- ger, and each has done something to show the promise of usefulness and honor as workers in the world. Everett H., the oldest, now twenty-six years of age, graduated from the Berlin Heights High School in 1904 and from the Cleveland Law School at Berea in 1912, was admitted to the bar the same year, and is now practicing at Cleveland with the firm Reed, Eichelberger & Nord. Earl C., the second son, graduated from high school in 1908 and from the Cineinnati Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1914, and is now in practice with George C. Steinemann at Sandusky. The one daughter of the family is Ililda C., who graduated from high school in 1909, took a special course at Oberlin College, and is now secretary of the Eddy Road Hospital in Cleveland. Clarence M., who graduated from the Berlin Heights High School in 1912, has sinee given his aetive attention to farm management with his father. Lee J. is a graduate of the high school at Berlin Heights and still living at home. The sons are all members of the Young People's Literary Society, a general improvement society which was incorporated by Everett Krueger, the oldest son, and others, seven years ago, and this society, which now has a limited membership of forty, with a large waiting list, has proved a factor of great benefit to Berlin Heights and vicinity.
JOB M. STAHL. A citizen who stood for many of the things most useful and best esteemed in community life was the late Job M. Stahl. who died at his home in Berlin Township in the Village of Berlin Heights on February 12, 1892. Mr. Stahl was a practical farmer and had lived for many years in Berlin Township. He left a fine fruit and
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general farm, where Mrs. Stahl still resides. Though herself in advanced years, Mrs. Stahl is a woman of remarkable activity and not only capably manages her business affairs but has many interests of an intellectual and social nature to employ her time and energies. For several years after the death of her husband Mrs. Stahl was in the Government service as a matron at Indian schools in New Mexico.
The late Job M. Stahl was born at Bedford, Pennsylvania, June 6. 1819, a son of Henry and Rachel (Mann) Stahl. Both parents were natives of Pennsylvania, his father born February 23, 1778, and his mother on March 20, 1777. His father died in Darke County, Ohio, on the Miami River, August 15, 1825, and his mother passed away in the same county January 27, 1859. They were married June 26, 1805. in Pennsylvania, and were among the pioneer settlers in Western Ohio. having located in the wild woods along the Miami River as early as 1821. That was a day preceding not only railroads but canals, and they eame by the usual means of transportation, with wagons and teams across the country from Pennsylvania. The wife and mother rode horse- baek all the way, and carried her youngest ehild in her arms, this child being the late Job M. Stahl. They lived the life of pioneers, had a log eabin their first residence, and before he died Henry Stahl did a con- siderable work in clearing off the woods and improving the soil for cultivation. They were honest and wholesome people, and well fitted to bring civilization into a new country. One of Job M. Stahl's uneles, Job Mann, was for eight years a congressman, representing the district ineluding Bedford, Pennsylvania.
The late Mr. Stahl was the seventh ehild and the youngest in the family to be born in Pennsylvania, but there were four younger children who came into the world in Darke County, Ohio. All but one of these children lived to grow up, Anna having died in 1822 at the age of five. Franklin died in 1848 and Ezra in 1842, hoth unmarried. All the others married and left descendants, and are themselves now passed on to the other world.
It was a typical pioneer environment, in the beautiful country of the Miami Valley, that Job M. Stahl spent his childhood and youth, and arrived at manhood with a good store of experience received by the rugged training offered in the cultivation and improvement of a frontier farm. Ile was well edneated according to the standards of the time, and for several years taught school in winter terms and followed agri- enlture in the summer. This was his active vocation for a period of about fourteen years.
It was in 1861 that Mr. Stahl came to Berlin Heights, where in the fall of that year he married Ellen Lesley. Mrs. Stahl was born in Randolph County, Indiana, October 28, 1837, and was reared and educated in that section of Eastern Indiana. Her parents were David and Hannah (Parker) Lesley. Her father was born in Pennsylvania in April, 1800, and her mother in one of the New England states on Feb- rnary 21, 1806. They first beeame acquainted with each other and were married in Randolph County, Indiana. David Lesley had come to that eounty in 1816 with his parents, Peter and Christina (Karnes) Lesley. Peter Lesley was born in Pennsylvania, and his wife was a native of Switzerland. having come when a child to America, and they were married in Pennsylvania. Peter and wife died in Randolph County. Indiana, when about eighty-four years of age. Hannah Parker, the mother of Mrs. Stahl, was the daughter of Reuben and Sarah ( Williams) Parker. This is a family with some noteworthy associations with Amer iean frontier history. Reuben Parker, the place of whose birth has not been accurately determined, was captured by the Indians when seven
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