USA > Ohio > Fulton County > A standard history of Fulton County, Ohio, an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and county, Vol. II > Part 51
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Mr. and Mrs. Tappan have two children, namely: John H., who was born on January 23, 1905; and Mary E., who was born on March 9, 1909. In the Christian Church Mr. Tappan finds the expression of his religious creed, and he has long been a member of the local congregation, and is now one of its deacons. In 1912 Mr. Tappan was appointed a township trustee, and has served in that capacity continuously ever since. In politics he is a republican, and is looked upon as somewhat of a leader in his party. Believing in the work of the Grange, he has taken an active part in it, and still belongs to the one in his neighborhood. Few men are held in higher regard than he, and he is justly recognized as an excellent type of the modern agriculturist.
ALBERT KUTZLI. The farm of Albert Kutzli in Pike Township is one of the well improved rural properties of Fulton county, and the entire premises show the care of an efficient farmer and good business man. Albert Kutzli was born in Ridgeville Township, Henry county, Ohio, on April 16, 1871, a son of Blessy and Susan (Spiess) Kutzli, natives of Switzerland, and grandson of Henry Spiess. Both the Kutzli and Spiess families located in Fulton county, Ohio, three generations ago, and their representatives were among the early settlers on wild land in this region.
Blessy Kutzli and his wife moved to Henry county, Ohio, after their marriage, and she died there on July 2, 1908, but he survives, an aged man, having been born in January, 1838, and still makes his home in Henry county. Children were born to them as fol- lows: Mary, who is deceased; Conrad, who lives at Archbold, Ohio; Henry, who lives in Dover Township; Barnet, who resides at Archbold, Ohio; Susan, who is Mrs. Adam Mohr, of Ridgeville
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Township, Henry county, Ohio; Blessy, who is a resident of Clin- ton Township; Caroline, who was Mrs. Albert Buhrer, is now de- ceased; Albert, whose name heads this review; Manno, who is a resident of Dover Township; Rudolph, who lives at Morenci, Michi- gan ; Emil, who is deceased; and Ida, who is Mrs. Archie Feltzer, of Pike Township.
Albert Kutzli was reared in Henry county and attended its dis- trict schools. When he was nineteen years old he began working by the month for farmers with a threshing outfit and in sawmills, and continued this line of work for six years. He was then mar- ried, on March 18, 1897, to Virginia Buhrer, born in Williams county, Ohio, a daughter of Andrew and Adeline (Gashie) Buhrer, natives of Switzerland and Clinton Township, Fulton county, Ohio, respectively. On April 9, 1901, Mr. Kutzli bought seventy-eight acres of land in section 6, Pike Township. At that time there were no fences on this farm, it needed tiling and buildings, so he had a lot of work before him when he moved on this property. Now he has the place cleared and under cultivation with the exception of ten acres he is keeping in timber. The necessary fences have been put up and are maintained in good order, and the whole farm is well tiled. Not only is his residence a comfortable and modern one, but his barns and other buildings are equally good, and he has one of the best farms in this part of the county. Here he is carrying on general farming, stockraising and dairying, and is successful in all his undertakings, for he is an experienced farmer ..
Mr. and Mrs. Kutzli became the parents of the following chil- dren: Theron, Luetta, Rosella, Ruth, Fernando, Agnes and Flor- ence, all of whom are at home. The children, Orpha, Caroline, and Dorothy died in infancy. Mr. Kutzli is a member of the Reformed Church of Archbold, Ohio. In his political convictions he is a democrat, but aside from casting his vote for the candidates of his party he has not taken much part in public matters, being too much occupied with his farming.
ERNEST CHRISTOPHER LANE. The Oakland Farm is one of the best improved rural properties in Pike Township and has been brought to its present state of development through the intelligent efforts of its owner, Ernest Christopher Lane, whose methods are so progressive as to cause them to be adopted by a number of his fellow citizens. Mr. Lane was born in Clinton Township, this county, September 8, 1879, a son of William and Lydia (Lozer) Lane, na- tives of Muskingum county, Ohio, and Clinton county, Ohio, re- spectively, and grandson of Harrison and Harriet (Gorsuch) Lane, early settlers of Clinton Township, and Stephen Lozer, who also came to Clinton Township at an early day.
William Lane owned a large tract of land in Clinton Township, three miles west of Wauseon, Ohio, and on it he and his wife were engaged in farming activities for many years. Her death occurred in February, 1914, but he survived her until January, 1919. Their children were as follows: Ernest Christopher, whose name heads this review; Fred, who is a resident of Texas; Jesse, who is a resi- dent of Zanesville, Ohio; Edward, who is a resident of Amboy Township, Fulton county; and Grace, who is Mrs. Roy Parish, and lives at Delta.
After completing his courses in the district schools, Ernest C.
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Lane was given the advantage of a year's attendanee at the Wauseon High School, but then, at the age of eigliteen years, he decided to become self-supporting, so he left school and began working out by the month among the neighboring farmers, continuing this mode of operation for nine years. He then rented land for another nine years, all the time saving his money, and as soon as he had acquired a sufficient amount he bought forty acres of land in York Town- ship. One year later he rented eighty acres in seetion 12, Pike Township, from his father, and he later inherited it from his father's estate. Of this eighty acres Mr. Lane has sixty-five under the plow, and the remainder is in timber. He has put in all his improve- ments and here he is carrying on general farming. The farm takes its name from the beautiful oak trees which Mr. Lane has taken such pains to preserve.
On September 16, 1903, Mr. Lane was united in marriage with Lois Greeley, born in Franklin Township, Fulton county, Ohio, a daughter of Lewis and Mary (Wickey) Greeley, natives of Ger- man Township, Fulton county. Mr. and Mrs. Lane became the parents of one son, Earle, who was born on April 9, 1908. The creed of the Disciple Church affords Mr. Lane adequate expression for his religious views, and he is one of the earnest members of the local congregation. Being in perfect sympathy with the work of the Gleaners, Mr. Lane belongs to the Pike branch of this organiza- tion, and is active in it. Since casting his first vote Mr. Lane has been a strong republican and is proud of the record of his party. In all of his operations Mr. Lane has exercised good common sense, and his present prosperity proves that he was wise to follow the methods he did in the conduct of his business affairs.
JOHN G. RORABECK, one of the substantial men of Fulton county, is now living in Pike Township after a somewhat varied career in commercial circles. He was born in New York state on November 30, 1841, a son of George T. and Tabatha (Rorabeck) Rorabeck, cousins, who were born at Bridgeport, Connecticut, where they were married, going from there to the State of New York. A carpenter and builder, George T. Rorabeck went in 1851 to Prince Edward county, Ontario, Canada, near Picton, and there continued in busi- ness until his death at the age of eighty-eight years. His wife died three months before him, at the age of eighty-six years. Their chil- dren were as follows: Thomas, who is a resident of Osseo, Wiscon- sin; Julia, who is Mrs. Byron McDonald, and lives at Allendale, Ontario, Canada; Emma, who is Mrs. Francis MeDonald, of Comber, Ontario, Canada; John G., whose name heads this review; Dorcas Ann, who is deceased; Reuben, who lives at North Bay, Ontario, Canada : Edward, who is deceased ; and Elizabeth, who is Mrs. Charles Mitchell, of Midland, Ontario, Canada.
When he was sixteen years old John G. Rorabeek began learn- ing the trade of a carpenter and joiner from his father, and com- pleted it by the time he attained his majority. He then went to Rochester, New York, where he worked at his trade for two years. Returning to Canada, he was engaged in carpentering for nine months in the west. He then returned home for a visit, and the following spring found employment at Kent, Ohio, with the At- lantic & Great Western Railroad Company in car construction, and continued with that concern for eight years. Leaving that com-
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pany, he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and for fourteen years was with the bridge and car works of that city, rising to the office of assistant foreman, and he also spent several years working at the tinner's trade. His next employment was at Ashtabula, Ohio, where for two years he worked in a tinshop. Mr. Rorabeck then changed the nature of his work and was a clerk in a shoe store of that city for a year. Returning to Cleveland, Ohio, he worked for a year in a sash and blind factory, becoming foreman for the Knowlton Valley Railroad Company after leaving the factory, and holding that posi- tion for two years. Mr. Rorabeck then spent one year in a pattern shop of Cleveland, and was then called to Toledo, Ohio, to take charge of the estate of his father-in-law, and for the subsequent eighteen months was occupied in settling it up. He then came to Delta, Ohio, and bought the tinshop of that place, conducting it for seven years. He then bought a half interest in the butcher shop of Mr. Geer at Delta, but sold it in 1898, and became superin- tendent of building construction at the state prison at Columbus, Ohio. Two years later he returned to Delta and clerked in various stores for eighteen months, when he bought a half interest in the drug store of Edward Pratt. Two years later they sold the store and Mr. Rorabeck continued to clerk in various establishments until July 5, 1916, when he moved to the ten-acre farm of his wife in Pike Township. She also has a life lease on sixty-five acres in Pike Township, and Mr. Rorabeck is now engaged in keeping up the improvements on the property.
John G. Rorabeck was married at Jefferson, Ohio, in October, 1870, to Augusta Tolcott, and they had two children, namely: Winifred, who is Mrs. Frank Cately, of Delta, Ohio; and Mabel, who died at the age of three years. In 1883 Mr. Rorabeck was mar- ried to Eva T. Clark, a daughter of Ira L. Clark, one of the first conductors of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad. She was the widow of Charles Mason,, by whom she had five children, two of whom survive, namely: Carrie Brigham, of Portland, Ore- gon; and Maude. The second Mrs. Rorabeck died on April 8, 1914. On July 5, 1916, Mr. Rorabeck was married to Mrs. Ellen (Niel) Taylor, born in Cass county, Georgia, a daughter of James and Carrie (Champlin) Niel. Ellen Niel was first married to Grifford Cassin, and she and her husband lived with Mrs. Niel until the outbreak of the war between the states, when she, her husband and two little sons went to the vicinity of Lexington, Kentucky, where he was later killed, leaving her without resources. She returned to Ohio and in order to support herself worked in the household of dif- ferent families. Owing to her lack of money she was forced to turn her children over to others. In 1867 she came to Fulton county, Ohio, and in 1870 was married second to J. S. Taylor, who owned a farm, which he deeded to her. Mr. Taylor died in De- cember, 1903. Her two children by her first marriage were as fol- lows: Samuel, who lives at Delta, Ohio; and Benjamin, who lives at Elery, Ohio. Mrs. Rorabeck belongs to the United Brethren Church, and is active in its work. While residing at Delta, Ohio, Mr. Rorabeck served as a member of the City Council one term, and on the Cemetery Board for two years, being elected on the republi- can ticket. He belongs to Fulton Lodge No. 248, of Delta; Octavius Waters Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, which he has served as high priest, and Wauseon Council, Royal and Selected Masters. During
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the many years Mr. Rorabeck lias lived in Fulton county he has become known as one of the dependable citizens of this locality, and one worthy of the highest esteem. He and Mrs. Rorabeck have many warm personal friends, who are always made welcome at their pleasant rural home, and an open-handed hospitality is shown by these two estimable people, who after the strenuous years of earlier life are now enjoying the comforts to which they are most certainly entitled.
JOHN H. MILLER. The study of the life of the representative American never fails to offer much of pleasing interest and valuable instruction, developing a mastering of expedients which has brought about satisfactory results. John H. Miller, the well-known presi- dent of the Peoples State Bank of Archbold, is a worthy representa- tive of that type of American character and of that progressive spirit which promotes public good in advancing individual pros- perity and conserving popular interests. He has long been promi- nently identified with the farming and business interests of Fulton county, and is numbered among the progressive and public-spirited citizens of the community.
John H. Miller was born on his father's farm in German Town- ship, Fulton county, Ohio, on December 29, 1859, and is the son of John and Catherine (Knapp) Miller. He is descended from ster- ling old Swiss stock, and the family was established at Tedrow, Ohio, whence they moved to German Township, this county, wlien the subject's father was about eighteen years of age. Here they established their home in the midst of the forest which covered that section of the country, their first labors being directed toward clearing the land and fitting it for cultivation. John H. Miller is the first son in order of birth of the eight children born to his par- ents. He received his elementary education in the common schools of German Township during the winter terms, his summers being spent in assisting his father on the home farm, where he remained until he was twenty-two years of age, at which time he was married. At that time he bought his first land, consisting of eighty-five acres. to the operation of which he devoted himself during the following eighteen years. This farm, which is located in Richville Township, Henry county, he still owns. His next purchase was 128 acres of land near Archbold, this county, on which he made his home up to June, 1920, having bought a fine home in the town of Archbold in that year and is now living in town. Mr. Miller also owns twenty-five acres of land in Richville Township, Henry county, be- sides his other holdings there, and Mrs. Miller is the owner of 100 acres in Springfield Township, Williams county, Ohio. In 1908 Mr. Miller was elected vice president of the People's State Bank of Archbold, of which he was a stockholder and director, and subse- quently he was chosen president of the institution, which is one of the strong and influential banks of Fulton county, much of the popularity of the bank being due to the sound business management and personal qualities of its president.
On October 1, 1881, Mr. Miller was married to Susan Luty, the daughter of Peter and Martrit Luty. and to this union have been born the following children: May V., who has been a teacher for many years; Carietta, who is the wife of E. C. Sieler, a dentist of Chicago, Illinois, and they have one child, Lucile; Blanche and
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Sylvan L. are at home. All of the children have been teachers.
In political affairs Mr. Miller is independent of party ties, re- serving to himself the right to vote for the men he considers best qualified for office. His religious affiliations are with the German Reformed Church. He is essenially a man among men, moving as one who commands respect by innate force as well as by his superior ability. As a citizen he ranks among the leaders of his community in all efforts to advance and conserve the general wel- fare, and he enjoys to a marked degree the confidence and regard of all who know him.
ALBERT WANNER, who is now one of the leading agriculturists of Clinton Township, Fulton county, Ohio, owner and successful farmer of an extensive acreage in Clinton and Dover Townships, comes of one of the pioneer families of Franklin Township, in which he was born in 1876.
He is the son of Jacob and Mary (Pfound) Wanner, and grand- son of Andrew Wanner, who appears in the early records of Frank- lin Township. Andrew Wanner was born in Schaueffhausen Can- ton, Switzerland, and came to America with his wife and family of five children. They came into Ohio, and drove to Franklin Town- ship, Fulton county, where Andrew Wanner gained title to eighty acres of wild land which he gradually cleared with the aid of his sons. He prospered well, and before he died was the owner of 160 acres of good land, the majority of which had been cleared. In Franklin Township, and upon this farm, Jacob Wanner, son of Andrew and father of Albert, lived for the greater part of his life, and at his death the extensive Franklin Township estate was di- vided among his children. Jacob Wanner died in 1914, and of the seven children, four sons and three daughters, born to him and to his wife, Mary Pfound, Albert is the oldest, but he seems to have made his own way. The Franklin Township estate of Jacob Wan- ner is occupied by his younger brother, Frank, who was born in 1889, and married Effic Gusman in 1914. Frank has eighty acres, and the other eighty acres belong to their two unmarried sisters, Anna and Ida.
Albert was raised in the wholesome environment of the home farm, and until he was seventeen years old attended the country school during the winter and spring, and in the summer vacations · gave sturdy assistance to his father in the operation of the large acreage belonging to the family. As a matter of fact he had been doing minor tasks on the home farm long before he left school, and when eventually he took wholly to farming he was almost com- pletely efficient in the ordinary operation of a farm. He stayed with his father and worked steadily on the home farm until he was twenty-one years old, when he married, and took upon himself the responsibilities of an independent farmer. Soon after he had married he bought a farın of forty acres, which small acreage he tilled so well that it was more than ample to meet the requirements of his family ; in fact, as the years passed and he accumulated some substance, he was able to take on additional acreage, until he has today 200 acres in Clinton Township and forty acres in Dover Town- ship, all good land. He is a man esteemed by those who know him for his sturdy industry and steady life, his characteristics being those of the strong-purposed pioneers. A successful farmer is so in-
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variably because of his readiness to take upon himself the laborious burdens that come up for execution in the general course of farm- ing; and it may truthfully be said of Albert Wanner that he never shirked such labors. Whatever has been necessary to carry through the operation to the successful harvest, he has always taken the task upon himself when hired help has not been available. So he has succeeded, and so he lias been able to raise a well-nourished and healthy family of nine children, a worthy record. Not only in the raising of a large family has Albert Wanner been a helpful American citizen, for during the recent war he was one of the patriotic citi- zens who made it possible for the various loan issues to reach their expected quota in his district.
Politically he is independent; indeed, he is a man of much dis- crimination in political matters, not following any party without thought to the present platform of that party. In his voting he is more disposed to be influenced by the reputation and convictions of the candidate than by the party. And in local affairs and in all projects that have bearing upon the prosperity of his own commu- nity he has always shown a close interest, although he has never sought office in the civic administration.
He is still in the prime of life, being only forty-four years old, yet he has been married for twenty-three years, as it was in 1897 that he married Amanda, daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Ricker) Ruger. Their nine children have all been reared in the county, and the elder children are, or will soon be, entering upon manful and useful careers.
CHARLES E. REED. In the early days farming was carried on in a much different manner from what it is today. Then a man was content to earn his living from his land, and whenever the opportunity offered made his escape from the rural regions. Now the man fortunate enough to own a farm is one of the most inde- pendent of business men, and he carries on his transactions system- atically and profitably. His land, buildings, stock and machinery are a well-balanced organization, and with them he is able to pro- duce foodstuffs which he markets to the world. One of the most progressive of the representative agriculturists of Fulton county is Charles E. Reed of York Township, whose farming plant is one of the best equipped in this region.
Charles E. Reed was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, on June 29, 1852, a son of Henry and Christie Ann (Burger) Reed, also natives of Franklin county. They spent their lives there, and there they died and are buried. Growing up on his father's farm, Charles E. Reed learned the fundamentals of agricultural life from his father while he was acquiring a common school education in the rural schools.
In 1882 he was united in marriage with Anna Krome, a native of Pennsylvania, and for about two years lived on a farm in Penn- sylvania, but in 1884 moved to Fulton county, Ohio, and for a year was in the employ of D. K. Shoop of York Township. Mr. Reed then bought eighty acres of land in section 30, York Township, for which he paid fifty dollars an acre. There were some old buildings on the farm, but Mr. Reed has replaced them with thoroughly mod- ern ones, has tiled and fenced the place and made other improve- ments, so that it is now one of the fine rural properties of the town-
A. S. Brindley
Eva. A, Bradley
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ship. Here he carried on general farming until 1914, when he rented his farm and moved to Wauseon. A year later he returned to the farm.
The first Mrs. Reed died in 1890, leaving no issue. On Novem- ber 19, 1893, Mr. Reed was married to Katherine Rupp, born near Fostoria, Hancock county, Ohio, a daughter of Michael and Mary (Gassman) Rupp, natives of Germany. There are no children of this marriage. Mr. Reed is a democrat, but has no political record, as he has not cared to hold office.
CHARLES JACOB BRINDLEY. There is German and Swiss in the blood of Charles Jacob Brindley of Swanton. While he was Ameri- can born-November 11, 1851, his father, John William Brind- ley was born in Wurtemberg, Germany. His mother, Minnie (Schochley) Brindley, was born at Elk, Switzerland. They were married at Maumee, and their son Charles J. Brindley was born in Spencer Township, Lucas county.
In 1889 the Brindley family moved to Swanton. The father was born in Germany, February 18, 1825, and died in Swanton, June 17, 1909. The mother was born in Switzerland, February 3, 1828, and died in Swanton, April 26, 1897. They had five children : Charles J .; Sophie, wife of Edward Dilgart, of Lucas county ; Se- bastian, who met an accidental death in 1919; William and Nettie, both deceased.
C. J. Brindley lived with his parents on their Lucas county farm until he was twenty-one years old, when he went to work in a gro- cery store in Toledo. Two years later he located in Swanton. He started a general merchandise business, and continued it eleven years. At that time he sold his interest to his partner, William Gey- ser, and he engaged for a time in the butcher business in Swanton. His next business venture was a livery barn, and six months later he sold it and engaged in the hardware and implement business. Eleven years later Mr. Brindley sold this business and went onto a farm in Lucas county.
After one season on the farm Mr. Brindley opened a furniture and undertaking business in Swanton, August 15, 1898, it being the only business of the kind in the community. He purchased the busi- ness of Robert Fenton. It had been established in 1874, and is the oldest business establishment now in Swanton. Mr. Brindley car- ries a full stock in both branches of the business-an up-to-date fur- niture store in Swanton.
On May 6, 1875, Mr. Brindley married Eva A. Kaley, who lived in Swanton Township, Lucas county. She is a daughter of Abra- ham and Elizabeth (Stair) Kaley. They were a Pennsylvania fam- ily who had come early to Lucas county. They came in 1840 -- at a time when the pioneers knew the meaning of the word privations. The children are: Charles Edward, associated with his father in business in Swanton, married Myrtle Haynes, and they have one daughter, Londa. Nettie, the wife of W. W. Butler, of Toledo, has two children, Charles and Martine. Alfred, of Kenton, married first Nettie Hatfield. and they have two children, Alfred and Jack. He married second Grace Norigan. Arthur Aquilla, a physician at Port Clinton, Ohio, married Catharine Thomas.
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