Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 115

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149

USA > Ohio > Butler County > Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio > Part 115

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Clark's daughters are intelligent, well educated young women of high social standing, both being graduates of the Mid- dletown high school. Edna is the wife of Frank Gillman, a well-known and popular citizen of this city, while Elsie is unmar- ried and still a member of the home circle.

GEORGE BISDORF.

George Bisdorf, one of the best known citizens of Butler county, was born in Ger- many, July 24, 1835, his birthplace being in Jesberg, Kreis Fritzlar Heseen. He came to America alone in 1848, landing at Balti- more, Maryland. For five or six years fol- lowing his arrival in this country he was employed at various lines of work in Balti- more, Philadelphia and Wilmington, Dela- ware. In the latter place he learned the

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miller's trade, and in later years followed the milling business in Cincinnati and Ham- ilton. In Philadelphia Mr. Bisdorf formed the acquaintance of John Reust, a German boy like himself, and they became firm friends and traveling companions. Together they started on an overland route to Pike's Peak, and visited various points of interest in the far West and South. During their rambles they fell in with a party of mule drovers at St. Joseph, Missouri, and hired out to the company to drive a herd of mules through to California. Seventy-five men were employed on this mission, and they represented nearly every nation on the globe. They were for the most part adven- turers, who had but little regard for the laws of God or man. The foreman, or superin- tendent of the enterprise, was hasty-tem- pered, quarrelsome and abusive. He was soon at enmity with the ringleaders among the employes, and cursed and abused them on the slightest provocation, real or imag- inary; on the third day out some of the party rebelled against the treatment ac-, corded them and a fight ensued, the foreman being killed. The two German boys de- cided that they were not in congenial com- pany, and hastily returned to St. Joseph, where they surrendered the horses they were riding and started for Chicago. In that city they hired out to work as sailors and labor- ers aboard a freight vessel on Lake Michi- gan. While conveying a cargo of twenty- five thousand bushels of grain from Chicago to the eastern shore of the lake, the vessel was wrecked and John Reust was drowned. Mr. Bisdorf was finally rescued after great peril, having been in the water for six hours clinging to some floating debris from the wreck. These two thrilling incidents in his

early life in America made a lasting impres- sion upon young Bisdorf. He came to Butler county in 1854 and worked on a farm for two years. He then secured a position in the old Anderson Mills, and was employed there for about three years. His next ven- ture in business was in the purchase of a dray line, which he operated until 1863. In that year Mr. Bisdorf was appointed street supervisor for the second ward, a po- sition he held four years. He was elected constable of Fairfield township, which then included the city of Hamilton. This was quite a political achievement, in that there were seventeen candidates for the office. He was street commissioner of the city from 1872 to 1874, after which he was en- gaged as a street contractor until 1887. During his career as commissioner and con- tractor Mr. Bisdorf made all of the paved streets in Hamilton up to that time. He also dealt very largely in paving stones, which were gathered from the surrounding farms by the hundreds of tons, and this sur- plus was shipped to Cincinnati, it proving to be a very profitable business. In 1887 Mr. Bisdorf was appointed janitor of the Butler county court house and has held that position continuously since. It is doubtful if there is a voter in Butler county who is not personally acquainted with genial George Bisdorf. His career has always been characterized by honest and upright dealings with his fellow man, whether in the heat of a political campaign or in the affairs of private life. He has thus ac- quired an influence in political matters which is the envy of all professional office seekers. He exercised this power at all times for the good of local Democracy, and could not be induced to support an unworthy

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aspirant. For many years Mr. Bisdorf was a member of the central committee of the city and county and wielded a strong influ- ence in the counsels of local Democracy. But with the encroachments of years, he has relaxed somewhat of his political activ- ity. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1865, and served many years in official stations in his lodge. The work was performed in the German lan- guage, and this was a fruitful source of fa- miliarity with his native tongue. He took a trip to his native country during the sum- mer of 1903, after an absence of fifty-six years. His friends and relations were both surprised and gratified to find him so prompt and accurate in the use of the Ger- man language, and Mr. Bisdorf attributes this largely to reading, writing and speaking it in Masonic work. He is exceptionally well posted in the mysteries of Freemasonry, and found this knowledge a fruitful source of pleasure and assistance when abroad. He is a genial and companionable old gentle- man, whose kindly heart and generous na- ture are the subject of remark by his friends.

Mr. Bisdorf was married, in 1860, to Miss Catherine Straher, a native of Ger- many. who came to America in babyhood. They had a family of ten children, eight of whom are living. The names are: Henry, Katie. Peter. George, Fred, Lizzie, Clara and Emma. Mary was a twin with Mar- garet. and they were the eldest of the fam- ily. the last named dying at the age of eleven months. Mary married John Albrecht. and died at the age of thirty-six, leaving a fam- ily of five children. Eddie, Annie, Martin, George and Leroy Albrecht, and since their mother's death they have been members of the family of the subject. Fred Bisdorf is a

widower with one son, Hilbert, and they are both members of the Bisdorf family. These six grandchildren are as welcome in the Bisdorf family, and as much pride is ta- ken in their proper education, as though they were the children of their loving, phil- anthropic grandparents.

George Bisdorf is a son of John and Mary (Rissel) Bisdorf. The father died in his native land, and the mother spent the last seven years of her life in the family of her son, the subject of this sketch, dying in Hamilton, at the age of seventy-four years. There were twelve children in the parental family. The three who came to America are Henry and George, of Hamilton, and Mrs. Margaret Schmidt, of Middletown. The survivors of the family in Germany are all in comfortable, and some in affluent, cir- cumstances. Mr. Bisdorf has been a mem- ber of St. John's German Evangelical church since his marriage in 1860. He has been an officer in the church for many years and is at present the president of the congre- gation.

JOHN A. HOLZBERGER.

The subject of this article is a native of Butler county, Ohio, and was born at Symmes Corner, on the 8th of October. 1871. He received his education in the pub- lic schools in the vicinity of his early home, and when quite young he came to Hamilton as an apprentice to the plumber's trade. He served his full term of three years and was considered an expert in the plumbing busi- ness. His qualifications were fully recog- nized when he was appointed to the office of city sewer inspector, a position which he

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held for a number of years, in this capacity rendering very satisfactory services to the city. His parents were John and Catherine (Eiler) Holzberger, both natives of Ger- many. They came to America in early life and were married at Symmes Corner, where the productive years of their lives were spent. Their family consisted of nine chil- dren, of whom five survive, namely : Mrs. Daniel Wheton, of Cincinnati; Mrs. John Held, and Mrs. Charles Brannon, of Ham- ilton, and Fred and John, of Hamilton. Mr. Holzberger was married November 24. 1897, to Miss Anna Zoller, a native of But- ler county. Three children have been born to this union, viz : Walter, Glenn and Earle, the latter deceased. For a number of years Mr. Holzberger has been conducting a cafe and restaurant at the northeast corner of Front and High streets, and has been pros- perous in business. He is a public-spirited citizen, well and favorably known in the community. He is a man of intelligence. and wields a strong influence in political affairs in the city.

LOUIS A. BOLI.

Louis A. Boli, a well-known business man of Hamilton, Ohio. was born on the 16th of January. 1848. at Washington, In- diana, and is the only living son of Jacob and Caroline Boli. The father was a native of Germany, born December 30, 1819. and was educated and learned the baker's trade in his native country. He came to America in 1838, and located for two years at Massil- lon, Ohio, where he worked at his trade as baker and confectioner. Mr. Boli removed

to Cincinnati in 1840, and two years later was married in that city to Miss Caroline Ballet, who was a native of Butler county, Ohio. After marriage the young couple took up their residence on a farm in Wash- ington county, Indiana. Subsequently they removed to Louisville, Kentucky, where the father was engaged in the grocery business for ten years. In May. 1856, the family came to Hamilton, and Mr. Boli re-engaged in the grocery business on the West Side, and removed to the old location on Front street, about 1860, where he continued a prosperous business in family groceries for many years. He was a successful business man and accumulated a fine property in real estate. Both he and his wife were exem- plary Christians and active members of St. John's German Evangelical church. They lived to ripe old age and died honored and respected by all who knew them, the father dying at the age of seventy-nine years and the mother at seventy-five. Of ten children born to these parents, but two lived to years of maturity, the sister becoming Mrs. Caro- line Dilg, wife of Alexander Dilg, of Ham- ilton. She was born in Louisville, Ken- tucky. April 10, 1849, and died in 1901.

Louis A. Boli, the subject of this sketch, was a delicate youth and did not readily en- gage in life's work on his own account. He received a good education. being a graduate of the Hamilton high school, and began his business career, in a modest way, in 1869. From that day to the present he has been identified with the business interests of Hamilton, for the most part in the line of watches and clocks and jewelry. Some lit- tle time after beginning business he served an apprenticeship to the jeweler's trade and has for many years been a practical work-

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man along the lines of his chosen profes- sion. In later years Mr. Boli, in connection with his sons, turned his attention to the brokerage business, and opened the Mutual Loan Company, though still continuing along former lines. Having ample means to conduct this within his own resources, he operates a strictly confidential business and treats his patrons with fairness and on hon- orable business principles. Anything of value is received in pledge for a reasonable . proportion of its worth in cash, at a rate of interest scarcely commensurate with the value of the accommodations. Unredeemed pledges are offered for sale for the actual amount of money invested in them and in addition to this Mr. Boli carries a full line of new goods, such as are usually found in a first-class jewelry store. Mr. Boli is a pub- lic-spirited and enterprising citizen, taking an active part in social and educational af- fairs and wielding a potent influence in local politics. He has served a number of years as a member of the board of education in this city, and has been otherwise prominent in municipal affairs.

During his younger years Mr. Boli took an active part in the deliberations of various social fraternities, among which may be mentioned the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Honor and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is well advanced in Masonry. Aside from his principal busi- ness interests, he has also been connected with a manufacturing concern. In 1890 he went to Kuttawa, Kentucky, and purchased a manufacturing plant which is now oper- ated by his son, Louis A. This is a hub and spoke factory which is doing a large and profitable business.

Mr. Boli was married on the 10th of

May, 1869, when he chose for his life com- panion Miss Carrie Buckle, daughter of Ja- cob and Margaret Buckle, of Hamilton, both deceased. This happy union has been blessed with eight children, of whom four are living, viz: Louis A., Edward O., Al- bert F. and Peter Paul. All are graduates of the Hamilton high school. Edward O. is manager of the Pioneer Knitting Works, while his brother Albert is foreman of the machinery in some enterprise. Peter P. is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Boli have a pleas- ant home at 313 South Front street.

BENTEL BROTHERS.

Bentel Brothers, jewelers and opticians, is one of the leading business houses of the city of Hamilton. There are three brothers of them, Frederick C., Walter L. and Ru- dolph S. Bentel. The brothers sustain the reputation of doing the finest watch repair- ing and the most intricate mechanical work in the city. Two of them are graduates of the well-known Bradley Horological (watch) School. Rudolph S. Bentel is a graduate optician, and received a diploma from the Bradley Polytechnical and Optical School.

Frederick Bentel, the father of the Ben- tel brothers, was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1841 and spent his active business life in Hamilton, where he now resides. He wed- ded Miss Wilhelmina Sohn, who was born in Hamilton in 1844. She represents one of the long-established and prominent fam- ilies in this city. Both parents are still liv- ing.

Edmund W. Bentel, the fourth son, is a

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draughtsman by profession, and has now charge of a machine shop in Washington, Pennsylvania. The daughter, Minnie, is the wife of Mr. O. L. Schwenker, of Cin- cinnati.

Fred C. and Rudolph S. Bentel are prominent members of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Walter L. and Rudolph S. both belong to the order of the Hamilton Rifles. In religious affiliation the family are Presbyterians and in political views are Democrats.

REV. IGNATIUS M. WILKENS, O. F. M.

Among present-day composers of church music Rev. Ignatius M. Wilkens, of the Franciscan Order, occupies a front rank. He is a thorough student and an able ex- ponent of true church music, and his works combine with their rythmical qualities a de- votional spirit, chaste and pleasing melody and correct harmonization. Added to this are his simplicity of style and ease of writ- ing, all of which tend to place his works among the very best of their kind. Father Ignatius, as he is commonly called, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 15th of Febru- ary, 1856, and received in holy baptism the names Francis Theodore. He attended St. Francis' parochial school and at the age of eleven years entered St. Francis' College, in charge of the Franciscan fathers. Hav- ing finished his classical studies, he deter- mined to enter the Franciscan Order and on the 17th of September, 1871, was invested as a novice of that society. He received then, as is customary in religious orders, - 51

the name of Ignatius (from St. Ignatius, the great founder of the Jesuits), and made his solemn profession September 19, 1875. He was ordained a priest by the Most Rev. Archbishop Purcell, D. D., on the 21st of December, 1878. His career in the holy ministry was marked with success in the various places to which he was appointed by his superiors. Father Ignatius is an elo- quent and powerful orator, and is recog- nized as one of the brightest men of his or- der. His sermons are plain, his words come from a heart filled with love of God, and never fail to make a deep impression on his audience.

God has certainly blessed him in many ways, but especially so in giving him such great talent for music. This inclination showed itself plainly in youth, and later on in the order was carefully fostered and de- veloped under good masters. Father Igna- tius is truly religious, and this is shown plainly in his works. He does not seek the esteem of people, nor the applause of the world, his only desire being to produce mu- sic worthy of the holy house of God, music that at once distinguishes itself from all sec- ular influence. His compositions have the true sacred ring; they are of a religious character, filling the soul with devotion, as church music should. His music is very earnest, especially so his masses, as the char- acter of the sacred text demands it. His ef- forts for reform have been crowned with success, and his works are sung by the best of choirs, who recognize not only their mu- sical value, but also their correct interpreta- tion of the sacred words of the Catholic lit- urgy. Father Ignatius has written four masses, quite a number of hymns for the benediction service of the church, but his

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best known work is the famous "Jubilate Deo," "Sing Joyfully to God," performed at the Cincinnati Music Hall by a chorus of five hundred voices, accompanied by the full Cincinnati orchestra and the grand organ. This piece carried his name throughout the states, and gained for him an enviable repu- tation as a composer of true church music.

When the Most Rev. Archbishop some few years ago took up the work of reform- ing the music in the churches of his diocese. he appointed a commission whose duty it should be to carefully and judiciously exam- ine all the music in the diocese and to elim- inate whatever should be found unworthy of the holy house of God. Father Ignatius was appointed a member of this commission and has devoted much of his valuable time to this noble work. that has been watched all over the world, and whose work is just now being extensively copied in the various dioceses of the states.

Father Ignatius celebrated the silver ju- bilee of his ordination to the priesthood at St. Stephen's church, Hamilton, Ohio, on the 26th of December, 1903, in grand style. Many friends from far and near came to honor the plain Franciscan and to thank God for all the good done through His humble servant in the ministry. The jubilee ser- mon, a masterpiece of eloquence, was preached by the Rev. Philip Rothmann, Order of Franciscan Monks, the edi- tor of St. Anthony's Messenger, pub- lished in the interest of poor stu- dents for the ministry. Father Ignatius has been for years a regular contributor to this and the other monthlies published by the order, and thus his word reaches many who have not the happiness of his acquaintance, but profit by his earnest and interesting

work of the pen .- [ From the Catholic Tele- graph, official organ of the Most Rev. Arch- bishop Elder, D. D., of the archdiocese of Cincinnati.]

MILES D. LINDLEY.

Miles D. Lindley was born in Reily township, Butler county, Ohio, on the 11th of September, 1860, and since his eighth year has been a resident of Hamilton. He is the son of John C. and Elizabeth (King) Lindley, the latter a daughter of Hon. James B. King, for many years one of Ohio's lead- ing public men and an influential member of the state legislature, also of the consti- tutional convention of 1853. The mother of the subject died on April 29, 1904. In the public schools of the city Mr. Lindley re- ceived his early education. He has been con- nected with different pursuits in the city of Hamilton and during the last thirteen years he has devoted his attention principally to the real-estate business, and at this time is one of the leading handlers of city prop- erty. In 1883, when but twenty-three years old, Mr. Lindley was elected a member of the board of education and from that time until recently has been identified with that body. He is recognized as an active and aggressive factor in local political cir- cles, and for a number of years he has been regarded as one of the representative Demo- cratic politicians of Hamilton, being one of the organizers and leading party workers. His public services have been confined prin- cipally to the thankless offices and commit- tees connected with the schools and like in- terests, in which, as already stated, he has

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served continuously since his first election in 1883. In 1885 he was elected city commis- sioner, and filled the position for a period of two years. In recognition of his services to the party in past years, Mr. Lindley's friends in 1903 urged his candidacy for the office of sheriff of Butler county, but he was unsuccessful in securing the nomination. Mr. Lindley is popular with all classes of citizens and shades of political opinion and stands deservedly high in public esteem. He is a warm-hearted, affable gentleman, pleasing in person and address. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Royal Arcanum, the Improved Order of Red Men and of the Eagles, in all of which organizations he has been honored at different times with official stations.

Mr. Lindley was married September 25, 1884, to Miss Sarah Sophia Straub, daugh- ter of the late Joseph Straub, of Hamilton. the union resulting in the birth of two chil- dren, Elizabeth, who was graduated from the high school in 1903, and David Howell, who is a member of the class of 1905 in the high school.

DAVID LINGLER.

The Hamilton fire department is a sys- tem of protection to the city of which the people very properly are proud. It numbers among its very efficient corps of valiant workers some men who have been connected with the department for long years, and no one will say that their tenure of office has been sought and given purely on selfish grounds. They have a lively and personal

interest in rendering to the city the most competent and efficient service in time of need. David Lingler, the present chief of the fire department, has the business ability to earn a much larger income than that paid in the salary of the office, and has demon- strated this fact in a successful business ca- reer when employed in the affairs of private life. But notwithstanding this fact, Mr. Lingler has served more years at the head of the fire department in Hamilton than any other two men who have occupied this same position. There is a certain fascina- tion about the dangers and exposures of a fireman's life, coupled with the conscious- ness of rendering aid to the helpless in time of need, which is well nigh irresistible.

David Lingler was elected chief of the fire department in April, 1883, having previ- ously demonstrated his fitness by proper service in a subordinate department. By subsequent elections and appointments, he retained the position for five years. Retir- ing from the office, he worked at his trade. that of an iron moulder, until 1892, when he purchased a stock of groceries and em- barked in the mercantile business. But in July, 1893, he was recalled to his former position, under Mayor Charles Bosch, and continued at the head of the department for five or six years, also continuing for the most part his mercantile interests. Under the new code recently adopted, another sys- tem of selecting certain officials came into vogue and again Mr. Lingler was recalled to the head of the fire department by the city board of control. He received the ap- pointment in the autumn of 1903, but four months later was ousted under the new law. which provides the chief shall be taken from the ranks of active firemen, which he was

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not at that time. Mr. Lingler is a man spe- cially qualified for the responsible position in which he has served so long and faith- fully. And whatever the friends of disap- pointed candidates may say of the matter, it is nevertheless true that the position came to Mr. Lingler on the strength of personal merit, rather than political favoritism. Should a vote of the city be taken as to the best qualified man for the position, it is more than probable that David Lingler would receive the strongest endorsement ever given a candidate for any office in Ham- ilton.

The subject of the article is a native of Hamilton, born on the 13th of November, 1854. He was the third child in a family of nine, born to David and Catherine (Sipp) Lingler, both of whom were natives of Rheinburg, Germany. David Lingler, the father of the subject, was a son of Mar- tin Lingler. He learned the blacksmith's trade in his native land, and emigrated to this country in 1844. His brother, John Lingler, had preceded him to the United States, but died in New York, where he left a son, also named John. Father Ling- ler, having some old country acquaintances in Hamilton, came to this city to find a home, and here, in 1848, he married Miss Catherine, a daughter of William Sipp, a carpet weaver in Germany, but a successful farmer near this city, where his days were ended. William Sipp was the father of four daughters and five sons, a number of whom still live in the city and are worthy repre- sentatives of this early established and prominent German family. David Lingler employed his early years in agricultural pur- suits, but in later life was the proprietor of a boarding house in Hamilton, where he

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Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 115

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1149

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149