USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 10
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Since September 21, 1905, Mr. Weger has also been connected with another line of busi- ness, being the junior partner in the undertak- ing firm of Jauman & Weger, funeral directors and embalmers. Their quarters have been fit- ted up with all modern conveniences and their business is conducted in a quiet, orderly manner. Mr. Weger devotes his whole time to his stu- dio, Mr. Jauman attending to the undertaking department.
Mr. Weger is a member of the Church of St. John the Evangelist at Delphos. He be- longs to the Catholic Knights of Ohio and the Catholic Knights of America.
OSEPH AARON STATES, president of the Allen County Agricultural So- ciety and formerly county commis- sioner for several terms, is one of Mon- roe township's most respected citizens. He resides on his highly improved farm of 160 acres situated in sections 21 and 22. Mr. States was born on this farm April 20, 1848, and is a son of Daniel and Jane (Jennings) States.
Daniel States was born in Lycoming Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, April 14, 1810, and was a son of Peter and Susan (Praul) States. The fath- er of Peter States, Daniel by name, was born in
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France; while the father of Mrs. Peter States was born in England. Our subject's parents came to Monroe township, Allen County, in the spring of 1835, locating in section 21. With eight others, he was a voter at the first election held in the township, which they all had as- sisted in organizing. He entered 120 acres of land and on this farm, developed from the wilderness, he reared a creditable family, which through his efforts in promoting educatioal, re ligious and social movements, enjoyed many advantages which even older localities did not present. He was a man of great public spirit and was so admirably qualified for leadership, that he was frequently called upon to take a prominent part in public affairs. He served 14 years as township trustee and treasurer, was one of the founders of the Methodist Episcopal Church, built the first schoolhouse on his own farm, and, through individual effort and per- sonal expenditure, inaugurated the making of good roads and the building of bridges, in this way setting a creditable example and earning the grateful remembrances of those who came after.
On April 1, 1833, Daniel States was united in marriage with Jane Jennings, who was born June 16, 1810, and died January 20, 1873. She was a daughter of Benjamin and Betsey (Milick) Jennings, a granddaughter of John Milick, a native of Pennsylvania, and a cousin of Governor David Tod, of Ohio. Seven chil- dren were born to this union, as follows : John, deceased, of Crawford County, Kansas; George and Susan, who died in childhood; Mar- garet, deceased, who was the wife of Scott Harris, of Monroe township; Mary J., de- ceased; Joseph Aaron, of this sketch; and Huldah R., wife of Ephraim Tussing, of Van Wert County, Ohio, also deceased.
Joseph Aaron States attended the district schools and was reared on his father's farm, where he received his training as a practical ag- riculturist. His main business in life has con- tinued along the same lines-general farming and stock-raising. He has so frequently been called upon by his fellow-citizens to accept var- ious offices of trust and responsibility, that in later years the larger portion of his time has
been absorbed in attending to duties of a public nature. In political sentiment he has always been a stanch Democrat. In 1882 he was elect- ed by his party county commissioner and, through reelection, he served continuously in this important office for six years and one month. For three years he was township trus- tee and for 20 years has been a member of the Board of Education. He has always taken a deep and intelligent interest in county organiza- tions of all kinds, and has given support to those which, in his opinion, are calculated to advance the general welfare. In 1903 he was elected president of the Allen County Agricul- tural Society, and under his wise administra- tion, it held the most successful county fair during its existence. He is a man of enlight- ened views, business capacity, unquestioned in- tegrity and, withal, one of the genial, whole- souled men whose friendship is well worth the having, and whose citizenship honors his com- munity.
On September 3, 1867, Mr. States was mar- ried to Mary J. Powell, who was born March 6, 1842, near Spencerville, Ohio, and is a daughter of David and Sophia (Walden) Powell, natives of Juniata County, Pennsyl- vania. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. States was Amos Powell, who was born in Wales and with his family, was an early settler in Allen County. To Mr. and Mrs. States were born these children : Anna V., wife of Joseph G. Hersh, an attorney, of Lima ; William C., of the Lima Cigar Company, who has one son, Earl; Arthur L., a farmer of Monroe township; Sam- uel E., who died in 1877; and Mary Lucretia, who married Jesse Vance, a farmer of Monroe township, and has two children.
ONES & WILLIAMS. This firm con- ducts a large and complete undertak- ing business at Lima, with quarters on the southwest corner of the Public Square, the members of the firm being John D. Jones and Cary C. Williams.
This business was established at Lima in December, 1900, by the gentlemen mentioned.
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They have a well-equipped establishment, em- ploy strictly modern methods, including the lat- est processes of embalming, and as a firm stand very high in public esteem.
JOHN D. JONES, senior member of the firm, has been a resident of Lima, for the past 23 years. He was born at Piqua, Miami Coun- ty, Ohio, in 1852, and is a son of William H. Jones, a tanner by trade, who died in that place in 1859.
Mr. Jones was the youngest of a family of eight children and was left fatherless at the age of seven years. After completing his schooling he went to Troy, and there learned the harnessmaker's trade. In 1872 he removed to Hartford City, Indiana, where he engaged in the harness business for one year. He then lo- cated at Montpelier, Indiana, where he entered into partnership with a Mr. Dick, under the firm name of Dick & Jones. Later he bought Mr. Dick's interest and conducted the business alone, remaining in business at Montpelier for a period of 10 years. In 1882 he came to Lima and here also engaged in the harness business until 1900, when he sold out and with his son-in-law, Cary C. Williams, embarked in his present enterprise as an undertaker and em- balmer.
Mr. Jones was married in August, 1874, to Alice Seal who died in June, 1878, leaving one daughter-Alberta-now the wife of Cary C. Williams. In 1884 Mr. Jones was married (second) to Sarah I. Meeks, who is a daughter of Amos Meeks, one of the pioneer settlers of the county. Both of her grandfathers came here at a very early day and bought land from the government. Mr. Jones is a member of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church and is serving on the official board.
CARY C. WILLIAMS, the junior mem- ber of the firm was born in Defiance County, Ohio. He may be said to have almost grown up in the undertaking business, as his father was an undertaker for many years and he assisted from boyhood. He is a graduate of the Chi- cago School of Embalming.
Mr. Williams was united in marriage with Alberta Jones, who is a daughter of John D. and Alice (Seal) Jones.
ENRY G. WEMMER, one of the busi- ness men of Lima, who has contribut- ed much to the importance of this city as a commercial center, was one of the organizers of The Deisel-Wemmer Company, which is known all over the United States in the cigar manufacturing line. Mr. Wemmer was born in Germany in 1865.
Mr. Wemmer was reared and educated in his native land, coming to the United States in 1884. His uncle was established in a cigar manufacturing business in Delaware, and Henry G., remained for a time with him, thence going to Marion, Ohio, and finally to Lima. In 1891 he became associated with Henry Deisel, a personal friend and a practical cigarmaker, and the firm of Deisel & Wemmer was thereby formed. The partnership continued until 1902 when the immense growth of the business made incorporation advisable. The present officers of The Deisel-Wemmer Company are: Henry Deisel, president; William J. Wemmer, vice- president; Henry G. Wemmer, general man- ager; and Robert J. Plate, secretary and treas- urer.
From a small beginning, in 1891, this busi- ness has become one of the largest in its line in this section, and probably is the largest house in the world manufacturing and selling direct to the retail trade. Our subject looks after the jobbing trade, and handles the 14 traveling salesmen who are constantly employed. The goods manufactured include several excellent brands of cigars, but the specialties are the "General Stark" and "San Felice." The latter is composed of a special blend of leaf and a particularly good wrapper, sells at five cents, and has a universal popularity.
In addition to his interest in this great and still growing business, Mr. Wemmer is a di- rector and stockholder in The Lima Trust Com- pany, and is interested in other successful busi- ness enterprises.
Mr. Wemmer was married in 1894 to Rica Sauter, and they have had three children- Esther and Pauline, who are living, and Edna, who died at the age of eight years.
Mr. Wemmer is a member of the Lima Club and of the Elks. He is a liberal, broad-
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minded citizen, whose abounding energy has been notable not only in his personal business association, but in his interest in everything pertaining to the advancement of the city.
J AMES A. PARK, oil contractor and producer, and proprietor of a large and well-appointed livery establishment at Spencerville, is one of this city's valued public men and substantial citizens. Mr. Park was born near Willshire, Ohio, May 25, 1865, and is a son of Samuel W. and Sarah A. ( Philbee) Park. On the paternal side, Mr. Park comes of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and of German extraction on the mother's side.
Samuel W. Park was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1822, and died in Ohio in April, 1903. In 1845, at Newark, Ohio. He married Sarah A. Philbee, who was born in Germany in 1826 and was three years old when her parents emigrated to the United States. They made the six-weeks voyage on a sailing vessel, enduring hardships innumerable. She died in Ohio in 1893, after a long and useful life, having been permitted to see her family of 10 children grow to intelligent maturity and to establish happy domestic circles of their own. Her own passing was the first break in the family circle. She left behind her hus- band, her 10 children, 27 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The children are: Alexander ; Louisa, wife of Charles Bowman, of Van Wert County; Elizabeth, wife of Wil- liam McMichael, of Van Wert County; Cath- erine, wife of T. C. Bowman, of Van Wert County ; Ellen, wife of G. W. Stetler, of Van Wert County; Jennie, wife of E. F. Hunter, of Van Wert County; William, a resident of Van Wert County, who married Anna Roys- ton; Samuel, who married Hulda Royston and resides at Lima; James, of this sketch ; and Ben- jamin, who married Myrtle Lewis and lives at Spencerville.
The family record reaches back to the days of the Revolutionary War, when our subjects' great-great-grandfather was a lieutenant under
General Washington. He was of Scotch birth as was also his son, Col. Robert E. Park, who was an early Governor of Connecticut. The grandfather of our subject was born in New Jersey in 1789 and moved to Ohio in 1831. His son, Samuel W., at one time owned the land on which now stands the Ohio State Peniten- tiary, at Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. On his mother's side, Samuel W. Park was first cousin to John R. McLean, the distinguished editor and publisher of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
James A. Park was reared on the farm of his father in Van Wert County until the age of 14 years, attending in the meantime the local schools and subsequently the Van Wert High School, earning his expenses by serving as a clerk in a dry goods store. With an idea of becoming a teacher, he then attended the Ohio Normal University at Ada, and there was under the instruction of his own cousin, Professor Park, a noted educator and a compiler of var- ious acceptable text-books. During the suc- ceeding three years, he followed the profession of teaching and, had his health not become im- paired, he might have reached the same dis- tinguished position in the educational field as that filled by his cousin.
Finding it necessary to adopt another line of activity, Mr. Park went into the hardware business at Ohio City, Van Wert County, and while residing there filled out the unexpired term of George Banter, as postmaster, a period of two years, under the first Cleveland adminis- tration. Mr. Park then engaged for a time in a livery business at Decatur, Indiana, removing then to Portland, Indiana. During his resi- dence there he was elected city clerk and sub- sequently county surveyor of Jay County. In 1895 he removed from Indiana to Spencerville. Here he has been interested in the oil business and in conducting a livery ever since. His livery establishment is conducted along modern, up-to-date lines, and his assortment of all kinds of vehicles is complete. His oil operations have been successful and from being a contractor he has gone into the producing business and has a string of tools.
While a man with many important business interests, Mr. Park has found time to be also
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a worthy, public-spirited citizen and a worker along lines looking to the best civic government. Since locating at Spencerville he has served two years as city treasurer and for two years was a member of the Board of Education, being a member of the board when the last addition to the public school building was authorized. Po- litically he is a Democrat. At present he is serving as a valued member of the City Council, in which body he is chairman of the finance committee. He has been elected three times to the Council and is now serving in his sixth year, the expiration of his last term being in January, 1907. He is credited with many lo- cal reforms by his fellow-citizens; but he as- sumes no honor on this account, it being his belief that it is the duty of the business man to assist in maintaining good government.
As an intelligent, wide-awake man, Mr. Park is interested in public affairs and is more or less of a politician. He has been chosen for a number of positions of honor and responsibil- ity by his party, and has represented it at many notable gatherings, serving as a delegate on many occasions. He was a delegate to the State convention that nominated James Kilbourne for Governor; was a delegate to the congres- sional convention, at Sidney, that nominated Robert Gordon for both his first and second term in Congress, and was also a delegate to the district senatorial convention that nominated Senator T. M. Berry, the present incumbent. He has filled the important position of chair- man of the Allen County Democratic Execu- tive Committee for the past two years. He is well known all over the county, and is in accord with its good citizens in matters of public mo- ment, irrespective of party.
On December 25, 1887, Mr. Park was mar- ried to Mary E. Eller, who was born March 19, 1870. in Van Wert County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Frederick and Nancy (Kilmer) Eller, natives of Richland County, Ohio, but of Pennsylvania descent. Mr. and Mrs. Park have one daughter, Hazel Marie, who was born February 24, 1895. She is a bright, attractive maiden of II years, a student in the Spencer- ville schools. The family residence is one of the most attractive in the city of Spencerville, and is located on Pearl street, a half block north
of the Christian Church. In his religious views Mr. Park is liberal-minded. Mrs. Park is an active and interested worker in the Christian Church, with which she united in 1893. She is a lady of many accomplishments and the- biographer may be forgiven for mentioning her artistic needlework. She has taken many premiums when she has consented to exhibit her specimens of lace-work.
Aside from his business, Mr. Park has al- ways taken an interest in horses, even in boy- hood having more control over them than his companions. He has owned many fine animals and can scarcely remember when he was not able to drive or to enjoy the exercise of a fine mount.
D C. DUNN, president of The Eagle Stave Company, Atlas Cooperage Company, Colonial Column Company and Dunn Cooperage Company, has been a resident of Lima but a few years, yet even in this short period he has iden- tified himself with the business and social in- terests of the city in a way to make his influence felt throughout the entire municipality. He was born September 27, 1874, in the village of Lee, Massachusetts, and is a son of George Dunn, a retired manufacturer, living at Miamis- burg, Ohio. George Dunn is a native of Scot- land, and there learned the trade of paper man- ufacture, becoming an expert in the business. Coming to this country he continued to work at the business for many years in different States.
This accounts for the fact that our subject has been a resident of almost every State east of the Mississippi River, and secured his edu- cation in various localities. Arriving at man's estate he engaged in the real estate business in Miamisburg for two years, and then embarked in the cooperage business. He engaged in the latter occupation at Minister, Auglaize County. Ohio, where he remained three years and then moved to Cridersville, where he continued in the same work for another two years. In 1902 he came to Lima and organized The Eagle Stave Company, which was incorporated in 1905 with a capital stock of $25,000. The
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officers of this company are: D. C. Dunn, president, and A. J. Dunn, secretary and treas- urer. They manufacture staves and hoops. Mr. Dunn is president of the Atlas Cooperage Company, of Lindsey, Ohio; president of the Dunn Cooperage Company of Gilberts, Ohio; secretary and treasurer of the Rough River Cooperage Company, of Livermore, Kentucky ; vice-president of the Lima Progressive Associa- tion and president of the Colonial Column Com- pany, of Lima, of which A. J. Dunn is vice- president and secretary and Henry Groby is general manager. He is also secretary of the Humane Horse Shoe Company, of Lima, and vice-president of the O. C. Robinson Company, of Creston, Ohio, and of the Mercer Cooperage & Lumber Company, of Fort Recovery, Ohio. Mr. Dunn has a business record worthy of emulation. Beginning life with a capital of $50 in cash, he has shown remarkable sagacity in his investments and has achieved his present success by honest industry and application, backed by sound common-sense.
In 1896 Mr. Dunn was married to Bessie Groby, daughter of Henry Groby, who is a lumber dealer of Miamisburg. They have one child, Marian. Mr. Dunn is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a man who stands high in the opinion of all who have the honor of his acquaintance. His portrait accompanies this sketch, being shown on a pre- ceding page.
ALENTINE HEIL, one of the leading contractors of Lima, where he has re- sided for some 15 years, was born in Germany, December 27, 1863. He was educated in his native land and there completed an apprenticeship to the stone- cutter's trade.
In 1882 Mr. Heil came to America in search of more favorable labor conditions. He located at Cincinnati where he continued to work at his trade until 1890, and then came to Lima. Here he worked at his trade by the day for a short time until he saw a good opening, and then entered into a contracting business for himself and has continued in the same line until the
present. He has built up an extensive and prof- itable business, and no man in the contracting line bears a better reputation for reliability and skill. For the past few years almost all the im- portant building contracts have been proffered him, and he has erected many of the most sub- stantial business blocks as well as handsome residences in the city. Among these may be mentioned the stone work on the Y. M. C. A. Building ; the Lima House; the Holland Block ; the Hotel Norval; St. Paul's Lutheran Church ; the Black Block; the Adgate Building; the Lima electric light plant; and the beautiful and well-proportioned residences of these citizens : Lufkins, Agerter, Selfridge, Curtin, Charles C. Miller, Henry Deisel and many others.
Mr. Heil was married in 1886 to Rosa Beyer, who is a native of Kentucky, and they have a family of six children. The family be- longs to the German Reformed Church, of which Mr. Heil has been a trustee for some years. Fraternally he is associated with the Eagles, the Red Men and the I. O. O. F., of Lima.
A BRAHAM ZURFLÜH,one of the ven- erable and valued citizens of Rich- land township, was born in Canton Bern, Switzerland, near the village of Souboz, September 3, 1833, and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Ne Wahly) Zur- flüh.
The parents were natives of Switzerland, where the mother died when our subject was but 12 days old. The family consisted of four children, viz : Mary Ann, born in 1825; Kath- erine, born in 1827; John, born in 1830, who still lives in Switzerland; and Abraham. The sisters accompained our subject and family to Ohio and both died here.
Abraham Zurflüh remained on the home farm until about 18 years of age, in the mean- time devoted himself as closely as possible to his books, with the result that he later became a successful teacher, and at present has three languages at command-French. English and German, the latter being the medium of com-
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munication at home. This is somewhat re- markable as the only training Mr. Zurflüh ever enjoyed was what he obtained in three winters in a French school. In the month following his marriage, he and his wife joined a party of some 80 members of the Mennonite Church, who had decided to seek homes and religious freedom in America. They left their home in Switzerland on March 8, 1852, for Havre, where they took passage on a sailing ship, one of the old-class vessels, 122 feet long, with few accommodations provided for the comfort of the voyagers. They arrived safely in New York on April 28th and reached Wayne County, Ohio, May 7, 1852. Mr. Zurflüh and wife re- mained there until the first of the following July, when they removed to Putnam County and, in want of other accommodations, lived in a church building until October 28, 1852.
In the meantime Mr. Zurfluh had been looking about for a suitable place to locate permanently and had secured his present farm of 80 acres at a public sale of school lands, at Lima. The country all about the new home was a dense wilderness, when on October 28, 1852, the little family moved into a little log- cabin before either windows or door had made it a very adequate shelter from the elements or from the wild animals, which were still plenti- ful. The little cabin of 18 by 22 feet, was, however, a home and we can well believe that happiness dwelt upon its broad hearthstone. He was obliged to borrow in order to make his first payment, on his first purchase, which com- prised 40 acres; but he had faith in what his industry and frugality could accomplish, and later results demonstrated that this self-confi- dence was justifiable. Not one foot of his land had yet been cleared and his nearest neighbor was beyond sight and hearing. Through his persevering industry he cleared the first body of land and subsequently added another tract of 40 acres. He has now one of the best culti- tivated farms in Richland township and one which is valued at a high price in comparison with adjacent properties.
This farm is situated in section 16, Rich- land township and is on the rural mail route, No. 2, from Bluffton, the carrier coming to his door over well-graded highways, where Mr.
Zurflüh can remember first wandered a blazed trail, which he helped to widen into a good road. There are a number of substantial buildings on this farm, including five dwellings and a huge barn, 38 by 86 feet in dimensions. The main products of Mr. Zurflüh's farm have been grain and stock.
On February 7, 1852, in his native land, Mr. Zurflüh was married to Mary Ann Ran- seiar, who was born in Canton Bern, Switzer- land, January 18, 1832, and was a daughter of Isaac and Mary (Bartschy) Ranseiar. Mrs. Zurflüh died on August 15, 1887. The child- ren of this union were nine in number, viz : Mary, Jacob, Anna, David, Elizabeth, Chris- tian, Katherine, Fannie and Sarah. Mary mar- ried Benjamin Basinger and they live near Pandora and have 12 children. Jacob, unmar- ried, remains at home and operates the farm. Anna, who is the wife of Herman Kindle, keeps house for her father. David lives at Lima. Elizabeth died aged 29 years and Christian died aged 25 years. Katherine is the wife of Ferdinand Loney, of Bluffton. Fannie mar- ried Alfred Hochstettler. She died of consum- tion. Her husband was accidently killed while out hunting quail. They are survived by a daughter -Ella. Sarah is the wife of Amos Luginbihl; and they reside with their five child- ren on the homestead.
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