USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 17
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S OLOMON D. SNIDER was born in Thorn township, Perry County, Ohio, April 30, 1842, and came to Allen County in the spring of 1865 when he bought 80 acres of land in section 25. Jackson township. took possession in April of that year, and has lived upon it ever since. His
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parents were Daniel and Mary (Greenawalt) Snider, and his grandfather was also named Daniel Snider.
The grandfather of our subject was born in Pennsylvania, whence he came to Ohio, en- tering land in Perry County, where he died March 3, 1866, at the age of 93 years, 7 months and a few days. He was a Whig, while his son and grandson (our subject) became Democrats. He took an active part in reform work and was a leader in the German Baptist or Dunkard Church, being one of the preachers of that body and holding services in his house and barn until they were able to build a house of worship.
Daniel Snider, the father of our subject, was born in Thorn township, Perry County, Ohio, June 28, 1808. During his younger days he engaged in teaching school, and afterwards bought a farm of 180 acres in Perry County, where he devoted his time to agriculture until his death November 3, 1861. He was a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church. He was married to Mary Greenawalt, who was born in Hock- ing County, Ohio, in 1811 and died in Perry County, March 6, 1895, at the age of 83 years, 3 months and 20 days. Her parents, Mathias and Mary (Coon) Greenawalt, came to this State from Maryland, and were of German descent. She was the mother of the following children, viz: Lucinda (Boyer), deceased; John Henry, who resides on the homestead in Perry County; Mary Katharine (Clum), de- ceased; Solomon D .; Sarah Elizabeth (An- spach), of Jackson township; and Eliza Ann (Humberger), deceased.
Solomon D. Snider was reared in his na- tive county where he was married August 31, 1863, to Katharine Zartman. She was a daughter of Henry and Mary (Swinehart) Zartman, of Perry County, and was born Feb- ruary 18, 1844. She died May 4, 1902, leaving two children, Mary Aretta, wife of R. C. Kling- ler ; and Clarence Franklin, both of Hardin County. Mr. Snider came here with his wife and one child and at once set about im- proving his new home. He erected buildings, planted an orchard and made many other improvements from which he is to-day reaping the benefits. He has been
an industrious, frugal man and in addition to caring for his farm ran a threshing machine for some time. He has been assessor three times and made a most efficient officer. He is a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church and served as dea- con and elder for many years.
RANCIS M. ROBERTS, an influential farmer of Allen County, owns a well- kept farm of 61 acres in sections 16 and 22, Bath township, where he has. resided for the past 18 years. He is a son of Warren and Mary (Rumbaugh) Rob- erts, and was born October 8, 1851, in Jackson township, Allen County, Ohio. Both parents were natives of this county, the father dying here in 1853. The mother reached her 70th. year and was living in Kansas at the time of her death. Their. family consisted of six children, namely : William S., who died in In- diana after serving almost five years in the- Civil War; George W., who died in the army at Nashville, Tennessee; Milo, a successful farmer of Bath township; Anna Jane, deceased; Francis M .; and Warren, deceased.
Francis M. Roberts has been engaged in farming all his life and has also worked at the. carpenter's trade considerably. He moved to- Kansas about 1877 and farmed there about two and a half years before entirely making up his. mind that Ohio was hard to beat as a farming State. He then returned to Allen County and. again took up agricultural work in Bath town- ship, where he has since resided. In 1887 he. purchased his present farm, where he raises. considerable grain each year, the greater part of which is consumed by the stock which he- fattens for market.
Mr. Roberts was married in 1872 to Emma Roush, who was born May 7, 1850, in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Henry and Susannah Roush, who came to this county when Mrs. Roberts was a child of about two years. Eleven children have been born to . Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, namely : Charles, born December 6, 1872, and residing in Lima, who served in the Spanish-American War ; Almenta, born August 8, 1874, who married Emmett
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Fisher, of Lima; Maggie Jane, born January 26, 1876, deceased February 1, 1903; Francis Ephraim, born January 16, 1878, who is now a resident of Oregon; Anna Jane, born Decem- ber 8, 1880; Bertha May, born November 21, 1882; Cora, born August 1, 1885; William Theodore, born March 19, 1888; Ruth L., born July 14, 1893; Oliver Ray, born October 22, 1890; and Gertrude, born July 19, 1895. The family home is one of the neatest and most commodious in the township, and bears evi- dence of the care and labor bestowed upon it by its owner. Mr. Roberts has been a lifelong Republican. For more than 30 years he was a zealous worker in the Methodist Episcopal and United Brethren churches, but during the past three years he has not been active in church work, although retaining all his old- time interest.
A LEXANDER SHENK, president of the National Bank of Delphos, was born in Prussia, July 19, 1842, and is a son of Martin and Christine (Kern) Shenk.
The parents of Mr. Shenk were also natives of Prussia. The father carried on a mercan- tile business in Prussia, and was a tailor by trade. He was the father of five sons, all of whom, when reaching the proper age, were subject to military duty if they remained under the home government. Mr. Shenk decided to avoid, if possible, the expense and what he felt was a great loss of time to his boys, in giving three years of their young lives to the army, and in October, 1853, he emigrated with his family to America.
The first stage of the long journey brought them to Paris, thence they traveled to Havre, where the party was obliged to wait a month before securing a passage. Finally accomoda- tions were secured on a vessel, and after a voy- age of 42 days they were safely landed in New York City in January, 1854. The destination of the family was the settlement at Ottville, Putnam County, Ohio, six miles from Delphos, where a number of their old friends, formerly from Prussia, had already established them- selves. The winter of 1853-54 was one of un-
usual severity, and Martin Shenk was com- pelled to locate temporarily at Williamsburg, New York, where the family remained for six months. In September, 1854, Mr. Shenk ar- rived with his family at Delphos and was so pleased with the prospects of the place that he decided to locate here permanently instead of at Ottville, as originally intended. He se- cured work as a tailor at Delphos with Frank Byres, with whom he continued for five years, and was later connected with the firm of Lye & Marble, also a tailoring firm, for the same length of time.
A few years after locating at Delphos, Mr. Shenk purchased a small farm of 10 acres which adjoined the corporation, and he lived on it until 1863. The death of his wife oc- curred in February, 1867, and his own in April, 1872.
Alexander Shenk began his education in Prussia and completed it at Delphos. He was only a boy of 12 years when he began to make his own way in the world, becoming a clerk in the drug-store of J. W. Hunt in Delphos, with whom he remained for seven years. During this time he learned the drug business very thoroughly, and in 1861, with his brother, the late Saffron Shenk, he opened a drug-store in the lower end of Delphos. After a partnership of two years, our subject bought his brother's interest and continued the business alone for the next three years, adding to his business by the purchase from Mr. Hunt, of the drug-store in which he had been an apprentice. After the completion of this business deal, he took John Walsh in as partner, and they conducted the two stores, in different parts of the city, for about a year, after which Mr. Shenk dis- posed of his interest to his former employer, Mr. Hunt. Within four months, however, he was again actively engaged in the drug busi- ness in partnership with Michael Britain, and two years later he bought Mr. Britain's inter- est and then admitted to partnership his old clerk, George F. Lang. The firm of Shenk & Lang continued until 1880, when the partners sold the business.
The Union Flouring Mills began business at Delphos, in 1873, and for five years the con- cern was conducted as a stock company; but
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business misfortunes came upon it, and in the fall of 1879 it was sold at sheriff's sale. Mr. Shenk bid in the property, acting as the agent of what was then the First National Bank, the main creditor of the old company. In the same year Mr. Shenk and another director of the bank were instructed to remodel the prop- erty and put it into operation, and as a result, on April 1, 1880, the mill was started. While acting as one of the committee to look after the mill, Mr. Shenk saw that under good manage- ment it might be converted into an excellent paying property, and after selling their drug business, the firm of Shenk & Lang purchased the mill property.
In 1882 the mills were entirely remodeled, and a full roller system was put in at a cost of $9,000. A second remodeling took place in 1892, when new and improved machinery was installed, and the mill made modern in every particular. The mills did business under the name of the "Eagle Flouring Mills" and be- came the most important in the county, having an output of 150 barrels of flour per day. The firm did an extensive business, becoming the largest wheat buyers in Allen and Van Wert counties. Their average annual shipment was over 200,000 bushels of wheat. The partner- ship continued until 1895, when Mr. Shenk sold his interest to Mr. Lang and the business is now conducted by the heirs of the latter, who died some years since.
In 1872 Mr. Shenk became a director in the First National Bank and he continued as such until the expiration of the bank's charter. In 1883 the National Bank of Delphos was organized as a successor to the First National, by the same capitalists and Mr. Shenk con- tinued on the directing board. Upon the death of President Theodore Wrocklage, in 1891, Mr. Shenk was elected as his successor, a posi- tion he still holds. Ever since coming to Del- phos, he has taken an interest in the city's various enterprises and he has given encourage- ment and assistance to every worthy cause. He has been vice-president of the Delphos Elec- tric Light & Power Company, and from its organization he has been president of the Del- phos Building & Loan Association.
Not only in business circles has Mr. Shenk
been prominent; in spite of the responsibilities of a personal nature resting upon him, he has found time to respond to the calls of his fellow- citizens and to serve most efficiently in a num- ber of township and county offices. For 12 years he was clerk of Marion township. For two years he served in the office of township trustee, and at the close of his term was elected township treasurer, an office he held continu- ously for 10 years, retiring from that office in 1892. In the latter year he was appointed by the Board of County Commissioners a member of the board of trustees of the Allen County Children's Home. He has been equally promi- nent as a member of a number of civic boards and charitable and benevolent institutions.
In 1863 Mr. Shenk was united in marriage with Elizabeth Wrocklage, who was a daugh- ter of the late Theodore Wrocklage, formerly president of the National Bank of Delphos, and one of the city's leading financiers and promi- nent men.
Mr. Shenk was reared in the Roman Cath- olic Church, and from boyhood has taken an active part in its various channels of religious work and social life. In 1878 when the build- ing of the present stately structure of the Church of St. John the Evangelist was com- menced, he was a member of the board of trus- tees and its treasurer, and he had charge of the finances and handled the contracts until com- pleted. Its cost under his careful management was $100,000, a sum he was mainly instrumen- tal in raising.
ALVIN OSBORN, one of the old- established business men of Lima, a dealer in granite and marble mon- uments, is also an honored survivor of the Civil War, having given three years of his young manhood to the service of his country. Mr. Osborn was born in Lords- town township, Trumbull County, Ohio, April 5, 1841, and is a son of William and Sarah (Jordan) Osborn.
The father of Mr. Osborn was born at Redstone, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and accompanied his parents in childhood to Stark County, Ohio, where he was reared and where
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he married. The mother of our subject was a native of Scotland. Both parents died in Trumbull County. For many years William Osborn was a prominent farmer and dairy- man of Trumbull County and was a leading citizen, interested in both political and educa- tional affairs. He was a stanch Abolitionist long before the Civil War settled the question of human slavery. He reared a family of five sons and six daughters, as follows: Henry M., who died in Coffey County, Kansas, where he was a prominent agriculturist; John, who is a retired farmer of North Jackson, Mahoning County, Ohio; Josiah S., who has been a book- keeper in rolling and wire mills at Cleveland, Ohio, for over 40 years; James L., a retired farmer of North Jackson, Ohio; Julia, deceased in 1873, who was the wife of Josiah Duncan, of Trumbull County; Mary, deceased in 1851, who was the wife of Milo Beard, of Mahoning County; Susan, who died in 1856; Sarah, who died in 1851; Jennie (Dalzell), who resides in Oklahoma; and Alice, deceased in 1890, who was the wife of W. J. Hull, of Allen County.
Calvin Osborn came first to Lima in 1860, a young teacher of 19 years. He continued to teach in this city until 1862, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Company C, 84th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. He was mustered into the army at Camp Chase, Columbus, and immediately afterward accompanied the command to Cum- berland City, Maryland, his mettle being tried first at New Creek, where the enemy was routed. Minor engagements followed as the Union forces pursued the Confederates through the mountains of West Virginia and Mary- land, and his regiment was also utilized to con- vey prisoners from one point to another. Dur- ing his three years of service, Mr. Osborn's record shows that he was never missing from the post of duty and at all times was a cheer- ful, brave and efficient soldier. He was must- ered out of the service at Camp Delaware.
Mr. Osborn returned then to Lima and taught school for some years, and then went into a milling business for some six years, after which he went on the road as traveling sales- man for J. D. Halter, of Lima, in the granite and monument line. Since closing out that
contract, he has been engaged in the same line for himself. He has resided in the same home, at No. 325 West Wayne street, since May 5, 1865.
On December 21, 1864, Mr. Osborn was married to Frances A. Barber, a daughter of the late John and Nancy (Ferguson) Barber, who was born in Pennsylvania and were early settlers in Bath township, Allen County, com- ing here in 1829. Mr. and Mrs. Osborn have two sons-Grant C. and Clifton A. The former is manager of the Cleveland-Berea Stone Company, for the Western States, with headquarters at Chicago, and the latter is as- sociated with F. E. Harman, of Lima. Mr. Osborn and his wife are members of the Dis- ciples' Church. Politically he is a Republican and has frequently served as a delegate to con- ventions. He is a member of Mart Armstrong Post, No. 202, G. A. R.
REDERIC ALTSTAETTER, one of the prominent farmers of Monroe township, whose 200 acres of well- improved land are situated in section 29, was born in this township, Jan- uary 26, 1838, and is a son of Jacob and Cath- erine (Bucher) Altstaetter.
The father of our subject was born in Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, February 21, 1811, and came to the United States in 1832. He spent a year in Maryland, where he fol- lowed his trade of cabinet-making at Fred- ericktown, and then removed to Dayton, Ohio, in 1833. In 1835 he came to Monroe town- ship, Allen County, where a long, busy and useful life was spent. He owned a very large body of land at one time, but prior to his death he gave his children all but 200 acres. He
learned to speak the English language intelli- gently, but the German tongue was the one usually heard in the home. He was a stanch supporter of the Democratic party but never cared for political office. He was a man of in- tegrity of character and was one of the leading Germans of his locality. It was through his efforts and generosity that the German Evan- gelical Church was founded in Monroe town-
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ship. At Dayton, Ohio, he was married to Catherine Bucher, who was born in Montgom- ery County, Ohio, October 26, 1816, and died in Monroe township, in December, 1903. On the paternal side her people came from Switzer- land and settled first in Pennsylvania.
Our subject is one of 13 children, namely : Elizabeth, deceased; Frederic; John, deceased; Susannah (Haas), of Lima; Sarah (Zulinger), of Lima; George L., of Monroe township, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work; Michael, of Lima; Mary (Rummel), of Mon- roe township; Louisa, Catherine and Bertha, deceased; Philip Jacob, living on the old home- stead, whose sketch is given elsewhere in this work; and Abigail, deceased.
In 1866 our subject was married to Eliza- beth Krouse and they resided on her father's farm in Putnam County for 12 years. Then Mr. Altstaetter bought his present well-im- proved farm, where he has carried on general farming and stock-raising ever since.
Mrs. Altstaetter was born in Richland County, Ohio, August 18, 1847, and was 20 years of age when she accompanied her parents to Putnam County. They were John and Mar- garet (Stein) Krouse, natives of Germany, but both of them had come as children to America. Mr. and Mrs. Altstaetter have three sons, viz .: John, a merchant at Cairo; Charles, who oper- ates the home farm; and George F., who farms in Monroe township. Mr. Altstaetter and wife are members of the German Reformed Church. Politically, he is a Democrat.
B. CRAIG, manager of The Crystal Ice & Coal Company, of Lima, Ohio, was born in Sidney, this State, and is a son of Samuel R. Craig, who for more than 35 years has been an engineer for the C., H. & D. Rail- way. Samuel R. Craig was born about 1847 in Butler County, Pennsylvania, but came to Lima with his parents when a lad of five years. The grandfather of our subject, Milton C. Craig, now deceased, was also well known in railroad circles, as he assisted in the building of the Pennsylvania road from Allegheny City
to Fort Wayne, Indiana, and held a responsible position with the company for 15 years. Later he was identified with the C., H. & D. road for 18 years, when he retired from active work. He served two terms on the board of directors of the Lima Water-Works and was a man well liked by everyone.
W. B. Craig has spent the greater part of his life in Lima where he was educated, being graduated from the Lima High School in the class of 1890. Securing work with the C., H. & D. Railway, he was employed first in their offices in Lima, and later went on the road, re- maining in their service about three years. The two years following were spent with the Solar Refining Company, and he then engaged in the ice business for one year. Being tendered the management of the Lima Ice & Coal Company, he served in that capacity two years and was then identified with the Pure Ice Company. This company built a plant in Lima and was afterward succeeded by The Crystal Ice & Coal Company, Mr. Craig remaining with the new management, and one year later being placed in charge of the business. He is a shrewd bus- iness man and well fitted for the place, having shown marked ability in looking after the in- terests of the company.
W. B. Craig was married in 1896 to Mary Thompson, daughter of Frederick Thompson, a retired railroad man of Lima. They have one child, Isabelle. Mr. Craig has but recently been elected to a seat in the City Council of Lima, and it is certain that the interests of the city will lose nothing by having so careful and con- scientious a gentleman to look after their ad- vancement.
ILLIAM NAPIER, one of the old pioneers of Shawnee township, after a long, busy and useful life, passed away on his large farm in section 14, on March 15, 1900.
Prior to his marriage William Napier had bought property at Pulaski, Pennsylvania, and was married in that State while his bride was temporarily residing there. She was Sarah Huff, born in Hubbard township, Trumbull County, Ohio, April 7, 1818, and a
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daughter of Adam and Anna (Hall) Huff, the former of whom was born in Vir- ginia and the latter, in New Jersey. The children born to William Napier and wife were: Adelia, who died aged two years; Amanda, who died aged six years; Charles, who died aged two years; Hanlon, who died at Toledo, in 1899, who had been a member of the 54th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., in the Civil War; Harriet B., wife of Silas Reed, of Shaw- nee township; Elizabeth Adelia, wife of Salem Reed, of Shawnee township; Hillary C., a prominent citizen of Lima and a member of the City Council, who married Emma Bird; Susan, who married Freeman Reed, of Lima; Sarah, who married William A. Smith; and Mary, who married John Striff.
On October 7, 1843, Mr. Napier started with his family from Trumbull County to make a home in Allen County, which was then almost a wilderness. The great wagon, with its house- hold goods and the family, lumbered along through the unbroken forests, not a road hav- ing yet been cut, crossed dangerous streams and had numerous adventures; but after a journey of two weeks Mr. Napier reached Shawnee township and settled first on a farm south of the one now occupied by his family. Later he moved to the farm in section 14 on which he lived for 46 years. He graded and constructed the road in front of his home, and in the year following the Civil War erected the present comfortable brick house in which Mrs. Napier still resides. Although he had not been reared to agricultural work, being a shoemaker and tanner, he cleared and put under cultiva- tion two farms, developing them from the for- est. At one time he owned 200 acres of land, but subsequently sold 80 acres to his son-in- law, Salem Reed.
For many years Mr. Napier was identified with the Republican party; but in later life, realizing the crime and curse of intemperance, he cast his influence in favor of the Prohibition party. He was a man of principle and always had the courage of his convictions. He was a worthy and valued member of the Disciples' Church at one time; but later united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. To all denomi- nations he was liberal as became a Christian
man, and he was a generous contributor to the erection of Darling Church, the first Methodist Episcopal edifice in his locality. Until infirmi- ties prevented, he was active in church and Sunday-school and no more thorough teacher of the Holy Scriptures could be found. He had studied them carefully, and was frequently called upon to make clear some obscure subject.
During the entire period of his active life Mr. Napier took an interest in developing the township, assisting in framing good laws and in forwarding movements for the building of churches and school-houses and the construc- tion of good roads. His venerable wife sur- vives him; and in spite of her burden of 88 years retains her active mental faculties and enjoys the visits of her neighbors and devoted children.
€ M. BOTKINS, a resident of Lima who for years was the leading livery- man of the city, was born in Shelby County, Ohio, in 1858. He was reared and educated in his native county, taking a course in the schools of Sid- ney, after which he began working by the month on a farm. He continued this work until about 1878 when he came to Lima and secured a position as fireman on the C., H. & D. Railway under Engineer John Black. Later he was promoted to the more responsible posi- tion of engineer and had charge of an engine for 14 years, after which he gave up railroad- ing and engaged in the livery business with his brother W. S. Botkins.
Botkins Brothers had the misfortune to be burned out after they had been conducting their business but two and a half years, and from that time until August, 1905, E. M. Botkins continued the business by himself. He did a large business and accumulated sufficient means to enable him to retire from active work at that time. He has since employed his time in look- ing after his various business interests.
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