USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 27
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In 1898 Mr. Bell was married to Lelia Kelly, daughter of Rev. John Kelly, a retired Presbyterian minister, of Chandlersville, Mus- kingum County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Bell have two children-Eleanor and Harold. They are members of the Market Street Presbyterian Church at Lima. Mr. Bell is a prominent mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias. He served as chief of police during the mayoralty of Dr. Samuel A. Baxter, who first organized and systematized the force.
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AMES W. GENSEL, assistant secre- tary of the South Side Building & Loan Association, of Lima, was reared and educated in Lafayette, Allen County. He was born in Jackson township in 1863, and is a son of John F. Gen- sel, who enlisted in Company I, 46th Reg. Ohio Vol. Inf., and died in a hospital in Chat- tanooga, Tennessee, in 1864.
James W. Gensel taught school in this county about three years prior to coming to Lima to accept the position of bookkeeper, in the Golley & Finley Iron Works. He remained with the company 10 years and left them only to take the office of county treasurer, to which
he had been elected in the fall of 1899. Two years later he was re-elected to the office and, at the expiration of his second term accepted his present position with the South Side Build- ing & Loan Association.
In 1888 Mr. Gensel was married to Mary Custer, who has borne him five children, viz. : Ferne Y., Harold F., Ralph C., Mildred L. and Richard W. Mrs. Gensel is a daughter of Jacob Custer, who formerly operated the stone quarries in Bath township, but is now living in retirement in Lima. He is one of the oldest residents of the county, having been born and reared here. Mr. Gensel is an active Democrat and was formerly a member of the Democratic County Central Committee. He is a member of Lima Lodge, No. 581, I. O. O. F., and served as secretary for two terms.
J ACOB DIENSTBERGER, one of the pioneers of the county, was born in Baden, Germany, July 4, 1831, and died in Allen County, August 15, 1904, in his 72d year.
The life of Jacob Dienstberger was one of long and continued usefulness. It be- gan in a humble home in Germany, in which he was trained to habits of thrift and industry, and closed in a comfortable home of his own making, surrounded by those who loved him best and honored him most. He was 18 years old when he left Germany for the United States and in Norwich, Connecticut, he completed his apprenticeship as a blacksmith, which trade he had commenced to learn in his native land. In September, 1851, he came to Delphos, Ohio, worked for a short time in an iron foundry and then embarked in the blacksmith business, associating himself with Israel Thornell. He was thus engaged from 1860 until he became a soldier of the Civil War, serving honorably throughout the entire period of hostilities. He returned to Delphos after the war and resumed a business life in which he continued to be ac- tive until 1890. For many years he was iden- tified with the coal and iron trade of Delphos and vicinity. The last years of his life were
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spent in retirement in the comfortable home ad- joining his place of business on East Second street, which he erected before the Civil War.
In his earlier years Mr. Dienstberger was a man of robust health and unusual strength. He continued to retain this robustness until May, 1897, when he suffered a stroke of par- alysis which caused him to be a partial invalid during the remainder of his life. While this was a calamity he was more fortunate than many a sufferer, because of the faithful and lov- ing care shown him by a most patient and de- voted wife, during the seven years of his in- validism. On Saturday, August 6, 1904, he suffered from a second stroke of paralysis. The amputation of several of his toes, previous to this, had much lowered his vital powers and nine days after the second paralytic stroke he passed away. Four weeks prior to his death, his only sister had died at Columbian Green, Connecticut, and his decease left, as only sur- vivor of his parents' family, a brother, Nicho- las, of Norwich, Connecticut, who also passed away December 12, 1905.
A man of excellent business sense, the de- ceased gained a goodly share of worldly goods, while his strict honesty in business dealings, neighborly kindness and anxiety for the wel- fare of his family, brought him esteem and re- spect from all with whom his life intermingled. His funeral which was largely attended took place on August 18, 1904. The G. A. R. at- tended in a body and many relatives and friends from out of the city, paid their final re- spects to the departed. The burial was in the West Side Cemetery, Delphos. His resting place is now marked by one of the finest granite monuments on the grounds. The parents of Mrs. Deinstberger and a brother also rest in this cemetery.
The widow of the late Jacob Dienstberger was born in Saxony, Germany, January 15, 1835, and is a daughter of Christopher and Magdaline (Grundmiller) Gessner. The parents emigrated to America in 1841, when the daughter was about five years old, and Mrs. Dienstberger is the only survivor of three children, viz. : Charles, who died aged 77 years, leaving two sons and two daughters living
at De Graff, Ohio; Caroline (Mrs. Dienstberg- er), and Adam, who died March 17, 1885, aged 45 years, leaving a widow, two sons and two daughters.
Like many other German emigrants Mr. Gessner came to the United States with the idea of securing a comfortable home for his wife and children, but he had little capital ex- cept a kit of tools, which he brought from his old home and in the use of which he was very skillful. The little family was made welcome in the log cabin of a neighbor, who had settled previously in Ohio, and Mr. Gessner soon erected a house on a tract between Sugar and Hawk Creeks. There the family lived until he secured a more desirable farm of 80 acres in Washington township, Van Wert County, which he subsequently cleared. He was well- known throughout the country, his faculty for mending clocks, watches and anything broken, bringing many visitors to his place.
Mrs. Dienstberger remembers when the family meals were eaten off a German chest, but later the father fashioned an excellent table, made creditable chairs by hand, and even guns, using for the latter iron parts which he had brought from Germany. His other tools, such as pitchforks, he made from crooked forks of trees found in the forest, and while the neigh- boring farmers were threshing their grain by driving their horses over it, he was using a flail thresher, with a long wooden handle and a piece of leather, fashioned by his own hands. Mrs. Dienstberger's mother was an adept at spinning flax and wool, coloring them and con- verting then into the plain, sensible garments of that day, while the father made the family shoes. Their evening lamp was a candle, with the exception of an old grease lamp brought from Germany. Cooking was all done at the open fire place, and there are those still living who declare that no present day food has the appetizing flavor of that cooked in the old Dutch oven. The educational opportunities of the time and place were restricted to the most elementary branches. Religious instruction, however, was not neglected, Rev. Donier, a Lutheran pastor, having charge of a number of scattered congregations, including that at
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CHARLES E. STADLER, M. D.
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Elida, where Mrs. Dienstberger learned her catachism and attended church.
On September 26, 1853, Caroline Gessner and Jacob Dienstberger were united in mar .- riage, and in 1903, their "Golden Wedding" was celebrated most enjoyably. All the child- ren, the grandchildren and two great-grand- children were present. No one present on that occasion will ever forget the touching remarks made by Mr. Dienstberger, in which he re- ferred to his boyhood days in Germany and to the family events of his long and happy mar- ried life of half a century.
The children of Jacob and Caroline Dienst- berger were: Charles, Amelia, Mary and Christopher.
Charles Dienstberger was born in 1854 and educated at Delphos. At the age of 16 years he learned the wagon and carriage making trade with his father, and now conducts an extensive business in his fine two-story brick shop, 24 by 66 feet in dimentions, which is fitted with mod- ern machinery for the repair and manufacture of everything in his line, being furnished also with a large stock of horseshoes, bolts and other blacksmith supplies. He also conducts a large coal yard, in 1875 being admitted to partnership in this industry by his father, who had established it. In 1878 he entered into a copartnership with Henry Kalt and thus con- tinued until 1901, when he purchased his part- ner's interest. He is one of the substantial and representative business men of Delphos. From 1885 until 1889 he was treasurer of the town. For six years he has been a member of the Board of Public Affairs, and carefully and capably managed his own business interests, as well as those of his widowed mother. He married Rosana Weideman and they have four children, viz. : Cedelia, who graduated from the Delphos High School, May 19, 1900, and is now a student at Lima College, in bookkeeping, stenography and typewriting, being also an ac- complished musician; William, Arnold and Carl.
Amelia Dienstberger, who married Tobias Foster of Spencerville, Ohio, has three child- ren, viz. : Laura, who married (first) Edward Dye and (second) Charles Iseman; Flora.
who married Hugo Hummel and has one daughter, Fern; and Wilbert Foster-all of Spencerville.
Mary Dienstberger married Henry Jet- tinghoff, the leading clothing merchant at Del- phos.
Christopher Dienstberger married Katie Flaspoehler and has seven children, viz .: Jacob, Nora, who lives with her grandmother, and Nicholas, Amelia, Myra, Effie and Har- mon.
Mrs. Dienstberger has lived to see the changes of 65 years in Allen county. She is a consistent and valued member of the Lutheran Church at Delphos and is much beloved for her many Christian virtues, her neighborly kind- ness and the love and service she has so cheer- fully given to her family, whether in health or sickness.
HARLES E. STADLER, M. D., a prominent and popular physician of West Cairo, whose portrait is shown on the opposite page, was born in Champaign County, Ohio, October 19, 1863. His parents are Louis and Dana ( Klickon) Stadler, both of whom are natives of Hanover, Germany. Coming to this country about 50 years ago, they here met and married, settling on the farm in Champaign County which is still their home. Their, five children are: Emma, who lives at home; George W., who travels for the J. I. Case Company and has visited almost every country in their behalf; Charles E .; William, who lives at home and manages the farm for his parents; and Lewis A., a farmer residing in the vicinity of the homestead.
Charles E. Stadler was reared on the home farm and was accorded the advantage of a good business education, having been a student in Nelson's Business College, at Springfield. Later, when he was about 23 years of age, he entered the Ohio Normal University at Ada, where he remained two years and then entered the Eclectic Medical Institute, Cincinnati, graduating from the latter, in the class of 1896. For a short time he was stationed at Harrison,
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but after a few months located in West Cairo, Allen County, and purchased the business and gcod will of Dr. Ewing. Here he has since been engaged in active practice. He is a careful, conscientious practitioner and is meeting with deserved success.
On May 20, 1896, Dr. Stadler was mar- ried to Oma Abbott, a native of Champaign County, Ohio, and a daughter of William J. and Emma (Compton) Abbott. Her father was a native of Shelby County, Ohio, and her mother, of Virginia. To the Doctor and his amiable wife, three children have been born, namely : William L .; Ralph; and Lois Mar- cella. Dr. Stadler is a Democrat, but takes little interest in politics. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and keeps in close touch with the Eclectic Medical associations, both State and national. He was made a Mason at Columbus Grove, joined the Knights of the Golden Eagle at West Cairo, and is a member of the lodge and encampment of the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows, at Lima.
L EONARD WALTHER, leading mer- chant tailor, and a prominent and in- fluential citizen of Lima, was born in Pennsylvania in 1866. About one year later his parents removed to Lima where he has since resided, with the ex- ception of a short period spent in Kansas. After completing his schooling, Mr. Walther learned the tailor's trade, and, before establishing him- self in business, went to Kansas, where he was employed as a cutter in a tailor's shop of Osage City, remaining there two years.
In 1888 Mr. Walther returned to Lima and opened a shop himself. He has conducted this business so successfully that he now enjoys the distinction of being the leading merchant tailor of the city, and has a large and well-pay- ing patronage. Mr. Walther was married in 1886 to Elizabeth Nicholas, whose father, the late James Nicholas, was for many years a prominent business man of Lima, being en- gaged in the sale of agricultural implements. Mr. and Mrs. Walther have two children, both
sons. The elder, George B., is taking a com- mercial course in the Lima Business College, while the younger, James Leonard, is a student in the Lima High School. Mr. Walther is a member of the German Reformed Church of Lima and is also prominent in fraternal circles, being identified with the Elks and Odd Fel- lows. He is deputy grant master of Ohio and grand master-elect of Ohio I. O. O. F. He is also a popular member of the German Musical Society of Lima.
B YRON S. FOGLE, one of Lima's lead- ing business men-a wholesale and retail dealer in pianos and organs, with commodious quarters at No. 227 North West street-has been a resident of this city since 1899. He was born in 1867 in Allen County, Ohio, and is a son of John S. Fogle.
The venerable father of Mr. Fogle resides with our subject at Lima. With four of his brothers, he was a loyal supporter of the gov- ernment during the Civil War, the brothers serving in the army and he in the provost mar- shal's office. In politics he was formerly an old-line Whig and is now a Republican.
Byron S. Fogle was educated at Lebanon, Ohio, and immediately upon completing his education became connected with the firm of R. C. Munger & Company, the largest whole- sale piano house of the Northwest, at St. Paul, Minnesota. He remained there until 1885 when he removed to Chicago, prior to the World's Fair, being connected with George P. Bent and the Newman Brothers, firms of Chi- cago and St. Louis. During the progress of the World's Fair he handled the "Crown" piano for George P. Bent and attended to the exhibits of this firm. Directly afterward he opened a wholesale and retail piano and organ store at St. Marys, Ohio, where he remained until 1899, when he established his business at Lima. He still has a branch store at the former place and one at Muncie, Indiana, and has 31 dealers in Ohio and Indiana to whom he sup- plies pianos and organs, thereby conducting a lucrative and extensive business In local
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local circles his instruments have met with re- markable sales, an illustration being that in the Deisel-Wemmer cigar factory alone he has patrons to the number of 124. Many of the public institutions also have secured their musi- cal instruments of Mr. Fogle, recognizing their superior quality and his honorable meth- ods of doing business.
In 1895 Mr. Fogle was married to Abbie L. Allison, who is a daughter of John D. Allison, of Titusville, Pennsylvania. For many years Mr. Allison was quartermaster at the Brook- lyn Navy Yard. Mr. and Mrs. Fogle have one daughter, Madeline Patrice. Mrs. Fogle is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church and Mr. Fogle is a liberal contributor to all the religious denominations of the city.
For many years he has been prominent in Masonry. He belongs to the Chapter and Commandery at Lima, the Council at Delphos, the Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Dayton, and the Consistory at Toledo, and has taken all the degrees up to and including the 32nd. He is district lecturer of the Blue Lodge of the Fourth District of Ohio, in which he is serving his fourth year, having 39 lodges within his jurisdiction, located in Allen, Auglaize, Van Wert, Putnam and Paulding counties. He be- longs also to the Odd Fellows, both subordi- nate and encampment lodges, and is one of the best known men in fraternal circles in this part of Ohio.
m RS. CATHERINE KESLER, one of the well-known and highly re- spected residents of German town- ship, resides on her highly im- proved farm of 210 acres, which is situated in section 17, one mile south of Elida, on the Elida and Allentown turnpike road. Mrs. Kesler was born March 6, 1839, in Ger- man township and is a daughter of Philip and Margaret (Meyers) Herring, who were early pioneers of Allen County.
Catherine Herring was reared and edu- cated in German township. On March 4, 1860, she was married to George Kesler, who was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, June 22, 1838, and was a son of Abraham Kesler. He was
two years old when his parents came to Allen County and settled on the farm in German. township, now owned by Samuel East. He was reared and educated in German township.
Immediately after marriage Mr. and Mrs. Kesler moved up on the farm then owned by Philip Herring, father of Mrs. Kesler, which was situated directly south of the present home of Mrs. Kesler, on the other side of the road. After living here some years the family moved to the present farm in section 17, and here Mr. Kesler built the large brick residence now occu- pied by Mrs. Kesler, which is one of the most imposing homes in Allen County. Mr. Kesler always took a great deal of honest pride in this. beautiful home, but he was not permitted to en- joy its comforts into extreme old age, his death occurring on May 14, 1901, when but 63 years old. He was laid to rest in Greenlawn Ceme- tery.
When the Civil War broke out Mr. Kesler felt that it was almost his bounden duty to fight for his country. Only the fact that he was but lately wedded and had taken heavy responsi- bilities upon himself, prevented at that time: but on September 23, 1864, he became a private in Company C, 179th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and served until his honorable discharge on June 17, 1865.
Mrs. Kesler has never had any children, but she has two sisters and one brother, these being : Eliza, who married Robert Patton, of Sidney, Ohio, and now resides at Indianapo- lis, Indiana; Anna M., who married John Run- dio, of Allen County, Ohio, now of Putnam County; and W. M., pastor of the Lutheran Church at Canton, Ohio. Mrs. Kesler is a member of the Lutheran Church at Elida and one of its liberal supporters.
E DWARD S. MOWEN, of the firm of Mowen Brothers, general building contractors of Lima, was born in this city October 11, 1857, and is a son of the late Jacob R. Mowen.
The name of Mowen has been known in Lima since 1841 in connection with the busi- ness of contracting, the father of our subject
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coming here in that year and for a long period continuing to be a leader in that line.
Edward S. Mowen was reared in this city and obtained his education here. Upon leav- ing school he learned the carpenter's trade with his father, and as he afterward mastered .that of bricklaying, he became a practical and thoroughly informed workman in all that per- tains to building. The Mowens have erected many of the largest, most substantial and at- .tractive structures in Lima, and among these :may be mentioned: The Lima Locomotive & Machine Works (three buildings) ; American Straw Works, the Moore Brother Company's wholesale grocery building, Lima College, Lima High School, Pine Street and Spring Street schools, Harper, Bell, Crouse and Com- mercial blocks, Donze (four blocks), Times Democrat, Applas and Manhattan buildings, Trinity Methodist Episcopal, German Re- formed, Presbyterian and First Evangelical Lutheran churches, and the edifice of the Dis- ciples' Church on Wayne and Kibby streets.
Mr. Mowen was married December 21, 1888, to Lizzie Cookes, of Columbus, Ohio. They have a pleasant home, while his business office is in the rear of the fire department build- ing.
Mr. Mowen has never been an active poli- tician. He belongs to Lima Lodge, No. 581, and Lima Encampment, No. 62, I. O. O. F .; Modern Woodmen of America, Eagles and Tribe of Ben Hur. He is one of Lima's repre- sentative citizens and successful business men.
0 L. MOWEN, member of the firm of Mowen Brothers, general building contractors of Lima, and the pioneer firm of Allen County in this line, was born November 5, 1859, in the city named and is a son of J. R.Mowen, a settler of 1841.
Mr. Mowen was reared and educated at Lima, receiving his literary training in its schools and his mechanical discipline with his father. Like his brother, the other member of
the firm, he almost grew up with tools in his hand, and during his whole business life has been engaged in the building line. The firm of which he is an important member has been a large factor in the building operations of the city, and has built many of the largest manu- facturing plants, business blocks, schools and churches of Lima. Some of the most import- ant of these are mentioned in the sketch of the senior member of the firm, Edward S. Mowen. The firm justly claims to be the pioneer in its line in the city.
Mr. Mowen was married May 1, 1889, to May Belle Biddinger, of this county, and they have two children : Hugh Lester and Herbert William. Mr. Mowen belongs to Lima Lodge, No. 581, and Lima Encampment, No. 62, I. O. O. F .; Modern Woodmen of America, Eagles and Tribe of Ben Hur.
A LMON E. SWINEHART, vice-presi- dent of the Bluffton Turned Goods Company, one of the leading manu- facturing industries of Bluffton, was born in Allen County, one mile south of Lafayette, July 20, 1861, and is a son of Charles and Mary E. (King) Swinehart.
Charles Swinehart was born near Somer- set, Perry County, Ohio, August 14, 1839, and now resides at Carey, Ohio, where he runs several pump stations for the Northern Ohio Railway.
He married Mary E. King, who was born near Van Wert, Ohio, January 8, 1844. Their children were: Almon E., Jacob E., of Rock- ford, O., Emma V., deceased in infancy, and Ella Josephine, who is the wife of P. E. Wal- born, of Chicago.
When our subject was two years old, his parents moved to Van Wert County. Almon E. remained on the home farm until he was 15 years old and then entered a stave and hoop factory at Middlepoint, Ohio, where he remain- ed until 19 years of age. He then went to Del- phos and worked on the Northern Ohio Rail- way for twelve years ; at first in the general of- fice of the auditor and then as station agent. In
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1893 he located at Bluffton and embarked in the sawmill business with his father-in-law, Ira M. Townsend, which continued until the development of the present business.
The Bluffton Turned Goods Company was first established in 1902, and is one of the lead- ing handle and hardwood manufacturing con- cerns of the country. It was incorporated in February, 1905. with Ira M. Townsend as president; Almon E. Swinehart as vice-presi- dent, and Carl Balmer as secretary and treas- urer. The company makes a specialty of manufacturing first-grade handles, farming tool handles, pike poles and logging tool han- dles, and turns out hardwood lumber both for domestic and export use, mostly second growth ash and oak. They cut their own timber and oversee the work personally. All are men of capital and responsibility.
Mr. Swinehart was maried June 22, 1887, to Vanch L. Townsend, who was born in Bluff- ton and is the daughter of Ira M. Townsend. They have three childen, viz. : Ira H., Harold C. and Ella Josephine. Mr. Swinehart and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church.
In political sentiment Mr. Swinehart is a Republican, although he is more of a business man than a politician. He served one term on the Town Council and has always done his part in promoting the welfare of his fellow-citizens and in developing the resources of Bluffton. He belongs to Bluffton Lodge, No. 371, I. O. O. F., Modern Woodmen of America and Tribe of Ben Hur.
J OSEPH TAPSCOTT, whose fine farm of 470 well tilled and finely improved acres is situated in Perry township, belongs to one of the worthy old pioneer families of this section. Mr. Tapscott was born in Perry township, Allen County, Ohio, December 11, 1850, and is the son of James and Maria (Rankins) Tapscott.
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