USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part Two > Part 27
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The close confinement of the studio and contact with chemicals impaired the health of Mr. Krauss, and, disposing of his interests to
Mr. Ebersole, for some six months he enjoyed the relaxation of travel. He has very exten- sive property interests, and has dealt in both city and county real estate for a number of years. About this time Mr. Krauss erected what is one of the finest and best located busi- ness blocks in the city. It is a three-story and basement brick structure, 25 by 205 feet in di- mensions, at No. 234 North Main street, with offices and store rooms below, and flats above. Since retiring from his photographic enterprise Mr. Krauss has been handling, as a means of occupying his spare time, a very pop- ular surgical appliance known as the "Finger- Cushion Pad Truss," which has been the means of curing thousands of afflicted people. He feels that he is doing a good work by call- ing the attention of the public to such an ap- pliance. He is also largely interested in the various city utilities, being a stockholder in The Lima Telephone & Telegraph Company. For some years he has been a valued member of the City Council.
In 1867 Mr. Krauss was married to Cath- erine E. Workman, of Wooster, Ohio, who was a daughter of Rev. Morgan Workman. She died in 1885, the mother of one child who died in infancy. In 1889 Mr. Krauss was married (second) to Bertha Haines, who is a daughter of the venerable Jeremiah Haines, who was one of the pioneer agriculturalists of German township-he has now reached his 88th year and resides with Mr. Krauss. Mr. and Mrs. Krauss are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias.
DWIN CLYDE AKERMAN, auditor- elect of Allen County, Ohio, and one of the best known educators in this section of the State, was born June 2, 1864, on a farm located one mile and a half northeast of LaFayette, Allen County, Ohio. He is a son of William Henry and Mary Jane ( Ransbottom) Akerman.
The grandfather of Mr. Akerman, William Henry Akerman, was a native of Pennsylvania.
FREDERICK AGERTER
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He came from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Ohio, in 1833, settling first in Morgan County, but removing later to a farm near LaFayette, Allen County, where he lived to a good old age and reared a family of 13 children, giving three of his sons-Samuel, John and Henry ---- to the service of their country during the Civil War. He died October 9, 1878.
William Henry Akerman, Jr., father of our subject, was born in Jackson township, Allen County, Ohio, April 17, 1840, and almost all his brief life was spent in this locality, engaged in farming and teaching school. In 1862 he en- listed in the Union Army as a member of the 8Ist Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., and was the bugler of the regiment and subsequently was advanced to the rank of captain of his company. After nine months of faithful service, he was honorably discharged. His lamented death took place on October 25, 1868. In comment- ing upon his decease, a local paper gave expres- sion to the general feeling in these words: "A model young man and the idol of the neighbor- hood." On January 1, 1863, he married Mary Jane Ransbottom, and two children were born to them, viz: Edwin Clyde and Walter Clin- ton, the latter of whom died aged one year and IO months. The mother was born in Sugar Creek township, Allen County, Ohio, October 2, 1840, and is a daughter of Wesley B. and Emily (Wright) Ransbottom, natives of Vir- ginia. She still survives, being an esteemed resident of LaFayette.
Edwin Clyde Akerman was left fatherless at the age of four years. He was seven years old when he removed from the farm to LaFay- ette and he remained in that village until 23 years of age, attending school until his 17th year. He then began to teach and has contin- ued in this profession until the present time. In 1887 he became principal of the Bluffton High School and filled the position most satis- factorily. He remained in charge for four years and then resigned in order to complete his college course in the Ohio Normal Univer- sity, where he was graduated in 1892, with honors.
It was in 1892 that he received a High School life certificate and in the same year was
elected to the superintendency of the public schools of Elida, Ohio. In 1897 he returned to Bluffton to assume charge of the high school and he remained in that position until 1900, when he was elected superintendent of the schools of Bluffton. For these important pos- itions Mr. Akerman proved to be eminently qualified. Politically, Mr. Akerman has al- ways been identified with the Democratic party. He was elected to the office of county auditor in November, 1905, his election being not entirely a party favor but in large part a token of personal popularity.
He is one of the valued members of the Allen County Teachers' Association, the Northwestern Ohio Teachers' Association and the Ohio State Teachers' Association.
Mr. Akerman was married August 27, 1888, to Sarah Augusta Butterfoss, who was born in Hardin County, Ohio, and is a daugh- ter of C. W. and Millie (Roby) Butterfoss. They have two children-Audrey and Opal. The family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church and since 1895 Mr. Akerman has been secretary of the official board. On January I, 1901, he assumed the duties of Sunday-school superintendent. . In fraternal life he is a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Woodman.
REDERICK AGERTER. Among the former business men of Lima, who for years was prominently connected with the city's machine interests, was Frederick Agerter, whose portrait ac- companies this sketch. He was born in Switz- erland, March 3. 1833, and died in Lima, Sep- tember 15, 1883.
Frederick Agerter had not reached his ma- jority when he emigrated to America in search of better industrial conditions than he found in his native land. In 1858 he settled at San- dusky, Ohio, and worked at various points un- til the outbreak of the Civil War. He enjoyed the honorable distinction of being the first man to enlist from Wyandot County, joining Com- pany C, 15th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. After the close of his first term of service. he re-enlisted,
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in Company D, SIst Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. He remained in the service for 15 months, when he resigned his commission as Ist lieutenant, on account of ill health. Upon his return from the war, he was elected county clerk of Wyan- dot County, and, by a succeeding election, served in that office for a period of six years.
In 1869 Mr. Agerter came to Lima, and with four partners immediately engaged in the machine business, the firm being known as Carnes, Agerter & Company. They had exten- sive machine shops and greatly prospered, Mr. Agerter remaining secretary and treasurer of the firm for 14 years, or until the time of his death. As a business man he was energetic and capable, and noted for his thoroughly hon- est and upright methods. He began life with good educational advantages but no capital, and through energy and perseverance he ac- cumulated a fortune.
Mr. Agerter married Martha J. Brown, a daughter of James Brown, of Virginia, her father, being a son of Captain Oliver Brown, of the Revolutionary War. They had these chil- dren : Rosa J. (Hill), of Lima; Sally L. (Mrs. A. D. Cameron) ; Harriet C. (Mrs. E. E. Stoll), of Massachusetts ; Martha W. ( Mrs. H. M. Jenks), of England; Caroline J., who re- sides with her mother in the beautiful home at No. 890 West Market street, Lima, and Fred- . erick Brown, who died at the age of 28 years and left one child, Harry M.
In politics Mr. Agerter was a Democrat. Fraternally he was identified with the Masons and the Odd Fellows. He was a man of ster- ling character, one who commanded the respect of all who knew him. The family belong to the Presbyterian Church.
BOYD DOUGLASS, a popular grocer of Lima, was born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, in 1865, but has been a resident of this city since his seventh year. His father, John C. Douglass, is a resident of Forest, Hardin County, Ohio, where he operates a large flouring-mill. He has been engaged in the milling industry for more than 40 years, 19 of which were spent in running a mill in Lima, where he has many warm friends.
J. Boyd Douglass was educated in the pub- lic schools of Lima and entered his father's mill while a lad to master the trade. He was engaged in milling about 12 years, finally abandoning the occupation to accept the office of deputy clerk of the Probate Court of Allen County, a position he held for two years. He was also city clerk of Lima two years, after which he again embarked in commercial life. He opened a grocery store and meat market which was located on Spring street for about four years. Then he removed to his present commodious quarters at No. 407 West High street, where he conducts one of the cleanest and best stocked groceries in the city.
Mr. Douglass was married in 1897 to Emma Smith, daughter of S. A. Smith, a con- tractor of Lima. To this union one child, John S., was born. Mr. Douglass is a mem- ber of the Market Street Presbyterian Church. 1
E UGENE C. MACKENZIE, manager of the Fidelity Coal & Supply Com- pany, of Lima, was born in 1856 at Kalida, Putnam County, and is a son of Judge James Mackenzie, whose biography appears elsewhere in this volume. The family came to Allen County in 1858 and here our subject was educated and grew to manhood.
Young Mackenzie had not yet attained his majority when he was chosen deputy clerk of Allen County in 1876, and he was still holding that position in 1882 when he was elected to the office of county clerk. He was reelected in 1885. After serving two terms, he retired from political life and purchased a flouring- mill, which he operated until it was burned down in 1892. After the destruction of his mill, he was tendered a position with the Man- hattan Oil Company, and took charge of the shipping department of their refinery in Wood County, Ohio. He remained with them until the Fidelity Coal & Supply Company was or- ganized in 1900, when he returned to Lima to act as their manager, and has been retained in that capacity since.
Mr. Mackenzie was married in 1880 to Ella
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Gorton, daughter of one of the pioneer business men of Lima, W. B. Gorton. They have two children, Helen M. and James Gorton, the lat- ter of whom was graduated from the Lima schools and is now studying architecture, pre- paratory to entering a school of architecture this year. Mr. Mackenzie is a 32nd degree Mason with membership in all the Lima bodies ; he belongs to the Cincinnati Consistory.
H. MACKENZIE, a large brick manufacturer of Delphos, was born in Jackson township, Seneca County, Ohio, on the 7th of Sep- tember, 1848, and is a son of Rev. John T. Mackenzie.
When he was four years old the parents of Mr. Mackenzie moved to Allen County, and settled on a farm in Spencer township, where he attended the district schools. When 21 years old he started into business for, himself as a farmer, and until 15 years ago continued to be interested in agriculture. Since then he has op- èrated one of the largest brick yards in the vi- cinity of Delphos. The capacity of his yard is 20,000 brick in an eight-hour day or nearly 1,000,000 in the season-from April to Novem- ber. Fully two-thirds of the brick manufac- tured are shipped away. Mr. Mackenzie pur- chased this plant in 1900 from Bour Brothers and under his management it grew into a large industry. The plant is located right at the clay banks and every facility has been added to ensure the quality of brick and its economic handling.
Mr. Mackenzie has been a very useful and public spirited citizen. During several years, when he served on the City Council, he devoted his energies to securing many city improve- ments, including permanent sidewalks and a fine sewer system.
Mr. Mackenzie married Amelia Steiger, daughter of an old pioneer of Allen County, the late George Steiger, who died in April, 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Mackenzie have one daughter, Laura Ann, who is the wife of G. Searles, a funeral director at Delphos. Mr.
and Mrs. Searles have three children : Harold, Howard and Gladys.
Politically, Mr. Mackenzie has always been more or less active. He is one of the leading members of the United Brethen Church at Del- phos, has been its treasurer for many years and has been its representative to the general con- ference. With his wife, Mr. Mackenzie has visited many parts of the United States from coast to coast. Mrs. Mackenzie has made a most interesting collection of pictures and notes of these travels.
D. OWEN, of the firm of Palmer & Owen, carriage manufacturers, of Lima, was reared in Kenton, Hardin County, Ohio, in which place he was born in 1871. His father was James Owen, now deceased, who was a stone contractor and conducted an ex- tensive business at Kenton.
Mr. Owen was educated in his native vil- lage and then entered the employ of the Champion Fence Company of that place, remaining with that concern one and a half years. Having decided to learn the carriage manufacturing business, he secured work with Pool Brothers, engaged in that line, and two years later, accepted a posi- tion with the H. Keiser Buggy Company. Dur- ing the seven years he was in the service of this company he became proficient in his work, and the succeeding years were spent working at his trade in various towns of the State-Wash- ington Court House, Yellow Springs and De- fiance, each being the scene of his labors before he became identified with the Collins Buggy Company, of Akron, Ohio. During his resi- dence in Akron, Ohio, he spent two years at various night schools, studying mechanical drawing and designing, in which branches he became very proficient; also, for several months, he was a student of the International Correspondence Schools of Scranton, Pennsyl- vania. In 1899 he left the employ of the Col- lins Buggy Company to establish his - present business in Lima, becoming a partner of J. B. Palmer. The firm of Palmer & Owen has been
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an assured success from the first. They have experienced a constantly growing demand for their carriages and buggies. Mr. Owen, with J. B. Palmer and John W. Swan, owns and operates the Lima Motor Car Company, and his public spirit and enterprise have made him a valuable acquisition to the city.
Mr. Owen was married March 5, 1892, to Austa Lynch, a daughter of Alonzo Lynch, of Kenton, Ohio. Mr. Owen is an active worker in Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a member, and is also connected with the Masonic fraternity.
ILLIAM H. HOLMAN, a promi- nent farmer of section 34, Jack- son township, is a native of Allen County, having been born in Jack- son township on January 20, 1854. His parents were Daniel and Rebecca (Sny- der) Holman, the former a native of Ross County and the latter, of Perry County, this State.
Daniel Holman went from Ross County to Delaware County with his parents at an early day and lived there until 1845 when, with a brother and sister, he came to Allen County and took up a tract of timberland in Jackson township. He was a cripple for the greater part of his life, but was able to oversee the cultivation of his farm, upon which he died in his 66th year, a little less than one month after his wife had been laid to rest. Their family consisted of six children, namely : William H .; Sarah Elizabeth, who was twice married- first to a Mr. Hesser and after his death to a Mr. Austin, of Harrod; Edward; Alice, wife of Henderson Fackler, of LaFayette; John, of Harrod; and Amos, of Lima.
Mr. Holman was reared on his father's farm and received his education in the public schools. He has always been engaged in agri- culture and moved to his present farm about 16 years ago. Previously he had rented the land he tilled. He cleared the timber and un- derbrush from 55 of his 80 acres, and erected the buildings which are now on the place. His
wife was formerly Susan Fisher, who was born on this place, her parents being Michael and Elizabeth (Anspach) Fisher, who came here from Perry County and acquired a large amount of land. Mr. and Mrs. Holman have but two children, Lily and Arthur. They are members of the Lutheran Church, of which Mr. Holman has been trustee for nine years. He does not take a great deal of interest in pol- itics, but votes the Democratic ticket.
EN. O. H. HOLLISTER, assistant quartermaster general of the Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Ohio, and a valued citizen of Lima, now lives at his pleasant home at No. 557 West Spring street, retired from active business life, but with many memories of the strenuous years now past, during which he earned honorable distinction on the field of bat- tle, in public office and in commercial affairs. General Hollister was born at Warrensville, near, Cleveland, Ohio, January 30, 1837, and is a son of Samuel C. Hollister.
General Hollister comes of Revolutionary stock, his grandfather, Appleton Hollister, having served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. His father followed the peaceful pur- suits of agriculture in Crawford County, Penn- sylvania, but was also a man of loyal spirit and deeply concerned in public affairs. He was one of the early abolitionists and concerned in nearly all of their movements.
The subject of this sketch was reared and educated in Ohio, whither, the family removed at an early day. He remained on the home farm until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he enlisted, June 5, 1861, in Company I, 10th Reg., Pennsylvania Reserves, being mustered into the United States service at Pittsburg. His regiment reached Wash- ington City on the night after the first battle of Bull Run, and the command assisted in the building of Fort Pennsylvania, on Georgetown Heights. The young soldier faced the enemy first at a point called Dranes- ville, then to Mechanicsville, Virginia. and
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on the third occasion, at Gaines' Mill. Al- though this last battle was by no means the most serious of the war to the country at large, it was most memorable to our subject, as it was here that he was wounded so severely as to necessitate the amputation of his left arm, on August 9, 1862, at Washington. His hon- orable discharged followed on September 12th, when he returned to Pennsylvania where his people were then living.
In the course of time Mr. Hollister recup- erated from the injury which closed his mili- tary career, and received the appointment of deputy collector of internal revenue, which recognition of his worth was followed in Oc- tober, 1863, by his election as clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions in the Orphans' Court. He was reelected in 1866, and served in that position with the greatest efficiency for a period of six years. In 1870 he was ap- pointed county enumerator, and took the cen- sus that year at Meadville. In 1871 he was chosen clerk of the Board of County Com- missioners and directors of the poor, and for 20 years he continued to satisfactorily perform the duties of that position. During the admin- istration of President Harrison, he served for three years as postmaster at Meadville, Penn- sylvania. During all the years when he was under public observation, it is certainly to his credit that no breath of scandal ever touched his honorable name. In 1898 he came to Lima, and continued with the Buckeye Pipe Line Company for a year and a half, when he resigned, he was succeeded by his son.
In 1904 he was appointed assistant quarter- master general of the Grand Army of the Re- public, Department of Ohio, a body in which he has taken the deepest interest. He is also the adjutant of Mart Armstrong Post, No. 202, G. A. R., of Lima, and is very prominent in everything pertaining to the welfare of the order.
General Hollister was married April 21, 1864, to Mary E. Wilson, who is a daughter, of Maj. Robert Wilson, of the Pennsylvania National Guard, who also served as County Auditor of Crawford County, Pennsylvania. General and Mrs. Hollister have two children,
viz : Anna I., wife of Roland B. Thompson, a merchant of Meadville, Pennsylvania, and Charles W., who is with the Buckeye Pipe Line Company, at Lima. Since 1866 our esteemed subject has been a member, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and still takes an ac- tive interest in the work and aims of the fra- ternity.
ON S. BROWER, one of the well- known residents of German township, resides on his valuable farm of 100 acres, which is just three and a half miles west of the Court House in Lima, and just south of the Allentown road. Mr. Brower was born in Sugar Creek town- ship, Allen County, Ohio, November 22, 1854, and is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Stevens) Brower.
The great-grandfather of Mr. Brower came to America from Holland, settled in Pennsyl- vania and later moving to Virginia. There his son, John Brower, was born and spent his whole life. Joseph Brower, father, of Lon S., was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, and came to Allen County, when 16 years of age, settling in Sugar Creek township, where he lived all through his active life, casting every vote there until 1896, when he took up his home with our subject. He married Eliza- beth Stevens who was born at Pittsburg, Penn- sylvania, and was a daughter of John Stevens. who emigrated from Carmarthenshire, South Wales. They had three sons and one daughter viz : Rachel, who died aged nine years; John, who died aged six years; Abraham L., a col- lege graduate of Lebanon, Ohio, and later prin- cipal of the schools of Seattle, Washington, where he resides, who married Ella Steman, of Logan County, Ohio; and Lon S., of this. sketch.
Lon S. Brower was reared and educated in Sugar Creek township and has followed agricultural pursuits all his life. For eight years after his marriage he lived in Sugar Creek township, and then purchased his pres- ent farm from his brother-in-law, A. Young. It is one of the most valuable farms in the
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county ; while Mr. Brower carries on general farming, he makes a specialty of raising corn, as do many of his neighbors.
Mr. Brower was married December 18, 1879, to Martha Pfiefer, who is a daughter of Nicholas Pfiefer, one of the pioneers of Ger- man township. The ceremony took place in the home which they now occupy, Mrs. Brower at that time residing with her sister, Mrs. Young. Mr. and Mrs. Brower have two daughters-Blanche and Hazel. The former was born June 28, 1881, and was married to Jacob Bowers of Canton, Ohio, November 24, 1904. They were classmates at Lima Col- lege, where both graduated. They reside at Fostoria, Ohio, where Mr. Brower is principal of the schools. Hazel, the second daughter, was born August 1, .1885, and is an accom- plished young lady, a graduate of the Lima High School. Mr. Brower is a stanch mem- ber of the Republican party and is serving his township as a member of the School Board.
REDERICK PHILIP BEUTNER, one of Allen County's prominent farmers and good citizens, who re- sides on his well-improved farm of 169 acres, located in section 27, Mar- ion township, belongs to one of the pioneer families of this locality. He was born at Del- phos, Allen County, Ohio, April 7, 1862, and is a son of Frederick and Johanna (From- bach) Beutner.
Frederick Beutner was born in the same year that witnessed the birth of Queen Vic- toria, of England. His parents were honest, industrious Germans and he was born in Ger- many, February 25, 1819, and learned the trade of shoemaker when he was still a very young man. As a journeyman he traveler over a large part of Europe. After working for some years in that way, he decided to try his fortune in America. He landed from. a sailing vessel at New York, with but 50 cents in his pocket. From this small capital Mr. Beutner, by industry and frugality, built up a comfortable competency and now, in the even- ing of life, living as a beloved member of the families of his sons, as best pleases him, he is
able to command a capital of no mean size. From New York he went to Buffalo and thence in 1854 to Delphos, where he opened a shop; he also bought a farm of 120 acres in section 22, Marion township. He now owns 130 acres in Allen County and a tract of 80 acres in Van Wert County.
Frederick Beutner was united in marriage, in 1854, at Buffalo, New York, to Johanna Frombach, who was born in Germany, Septem- ber 4, 1827, died in Ohio, December 15, 1904, and was laid to rest December 18, 1904. They had four sons : Frederick, Carl, John Lud- wig and Frederick Philip. The two older children died in infancy. John Ludwig Beut- ner is a prominent farmer of Marion township, residing in section 23.
Frederick P. Beutner attended school at Delphos until he was 14 years old. He then became a cash boy in a grocery store and sub- sequently worked under his father for a year at the shoemaking trade. Later he engaged in a harness business and worked for five years with Longsworth at Delphos. An accident by which he suffered the loss of several of his fingers compelled him to abandon work at this trade and he then went to farming, his father giving him a fine property of more than 169 acres in section 27, Marion township. Our subject has reditched the farm, has built a num- ber of substantial buildings upon it and remod- eled others, each improvement adding to the value of the property. It was formerly known as the "Beutner Picnic Grounds."
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