USA > Ohio > Auglaize County > Wapakoneta > History of Auglaize County, Ohio : with the Indian history of Wapakoneta, and the first settlement of the county > Part 15
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James Phillips was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 16, 1811. He came to Ohio and located at St. Marys in 1844, where he has since lived with the exception of two years, he worked at silversmithing in Piqua, Ohio. He married Sarah E. Helm. Their family consisted of six chil- dren, two of whom are still living, viz., Josephine and Sarah.
Christopher Graber was born in Germany in 1793, came to America in 1829. He entered 120 acres of land and settled near New Bremen. His family consisted of wife and four children ; they were among the first settlers of that part of the township. Mr. Graber died in 1862.
Henry Henke was born in Hanover, Germany, September 26, 1812, where he resided until his twenty-seventh year, when he came to St. Marys township, this county, where he has since resided. In July, 1843, he married Lonisa Stroaffer. They have reared a family of nine children, all of whom are still living.
Hon. Samuel R. Mott was born in Knox County, Ohio, Janu- ary 26, 1818, and came to St. Marys in 1833, learned the mason trade, at which he worked until 1836, when he volunteered with a company to go to Texas, where he served until July, 1837. After his return he worked at his trade until 1840, when he entered upon the study of law with his brother, G. N. Mott, now of California. In 1842 opened a law office in St. Marys, was married the next year, and at the annual elec- tion was chosen prosecuting attorney. In 1846 he entered the mercantile business, and at the organization of this county in 1848, was elected to the Ohio Legislature from Allen, Au- glaize, and Mercer counties. In 1861 entered the army as captain of Company E, twentieth regiment, in the three months'
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service. Again he entered the thirty-first regiment as captain of Company C, but after one year was appointed colonel of the one hundred and eighteenth regiment, in which capacity he served until February, 1864, when on the advice of Surgeon W. H. Phillips, of Kenton, he resigned on account of failing health. He is still engaged in the profession of law.
Hon. Wm. Sawyer commenced work as a blacksmith's appren- tice in Dayton in 1816, when fifteen years of age. After learning the trade he worked at Dayton and Grand Rapids, Michigan, but in 1829 came to Miamisburg, O., and established himself in business. During his residence here he served five terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, and became Speaker of the House during 1835-6. In 1838 and '40 he was a candidate for Congress, but was defeated by Patrick G. Goode. In 1843 he moved to St. Marys, and the next year was elected to Congress and reelected in 1846. In 1850 he served as member of the Constitutional Convention, and in Oct. 1855, was elected to the House of Representatives from Auglaize County. The same year he was appointed Receiver of the Land Office for the Otter- tail District of Minnesota by President Pierce, and reappointed by President Buchanan, and served until the inauguration of President Lincoln. In 1869 he was appointed a Trustee of the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College by Governor Hayes. He also served as Mayor and Justice of the Peace in St. Marys during a long series of years.
Frederick Koop was born in Hanover, Ger., Jannary 14, 1801, and came to Cincinnati in 1831, where he lived nearly four years, when he came to St. Marys township and settled in sec- tion 33. He built a hotel on his farm on the St. Marys and New Bremen road, which he conducted eighteen years. The old building still stands, a landmark of the pioneer times. He reared a family of ten children, eight of whom are still living. Mr. K. is still in enjoyment of. good health, and has by industry acquired a good home, and merits in his age the good name his neighbors so willingly accord him.
Judge Edward M. Phelps was born in Woodbury, Litchfield County, Conn., Nov. 13, 1813. In 1833 he graduated at Kenyon College, and in 1836 moved to St. Marys, Ohio. In 1838 he was elected Treasurer of Mercer County, which office he re- tained until 1844. From 1855 to 1859 he was a member of the Ohio Senate from this district. In May, 1869, he became Judge of the Common Pleas Court, which position he retained until May, 1879. He has thus been one of the most influential citizens, as well as one of the earliest settlers of the county. He still resides at St. Marys, and is engaged in the practice of law.
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
GERMAN TOWNSHIP-NEW BREMEN.
The history of German township as now organized, and that of the village of New Bremen, are so closely interwoven that it is necessary to treat them together. We will here only refer to a few incidents by way of general introduction, as the first step towards settlement was the purchase of the village site.
The first record of township affairs is under date of March 5, 1838, and shows the following list of officers :-
Trustees .- Peter Opdyke, Jno. W. Roap, Hamilton Meyer, and J. B. Weslah.
Clerk .- H. H. Frazier.
The first election records show that on April 15, 1839, the following officers were elected :-
Trustees .- J. H. Running, David Catterlin, and Gustavus Darnold.
Constables .- Jno W. Drees, F. L. Langley.
Treasurer .- Wheatley Hatfield.
Clerk .- H. H. Frazier.
Overseers of Poor .- J. B. Fredericks, Parson Henderson. Fence Viewers .- Peter Opdyke, Wm. Benner, John Moherer.
Supervisors of Roads .- Antony Lears, J. H. Gosman, B. H. Borgmann, J. D. Allis, S. Catterlin, Jno. H. Neimeyer, J. L. Pohlmann, and Henry Dwinger. .
(Signed.) H. H. FRAZIER, Township Clerk.
This township originally belonged. to Shelby County, but at and for some time after the settlement it was a part of Mercer County. In April, 1851, the township of German then com- prising what is now German and Jackson townships was divided into a north and south election precinct, by Aet of General Assembly. In 1858 the township was divided by the erection of Jackson township, being the south side of German township as previously organized.
On April 7, 1879, at township election, 383 ballots were east, and the following officers elected :-
Trustees .- H. F. Kuenning, F. P. Jung, Wm. Barth.
Assessor .- F. A. Frevert.
Treasurer .- William Schulenberg.
Clerk .- G. H. Schmidt, Jr.
Constables .- Aug. Wehrman, and J. H. Schulenberg.
The township contains eighteen square miles; the soil is fertile and being rapidly drained and otherwise improved. The products are chiefly wheat, corn, and hogs.
With this general introductory we are prepared to approach
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the village of New Bremen, from which standpoint the review will be made.
In 1832 a company of Germans was organized in Cincinnati for the purpose of locating a town to be colonized by Germans. This company consisted of thirty-three members, prominent among whom were Philip Reis, Christian Carmann, F. Steiner, F. Neiter, and J. B. Mesloh. F. H. Schroeder and A. F. Winde- ler were appointed a prospecting committee to visit different parts of Ohio and Indiana and select a site for the colony. They examined the country north of Cincinnati and proceeded into Indiana, but finally returned to this State and selected the present site of New Bremen. They here purchased ten (10) acres of land from the government at one (1) dollar per acre, and secured the services of Robert Grant, the surveyor of Mercer County, to divide and plot the town. This site con- sisted of 102 lots, each 66 by 300 feet. Each member was entitled to one lot, and the remaining ones were offered at $25.00 each.
The selection was determined by lot in order to obviate any difficulty on account of supposed differences of value The town was named Bremen, and the plot recorded in Mercer County, June 11, 1833. Windeler then returned to Cincinnati to report, while Schroeder remained with the colony, as agent for the company. Immediately after the return of Windeler, six members of the association came on to Bremen. In the mean time Schroeder had made preparation for the accommodation of new arrivals by erecting a hut 12 by 14 feet in dimensions. The time occupied by these six in coming from Cincinnati was fourteen days. They all spent the remainder of their lives with the colony, the last survivors being Dickman and Mohrman, who died a few years since. Land was then pur- chased at $1.25 per acre, and the erection of a log hut required the assistance of all the settlers within a radius of six miles.
These huts were covered with boards, and left so open on the sides that the deer were said to have approached them, and attempted to eat straw from the improvised beds, through the openings between the logs. It is also related that on one occasion while Mohrman was hewing one end of a log, a fox approached and stole a chicken which had hopped on the other end of same log. Like in other new settlements, much diffi- culty was experienced in obtaining supplies, as these were only to be secured at a distance of twenty-three miles. Even in the matter of flour, the settlers were sometimes compelled to resort to the use of a home-made tin grater, such as is sometimes used for grating horseradish. In 1833 new imi- grants arrived and a building was erected at a cost of $40
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to supply the place of both church and school. These settlers were all Protestants, whose firstminister was Rev. L. H. Meyer. . During the summer of 1833 several families arrived from Bavaria, among whom were Maurer, Paul, and Brawn. Thus the settlement had grown until the arrival of C. Boesel, who found thirty-five families within a radius of five miles. There were but six hints within the limits of the town. So insigni- ficant was it that Mr. B. stopped to inquire of a wood chopper the distance to Bremen, and was told he was then in the town. The surroundings were so unpromising that he concluded he could not make a livelihood, and so went on to Ft. Wayne. After a period of nineteen months he returned and found very material improvement had been made, among which were sepa- rate buildings for school and church. Even at this time some of the farmers became discouraged by having their crops eaten by deer and other game. The community was still almost isolated, as it had little facility for communication. In support of this it may be related that a man named Graver walked to Piqua, a distance of twenty-three miles, and returned the same day, carrying a No. 7 plow the whole distance from Piqua.
In 1835 many of the settlers went to Indiana and worked upon the Wabash Canal, while the women took charge of the home farms. During this year the post-office was established, and the town name changed to New Bremen to distinguish it from another Bremen within the State. The only business at this time worth the name was a horse inill owned by Mr. Kuen- ning about one and a half miles north of town. Its trade com- manded a radius of many miles. The town was incorporated under the provisions of H. R. Bill No. 374, reported by Mr. Bell, entitled " A Bill to Incorporate the Town of Bremen in County of Mercer," and passed March 23, 1837. This bill de- scribes the site as follows: As much of German township as is embraced in south half of southeast quarter of section 10, township 7 S., R. 4 E., is hereby created a town corporate, and shall hereafter be known by the name of the town of Bremen. The following list exhibits the officers chosen at first election under the incorporation and held April 13, 1840 :-
Mayor .- G. Klefoth, eight votes.
Recorder .- C. Boesel, eight votes.
Council .- G. M. Epperson, F. F. Bosche, F. Maurer, eight votes each. W. H. Long seven votes.
Judges of Election .- C. Boesel, F. Wehrman.
The following appointments were made immediately there- after by the council :-
April 27, 1840 .- J. H. Knost, Treasurer.
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
April 29, 1840 .- H. Long, Marshall. F. Wehrman, Street . Commissioner.
The opening of work upon the Miami Canal in 1838 gave an impetus to trade, which was sustained afterward by the com- pletion of this work, which formed the first means of commerce.
In 1840 a warehouse and water mill were established, adding greatly to the improvement of business and enterprise. Thus the community flourished until 1849, when the cholera appeared, making such ravages that one hunded and fifty of the seven hundred settlers were swept away. Thus through prosperity and calamity we are carried step by step in constant view of a flourishing growth, until, in 1875, we find the whole of Ger- man township organized into one union school district. The following year the present Board of Education was elected. Its first act was the erection of a commodious brick building capa- ble of being arranged into eight departments. This was com- pleted, at a cost of $17,000, in 1877, since which time five departments have been occupied. It is well furnished with modern appliances, and reflects great credit upon the village. In connection with this building are two separate school-houses north and west of the town, being ungraded departments under control of same board and superintendent. The whole system affords the township admirable educational facilities.
In 1877 the L. E. & W. R. R. extended its line from St. Marys to Minster, passing through Bremen. In order to se- cure this road the citizens of Bremen and Minster contributed $40,000 and the right of way. More than half this amount was given by the former town. This road when completed will furnish a direct north and south outlet to east and west lines. In 1879 a telegraph line was constructed along the banks of the canal across the State from north to south, which promises in the present year to furnish better telegraphic facilities than have hitherto been enjoyed. We have thus taken a cursory re- view of the growth of the town; have found it rising out of the wilderness of 1833 to the flourishing village of to-day, located upon the L. E. & W. R. R. and the Miami & Erie Canal, with telegraph lines.
These facilities have so far contributed to the growth of commerce that the grain and pork trade have assumed numerous proportions. The pork packing establishments alone handle about ten thousand hogs annually.
With this review nothing remains except to cast a glance at the religious institutions, the industries, and the officials.
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
INDUSTRIES-FINANCIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND MANUFACTURING.
These are represented by one bank of exchange, two hotels, one railroad, one canal line, five drygoods, three hardware, three general merchandise, two merchant tailor, two millinery, three boot and shoe, two stove and tinware, one produce, and five grocery establishments, one livery stable, besides many harness and blacksmith shops, etc. It has one woollen factory, one flour mill, one brewery, five wagon and carriage factories, one linseed oil factory, one mineral water, one marble, one plow, and two cigar factories. It supports one weekly newspaper, "The Star of West Ohio."
OFFICIAL.
At the election, April 7, 1879, the following officers were elected, the whole number of votes being 211.
Mayor, William Grothaus. Clerk, William Barnes. Treas- urer, August Boesel. Marshall, Henry Schulenburg. Street Commissioner, Henry Roeper. Council, F. I. Steinburg, G. H. Knost, P. H. Geib, Edward Clark, C. Aue, W H. Sunderman.
The Board of Education elected in 1876 remains unchanged, and is as follows: Frederick Vogelsang, President; J. H. L. Nieter, Secretary; E. H. Lameyer, Treasurer; Wm. Barth, J. H. Bosche, John Garmhausen.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Hon. Charles Boesel was born in Bavaria, February, 1814, and came to Baltimore, June 24, 1833. From Baltimore he came by way of Pittsburg and Cincinnati to Bremen. During the ensuing five years he was engaged at boot and shoe making, until 1838, when he opened a store of general supplies, with which he was connected during the next thirty years. A few years since he entered the banking business, in which he is still engaged. He has at different periods held important elective and appointive offices. Starting as clerk of Bremen when the voting population did not exceed fifteen, he became commissioner of Mercer County in 1840, and served two terms. At about the same time was appointed postmaster, in which capacity he served nine years. From 1851 to 1854 was superin- tendent of Miami and Erie Canal. From 1861 to 1865 was representative of Auglaize County in General Assembly, and again was State Senator from 1867 to 1871. He is now a member of the State Board of Charities.
Wm. Wiemeyer was born March 1, 1815, in Kirchspielbelin, Osnabruck, Hanover, and came to the United States in 1834.
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
On arrival in this country proceeded directly to Clarke County, and settled near Springfield. In 1836 he came to Bremen and became a contractor on the canal then constructing through this county. He was thus engaged until the opening of navi- gation, when he procured a boat, which he operated until about 1845. At this time his brother Christopher entered into part- nership and assumed the position of captain of the boat. Our subject then gave his attention to the home business, consist- ing of an extensive trade in general merchandise and produce. While thus engaged he also conducted heavy operations as grain and hog dealer, which he continued until his brother's death, which occurred in 1849. At this period the boat was sold, but really remained in the service of Mr. Wiemeyer, whose trade was fully equal to the capacity of the boat. The present brick warehouse and a pork packing house in Bremen are monuments of his industry and enterprise, as he was the founder of both. He continued in connection with these enterprises until his death, which occurred April 19, 1858. He reared a family of eight children, five of whom are living, and named as follows : J. Fred W., W. F., Katie, Annie, and Sofa. Mrs. Wiemeyer still occupies the old home in New Bremen.
Dr. Wm. A. Havemann was born in Saxony in 1811, and came to St. Louis in 1837, where he remained about a year. He then started to Mexico, but only went as far as Indepen- dence, where the caravan failed, and he came back to Louis- ville, Ky. He remained here until 1840, when he came to Bremen, where he still resides. In 1841 he married Miss Mary Oberwitte, and has raised a family of six children, all of whom are still living.
J. H. Bosche was born in Hanover, April, 1831, and came to America in 1844. After spending two years in Cincinnati he came to Bremen in 1846, where he was engaged as clerk in a general produce store until 1852, when he went to Monte- zuma, Ohio, and engaged in the merchandise trade, but re- turned to Bremen after an absence of two years, where he has since been engaged in mercantile pursuits. Since 1856 he has been engaged in the pork and grain trade in connection with many other enterprises.
Hon. J. H. Mesloh was one of the earliest settlers of the Bremen community, and came from Hanover in 1830. His grandson, our subject, was born Nov. 17, 1841, one month after the death of his father. At the death of his mother, in his sixth year, he passed under the protection of his grandparents. At the age of sixteen he entered school at Springfield, Ohio, but on completion of his education returned to Bremen. In 1864 he entered the hardware business, in which he is still engaged.
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
He was married September 29, 1869, to Miss Minnie Boesel, of Bremen. After holding several local offices of trust he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1873, and re-elected in 1875. Has been one of the most enterprising citizens of Bremen, and has labored in interest of all improvements. His family consists of wife and five children.
Barnhart H. Mohrmann was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1795. He came to Cincinnati in 1831, and remained in that city about one year; he then moved to New Bremen. When he came to America his family consisted of his wife and one son, whose name is Harman Henry Mohrmann. His wife died in 1837, and in the same year he married Miss Elizabeth Schrader, who only lived abont one year. In 1840 Mr. Mohr- mann married Magdalene Paul, with whom he lived for a period of thirty years, when both died, Dec. 22, 1870. Mr. Mohrmann was an honest, upright citizen, and by his untiring industry and economy accumulated a considerable amount of property. Harman H. Mohrmann now lives in section 11, German township, on the farm formerly owned by his father. Itis wife was born in Germany, and came to America in 1853, their marriage occurring the same year. They have two chil- dren, a son and a daughter, aged respectively nineteen and sixteen. Mr. Mohrmann and his family have won the respect of the people in the town near which they have so long lived.
Albert Zehnkuhl was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1792 He came to Ohio in 1832, and settled in sec. 8, German town- ship. He moved to New Bremen in 1841, where he still re- sides. He kept hotel in New Bremen for about twenty-four years. At the time Mr. Zehnkuhl came to America his family consisted of his wife and five children, of which only two are now living. Mrs. Zehnkuhl died in January, 1879, and the same year Mr. Zehnkuhl married Minnie Ketler; two children are the result of this second union. Mr. Zelikuhl is eighty years old, and has a remarkably good memory ; he quotes dates quite readily of incidents that happened many years ago.
John F. Barth was born in Hanover, Ger., in 1800, and came to Baltimore, Md., in 1836, where he remained about four years, when he came to New Bremen and settled on sec. 6, German township. Here, with his wife and four children, he commenced the building of a home in the woods, and remained upon the old farm until 1865. He reared a family of ten children, six of whom are still living.
Wm. Barth, a son of the above, was born in 1840, in German township, and still occupies the old homestead of his father. His family consists of three children, one son and two daugh-
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ters. He has held many offices of trust in his township and enjoys the respect of the community.
Jolin C. Kuenzel was born at Marklenthen, Bavaria, Sep- tember 5, 1823, where he spent the first fifteen years of his life, attending school, and receiving therefrom a thorough knowl- edge of those branches of study necessary in the laying of a sure foundation, upon which to build a permanent structure in after-life. When not at school, was kept busily engaged in honest, useful labor, thus, in early youth becoming possessed of two predominent characteristics, which were plainly observ- ant by all with whom he came in contact throughout the whole of a successful business career, viz., an absorbing love of reading, often until far into the wee small hours of night, and an untiring, unwearied industry, which never fagged or fal- tered, until the summons came to "rest from his labors." He emigrated to America in 1838, landing with his father and family at New Orleans, from whence they came direct to New Bre- men, Auglaize Co., O. Here those sterling qualities of love of learning and labor, which he had acquired at home, proved of value in the wilderness. Learning the tanner's trade of his father, he engaged in the business with a will which never said go but come. Afterwards purchasing the business in 1847, commencing with a capital of only fifty dollars, John C. Kuens zel, by strict attention to business, honest integrity of charac- ter, square uprightness in dealing, was, when he sold the tannery to the present owner, Mr. August Boesel, in 1870, one of the wealthiest men in town, attained by unwavering integ- rity and untiring industry. Mr. Kuenzel was married in the same year he commenced business for himself to Miss Maria Wunderlich, by whom he had thirteen children, six of whom survive, and reproducing in themselves, thus far in life, the ex- ample of honest industry, which was ever before them in the person of their father, leading, guiding, and directing to suc- cess and affluence. He was ever closely allied with all inter- ests for public improvements in town, having for their real object the general good. He was for many years a member of the Board of Education of the town, and with a zeal which knew no abatement he, with a few others, so directed effort, and overcame obstacles as to succeed in paving the way for a liberal education to be given to every child in the township. At the time of his death, Sept. 1879, he was engaged in the manufacture of flour and woollen goods, in which business he is succeeded by his son. We close this short and very imperfect sketch of the life of John C. Kuenzel by remarking that the esteem in which he was held by his neighbors, his masterly activity, his predominant integrity, his love of education, and
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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO.
advancement, his willingness, zeal, in offering and lending a helping hand have endeared him to the people to such an ex- tent, that the memory of his virtues will be cherished until the last who knew him shall be summoned to pass over the river.
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