History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 114

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 114

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was born in Pennsylvania, in 1857 and was brought to Ohio when but seven months old. She has passed the larger part of her life in this city and is well known through her social connections and her womanly charities.

ISAAC KURTZ, who in addition to be- ing one of the heirs of the Kurtz estate in Whetstone township, Crawford county, O., consisting of 200 acres, owns a second farm containing 108 acres, in the same township. He was born Jan. 12, 1872, in Whetstone township and is a son of John George and Catherine (Gaibler) Kurtz.

John George Kurtz was born in Germany and was eleven years old when he was brought to Ohio from Pennsylvania, and continued to reside in Whetstone township until the time of his death. His burial was in the Sherer cemetery. He married Cath- erine Gaibler, who was also born in Ger- many and now makes her home with a daughter, Mrs. Simeon F. Sherer, in this township.

After his school days were over, Isaac Kurtz assumed farm duties on the home- stead and the larger part of his life has been spent on the old farm to which he came back after a period spent at Bucyrus, where he was in the employ of M. C. Coulter in the implement business and later in the harness business under the firm name of Kurtz & Haffner. On the homestead are two resi- dences and he occupies one and cultivates 140 acres of the land, while his brother, John J., occupies the other and manages the other part of the farm. They both are men of energy and enterprise and their under- takings are carried on with such good judg- ment that they are usually successful.

On May 18, 1899, Mr. Kurtz was married to Miss Laura Sherer, a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Hurr) Sherer, who were early settlers in Crawford county, both being now deceased. They were members of the Ger- man Methodist church. To the first mar- riage of Jacob Sherer the following children were born: Emanuel; Sarah, wife of J. J. Heverly; Emma, wife of Andrew Peters; John; and Laura, wife of Isaac Kurtz. To

his second marriage, with Sarah Beal, two children were born: Bertha, wife of I. M. Snyder; and Ruth, a high school student at Bucyrus.

To Mr. and Mrs. Kurtz two children have been born: Lloyd Sherer and Dorothy Eleanor. They attend the German Metho- dist church. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kurtz are members of the Grange at Bucyrus. In pol- itics he is a Democrat. Mr. Kurtz is a stock- holder in the Farmers & Citizens Bank of Bucyrus.

JOHN KERR, who now lives somewhat retired after a busy agricultural life of many years, owns and occupies one of the com- fortable homes and attractive residences that may be found in the city of Bucyrus, O., his being particularly marked on account of its tasteful arrangement of flower beds on the lawn and its great variety of choice shrubbery. Mr. Kerr was born in Dallas township, Crawford county, O., Sept. 6, 1845.

James Kerr, the grandfather, was born in Franklin county, Pa. He grew to man's es- tate there and was married to Betsey Ar- buckle. Late in the twenties they came to Ohio and settled in what was practically a wilderness, hoping to develop a farm and earn comfort for their old age. They lived beyond four score and ten and were per- mitted many years of comparative ease. They were among the early members of the Christian church in this section. They had the following children: Robert, John- son, who was a farmer in Wyandot county ; Alexander, who was a farmer in Allen county ; James, who was a farmer in Craw- ford county, all of whom left descendants; Jane and Martha, who were both married and lived into old age; and Louisa, who married Robert Urich and who lived and died in Knox county, O.

Robert Kerr was born in Mifflin county, Pa., in 1807 and was reared in Knox county, coming there when 6 years of age. From Knox county he came to Crawford county when 20 years of age and here entered eighty acres of government land in Dallas township. This eighty acres was but the

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nucleus around which he built up a large fortune in land, acquiring acre after acre until he owned 4,500 acres of Ohio soil. He began life in a primitive way, starting in a log cabin that had a puncheon floor, and in this humble dwelling a number of his children were born, among whom was his son, John, who still owns the original eighty. acres entered by his father. In the course of time Robert Kerr provided a more com- modious residence and resided in it up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1889. He was known far and wide for the success he reached in his agricultural opera- tions and his growing of stock and he be- came one of the largest sheep farmers in Crawford county, having an annual flock of 10,000 head for many years. His first wife died in 1857 at the age of forty-one years and twenty days. She was a devout Christian, a member of the Disciples church. Three sons and four daughters were born to this marriage, three of whom survive : John; Mrs. Sarah Harris, who lives on a farm in Wyandot county ; and Mary, who is the wife of Philip Linn, of Marion, O. His second marriage was with Mrs. Martha Williams, and they had one daugh- ter : Mrs. Adelaide Barr, who is a resident of Kansas City, Mo.

John Kerr grew up on his father's farm and had absolutely no educational advan- tages. Although this has been. no serious drawback to his success in life, Mr. Kerr has given each one of his own children a college education. While he was not permitted the study of books, he learned many lessons of value in the fields and forests of his father's large estate and many of these he after- ward practically applied. When he became a farmer on his own account he put aside many of the old, worn-out methods and theories of former days, and through his own experimenting reached conclusions which resulted in the adoption of many of the most modern methods of carrying on agricultural pursuits. He reached success in what he undertook and soon became rec- ognized as one of the most practical and enterprising farmers and stock men of the township. In 1892 he retired from the

farm to Bucyrus after erecting his hand- some brick residence at No. 215 South Spring Street, already mentioned. He has seen many changes take place in this part of Crawford county and is well posted on all the leading events.

On August 30, 1869, Mr. Kerr was mar- ried to Miss Alice Chambers, who was born and reared in Carey, Wyandot county, O. Her father, William Chambers, was born in West Virginia and was married in Wyan- dot county, O., to Keziah Carr. They were farming people in Wyandot county for some years when they moved to Sedgwick county, Kans., but later returned to Ohio. He died in Marion county in 1890 and his wife in Wyandot county, in 1900, aged re- spectively 81 and 86 years. To Mr. and Mrs. Kerr the following children were born: Eva, the wife of Daniel Locke, who resides at Everett, Wash., and has two sons-Gormley and Wayne; Maude, who is the widow of William Sholaker, and re- sides in Delaware; and Robert, a farmer in Richland county, O., who married Jessie Strawbridge and has three sons-John, Harrold and Donald. Mrs. Kerr is a mem- ber of the Christian Science church. Polit- ically Mr. Kerr is identified with the Re- publican party.

MILTON R. LEWIS,* who is engaged in an insurance and real estate business at Bucyrus, O., in partnership with Chas. F. Mathew, with offices in the Forum Build- ing, was one of the pioneers in the fire in- surance line here and has been identified with insurance during many years of a very active business life. He was born in Harri- son county, O., in 1847, and has been a resident of Bucyrus since 1849, being reared and educated here.

David Lewis, the grandfather, was of Welsh ancestry and was born in Maryland. He was a pioneer in Harrison county, O., but his last days were spent at Bucyrus, where he died when aged 83 years. He married Rachel Rogers and they had a large family born to them, the third in order of birth being James Lewis, who became the father of Milton R. Lewis. He was

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY

born in 1813, in Harrison county and was reared on the home farm near Cadiz. He married Rebecca Gregory, who was also of Maryland parentage. After the birth of several children they moved to Bucyrus, Crawford county, in which section he be- came a very prominent man. In 1856 he was elected to the State Senate, the first and only Republican elected from this Sen- atorial district. He had embraced the prin- ciples of the Republican party as they were in formation, having previously been a Whig. During the Civil War James Lewis was appointed United States district as- sessor and served for seven years in the office. For 65 years he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and during much of this period served in an official capacity. Of his twelve children ten grew to maturity and five yet survive.

Milton R. Lewis for 26 years was a trav- eling salesman for a Mansfield business house and at the close of his long connec- tion spent one year at Portland, Ore., and then returned to Bucyrus. He then went into the insurance business and has been very active in the local field. In 1909 he entered into partnership with Chas. F. Mathew, formerly county recorder. The firm handles a large amount of farm and city property and represents many stan- dard insurance companies. Mr. Lewis has one daughter, Lucille, a talented young woman who is a student in the Arts and Crafts School, at Cleveland, O. One son, James, died at the age of seventeen years. Mr. Lewis is a Knight Templar Mason, be- longing to the Commandery at Mansfield, O., and to Blue Lodge, Chapter and Coun- cil, at Bucyrus. He is identified also with the Knights of Pythias and the Elks. He is a highly respected citizen and is widely known. Politically Mr. Lewis is a Re- publican.

WILLIAM KNELL, who is one of Whetstone township's highly respected German-American citizens, has been a resi- dent of the United States since he was 22 years old but claims Germany as his birth- place. His parents, George and Christiana

(Shookman) Knell, lived and died in Ger- many as did his grandfathers, Andrew Knell and Peter Shookman.

William Knell was the only one of his family to come to America, his one sister remaining with the parents. For three months after reaching the United States he lived at Chambersburg, Pa., but found no opening in that section for a young man who had his hopes settled on securing farm- ing land on which he could establish himself permanently. From Chambersburg he walked to Mansfield, O., where he remained for two months more, earning his living by doing odd jobs and making friends wher- ever he stopped, and then started on foot for Crawford county. Here he found plenty of farm labor, starting first on the farm of Abraham Holmes and keeping steadily at work for the next four years. He then visited Nebraska and remained in the West for nine months and then came back to Crawford county, where he married. For three years he rented land and for two more worked for a railroad company and then bought his first tract, 30 acres in Jefferson township. Mr. Knell remained there for ten years, in the meanwhile preparing for further investment and in 1874 bought his present valuable farm of 100 acres from Jay Major, and has lived here ever since. This property is very valuable and under Mr. Knell's careful cultivation has been de- veloped into one of the best farms in this section of Crawford county.

In 1860, Mr. Knell was married to Miss Elizabeth Rettig, a daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Ketrost) Rettig. They were born in Germany and were early set- tlers in Crawford county, where they pros- pered. They had the following children: Catherine, Maria, Margaret, Elizabeth, Gertrude, Caroline, George, Leonard and Nicholas. Three sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Knell: Calvin, who lives in Jef- ferson township, who married Clara Gear- hart and has three children-Oleda, Paul and Carl; Harvey, who is a farmer in Whet- stone township, who married Edith Smith and has four children-Loran, Edwin, Myron and Mildred; and John, who married

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Wilemina Wharton and has two children- Roma and William. Mr. Knell and family are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Knell and his sons all belong to the Demo- cratic party and all are men of high stand- ing in Whetstone township, quiet, self-re- specting, law-abiding men, who profit through their industry, and are helpful and just to those with whom they are associated in the public affairs of the community.

CHRISTOPHER WALTHER, one of the highly respected citizens of Bucyrus, O., now living retired after an active business career that covered many years, is a native of Germany, born in Baden, June 16, 1833, and is a son of Christopher and Elizabeth (Doll) Walther.

Christopher Walther, Sr., was born in Baden, Germany, in 1802, a son of Chris- topher Walther, a weaver by trade, whose entire life was spent in Germany, although a part of his family came to America and settled in Ohio. Christopher was married in Germany to Elizabeth Doll, whose parents were small farmers and spent their lives in that land. Christopher Walther and wife continued to live in their native section until six children were born to them and then determined to seek a land where there were wider opportunities and made preparations to immigrate to the United States. Before they were ready to embark on the sailing ship, however, in 1846, two of the children had died and it was with wife and four children that Chris- topher Walther started on the long sea voy- age that then consumed thirty-six days. They reached the harbor of New York and then, by the old tedious ways of transporta- tion, finally made their slow journey to Sandusky, O., where relatives had already established themselves. They remained there for eight weeks and then came by wagon to Crawford county, where, in Lib- erty township, Mr. Walther bought a small farm. They lived to see many years of pros- perity, retiring to Bucyrus in the closing years of their lives. In Germany they had belonged to the Lutheran church but in their new home no organization of that

faith had yet been established and they united with the Methodist Episcopal church and were among its worthiest members. They had the following children beside the two that died in Germany: Christopher ; Magdalena, born October 14, 1836, who is the widow of August Kuntzman, and lives at Sandusky, O .; Philip Jacob, who was born October 17, 1838, and who lives on the old homestead in Liberty township and married Rosina Knappenberger; Carolina, born June 6, 1841, who is the wife of Chris- tian Bertsch, a shoe manufacturer at Grand Rapids, Mich. ; and Henry, born in America, December 12, 1849, who is a carriage builder by trade and lives at Sandusky, O. It is somewhat remarkable that no death has occurred among the children of Chris- topher and Elizabeth Doll since the family came to America.

Christopher Walther, eldest son of Chris- topher and Elizabeth Walther, remained on the home farm until he was sixteen years of age, when he learned the carpenter trade, serving an apprenticeship to the same for three years. In 1853 he came to Bucyrus and with the exception of the period from 1856 until 1861, which he spent in Iowa, he has been a continuous resident of this city. He has been a busy man, becoming a skilled mechanic in early manhood and later adopt- ing building as his chosen line of work and as a builder erected many of the important structures in this city and vicinity. Many of the handsome public school buildings now standing give testimony as to his taste and skill, including the Union School build- ing, while the large German Lutheran church edifice on Poplar Street, shows what he accomplished in that line of con- struction. For the past twelve years Mr. Walther has been more or less retired but there is probably no citizen of Bucyrus who more closely watches the city's material de- velopment and extension than he, having so long been closely connected with the same.

Mr. Walther was married at Bucyrus to Miss Margaret Schuler, who was born June 17, 1838, at Rome, N. Y., and died at her home in this city, April 5, 1900. This es-

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timable lady was a daughter of Frederick and Ava (Stoll) Schuler, natives of Ger- many, who emigrated to the United States and lived in New York until 1840, when they came to Bucyrus. They were mem- bers of the Lutheran church. The only sur- vivor or their family is Jacob Schuler, a re- tired business man of this city. Seven chil- dren were born to Mr. and Mrs. Walther, namely : two who died in infancy; Annetti, who is the widow of Paul Barraider, of Fort Wayne, Ind .; Frank A .; Fred E., who died at Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1911; Lena, who is the wife of Charles Flocken, of Bucyrus; and Lizzie, who is the wife of Philip Mar- quart, of Cleveland, O.

FOREST CASEY, junior member of the well established firm of Resch & Casey, plumbers, tinware manufacturers and deal- ers in hardware, at No. 123 East Ninth Street, Galion, O., was born at Galion, Jan. 9, 1869, and has spent his life in his native city. His parents were James and Hattie (Shumaker) Casey.

James Casey was born in Pennsylvania in 1842 and was brought to Galion in boy- hood by his parents, grew up on a farm and spent his life in Crawford county, his death occurring at Galion in June, 1909, having survived his wife since 1871. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of the five children born to his first marriage, James Casey has two sur- vivors, Forest and Susie, both of whom re- side at Galion. His second marriage was to his sister-in-law, Miss Clara Shumaker, who died in August, 1910, leaving three chil- dren: Earl, who is assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Galion; Floyd, who is a bookkeeper in a Cleveland business house; and Mary, who is the wife of John Wiggs, of Chicago, Ill., and has two chil- dren.

Forest Casey was educated in the public schools and afterward learned his present business. In 1892 he entered into partner- ship with the Resch brothers, William T. and Harry P., which continued until 1904, when the second Resch brother withdrew and the business has been successfully con-

tinued ever since by the present firm, Wil- liam T. Resch and Forest Casey. They carry a large line of hardware sundries in- cluding wire fencing, and manufacture tin- ware and attend to plumbing. The firm stands high in public regard, both partners having been known here from youth.

Mr. Casey was united in marriage with Miss Lydia Schloss, who was born at Galion in 1875, a daughter of Jacob Schloss, who died in this city some 15 years ago. The mother of Mrs. Casey is now in her eigh- tieth year and resides with her daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Schloss were both born in Germany and after coming to Galion were married and spent their lives here. Mr. and Mrs. Casey have one son, Kenneth De Forest, who was born February 6, 1903. They are members of the German Reformed church. In his political views Mr. Casey is a Republican, and fraternally he is identi- fied with the Elks and the Odd Fellows.

JOHN C. AUCK, whose fine farm of 121 acres is situated in Whetstone township, Crawford county, O., is a successful farmer and representative citizen of this section. He was born in Whetstone township, three- fourth miles west of his present farm, Nov. 29, 1868, and is a son of Michael and Caro- line (Ehmann) Auck.

Michael Auck was born in Lycoming county, Pa., and now is a retired farmer living at Bucyrus. His parents were John Christopher and Rachel (Wagner) Auck. He married Caroline Ehmann, who was born in Germany and is a daughter of Chris- topher and Frederica (Fritz) Ehmann. They are members of the German Re- formed church at Bucyrus. Six children were born to them, namely: Mary Jane, who is the wife of David S. Schieber; John C .; Lucy Ellen, who is the wife of J. E. Myers; William H .; Celia, who is the wife of Harry G. Hoover; and Samuel E.

John C. Auck obtained a common school education in Whetstone township and then assisted his father on the home farm until he was 23 years of age. On Dec. 24, 1891, Mr. Auck was married to Miss Orie Ellen Andrews, who is a daughter of Lemen and

ABSALOM M. VORE

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Lettie (Kiefer) Andrews, and a grand- daugter of Jacob and Ellen (Montgomery) Andrews and of Samuel and Catherine (Jones) Kiefer. Mrs. Auck was born on this farm March 3, 1872, and both parents were born in Crawford county. The mother died Feb. 4, 1901, but the father survives and lives retired at Bucyrus. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews attended the Church of Christ. They had the following children: Allen C., Mrs. Auck, George Franklin and Elsie Catherine, the two last named being de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Auck have two chil- dren: Lemen Paul, who was born June 25, 1893; and Ralph Michael, who was born Jan. 19, 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Auck are mem- bers of St. John's German Reformed church, in Whetstone township. In politics he is a Democrat and has frequently been elected to local offices, serving as township trustee from 1908 until 1912, one year as road supervisor and also as a member of the school board.

ABSALOM M. VORE, a retired farmer and highly respected resident of Bucyrus, O., was born in Center county, Pa., Dec. 22, 1840, coming of old Pennsylvania Dutch stock. He is a son of Jesse and Catherine (Musser) Vore.

In the days of the grandfather, who was Absalom Vore, the name was spelled Wohr but later was anglicized. The grandfather spent his life in Pennsylvania and was a farmer. After marriage he lived in Berks county, where he died and his widow subse- quently married a second time and reared a second family.

Jesse Vore, father of Absalom M., was born Aug. 15, 1805, in Berks county, Pa. Later in life he moved to Center county and for some years followed the tailoring trade at Millheim. All his children were born in Cen- ter county, where he later became a farmer, moving with his family to Ohio in 1859. He bought a farm of 100 acres, situated in Holmes township, Crawford county, and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring May 3, 1892. He married Catherine Musser, who was born in Center county. Her death occurred July 23, 1885. Jesse Vore and wife were members of the Reformed church and

were people whose Christianity was shown in their daily walk and conversation. They had eleven children, two of whom died young. Nine grew to maturity and of these, Julia, Harriet and John, all died unmarried in Penn- sylvania.

Absalom M. Vore, who was the sixth of the family in order of birth, is the oldest of the survivors. He was in early manhood when the family came to Ohio and proved of the greatest assistance to his father after moving on the large farm in Holmes township. He continued at home and finally succeeded to the homestead and there followed farming with a large amount of success until in September, 1908, when he retired from active labor, pur- chased a fine residence at No. 517 E. Rens- selaer street, Bucyrus, and has been a resident of this city ever since. Politically a Democrat he has always been interested in the success of his party and has frequently served in im- portant public offices. During his two terms as trustee of Holmes township, much desirable progress was made in its affairs, and he was a justice of the peace there for two years. For 22 years he was a director of the agricultural society and for six years a director of the Crawford County Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He is serving in his second term as one of the directors of the Crawford, County Infirmary.

On Dec. 27, 1866, Mr. Vore was married to Miss Louisa F. Kanable, who was born in Holmes township, April 4, 1844, a daughter of Enoch and Rebecca (Gordon) Kanable. Her parents were born in Bedford county, Pa.

Mr. and Mrs. Vore have one daughter, Clyde L., who was born Jan. I, 1868, in Holmes township. She married Curtis L. Dobbins, and they reside on his farm in Ma- rion county, O. They have two sons : Ray V. and Earl Keith. Mr. and Mrs. Vore are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a charter member of the Holmes Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and later identified himself with Bucyrus Grange, No. 705, of which he was master for four years, and in December, 1892, he received the seventh and highest degree in the Grange.

JACOB W. STIGER, a well known citi- zen of Bucyrus, O., who now lives retired

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and occupies his handsome residence at No. 883 South Poplar Street, has been a resident of Ohio since childhood, but his birth oc- curred at Williamsport, Pa., February 22, 1838. His parents were Abraham and Rosina (Clineman) Stiger.

The Stigers belonged to Wurtemberg, Germany, and there the grandparents lived into old age, their two sons, Abraham and Jacob Frederick, both coming to the United States. Prior to this Abraham served three years in the standing army and later for four years held a commission on the Ger- man emperor's staff. When honorably dis- charged he was married in the village of Myring, nine miles from his native city, to Rosina Clineman. She had one brother, John Clineman, who also came to the United States, where he engaged in hotel keeping and farming and died at Calumet, Cook county, Ill., leaving six sons.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 114

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1302

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302