History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 134

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 134

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At Oceola, O., Feb. 28, 1867, Mr. Harter was married to Miss Margaretta A. Forrest, a lady of fine literary talents and the author of some popular poems. They had four children, namely : Frederick, who resides at Oceola, and married Kittie Stiner, they having three chil- dren; Marion, who married Albert Hauslaib and has two children; James W., an attorney and resident of Duluth, Minn., who married Nellie Walters, of Akron, O., and Bessie, who resides at Oceola. The mother of the above children died March 2, 1895. In 1897 Captain Harter was married to Mrs. Lena (Sharp) Doty, of Oceola. Mrs. Doty had one son, Harry, by her former marriage, and to her second marriage one son was born, Robert. Mrs. Harter lives in the family residence in Oceola. She is well known and has a wide circle of friends in this section of Crawford county, in which she has passed her life.

HERSCHEL V. FLICKINGER, deputy county surveyor of Crawford county, O., and formerly county surveyor, has been identified

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with the surveyor's office since 1895 and is rec- his usefulness has been so recognized that ognized as one of the most capable men in this line of work in North Central Ohio. He was born in Holmes township, Crawford county, O., July 11, 1860, coming from one of the old county families.

Samuel Flickinger, grandfather of Herschel V. Flickinger, was born in Bucks county, Pa., and was one of the early settlers in Stark county, O., from which section he came to Crawford county, probably about 1822. He secured 160 acres of government land situated in Holmes township, four miles from the pres- ent busy city of Bucyrus, a place of three houses at that time. He kept his land and im- proved it and died there when aged 72 years. He was a man of influence in the Democratic party and was a representative pioneer in the best sense of the word. He married Malinda Healy, who was born in Vermont, and she also died in Holmes township. Their 12 children all survived to maturity and all married with one exception. The only one yet living is Mrs. Horace Austin, of Ravenna, O.

Horace Flickinger, father of Herschel V., was born in 1833, in Holmes township, Craw- ford county, was reared on the homestead and inherited a part of it. Later he purchased a farm in Bucyrus township and there spent the rest of his life, his death taking place in 1898. In addition to farming he was also interested in lumbering for some 25 years and owned a saw mill. He was married in Holmes town- ship to Catherine Fralick, who was born there in 1843, and died in Bucyrus township in 1909. She was a daughter of Henry Fralick, formerly a farmer in Holmes township. To Horace and Catherine Flickinger the follow- ing children were born: Herschel V .; Della, who is the wife of F. Lincoln Harvey of Bucyrus, and has four children-Carrie, Har- rison, Cecil and Maude; Clement L., who is a farmer in Bucyrus township, unmarried; Alvin G., who is a clerk in the county auditor's office; and Carrie B., who is the wife of A. L. Shumaker.

Herschel V. Flickinger attended the country schools, later those of Bucyrus and afterward was a student in the North Western University at Ada, O. Well qualified for any line of busi- ness, circumstances led to his becoming iden- tified with official life in his native county and

more or less he has been connected with pub- lic affairs in the county ever since leaving col- lege. In his many years of official life he has been deputy county auditor and deputy treas- urer under Treasurer C. F. Shonert. In Nov- ember, 1895, he was elected county surveyor and served for six years, and served six years as deputy under Surveyor Bryant, and in Sep- tember, 1911, was appointed deputy under Surveyor L. P. Michelis. He has administered all these offices carefully and well, performing his duties with perfect accuracy and with sat- isfaction to the public. He is a zealous Demo- crat and has been appointed a delegate to county, state and congressional conventions. One of the charter members of the fraternal order of Eagles, he has always taken a deep interest in that organization and was its first vice president and belongs also to the Elks. He is unmarried.

JACOB J. SCHNEIDER, a general farmer and well known and respected citizen of Craw- ford county, O., who owns 100 acres of val- uable land, in partnership with his brother, Adam Schneider, situated in section II, Cran- berry township, was born two miles northwest of Leesville, O. His parents were John Jacob and Margaret (Loutenslater) Schneider.

John Jacob Schneider was born in one of the Rhine provinces, Germany, and was 18 years of age when he accompanied his parents, Michael and Elizabeth Schneider, to America, who settled with their three sons and one daughter, in Pennsylvania. Later they came to Leesville, O., and still later moved on a farm in Chatfield township, Crawford county, one mile northeast of Chatfield, and there they died and their burial was in the cemetery at- tached to the Reformed church. John Jacob Schneider followed farming during the greater part of his life. For two years after his mar- riage he lived at Leesville and then moved on the farm which is now owned by his sons, Jacob J. and Adam. Here his death occurred when he was aged 71 years and his burial was in the Chatfield cemetery. In politics he was a Democrat and was a man of influence in Cranberry township and served one term as road supervisor. He belonged to the. Re- formed church. His widow survives and lives

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in Chatfield township. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Schneider and all but two, Mary and an infant son, survive, namely : Margaret, Emma, Lewis, Hannah, Jacob J., Adam and William.

Jacob J. Schneider obtained his early knowl- edge of books in what is known as the Swiss school, in Chatfield township and was about five years old when his parents moved on the present home farm. In association with his brother Adam he has improved the place which includes the building of the substantial and comfortable farm house. Mr. Schneider was married to Miss Caroline Huber, who was born at New Washington, O., a daughter of Charles Huber. They are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Schneider and his brother are identified with the Democratic party but neither have ever sought political of- fice. They are practical farmers and quiet, industrious citizens.

WILLIAM C. SCOTT, a prosperous farmer and well known citizen of Dallas town- ship, Crawford county, O., resides on his well improved farm of 80 acres, devoting it to gen- eral agriculture. He was born in Harrison county, O., Jan. 5, 1854, and is a son of Andrew and Michel (Trickel) Scott.

The father of Mr. Scott was a native of Ohio and was a farmer all his active life. The mother was born in Maryland. They were mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their children, William C., was the youngest, the others being: Charlotte, wife of Samuel Lelly; Wesley; Matilda, wife of John Gwin- ner; Bishop; Nathan; Mary, wife of Miles Murphy ; and Jane, wife of Leonard Huffman.

William C. Scott has been interested con- tinuously in farming ever since his school days. He lost his father when he was only 15 years of age and more or less has looked out for himself since then, working for several years by the month with neighboring farmers before he went into business on his own account. After renting land for 20 years he purchased his present farm, from Dice Beers and im- mediately set about improving it. It required tiling and fencing and before Mr. Scott was satisfied he had also built a comfortable house and substantial barn. His land is in fine con- dition and satisfactorily productive. 50

In 1872 Mr. Scott was married to Miss Anna Kimble, who was born in Crawford county and is a daughter of Nicholas and Sarah (Billings) Kimble, well known residents of this section. Their children all survive with the exception of three sons, William, James and Nicholas. The others are: Mary, wife of Thomas Woodruth; Lillian, wife of James Cowells .; Joseph; Charlotte, wife of Andrew Claybaugh; Daniel; Amy, wife of William Wilson; Cora, wife of Duke Wells; and Anna, wife of William C. Scott. To Mr. and Mrs. Scott nine children have been born, namely : Elmer, who married Laura Albright; Charles, who married Laura Kearns; Phebe, who mar- ried Hanford Cline; Alfred, who married Eva Monnette; Gertrude, who married Jess Can- ode; Naomi, who married Clinton Shaw ; May, who married. George Purviss; Sanford, who married Anna Kiesling ; and Ray, who married Jessie Kiesling. Mr. Scott and family attend the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Republican as was his father. He has never been eager for political position but as a matter of duty has served as school director, being much interested in the public schools and in every movement that promises to advance the general welfare of the com- munity.

JOHN NICHOLAS REXROTH. 1800- 1867. John Nicholas (Johann Nicholaus) Rexroth was the first bearing that surname to locate in Crawford county, O. He arrived with his young family in 1833.

The name is a Latin-German derivation and means "The Red-King." Relatives in the fatherland adhere to a tradition that it dates back to one of the Othos, an emporer of Ger- many, from whom the family traces descent. Another version comes from a member of the family, who in his travels came upon the name, in a city of southern Europe, where it was re- corded, centuries ago, that the second syllable or part was rath meaning counselor, in Ger- man, and that the word meant "The King's Counselor." Unfortunately his record is not available and the name of the city is forgotten. Either meaning points to some close connec- tion with royalty.

The practice of giving a common prenomen or given name, as occurred in the family, and

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which was, Johann to the sons and Johanna to the daughter, suggests a custom of the last days of the Roman republic. Whatever the facts may be as to the remote ancestors, it is certain the immediate ancestors of the subject under review, were honest, industrious, relig- ious people, who intended to meet life's needs honorably and to the best of their ability.

John Nicholas Rexroth was born at Erbach, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, Nov. 6, 1800. He was the eldest child in a family of eight sons and two daughters born to John Conrad Rexroth and wife. The names of the sons, in the order of their ages, omitting the common given name, only as by repetition it becomes the real given name, were-Nicholas, Johan, Karl, Eberhard, Johanness, George, Ludwig and Conrad, and the daughters, Mary and Sophia. These names, with the common given name, were so blended in their use in the fam- ily as to constitute a new list. The mother of these children was a large woman of fine ad- ministrative ability and a thorough disciplinar- ian. System and order were the rule in her home, though ever pervaded by the spirit of kindness and the loving gentleness of the true mother. Of her thriftiness, American descend- ants were assured, when after her death and by her previous order, the oaken, iron-bound chests with their generous shipments of linen sheets, shirts, etc., arrived for her loved chil- dren in America. Of the above named chil- dren, Nicholas, Johanness, Mary and Sophia and descendants of Karl and Conrad emigrated to America. There were about forty grand- children, descendants of the original family and the posterity is now a large company. The American contingent is already widely distri- buted and high school, college and university graduates with their degrees are numerous among them, and the emblem of Phi Beta Kappa is also in evidence. They are engaged in a variety of honorable and useful pursuits, agricultural leading, and the so-called profes- sions, teaching, ministry, missionary, medicine, dentistry, have representatives from them who are making good.

Each of the children of the elder Rexroth received a common school education and all of them were indoctrinated in the tenets of the Lutheran faith and confirmed and received into that church at the usual age.

The father was a blacksmith and trained all but one of his sons in that trade; the son ex- empt had met with an injury to one of his hands. The smithy with its numerous forges, was no small affair; but an extensive establish- ment and the leading one of its kind in that locality and drew its patronage from a wide area. There, were manufactured agricultural implements and the iron parts of wagons and vehicles of all kinds. Those sturdy sons of vulcan drove a thriving business as they wrought at the flaming forge, and not one ever seemed to suspect that the world owed him a living, only as he returned an equivalent in use- ful labor. In addition to the home training, each son traveled as a journeyman workman through a prescribed territory, to learn best methods, as pertaining to his art. The "wanderbuch" (journal) is an interesting relic of this practice. It was in this way that one of them discovered the family name as refer- red to above. The youngest son, Conrad, trav- veled more extensively than the others, spend- ing considerable time in Switzerland. He be- came a highly skilled artisan and possessed the taste and genius of an artist. Later he be- came attached to the court of the Grand-duke George II, of Saxe Meiningen and had charge of all equipages, designing, drafting all designs and superintending the construction of all ducal coaches, carriages, etc., with their silk and satin brocade upholstering and of these, the fashions changed annually. Thus, the in- ventive faculty of the superintendent was not without exercise. The duke, who is living at the age of seventy-nine, possesses several palaces of great magnitude and has as a con- fidential secretary, a son of Conrad Rexroth, who among other duties, signs all orders on the government pay-roll. The only member of this branch of the family, in this country, is Mrs. S. Kranich, North Sandusky Avenue, Bucyrus, O. George, the sixth son of Con- rad, Sr., became quite wealthy, being rated near a millionaire before his death. The homestead is in his family; the house where all the children were born, built many years ago, is still used as a residence; he took care of his aged parents-the mother survived the father fifteen years and was an invalid for several years and received her daily outing in a wheel-chair, propelled by a grandson. From

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recent advices, a cousin, once removed, of our subject is a government surveyor in the Ger- man empire, resides at the imperial palace and eats at the same table with the emperor. A relative, Rev. George Rexroth, is at present pastor of the First German Methodist church, at Frankfort-on-the-Main.

The subject of this sketch was relieved from military duty as his help would be needed to raise the large family of younger sons, who would contribute to the service of the state, which each one did as he arrived at the proper age. He was a most dutiful and industrious son, whom the father affectionately called the "Bread Winner." His influence in the home and business was very salutary and in later years members of the family took pleasure in bearing witness to it, a common expression be- ing: "He was so pleasant to be with or work with." The young man's journal recites that he left home on his journeyman tour, Aug. 28, 1822, and bears stamps of many places visited and signatures of deputies or magistrates testi- fying to his fidelity. After serving the required time, he returned to help his father until early in 1830 when he departed for America, where the record states he arrived at Baltimore, Md., May 24th, 1830. There he made the acquaint- ance of and married Anna Maria Rittman on the ninth day of January, 1831. The wedding was solemnized in the "Old Otterbein Church" by the incumbent pastor. The wife was born Dec. 29, 1806, at Middle Mutchelbach, near Manheim, Baden. Her ancestors came from Denmark. The family had suffered hardships on account of the wars of Napoleon, two un- cles being in the Russian campaign, one of whom perished at the siege of Moscow. The father died when this daughter was an infant and the mother when she was sixteen years of age. When, after some years of indecision as to her life course, a family of neighbors and close friends decided to emigrate to Amer- ica, she concluded to go with them and at once converted her patrimony into money and joined the company. They embarked on a sail ship and were thirteen weeks on the ocean-all the passengers being sea-sick but herself, but af- ter arriving she was the longest in becoming acclimated. They arrived at Baltimore in 1829 where, later, she was married, as above stated. She was a very comely young woman, with an

almost perfect complexion which never lost its beautiful tint in spit of the hardships en- dured, to the close of her more than 86 years. She was fond of society, interested in business and public affairs, possessed strong practical sense, a fine sense of humor and readily made and retained friends.

Not being decided as to their future, perma- nent location, the young couple went to Gettys- burgh, Pa., on account of relatives, the Sch- mucker family, prominent in the college and the Luthern church at that place; but the tide of emigration had set strongly to the North- west Territory and they were carried with it and in company with others they endured the hardships of the journey until they reached Bucyrus, O., where they decided to locate. Here, in 1833, Mr. Rexroth erected a good frame house, still used as a residence, and a forge at the corner of what are South Wal- nut and Middletown streets, where he worked, industriously, at his trade and rapidly accu- mulated property, investing his earnings in land. He was an extremely hard-working and conscientious tradesman, all his activities be- ing marked by celerity and energy, and a de- sire to perform his work to the full satisfac- tion of his patrons. Like all pioneer trades- men, whose business required a fuel, that would yield an intense heat, he must needs burn his own charcoal. These occasions gave the wife an experience of adventure, not quite to her liking-in going into the deep forest to carry meals to her husband who must stay by the charcoal kiln until the product was finished she frequently met Indians sometimes return- ing from Bucyrus full of "Sandusky water," which always was a cause of fright; but as they were the friendly Wyandottes, she was never harmed. After about eight eight years of residence at Bucyrus, Mr. Rexroth removed with his family to New Winchester. The reason for this change is not known unless it was a desire to engage in brick-making and a large tract of suitable land to be had there induced him to make the venture. Possibly he had wearied of the hard, unremitting toil and thought the change would bring relief. The question of the future value of the loca- tion when all the settlements around were mere villages and their future conjectural and when Brokensword Avenue was laid out at Oceola

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to accommodate the future county buildings, did not seem to have influenced him to make the change. But brick-making, other than gold bricks, was a premature venture, pioneers having plenty of building material and little cash and after a few years the business was abandoned and he again took up the work of his trade and later, seeing Bucyrus advanc- ing, he returned hither in the spring of 1849 and moved into his own house, which had stood unoccupied. Here with the help of the older sons and apprentices, whom he had trained, he resumed business with the customary suc- cess. In 1856 the forge was moved farther on Middletown street and a new residence was built on the corner, which, at the present time, is spoken of as one of the best built houses in the city, with its substantial oak frame- work in contrast with the light-timbered build- ings of to-day.

But the oldest son having died and the younger sons desiring to engage in farming, the father sold the town property and bought land and in the spring of 1858 the family moved to the new purchase, south of the city, adjoining the corporation. From this location, the younger children continued to attend the town schools and the Ohio State Normal School which flourished for a few years, but was closed on account of the war. Some years later another change was deemed ad- vantageous-this was to the farm on the Ma- rion road, known as the Riley Pettit farm, a well-improved place with a commodious brick residence. Here, on the 17th of June, 1867, "life's labors ended" and the father passed into the better life, in the sixty-seventh year of his age.

and his children and friends ever held him in deepest regard amounting to reverence. He looked upon life as a sacred trust and upon himself as one who must give an account of his stewardship. To him, success was the meeting of moral obligations to his fellow men, rather than the amassing of wealth by personal shrewdness. The only true estimate of this man must be based upon his personality, rather than on his worldly achievements. To him the character whose activities approached most nearly the true standard of conduct, whether of a rich man or a poor man, marked the suc- cessful man, so in life much time and labor were spent in exhorting men to keep their con- sciences and their records clean and family and friends ever saw that he conscientiously practiced what he preached.

The influence of such a personality can never die and the sentiment of a descendant, uttered in a burst of enthusiasm: "Oh, how it wears," was full of meaning.

Though reared and confirmed in the Luth- eran church, he and his wife resolved to iden- tify themselves with religious people, wher- ever their lot might be cast, even if of an- other denomination; thus we find them mem- bers of the Evangelical Association and later German Methodists. They helped to found the first German Methodist church at Bucyrus and Mr. Rexroth was the confidential corre- spondent of the Reverend William Nast, the founder of German Methodism in the United States, and the organizer of the local church. He was ever the sympathetic friend and ad- viser of his pastors and they valued his spirit- tual help and support. One of the most promi- nent of them said, recently, "When I was pas- tor at Bucyrus, I always felt that Brother Rex- roth ought to be in the pulpit and I in the pew, such was the impression his spiritual insight and attainments made upon me." His ability along this line was greatly appreciated in pi- oneer days and brought into exercise by calls to the homes of sickness and death and on occasions of funerals when in the absence of a pastor, he was invited to address the people and speak the words of comfort.

Mr. Rexroth was a man with an ardent religious nature, very candid and confiding and financial reverses which came to him and de- spoiled him of much of his hard earned prop- erty are directly traceable to this fact, as his personal and business habits were cor- rect and almost ideal. He became surety for others and lost, though never in any sense re- duced to abject poverty as he always owned his own home; but as the reverses interfered with privileges for his family, which he had An incident occurring during the residence ord, though the main features only can be noted. fondly cherished, his regret was deep and sin- at New Winchester deserves a permanent rec- cere. His tender sympathy, kindness of speech and gentleness of manner disarmed prejudice

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A fellow-countryman had arrived and erected his primitive abode in the dense woods near the village. Mr. Rexroth had met him and they had a long conversation-this was the extent of their acquaintance. Several weeks thereafter Mr. Rexroth had a vision or a dream three times repeated in one night, representing the new arrival as being in great distress and needing his help and directing him to go to the relief. He arose at dawn intending to go to the home; but the wife thinking it was only a dream due to indigestion interposed objections which caused him to de- lay, but later the wife noting his distress ad- vised him to go and investigate which he did and upon arriving found the man unconscious from a fatal injury received that morning when he had gone out to fell timber and he died be- fore night. The remarkable feature was that when Mr. Rexroth was passing a night of dis- tress on account of this man and directed to go to his relief-the victim himself was well and resting peacefully in his bed.

The occurrence made a profound impres- sion, as the people saw that the revelation to Mr. Rexroth coming before the accident could have had none but a supernatural source and as showing the close connection between the spirit world and this.

After the death of the father the family home was transferred to Bucyrus and main- tained there until all the children were mar- ried, after which the mother chose to live with her youngest daughter with visits to her other children, this arrangement continuing for many years, till within several years of her death when she went to live with her son John and family, where on March 2, 1893, she passed into the spirit world in the eighty- seventh year of her age. She had survived her husband nearly twenty-six years. Her jov- ial disposition and less intense nature were, no doubt, conservators of the vital forces as death was due to congestion of the lungs and not to the infirmities of age. Her burial was in Oakwood cemetery, in the family lot be- side her husband. She was a devoted wife and mother, sharing to the full the privations and hardships of pioneer life, always inculcating respect and obedience to high ideals of living and ministering to the needs of others, to the best of her ability.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 134

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