History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 145

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 145

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Mr. and Mrs. Zaebst passed many happy years together on this old farm, carrying on its industries, rearing their children and offer- ing pleasant hospitality to many friends. Here Mr. Zaebst died in his 66th year and his burial was in the Lutheran Cemetery, he having been a member of that church. He was a quiet, home-loving man, careful about his business affairs and a good neighbor as well as kind husband and father. He believed in the prin- ciples of the Democratic party and voted with that organization. Mrs. Zaebst is a member of the German Lutheran church. She has witnessed many changes take place in this part of the country and can recall interesting events that have come under her own notice.

PETER BOEHM, furniture dealer and undertaker, a member of the well known firm of Poister & Boehm, at Galion, O., is one of this city's most respected citizens. He was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, in 1845, and is a son of George and Lizzie M. (Klinger) Boehm.

George Boehm was born in Germany and lost his own father when two years of age but was reared by a kind step-father, became a farmer and died in his native land in 1854, when aged 57 years. He married the daugh-

ter of a neighbor, Lizzie M. Klinger, who was born in 1800 and died in 1862. They were members of the State Lutheran church. Their family consisted of seven sons and one daugh- ter, and the daughter and three of the sons came to the United States. Of these, two sons survive, Peter and Henry, both being successful business men of Galion and fathers of families.

Peter Boehm grew to manhood in his na- tive province and then fulfilled the law of his country by serving three years as a soldier and then learned the cabinet making trade, working afterward as a journeyman. He then determined to come to the United States, Galion, O., being the point where he proposed to enter into business. He crossed the At- lantic Ocean in the ship Vera Cruz, and was landed at New York. Mr. Boehm secured passage to Galion on a coal train and gives some idea of its velocity when he tells in an amusing style, how he and other passengers could jump off the car as it passed cherry orchards, gather some fruit and then catch up with the train by a little speeding. It was fortunate that the fruit could be so obtained as there was little food to be secured and he paid as much as sixty-five cents for a loaf of bread.

After reaching Galion, Mr. Boehm worked as a journeyman cabinet maker for some years, for seven years was employed as a general carpenter, and for two years engaged as car- penter contractor. In 1882 he formed his present partnership with Henry Poister and the firm has been continued ever since and as a business house is stable and reliable in every way. In his political views he is a Democrat.

Mr. Boehm was married (first) at Galion, to Miss Elizabeth Muth, who was born in this city in 1853 and died in 1880, the mother of three children, namely: Anna, who is the wife of William Karg, residing at Shelby, O., and has one daughter, Laura; Katie, who is the wife of William Sickles, of Galion, and has four children-Lillian, Wallace, Magdaline and Elizabeth; and Hammond, who died at the age of twenty-five years. Mr. Boehm was married (second) in September, 1882, to Miss Felecedas Bohl, who was born Feb. 21, 1853, at Galion, a daughter of Henry and Felecedas Bohl. The parents of Mrs. Boehm were born

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and educated at Baden Baden, Germany, where they married when they reached mature age. They joined others, friends and kindred, who were emigrating to America. Among the arti- cles they brought with them was a comfortably filled hay wagon and this supplied them with a clean bed during the long voyage, and after landing at the port of New York they still found further use for it. Securing an ox-team they attached the same to the hay wagon and started on their slow way to Galion, O. It took some weeks to make the overland journey but it was comfortably accomplished, camps being made on the way as occasion or inclina- tion demanded. This quiet journey over the country gave them a better knowledge of its topography than was ever afterward afforded them, for Mr. Bohl soon bought a tract of wild land and for years afterward the clearing and cultivating of this land and the rearing of their children centered their lives in one place. On their old farm now is situated a part of the Galion Protestant Cemetery. Here Henry Bohl and wife died, she in March, 1889, aged 77 years, and he four years later, in his 8Ist year. They were among the founders of the German Lutheran church at Galion. Mr. and Mrs. Boehm have two children: Carl and Minnie. The former was born May 13, 1888, attended the public schools and later the Barnes Sanitary Science and Embalming School, at Chicago, Ill., securing his license from this institution. He resides at home. The daugh- ter, Minnie, is the wife of Harry Albright, who is pay roll clerk for the Erie Railroad at Galion. Mr. and Mrs. Boehm with their chil- dren, belong to the German Lutheran church.

J. F. SPONSELLER, who carries on mixed farming in sections II and 14, Cranberry township, Crawford county, O., where he owns I20 acres of valuable land, resides in the former section, his residence standing three- fourth miles west of the center of New Wash- ington, O. He was born in Seneca county, O., Oct. 21, 1865, and is a son of John and Eliza- beth (Kirgis) Sponseller.

John Sponseller and wife were born in Seneca county. He followed farming for some years but his death occurred at the early age of 33 and his burial was in the Lutheran cemetery in Chatfield township. His widow

survives and makes her home with her three children. She is a member of the Lutheran church.

J. F. Sponseller was 12 years old when he came to Crawford county and has remained here until the present and has always followed an agricultural life. He bought his farm from the heirs of old residents, a part being known as the R. Smith farm and the others as the Swope and Adam High farms. Under Mr. Sponseller's methods of cultivation all the land has been made very productive and he raises cattle, sheep and hogs and grows grain and hay.

Mr. Sponseller married Miss Emma Ott, who was born at New Washington, a daugh- ter of Gotfried and Caroline Ott and they have one son, Floyd R., who is attending col- lege at Columbus. In politics, Mrs. Sponseller is a Democrat. He is a leading citizen of his township, interested in all that concerns its welfare and for ten years has been a member of the village school board.

FRANCIS M. SCHRECK,* lumber manu- facturer and dealer, with sawmill located at Frederick, Knox county, O., is well known in the lumber industry all through this section of Ohio, having been interested in Knox, Crawford and Morrow counties for 22 years. He was born at Olentangy, O., Nov. 11, 1854, and is a son of David and Belinda (Sherer) Schreck.

David Schreck was born in 1829, in Penn- sylvania and came to Ohio with his parents, Andrew and Elizabeth Schreck. The family located first at Bucyrus and later purchased an unimproved tract of land in Whetstone township, Crawford county. Andrew Schreck and wife both died in Ohio. They were mem- bers of the Lutheran church. David Schreck assisted his father on the place in Whetstone township. He married Belinda Sherer, who was born in 1832, in Crawford county, O., a daughter of John and Sarah (Keiffer) Sherer. She died at the age of 58 years but Mr. Schreck lived into his 73d year. He was a farmer and also a veterinary surgeon. They were members of the Lutheran church. They had eleven children born to them, six sons and five daughters, and nine of these grew to maturity and married and eight yet survive.

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Francis M. Schreck started to work in a saw- mill after his school days were past and has been a lumber manufacturer since 1890, and prior to locating at Frederick, operated for a time at Mt. Gilead, in Morrow county, but for 27 years has maintained his home at Ga- lion, where he is a representative and respected citizen.

Mr. Schreck was married at Galion to Miss Anna Rorick, who was born at Winchester, O., Feb. 12, 1854, and they have had the follow- ing children: an infant that died unnamed; Lillian, who is the wife of Charles Kinson, a farmer in Morrow county; Leslie, a sawmill operator, who resides at Mt. Gilead and has a family of one son and two daughters; Rosa, who died when aged one year; Pearley, who died at the age of four years; Toney, who is the wife of Clifford Lacy, who is in the real estate business at Shelby, O., and has one daughter Bertha, who is the wife of Roy Sny- der, and has one daughter, and resides at Shelby; and Irvin, who operates his father's fine farm of 240 acres, situated in Morrow county, one of the best farms in Washington township. Mr. Schreck and family belong to the Martin Lutheran church and he and his sons vote with the Republican party.

PHILLIP W. COYER, whose finely im- proved farms of 116 acres and 81 acres of productive land lie in Vernon township, Craw- ford county, O., four and one-half miles north- east of Crestline, is a leading citizen of this section, prominent in agricultural, political and church circles. He was born in Crawford county in 1860, and is a son of Paul and Sarah (Beach) Coyer.

The parents of Mr. Coyer were also born in Crawford county, the father in 1838 and the mother in 1840. Farming was the occu- pation of Paul Coyer throughout life. His family consisted of five children; Phillip W., subject of this sketch; Henry, who lived on the home farm until his death, Feb. 17, 1910, married Maggie Mink; Frederick, who lives in Vernon township, married Lizzie Heckler ; Lavina, who lives at Crestline, married David Bloom; and Louisa, who is the wife of Henry Fisher, lives in Vernon township.

Philip W. Coyer attended the public schools and lived on the home farm assisting his father

until he was 22 years of age, after which, for one year, he worked by the month for other farmers, then married and came to the pres- ent farm which then contained 116 acres. He has since purchased a farm of 81 acres and now has two of the best farms in all this sec- tion of Crawford county. He is progressive and enterprising, has made many improve- ments including the erection of a fine residence and two substantial barns, and carries on all his undertakings with a large measure of suc- cess.

Mr. Coyer was married to Miss Caroline Fisher, a daughter of Louis and Barbara (Bauer) Fisher, and they have four children : Lizzie, who is the wife of Roy Heckler and lives at Crestline; Edna, who is the wife of Frank Bilsing, and lives two miles east of Ga- lion; and Mada and Esther who reside at home. Mrs. Coyer has the following brothers and sisters: John, Adam, Louis, Henry, Wil- liam, Catherine, Anna and Elizabeth and one half sister, Mrs. Margaret Snyder. Mr. Coyer and family are members of the Luthean church, of which he has long been a trustee and is a deacon in the same. In politics he is a Demo- crat and on numerous occasions has been elected to local offices and has served with effi- ciency as road supervisor and as township trustee.

JEFFERSON MARQUART, who is serv- ing in his second term as township trustee of Cranberry township, Crawford county, O., is one of the leading citizens of this section and a member of an old Ohio family. He was born in Cranberry township, Crawford county, Oct. 4, 1858, and is a son of Michael and Caroline W. (Longyear) Marquart.

Michael Marquart was born in Baden, Ger- many, April 27, 1817. His parents were Mi- chael and Margaret (Fechter) Marquart, and at the time of death was the only survivor of their five children. The older Michael Mar- quart and wife spent their entire lives in Ger- many. He was a farmer by occupation and during the financial panic of 1817 lost his property and afterward worked for wages as a farm hand. The younger Michael remained in his parents' home until 18 years of age, when he apprenticed himself to learn the brick and stone mason trade, and later, believing

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY

that he could better his financial condition in the United States, started for America accom- panied by a sister. They took passage on a steamer that conveyed them down the River Rhine to Havre-de-Grace, and there embarked on a sailing vessel and were safely landed in New York harbor Aug. 12, 1839, after a voy- age of 51 days.

When Michael Marquart reached New York he found his capital had dwindled down to about two dollars but he was fortunate in hav- ing made a friend of a fellow passenger who offered him a loan if he would accompany him on to Ohio. Accordingly young Michael and his sister proceeded on their way to Tus- carawas county, O., where he found work in the ore mines near New Philadelphia and with his first wage he honestly returned the sum he had borrowed from his new found friend. He soon secured work at his trade and found constant employment at one thing or another, providently saving his money, until, when he reached Crawford county he had enough cap- ital with which to buy 69 acres of land in Cranberry township. A log cabin had been erected by the first settler but little clearing had · been done, and that cabin served as his home until 1861, when he erected a substan- tial farm-house. In 1862 he bought 27 acres adjoining his first purchase and later added 18 additional acres and still later he bought other land : one farm of 77 acres and a second one of 80 acres, both in Cranberry township and one of 36 acres in Seneca county. He improved his land, gave it careful tillage and reaped abundant harvests. In 1844 he mar- ried Catherine Streile, who was born in Ger- many and they had five children, the only survivor being Caroline, wife of William Longyear. This wife died in 1854 and in 1855 he married Caroline W. Longyear, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and when 26 years of age accompanied her father, Michael Longyear, to America. Her father died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Marquart. Seven chil- dren were born to the second union, five of whom are living, namely: August, who is a farmer in Cranberry township; Jefferson, our subject; George, who lives on the old farm; Wilhelmina, wife of William Beckstine, of Cranberry township; and Emma, wife of Frank Leonhart, of Chatfield township. The mother

of these children passed away March 13, 1900, she being in her 72d year.

In politics Mr. Marquart was a Democrat. He was a member of the German Evangelical Lutheran church, in which he held office for many years, serving as trustee, deacon and elder.

Jefferson Marquart attended the district schools in Cranberry township and after his school days were over engaged in farming and after his first marriage located on his father's Seneca county land, where his wife, Maggie Reidel Marquart, died in 1884. She was born in Chatfield township, Crawford county, a daughter of Conrad Reidel. The only child born to that marriage is deceased. Mr. Marquart was married second, Jan. 2, 1887, to Miss Mary E. Shade, who was born in Seneca county, O., a daughter of William and Anna (Deisler) Shade, and they have one daughter, Rosa A. C., who is the wife of Wil- liam Long, who is a resident of Cranberry township, living on her father's farm of 80 acres, which lies northeast of town.

Mr. Marquart continued to live in Seneca county for four more months and then moved to Cranberry township settling in its northern part, and now resides on a tract of eleven and one-half acres, which is known as the Andrew Smith farm and lies within the corporate limits of New Washington. He erected the buildings here and has an attractive, modern residence at the end of East Mansfield street. He is a member of the Lutheran church and has served as a member of the church coun- cil. In politics he is a Democrat but has never accepted any office except that of school di- rector in Cranberry township, in which he served usefully and conscientiously for six years. He is a stockholder in the New Wash- ington Lumber and Manufacturing Company.

JACOB H. PETRI, a prominent clothing man and merchant tailor, at Galion, O., doing business at No. 133 East Main street, has been identified with commercial affairs here under his own name, for the past 37 years. He was born Sept. 15, 1846, at Holtshossen, Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, a son of John and Eliza- beth (Yeider) Petri.

The parents of Mr. Petri were natives also of Hesse Darmstadt and the father died there

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in 1855, at the age of 48 years, and the mother when aged 73 years. They were members of the Lutheran church. The father was a small farmer. Of their family of six children, four reached maturity but there are only two sur- vivors: Jacob H. and John, the latter still following farming in Germany.

Jacob H. Petri attended the German schools until he was 14 years of age and then became apprenticed to a tailor and continued working at that trade until 1866, when he took passage on the steamer America, for the United States. He was safely landed at Castle Garden, New York City, and from there came to Ohio, in the city of Cleveland finding employment at his trade. One year later he located at Hud- son, O., from there going to Akron, where he was employed as a cutter in tailoring es- tablishments. He then came to Galion and on March 1, 1875, started into business here on South Market street, for the first ten years confining himself to merchant tailoring and then adding ready made clothing, hats and caps, and also a general line of seasonable goods to his stock, in 1897 removing to his present excellent location. He is one of the solid, reliable and representative business men of Galion.

Mr. Petri was married at Akron, O., to Miss Margaretta Byrider, who was born at Akron, and died at Galion at the age of 55 years. Her parents, John and Elizabeth (Strovel) Byrider came from Bavaria, Germany, to the United States in 1832, settling first at Cleve- land and later moving to Akron, where both died in old age. To Mr. and Mrs. Petri the following children were born: Edward Wil- liam, a business man of Galion, who married Lillie Miller, a daughter of Herman F. Mil- ler, of Bucyrus, and has one son, Kenneth Miller, a bright boy of five years; Otto G., who is associated with his father and is an expert cutter, and who married Louisa Crow- ley of Galion and has one daughter, Elizabeth M .; Laura E., who resides with her father; Stella Anna, who is the wife of William F. Lauer, a resident of Memphis, Tenn., and has one. daughter, Florence G .; Florence, who re- sides at home; and Richard, who died when aged 16 months. Mrs. Petri and family be- long to the German Lutheran church. He and sons are all affiliated with the Democratic party,

in which he has been an important factor for a number of years. For four years Mr. Petri served on the city council, for six years was a trustee of the township and seven years served as county commissioner. He was one of the organizers of the Galion Building and Loan Association and is yet on its directing board.

REV. JOHN P. KUNNERT, pastor of St. Bernard's Roman Catholic church, at New Washington, O., was born Oct. 27, 1856, in the grand-duchy of Luxemburg, Germany, and is a son of Henry and Magdalena (Scheu- rens ) Kunnert.

Henry Kunnert lived and died in the prov- ince in which he was born, married and reared his children. Both he and wife were faithful Catholics and were good and worthy people. They lived into old age, the father dying in his 76th year and the mother still lives, being in her 85th year. Of their family of seven children, six yet survive although scattered in their homes, one son living in South America.

John P. Kunnert remembers well the old homestead in which he was born and which had been the birthplace of his father, grand- father and great-grandfather. He was of an unusually bright mind in youth and was af- forded excellent educational advantages, at- tending school in Belgium and in France and completing agricultural, commercial and philo- sophical courses, prior to coming to America to enter a theological seminary at Cleveland, O. After completing his studies there he was appointed pastor of the church at Harrisburg, Stark county, O., where he remained for two and one-half years; then for one and one-half years was assistant pastor at St. Peter's church at Cleveland, O., when he returned to Harris- burg and remained with the church there from 1890 until 1899. In September of that year he was appointed pastor of St. Bernard's church at New Washington and has continued here ever since.

The church over which Rev. Kunnert pre- sides has a very interesting history. In 1844 about twelve German Catholic families, living in and near New Washington, were detached from St. Stephen's congregation, in Seneca county, and formed into a separate mission,

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and Father Trawin Brunner was the first priest to visit this now congregation. For nearly two years mass was said in private houses. In 1846 a small frame edifice was erected for church purposes built on land bought May 21, 1846. In these early days the present site of New Washington was cov- ered with swamps and trees and the first priest who passed through here, Rev. F. N. Tchen- hens, in 1840, said mass and administered religious consolation in the house of a Mr. Wurst, which stood where the town has since been built. Mass was also said at different times in the house of John Oult. The twelve heads of families who composed the congre- gation at New Washington were: Peter Young, John Fortner, Joseph Wurst, Mathew Saehnhoff, John Oult, Timothy McCarthy, Casper Dellos, Nicholas Kiefer, Peter Mueller, Mathew Kramer, Peter Gonlong and Benedict Uhl. They bought a lot from Mr. Meier, for the sum of thirteen dollars and in 1842 hewed the timber for the first St. Bernard church and the first church was built in 1843 by B. Pratt, he receiving one hundred dollars for framing it. In the next year it was roofed and by 1845 the little church was completed and stood as a record of Catholic zeal.

In 1844 the Right Reverend Bishop Purcell paid his first episcopal visit and in 1850, the Right Reverend Bishop Rappe visited the place for the first time. The congregation had made preparations to give their bishop a formal wel- come but he had anticipated them and was at the church before they started to meet him. During his visit he baptized Margaret, daugh- ter of Peter Young, who at present is a Sister in the Sacred Heart of Mary Convent, at Cleve- land, O. Almost immediately plans were made for the establishing of a school in connection with the church, for this congregation has al- ways been an intelligent one and school ses- sions were held in the church building until 1852. Among the priests who visited and re- mained with the congregation for a time were the following clergy. Rev. F. S. Brunner came May 27, 1844, and remained until June, 1845. Rev. John Wittmer came in 1847. In 1848 came Rev. John Van Benbrock, and in 1852, Rev. Kreusch, who left May 27, 1852. From that time until Oct. 14, 1852, the mis- sion was visited by Rev. Willibald Willi and

from then until his return in the same year, it was visited by Rev. P. A. Capeda. Also, between 1841 and 1856 the following priests are mentioned in the church annals as having attended the New Washington congregation: Rev. August Berger, Rev. Sebastian Gan- ter, Rev. Clement Sweitzer, Rev. John Al- bright, Rev. Andrew Heibstridt, Rev. Nicholas Gales, Rev. Willibald Willi, from Thompson, and Rev. Peter Kruesch, from Shelby settle- ment. In May, 1856, Rev. Peter Wilhelmy succeeded and in the same year, Rev. Rochus Schnely became pastor. From December, 1856, until Oct. 4, 1857, Rev. Erhardt Glueck attended the congregation, the three last named priests coming from Thompson, O.

The first resident pastor of St. Bernard was Rev. Andrews Dambach and he served from Dec. 7, 1859, until May 9, 1865. He, like all the priests who had preceded him, with two exceptions, was a Sanquinist Father. Rev. M. Becker was the next resident pastor and he served from July 24, 1865, to June, 1881. Al- most immediately after taking charge he began taking up subscriptions for the building of a new church, which was rendered necessary, as the congregation by this time had far out- grown the first little church which had been erected by such hard work. He sold the old place on March 31, 1868, and bought a five- acre plat of ground, comprising ten town lots, fronting on Mansfield street, New Washing- ton, paying $1,400 for the same. In the same year the work was started and the brick church was completed by the end of the following year. It is of Gothic architecture and its cost approximated $25,000. It was dedicated by Right Reverend Bishop Gilmour, Oct. 19, 1879. Father Becker made many more improvements in the parish before his departure. In June, 1881, he was succeeded by Rev. Lawrence Heiland and it was during his pastorate that an acre of ground was bought for a cemetery and he also improved the church property. In 1886 Rev. John George Vogt became pastor and remained until 1899, in September of which year he was succeeded by Rev. John P. Kunnert.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 145

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