USA > Ohio > Darke County > History of Darke County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume II > Part 28
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HON. CHRISTIAN APPENZELLER.
It is possible for an inefficient man to secure office through various accidents incident to political life, but it is very seldom that he is returned to that same office by the people whose interests he has been representing. It is therefore considered that re-election to an office puts the stamp of approval upon the man and his administration. In these days of incessant activity when so many divergent questions come up for care- ful and thoughtful consideration on the part of the men in office, it is very necessary that those who make the laws be men of progressive ideas and intelligent capability. The Hon. Christian Appenzeller, of Greenville, is one of the legislators
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of Ohio whose efforts have been centered upon accomplish- ing important things and furthering wise measures. His busi- ness is that of contracting for pike and street paving, although within recent years he has been an agriculturalist of note in the county, and is still the owner of some very valuable farm- ing property in Greenville township. Mr. Appenzeller was born in Montgomery county, O., March 6, 1861, a son of Christian and Elizabeth (Clemmons) Appenzeller. The father was born at Baden, Germany, but when twenty years old, he left his native land for the United States. A miller by trade, he sought work at Cleveland, and later at Cincinnati, but finding no opening in either of those cities, he went to Ger- mantown. As he was still unable to get work as a miller, he learned basket making, and going to Butler county, built up a good trade. Still later he located at Seven Mile, where he bought property. This he later sold, and removed to Dayton, from whence he went to Greenville. Finding conditions in this latter city to his liking, he bought property, but after the demise of his wife he gave up his own residence to live with his namesake son.
Christian Appenzeller, the younger, attended the common schools of Dayton, and assisted his father in making baskets. By the time he was nineteen years of age he was proficient enough to go into business with his father, and they added the handling of the willow for basket weaving, to their stock. Later he began farming and found in that work congenial employment until he became a paving contractor. At present he owns twenty-five and one-half acres on the edge of Green- ville, and an eighty-acre farm three miles west of the city on West Branch creek.
The political career of Mr. Appenzeller began with his elec- tion to the office of township trustee of Greenville township, to which he was re-elected, but resigned. In 1892 he was elected county commissioner and served for over six years, in addition to an unexpired term to which he was appointed to fill a vacancy. Having by this time proved his ability and strength, he was further honored by election to the lower house of the State Assembly, and while in that office he was on some important committees-was chairman of committee of county fairs, was on committee of privilege and election, and was on the committee on waterways. While he has already accomplished much, he is not yet through, for his constituents have not permitted him to retire to private life.
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Men of his calibre are needed in Darke county, and he will doubtless be called upon frequently in the future to give his people what he has in the past, an honorable and efficient service.
On August 22, 1880, Christian Appenzeller was married to Matilda Rhoades, whose parents were farming people of Darke county. Mr. and Mrs. Appenzeller have had four chil- dren : Mary C., who married Earl C. Reinheimer, and has two children, Christian, Jr., and Elizabeth; Grace, who mar- ried William Micksell and has one son, Byron; Pearl, who married Clyde Moore and has a son, John; and Jessie. Mr. Appenzeller belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Ma- sonic order. For a number of years he has been a member of the German Lutheran Church and attends the services of that denomination in addition to giving it material support. Mr. Appenzeller is an independent Democrat. In 1910 Mr. Appenzeller built his modern two-story house of ten rooms and bath room. Has running water, electric lights; in fact, it is modern in every particular.
JOHN R. BEANBLOSSOM.
While many of the business men of Darke county are engaged in tilling the land they have purchased, others are engaged in various activities, some of which are allied with farming. One of the men who is utilizing the knowledge gained during years of work as a farmer in his present occu- pation is John R. Beanblossom, of Greenville township, a man of experience and ability whose standing in his commun- ity is unquestioned. Mr. Beanblossom was born on the 140- acre farm they still own, about two miles northwest of Green- ville, June 29, 1857; a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Potter) Beanblossom. Joseph Beanblossom was born and reared in the vicinity of Pikesville, in Greenville township, as this family is one of the old settled ones of Darke county. In time he became one of the heavy landowners of his neighborhood.
The educational training of John R. Beanblossom com- menced at the Lindenmuth school, and he spent but little time elsewhere, As there was a good deal of work on the farm his services were required from an early age and he did a man's work for years prior to the time he was twenty-two
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years old when he began farming for himself. From then on until about 1910, he continued farming, but in that year began working for the creamery at Greenville, and as such he has since continued.
John R. Beanblossom was married (first) to Mary Lytle and they had the following children: Rena, who married William Fisher, has three children, Charles, Mae and Robert; William, who married Bertha Eib, has two children, Herman and Everett; Joseph, who married Lizzie Lickenfelt, has two children, Treva and Mary; Daisy Mae, who married Earl Roth, has one son, Robert; Charles, who is deceased; Ce- cela; an unnamed infant, and Maggie. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Beanblossom was married (second) to Katie Arnett. There are no children by the second marriage. The family belong to the Christian Church and take an active part in all affairs pertaining to their denomination. Politically, Mr. Beanblossom has always been a Republican and has served upon the school board. Although he has not cared for other office, he is very prominent in politics in Darke county, and is a recognized leader in his party.
HENRY WARNER.
While material success is desirable, the affectionate regard of those with whom a man is associated during his mature years, and the respect and confidence of the community, are the real wealth. They are the riches that cannot be corrupted, and which live after a man has gone to his eternal home. While Henry Warner has proved his worth as a business man and his ability as a farmer, he has accomplished much more for he has worked long and faithfully for his church; has promulgated and carried to favorable termination many projects tending towards the moral uplift of his community, and has ever striven to bring into his daily life the principles of the golden rule. It is his pride that he knows everyone in Darke county, and certainly no one knows aught but good of him. Although he has lived in this county for so many years, he was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, in 1835, a son of John and Charity (Hill) Warner. John Warner moved from Bedford county, Pennsylvania, to Montgomery county, Ohio, where he became an early settler of Randolph township. He and his wife had fifteen children, among them being the following: Samuel, Albert, Joel, Enos, Marion and Henry.
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Henry Warner, while attending the schools of his dis- trict, assisted his father in operating the farm, beginning to do a man's work long before he attained his majority. When he was thirty-eight years old he sought a new territory for his operations and came to Darke county, which has con- tinued his home. After looking over the farms in this neigh- borhood, he purchased his present one in Greenville township, four miles east of Greenville on the Warren Grove road, which comprises ninety acres of as fertile and well developed land as can be found in the locality. His buildings reflect his good judgment and thrift and he takes pride in his premises and machinery. While his farm is not numbered among the largest in the township, it certainly is one of the best, and he has made a success of all of his undertakings.
The marriage of Henry Warner occurred in Miami county, O., and six children were born to him: Agnes, who is de- ceased; William H., who is married and has two children; Clemmons V., who is married and has three children; Samuel A., who is married and has eight children; German, who is married and has three children; and Catherine, who married a Mr. Evans, and has one child. For many years Mr. Warner has been one of the leaders of the Dunkard congregation, and has held many of its offices. Whenever assistance of any kind is needed in the church work, a call is always made upon Mr. Warner, and never in vain if the measure meets with his experienced approval. A conscientious man, he has endeav- ored to live up to what he believes to be his duty, and know- ing as many as he does, his influence for good is widespread and powerful. Mrs. Warner died April 26, 1902.
CHARLES CULBERTSON.
To farm intelligently and successfully in these days of ad- vanced agriculture, requires more than ordinary ability and a fair knowledge of soils and their requirements. The work on the farm is being systematized and the farmer is adopting new methods to assist him in his operations and eliminate waste of labor and materials. In passing through an agricul- tural county like that of Darke, it is easy to differentiate be- tween the farmer of the old school and one of the advanced ones for their properties reflect their ideas as surely as though
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they were written upon the walls of their buildings. One of the men who has borne his part in demonstrating the prac- ticality of modern methods in farming, is Charles Culbertson, who owns and operates 240 acres of excellent land on the Culbertson Grove road about three and one-half miles south- cast of Greenville.
Charles Culbertson was born on the farm he now owns, September 12, 1862, a son of Thomas W. and Elizabeth H. (Harper) Culbertson. Thomas W. Culbertson was born in Greenville township, where he grew to manhood's estate and developed into a prosperous farmer and stock raiser, al- though during his younger days he worked as a plasterer and bricklayer. With the money he earned working at these two trades, Thomas W. Culbertson bought land and settled in what was then a wooded region in 1857. For some years thereafter he worked very hard clearing off his land and placing under cultivation, but later had things easier, as his sons grew old enough to assist him. He and his wife had seven children: William H., who is deceased; Frank, who resides at Chicago; Edward, who resides at Greenville; Charles; Harry; Cora, who married E. R. Emrick; and Pearl, who is leader of the National and Home Military Band of Dayton, Ohio.
After taking a course of study in the schools of his district, Charles Culbertson attended the schools of Greenville, while at the same time he made himself useful on the homestead, doing a man's work long before he attained to adult stature. When he was twenty-two years old, he decided to go into the business of farming, and rented land from his parents so that he has always been on the farm that was his birthplace. This is a valuable property and his efforts have aided in adding to its comfortable features as well as increasing its fertility.
On February 13, 1890, Charles Culbertson was married to Luella Trump, a daughter of Joseph and Mary J. (Ernest) Trump. The Odd Fellows hold his membership and he takes pleasure in his fraternal associations. While not a member of any church, he believes in their good work, and contributes towards their support. For the past five years he has been a member of the school board, having been elected on the Democratic ticket, for he is staunch in his support of its principles, and a firm believer in its doctrines. For sixteen years Mr. Chas. Culbertson has been secretary of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
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EPHRIAM TEAFORD.
The more intelligent men of the country are not resting content with mediocre achievements, but are launching out and through experimentation discovering the line of work for which they are best suited. An example of this progressive spirit is shown in the career of Ephriam Teaford, sole owner and proprietor of the Teaford Dairy, who, living in Greenville township, finds a ready market for his product at Greenville. Although he had made a success of his agricultural operations, he did not rest upon the laurels already gained, but developed his present business from his private herd, and is now looking forward toward another experiment in truck gardening. Ephriam Teaford was born in German township, this same county, on May 13, 1862, a son of Jonathan and Sophia Tea- ford, farming people, who lived in German township. Jonathan Teaford was born and brought up in Darke county, where he developed into a farmer and stock raiser. He and his wife had children as follows: Mary J., Barney, George, Leander, Eli and Ephriam. The mother of these children died and her re- mains were laid to rest in Palestine cemetery.
Ephriam Teaford attended school in district No. 7, his educational opportunities being limited to this one school. When he was twenty-six years old he purchased sixty acres on Section 12, German township, adding to it until he owned one hundred and eight acres. After improving this property he sold it and bought sixty acres, which he still owns, and lived upon it until 1910, when he purchased his present forty- acre tract about a mile from Ft. Jefferson. In addition to these holdings, Mr. Teaford owns forty acres in German township, so that in all he has one hundred and forty acres of land, all of which is in prime condition. His dairy is a modern one, and his operations are conducted along strictly sanitary lines, so that his product meets all regulations and sells readily. Al- though he has always succeeded in his undertakings, for he puts energy and thought into them, Mr. Teaford has achieved more in his dairy work than along any other line and is recog- nized as one of the leading dairymen of his township.
Ephriam Teaford was united in marriage with Florence D. Mills, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Jeffries) Mills. Mr. and Mrs. Teaford have had the following children; Echo, who married Noah Wenrick and they have a son Stanley ; Deo, who married Mae Lane; Arno and Reno. The Universalist church
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finds in Mr. Teaford an intelligent and helpful member, and he never fails to give his hearty support to all measures ad- vocated by it that he deems will work out for the ultimate benefit of the majority. Since he first availed himself of the right of franchise, Mr. Teaford has cast his vote for the candi- dates of the Democratic party, for he is a firm believer in its principles. Although a good party man, his time has been sc occupied that he has not found opportunity to go into public life, preferring to confine his efforts for civic betterment to his work as private citizen.
GEORGE BEANBLOSSOM.
George Beanblossom, of Greenville township, belongs to a class of men who are the most independent in the world; the men who feed those whose necessities of inclinations take them far from the source of supply of foodstuffs. Mr. Bean- blossom comes of an agricultural family and in adopting his life work followed the example of his father and carried out the traditions of his people, who believed that from the soil was man intended to gain his living. At present George Beanblossom manages a very valuable farm of 122 acres of land on the range line between Greenville and Washington town- ships, and conducts it according to modern methods. He was born on the Beanblossom homestead about two miles northwest of Greenville on August 24, 1858; a son ot Joseph and Elizabeth (Potter) Beanblossom. The father, born and reared near Pikeville, spent his entire life in Greenville town- ship, owning prior to his death a considerable amount of farming property. He married (first) Rhoda Brandon, by whom he had three children: T. A., who lives at Cleveland, Ohio .; Mary, and Walter. His second wife was the mother of George Beanblossom, and a daughter of David and Maria (Ullery) Potter. George Beanblossom was one in the family of five children born of his father's second marriage: John R., who is a farmer of Greenville township; George; Frank; Ma- ria, who married William Nevell, has two children, Teddy and Adah, and an unnamed infant.
Like his brother, John R. Beanblossom, George went to the Lindenmuth school in his native township, and before and after schools and during vacations worked hard on the
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farm, as children of those days were expected to do. Since taking charge of his present property he has proven himself an excellent farmer and capable business man and his suc- cess is well merited.
George Beanblossom married Anna Merkle, a daughter of Danied and Hannah Merkle. Daniel Merkle came to Green- ville township from Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Beanblos- som became the parents of four children : Elizabeth, Russell, Anna and Verna. The Beanblossom family attend the Chris- tian Church. Since casting his first vote, George Beanblos- som has been a Republican, but the duties of his farm have not permitted him to enter public life.
FRANK B. LUTZ.
The Lutz family are among the oldest in Monroe township, Darke county, where they have always had a good stand- ing as useful and public-spirited citizens. Frank B. Lutz, . residing on his farm on section 18, Monroe township, post office address, Arcanum, Ohio, was born there October 27 1862. son of Jacob Lutz, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, born in 1837. The great-grandfather of Frank B. Lutz A. Lutz came from Germany to Pennsylvania in early life and later located in Darke county, Ohio. Jacob Lutz has lived in Monroe township many years. He was brought to Ohio at the age of two years by his parents, who located in Mont- gomery county, but later removed to Darke county, Ohio. As a young man he worked as a farm hand and later carried on farming for himself. He was a Republican in politics and served as school director several terms. His wife was born in Miami county, Ohio, in 1843 and reared in Mont- gomery county. She died in 1910 and is buried in Monroe township, Darke county. Jacob Lutz and wife had eight children, all born in Monroe township: John H., whose wife was Katy Binkley, who died May 1911, and second wife was Dora Cool and lives in Monroe township; Frank B., of this sketch; Mary Etta, wife of Isaac Landis, of Monroe township; Hannah Emma married Samuel R. Spitler and died in De- cember, 1888; Nicholas married Gertrude Williamson and they reside in Montgomery county ; William B., of Monroe town- ship, married Flora Snider; Alpha T. married Susie Stuts-
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man and they live in Monroe township; Pharas S. married Mollie Norris and died in 1908.
In boyhood Frank B. Lutz attended the country schools and helped his father at home and as a young man ran an elevator for William Smith in Pitsburg for three years and eight months after which he rented his present farm con- sisting of eighty acres. He operated this farm several years and in 1889 purchased eighty acres of it, since which time he has made many improvements. He is very successful in gen- eral farming and for fourteen years carried on the manufacture of tobacco boxes in connection with his farm work. At the incorporation of the Pitsburg First National Bank, in 1909, he was elected a director and in June, 1914, he was elected to the vice-presidency.
In politics Mr. Lutz is a Republican and his first presidential vote was cast for Rutherford B. Hayes. He served eight years as township trustee and four years later was elected again to that office, so that he will soon have served twelve years therein. For some twelve or fifteen years he has been a member of the board of education.
On November 9, 1890, Mr. Lutz married Lillie B. Wil- liamson, who was born in Montgomery county, December 22, 1871, daughter of Garrett and Caroline (Spangler) Will- iamson. Her father was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, August 22, 1827, and died June 15, 1907, and her mother was born in Elkhart county, Indiana, September 7, 1839, and lives in Preble county, Ohio. He was a plasterer by trade, but carried on farming in conjunction with his other work and served some four years in heavy artillery regiment from Ohio in the Civil War. He was wounded several times and his hearing was greatly impaired. He and his wife had eight children : Henry Alvin lives with his mother; Jesse Calvin married and lives in Nebraska; Mrs. Lutz; Lewis C. mar- ried Jessie P. Wilson and they reside in Sheldon, Iowa; Philemon Westley married and they live in Vale, South Da- kota; Ella May married Emanuel Leach, lives near Akron, Ohio; Rosetta, wife of Theodore Mahaffy, of Monroe town- ship ; Charles A., of Hamilton county, Ohio, married Beatrice Brady. Mr. and Mrs. Williamson were members of the Church of the Brethren, as are Mr. and Mrs. Farnk Lutz, his parents having been of the same faith.
Mr. and Mrs. Lutz have two children, both born in Mon- roe township : Pearl May, born November 28, 1893, and Alpha
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C., April 22, 1897. The daughter was graduated from the local school and also from the Franklin township high school in 1912; taught school one year in Monroe township and for one year studied in a theological school in Chicago. She married Herschel Jobes, May 3, 1913, and he is now taking a course in North Manchester College in North Manchester, Indiana, preparing for work as a missionary. Mr. Herschel Jobes taught one term in the Boys' Industrial School at Lan- caster, Ohio, also three years in the Darke county schools of Van Buren township. He has also taken two years in Bethany Theological school at Chicago. Meanwhile Mrs. Jobes resides with her parents and is preparing herself in various ways to assist her husband. Should the church see fit to send him to foreign fields as a missionary she will be well prepared to assist him. She conceived the idea of help- ing him in his chosen field of usefulness and since that time has devoted herself to preparing to be an inspiration to him. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Lutz, Alpha C., attends the public school of the locality and helps his father on the farm. Mr. Lutz and his wife are well known for their industry and good management and they have accumulated many comforts and the means to satisfy their desires, in a material way, during which time they have also found time to cultivate many warm friendships. They are held in high esteem for their many good qualities and for the quiet exemplary life they have led. They have a pleasant home and have given their children many advantages.
JOHN R. HOLLAND.
It is due to the efforts of the energetic, progressive and skilled farmers that agricultural conditions in Darke county are now in such a healthy condition. Intelligent working of the soil, clear recognition of the value of crop rotation and the use of modern machinery are some of the agencies that have combined to improve conditions wonderfully during the past several decades, for the farmer of today has not been slow to reap the benefits accruing from scientific research and investigation. Darke county has been fortunate in that it has among its agriculturalists men of the most enlightened views, who not alone benefit their community by their own intelligent labors, but by their example encourage their neigh- bors to adopt the methods that develop the greatest measure
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of success. One of these modern tillers of the soil is John R. Holland, the owner of eighty acres of well-tilled land, a part of the old Holland estate, located on the range line on the Holland gravel road, about five miles north of Greenville, in Greenville township. Mr. Holland has been a resident of this community all of his life, having been born on his present farm, October 6, 1872, a son of Charles and Margaret (Hoke). Holland.
John R. Holland, the grandfather of John R. of this review, was a printer by trade and early entered the employ of the Cincinnati Enquirer, where he rose to a foremanship. A char- ter member of Lodge No. 1, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, he was long associated with that fraternity and became widely known among its members. When past middle age, he brought his family to Darke county, and here spent the closing years of his life in agricultural pursuits. He was the father of five children ; Laura, who married a Mr. Crosson ; Ada, who married a Mr. Lindamood; Mary, who married a Mr. Atcheson; Charlotte, who married a Mr. Gentner, and Charles Steward. All the children are now deceased with the exception of Mrs. Mary Atcheson. Charles Steward Holland, the father of John R. Holland, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was a small lad, still in his schooldays, when brought by his parents to Darke county. Here he grew up as a farmer, and this vocation he adopted as his life work, accumulating, through industry and well-directed effort, a handsome com- petency, and winning as well the confidence and regard of his fellow men. Like his father, who was one of the first com- missioners of Darke county and made an honorable record in office, he was much interested in the affairs of his community, and his signal services in the office of director of the school board demonstrated his public spirit no less than his friend- liness to education. Both father and grandfather are buried in the cemetery at Greenville, where the family has a large lot. Charles Steward Holland married Miss Margaret Hoke, and they became the parents of two children: John R., and Harry, who married Miss Marie Miller.
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