USA > Ohio > Defiance County > History of Defiance County, Ohio. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, etc.; military record; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; farm views, personal reminiscences, etc > Part 51
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Dr. Anthony Berchtold was born December 19, 1852, in Sarnen, Canton Unterwalden, Switzerland, and was the second son of Anthony and Rosa (Stock- ton) Berchtold, who had oleven children, seven boys and four girls. Of this number, five only aro living, viz : Fridolin, Anthony, Gerold, Rosalie and Mary. Anthony, the subject of this sketch, attended the primary and secondary schools from his sixth to his thirteenth year, then entered the Latin school in his native land, and passed through the different branches, consuming six years, then entered a philosophical
course at Sehoyz, to complete the Latin studies and his education. In 1872, he entered Medical College of Freiburg, Germany, and remained one year. He then went to Berne, Switzerland, and attended the Medical College there two years, and came back to Freiburg in October, 1875, where he completed his medical studies in the summer of 1876, and passed an examination the same year for physician, before the Board of Examiners of Canton Unterwalden, after which he commenced the practice of medicine with his uncle, Dr. M. Stockman, at Larnen, remain- ing with him one year, and then came to this country, landing at New York October 3, 1877. He went to Newark, N. J., and remained tliere five months; came from there to Monroeville, in Hu- ron County, Ohio, where he remained ten months and then came to Defiance, arriving here on the 9th of Jannary, 1879, and commenced his prae- tice here. He was married, October 7, 1879, to Josephine, eldest daughter of Joseph and Anna Maria (Durrer) Bucher. Two children have been born to them -- Rosa E., born March 4, 1881, and Josephine Theresa, born September 12, 1882.
Dr. W. S. Powell was born in Napoleon, Ohio, in the year 1850; commenced the study of medicine in April, 1870; gradnated at Jefferson Medical College in Phil- adelphia, in March, 1874, returning then to his na- tive place, where he practiced medicine for two years, when he located at Defiance, in July, 1876. The Doctor was united in matrimony, December 24, 1878, with Miss Libbie Jarvis, of Piqua, Ohio.
Daniel Widmer was born in Switzerland April 9, 1838; immigrated to this country with his parents, Jacob Widmer and Anna (Frecker) Widmer, when about sixteen years old, arriving at Defiance June 5, 1854. The family consisted of five children-Anna, Daniel, John, Jacob and Mary. Mr. Widmer was married at Defiance, June 7, 1863, to Miss Rosa Winkler (by Rev. Detzer), who was also born in Switzerland, Canton Berno, April 13, 1841. They have a family of four children-A. C. Widmer, born at Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1864; Ellen, born August 10, 1865; Huldah, born February 5, 1870; Eugene, born March 11, 1874; the three latter were born in Defiance. Mr. Widmer and brother, John, are doing a very extensive business in this town at beer bot- tling, putting up in bottles and small kegs about one hundred barrels per week. Mr. W. was a member of the Council at Defiance from 1876 to 1878. Mrs. Widmer's parents, Christian and Rosa Winkler, came do this country, to Tuscarawas County, Ohio, in 1853, and to Defiance in 1857.
John Widmer, son of Jacob and Anna, was born in Switzerland, 1845; immigrated to America with his parents in 1854, landing at New York May 27, and
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proceeded immediately for the West, arriving at De- fiance June 5 1854, coming from Toledo by packet on canal. His parents both died here at Defiance. Mr. Widmer was in the late war, 1861-65, in Company G, Thirty-eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably discharged at the close of the war, July 24, 1865. March 28, 1869, he was married to Miss Caroline Hauck, of Defiance, who was born in Alsace, Germany, in 1853, and came out with her parents. The fruits of this marriage are three chil- dren-John E., born February 6, 1870; William H., born October 12, 1871; and George C., born Decem- ber 15, 1880. Mr. Widmer and brother Dan are doing a very extensive wholesale trade at this town, bottling and shipping lager beer, receiving about one hundred barrels per week from Toledo Brewing Com- pany, and C. Windisch Muhlhauser & Bro., Cincin . nati, Ohio.
Joseph J. Kahlo, the second eldest child living of Charles John Kahlo, who was born February 12, 1818, a native of Prussia, was born in Defiance No- vember 14, 1856. He was married, December 14, 1880, to Kate, eldest daughter of Christian and Caro- line Geiger, of Defiance. They have one child, William Carl, born December 4, 1881. At the first election of officers, held April 3, 1882, after Defiance became a city, Mr. Kahlo was elected a member of the Council for two years. January 26, 1851, the parents of Mr. Kahlo set sail for America, on board the old ship Mota, and arrived at Defiance County April 18, 1851, with their little daughter Mota, who was born during passage on ship which landed her on the shores of America, and from which she re- ceived her name. Mr. Kahlo settled in what is now known as East Defiance. Eight children were born to them, of whom there are now living Mota, Joseph J. and Charles J. Mr. Kahlo died December 13, 1861, and Mrs. Kahlo married John Stetler Novem- ber 26, 1868, and accompanied her husband to his home in Delaware Township, where they lived six years and then returned to the Kahlo homestead in East Defiance, where they now live, and where the daughter Mota was married to John Stetler, Jr.
Charles Andrew Flickinger was born in Rhenish Bavaria, Germany, August 28, 1836. His parents, John Jacob and Caroline (Glasser) Flickinger, were natives of Bavaria, and were married in October, 1835, having two children born to them, the subject of our sketch and Elizabeth, who was born October 5, 1841, and is now the wife of Adam Minsel. Mr. Flickinger had a strong love for the land of his birth, with all of its associations, from his childhood, yet he realized the advantages of a republic, with its glor- ious free institutions, where his children would have equal chances with others to rise to high positions.
Entertaining these views, he bade good-bye to the fatherland, and started for the United States with his wife and two children, traveling in an emigrant wagon to Havre de Grace, and thence by a new -three- masted ship, named Emerald, to New York, arriving in the spring of 1844. He immediately started for the West, going to Albany by steamer, to Buffalo by. rail, to Toledo by steamer and from thence to Defi- ance, Ohio, by canal-boat, arriving June 1, 1844. He bought a farm in Richland, where he lived seven years, and then moved to Defiauce, where he remained until his death, March 9, 1861. His widow married John Grass, and survives her second husband, who died in the spring of 1874. Charles A. Flickinger attended the district school while living in Richland, and afterward the school in Defiance when his father moved to the latter place. He spent three years at this school, working during vacation for $1.50 to $2 per week to get money to buy books and clothing. On leaving school, he entered his father's grocery, and conducted the business until he became of age, when his father deeded to him all of his property, both real and personal. In the following year, 1858, he erected the brick building now used by the Defi- ance Fire Department, and entered into a general store business, dealing in dry goods, boots and shoes, hats and caps, groceries and queensware. In the fall of 1863, he associated with him in business Enos Blair, his brother-in-law, under the firm name of Flickin- ger & Blair. In 1874, he erected what is called the Stone Front Building, the handsomest block in the city. His firm occupies a part of it with a general line of dry goods, and also another store with cloth- ing, gentlemen's furnishing goods, hats and caps and boots and shoes. He started with the smallest stock in the city, and is now at the head of the largest houses there. He attained the position, not by sheer luck or by some happy chance, but by hard, honest work. In 1863, when the National Guards, of which he was a member, were called out by Gov. Tod, for one hundred days, he furnished a man at $50 per month until discharged. Although not a professor of religion, he is a regular attendant at the Presbyte- rian Church with his wife, who is a member. The churches find in him a ready helper in pecuniary matters. He is also one of the foremost men in De- fiance to further the interest of manufacturing and railroad enterprises, helping and donating literally. Early in life he became a champion of the abolition of slavery. He was the first young German of Defi- ance County to espouse the Republican cause; and although he received taunts and jeers from every side, yet he stood firm on the position he had taken. He has voted for every Republican President. His love for liberty, the equal rights of all men, and the
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advancement of moral principles, led him to make choice of this party. He could not be prompted by selfish motives, with the hopo of gain, or being honored with office, as his county always gives a large majority for the opposition. He takes an active part in campaign work each fall. In 1880, he took the stump for Gen. James A. Garfield, and delivered from two to three speeches cach woek. He is a great thorn in the sides of the Democracy. Ho was mar- ried, March 28, 1861, to Eliza, daughter of William M. and Selinda Blair. They have had born to them two children -- Alva C., January 4, 1862, and Karl A., November 7, 1863. Both sons are now students at the university of Wooster, Ohio. Mr. Flickinger is a man of high character, of gracious manners and sterling disposition. His name stands high. He has read and observed much, and, as an aid to his stud- ies, has gathered a fine library of books. At the Re- publican Stato Convention, July 7, 1882, he received the nomination for member of the Board of Public Works.
George W. Bechel is the second child of Michael and Elizabeth (Grabast) Bechel, the former born September 29, 1804, in Alsace, Germany, the latter born in 1812, in Bavaria, Germany. Mr. B. immi- grated to America October 3, 1830, arriving in New York November 3, 1830; arrived in Canton, Ohio, No- vomber 27, Mrs. B. coming a year later. They were married Docember 8, 1834, at Canton, Stark Co., Ohio. To them were horn three children, one daughter and two sons. Caroline, the eldest, and now the wife of Dr. O. E. Brownell, of Akron, Ohio, was born in 1835, at Canton, Ohio. William F., the third child, was born in Canton Fobrnary 28, 1841; married Lucy Hainsworth, of Newport, Ky., a lady of English birth. He is now engaged with the Pacific Express Company as Auditor. Georgo W., the subject of this sketch, was also born in Canton, June 13, 1838. When about eight years of age his father died, Sep- tember 27, 1864. Thus early deprived of his father, he was soon thrown upon his own resources for a liv- ing, and spont his boyhood days working on a farm, attending the district school in winter, until sixteen years of age, when he entored the shop of his brother iu-law, in the village of Manchester, Summit Co., Ohio, to learn the harness-making trade, working thore three years and a half. He then wont to the town of Kent, Portage County, then known as Frank- lin Mills, Ohio, where he remained about fourteen months, then took his departure for Defiance, arriv- ing hero October 8, 1860. Abandoning the harness- making business, he entered the drug store of Dr. J. Ruhl and clerked for him, and read medicine for about a year, at which time he was married to Miss Catharine Smith, daughter of William and Susan
(Krum) Smith, September 3, 1861, residents of Ionia County, Mich. Of this union eight children have been born-William M., born November 11, 1862; S. Lizzie, born May 28, 1864; Frank and Freddie (twins), born August 30, 1866 (Freddio died in in- fancy, Frank diel March 29, 1881, aged fourteen years nine months); Della K., born June 1, 1869; John A., born September 14, 1871; Lucy, born April 13, 1874, and George W., Jr., born October 31, 1877. In 1863, Mr. Bechel bought out his employer, Dr. Rubl, and continued the drug business in the same building, which is still standing at the foot of Clin- ton street, on the bank of the Maumee, where the bridge crosses the river, and is used as an agricult- ural warehouse. This building was built by Dr. O. H. Allen for a drug store, and occupied by him as such for a number of years; then followed Taylor & Landis; next, Dr. John Paul; then Dr. J. Ruhl, and lastly Mr. Bechel, who continued the drug busi- ness seven years, when he moved to his present place of business, No. 27 Clinton street. The post office was kept for a time in this building, with Joseph Ralston as Postmaster. The upper room of this build- ing was used by the Presbyterian congregation at an early day as a place of worship. Afterward it was used for a printing office. In 1869, Mr. Bechel was chosen Secretary of the Defiance Agricultural Society, and served as such for two or three years, being chosen Treasurer and continuing until 1880, at which time he resigned. In the spring of 1882, he was elected to the City Council, being its President for the term of one year.
John D. Graper was born in Hanover, Germany, near the little town of Uchte, January 22, 1817, and immigrated to this country with his parents, K. H. Graper and Catharine (Hasfield) Graper, arriving at Defiance, Ohio, Septembor 18, 1834. Their family consisted of five children -- John D., Sophia, Henry F., Christian C. (who died in August, 1862) and Frederick W. (died February 7, 1872). Mr. Graper took passage on the steamboat Atlas from New York to Albany, from there to Schenectady by rail, and from thero to Buffalo by canal-boat. The cholera raged badly at that time, and there were several deaths on the boat. When they arrived at Rochester, N. Y., the Captain and crew all left the boat, the Captain saying to the emigrants they must do the best they could for themselves, there being six other families on board besides the Graper family. There was one corpso on tho boat when the Captain left, two more afterward, and two more when they got to Buffalo. After living at Rochester several days, the physicians came to their assistance, and they were soon ablo to resume their journey. Of these five deaths, four of them wore of one family-father,
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mother and two daughters by the name of Doepke. These families all came on to Defiance, and after resting here for a few days took their departure for Cincinnati, except the Graper family, who became residents of this place. Mr. Graper died here April 4. 1843, aged about fifty-one years. Mrs. Graper lived on to a good old age and died August 8, 1871, aged fourscore years. John D. Graper was married October 12, 1848, to Nancy Wells, of Defiance. They had ten children -- William H., Ada, Ida, Frank O., Inez, Edwin F., Emory, Fannie, Walter and Edgar P. Of these five are dead, viz .. William H., Ida, Inez. Edwin F. and Walter-all died young, except Inez, who was about twenty-two years of age. Mrs. Graper's parents, John Wells and Mary (Mason) Wells, came from Muskingum County, Ohio, to De- fiance in the fall of 1834, and settled about a mile from town up the river, on the banks of the Auglaize. They had nine children, three boys and six girls. Four of the girls are married, and live in Defiance; viz .: Mrs. Sarah Kniss, Mrs. Jane Myers, Mrs. Eliza Fritz, and Mrs. Nancy Graper, and Mrs. Eliza- beth Rogers, who is living at Toledo, Ohio. Reason is also a resident of Defiance, and married Alice Preston, of Goshen, Ind. John is living at Saginaw, Mich .; Henry is dead, also Sybil Ann. Mr. Graper says, when he came to Defiance in 1834, he found about fifteen cabin residences and five or six small trading places. P. C. Parker kept a general store on Water street, between Clinton and Wayne; also the hotel, called the Exchange, stood on the corner of Clinton and Water streets, where Hoffman & Geiger's furniture store now stands. E. C. Case was doing business on the corner of Water and Wayne streets. John and Albert Evans were on Jefferson street, south of the Pavilion Hotel, which was kept by C. C. Waterhouse; connected with the hotel was a barn, sufficiently large to accommodate fifteen or sixteen horses over night (travel being altogether on horse- back at that time), in the construction of which there was not a scrap of iron used. It was pinned to- gother, had wood latches and hinges, and the clap- boards were weighted down by poles. One door south of the Pavilion, Foreman Evans had a store, and across the street, opposite Evans, Isaac Hull kept a store. The first frame building was built by Dr. John Evans, and stood near the old fort grounds. The first store (log) was also built by the Doctor, in 1828 or 1829. A little frame, 7x9, stood on the fort grounds for a store or post office. Mr. Graper first started out, after his arrival here, clerking for Pierce Evans & Sons; remained with them ten or twelve years. Then he went into the grist mill with Will- iam A. Brown, keeping the books and doing the buy- ing and selling, etc., for about five years. He then
went into the dry goods business, on his own account, for about four years; then into the lumbering, which about used him up, financially; then opened up a photograph gallery for a time. He has had charge of the Defiance Rural Cemetery for the past eight or nine years. Mr. Graper has one brother living in Kansas, and his only sister, Sophia (Mrs. Widow Downs), is still living here at Defiance.
Joseph I. Levi was born in Europe on the 8th day of January, 1852. In 1856, at the age of four years, he came to America with his parents, landing at Utica, N. Y., and at the age of eight years com - menced to learn the cigar-making business at Buffalo, N. Y. At the age of thirteen he went to Detroit to work at his trade, and after a lapse of one year and a half his parents followed him, and settled down at Detroit also. At the age of fifteen, he bought a half- interest in a small cigar factory at Fentonville, Mich., owned by one Daniel Cohen, paying therefor $70. This investment young Levi soon found was not a paying one, and after six months' hard labor and economy sold out his interest to Cohen for the amount invested, $70, taking his pay in cigars, and with his cigar stock in hand instead of his caslı re- turned again to Detroit, where he converted the same into cash and again went to work at his trade for one and a half years, at which time his cash capital amounted to $125, with which he commenced busi- ness for himself at No. 92 Michigan avenue, and at the age of eighteen found himself in possession of a capital of $450. He then went to Chicago, where he remained about one year, working "jour" work; then returned to Detroit again, and for the benefit of the younger brother, started a small shop in the house of his parents, working evenings with his brother, but day times for other parties; but soon (as seems to be characteristic with your cigar-makers) became uneasy, and next located at Beloit, Wis., remaining there two and a half years, where success favored him, and he again returned to Detroit to choose another partner in business, and on the 5th day of May, 1875, was married to Miss Rachel Ginsburg, and returned again to his business, with his young bride, to Northwest- ern Wisconsin, and remained there one and a half years longer and then roturned and visited friends at Detroit (having sold out in Wisconsin), and on April 10, 1877, settled down in Defiance, starting shop with six men, and at this writing (1882) employs fifteen to twenty hands. He has now ceased his wan- derings, and made a permanent settlement in Defiance.
Burr B. Southworth, born in Vermont March 30, 1806, was a descendant of Constance Southworth, who came from England in the Mayflower. He was married to Harriet Crosby, September 15, 1829. Mrs. Southworth was from Worcester County, Mass.,
Isaac Braucher
E. B. Mix
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born September 27, 1801. Her grandfather was a Surgeon in the Revolutionary war, Dr. Samuel Cros- by, who was attached to Gen. Washington's staff. Her ancestors came from England. Mr. Southworth and family moved from Rutland County, Vt., to Ohio, in 1838. Before coming to Defiance in November, 1842, they had taught school in Stark County, Ohio. The winter of 1842, Mr. Southworth taught school in Richland Township; afterward he taught one term in Defiance, and others in the county. He gave special attention to spelling, history and penmanship in his school, and was also a singer. For seven or eight years, in the suunmers, he worked at the trade of house and sign painter. Being fond of hunting, he killed numbers of deer and other game that was abundant. On public occasions, he served as Marshal of the Day, several years. T'ho inhabitants of Defi- ance County suffered much with sickness; when not sick themselves, Mr. and Mrs. Southworth were ever ready to wait upon the sick, or sympathize with those who mourned. The seasons the cholera prevailed, Mr. Southworth never failed to do all possible to help the sick. It was often said, Mr. Southworth was sent for before they had sent for the doctor. The last three years of his life, he kept the American House, Clinton street, where he died of apoplexy De. cember 6, 1853. Mrs. Southworth continued to reside in Defiance twenty years, respected for industry, in- telligence and fortitude in affliction. October 18, 1873, she moved to Evansport, where she now lives. She joined the Presbyterian Church by letter when she came to Defiance, and has been identified with it more than forty years. She was President of the (Ladies') Aid Society during the war, and now, at the age of eighty-one years, she can repeat more than forty hymns, besides poetry, and passages from the Bible, which she reads daily, also newspapers and books of the day; makes and takes care of all her clothing; pieces patchwork quilts, and does her own housework, which is neatly done. She is nearly deaf. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Southworth were Lucy C. Southworth, born August 24, 1830, married to Thomas Rethmell November 3, 1853; they lived on a farm near Evansport ever since their marriage, where they now live; Charles E. Southworth, born July 24, 1832, died by the hands of the Mexicans in Arizona, with Col. Crabbe's whole expedition from California, April, 1857; Susan E. Southworth, born January 19, 1886, married to William F. Ferris December 19, 1853, diod at Defiance October 6, 1870. They had one son, Henry C. Ferris, who was born November 2, 1855, at Defiance, married to Ellen N. Cameron, at Evansport, June 30, 1878; their children are Charles W. and Floyd Ferris.
John Kniss was born in Armstrong County, Penn.,
October, 1814. His parents came to this State when he was a lad about two years old. They had six chil- dren-Elizabeth, Jacob, Peter, Polly, John and An- drew. Two of these are dead-Jacob and Andrew. John Kniss camo to Defiance in 1827, and was mar- ried in 1839, March 10, to Miss Sarah Wells. They have six children -Eliza, Benjamin F., Henry W., Jacob W., Charles W. and Ida M. All are living near by. His wife's parents, John Wells and Eliza- beth (Mason) Wells, came from Muskingum County to Defiance in the fall of 1834. Mrs. Kniss has but one brother living-Reason Wells -- and he is a resi- dent of Defiance. Mr. Kniss says he has worked at the boot and shoe business in this town about fifty years, and that his father was the first shoe-maker here, and thinks Benjamin Leavell kept the first store, " was here but a short time," and that James Craig was the first to do any tanning here, and the first blacksmith was Arthur Burras, who worked on the north side of the Maumee and had a little shop near the place where Peter Dickman's shop now stands. Walter Davis was the first cooper, and he thinks Will- iam Barton and Pierce Taylor first cabinet-makers.
John Rowe, dealer in railroad timber and ties, hoops, hoop polos, etc., was born May 19, 183-, at Steu- benville, Ohio, and was son of Adam and Catharine Rowe, now residents of Adams Township, in this county, and who came to Steubenville in 1837, and to Adams Township in 1839. John Rowe resided with his parents until 1857, when he came to Defi- ance and clerked for Adam Wilhelm, in his grocery and provision store, for four years, when he entered into partnership with his employer for five years. He then went into the same kind of business on his own account on Clinton street until 1880, since which he has been in his present business of railroad timber, etc. In 1862, he married Matilda Reusch, of Henry County, Ohio, and they have been the parents of twelve children, of whom fonr sons and four daughters still survive. The parents of Mr. Rowe were natives of Bavaria, those of Mrs. Rowe came from Greifswolde, in Prussia.
Christian L. Geiger, born February 15. 1836, in Geislingen, Wurtemberg, Germany, was one of a fam- ily of ten children of Coonrad and Catharine (Feigel) Geiger. The former died in his native land, the lat- ter came to America, and died in Defiance. There are but three of the children living, viz., Coonrad Jr., Christian L. and Gotlieb, all residents of Ohio. At the age of fourteen, the subject of this sketch was bound out as an apprentice for three years to learn turning, and took his place at the lathe, where he soon found he had to learn to live on porridge made from the chips, or, in other words, his food consisted mainly of water, a pinch of salt and crumbs of bread,
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