USA > Ohio > Erie County > History of Erie County Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 27
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Johannnes Heimgartner (Homegardner) was born in Fisselsbach, Canton Aargau, Switzerland, and emigrated with his wife, Catharine, to America in 1833. He settled in Richland county, O., in the same year, on a farm con- sisting of one hundred acres, which he had bought for ten shillings per acre. the regular market price in those days. In 1837 he sold his farm, doubling his money, and moved to Sandusky, where he died in 1840. His widow sur- vived him twenty-six years. Following are the names of the children of this marriage : Barbara McHatton, widow ; George, Catharine Schieble, Eliza- beth Hauck, widow; John and Jasper. The three brothers were engaged in their earlier days in the timber business, felling the stately oak and hickory trees near Venice. They found a ready market whenever they came to San- dusky with their oxen teams.
John Homegardner, representative of the family in Erie county, was born December 20, 1829, and was married in 1852 to Marie Loeblein. In 1860 he engaged in the wood, sand and stone business, and has become one of the most substantial business men of the town. He has served his constituents for many years in different capacities, being elected councilman in the fifth ward. He held this office for twenty-one consecutive years. In ISSI he was elected county commissioner, and retired in 1887, after six years of service. He was a member of the Buckeye Fire Company for eight years. The Home- gardners are devout Catholics. Of their six children five are now living : Catharine Giedeman, John, Louise, Josephine and Fred.
Conrad Poppenbo settled here in 1835. In conversation with his step-son, Herman Windau, the following interesting sketch of the first German engineer
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
on the old Mad River road was taken : "My step-father, Conrad Poppenbo," he said, " was married to my mother, Lucaea Burman, in the old country fifty years ago. My father, Anton Riedenbusch, had his residence in the castle Windau, Westphalia, and was a high officer in the government service. He died in 1832. For some reason our mother never acquainted us with our father's name till we were grown up, and we had in the meantime adopted the name of our former estate, 'W'indau.' The family consisted of five of us when we emigrated in 1835, my parents and three of us children, viz .: Joseph Ried- enbusch-Windau; Moritz Riedenbusch, Seneca county ; and Hermann, of Sandusky. Sandusky became our home in the same year, and I have lived and worked here faithfully for nearly half a century." Standing in the yard of the old Mad River Company's shops he pointed out a landmark; "where you see the three old oak trees near the Market street entrance," he said. " Davidson's slaughter-house was standing fifty years ago; to your left and only a short distance from the paint-shop was the boundary line of the first burying-ground in Sandusky, that was located at the foot of Shelby street. Everything has changed. I was a mere lad of twelve or thirteen years when the first road to Bellevue was surveyed in 1839, but I recollect it as well as to-day, when I was carrying the chain and made myself generally useful. After the strap rails were laid Thomas Hogg became the first engineer on the primitive branch of the road, and my step-father, Conrad, became his fireman. In my recollection the Lane, Erie, Sandusky and Wyandotte were, in the order named, the first engines operated on this road. The crew consisted of three men, an engineer and a fireman, and wood passer. They worked by the day and received $1.50 and $1.00 respectively. It was customary in those days that everybody had to work himself up on the ladder. After Thomas Hogg's promotion to the place of master mechanic, my father took charge of Tom's engine, and Paul Klauer, who settled here in 1837, became his fireman. After Klauer's promotion, a few years later, he engaged John Hauer as fireman, who, in due time, was entrusted with an iron horse of his own. Both died of the cholera in 1849. Paul Klauer, in harness, being taken sick on the road, was carried from his engine into the station-house at Urbana. where he died. His widow, Catharine, was married in 1852 for the second time, choosing Math. Dietz as a partner. She is living on Fulton street in feeble health. 'This reminds me,' said my captive, ' of a curious affair that occurred in the first years after the old Mad River road became operated. A young man, by name Besterman, had found employment on one of the loco- motives as fireman, and had made a trip or two when his work terminated rather abruptly. His aged mother, after having implored him to give up the devil's work, threw herself bodily before his engine as he was ready to pu !! out, and prayed so fervently to give up the devil's wagon that her prayer was answered. He resigned the same day and moved subsequently to Cincinnati
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with his mother.' My step-father, C. Poppenbo, resigned his post in 1859, and died six years ago on a farm which he had bought out of his savings, in Big Spring township, Seneca county." Hermann Windau said : "As for my- self, I was born on June 24, 1826, and worked on this road from boyhood, at first in the yard, then as wood passer, and for years past, as you see me now, attending the boiler in our extensive shops. I was married to my wife, Marie Eva Caspar, in 1847. Of our seven children, five are now living. You had better see old Kenne and Hank Pfenner, if I have left space for supplement- ing," he said, as I closed my book with many thanks for the interesting in- terview.
Johann Loffler settled in this county in 1835. Every one of the old set- tlers will recollect the Lofflers, and these lines will bring to memory their tragic end. It seems cruel that the cold hand of death should exterminate a whole family of six within the short period of a week or two, leaving a helpless baby to the cold mercies of this world. Johann Loffler was born in Rentheim, Bavaria, and was a tailor by trade. He emigrated to America in 1835, and was married to Catharine, in Sandusky, in the same year. He became quite prosperous from the start, and acquired a little property on the corner of Ful- ton and Market streets, where he worked at his trade and kept a saloon and boarding-house in combination. In 1846 he built the commodious brick house on the corner, owned at present by Anselm Albrecht. In the meantime he had added a selected stock of groceries to his business. Here they lived hap- pily and prospered until 1849, when the cholera overtook them alike with countless other families in Sandusky. Of a once happy family circle none was left excepting John, the babe, who in his innocent prattle betrayed no signs of grief. We give the death record of this unfortunate family : John and Catharine Loeffler; George, aged eleven ; Francisca, aged eight years ; Conrad, aged six years ; and Wilhelm, aged four years. John, although in- heriting the old homestead, is a poor man. The administration for many years swallowed up a large share of the estate, and what finally passed into his hands was quickly lost, as he had no chance in his former dependent life to acquire correct business principles, and was left without a guiding hand. He is now in his fortieth year, honest to a fault, and single. With him will die the last of the Loefflers.
Fred Reinheimer settled here in 1833. As a young man of twenty-two years did Mr. Reinheimer leave his native village in Bavaria to better himself in the new world. He was a carpenter by trade and worked side by side with Peter Gilcher and Valentine Nicolai for years. He accumulated considerable property, but was so unfortunate as to lose it again. His last days were passed in almost total blindness. He could have saved himself from ruin, had he chosen, but he preferred rather to live and die in scantiness than to deviate from the path of honor. He was one of the founders of the first German Prot-
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
estant Church in Sandusky. He was born February 15, 1811, in Horschbach, Rheinpfalz and was married in 1840. His first wife died in 1849 of cholera. Elizabeth Gartner became his second wife. She is living on Meigs street in a little house of her own. Seventeen children were born in the two marriages. Mr. Rheinheimer died March 13, 1882.
John Jacob Klooss (Close) and his wife, Magdalene Walter, had their former home in the Grand Duchy of Baden, in Weingarten and Groetzingen, respec- tively. They joined hands in 1829 and it was God's will that they should mu- tually share for fifty years the joy and sorrow of a married life. Two children, John Henry and John Jacob were born in the old county. In the spring of 1834, they emigrated to America, arriving at Sandusky in May. In this city they lived and worked for half a century, with the exception of six years (37-43) when Massillon, O., became their temporary home. Nine children were born to them, including the two born in the old country. At their festive day of golden wedding, in the fall of 1879, they could count the Closes by the score, nine children, forty grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Klooss was a day laborer, but managed to acquire a home of his own in a short time. He was a respected and well loved citizen. He was one of the founders of the first German Protestant Church. He died July 22, and his wife in February, 1880.
A practical joke, played on him only a few years after his coming to San- dusky, may find a place here, it will bring a smile even to the lips of a misan- thrope. Close was very found of poultry and fancied his ducks especially. One night they failed to reach their home and nothing was heard or seen of them for several days ; all hopes of their recovery had long been given up, when in the morning a solitary duck entered the gate with the following orig- inal poem well secured on her neck :
" Guten Morgen, Herr Klooss ! Hier bin ich, arm und Blooss, Doch meine arme Camerathen Sind alle Gebrathen !"
The perpetrator has not been found to this day.
Henry Sprau came to this place in 1839. Two old, time worn papers are before me, the one a citizen paper dated September 26, 1844, and signed by Rice Harper, clerk of Erie county, and the other a Dienstbuch, from which I copy the following entry :
" Das betragen von Meiner Mackt is gut, welches Ich bescheinige."
27th December, 1836.
" JOHANNES ROSS,
"ZU WURZELBACH."
As an explanation I will say, that servants were under strict police control fifty years ago in the old country and that by a heavy penalty, their conduct had
١١٠
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THE GERMAN ELEMENT.
to be written into a special book (Dienstbuch) every year by the head of the family they were employed by. They were not allowed to change their places without due cause and reason before the expiration of the contract. The first twelve pages of this interesting little book gives in twenty-two articles, the laws passed in 1838 in Hessen, regulating the conduct and duties of servants. For the edification of those interested, one of the articles is given in translation :
Article VIII. Servants not born in the district where employed, shall forci- bly - auf dem schub - be expelled and taken to the nearest boundary line for the following reasons, viz :
Ist. For breaking their contract without cause.
2d. For absenting themselves at night time without permission of the lady of the house.
3d. For associating with bad company.
4th. For changing places repeatedly in a year's time.
5th. For contracting at the same time with different parties.
The citizen paper bears the name of Henry Sprau ; the " Dienstbuch " was at one time the property of his second wife, Marie Justine Bauer. Henry Sprau was born in Waldshausen, Bavaria, in 1815 and emigrated in 1839, making Sandusky his permanent home, where he was engaged in the dray business for thirty years. He was married twice. One of the three sons of his first mar- riage, Henry, is living at Put-in-bay Island. With his second wife, Marie Jus- tine, he had eight children, four of whom are now living viz: Paul, Marie, Wilhelm and Susie. Mr. Sprau died in September, 1869, and his second wife on March 27, 1874. He left to his children a homestead on Adams street.
Conrad Ebner emigrated to America with his wife, Catharine Biehler, in 1836. Their wealth consisted principally in three helpless waifs, Marie three years old, Peter, nearly two years, and Caroline, nine months. After a short stay in Sandusky they moved into Richland county, where they settled on a farm, returning to Sandusky in 1845, where they died. Their children live and prosper in this city. Peter, now a confectioner on Market street ; Marie, wife of Conrad Mooss, residing on Decatur street, and Caroline, widow of Ph. Walter, residing on Tiffin avenue.
Jacob Knerr, whose home was in Battenbach, near Zweibruecken, Bavaria, where he kept a tavern, engaged, in his spare hours, in the honest profes- sion of tailor. His wife, Elizabeth Margarethe Schweitzer, having died, he took heart to cross the ocean with his four children, Louise, Catharine Eliza- beth, Catharine and Elizabeth. Almanacs could not have been as plenti- ful then as now. The similarity in names was perplexing enough to cost the writer a couple of hours work to cut the Gordian Knot. Louise became the wife of John Schuck, and died in 1883; Catharine Elizabeth was married to Matthew Dietz and died in 1851 ; Catharine became Paul Klauer's wife and suc- ceeded her sister, after her husband's death in Urbana, in marrying M. Dietz,
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
and Elizabeth, Jacob Hertels first wife, died in -. Mr. Knerr worked for a short time at his trade, when he retired, to live with his children. He was one of the founders of the First German Protestant Church in Sandusky and used to busy himself as sexton of his church for years. He died in 1849 of cholera.
Jacob Benz came to Sandusky in 1834. If there is anything in a name it is not easily comprehended why the village of Weingarten (Vinegarden) in Baden should have furnished such an unusual large contingent of early settlers. In this as in many other instances can the real cause be traced to repeated failures in crops and high and accumulating taxes ; again the whole town was intermarried and the glowing letters from the new world spread like wild fire and awakened a desire to participate in all the blessings so vividly described. Jacob Benz, sr., was one of the 'many that left Weingarten in 1834 with his wife, Barbara Meyer. He was a weaver but never worked at his trade in this coun- try. He made his living as a day laborer and drayman. On account of the deep interest he took in the establishment of the First German Protestant Church, he earned the name of Church Father (Kirchen-father) Benz. Of the original eleven founders of this church only one or two are living at this writ- ing. Of the five children born in wedlock two have died viz .: Mrs. Jacob Schuck and Christian. The Benz family is represented in Erie county by Ja- cob jr., a drayman ; Eva Catharine Reinheimer, Barbara Walter. Jacob Benz, sr., died in -- , and his wife, Barbara, in -. Jacob Benz, jr., was born July 23, 1823, in Weingarten, Baden, and was married in 1847 to Christina Wagner in Sandusky, O. Seven children were born to them, all of whom are now living : Christine Waterfield, Elizabeth Bersch, Port Clinton ; Fred, Car- oline Belt, Toledo, O .; Marie Moore, Julia Hayden, Indiana, and Jessie Hoe- lein.
Johann Heinrich Platz was Pennsylvania German and was born near Beth- lehem, January 7, 1819. He came to Sandusky in 1832, where he learned the carpenter trade with Sam White, sr. In 1845 he was married to Margarethe Bauer. He was a charter member of the First German Protestant Church and an organizer of the first fire company in Sandusky. He died in the prime of life on July 22, 1849, of cholera. His widow became the wife of J. Clemens in 1851. J. Clemens died in May, 1888.
John Koegle, who came here in 1839, was a son of Jacob and Catharine Koegle, and was born September 23, 1813, in Weingarten, Baden, and emi- grated with his wife, Maria Eva Meyer, and their infant daughter, Elizabeth, in 1837, making Sandusky their permanent home in 1839. Elizabeth was mar- ried to Ferdinand Ziegler, and died a year ago. Of the six children born to them in this country only two are now living viz. : George, the efficient street commissioner, and August, the prosperous dry goods merchant of Hancock street. For thirty-six years did John Koegle work faithfully for the old San- dusky, Mansfield and Newark, and the B. and O. R. R. He retired a few years
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ago to pass the years of his allowance in peace and rest. His first wife died in 1861. Susanna Gablentz became his second partner. Two sons and one daughter are the fruits of this marriage.
John Klauss came here in 1835. No reliable information could be ascer- tained about this family. Mr. Klauss was a day laborer and was married in Sandusky. They had no children. He died in the last cholera time (1854). His widow moved to Elmore, O., where she married again.
Gottfried and Charles Doerflinger came here in 1836. A majestic bronze statue " Under den Linden " in Berlin represents Doerflinger, the general in chief, the hero of the battle of Fehrbellin (1675), the trusted friend of Fred- erick of Brandenburg, who laid the corner stone to Prussia's present might and glory. A poor tailor in his younger days did he exchange the yard stick for the sword and became a hero, immortalized in song and speech. Gott- fried the subject of our sketch, has seen similar changes in his life ; a tailor like him-although the habitations in the old country are too far apart as to admit of any relation-did he exchange the yard stick for the terror of unruly boys, the rod, and became the first German teacher in the public schools of San- dusky many years ago. He commanded, like his namesake, an army, but only of boys and girls, and worked his way faithfully and without any osten- tation for more than thirty years. He retired a year or two ago to spend the remainder of his life with his wife and children. Carl Doerflinger, his brother, emigrated in the same year, 1836. He was born in Blankenloch, Baden, in 1825, and was married to Margarethe Maul in Sandusky in 1850. For more than thirty years has he been in the employ of the Old Mad River Railroad as carpenter. The names of the children of his family are given as follows : Louise Prediger, Christine Bock, Frank and John.
Heinrich Walter came to Sandusky in 1835. His cradle stood in Kret- zingen, Baden, where he was born in 1813. He emigrated in 1836 making Sandusky his home until about ten years ago, when he settled with his grown up boys on a well cultivated farm in Perkins township, about five miles from town. Walter was married to Barbara, a daughter of old Jacob Benz, in San- dusky. By trade he was a shoemaker, and managed to accumulate by hard work sufficient means to pass his last days in comfort. Of the nine children born in married life, six are living, viz .: Jacob Walter, Caroline Spiegel, Per- kins township; Susanne Fischer, Middle Bass Isle ; Wilhelm W., Johann W. and Carl W. in Perkins.
Christian Engel came to Sandusky in 1835. Of the five children of John Peter Engel and his wife Sophie Frederika Eleonore Ernstine, two died in the old home in Ostheim, For der Rhoen, in Saxonia ; the remaining three, Christian, Christiane and Marie made Sandusky their home. Christian, the oldest, became a resident as early as 1835. He was a shoemaker by trade, and had his workshop where Kunzman's hotel is located on Jackson street.
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
He was married in Sandusky to Maria Anne Biglin. A number of years ago he left his bench and settled in Put-in-Bay Island, where he is engaged in the grape culture. His children are living at the same place. Christiane Eliza- beth was born March 8, 1812, and married in 1843 to John Christopher Klee, and came with her husband to Sandusky a year before the first cholera. She died in 1887. Her husband, and the only son, John, are living on Adams street. Maria, the oldest one, was born in 1808, and married in the old coun- try to Andreas Duennisch. After her husband's death she made Sandusky her home. She died in 1886. Her two sons are well provided for ; Louis is the manager of the Butlers' planing mill, and Christian, the oldest, has become a wealthy farmer in Margaretta township.
Daniel Reinheimer, a son of Peter and Elizabeth Reinheimer was born in Horschbach, Bavaria, in 1815, and joined his uncle Fred in Sandusky in 1840. Regine Emele became his wife in 1844. Eleven children were born to them. In 1854 the family moved west and settled on a farm near Sheboy- gan, Wis. Wilhelm R. was born in I822, and made Sandusky his home in 1845, and was married two years later to Eva Catharine Benz. Nine children were born to them, all are now living, except one. Wilhelm now resides on Perry street. Jacob was born October 1, 1820, and was the last of the family to, this country in company with the aged parents. The old day book of Peter Reinheimer is before me and I take liberty to copy from it (translated).
1848, May IS, we left Horschbach this day.
May 24, we arrived at London.
June I, started on shipboard.
July 9, arrived at New York.
July 21, landed at Sandusky.
September 1, bought a lot for $330.
Build house same year for $486.40. Summary $816.40.
Old Peter Reinheimer and his wife died years ago. The children are liv- ing, honest and industrious as they are, they never accumulated means of any account. The support of a large family absorbed the earnings of a year's hard work.
Adam Hemberle came here in 1838. The Hemberle family, consisting of the parents, Adam and his wife and five children, John, Frederick, Caroline, Christine and Marie, left their former home, Blankenloch, in Baden, in the spring of 1836, and settled on a farm in Crawford county, O., in the same year. Two years later they moved to Sandusky where they lived and died years ago. Of the five children only three are now living : Frederika, wife vi John Fisher; Caroline, wife of Adam Bauer, and Marie, wife of Adam Zim- mermacher. John and Christine, who was the wife of Casper Schneider are in a better world. Mr. Hemberle was a day laborer and much respected.
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Jacob Hopfinger was born in 1795 in Eisenthal, Rheinpfalz, and came to Sandusky in 1840. His first wife, Sylvia Braun, died in the old country. He married again, choosing Elizabeth Burghofer as a partner. Two of his children are living in Sandusky, viz: Margarethe Weiss and Magdalene Scherer. He died on June 12, 1879, in Ottawa county.
Conrad Linker came to Sandusky in 1839, and was a son of Heinrich and Anna Elizabeth (Rudolph) Linker. He was born May 15, 1791, in Specks- winkel, Hessen, and was married in 1818 in the old country to Christine Rose. He left his home in 1832 with the intention to meet relatives in Crawford county, O. His wife died almost in sight of their destination and was buried in Mansfield. She was in her thirty-eighth year. In 1839 Linker moved to Sandusky to live with his daughter Catharine Elizabeth, who had become the wife of Jacob Hertel, the founder of the Baystadt Demokrat. He died of cholera in 1849. The names of the children are given in chronological order : Catharine Elizabeth Hertel, born June 10, 1819; Anna Elizabeth Schmidt, born January 30, 1822 ; Johannes, born July 18, 1824; Anna Catharine, May 17, 1827 ; Johannes F. born January 2, 1830.
The Merklein family settled in Sandusky about 1835. No reliable infor- mation could be had about this family. They came to Sandusky about 1835, where they both died of the cholera in 1849. George Werner, formerly living on the corner of Hancock and Madison streets, was a brother of Mrs. Merk- lein ; he was a day laborer employed in the warehouse.
August Mueller settled here in 1835. His name would long have faded from memory had not a rather peculiar incident occurred which kept it alive. Sandusky, fifty years ago, afforded an excellent pasture ground, not only for old Foreman's sheep, but for a number of cows, that in a go-as-you-please way, found food and water, shelter and shade among the hazel bushes of the village. Mueller was the proud possessor of a cow, but it was a great chagrin to him that his cow returned dry repeatedly, in the evening. A kind hearted neighbor enlightened him that in all probability some one procured the precious lacteal fluid without consent. Whether our friend August in his younger days had read Cooper's "Lederstrumpf" and the "Last of the Mohicans " or not, we leave this an open question. He started on his war- path, the scalping knife in his pocket, I see him plainly wend his way through the bushes on hands and feet, and there he sits, the perpetrator of all his misery, leisurely abstracting the precious fluid. One warwhoop, one jump and he had him by the ear, one cut and he had the trophy in his hands. His friends persuaded him, as he apparently was not conscious of the enormity of the crime, to take passage on a boat that was ready to leave for Buffalo on the next morning. Between the two ports he worked on shipboard for nearly two years, but never allowed his feet to touch the soil of this city, except under the cover of night. He subsequently moved to St. Louis, and may
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