History of Mercer County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 41

Author: Scranton, S. S
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 786

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ship. When 19 years of age he went to Dayton, Ohio, and spent one year at Nazareth College. After his return home, he taught school in Marion town- ship and continued to assist on the farm until 1879, when he removed to Celina. Here he engaged in the manufacture of cigars for the next nine years, making a success of the business, and then went into general contract- ing. This line he carried on from 1888 until 1891, when he accepted the nomination for recorder of Mercer County. He was elected to this office, was re-elected in 1894 and served with the greatest efficiency for six years and eight months. Probably the county never had a more popular incumbent in the office of county recorder than was Mr. Hamburger. His faithfulness, his care and accuracy saved the county a large amount of needless litigation and brought satisfaction to those who had dealings with the office during his administration. Upon his retirement from public office, he engaged in the manufacture of brick for the new Catholic Church at Celina. In June, 1903, he engaged in his present business. His office is located on Main street.

On January 8, 1879, Mr. Hamburger was married to Catherine P. Kreusch, who was born in Mercer County, Ohio. To this union 'nine chil- dren were born, of whom the survivors are: Margaret, August, Mary and Victor Edward. Mr. Hamburger and family, a group picture of whom ac- companies this sketch, belong to the Catholic Church.

Mr. Hamburger owns considerable property in Celina and the vicinity, including his comfortable home on the corner of Anthony and Walnut streets.

CLAUDIUS GRIFFIN

CLAUDIUS GRIFFIN, one of the most venerable as well as highly esteemed residents of Union township, was born 93 years ago, November 28, 1813, in a little, old log cabin, in Clermont County, Ohio. He is a son of Benjamin and Experience (Mitchell) Griffin.

Mr. Griffin comes of Revolutionary stock, his grandfather having served under General Washington in 1776 and also having participated in various campaigns against the Indians and French which made courageous soldiers out of peaceful farmers. Mr. Griffin's father was a soldier in the War of 1812. When the Civil War fell upon the land, our venerable subject, then too old to be accepted as a defender of his country, sent his son, who gave up his young life on the altar of patriotism.

Benjamin Griffin, father of our subject, was born near Utica, New York, later resided for a short period in Pennsylvania, but subsequently came to Ohio, erecting a mill in Clermont County. Three years later a freshet in the river carried his mill with its grain and flour off its foundations and through

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only a fortunate accident were his home and family saved from like destruc- tion .. With his property thus destroyed, Mr. Griffin found it necessary to seek other means of subsistence and he decided to take up government land in Champaign County, where he finally located in a favorable spot. During the 15 years of his residence there, he cleared 120 acres of land, in the mean- time enduring many pioneer hardships. When his son Claudius was about 18 years of age, Mr. Griffin was offered $5 an acre for his cleared land, which he accepted, and then purchased another farm in Van Wert County. Our subject remembers very vividly the five months he spent alone on the new farm, clearing five acres of it by himself during the first winter. Indians fre- quently visited him in his rude cabin and the surrounding woods were full of wild animals. In the spring, after a long and wearying journey, the rest of the family came to Van Wert County, and here they lived united for the next eight years. Claudius Griffin's descriptions of the hardships that were neces- sarily faced and of the various expedients made use of both on the farm and in the household to ensure agricultural success and family comfort, impress the hearer with the conviction that our pioneer fathers and mothers were pos- sessed of qualities of which we, of a younger generation, may well feel en- vious.

Benjamin Griffin married Experience Mitchell, who died in 1867, aged 82 years, surviving her husband for seven years, who was 76 years old when he passed away. They were the parents of 10 children, as follows: Na- thaniel, Foster, Benjamin, Levi, Lucy, Amy, Eunice, Claudius, George and Chandler.

In 1839 Mr. Griffin was married and with his bride moved to Mercer County, locating on entered land in the vicinity of Mendon, where he again began the making of a home in the wilderness. Assisted and encouraged by his capable wife, he soon had enough land cleared to start his agricultural operations. Together he and his wife sowed the seed by hand ; the grain when grown was cut with a sickle and the threshing was done with a flail. Even then, in order to make use of the grain, it had to be hauled for from 20 to 30 miles, through the woods and over bridgeless streams, to reach a mill. On numerous occasions Mr. Griffin met with adventures and accidents which would have discouraged any but a brave and resourceful man.

For five years after moving to Mercer County, Mr. Griffin was not called upon to pay tax on the land he had entered from the government, but at the end of this period he was assessed, and to obtain the $15 necessary he sold a bunch of 60 two-year old hogs for 25 cents apiece. He walked to St. Marys, to the asessment office, paid the tax with all the money he had, and, as he was not acquainted in the village, walked the whole distance home again, fasting. For 10 years after he settled in Mercer County, he received no mail, the facili-

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ties then not being an encouragement to correspondence. He recalls the first newspaper that ever came into his hand-a sheet of four pages about the size of an ordinary book.

As may be inferred, Mr. Griffin's educational opportunities were limited but this fact only made him the more anxious to secure better chances for his children. When sufficient families had settled in his neighborhood to make it possible to gather children together for a school, he made it his business to go from house to house and so represent matters that contributions were se- cured and a schoolhouse built. In the same way he was instrumental in the erection of the first church in his locality. Having united with a religious body at the age of 13 years, he realized the need of a place of worship where all might gather, although from the first his home had been the home also of the pioneer preachers who made their periodical visits through the country. In all his efforts he was most ably seconded by his estimable wife, who had become a professor of religion at the age of 16 years.

Mr. Griffin recalls when the site of Mendon was an Indian village and when the aborigines had only just left Van Wert, Lima, and many other points for the far West. All his relations with the Indians were in the main friendly, perhaps because he invariably treated them well, as he did all who were poor or unfortunate. His heart has ever responded to the call of distress, charity being quickly dispensed to those who required help.

In 1839 Mr. Griffin was married to Elizabeth Arnold, a daughter of John and Rachel Arnold, who were natives of Kentucky but were then resi- dents of Venedocia, Van Wert County, Ohio. To our subject and wife were born 13 children, as follows: Eunice, deceased, who was the wife of Caleb Kelley; Mrs. Hannah Fryer, of Union township; John, deceased; Lucinda, deceased, who was the wife of William Lumunyon; Benjamin, who died young : Nathaniel, who married Ann Dobson, and resides at Celina; George F., who married Lydia Partner and is a farmer in Union township; Martha Jane, who is the wife of Joseph G. Severns, of Union township; Rachel, de- ceased, who was the wife of William Partner; William, who died young; Priscilla, who is the wife of Calvin Krugh, and lives in Union township; Isa- bella, who is the wife of Elroy Hussey, a prominent merchant and the post- master at Mendon; and Ida, who is the wife of Clement Vallandigham Hood, of Union township.

.A great grief came into the life of Mr. Griffin when his son John died in the army, during the Civil War. He was a valued member of the 18th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf. His death was caused from exposure after an at- tack of measles and his remains lie in the National Cemetery at Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mrs. Griffin died July 26, 1906, aged 85 years, 6 months and 4 days. Her married life had extended over a period of nearly 67 years. 1

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In political sentiment Mr. Griffin is in accord with the Republican party although, at the age of 21 years, he cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson. He visited the polls for the last time to cast his ballot for his great fellow- citizen, the late President William McKinley.

Since 1881 Mr. Griffin has resided on his present farm, which is about half a mile from the old homestead. He is surrounded by a large and inter- esting family of descendants numbering at present: Seven living children, 47 grandchildren and 55 great-grandchildren. Every comfort that ample means can supply or loving thoughtfulness suggest is his. In a remarkable degree he retains the strength and clear faculties of years ago, having never used glasses to assist his vision and having at the age of 90 years performed the feat of reading the "Holy Scripture" through in the space of two weeks. This book is a very familiar one to him and its precepts he has faithfully fol- lowed through many, many years. He is a consistent member of the Church of God. His life has bridged a wonderful period of the world's history and in his locality he has ably performed his part in the mighty whole.

HARMAN GERHARD SCHWIETERMANN

HARMAN GERHARD SCHWIETERMANN, one of the prominent agricul- turists of Marion township, Mercer County, Ohio, who resides on his valuable farm of 120 acres, situated in section 17, was born near Sebastian, in Marion township, Mercer County, Ohio, on April 13, 1868, and is a son of Gerhard and Josephine (Munning) Schwietermann.

The Schwietermann family is a numerous one in Mercer County, where it is noted for its thrift and good citizenship. It was founded here by the grandparents of our subject, Harman Arnold and Maria (Broaman) Schwiet- ermann, who were born in Germany and came to America, when their oldest son, Gerhard, was three months old. The family home in Mercer County was established in 1836 on the farm now occupied by Frank Schwietermann. There were nine others in the family to which Gerhard belonged, namely : John Henry, Harman Henry, J. Bernard, Mary, Elizabeth, John and William (twins), and Anna and Joseph (twins). The parents died on the farm on which they had settled when all this land was little less than a wilderness.

Gerhard Schwietermann was reared a farmer and when he arrived at manhood worked for Anton Munning, whose daughter, Josephine, he mar- ried at a later date. Subsequently he purchased his father-in-law's farm. Josephine Munning was born in France and was seven years of age when she accompanied her parents to America. They settled near Sebastian, in Mercer

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County, where she was later married to Gerhard Schwietermann. She had two brothers, and three sisters-Catherine, Victora and Mary.

Gerhard Schwietermann and wife had 10 children, as follows: Henry, who married Catherine Grieshop; Mary, who married George Klostermann ; Anna, who married John Flick; Harman Gerhard, the subject of this sketch; Frank, who married Agnes Stammen ; Josephine, who married John Schmidt; Elizabeth, who died aged 18 years; and Philomena, Louis and George, who live at home. The mother of this family died March 19, 1895, and the death of the father followed five years later, June 5, 1900.

Harman Gerhard Schwietermann was reared and educated in Marion township and has been a farmer ever since he has been old enough to handle agricultural implements. He purchased his present farm from his father, in 1890, and has resided here ever since, continually improving his property and adding both to its value and to its attractiveness. When he settled here the residence was a six-room brick house, quite comfortable as it was, but in no way equaling the fine home into which Mr. Schwietermann transformed it in 1906. He carries on general farming and stock-raising and stands in the front rank of good farmers of Marion township.

On February 12, 1890, Mr. Schwietermann was married to"Catherine Homan, who was born in Mercer County, Ohio, June II, 1872, and is a daughter of Barney and Mary (Evers) Homan. Mr. Homan came from Germany in young manhood and in Mercer County was married to Mary Evers, a native of this county. He was born in 1828 and she in 1841. They had the following children : Frank, who married Mary Polman; Clemmens, who married Catherine Kellar; Catherine; Anna, who is the wife of Barney Bills; Joseph, who married Anna Kellar; and Barney, who married Margaret Kellar. Mr. and Mrs. Homan reside on their farm of 170 acres in Marion township.

Mr. and Mrs. Schwietermann have four children, namely: Rosa, Stephen, Constant and Clemmens. The family belong to St. Sebastian's Catholic Church at Sebastian. Mr. Schwietermann is a valued and active member of St. Joseph's Society.

JOHN HENRY LANGE

JOHN HENRY LANGE, a prominent and prosperous farmer of Granville township, who owns a fine farm of 350 acres of land in section 29, in two) tracts, separated by the Lauber turnpike, 240 acres being in one and 110 in the other, was born on the Lange homestead, in Granville, township, Mercer

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County, Ohio, January 6, 1855. He is a son of John Henry and Elizabeth (Overman) Lange.

John Henry Lange, Sr., was born in Germany and at the age of 19 years came to America. His parents, Henry and Mary Lange, were willing that their son should try his fortune in the land across the ocean, but they were poor and it took a large amount of money to pay his passage. They went to every extreme in order to secure the amount, even to selling the family cow. Later he assisted them to join him in America. When he landed in the great American metropolis of New York, he had just 50 cents in his pocket ! It did not take him long, however, to find employment, but the work was the carrying of iron and after laboring for three days his shoulder became so sore that, in spite of what he considered fabulous pay, he was obliged to give it up. In Germany he had received $19 a year for his work, while the great iron company paid him $2 a day. He then went to Cincinnati and became ac- quainted with a contractor, who employed, him during the summer in ex- cavating. During the winter he went into the woods and cut cord wood, with his two partners camping out and doing their own cooking. Later he went into the excavating business as a contractor and filled out a railroad contract between Minster and Cincinnati. After this he bought 80 acres of land in Granville township, Mercer County, on which he built a log house which provided shelter until he could erect a better one, which latter one is still standing. A man of his energy and perseverance could not help being suc- cessful. He acquired and sold large tracts of land, handling over 1,000 acres in his time. He died on his farm on April 23, 1879.

During his residence in Cincinnati, he married Elizabeth Overman, who was born in Germany and came to America with her parents when she was six years of age. She died in Granville township, February 12, 1894. They had eight children, namely: Bernardina, who married J. H. Hulsman and lives at St. Henry; Anna, who married Anton Lammers, and lives at St. Henry; Mary, who married G. H. Moeller, and lives at St. Henry; Eliza- beth, deceased in infancy; John Henry; John Herman, living on the home place, who married (first) Mary Morman, and (second) Elizabeth Dabbelt ; Elizabeth (2), deceased, who was the wife of Bernard Borger; and Frank, who married Mary Steinlage, and lives near our subject.

John Henry Lange bears his father's name. He continued to work on the home farm, after finishing his schooling in the district schools, until he was married and ready to establish his own home. He had already secured 80 acres from his father and this he cleared, living on it, and later bought 30 acres from Paul Henry Hemmelgarn, and, still later, 120 acres from the Con- gregation of the Most Precious Blood, and subsequently 40 acres more from the same organization. Later he purchased 80 acres from Fred Beimel and

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still later purchased 107 acres in Darke County, Ohio, making his total pos- sessions amount to 457 acres.

In 1881 Mr. Lange built his comfortable, nine-room, frame residence and continued to add improvements of various kinds to the homestead. In 1893 gas was found on his farm and later oil was also discovered.

Mr. Lange has often heard his father tell of the wild condition of the country when he first settled here. On many occasions he had to drive deer out of his wheat field. He raised flax and kept sheep for the wool, which the women of the household spun and then wove into fabrics, with which they made the clothing for the family. They were accustomed to go to church in wooden shoes. At first they went 40 miles with their grist to secure flour for bread.

On May 24, 1881, Mr. Lange was married to Frances Drahman, a daugh- ter of Bernard and Mary (Hemmelgarn) Drahman, who were born in Ger- many and died at St. Henry. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Drahman were : Henry ; Bernardina, deceased, who was the wife of William Grave; Anna, who was a nun in a convent at Brooklyn, New York, where she died in 1892; Theresa, wife of Joseph Macke; John; Elizabeth, deceased, who was the wife of Martin Schoeneberger; Joseph; Frances; Bernard, who died aged 14 years; and Mary, who died aged seven years.

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Lange were: Rosalia, who is the wife of Andrew Evers and a resident of Butler township; Joseph; Theresa; Amelia; Ludwig; Bernard; Henry; Albert; Ferdinand and Otilia, both de- ceased; and Ludvina. Mr. Lange and family belong to St. Henry's Catholic Church at St. Henry. In politics he is a Democrat.

FRANK LUDWIG DABBELT

FRANK LUDWIG DABBELT, a prosperous farmer and well-known citizen of Franklin township, who owns a well-improved farm of 140 acres, which has been in the family since the grandfather's time, was born here on April 18, 1867. He is a son of Hubert and Rosina (Lindhaus) Dabbelt.

The grandfather of Mr. Dabbelt, Barney Dabbelt, was born in Germany, where he was twice married. He settled in Franklin township, Mercer Coun- ty, on the farm above mentioned, and upon it passed the rest of his life. The children of his first marriage were: Gerhard, Hubert and Anna, the latter of whom married John Beauchamp, and all are now deceased. The children of the second marriage were: Ignatz, August and Mollie, the latter of whom is Mrs. Henry Dorston.

Hubert Dabbelt was about 15 years of age when he accompanied his

LEONARD GURLEY BROCK

ـيك سنخمسين

MRS. ELIZABETH L. BROCK

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father to Mercer County, and he remained all his life on the home farm, where he died January 5, 1906. At St. Sebastian's Catholic Church, at Sebastian, Mercer County, he was married to Rosina Lindhaus, who was born in Ohio, but is of German extraction. Of her three brothers, Henry, Barney and Joseph, the first named is dead. Of her sisters, Mary, Elizabeth, Caroline, Catherine and Lena, Catherine is deceased. Mrs. Dabbelt still survives and resides at the home of the subject of this sketch.

The children of Hubert Dabbelt and wife were: Barney John, who mar- ried Mary Hanfelder and resides on a farm near Montezuma; Henry, who married Christina Heyne, and lives at Dayton; Catherine, who married Casper Clune and is now deceased; Frank Ludwig, of this sketch; John and Caroline, who died young; and Aloys, who married Agnes Schwietermann and lives on a Franklin township farm.

Frank Ludwig Dabbelt has always followed farming. In 1898 he pur- chased his present farm, which included a comfortable, 10-room frame house and good barn. Mr. Dabbelt has made many improvements here and has a. very valuable property. In 1892 he had experiments made to determine whether gas existed and the conclusions were so favorable that he had a well drilled from which gas still issues, which is utilized for heating and lighting.

On October 20, 1898, Mr. Dabbelt was united in marriage with Mary Schwietermann, a daughter of Joseph Schwietermann, a prominent citizen of Franklin township, and they have three children, namely: Hubert, born July 26, 1901 ; Alfred, born August 30, 1903; and Ferdinand, born April 24, 1905. Both Mr. Dabbelt and wife are members of St. Sebastian's Catholic Church at Sebastian.

LEONARD GURLEY BROCK

LEONARD GURLEY BROCK, residing on his well-improved farm of 160 acres, which is situated in section 9, Jefferson township, was born in Seneca County, Ohio, July 30, 1837, and is a son of Rev. Wesley and Zerilda (Hop- kins) Brock.

Rev. Wesley Brock was born in Jackson County, Indiana, and was a son of David Brock, who was born in England. Wesley Brock was married first in Indiana and one son, David, was born to that marriage, who died at the age of 25 years. After coming to Ohio, Mr. Brock was married to Zerilda Hopkins, a daughter of Hazzard Hopkins, a substantial farmer of Logan County, Ohio, and they had eight children, seven of whom still sur- vive. The record is as follows : Leonard G .; Sylvester; John Wesley; Francis; Orlando Hopkins; Elonidas Gardner; Emma Alice, deceased at the age of four years; and Wilbur Hazzard.

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For many years Rev. Wesley Brock was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church and our subject's boyhood was spent in many different parts of Ohio, just as his father would be moved from station to station. In later years Rev. Wesley Brock bought a large body of farming land, some 480 acres, in Jefferson township, Mercer County, and he entered 160 acres in his own name and 120 acres in our subject's name, when the latter was 14 years of age. He was a man of excellent business faculty as well as pious zeal and he is remembered in the old church annals as a faithful worker and effective preacher. He died on November 19, 1857 and is resting in what is called the Swamp Cemetery in Jefferson township. The mother of our subject survived him many years, dying on August 21, 1898, aged 82 years.

Leonard G. Brock was about 15 years old when he came first to Jeffer- son township and he assisted his father in clearing the land. On many oc- casions in those early days he killed deer on the very fields he has since cul- tivated.

On April 29, 1864, Mr. Brock was married to Elizabeth Langle, a daughter of Adam Langle, of Butler township, and they had seven children born to them, viz: Lawrence Emerson, an officer in the internal revenue service, living at Troy, Ohio, who married Jennie Steele and has one daugh- ter ; Otho, residing on the home farm, who married Effie Richeson and has two children-Lela and Meredith Leonard; Carrie Irena, who married Rev. James Francis Olive, a preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, who is in charge of a church at Carey, Wyandot County, Ohio-they have two children, Millie Marie and James Francis ; and four children that died in infancy. Mrs. Brock died November 12, 1901.

Mr. Brock has lived to see many changes take place in this part of Mer- cer County and he has borne his part of the burden in the general progressive movement. He has a fine farm and carries on general farming and stock- raising. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1880. In politics he is a Republican, having cast his first vote for President Lincoln in 1860. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Brock accompany this sketch.

BARNEY ROHLER

BARNEY ROHLER, a well-known citizen and general merchant of Monte- zuma. was born in Germany in 1865 and is a son of John and Mary Rohler.

John Rohler was born in Germany, and spent the greater part of his life in his native land, coming to America with his wife and daughters in 1887. He was married in Germany and all of his children were born in that country. He was the father of six children: Harman, who died in child-

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hood; Cecilia (Stacy), who lives in Chicago; Gertrude, who married Henry Albers and lives in Shelby County, Ohio; Anna, deceased, who was the wife of Gerhard Brunick; Maggie, a resident of Shelby County, Ohio, who is the widow of A. Benanza; and Barney.

Barney Rohler was reared in Germany on a farm and at the age of 20 years came to this country, this being about two and a half years before the rest of the family came. He lived at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, for about three months. In 1885 he came to Mercer County and worked on a farm for Henry Luctifelt for about two years. He then rented a farm for his father near McCartyville, Shelby County, Ohio, where he remained assisting his father for three years, after which he rented a farm of 80 acres from Anthony Albers in Shelby County, Ohio, which he operated for the next three years. His next move was to Frank Hullman's farm of 80 acres on which he lived for four years. Subsequently he bought a farm of II0 acres in Franklin town- ship, Mercer County, where he lived for six years. He sold this farm to Harlow W. Burdge and in 1905 opened up a general store in Montezuma, which he is still conducting. -

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History of Mercer County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 41

Author: Scranton, S. S Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 786

Author: Scranton, S. S
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 786