USA > Ohio > Mercer County > History of Mercer County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 48
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John Joseph Romer and wife moved from Cincinnati to Mercer County, in October, 1838. His brother had bought 16 tracts of land of 80 acres each and John Joseph Romer purchased one of these. He was one of the founders of St. Henry and one of the town's very first business men, starting a store in 1840. Before the completion of the canal, he was accustomed to transport all his goods from Cincinnati by wagon. He also engaged in farming. His death occurred at St. Henry, January 17, 1889. His wife died February 12, 1884.
John Henry Romer, our subject, was the first white male child born at St. Henry. He assisted his father during boyhood, on the farm and in the store, and later hauled goods between Cincinnati and St. Henry, driving a four-horse team. It required three or four days to make the trip. In 1867 he opened a general store at St. Henry and conducted a business for about 37 years and then sold out to his nephew, Joseph John Romer, in December, 1903. Mr. Romer then made plans for a banking enterprise, on January 5, 1906, renting a room for the purpose, where business was commenced. Later the company built a brick bank building at St. Henry, and the bank was moved to that, which quarters have been maintained ever since.
On February 26, 1867, Mr. Romer was married to Rebecca Beckman, who was born at St. Henry and is a daughter of the late Henry A. Beckman. They have seven children, as follows: William Henry, born June 28, 1868, who married Amelia Moeller and is cashier of the St. Henry Bank; Herman, born October 30, 1869, who died September 24, 1870; John G., born May 12, 1872, who married Katheryn Van Oss and is a lawyer at Celina; George B., a resident of St. Henry, who married Nora Fredericks; Edward F., assistant cashier of the First National Bank at Celina, who married Josephine Goldie;
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Elizabeth, born April 30, 1887, who is teller of the First National Bank at Celina ; and Matilda, born September II, 1889, who is at home.
The grandparents of Mrs. Romer came from Germany. After living a few years in Cincinnati, they came to the vicinity of the present town of Minster, Auglaize County, Ohio, which Gerhard and Rebecca Beckman and a Mr. Stallo laid out. Later the grandparents came to Mercer County and settled in Granville township. They had six children, namely : Mary Anna, Henry A., Catherine, Rebecca, Frank and Mary. Henry A. Beckman was II years of age when the family came to America. While living on a farm at St. Henry, he was married, February II, 1844, to Elizabeth Borgerding, who also came from Germany. They had eight children, namely: John G., Rebecca, wife of Mr. Romer; Mary A., deceased, who married Bernard Frank Romer and died March 18, 1902; Frank; Catherine, who died unmarried; and Joseph, William and Clara, who died in infancy. Mr. Beckman died Au- gust 3, 1868, but Mrs. Beckman survived until August 16, 1887. They were well known and most highly respected people. Henry A. Beckman, while never having attended law school, built up a large law practice throughout this and adjoining counties.
Mr. Romer was twice elected township treasurer and served out one term to fill a vacancy. He and his family belong to St. Henry's Catholic Church at St. Henry, and he was secretary of the building committee when the hand- some new church was erected. In politics he is a Democrat.
JOHN HENRY WENDELN
JOHN HENRY WENDELN, a substantial farmer of Marion township, whose well-developed farm of 120 acres is located in section 26, was born near Min- ster, Auglaize County, Ohio, and is a son of Fred Wendeln and the grandson of Henry Wendeln.
Henry Wendeln, who was a native of Germany, settled at Minster, Au- glaize County, Ohio, as one of the earliest pioneers; there was only one house in the town when he first located there. He purchased three farms of 80 acres each in Auglaize County, paying for the three farms $100. Here he and his wife lived the remainder of their lives. He was the father of six chil- dren, namely: Engel, who married Christopher Greve; Mary, who married John Starkemp; Henry, Anthony, William and Fred.
Fred Wendeln was born in Germany and was 15 years old when his par- ents came to America and settled in Cincinnati, shortly afterward removing to Auglaize County. Mr. Wendeln worked on his father's farm and on the canal for about three or four years, when he returned to Cincinnati. After
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residing there for some years, he returned to Minster, purchased a farm of 80 acres and engaged in general farming. Mr. Wendeln was twice married. He was the father of two children by his first wife, namely: William, who married Mary Russ and lives at Minster; and Louisa, who married William Hester and lives at Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. Wendeln's second marriage was with Mary Bryankamp, who was a native of Germany and a resident of Cin- cinnati after coming to this country. Seven children were born to the second union : Christopher, who married Sophia Hertman; Anna, who married John Kurter; Mary, who married John Bohmann; John Henry; Elizabeth, who married George Bohmann; Dina, who married John Bruns; and Anthony, who married Mary Meyers. Mr. Wendeln died in October, 1890. His widow is a resident of Minster.
John Henry Wendeln, the subject of this sketch, was reared on the Wen- deln home farm in Auglaize County, near Minster. After his marriage, when 2I years of age, he rented a farm in Auglaize County for four years, and then moved to Mercer County. . He formed a partnership with John Bohmann and started a sawmill, which they operated together for eight years. He then bought Mr. Bohmann's interest in the mill and continued in the business for two years longer. Selling the saw mill to his brother-in-law, Henry Schulte, he moved to his present farm, which he had purchased two years previously. He purchased the farm from Anthony Tangeman, whose father had bought it from the government. The old government deed is in the possession of our subject. Mr. Wendeln has since been engaged in general farming and has made many improvements on the farm, having built an eight-room frame house, a large barn and other necessary buildings.
Mr. Wendeln was married to Mary Schulte, who was born in October, 1864, and is a daughter of Henry Schulte. Henry Schulte and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Wente, were both of German ancestry and were born in Auglaize County, Ohio. They were the parents of 10 children, namely : Mary; Anna, who married Benjamin Nagel, one of the wealthiest farmers of Auglaize County; Henry; Joseph and Louise (twins) ; Charles; Catherine; Barney; John; and Elizabeth, who married John Gaile. Mr. Schulte died in July, 1906; his widow is living on the home place. Mr. and Mrs. Wendeln have had six children : Frederick, Anna, William (deceased), Rose, Bernardina and Cecilia. Mr. Wendeln and his family are all members of St. John's Catholic Church near Maria Stein.
JOSEPH JOHNSTON
JOSEPH JOHNSTON, a representative farmer and well-known citizen of Franklin township, who is the owner of a fine farm of 357 acres, was born in
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Ireland in 1849, and is a son of James and Martha (Brownly) Johnston. .
James Johnston and family came to America in 1851, settling at Piqua, Miami County, Ohio, where he worked as a farmer and teamster until 1854, when he moved to Mercer County, renting a farm within a mile and a half of Coldwater. There the family lived until 1856, when he settled on what is now our subject's homestead in section 13, Butler township, where he died August 31, 1871. His wife died just before the family moved to Mercer County. There were five sons in the family, of whom two survive: Joseph, and his older brother, Nicholas, who owns a farm of 170 acres in sections 13 and 24, Butler township. Two sisters survive: Theresa, who lives on the home farm, and Mrs. Matilda Franks, residing in Indiana.
Joseph Johnston was mainly reared and was educated in Butler township. He has devoted his attention to farming and to boating on the Miami and Erie Canals. His well-improved home farm has a commodious frame dwell- ing, and his two other farms are equally well tilled; on all of this land he carries on general farming and stock-raising.
In 1894 Mr. Johnston was married (first) to Ida Elizabeth Miller, a daughter of Joseph Miller, of Hopewell township. She died October 19, 1901, survived by three children, namely: Lester Hanson, Esther E. and Helen Goldie. On July 26, 1906, Mr.' Johnston was married (second) to Mrs. Mahala C. Lacy, a daughter of the late Daniel and Cynthia (Kerens) Long, who had 12 children; Mr. Long was a farmer in Franklin township. Mrs. Johnston had four children by her first marriage: Mellie, wife of Roy Botkin, residing in Franklin township; George, who married Nellie Clevenger, also residing in Franklin township; Dora, who resides at home; and Willis, who died in infancy.
Politically Mr. Johnston is a Democrat. The family attend the Christian Church, of which Mrs. Johnston is a member.
JOSEPH JOHN ROMER
JOSEPH JOHN ROMER, one of the leading citizens of St. Henry, proprie- tor of a large general store, was born on his father's farm in Granville town- ship, Mercer County, Ohio, December 21, 1863, and is a son of John Bernard and Elizabeth ( Bose) Romer.
The Romer family is one of great prominence in Mercer County and its ancestry can be traced back to the great-grandfather, Herman Henry Romer, who was born in 1776. He married Mary Agnes Macke, who was born in 1780 and died July 7, 1849. They reared a large family.
John Joseph Romer, son of Herman Henry, and the grandfather of our
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subject, was born January II, 1805, and died January 17, 1889. He married Anna Maria Klinetrimp, on July 18, 1837, who was born September 16, 1811, and died February 12, 1884. John Joseph Romer and wife had eight chil- dren, namely : Mary Agnes, who died in infancy; John Henry, born January 31, 1840, who married Rebecca Beckman and lives at St. Henry; John Bernard, born August 1, 1841 ; Anna Maria, born May 20, 1843, who became the wife of J. Henry Brinkman and died April 24, 1880; Agnes, born January 28, 1845, a resident of Fort Recovery, who is the widow of Wessel Meinerd- ing; Elizabeth, born April 20, 1847, who died December 28, 1870, not long after her marriage; Mary Catherine, born February II, 1850, who became the wife of M. A. Schlegel and died January 9, 1894; and Adam Joseph, born December 19, 1851, who married Caroline Anthony and lives at Celina.
John Bernard Romer, second son of John Joseph Romer and father of our subject, was born at St. Henry. His father, with his two brothers, Henry and Bernard Romer, were the founders of this town. They were all men of thrift and enterprise, German home-builders. They invested in land and became identified with the infant industries of this section and as a family grew in substance and importance. John Bernard Romer was a farmer in Granville township and died there on his own land, July 18, 1902. For his first wife he married Elizabeth Bose, who was a native of Germany. They had four children, as follows: Joseph John, the subject of this sketch; Mary, who is the wife of Andy Rathweg, living at Coldwater; Anna, who is the wife of John Bushman, living at Columbus, Ohio; and Carrie, who is the wife of Henry Plageman, living at Fort Recovery.
After the death of his first wife, John Bernard Romer married Elizabeth Landwehr, and they had seven children, as follows: Bernard and Agnes, who died in infancy; Frederick, who resides with his mother and sisters, at St. Henry ; Alexander, who is a resident of Celina; Adolph, who died in infancy ; and Elizabeth and Bernardina, who reside with their widowed mother and their brother Frederick at St. Henry.
Joseph John Romer, the immediate subject of this sketch, was educated in the country schools and worked on the farm for his father until he was about 17 years of age, and then went to assist his uncle, John Henry Romer, who was conducting a general mercantile store at St. Henry. After being four years in his uncle's store, he married and then went into partnership with Albert Goldie, his father-in-law, under the firm style of A. Goldie & Company, general merchants at St. Henry. This partnership continued for five years and after it was terminated Mr. Romer went into business for him- self. He first rented a small room at St. Henry, but by the end of the first year his business had so increased that larger quarters were secured and Mr. Romer took in Mr. Feldhake as partner, the firm becoming Romer & Feld-
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hake. Some II months later Mr. Feldhake died and shortly afterward his widow sold her interest to Joseph Bruns.
The firm of Romer & Bruns continued in business at St. Henry for the next five years, when the partners amicably divided the stock and Mr. Romer again began business as an individual. He had retained the old stand, where he remained until December 1, 1903, when he purchased the stock of John Henry Romer, for whom he had originally worked and this added to his own made another removal necessary and Mr. Romer settled then in his present commodious quarters.
Mr. Romer is a thorough merchant, his years of experience having made him thoroughly acquainted with the demands of the public. He carries a very large stock for a town of the size of St. Henry, which he selects with great care and which includes groceries, clothing, shoes, hats, caps, carpets and queensware. In addition to operating his store as mentioned above, Mr. Romer has also the agency for supplying customers with the finest custom- made clothing.
On July 27, 1886, Mr. Romer was married (first) to Sophia E. Goldie, who was born October 17, 1866, at Cincinnati, Ohio, and is a daughter of Albert and Sophia (Slosser) Goldie. The Goldie family came to St. Henry from Carrollton, Kentucky. They reared a large family, but only two survive, these being : Josephine, the wife of Edward Romer, of Celina; and Adelia, wife of Alexander Gottemolley, of Indianapolis. After the death of Mrs. Goldie, Mr. Goldie married Mrs. Frances Martz; they reside at St. Henry.
The first wife of Mr. Romer died on August 23, 1891. She was a most estimable lady and was the mother of four children, namely: Ernest Joseph Albert, born May 17, 1887, deceased, September 6, 1887; Herbert Otto Al- bert, born July 20, 1888; Sophia Dora, born October 16, 1889, deceased Jan- uary 6, 1906; and Mary Alvenia, born July 20, 1891, deceased November 25, 1904.
Mr. Romer was married (second), August 24, 1892, to Anna Marie Hartings, who was born at St. Henry, Ohio, January 17, 1879, and is a daughter of John and Catherine (Schurman) Hartings. Mr. and Mrs. Romer have nine children, namely: Florentine Anna Henriette, born June 18, 1893; William Harold, born September 21, 1894; Adolph Henry, born De- cember 9, 1895; Werner Edwin Frank, born March 18, 1898; Lucile Marie Catherine, born October 3, 1899; Stanley Alexander, born May 27, 1901; Joseph Bernard, born March 15, 1903, deceased December 8, 1904; Herman Edward, born February 1, 1905; and Deloras Mary Antoinette, born October I, 1906. Mr. Romer is of the disposition, and is able, to give his children many educational and social advantages.
Politically Mr. Romer is identified with the Democratic party, but he has
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never been a seeker for office, the demands of his private business always claiming his attention. He takes a good citizen's interest in all public mat- ters, however, and as one of the representative men, his judgment is frequently consulted. Mr. Romer is one of the town's prominent and enterprising citi- zens, always alert to advance its interests. At present he is serving as town treasurer. He was a member of the School Board when the fine new school building was erected. He is a devout member of the Catholic Church.
DAVID HOWICK
DAVID HOWICK, a retired farmer of Center township, was born March 4, 1842, in this township, on the old home place just north of where he now lives. He is a son of Stephen Howick, who was born in Surrey County, Eng- land, in November, 1812.
Stephen Howick was about 16 years of age when he came to the United States. He first located in Lancaster, Ohio, where he cut cord-wood and also worked in a brick-yard. He was married while there. Later, in 1836, he removed to St. Marys, which was then in Mercer County, and worked there until he located permanently in Center township. At one time he was the owner of considerable property. He was engaged in operating a saw-mill for about 20 years. He resided for about 12 years in Celina. His death oc- curred in 1902, when in his 90th year. He married Eva Minehart, a native of Fairfield County, Ohio, and a daughter of Jacob Minehart. Mrs. Ho- wick's father was one of the first settlers of Fairfield County ; he was one of the chain-men in the party that surveyed where Columbus now stands and could have taken land there instead of in Fairfield County. Stephen Howick was the father of five children, namely : David, subject of this sketch; Jacob, who lives in Idaho; George, who lives in Center township, southwest of Nep- tune; Robert, a resident of Celina, who was killed by lightning; and Daniel, who lives in the State of Washington.
David Howick has always lived in Center township. He grew to man- hood on the home place, where he continued to live until he was about 25' years old. He has always been engaged in farming and for 15 years was engaged in the sawmilling business.
Mr. Howick was married in 1863 to Maria Jane Lehman, a native of Perry County, Ohio, and a daughter of Adam P. Lehman, who came to Perry County when she was about four years old and located near Oregon. Mr. Lehman served in the Union Army in the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Howick had four children, namely : Amanda, who married Charles M. Schunck, lives in New York and has one child, Carl; Ida, who married Edward J. Rauda-
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baugh, lives on Walnut street, Celina, and has three children-Fred, Alice and Dorothy ; Stephen F., living on the home place which our subject bought when he first left his father's home, who married Edith Yocum and has two children-Edwin, and Mary; and Mary, who married Dr. George Johnson, a dentist at Celina, and has a son, Wilford. Mrs. Howick died in 1902. About 1894 Mr. Howick left the farm to reside in Celina, where he remained until 1904 when he went to New York City to live with his daughter, Mrs. Schunck. He recently returned from the East and is now living with his, son, Stephen F., who has charge of the home farm in Center township. Mr. Howick is a Democrat in politics and has served as township trustee for about six years, was assessor for two terms, real estate appraiser for one term and served on the School Board for some time. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
JOHN G. ROMER
JOHN G. ROMER, attorney-at-law at Celina, was born at St. Henry, Mer- cer County, Ohio, May 12, 1872, and is a son of John Henry and Rebecca (Beckman) Romer.
The father of Mr. Romer was born January 31, 1840, being the first white male child born at St. Henry. He is a son of Joseph Romer, who was born in Germany and came to Cincinnati, Ohio, later, with his two brothers, Henry and Bernard, removing to Mercer County, where they laid out St. Henry in 1837. All three engaged in agricultural and mercantile pursuits here during the remainder of their lives, and all were prominently identified with the development of St. Henry and vicinity. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Henry A. Beckman, was one of the early pioneers of Mercer County. John Henry Romer, father of John G., is the president of the St. Henry Bank. For 35 years he was identified with the important business in- terests of that place and has but recently curtailed his activities. The mother of our subject was also born at St. Henry. They reared a family of six chil- dren, viz. : William Henry, who is cashier of the St. Henry Bank; John G., of this sketch; George B., of St. Henry; Edward F., assistant cashier of the First National Bank at Celina; Elizabeth, teller of the First National Bank at Celina; and Matilda, at home. The second born of the family, Herman, died in infancy.
Mr. Romer was reared at St. Henry and was educated there and at St. Xavier's at Cincinnati, later taking a course at St. Mary's Institute at Dayton. After spending six years as a commercial traveler, he took up the study of the law and in 1900 was graduated from the Kent College of Law, Chicago, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws; in the following year he was given the degree
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of Master of Laws by the Illinois College of Law. He located immediately at Celina and has been in active practice ever since, meeting with the recogni- tion which his talents and thorough knowledge of the profession deserve. He has always been more or less interested in politics and has done considerable effective campaigning throughout the county.
On October 10, 1905, Mr. Romer was married to Katheryn Van Oss, of Minster, Auglaize County, Ohio. Mr. Romer was reared in the Catholic Church. He belongs to the Catholic Knights of America, of which he is the State vice-president.
JOHN BERNARD HASLINGER
JOHN BERNARD HASLINGER, junior member of firm of Haslinger & Son, general merchants at Coldwater, was born at Maria Stein, Ohio, April 26, 1872, and is a son of William and Catherine (Schmeising) Haslinger.
Mr. Haslinger received his early education at Maria Stein, and in laying the foundation for his future career in the business world he took a course in penmanship, bookkeeping, typewriting and stenography at the Coldwater Academy. After graduation he entered his father's shoe store at Maria Stein, but after a short time returned to Coldwater and became a clerk in the general store of John L. Phellis, later purchasing the business in partnership with his father. Under the new management it soon became recognized as one of the leading mercantile houses in this part of the county.
Mr. Haslinger's popularity among his acquaintances and associates was duly attested by his election as corporation treasurer, in which capacity he has served since 1894. In 1902 he was a candidate for county clerk on the Demo- cratic ticket, but there were four candidates and he was defeated by about 200 votes. Mr. Haslinger is a member of the Catholic Church. He belongs to the Knights of St. John.
WILLIAM N. SMITH
WILLIAM N. SMITH, a well-known agriculturist and reliable citizen of Hopewell township, owns a farm of 60 acres, 40 of which are in section 29, where he resides. He was born July 19, 1853, in Liberty township, Mercer County, Ohio, and is a son of George and Gertrude (Wappas) Smith.
This Smith family is of German extraction and was founded in Liberty township by our subject's grandfather, John Smith. The latter brought his family here from Germany in pioneer times, his son George being about 12 years of age when they came to the United States and located in Pennsyl- vania, soon after removing to Mercer County, Ohio. George Smith became
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identified with the leading interests of Liberty township, where he lived a long and useful life, dying June 3, 1901, in his 74th year. He married Gertrude Wappas, also a native of Germany, who died in Liberty township, November 16, 1890, in her 59th year. They had 10 children and the survivors of the family are as follows: William N., of this sketch; Margaret, wife of F. P. Miller, of Hopewell township; George W., of Liberty township; Louisa, wife of William Roberts, of Jefferson township; Emma, wife of Henry Smith, of Hopewell township; and Dulcina, wife of Edward Roettger, of Liberty township.
William N. Smith grew to manhood in Liberty township and has always followed agricultural pursuits. His educational chances were the same as other youths in his locality, and while they were neither so abundant nor so complete as at the present day they served to turn out well-informed men and women. Mr. Smith has always been a friend of the public schools and has testified to his interest by consenting to serve as school director in his dis- trict and also as clerk of the school district. Although he is independent in politics, he has been elected to a number of local offices, a pretty good proof of the confidence felt in him by his fellow-citizens. For four years he served as constable and for the past 10 years has been road supervisor of Road District No. 3, Hopewell township. His constant attention to the duties of this posi- tion has resulted in the excellent highways enjoyed in this locality.
On December 1, 1874, Mr. Smith was married to Caroline Myers, who was born in Hopewell township, Mercer County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Jacob Myers, who died when she was a child of four years. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had seven children, as follows: Jacob W., Nora B. (deceased), Matilda J., Ruby D., George E., Gertrude E. and Alfred W. Religiously Mr. Smith and family belong to the Evangelical Association.
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