History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 103

Author: Kinder, George D., 1836-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1744

USA > Ohio > Putnam County > History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions > Part 103

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George and Dorothy (Hille) Schlagbaum moved to Putnam county, about 1855, and settled on the farm one-half mile east of Ottoville. The country was covered with timber in those days and when they came to Put- nam county, they came by boat through the canal, and from it moved their furniture to the spot where they built their home in the wilderness. The furniture was hauled in a wheelbarrow. The land was cleared and carefully

WILLIAM SCHLAGBAUM.

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farmed by Mr. Schlagbaum. He passed away in 1886, and his widow died in 1895.

William Schlagbaum received a common-school education. He operated his father's farm from 1884 until 1895. He was married on May 21, 1895, to Lucy Kehres, a daughter of August and Lucy (Marks) Kehres, both natives of Germany, who came to the United States with their parents when small children. August and Lucy (Marks) Kehres were the parents of five children, two of whom died in infancy, while three are still living, Henry, of Delphos, Ohio, where he is filling the office of chief of police of that city ; Lucy, the wife of Mr. Schlagbaum, and Anna, the wife of Gerhard Utrup, lives in Monterey township. Mrs. Lucy Kehres died in 1889, and her hus- band, subsequently, married Anna Dunst, and to this second marriage four children were born: Cillia, the wife of Matthias Vondran, of Oklahoma; Lewis died at the age of twenty-one; Frances, the wife of Roy Rueb, of Oklahoma, and Walter, also living in Oklahoma. August Kehres and his second wife now live in Oklahoma.

To William and Anna (Dunst) Schlagbaum, nine children have been born. Two died in infancy and seven are still living, Alberta is attending school and will graduate in the spring of 1915; Ida, Alphonse, Martha, Walter, Agnes and George, all of whom are either at home or attending school, are the remaining children.

William Schlagbaum owns the old homestead farm of one hundred and twenty-four acres. It lies east of Ottoville, and adjoins the corporation line. Mr. Schlagbaum is a farmer and makes a specialty of high-grade stock. He has as good a farm as can be found in Putnam county. The farm is well- drained and well-improved in every respect. He has a modern house and barn. Mr. Schlagbaum has added all of these improvements himself.

William Schlagbaum is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Knights of Ohio. He and his wife are devout members of the Cath- olic church at Ottoville. Mr. Schlagbaum is a Democrat. He was elected a member of the board of county commissioners in 1914 and is now dis- charging the duties of this office in a manner which reflects credit upon the people who elected him and upon Mr. Schlagbaum himself. Previously, he served his township as trustee for two terms. He is a member of the school board and is serving his third term. Mr. Schlagbaum before this served as a member of the Putnam county fair board for two terms and resigned just after having been elected a member of the board of county commissioners. Some years ago he was a director in the bank at Ottoville, but is no longer

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active in banking affairs. William Schlagbaum is a representative farmer and a highly respected citizen of Putnam county. He is a man possessed of an exceptionally keen mind and is genial in his manner, well liked by his neighbors and possessed of the confidence of all with whom he has come in contact.

HOMER WILLIAM PIERMAN.

Born of good old Virginia stock at a time when the conditions of living in Putnam county were far from being as pleasant as they are now, and growing up to vigorous manhood under the careful teachings of parents who had been inured to the privations and hardships of pioneer life, H. W. Pier- man, one of the best known farmers in Putnam county, Ohio, reasonably may look back over his life of painstaking effort with no small degree of complacency and with a feeling that things have, after all, turned out very pleasantly for him.

Homer William Pierman was born on March 31, 1873, in the house in which he now lives, on the farm his parents wrested from the wilderness and where he has lived all his life. He is the son of Samuel and Margaret (Clark) Pierman, who were among the most highly regarded pioneer residents. of Putnam county, the former of whom was a native of Virginia and the latter a native of Putnam county, her birth having occurred in Ottawa town- ship, October 22, 1837, the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Battlefield) Clark, who came to Putnam county in 1833, and who lived just east of where the county fair grounds are now located.

Samuel Pierman, further mention of whose life in this county is con- tained in the biographical sketch of Charles O. Pierman, found elsewhere in this volume, was, in his day, one of the most influential men in the county. He was born in Virginia, on June 24, 1827, the son of James and Polly (Agner) Pierman, who at that time lived about ten miles from the natural bridge of Virginia, one of America's most notable natural wonders, a scenic marvel which annually attracts thousands of visitors. James Pierman was. a soldier in the War of 1812, a member of one of the old families of Vir- ginia and a man of remarkable vigor and courage, of the true pioneer breed. When Samuel Pierman was quite a small boy, his parents moved from Vir- ginia to Putnam county, Ohio, settling about three miles from Ottawa, just west of the mouth of Riley creek. They lived at that point for about ten years, at the end of which time they moved into the northwestern part of

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Pleasant township, where they spent the remainder of their lives and where they did very much toward the development along all lines of the new com- munity. They brought to the wilderness practical knowledge and experience which their widely-scattered neighbors soon learned to rely on, and it is undoubted that their influence in that community did very much toward bringing about proper conditions of social and economic life in the formative period of the now prosperous and established farming region. James Pier- man and the woman who was ever at his side, a true pioneer helpmeet, long have lain in the neighborhood burying-ground, resting well after the stern labors which their hands found to do, and the fourth generation of their descendants in that community finds conditions immeasurably easier for their having striven-"blazing the ways."

Samuel Pierman grew up amid the hardships of a pioneer life and, when the gold fever broke out in 1849, decided to join the throng of new Argo- nauts in the stampede to California. Going by rail as far as St. Joseph, Mis- souri, which was the terminus of western railway travel in that day, he walked the rest of the way across the continent. Conditions in California not being what he had expected he gave up the quest for gold, after about three years of prospecting, and returned to Putnam county. Though he did not "strike it rich" in the gold field, he did not come back entirely empty- handed, and upon his return was able to purchase a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Ottawa township. To this he gradually made additions, as his "clearings" grew, until at the time of his death he was the owner of three hundred and thirty-six acres of fine land in the county. He was an active influence for good in his neighborhood and he and his wife were ever leaders in the good works of community, being regarded with the highest respect by all who knew them. His death occurred on January 7, 1904, his wife having preceded him to the grave on March 12, 1883. Mrs. Pierman had been twice married, she having been the Widow Merritt when Mr. Pierman married her on June 26, 1860. To Samuel and Margaret (Clark) Pierman nine children were born, all of whom survived their parents.

Homer William Pierman, son of the above, was united in marriage on April 4, 1901, to Miss Nora Agner, who was born on May 26, 1881, on her father's farm in Ottawa township, not far from where she now lives, the daughter of James M. and Sarah (Crow) Agner, prominent residents of that community. To this union five children have been born, Gladys, on January 4, 1902 ; Glenn, July 13, 1903; Marcine, January 15, 1908; Corwin, Decem- ber 25, 1912, and Idona-Dorine, April 23, -1915, a lively set of youngsters who are the continual delight of their devoted parents.

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Since his marriage, H. W. Pierman has managed the old home farm, which he is constantly improving and which he has brought to a high state of cultivation. This part of the old home farm consists of one hundred and forty-five acres and includes the homestead where H. W. was born, a good brick house, a fine bank barn and other improvements in accord with the sur- roundings.

H. W. Pierman is a Democrat and though taking an intelligent interest in local politics, the part of all good citizens, has not included himself among the active campaigners or put himself in the office-seeking class, preferring to give such time as he has to the development of his extensive farming in- terests. H. W. Pierman and wife are members of the Riley Creek Methodist Protestant church and are active participants in the various good works of that organization as well as giving their personal interest to all movements having as their object the advancement of the commonwealth. Good, sub- stantial citizens, they are very properly regarded as among the leading famil- ies of that part of the county.

FRED MICHEL, JR.

The whole world over, men are striving for homes and the substantial comforts of life. The greater their desire for home and the comforts which go with the home, the greater their zeal, and the more persistent their labor. The pioneers of this country who have been successful in acquiring homes and the comforts surrounding the homes, have richly deserved the blessing. It is with pride that the biographer of Putnam county, Ohio, can point to the careers of Fred Michel, Jr., and wife, who have struggled, side by side, and who are now enjoying the fruits of their early labors.

Fred Michel, Jr., was born southeast of Ottawa, July 15, 1844. He is a son of Fred Michel, Sr., and Ursula (Betts) Michel, both of whom are natives of Bairn Menhoff, Germany. Fred Michel, Sr., came to the United States when a young man, arriving near Glandorf, Putnam county, Ohio, in 1840. He engaged in farming and here married Ursula Betts.

When Fred Michel, Jr., was ten years of age, his parents purchased forty acres of land near the north line of Pleasant township, south of Glan- dorf. This land was heavily wooded at the time. The father died when Fred, Jr., was twelve years old, leaving four sons, Fred, Anton, Theodore and John. The widow and sons remained on the farm until the boys had reached maturity. The other three sons settling in Glandorf.

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Fred Michel, Jr., was married on January 26, 1872, to Mary Neuveman. Mary Neuveman was born in Glandorf, Germany, in 1847, and is a daughter of Frederick and Katherine (Hoffman) Neuveman. She grew up in her native land, remaining there until 1871, when, with two other sisters and one brother, they came to the United States, locating at Glandorf, Putnam county, Ohio. Her father died in 1873, and, about 1877 her mother and two other sisters and a brother, August, also came to this county, and located at Glandorf, leaving only one child in Germany. After coming here, the mother married Joseph Becker, an expert shoemaker of Glandorf. Mr. Becker died at Glandorf, and Mrs. Michel's mother spent the last three years of her life with her son, August, who lives north of New Cleveland. Her death occurred in 1892.

After Mr. Michel's marriage, he farmed in Pleasant township, and lived there until April 1, 1889, when he and his wife moved to the farm they now occupy southeast of Ottawa, in section 36. They began with forty acres of rough land, which was uncleared and naturally not very fertile. Fred Michel and wife both worked with intense zeal to pay for their little home. They worked at night clearing away the brush and burning it. The land was wet and swampy and people told them that they would starve to death, but the young couple replied that they would take care of that, and, despite discour- agements, they worked with a will, Mrs. Michel helping her husband loyally. They not only did not starve, but they prospered, and, finally, came to own two hundred acres of land. They have sold eighty acres of this to a son, and have one hundred and twenty acres remaining.

Fred and Mary (Neuveman) Michel, Jr., are the parents of eight chil- dren, five sons and three daughters, Mary, the wife of Frank Ricker, of Ana- heim, California, has eight children; Caroline, the wife of Barney Ricker, living on the Kalida pike, in Union township, and they have ten children, Charles, farming eighty acres which he purchased from his parents, married Anna Heuerman, and they have three children; John, of Dayton, married Cora Lenhart, and they have one daughter, Marguerite; Agnes, the wife of Harry Noland, of Cincinnati, has five children; Joseph, living at home; August, married Selina Berger and lives in California; Louis, also a resident of Anaheim, California.

Fred Michel and wife, and all their large family are devout members of the Catholic church, and contribute liberally to the support of that church. Mr. Michel is a man of friendly, kindly disposition, and Mrs. Michel is not less so, being affable and agreeable and today is proud of the hard struggle she and her husband had to acquire the splendid competence which they now

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enjoy. Not long ago they took a trip to California, to visit their children there, and enjoyed the trip immensely. They are substantial citizens of Putnam county, Ohio, and well deserve the high esteem in which they are held.

JOHN KOHLS, JR.

There is no positive rule for achieving success and yet, in the life of a successful man, there are always lessons which might well be followed. The man who wins success is he who can see and utilize the opportunities that come in his path. The essential conditions of human life are ever the same, the surroundings of individuals differing but slightly. When one man passes another on the highway of life to reach his goal before others who perhaps started out before him, it is because he has the power to use the advantages which probably fall within purview of the whole human race. Today among the prominent citizens and successful farmers of Putnam · county is John Kohls, Jr., of Ottawa township. The qualities of keen dis- crimination, sound judgment and executive ability enter very largely into his makeup and have been contributing elements to the material success which has come to him.

John Kohls, Jr., was born on December 21, 1862, on the farm where he now lives, southeast of Ottawa, on the Pandora road. He is the son of John, Sr., and Margaret (Hessling) Kohls. John Kohls, Sr., was born on August 29, 1832, in Pittsburgh and was the son of Henry Kohls. Henry Kohls was born in the town of Oldenburg in the grand duchy of the same name in Germany, in 1791, and spent his boyhood days on a farm. He mar- ried Sophia Kottonbrock in 1824, who was born in the same village in 1795. They came to America in 1832 and spent one year at Pittsburgh and one year in Cincinnati. In the fall of 1835 they came to Glandorf and purchased a tract of uncleared land and hopefully set to work to clear their farm. Here they established their home and reared a family of seven children. Henry Kohls prospered and accumulated considerable property. He had begun with nothing, but at the time of his death, in 1876, he left a considerable estate to his children. His wife survived him six years. Both were mem- bers of the Glandorf Catholic church.

John Kohls, Sr., came to this country with his parents when a child and grew up at the south edge of Glandorf, where the depot is now situated. He lived here until married. He was married to Margaret Hessling, who was

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born in Glandorf, Putnam county, and was the daughter of Henry Hessling and his first wife. After John Kohls, Sr., married he moved to a farm south- east of Ottawa along the south side of the Blanchard river. The farm com- prised fifty-seven and one-half acres and this he bought from his father, Henry Kohls. Several years later he bought forty-eight acres from a Mr. Hollister and then purchased the Homer Sackett farm of eighty acres, along the south side of the township line. Next he bought the Krieger farm of forty-five acres, and, later, bought one hundred and three acres in the south- west corner of Liberty township. He lived on this farm, where he first set- tled, until his death, at the age of about seventy-nine years. There were five children in his family, four boys and one girl, Henry, John, Jr., Bernard A., William, deceased, and Catherine. As they grew up and married, he gave each son a farm and his daughter the equivalent in money. John Kohls, Sr., was engaged in the live stock business for many years. He was in partner- ship with several different men, first with his brother, William, and later, he did purchasing for Jordan, McDowell and others and did a big business. He died on September 1, 1911, the second day after his seventy-ninth birth- day. His wife died on January 20, 1868, at the age of thirty-two, when John Kohls, Jr., was only five years old.

John Kohls, Jr., grew up on the farm southeast of Ottawa and here performed the usual tasks which fell to the lot of the country boy. On November 16, 1887, Mr. Kohls was married to Maria Rose Hohenbrink. She is the daughter of Matthias and Theresa (Huester) Hohenbrink.

Matthias Hohenbrink was born in Hanover, Germany, July 25, 1817. He lived in Germany until twenty-two years of age and then came to America and lived in Cincinnati about two months, when he came to Glandorf, Put- nam county, where he worked out by the month. He worked on the canal, beginning at Delphos, working in both directions. In this way he made the money with which to buy eighty acres, about one and one-half miles north- east of Glandorf, where his family now lives. This farm was purchased before 1850, and was all a wild woods at the time, none of it having been cleared. He built a little cabin, ten by twelve feet, with a chimney of sticks and mud and had no regular windows. It was so dark that he had to open the door to get enough light. Here he "bached" for one year, when he married Katherine Halker, an aunt of J. W. Halker and a sister of William Halker, Sr. After they married, she died in a few years, leaving four chil- dren, Katherine, the wife of Conrad Wyant, and who lived near New Cleve- land until her death; Mary, the wife of Ed Maag, of Pleasant township; Theresa, deceased, who was the wife of John Beckman, and John W., who lives at the west edge of Liberty township near Miller City.

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In 1861, Mr. Hohenbrink married Theresa Huster. She was born in Greensburg township in 1840, and is the daughter of Henry and Katherina Elizabeth (Gaetker) Huster. Henry Huster came from Glandorf, in Hano- ver, Germany, and was an early settler in Greensburg township, having come in 1836. He was married in Glandorf, Germany, to Elizabeth Gaetker and lived in Greensburg township until 1864, when he moved to Shelby county, Ohio, and died there in 1867. His wife died in 1854. After Matthias Hohenbrink married, he spent the remainder of his life on the farm where he first started north of Glandorf. He bought more land and owned over two hundred acres in Ottawa township and more in Liberty township. This land is still in possession of the family. Seven children were born to the second marriage, Anna, who is the wife of David Bockrath, of Greensburg township, and has five children; Henry, who lives on the home place with his mother ; Mary Rosa, the wife of John Kohls, Jr .; William, who died at the age of five years; Helena, who is at home with her mother; Fred J., who married Theresa Morman, lives in the northwestern part of Ottawa town- ship and has five children; Matt B., who lives at home and operates the farm. The family are members of the Catholic church. Mr. Hohenbrink died on July 9, 1892. He did not seek office but, nevertheless, served as school direc- tor. His main interest, however, was his farming. He was a good farmer and a self-made man, who came to a new country with nothing but his strength, character and energy. He became well known and respected by all the people of this vicinity.

Theresa Huester was the second wife of Matthias Hohenbrink. She was born in Greensburg township and lived there until her marriage. She now lives northeast of Glandorf. Mrs. Kohls was born on her father's farm near Glandorf and lived there until her marriage.

After John Kohls, Jr., was married, he lived one year and three months. in section 35, and then moved back with his father and lived there until 1905, when he moved to Ottawa. He went into the hardware business with M. O. Agner and was there until Christmas, 1907, when he sold out and moved back to the home farm, where he built a new house. He suffered quite a loss from the great flood of 1913 and had thirty inches of water in his house. The following fall he moved the house to the south side of the road, where he now lives. Some time before this, he had built a barn and other outbuildings. Mr. Kohls, Jr., now owns one hundred and forty-two acres of land. He lost much in the flood and was also hard hit by the hog cholera, but having good staying qualities, he pulled through and did well where others would have given up.

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John and Maria Rose (Hohenbrink) Kohls have one son and two daughters, Margherata, Albert and Adelina. Margherata is the wife of Lam- bert A. Studer and lives at Townsend, Montana. She has one son, John. Kohls; Albert and Adelina are at home. Margherata's husband, Mr. Studer, has a fine hardware store and farm in Montana. John Kohls and wife took a trip to Yellowstone Park and through the West in 1914, and enjoyed the trip immensely. All of the Kohls family are members of the Catholic church and liberal contributors to its support. Few people are better known in this vicinity than John Kohls, Jr., and few are more deserving of the respect and * confidence bestowed upon them by their neighbors and fellow citizens than he.

BENJAMIN F. SCHAFER.

The biographies of representative men of a county, either of a past or present generation, brings alike many hidden treasures of mind, character and courage, well calculated to arouse the pride of their descendants and of the community. It is a source of regret that people are not more familiar with the personal history of such men in the ranks of whom may be found farm- ers, mechanics, teachers, lawyers, physicians, bankers and members of other professions. Putnam county, Ohio, has been the scene of labor of many men who have not only led lives which should serve as a lesson and inspiration to those who follow them on the stage of life's activities, but who have also been of commendable service in other important avenues. Benjamin F. Schafer, the subject of this sketch, is a well-known and successful young farmer and stock buyer of Putnam county, Ohio.

Benjamin F. Schafer was born on August II, 1882, in Palmer town- ship, Putnam county, Ohio. He is the son of William and Mary (Morris) Schafer.

William Schafer was born in Koenig, Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, on February 4, 1839, and came to America with his parents in 1854. They set- tled in Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, Ohio, where he was married to Mary Morris, the daughter of Judge Morris, August 6, 1863. With his young wife, he moved to Palmer township, Putnam county, Ohio, in March, 1864, and settled on the farm on which he and his wife resided until their deaths. At the time he moved to Palmer township, it was almost an unbroken forest and abounded with all kinds of game and wild animals. He cleared the timber from most of the farm with his own hands. He was quite active in politics, being a Democrat. He held several offices of trust and, in April,

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1867, was elected justice of the peace of Palmer township, which office he held for twelve consecutive terms, or until his death. He was twice elected township treasurer and once township trustee. He was elected county com- missioner, in 1875, and held this office for six years. William Schafer was appointed postmaster at North Creek, Ohio, in March, 1879, and held this office until President Mckinley was elected.

To William and Mary (Morris) Schafer were born twelve children, Henry P., on September II, 1864; John S., February 18, 1866; Margaret Catherine, September 19, 1867; William W., December 17, 1869; George Lewis, December 12, 1871 ; Charles C., September 26, 1874; Sarah E., Aug- ust 22, 1876; Mary Emaline, June 17, 1878; Ida Lavina, August 19, 1880; Benjamin F., August 11, 1882; Surilda Laura May, July 13, 1884, died on September I, 1903, and Joseph J., May 19, 1887. Five of the sons and one daughter reside in Putnam county and the others reside in different states. William Schafer died on January I, 1903, and his wife died on October 10, 1902.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 103

Author: Kinder, George D., 1836- Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1744

Author: Kinder, George D., 1836-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1744