History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 114

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 114

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Elizabeth Moreo came to America with her parents at the age of four years and settled at New Riegel, Ohio, Seneca county. She was one of a family of six children, the others being Lawrence, Andrew, Anna, Barbara. and Julia. Nicholas Seimet was one of three children, John, who was born in Germany and died near Delphos, Ohio; Mrs. John Stark, who was born in Germany, came to America and settled near Delphos, Ohio, and Nicholas, who was the youngest.

To Nicholas and Elizabeth (Moreo) Seimet were born eight children, John, Andrew, Mary, Helena, Lawrence, Joseph, George and William. Joseph and George are deceased; Nicholas Seimet and wife are members of the St. Mary's Catholic church at Leipsic, Ohio. They celebrated their golden wed- ding anniversary on January 24, 1911. This celebration was attended by thirty-six children and grandchildren and other relatives.

Lawrence Seimet was educated in Henry county, Ohio. He left Seneca county with his parents at the age of two years, when they moved to Henry county and settled near Holgate. He lived on his father's farm of eighty acres, in Henry county, and here he spent his boyhood days. He remained on this farm for about thirty years.

Lawrence Seimet was married on October 26, 1899, to Christina Diemer, the daughter of Peter and Isabella (Zoll) Diemer. Peter Diemer was born on April 23, 1844, on a farm near New Bavaria. At the age of twenty years,

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or in September, 1864, he enlisted in Company C, Fifty-fifth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until discharged. He was honorably dis- charged on July 1I, 1865. He was married, in 1872, to Isabella Zoll and after his marriage, lived on a farm and also worked at the carpenter trade near New Bavaria, and while here erected a saw-mill and grist-mill and ran these for many years, or until the fall of 1911, when he moved to Leipsic and occupied property which he had previously purchased. The property is located on Sugar street. Peter and Isabella Diemer have had four children, John, Mrs. Mary Zenz, Charles and Mrs. Christina Seimet.

Peter Diemer was a member of the Catholic church and was always a faithful attendant. He served as assessor of Marion township, Henry county, for seven years. Mr. Diemer contracted the fever in the swamps of the south during the Civil War, which afterward caused chronic rheumatism, from which he suffered for many years and finally caused his death. He was highly respected in the community where he lived.

After his marriage, Lawrence Seimet remained on his father's farm, in Henry county, for five years. During this time, he worked on shares. He purchased his first farm of forty acres in Palmer township and moved to it on December 15, 1904, which farm he rented for three years previous to moving upon it. In January, 1908, Mr. Seimet acquired forty additional acres in section 15, and about the same time also purchased thirty-three acres in section 26, making a total of one hundred and thirteen acres. He devotes his attention to general farming and raises a good quality of stock. He has made many improvements upon this farm, such as fencing, draining and the erecting of commodious outbuildings. The residence has been remodeled and a new barn was built in 1911.

Mr. and Mrs. Seimet have taken Loretta Sheeley, a second cousin of Mr. Seimet, to rear. She became a member of the Seimet family when seven years of age and has been with Mr. and Mrs. Seimet since that time. She is attending school at the present time. Mr. and Mrs. Seimet have no children of their own.

Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Seimet are members of St. Nicholas's Catholic church at Miller City. Fraternally, Mr. Seimet is a member of the Catholic Knights of Ohio. Mrs. Seimet is a member of the Mothers' Society of the St. Nicholas's church. Politically, Mr. Seimet is a Democrat. He served as township supervisor of Marion township, Henry county, for two years and has served four years as director of the Farmers Mutual Telephone Com- pany. He also served and is now serving as township trustee, which office he has held for four years.

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DANIEL HOFFMAN.

The thirty years which Daniel Hoffman has spent in Putnam county, Ohio, have been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and with a success which speaks well for his efforts. Coming to this county in 1892, he has accumu- lated, as the result of his own efforts, a farm of three hundred and ninety- three acres of farm land in Liberty, Palmer and Ottawa townships, and the farmer who does this is certainly to be classed among the successful farmers of the county. Mr. Hoffman is one of the many German-American farmers of this county, and no doubt has inherited those sterling characteristics of his ancestors which are always conducive to thrift.

Daniel Hoffman, a son of Valentine and Wilhelmina (Schwartz) Hoff- man, was born in Rheinpfalz, Germany, October 17, 1846. His parents came to America in the fall of 1851, and located in Pleasant township, Henry county, Ohio, and made that county their home the remainder of their lives.

Daniel Hoffman was five years of age when his parents came to America, where he was educated in Henry county, and where they located. After receiving such education as was given in his home schools, he worked on his father's farm until his marriage, and continued to live in Henry county for fourteen years after his marriage. He sold his farm in Henry county in 1892 and came to Putnam county, where he bought one hundred acres in the western part of the township, in sections 6 and 7. By good management and incessant industry, he has added to this until he is now the owner of three hundred and ninety-three acres, situated in three townships, two hun- dred and sixty of which is in Liberty township, all of which is well improved and in a high state of cultivation. He traded his farm in Allen county, In- diana, for eighty-three acres in Ottawa township, Putnam county, this state.

Daniel Hoffman was first married, in 1870, to Margaret Shall, who was born in Pleasant township, Henry county, Ohio, and was a daughter of Henry and Martha (Horning) Shall. Henry Shall was born in Wurttem- berg, Germany, and his wife in Rheinpfalz. The first wife of Mr. Hoffman died in 1887, leaving five children, four sons and one daughter : Andrew, who died in 1889, at the age of seventeen ; Henry, born on January 26, 1876, now living with his father ; Charles, November 1, 1877, married Louise Rose, and has five children, Viola, Howard, Robert, Virgil and Albert Edward; George, February 13, 1880, who married Etta Violet Stall, and has four children, Harry, Walter, Olin and Vera; Wilhelmina, who first married Philip Des- granges, who died leaving her with three children, Cora, Ralph and Ray- mond. After the death of her first husband, Minnie married James Sugg, a

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farmer of Palmer township, and has one child by this marriage, Mary Eliza- beth. The living children of Daniel Hoffman by his second wife are in Put- nam county with the exception of Charles, who lives in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Daniel Hoffman was married the second time on October 9, 1894, to Rosina Fike, and to this second union two children have been born, Cora, on September 2, 1895, and Ora, August 23, 1897. Mr. Hoffman is an inde- pendent voter and prefers to cast his ballot for men rather than for plat- forms, feeling that in so doing he is best serving the interests of good gov- ernment. He is a man of great energy, and during his life of more than twenty-three years in this county, has won the respect and esteem of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.

FRANK D. BALBAUGH.

The progress of Putnam county, Ohio, has been largely due to the untiring struggle and success of the German citizens who live in this county. Some residents have come with their fathers to wild homes in the great land of freedom; others have been born in Putnam county after the arrival of their parents, but all inhabitants born of German parents have proved splen- did citizens, interested in the welfare of the community, loyal always to the country of their adoption. An enterprising citizen of Liberty township, of German descent, is Frank D. Balbaugh, who has been a resident of the county all his life.

Frank D. Balbaugh, the son of John P. and Christiana (Meyers) Bal- baugh, was born on December 16, 1863, one-half mile north of Ottawa, Putnam county, Ohio. John P. Balbaugh was a native of Bavaria, Ger- many, and at the age of eighteen years came to America, locating in Putnam county shortly after coming here. He became a farmer in Putnam county, where he first bought land north of Ottawa, and later, in 1871, purchased land northeast of Elm Center. This land, in those early days, was all woods and water, with only a little dead timber on it. Here John P. Balbaugh built a log house and started in to make a home for himself and family in the wilderness, and succeeded in developing a splendid farm of eighty acres. Christina Meyers came from France, at the age of two years, with her German parents, who settled north of Ottawa. John P. Balbaugh and wife both died on the home farm near Elm Center; she in 1881, and he in 1892. They were the parents of ten children, of whom seven are living.

Frank D. Balbaugh has lived on the home place since 1871, receiving:

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his education in the schools of his neighborhood. On Thanksgiving Day, 1896, he was married to Minnie Heynes, the daughter of Frank and Anna M. (Schuler) Heynes. She was born at Leipsic and reared in that city. Her father was engaged in the saloon business in Leipsic until a year before his death. Frank Heynes was a native of Germany and Anna M. Schuler was born at Avon, Ohio, the daughter of Peter and Susan (Tisen) Schuler, who were natives of Germany and who lived near New Bavaria, Henry county, Ohio, until their death.

Frank Heynes moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, about 1887, and there his death occurred in 1889, after which time his widow and Mrs. Balbaugh lived in Scott county, Indiana, later returning to Cincinnati, and still later moving to Defiance, Ohio. Mrs. Heynes now lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. To Frank D. and Minnie (Heynes) Balbaugh six children have been born, Gertie, Alphonse, Harry, Emma, Frances and Robert.

Frank D. Balbaugh now owns a splendid farm of one hundred and twenty acres and is engaged in operating this land. Mr. Balbaugh is a mem- ber of the Democratic party, while he and his family are devout members of the Catholic church. They are held in high esteeem in the community where they have lived for so many years.

GEORGE GORES.

Among the self-made, substantial and progressive citizens of Putnam county, Ohio, is George Gores, who has made his home in this county since 1886. Born and reared in Germany, he did not come to this country until he was thirty-one years of age, and in a remarkably short time has built up a business which demonstrated that he had exceptional ability. For many years he was extensively engaged in the well-drilling and wind-pump business, an industry which he conducted with excellent results. Since 1900 he has de- voted all of his time to farming, and now has probably the finest country home in the county and one of the most improved and best cultivated farms.

George Gores was born on October 23, 1850, at Huscheid, Rhein Prov- ince, Prussia. He attended the native schools of his Fatherland and worked on the home farm until 1881. In July of that year he came to America and first located at Fremont, Ohio. He remained here for two years and then moved to Auburn, Indiana, where he engaged in the tubular well business, continuing in that line in the vicinity of Auburn for two years. He then

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE GORES.

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moved to New Bavaria, Ohio, where he remained until April, 1886, at which time he moved to Leipsic, in Putnam county. He built up a business in well drilling, which continued for many years, and was marked with unusual success. He was a pioneer in the business in this section of the state, his operations extending over Dekalb and Steuben counties, Indiana, as well as Putnam, Henry, Hancock, Defiance and Paulding counties, in Ohio. No man in his line conducted a larger business or was more successful in this section of the state.

After moving to Leipsic he became a partner in the Leipsic Machine Works, in 1892, and while connected with this firm for one year showed re- markable ability for management. He sold his interests in the machine works managing an extensive agency for the sale of agricultural implements and vehicles. While living in Leipsic he owned a handsome residence on South Easton street, and bought a farm of eighty acres a mile southwest of the town which was then in a dilapidated condition, but his energy was so un- tiring that he made it one of the best farms in Ohio. In 1889 he erected a good farm residence, and in 1895 he put up a large modern barn on the place. He put in a complete system of under-draining and spent a large amount of money in the improvement of the farm. In 1900 he moved from Leipsic to this farm and since then has devoted his entire attention to farming. He now has two hundred acres all in one tract and all under a high state of cul- tivation.

The beautiful country home of Mr. Gores has more modern improve- ments than most city residences. He has electric light wired from Leipsic, and his house is well lighted, with an eye both to convenience and beauty. It is heated by furnace and he has both hot and cold rain water and cold well water piped over the house. A unique convenience is the fact that he has hot water piped to the barn, so that he can give his stock warm water during the winter. In the way Mr. Gores has improved his home and grounds he has set the pace, and his neighbors have emulated his example, and now for two miles the road on which his house fronts is called the "Main street," and it is said that nowhere in the state is there such another row of fine country homes.

Mr. Gores was a promoter of the Mutual Telephone Company, of Leip- sic, in 1901, of which he was president for several years. In 1908 he made a visit back to his old home country, and while there traveled over the route between Paris and Cologne, and saw Liege and all of the other places where the great war is now being fought. While living in Leipsic his progressive

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ideas won the notice and hearty approbation of his fellow townsmen, and he was twice elected to the city council, in 1897 and again in 1899.

Mr. Gores was married on November 19, 1885, to Mary Hoffman, of New Bavaria, Ohio, and his wife has proved an able assistant in the business undertakings of her husband. She was born in Nackshein, Rhein Province, Prussia, on December 21, 1860, and came to America with her parents, John and Margaret (Kirst) Hoffman, in July, 1868, when she was seven years old. Her family located in Henry county, where they followed farming for the rest of their lives, and there she grew to womanhood. Mr. Gores and his wife are the parents of five children: John G. married Anna Wank and now lives on part of his father's farm; Anna S., the wife of Ferdinand Meyer, a farmer of this county; Katherine, Eva and George, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Gores have one grandchild, Elizabeth, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Meyer.

The family are all loyal members of the Catholic church, to which Mr. Gores is a liberal contributor. He is progressive, industrious, energetic and honorable, and has fought his own way to business success, and it can be truly said that he is one of the representative men of his county.

JOHN MILTON JONES.

A native of the great Buckeye state and one of the successful young farmers of Putnam county, who owns a splendid farm in Palmer township, is John Milton Jones, who, early in life, became an expert saw filer and who, until some years ago, worked at this trade for a large lumber company in Alabama. Since engaging in farming, Mr. Jones has proved conclusively that persistent and well-directed effort is the surest guarantee of success. John Milton Jones has become, within a comparatively brief period, one of the most successful farmers of Palmer township and he is today one of the best-known and most highly respected.

John Milton Jones was born on August 28, 1875, in Guernsey county, Ohio. He is the son of Joseph and Malinda (Lanning) Jones. Joseph Jones was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, and grew to young manhood on a farm in that county, where he was educated and married. From Guernsey county he moved to Illinois, after his marriage, and spent eight years on a farm. He then returned to Guernsey county, Ohio, and erected and conducted a saw-mill. This he operated for about two years and then came to Putnam county, locating on the present site of Continental. Here he built a saw-mill,

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bringing the material with him from Guernsey county. He followed the saw- mill business for some time in other parts of the county and state where timber abounded. In 1911 he and part of his family moved to Nocatee, Florida, where he engaged as a saw filer for a large lumber and saw-mill company, being considered an expert at this business. He owns one large orange grove in Florida. His wife was born on September 10, 1856, in Guernsey county and was educated there.

John Milton Jones is the eldest of twelve children born to his parents. The others are Elizabeth, the wife of Celestian Noirot, of Palmer township; Mrs. Emma Horning, of New Bavaria; Charles, who lives in Alabama ; Jesse, who lives at Salesville, Mississippi; Howard, who lives at Holmesville, Ohio; Edna, who lives at Coshocton, Ohio; Mrs. Blanche McKelrey, who lives in Orrville, Ohio; Ida and Clyde, twins, the former of Palmer township and the latter of Nocatee, Florida; Hazel and Walter, both of Nocatee. The parents of these children also live in Florida.

John Milton Jones was educated in the public schools of Continental and lived with his parents until about 1900, assisting his father on the farm and in the management of the saw-mill. He went to Alabama in 1900 and took employment with the Horseshoe Lumber Company as a saw filer, having learned this trade under the direction of his father. Mr. Jones remained with this company steadily for two years and then returned to Putnam county, Ohio, where he was married on November 30, 1902, to Seluta Brink- man, who was born in Palmer township, Putnam county, and is the daugh- ter of Frederick and Mary E. (Champion) Brinkman. Mrs. Jones was edu- cated in Palmer township, Putnam county.

Immediately after his marriage, Mr. Jones returned to Alabama with his wife and continued to follow saw filing as a trade. He also learned the millwright's trade and worked at this when he first returned south. In March, 1914, John M. Jones and wife returned to Putnam county. Mrs. Jones had inherited one-half of a one-hundred-and-sixty-acre farm, and her brother, George, had inherited the other half. Mr. Jones pur- chased the interest of his brother-in-law and now owns and farms one hun- dred and sixty acres. He erected a splendid new residence on this place in 1914 and made many other improvements. He had erected a new barn in 1913. In fact, many substantial improvements have been made under the able direction and supervision of Mr. Jones. He has applied himself dili- gently to the development and improvement of the farm. One child, Ardath, was born to John Milton and Seluta (Brinkman) Jones on November 3, 1905.

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John Milton Jones votes the Republican ticket in national affairs, but generally votes the Democratic ticket in local politics. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are members of the Methodist church. John Milton Jones is an expert mill- wright and saw filer. He is also a splendid farmer, active, intelligent and much admired by the people of Palmer township.

ALLEN HUYSMAN.

Among the young men of Putnam county who have achieved a marked degree of success in commercial life, is the gentleman whose name forms the caption for this review. "Keep abreast of the times" is one of the hereto- fore unpublished mottoes which this young man has been following, and, by careful management, well-directed energy and unswerving loyalty to recog- nized fair-and-square business dealings, he has forged to the front and today carries the distinction of being one of the most successful business men throughout this region. Being a man of honorable methods and strictly progressive in his views, he holds the confidence of the people of his com- munity and is well worthy of mention in a work of this nature.

Allen Huysman was born in Monterey township, this county, on Janu- ary 17, 1889, and is the son of Cornelius and Lydia (Semer) Huysman. Cornelius Huysman's life record is given elsewhere in this work. His mother, Lydia (Semer) Huysman was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and came to Putnam county, Ohio, with her parents when she was a little child but two years old. Allen's grand father was born in Holland and later, com- ing to this country, was one of the early settlers in Monterey township, Put- nam county, where he farmed his entire life and died in 1894. The grand- mother died a few years previous to the death of her husband.

Allen Huysman received his early education in the Spangler school, in Van Wert county, and was under the guardianship of his Aunt Catherine Osenga, on account of the death of his mother on January 21, 1889, at which time he was but four days old. After finishing his schooling, Allen Huys- man was married, on October 19, 1911, to Irene Fierstos, a daughter of Joseph and Gertrude (Hermann) Fierstos, whose parents are now living in retirement in Ottoville, this county, and who were formerly engaged in farm- ing. To Allen and Irene (Fierstos) Huysman have been born one child, a daughter, Marie.

For about three years, Mr. Huysman was engaged in the hardware and

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implement business, under the name of George Wannemacher & Company, and was financially interested in this concern. Having sold out his interests in this business, he purchased a site in Ottoville, this county, for the purpose of carrying on busness as a dealer in automobiles. The building was not suitable and after enlarging and remodeling it for the purpose to which he intended using it, he secured the agency for the Ford automobiles and the Ford Motor Company of Detroit, Michigan, having found a hustling agent for their product in this part of Ohio, assigned him as exclusive agent for the townships of Monterey, Jennings and Jackson, in Putnam county, also Jackson township in Van Wert county. In addition to the selling of auto- mobiles, Mr. Huysman conducts an automobile livery and garage, and does electrical work in connection with automobiles.

Allen Huysman is a stanch Republican, and though not active in poli- tics, is aggressive in advocating those principles of the party which affect the public welfare. He does not claim affiliation to any particular church, but his wife is an active and devout member of the Catholic church of Ottoville. Personally Mr. Huysman holds the respect of the entire community in which he lives and, being a man of genial disposition, makes friends easily and has the faculty of keeping them. His marked ability as a salesman, identifies him in this vicinity as a man possessing keen ability, and his success has been the result of the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens who found him worthy in every respect.

JOHN A. SIMON.

The late John Simon belongs to that class of men who win life's battles by sheer force of personality and determination, coupled with soundness of judgment and keen discrimination. In whatever the late John Simon un- dertook he showed himself to be a man of ability and honor. He was al- ways ready to lend his aid in defending principles affecting public good and ably and conscientiously served the people of . his community. " Mr. Simon was prominent in the political and civic life of Palmer township, where he lived for many years, and, having descended from one of the old pioneer families of this section of the state of Ohio, he was entitled to rank as a representative citizen. The late John A. Simon is remembered by a host of friends, who revere his memory and who yet do honor to the good name which he built up in Putnam county.

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John A. Simon was born in Greensburg township, Putnam county, Ohio, on his father's farm on March 23, 1866. He was the son of Lewis and Margaret (Dangler) Simon, the former of whom was born in Put- nam county on April 24, 1838, and who in turn was the son of John P. and Savilla (Genshimer) Simon. John P. Simon was born in Germany, on the Rhine, and there was married to Savilla Genshimer, a native of Germany, born in 1812. John P. and Savilla (Genshimer) Simon were the parents of the following children: John, a farmer of Dupont, Ohio; Catherine and Philip, both deceased; Lewis, the father of the late John Simon, the sub- ject of this sketch; Jacob, who died in childhood; Barbara, wife of Michael Rinkle, of Dupont; Louisa, deceased; Sophia, who married the Rev. Philip Kesler, of Dupont; Mrs. A. L. Hauck, of Ottawa; Anna, who married W. J. Varner, of Greensburg township; Savilla, who married J. W. Parnell, of Greensburg township; Elizabeth, deceased, and John Adam, who died young.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 114

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