History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 27

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 27

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William L. Werner, M. D., the son of Andrew and Catherine (Roth) Werner, was born at Eglon, Preston county, West Virginia, November 27, 1868. His father was born in Pennsylvania, and for many years engaged in the carpentering and contracting business and, in 1888, became the pro- prietor of a summer resort hotel at Eglon, West Virginia, which he managed until his wife's death, in 1906. A few years later he married again, and is now living a retired life at Kingwood, West Virginia. He and his wife · are members of the English Lutheran church. Andrew Werner served during the Civil War in the Union army.

Doctor Werner was reared in Preston county, West Virginia, where as a youth he engaged in mercantile pursuits for a short time. Later, he engaged in the same business, at Gormania, in Grant county, West Virginia,

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for a time. Doctor Werner graduated from the Thomas (West Virginia) high school in 1896, and in the following year entered the Eclectic Medical Institute, at Cincinnati, Ohio, graduating from that institution, in April, 1901.

Doctor Werner really began his practice before he completed his college course. At the end of his second year, he became an assistant to Dr. B. Baker, at Thomas, West Virginia, and at the end of his third year, was ad- mitted to the practice of his profession in West Virginia. After he gradu- ated in 1901, he returned to Thomas, where he continued the practice of medicine, until 1907. He built up a good practice in that place and became president of the State Eclectic Medical Association and a member of the pension examining board of his county. He was also physician for the poor in the Fairfax and Davis districts, and president of the county board of health.

Doctor Werner was not satisfied to discontinue his medical studies, in 1901, and since that time has taken many post-graduate courses in various schools throughout the country. He has taken a post-graduate course in the Philadelphia Polyclinic and College for Graduates in Medicine, during which time he pursued a general course for graduate physicians, and later, a special course in diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. He also took a special course in abdominal surgery and gynecology. He graduated from the Na- tional College of Electro-Therapeutics, in the subjects of electro-physics and electro-therapeutics. He took a general post-graduate course at Johns Hop- kins University, in 1906, a school which ranks as the best post-graduate college in America, and it is evident, from Doctor Werner's post-graduate work, that he is eminently fitted for his chosen profession.

Doctor Werner permanently located at Leipsic, Putnam county, Ohio, on May 5, 1908, where he has since continued his practice. It is needless to add that he has been successful from the beginning, and he finds his work constantly increasing. Since locating in Leipsic, he has taken an active part in the affairs of the community, and at the present time is a member of the school board. He is unusually well-equipped in his office for all kinds of medical work. He has a stock of drugs and does all of his prescription compounding. He has an oxyolene machine, which cost him nearly a thou- sand dollars; high frequency and X-ray machine, an electric vibrator, a fine equipment for optical examinations, a large and varied assortment of surgical instruments, and, in fact, everything which the twentieth-century physician and surgeon needs in general practice.

It is interesting to note that Doctor Werner was married before he was twenty-five years of age, and he attributes no small share of his wonderful

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success to the inspiration of his wife. He was married on September 25, 1893, to Lucretia E. Chisholm, who was born in Garrett county, Maryland, in 1876, and is a daughter of Alexander and Emily Chisholm, of Scottish parentage. To this union have been born two children, Myrtle Lucile and William Lewis, Jr. Lucile married Fred C. Smith, of Jersey City, New Jersey.

Doctor Werner and his family are members of the Lutheran church and he holds his membership in the Knights of Pythias, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has always taken a great interest in the state and national medical associations and makes it a point to keep in close touch with the latest developments in his profession. He has been particu- larly interested in the study of typhoid fever, its causes and treatment. While living in West Virginia, he was appointed, by the governor of the state, as- delegate to the American Anti-Tuberculosis League, in 1907. Doctor Werner is still a young man and the success which has attended his efforts, thus. far, indicates that he has a long and prosperous career before him.

ALDINE J. WELTY.

It is one of the outstanding features of our government that it acknowl- edges no hereditary rank or title, no patent of nobility, save that of nature, leaving every man to fix his own rank and to become the artificer of his own fortune. Places of honor, rank and preferment are thus happily placed before every individual, high or low, rich or poor, to be striven for by all, but earned alone by perseverance and sterling worth, and are almost always sure to be filled by deserving men, or at least by those possessing the energy and talent essential to success in contest for public position. Aldine J. Welty is a conspicuous example of the successful, self-made American citizen, who is not only eminently deserving of the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens, but who also possesses the necessary energy and talent which fit him to discharge worthily the duties of the responsible place with which he has been charged. He is a man of vigorous mentality and strong mental fiber, and has found these qualities the chief factors in carving out a career above suspicion and reproach. He is an honor to the county, which he is so splendidly serving.

Aldine J. Welty, the well-known secretary of the Pandora Overall Company, and a young man of splendid business ability, was born January

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27, 1883, in Riley township, Putnam county, Ohio. He is the son of John U. and Catherine (Thut) Welty, the former of whom is a native of Berne, Switzerland, born February 5, 1840, the son of John and Mary Ann (Gerber) Welty.

Aldine J. Welty grew up on the home farm and attended the old Mul- berry district school until the age of seventeen, and then entered the Pandora high school from which he was graduated at the age of twenty-one, with. the class of 1904. He worked for a short time at the carpenter's trade and, subsequently, took a trip west, visiting the World's Fair, in St. Louis, in 1904, Denver, and thence to eastern Washington and other points. He re- mained in this portion of the west for about nine months and during a part of this time, taught school. Upon his return home, he engaged in teach- ing for five years and, during vacations, employed his time as a clerk in the. store of David Lichty at Pandora.

Mr. Welty was married on June 25, 1907, at the age of twenty-five, to Mary B. Amstutz, the daughter of Abraham M. and Catherine (Hilty) Amstutz, and to this union three children have been born, Clyde Lawrence, Arthur Laurel, who died at the age of three months, and Leland J.

After his marriage, Mr. Welty continued to teach for one year, when he became affiliated with the Pandora Overall Company, first as a salesman and, later, as secretary and joint manager. He has been very successful in his business relations thus far, and is the largest employer of labor in Putnam county. Mr. Welty also has control of two other factories, one at Celina,. and the other at Zanesville, Ohio, being engaged in business similar to that. at Pandora.

Aldine J. Welty's grandfather was born at Berne, Switzerland, in 1804. He was a farmer in Switzerland and was considered well-to-do, for his time. In addition to being a farmer, he was a mechanical genius and an able car- penter. He came to America in 1845, landing at New York City after forty- five days on the water. He came direct to Ohio and settled shortly after- wards in Riley township, Putnam county, where he entered land from the government. This farm comprised one hundred and sixty acres, which Mr. Welty proceeded to clear and drain. He built a log cabin and other build- ings, and it was here that he reared his family. There were twelve children, four of whom were born in Switzerland, Fred, who resides in Oklahoma; John U., the father of Aldine J .; David; Annie, the wife of Rev. Zimmerly ; John, who lives in Oregon; Christian; Abraham, who also lives in Oregon; Fannie, the deceased wife of Abraham Reusser, of Kansas; Amos; Peter, who also resides in Oregon; Samuel, and Anna, the wife of Peter R. Graber,

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of Kansas. In addition to rearing this splendid family of children, all of whom grew to maturity, and all of whom, except one, married, John Welty, Sr., reared four orphan children. One of them married his youngest son, Samuel. John Welty was a close friend and associate of the well-known Rev. John Moser. It is related that so close was their fellowship, they had but one pocketbook. It is further stated that John Welty never took a man's note for money loaned, depending entirely upon the man's sense of honor. He was a man who was strictly religious, and was one of the founders of the Mennonite church. He was universally respected and well known as a good man and an upright citizen. He had, according to a recent counting, one hundred and one grandchildren living. From time to time he added to his holdings until he accumulated eight hundred and forty acres of land.

The original Welty homestead was located in the southeastern corner, of Putnam county. It was here that John U. Welty was brought by his par- ents, when five years old. Here he attended the typical log cabin school, and it was here that he grew to manhood. This country, at that time, was heavily timbered, and almost totally under water. He remained with his people until he was twenty-seven years old, and at times worked for neigh- boring farmers. It is related that the greatest compensation he received at any time for his labors, was one hundred and five dollars, and a suit of clothes. At the age of twenty-seven, he was married to Catherine Thut, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, September 18, 1842, the daughter of Peter I. and Elizabeth (Burkholder) Thut, also pioneers of Allen county. The Thut family had come from Switzerland, and comprised a number of deeply religious people. The Burkholder family was known for its thrift and economy.

After John U. Welty was married, he moved to a farm of his father's, two and one-half miles east of Pandora, which he later purchased of his father. Eight acres of this land was cleared and had a log cabin and barn upon it, and it was here that he reared his family of six children, all of whom are living, and where he is living at the present time. His children follow : Amos, who married Margaret Suter, has seven children and lives in Marin- ette, Wisconsin. Menno, who resides in Reedley, California, married Anna Schragg, and has three sons. Elias, who lives in Pandora, married Elizabeth Amstutz, and has six children. Elizabeth. who is the wife of Albert B. Hilty, of Riley township, has four children. William, who resides on the home place, married Ella Bracy, and has three children. Aldine J. is the subject of this sketch.

John U. Welty has been a very successful man. He has accumulated

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considerable money and property aside from his farm holdings. He suffered a great misfortune, on May 19, 1900, when his wife passed away. For years she had been in delicate health. She was a kind and affectionate woman, and throughout her life had been a great sufferer, but bore it all un- complainingly, and was the light and sunshine of her home.

Aldine J. Welty has been prominent in Democratic politics in Putnam county for many years. He is at present a central committeeman and was a prominent candidate for delegate to the national Democratic convention, at Baltimore, in 1912. In December, of that year, he was appointed on a committee of ten, from Ohio, to confer at Washington, D. C., with August Belmont and other Democratic leaders. He performed efficient service for his party on this committee. Mr. Welty is also one of the organizers of the town and township Democratic Club. In recognition of Mr. Welty's services to the Democratic party, President Wilson sent him his autographed photo- graph. During Bryan's campaign, in the fall of 1912, Mr. Welty was a member of the entertainment committee in his congressional district. For the past seven years Mr. Welty has been secretary of the Grace Mennonite church, of which the entire family are members. For two years he has been superintendent of the Sunday school. He is secretary of the lecture board of his own town and also vice-president of the school board.

Aldine J. Welty is a young man who has traveled extensively, from ocean to ocean, and has added to his already good education by both study and travel. He is always to be found behind any movement pertaining to the progress or betterment of the community. He is a man of the cleanest character and the very highest ideals. Possessed of splendid executive ability, as he is, and with his natural capacity for leadership, he is expected to become one of the leading factors of the Democratic party in the state of Ohio. He is eminently equipped for work of this character.

W. M. GEORGE.

More and more, every year, the public is realizing the importance of maintaining a complete and accurate record of the proceedings of the county courts. Upon the accuracy and thoroughness of these local records much depends, as the vital interests of future generations may seriously hinge, some time, upon the preservation today of items of record that may, in them- selves, seem trivial. The importance, therefore, of having some one in the

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office of the clerk of the county courts who, by training and inclination, is given to thoroughness and studious attention to even the most minor details of his office, cannot be over estimated. That Putnam county, in recent years, has been fortunate in securing the valuable services of such a public servant in the office of the clerk of courts, is a matter of general congratu- lation in the county, it being felt that the records of these important courts. are safe in the hands of the present incumbent. That the people of the county were satisfied with the selection they had made of such a public servant, was. made plainly evident by the flattering re-election of W. M. George, at the last election to the office which, for one term, he had filled with such eminent satisfaction to the general public, particularly to those whose greater interest it is to know that the records of the county courts are being properly pre- served, and it is a pleasure for the biographer here to present a brief and modest review of the life's history of the gentleman whose name forms the caption for this interesting biographical sketch.

W. M. George, clerk of the court of Putnam county, Ohio, and per- haps one of the best-known and most popular county officials that ever held office in the court house, was born on October 16, 1867, in Van Buren town- ship, Putnam county, the son of John H. and Mary M. (French) George, the former of whom was a native of Germany, born on March 13, 1834, and who died on August 22, 1812, and the latter of whom was born, in Fairfield. county, Ohio, January 22, 1834, and is still living at her home, in Belmore, this county.

John H. George, who, in his day, was one of the best-known farmers and business men, in Putnam county, was born in Kreis-Dill, Germany, the son of John and Mary (Kemper) George, parents of four children, and, in 1852, when eighteen years of age, came to America. He landed in New York and soon made his way to Ohio. He had learned wagon-making in his native land and for two years worked at this trade in Crawford county, Ohio. He went to Hancock county in the spring of 1854, where he worked at his trade, until 1862. In the meanwhile, in 1855, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary M. French, daughter of Grover French, a farmer of Irish descent, who died in Hancock county, Ohio, in 1857, his widow surviving until March, 1884, when she died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George at the age of ninety years. Grover French and wife were the parents of seven children, John, a United Brethren minister; Elizabeth; Mrs. Lucinda Wiekham, of Belmore; George, a United Brethren minister, at Bentonville, Ohio; Reuben; Mary M. (Mrs. George) and Sarah. Of these only the mother of the subject of this. sketch now survives.

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To John H. and Mary M. (French) George were born seven children, Genevre, who married Peter Zeller, a carpenter; Sarah A., who married L. Swaninger, and was the mother of two children: Reuben, a well-known hard- ware merchant, of Belmore, this county; Elizabeth, who married William Cook, a Putnam county farmer; Grover, who died at the age of seventeen; William M., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch, now clerk of the courts of Putnam county, and Ida, who died at the age of seventeen. After his marriage, John H. George continued to work at his trade in Han- cock county, as above stated, until the spring of 1862, when he came to Putnam county and bought a tract of eighty acres of land in the woods, on which he built a cabin. He had cleared about twenty acres and had placed the same under cultivation when he entered the Fifty-fifth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, in 1864, as a substitute, and was assigned to the Army of the Tennes- see. He was with General Sherman in his famous march to the sea, was in a number of severe skirmishes, and fought in the last two battles in which his regiment took part as the war was drawing to a close. He was mustered out, at Louisville, Kentucky, and, at Cleveland, Ohio, received his honorable dis- charge.

At the close of the war, Mr. George resumed the pursuits of peace, re-entering, with unimpaired energy and ambition, upon the interrupted task of clearing his little farm, in Putnam county. This same energy marked his course all through his life and he added to his farm holdings from time to time until he, presently, was the possessor of more than four hundred acres of well-improved land. In addition to managing his large agricultural inter- ests in this county, Mr. George found time to engage in various other busi- ness enterprises, though occasionally he met with some reverses, especially in the way of paying off securities, his well-known generosity several times having caused him losses in this direction. Running a brewery in Ottawa, also, was an enterprise in which he met with a disastrous loss, by fire. In partnership with Captain Matthias in 1891, he opened a hardware store in Belmore, in which place he owned considerable residence property.

The elder George always was a Democrat and was active in the local campaigns of his party, his counsels ever having weight with the party man- agers in the county. He served two terms as justice of the peace, six years as county commissionr and, in 1880, was land appraiser. In addition to these public honors, he had filled several minor positions of public trust. He was a member of the United Presbyterian church, while his wife was a member of the Evangelical church. John H. George was a man of large influence in his neighborhood and his memory is cherished by many in the

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community in which he so long and so usefully labored. In these labors he ever found a faithful helpmate in his devoted wife, and his widow, who still survives, is the object of the sincere affection of the entire Belmore neigh- borhood, all the people of which hold her in the very highest esteem.

With two such parents it could hardly have been otherwise with W. M. George than that he should grow up bulwarked by habits of study and in- dustry. Reared upon the farm, under the careful training of his father, he received full instruction in the rudiments of profitable agriculture and, at the same time acquired studious habit, so that the course in the public schools served as a stimulant to further scholastic ambitions. Finishing the course in the local schools, he attended college, at Ada, Ohio, and, in 1888, began teaching school. For two years he did work in this line in the district schools of Van Buren township, his services in this capacity proving so satis- factory to the school authorities, that he was elevated to the position of superintendent of the schools at Belmore. Here he served with much satis- faction to the patrons of the school for a period of three years, making an excellent reputation for himself in school circles in the county. He also, about this time, was interested, with his father, in the management of a store at Belmore. During President Cleveland's second administration, he was postmaster at Belmore, being at the same time engaged in the grocery business there. Shortly after the close of this term of service, Mr. George decided to take up farming as a definite life's work and, following out this design, engaged in active farm work in the Belmore neighborhood, in which he met with marked success. At the same time, his acquaintance over the county was growing and his earnest and useful activities, in local Democratic campaigns, began to gain the recognition of the party managers, who pres- ently found in him one of the most aggressive political forces in the county. It was fitting, therefore, that in the campaign of 1909, Mr. George should receive the nomination of his party for the office of clerk of the court. His well-recognized qualifications for the proper discharge of the duties of this office, made his election a foregone conclusion, and he took office in 1911. The capable manner in which he handled the affairs of this important office insured his re-nomination, to succeed himself, and he was re-elected, in 1912, his term of office being due to expire, in August, 1915.

In September, 1890, Mr. George was united marriage with Miss Lida Fisher, who was born near Monroeville, Indiana, June 13, 1870, the daughter of Andrew J. and Nancy (Baker) Fisher. The Fishers had moved from Indiana to Ohio, in the year 1874, and for many years, thereafter. lived in Belmore, later moving to Paulding county, where Mrs. Fisher died. Mr.

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Fisher remarried and now lives in Van Wert. Lida Fisher grew up at Bel- more and, after finishing her school course, became a teacher in the public schools of her home town, being also a teacher of music, both vocal and instrumental. In the work of the public schools, she and Mr. George, who was superintendent of the Belmore schools, for some time, were closely as- sociated, and this association developed into a romance which led to the happy marriage.

To William M. and Lida (Fisher) George seven children have been born, John H., who married Laura Feutermacher, and lives on a farm in Van Buren township, Putnam county; Nanna C. married Julian C. Brown and lives near Hamler, in Marion township, Henry county, Ohio; Bernice, Bernard J., Delia, Noel and Dale are still at home and make merry the fire- side of their devoted parents, the George home, in Belmore, being the center of many social gaities.

Mr. and Mrs. George are members of the Evangelical church and take- a warm interest in the various beneficences of that religious organization, as well as being active participants in such local movements as have for their object the advancement of the best interests of the community at large, and are very properly regarded as among the leaders in all good works in this county. Mr. George is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, in the affairs of which he takes considerable interest.

CHARLES FRANCIS HOLTZHAUER.

A rapid rise in the educational world has marked the career of Charles- Francis Holtzhauer, who, although a young man in years, is now the super- intendent of the Ottawa public schools. Graduating from one of the many excellent colleges of Ohio in 1907, he has been teaching in high schools of the state since that time, and is now serving his second year as superin- tendent of the schools of Ottawa.

Charles Francis Holzhauer, the son of Henry and Clarissa (Wunderly ) Holzhauer, was born near Huron, Erie county, Ohio, November 26, 1881. His father was born near Amherst, Lorain county, Ohio, a son of John Holzhauer, who came from Hesse-Cassel, Germany. Clarissa Wunderly, the mother of Mr. Holzhauer, was born in Erie county, Ohio, and her mother was a native of Hesse-Cassel, Germany. Henry Holzhauer is now living on the farm in Erie county, Ohio, where his son, Charles F., was. born, and has made his home on this farm for many years.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 27

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