History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 28

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 28

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Charles F. Holzhauer was reared on his father's farm in Erie county, Ohio, and received his elementary education in the country schools. After graduating from the common schools he entered the Huron high school and graduated in the class of 1903. He at once entered Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Science, in the spring of 1907. In the fall of that year he began teaching, as assistant principal of the high school at Cadiz, Ohio, and remained in that school for four years. He came to Ottawa in 1911 as principal of the high school and after holding this position for three years, was elected in the summer of 1914 to the superintendency of the Ottawa schools. This is sufficient indication that his work in the schools of Ottawa has been satis- factory in every way. It is not only a tribute to his efficiency as an instruc- tor, but also to his high character and sterling worth as a citizen.

Mr. Holzhauer was married in 1908 to Bessie Simmons, who was born at Oceola, Crawford county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Ira H. and Amanda J. (Doty) Simmons. Mr. Holzhauer met his wife while they were both students at Delaware. To this union have been born two children, John Henry, who is now six years of age, and Mary Elizabeth, who is one year old.

Mr. Holzhauer and his wife are active members of the Methodist Epis- copal church at Ottawa. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Ma- sons, and is now serving as senior deacon of the Ottawa lodge.

HENRY CLIFTON RUHL, M. D.

For more than twenty years, Henry Clifton Ruhl, M. D., has been prac- ticing his profession in Leipsic, Ohio. Born and reared in Morrow county, Ohio, he went to Michigan with his father, in 1880, and completed his elementary education in that state. Later, he became a student at the North- ern Normal University, at Ada, Ohio, and then entered the teaching profes- sion. He finally decided to become a physician, and, with this intention, took a medical course of three years, and has been in the active practice of medicine since 1894. He located in Leipsic immediately after his graduation from the medical college, and has met with excellent success in the pursuit of his life work. He has been active in the civic life of Leipsic and is a public-spirited citizen, who can always be depended upon to support all measures for the general welfare of the community at large.

Henry Clifton Ruhl, M. D., the son of Adam Henry and Louisa

HENRY C. RUIIL, M. D.

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(Jacobs) Ruhl, was born in Morrow county, Ohio, December 4, 1864. His father was born in 1828, in Berlin, Germany, and came, when a lad, with his parents to Pennsylvania. Adam Henry Ruhl was a son of Jacob Henry and Emma Ruhl, and, when about seventeen years of age, came with his parents from Pennsylvania to Morrow county, Ohio, where Jacob H. Ruhl and wife lived the remainder of their lives, dying at the ages of eighty-three and eighty-seven years, respectively. The Jacobs family also came from Berlin, Germany, and located in Pennsylvania, living at New Freedom, in York county. Louisa Jacobs' father died in that county, lacking ten days of being one hundred years old. His widow was past ninety-four years of age at the time of her death.

Adam Henry Ruhl was twice married. His first wife, Louisa Jacobs, died in 1870, and, in 1873, he married again. He removed with his family to Gratiot county, Michigan, in 1880, and there spent the remainder of his life. He was a millwright by trade, and followed that occupation until his second marriage, after which time he engaged in farming.

Henry C. Ruhl, M. D., was sixteen years of age when his father went from Morrow county, Ohio, to Michigan, and lived in the latter state three years. He became a student in the Northern Ohio Normal University in 1883, and later, taught in the public schools for three years. In the fall of 1891, he entered Pulte Homeopathic Medical College, of Cincinnati, and graduated from that institution in the spring of 1894. On May 4, of that year, he began the practice of his profession, at Leipsic, Putnam county, Ohio, where he has since made his home. He has built up a large practice, and at the same time has been prominent in the civic affairs of the city.

Doctor Ruhl was married in July, 1894, to Anna Moore, who was born near Columbus Grove, Putnam county, and is a daughter of Samuel and Maria (Kiefer) Moore. Her parents were both natives of Pennsylvania, and were married in Richland county, Ohio. From that county the Moores came to Putnam county, and located on a farm near Columbus Grove, where - Mr. Moore died at the age of seventy-six: His widow is now living at the home of Doctor Ruhl, and is past eighty years of age. Doctor Ruhl and his wife have one daughter, Neva J., who is now a college student at Delaware, Ohio.

Doctor Ruhl is active in the Democratic party in his county, and has always taken unusual interest in its public affairs. He was elected mayor of Leipsic in 1898. He was elected to the same office in the fall of 1911. Doctor Ruhl was a member of the school board, of Leipsic, for nine years,

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and it was during his incumbency the present high school building was erected. The doctor owns an excellent farm, near Leipsic, over which he has general supervision. The family are stanch members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally, he is a member of the order of Free and Accepted Masons and has attained to all the degrees up to and including the Knights Templar. He has been a member of the Knights of Pythias since 1888. Doctor Ruhl is a genial and whole-souled man, and has a large circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the county.

WILLIAM W. DIBBLE.

Prominently identified with the educational interests of the community in which he lived, William W. Dibble has been engaged in public school work in Putnam county, Ohio, for several years. Starting in before reach- ing his majority, as a teacher, he taught in order to secure money to pay his way through college, and for the past quarter of a century has been spend- ing each winter in the school room. He has taught for several years in his home county, both in the common and the high schools, and since 1914 has been district superintendent of Liberty, Van Buren and Blanchard townships.

William W. Dibble, the son of William E. and Martha Jane (Taylor) Dibble, was born on May 17, 1866, at Waterville, Lucas county, Ohio. His father's history appears elsewhere in this volume, and the reader is referred to it for information concerning the Dibble family.

William W. Dibble was reared at Waterville, Ohio, until he was six- teen years of age, at which time his parents moved to the southern part of Henry county, Ohio, where his father bought a tract of timbered land, and young William took his full share in the arduous task of clearing the land and preparing it for cultivation. At that time there were many wild tur- keys in the woods and small game was abundant.

William W Dibble attended the high schools at Elmore, Ottawa county, Ohio, and Lindsay, Sandusky county, Ohio, when he began to teach. After teaching one term he entered the Northwestern Ohio University at Ada, and for the next three years interspersed his college education with teaching in the public schools. He also took a business course in shorthand and book- keeping at the Tri-State Business College at Toledo, Ohio, and worked in an office for one year, when he returned to teaching. He taught school for

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several years in Henry and Putnam counties, before beginning teaching in the high school at Leipsic in 1909. He continued there until the spring of 1913, when he became superintendent of the schools of Liberty and Van Buren townships, and, in 1914, Blanchard township was added to his terri- tory, and the title was changed to that of district superintendent of schools, with complete jurisdiction over Liberty, Van Buren and Blanchard town- ships. He is a practical school man, who understands every phase of public school teaching and is regarded as one of the best men of the profession in Putnam county.

Mr. Dibble was married in 1892 to Mary Alice Wise, who was born in Hancock county, Ohio, and is a daughter of John F. and Martha J. (Schwab) Wise. Both of her parents were born and reared in Hancock county, and now live in Leipsic, Putnam county, Ohio.

Mr. Dibble and his wife are loyal workers in the Methodist Episcopal church, where Mr. Dibble has been the superintendent of the Sunday school for the past five years. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias.

PETER A. MISSLER.

A man of marked administrative ability is Peter A. Missler, the pres- ent mayor of Glandorf, Putnam county, Ohio. He has held this responsible position since 1908, and in 1914 was re-elected for two more years, a fact which speaks well for his worth as a citizen, and his ability as an executor. He has been a life-long farmer and has lived at Glandorf since 1897.

Peter A. Missler, the son of Joseph and Susannah (Willman) Missler, was born in Huron county, Ohio, in 1876. His father was a native of Ger- many, born in 1830, and, when a boy of sixteen, came to America alone, and located in Huron county, Ohio, where he worked as a cooper. He made barrels for wine and other liquids and built up a business which neces- sitated the employment of eight or ten men. While living in Huron county, he married Susannah Willman, who was a native of Stark county, Ohio, and died in Huron county in 1885. In the meantime Joseph Missler had sent to Germany for his parents, Andrew and Elizabeth Missler, they coming to this country and living the remainder of their lives in Huron county.

After the death of his wife, Joseph Missler moved to Mercer county, Ohio, and lived there with his son, Joseph, Jr., until his death on August 8, 1914, at the age of eighty-four years. He and his wife were the parents

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of eight children, three of whom are deceased, Clara dying in infancy, Katherine dying in 1883, after reaching maturity, and Margaret, who died at the age of nineteen. The five living children are as follow: Joseph, of Mercer county, Ohio; Peter A., of Glandorf; John A., of Glandorf; Mary, a teacher in Auglaize county, Ohio, and Elizabeth, a teacher at Sedalia, Missouri.

Peter A. Missler was eight years of age when his mother died, and he then went with his father to Mercer county, and attended the college at Rensselaer, for two years. Peter A. Missler came to Glandorf in 1897 to engage in farming and has made this his life work. He has a good farm near Glandorf, where he engaged in diversified farming with a result which speaks well for his efforts.

Mr. Missler is a stanch Democrat, and is now a member of the Demo- cratic central committee, of Putnam county. He was elected mayor of Glandorf in 1908, and has been re-elected every two years since that time. He is a stockholder and director in the Glandorf German Building & Loan Association.

Peter Missler was married in 1902 to Emma Catherine Ellerbrock, who was born in Glandorf, and is a daughter of John William and Jennie (Uten- dorf) Ellerbrock, a sketch of whose parents may be found elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Missler are the parents of five children living and one deceased, Mary, Joseph, Edward, Otmar, Angeline and Paul, who died on August 9, 1913, at the age of two years. Mr. Missler and his family are loyal members of the Catholic church, and are deeply interested in its welfare.

HARRY ALLEN NEISWANDER, M. D.

There is no class to whom greater gratitude is due, from the world at large, than the self-sacrificing, sympathetic, noble-minded men whose life work is the alleviation of suffering and administering comfort to the af- flicted-those men who, in many cases, are responsible for lengthening the span of human existence. There is no standard by which their beneficent influence can be measured. Their helpfulness is limited only by the extent of their knowledge and skill, while their power goes hand in hand with the wonderful laws of nature that spring from the very source of life itself. Some one has aptly said "He serves God best, who serves humanity most." Among the physicians and surgeons of Putnam county, who have risen to well-deserved eminence in their chosen field of endeavor, and who are serv-

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ing humanity with their talents and their training, is Harry Allen Neis- wander, M. D., of Pandora, Putnam county, Ohio. Doctor Neiswander is a man who has proved himself to be broad-minded and conscientious in the sphere to which his life and energies have been devoted. He is possessed of a profound knowledge of the science of his profession, which has won for him a leading place among the distinguished medical men of his day and generation in Putnam county.

Harry Allen Neiswander, M. D., was born on September 26, 1881, in Van Buren township, Hancock county, Ohio. He is the son of Joshua N. and Susan ( Blosser) Neiswander. Joshua N. Neiswander, the son of Mi- chael and Fanny (Geiger) Neiswander, was born on January 4, 1857, in Richland township, Allen county, Ohio. Richland township was formerly a part of Putnam county. Michael Neiswander, the son of Michael Neis- wander, Sr., was born on the Atlantic ocean en route to New York. Michael Neiswander, Sr., whose wife was Anna Ernst, was born in Berne, Switzerland, and came to America, as one of the early settlers of Allen county, Ohio, at the age of twenty-two, the year in which Michael Neis- wander, Jr., was born. Michael Neiswander, Sr., settled first in Tuscarawas county, Ohio. Subsequently, he followed the Riley creek, looking for a suitable location and homestead, which he found upon arriving at a spring in what is now Richland township, Allen county, Ohio. Michael Neiswan- der, Sr., entered land from the government and passed through all of the pioneer experiences common to his day and 'generation. He was accus- · tomed to drive to Sandusky, more than sixty miles away, to mill and to buy provisions. A barrel of flour cost fifteen dollars in those days. On one occasion his son Daniel was driving home through the timber in a sleigh, when a pack of wolves got on his trail. Hearing their vicious snarls and howls, he understood they were coming after him. Lashing his horses into a run, he drove for home at top speed. Arriving at the barn, he hastily un- hitched his horses, put them into the stable, locked the door and ran for the house with the wolves almost at his heels. Once in the house he was safe from harm. When he awoke the next morning, the wolves had disappeared, but he found the marks of their claws on the door. On one occasion when Michael Neiswander, Sr., had been to mill in Sandusky, he happened to cross a bridge over a stream which had nearly overflown. As the horses stepped on the bridge, Michael observed that the planks were floating and, whipping up his horses, hurried them across. So nearly afloat was the bridge that just as the wheels of his wagon passed over each plank, it floated away.

Michael Neiswander, Sr., was the father of three sons, Daniel, Michael, Jr., and John. Daniel located in Putnam county and became a prosperous

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farmer. He was the father of four daughters and one son. John moved to Missouri in an early day, where he reared a large family and prospered. Michael, Jr., grew to manhood on the old homestead and reared a family of four sons and three daughters, all of whom are now living except one. At one time he was very well-to-do, owning two hundred and forty acres of land besides other property. Joshua Neiswander, the father of Dr. Harry A., was the fourth child born to Michael Neiswander, Jr. He was born on the homestead in Richland township. So far as is known, Michael, Jr., had no educational advantages, except what he received from his parents. His father, however, was a well-informed man for his time, judging by the records and diaries he left, and must have been able to give his son some valuable instructions. Joshua Neiswander attended school in the old log school house, and grew to manhood under conditions much better than those which his father confronted, but still very largely of a primitive na- ture. Log cabins at that time were still the rule, although they had begun to be replaced by more commodious farm dwellings in the older settled communities.

Joshua Neiswander remained with his parents until of age, after which, for about three years, he worked on a farm and spent a few months in Canada. After his return from Canada, he was married, at the age of twenty-four, to Susan Blosser, the daughter of Christian and Catherine (Thut) Blosser. The Blosser family history is to be found in the sketch of Mrs. Isaac Hilty. After his marriage, Joshua Neiswander located on a farm in Van Buren township, Hancock county, which he cleared and on . which he built his home. He has always done general farming and has been very successful. Lately he has specialized in raising and feeding hogs, cat- tle and horses for the market. Of late years, he has specialized in thorough- bred Duroc hogs. He is of a mechanical turn of mind and learned the car- penter's trade, which he follows at odd times. He is a Democrat and for a great many years was township trustee. He is an ardent supporter of the Reformed Mennonite church. His wife is a member of the American Men- nonite church. Doctor Neiswander's mother, Susan Blosser, is the daugh- ter of Christian Blosser. He was a school teacher and met his death in a peculiar way. On his way home from school one day, he chanced to meet a young woman and stopped to converse with her. It later developed that she had smallpox. Christian Blosser caught the disease and died, as did also his father. Christian Blosser was the father of five children, of whom Doctor Neiswander's mother was next to the youngest.

Joshua N. and Susan Neiswander were the parents of eleven children,

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three of whom died in infancy, Harry A., the subject of this sketch; Irvin, who died in infancy ; Lois, the wife of Meville Bushong, of Newstark, Ohio, who has two children, Elton and Merl; William, who died in infancy; Leo, a student in the Homeopathical Medical College at Columbus, Ohio, who married Lettie Fried and has one daughter, Alice; Estella, who is a school teacher; Claud, who is principal of the high school at Arlington, Ohio; Edgar, Byron, Ralph and Una, all of whom are at home.

Harry A. Neiswander, M. D., received his early education in the com- mon schools of Van Buren township. He attended the summer normal schools and also the normal school at Angola for one summer. After this, he completed his Bachelor of Science work at Ohio Northern University, graduating in 1907. Subsequently he took a position as assistant principal of the New Holland (Ohio) high school and in a few months became prin- cipal of that institution.

Doctor Neiswander entered the Cleveland Homeopathical Medical College in 1908, which institution later became affiliated with the Ohio State Uni- versity. He graduated with the class of 1912. In his senior year, Doctor Neiswander was president of the Hahnemann Medical Society, a student organization. Before graduation, he saw active work with one of Cleve- land's prominent practitioners. In this way, he was specially fitted for his chosen profession. He located at Pandora in the fall of 1912, where he has since built a large and growing practice.

Doctor Neiswander was married on December 25, 1907, to Rosella Spacht, of Van Buren township. She was formerly a student at Adrian College, Adrian, Michigan, and also the Ohio Northern University at Ada. She is the daughter of Jesse B. and Mary (Stonehill) Spacht, both of whom belong to pioneer families of Hancock county. Mrs. Neiswander is the eldest of four children, the others are William, who died at the age of twenty-nine; Verla and Irena, who are at home.

Doctor Neiswander is a Democrat. He is health officer of Riley town- ship and Pandora. He is a member of the leading medical societies, in- cluding the Ohio State Medical Society, the Ohio State Homeopatthic Medi- cal Society and the Putnam County Medical Society. Dr. Neiswander and wife are active members of the Methodist Protestant church. They have been the parents of two sons, Allen and Harold.

Doctor Neiswander is a progressive young physician, who has had all of the advantages of the latest information in medicine. He has built up a large practice in the community and a practice which he so very much de- serves because of his splendid equipment and his natural inclination toward his life profession.

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GEORGE HENRY MERSMAN.

A substantial business man of Glandorf, Putnam County, Ohio, is- George Henry Mersman, who was born on the farm where his elevator is now located. His parents, both of whom were natives of Germany, were early settlers in this county, and the Mersman family have been active in everything pertaining to the welfare of the community, for many years. Mr. Mersman started to work in the woolen-mill in Glandorf, when a young man, and for more than a quarter of a century was interested in this business, while at the same time he carried on general farming. He has been inter- ested in the elevator business in Glandorf since 1892, though he is still. devoting some of his attention to farming.

George Henry Mersman, the son of Henry and Mary E. (Recker) Mersman, was born on February 18, 1851, at Glandorf, Putnam county, Ohio. His father was born in Glandorf, Germany, and came to this county when a young man, where he worked on the Ohio canal, which was being built through this section of the state. Later, he was a partner with Mr. Myers, in the saw-mill business, and still later was engaged in the same business with Mr. Drerup. In addition to operating the saw-mill, he had a grist-mill which was run by steam power, the grinding being done with an old-fashioned burr stone. Mr. Mersman continued the saw and grist-mill business, in Glandorf, as long as he lived. In addition to his mills he operated a general store, packed and shipped pork and was a business man, interested in many ventures. He and his brother, Barney, were in partner- ship in the pork-packing business. Mary E. Recker, the wife of Henry Mers- man, was born in Hanover, Germany, and was a daughter of Nicholas Henry Recker and wife. The mother died in the old country, and her father married again. When Mary E. Recker was a girl of five years, her father and family came to America and located at Fort Wayne, Indiana, but lived there only a short time, when they moved to Glandorf, Putnam county, Ohio, where her father farmed during the remainder of his life.

George Henry Mersman lived at home until he was grown. As a young man, he worked in the woolen mills at Glandorf, and continued there for twenty-eight years. He began his mill work by operating a carding machine, and later became a spinner. At the same time that he was working in the woolen mills, he was engaged in farming. Mr. Mersman built an elevator at Glandorf, in 1892, just after the railroad was built through the village, and leased it out for one year. Since that time he has had active charge of the

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE IL. MERSMAN.

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elevator himself, and has built up a large and lucrative business in the buying and shipping of grain.

Mr. Mersman was married on April 21, 1875, to Anna M. Halker, who. was born in Glandorf, Putnam county, Ohio, and is the daughter of William and Louise ( Vogeding) Halker. Her parents were both natives of Germany, came to Glandorf, Ohio, early in its history, and located in the midst of a dense forest. Her father was a life-long farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Mersman were the parents of three children, two of whom, Louise and John, died in infancy. Anna E. is the wife of Anthony Kohls. Mr. Kohls was born at Glandorf and reared at New Cleveland, this county. He is a son of Tony and Theresa (Klinkhammer ) Kohls. Mr. and Mrs. Kohls have four chil- dren, Anna, Linus, Clarence and Louisa. Mr. Kohls and Mr. Mersman are operating this business together.

Mr. Mersman has given his hearty support to the Democratic party, and has been a member of the Glandorf council ever since the village was- incorporated, with the exception of two years. He and his wife are loyal members of St. John's Catholic church, at Glandorf. He has a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, twenty-five acres of which is good timber land, and is now doing a general farming business. Since purchasing this tract of farm land, Mr. Mersman has installed many changes and made numerous improvements.

PETER D. BIXEL, M. D.

It is not always easy to discover and define the hidden forces that have moved a life of ceaseless activity and large professional success. Little more can be done than to note their manifestations in the career of the person under consideration. The life of the physician and public-spirited man of affairs, whose name appears above, affords a striking example of well-defined purpose-his ability to make that purpose subserve, not only his own ends, but the good of his fellow men, as well. Peter D. Bixel, M. D., has long held prestige in the calling that requires for its basis strong mentality and intellectual attainments of a high order, supplemented by rigid professional training and a thorough mastery of technical knowledge with the skill to apply the same, without which one cannot hope to arise above mediocrity. In his chosen field of endeavor Doctor Bixel has achieved a notable success, which has been duly recognized and appreciated throughout the section of the state in which he lives. In addition to his long and creditable career,

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 28

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