History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 36

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 36

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Bernard H. Heringhaus, the son of Rudolph and Christina ( Richter- ing) Heringhaus, was born on March 13, 1879, in Ottawa, Putnam county, Ohio. His father was born at Oesede, Hanover, Germany, in 1843, and is

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a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Buddlemeyer ) Heringhaus. Rudolph Her- inghaus came to America in January, 1867, and located in Cincinnati, and on October 9, of the same year he was married in that city to Christina Rich- tering, who was born in what was Beesten, Hanover, now Kaiserreich, Prussia. She is a daughter of Bernard and Margarite Adelaide (Meerz) Richtering, and was reared in Germany, coming to Cincinnati, Ohio, from her native land in 1866.

Rudolph Heringhaus and wife lived at Cincinnati until 1871, and in that year came to Putnam county, and for three and one-half years lived in Greensburg township, after which time they moved to Ottawa, where they have since resided. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Heringhaus, Anna, Henry, Catherine, Minnie, Bernard H. and Mary. Anna is the wife of Andrew Roof and has three children, Adelaide, Edward and Mary. Henry, who is unmarried, makes his home in Ottawa. Catherine is the wife of George C. Laibe and lives in Akron, Ohio. Minnie is the wife of Frank Distel, of Toledo, Ohio, where she died on June 20, 1912, leaving her husband with two children, Mary and Clara. Mary died at the age of six weeks. He and his family are all loyal members of the Catholic church, while he is a member of the Catholic Knights of Ohio.

Bernard Heringhaus grew to manhood in Ottawa and before reaching his majority began to learn the printer's trade in the office of Der. Demo- krat. For fifteen years he worked at the newspaper business and became a thorough and practical printer. He then became a partner with Samuel Cartwright in the furniture and undertaking business in Ottawa, and has. since continued along this line of endeavor. He went to Cincinnati and learned the embalming business and was licensed as an embalmer on June 20, 1908. Mr. Cartwright remained as his partner less than a year in the business, and was succeeded by F. F. Pope, who, with Mr. Heringhaus, still continues the business.

Mr. Heringhaus has taken a very active part in the civic life of Ottawa. He has served six years as clerk of Ottawa, and served during the time the waterworks was being built. He afterward served for five years as clerk of the waterworks board. He is now a member of the school board of Ot- tawa, and is also a member of the Putnam county school board. He and his- family are loyal members of the Catholic church, and he is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Knights of Ohio.

Mr. Heringhaus was married on October 18, 1904, to Mary A. Laibe, and to this union have been born three sons, Francis, Cornelius and Robert.

Mrs. Heringhaus was born near Gilboa, Putnam county, Ohio, and is

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a daughter of Edmund and Magdalene (Kroft) Laibe, both of her parents being natives of this county. Her mother died in 1910, and her father, who was a life-long farmer, is now living a retired life in Ottawa. Edmund Laibe was born in Buffalo, New York, November 7, 1855, and was a son of Mark and Catherine" (Benziger) Laibe. His parents came from Bel- fort, Alsace, France, and lived in Brooklyn, New York, for a short time, before locating in Buffalo. Mark Laibe and his family moved to Putnam county, Ohio, about 1856, and located in Pandora, where he operated a blacksmith shop until 1868. In that year Mark Laibe and his family moved to a farm two and one-half miles south of Gilboa, where he lived until Octo- ber, 1885, when he moved into Ottawa, where he retired and lived until his death April 8, 1899. His wife died on January 27, 1909. Edmund Laibe grew up on his father's farm and married Mary Magdalene Kroft, a daugh- ter of Joseph and Catherine Kroft, who came from Alsace and settled in Putnam county, Ohio. After Edmund Laibe married he began farming about a mile north of the old home place and lived there until 1889, in which year he moved to Ottawa, where he has since resided. He has a fine farm of one hundred and twenty acres in the county. Five children were born to Edmund Laibe and wife, Mary Amelia, the wife of B. H. Her- inghaus; William E., George E., Frank F., and Blanche V., the wife of Cornelius H. Ellis.

HENRY GRISMORE.

The biographies of enterprising men, especially of good men, are in- structive as guides and are incentives to others. The examples they furnish, of patient purpose and steadfast integrity, strongly illustrates what is in the power of each to accomplish. Some men belong to no exclusive class in life. Apparently insurmountable obstacles have in many instances awakened their dormant faculties and served as a stimulus to carry them to ultimate re- nown. The instances of success in the face of adversity almost justifies the conclusion that self-reliance, with half a chance, can accomplish any rea- sonable object. The gentleman, whose life story is here set out, is a man who has lived to good purpose and achieved a splendid success. By a straight- forward and commendable course, he has made his way to a respectable po- sition in the world, winning the hearty admiration of the people in his com- munity, and earning the reputation of being a progressive man of affairs, which the public has not been slow to recognize and appreciate.

Henry Grismore, the subject of this sketch, was born on October 24,

HENRY GRISMORE.

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1839, in Wayne township, Butler county, Ohio. He is the son of John and Catherine (Weaver) Grismore. John Grismore was born in Burkes county, Pennsylvania, in August, 1812, and was the son of Abraham Grismore and wife.

From all accounts, Abraham Grismore and wife were natives of Penn- sylvania. At one time, Abraham was considered a well-to-do man, and was the owner of a linseed oil mill. Before his death, however, he was greatly reduced, financially, on account of having secured the debts of other men, and their failures to meet their obligations. John Grismore and Abraham Grismore, Jr., were the only sons. There were seven daughters. John was but twelve years of age when his father died, leaving his mother with nine children and thirty acres of stony land, which was their only means of sup- port. When a boy, his mother bound him out to a tailor to learn the trade, and when he was twenty-two years old, he came to Ohio, down the Ohio river, to Cincinnati, by boat, landing there with twenty-five cents in his pocket. Being the master of a good trade he proceeded to Lebanon, Ohio, where he had a friend who was a tailor. From here he located at Jacksonboro, Butler county, where he established a tailor shop. It was here that he first met Catherine Weaver, the daughter of Henry Weaver and wife, the former of whom was a native of Pennsylvania, and a prosperous farmer of Wayne township, Butler county. A part of the town of Jacksonboro was located on Henry Weaver's land.

When John Grismore was twenty-four years old, he was married to Catherine Weaver. In addition to conducting his tailoring business, in the winter and spring, he devoted the summers to his little farm of thirty-seven acres, five miles from Jacksonboro. It was here that three of the children were born. Sarrah died in infancy; Henry is the subject of this sketch, and Mary Ann was the third child. After a residence in Jacksonboro of about ten or eleven years, two years of which were spent on his little farm, he sold out and moved to Riley township, Putnam county, January 13, 1845. It was during the preceding spring that he and Mr. Weaver made a trip to Putnam county on horseback to purchase a farm. John bought sixty-eight acres, two miles south of Pendleton, now Pandora, and Mr. Weaver, a farm north of and adjoining the town of Pendleton. It was on January 13, 1845, after a trip covering five days over muddy roads, a hundred and twenty miles in all, that they arrived at the scene of their new home in three wagons. The last day of the trip they were only able to cover seven miles. There was a hewed log house and round log barn on the place, and probably about five acres of the land cleared. John Grismore worked, clearing his place, during

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the summer months, while he followed his trade as a tailor during the winter. After several years, he managed to get his first farm, practically all cleared, and then purchased eighty acres next to his first farm. From time to time: he added to his holdings until he had accumulated five hundred and forty- eight acres. After moving to Riley township, there were five children born, making eight in all, six of whom lived to maturity. The last five were, George, Elizabeth, who died at twelve years of age; Harriet, Phoebe and Martin. The last named was killed by a falling tree in the woods when he. was thirty-five years old. John Grismore died on December 29, 1899, at the ripe old age of eighty-seven years. His wife, who was born in Butler county, in 1816, died in Richland township, Allen county, in 1880, at the age of sixty-four.

Henry Grismore came with his parents to Putnam county when he was- six years old. It was here that he spent his boyhood. His was the life that generally fell to the lot of a pioneer's son. He was thirteen years old before there were any schools in his neighborhood. However, he had learned to read and spell from his mother. The balance of his education consisted of an average of twenty-two days a year, for eight years, in school. He re- mained at home until he was twenty-two years old. During the spring, fol- lowing his twenty-second birthday, he went to Ontario and there remained for nearly three years.

It was near Hamburg, Ontario, that Mr. Grismore met and married on January 9, 1866, Francisca Ginther, who had been born in Wurtemberg, Ger- many. Immediately afterwards he returned to Ohio and settled on a part of his father's place, a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which farm he later bought from his father. Seven years later, in the fall of 1873, he moved to a place of eighty acres, one mile south of Pandora, which he had bought the previous June. He has lived on this place ever since. The place had a. substantial frame house for those days, in which he lived for twelve years, or until 1885, when he built a large, handsome, brick residence, of twelve rooms ..

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Grismore have had eleven children, seven of whom have lived to maturity. John W. married Magdalene Lehman and lives two. miles north of Pandora. They have seven children. Cora is the wife of E. J. Miller, who lives one mile north of Pandora. They have two children. Oscar married Elona Day. They live in Los Angeles, California, and have. four children. Emma is the wife of Edward Morelock, of Creditorn, On- tario. They have three children. Levi married Levina Towsley, and lives- one mile southwest of Pandora. They have three children. Otto married Martha Wittich, Brilliant, Ohio. They have two daughters. Carl A. mar-

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ried Leah Tripplehorn, and lives on the home place. They have one child, Donald. Mary Ann is the wife of Guy R. Fromm, of Cincinnati. They have one child. Jessie Pearl died at the age of two years. Grover C. is unmar- ried. He is an instructor in the law school at Ann Arbor, Michigan. Fred married Jennie Kisabeth. They live in Memphis, Tennessee, and have no children.

In addition to his farming, Mr. Grismore owned a mill and elevator, from 1892 to 1900. This mill was located at Pandora. He operated it dur- ing the period of his ownership. Henry Grismore has been a most successful farmer and, altogether, owned five hundred and fifty-six acres. At one time he was the largest single taxpayer in Putnam county, having been very suc- cessful with hogs and cattle. Lately, Mr. Grismore has disposed of a part of his holdings, but still retains three hundred and thirty-six acres of the finest land in Putnam county. He is a director and treasurer in the Farmers Banking Company, at Pandora, and is known as a successful banker. Mr. Grismore is a Democrat. He served as township trustee for six years, as a supervisor, and was member of the school board for eighteen years. Re- ligiously, he and his wife and family are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church, and in this church Mr. Grismore has held various offices. Henry Grismore is a man of broad experiences and is counted as one of the best farmers in the county, a good citizen and a true friend. He is a fine type of Christian gentleman, and eminently deserves the esteem and confidence placed in him by his neighbors and fellow citizens.

JOHN J. RAMPE.

The Rampe family came to Putnam county, Ohio, in 1872, and for the past forty years have been connected with the advancement of this county along agricultural, commercial and educational lines. John J. Rampe was fourteen years of age when his parents moved to this county, and for the past thirty-five years he has been engaged in business for himself at Ottawa. Starting to learn the shoe trade, as a shoemaker, when he was twelve years of age, he opened a shoe shop of his own, at the age of twenty- one, and sold shoes, which he himself made for a few years. He then put in stock of factory-made shoes, and gradually added other furnishing goods, until he now has the largest store in Ottawa.

John J. Rampe, the son of Barney and Mary (Miller) Rampe, was

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born in Covington, Kentucky, September 12, 1859. His father was born in Glandorf, Germany, and his mother, in Haagen, Germany. His parents were married in Covington, Kentucky, and to them were born eight children, seven sons and one daughter, of whom four died in infancy. The other four, are as follows: Louis, who died at Edaville, Iowa, about ten years ago; Fred, who learned the shoemaking trade with his brother, John J., and followed it until his death, on March 9, 1896, at the age of thirty-three; Lizzie, the wife of Joseph Roof, living at Glandorf, and John J., of Ottawa. Fred, the brother of John J., married Mary Smith, of Glandorf, and was the father of five daughters and one son, who, with his widow, are still living.

Barney Rampe was a contractor and lived in Covington, Kentucky, until about 1875, and laid many of the sidewalks in that city. In that year he moved to Glandorf, Putnam county, Ohio, his son, John J., having pre- ceded the family, coming to this county, when he was twelve years of age, to learn the shoemaker's trade with his uncle, William Rampe, Sr. William Rampe, Sr., had come here in the early history of the county, and was in the shoe business at Glandorf for about fifty years, or until his death, on November 28, 1893. Barney Rampe died in Putnam county, December 6, 1893, and his widow died on October 31, 1899. Barney Rampe and his wife lived in Glandorf, Putnam county, after moving here, and he contin- ued making sidewalks.

John J. Rampe lived in Covington, Kentucky, until he was twelve years of age and obtained all of his schooling in that city. He then came to Put- nam county, Ohio, and worked with his uncle, William Rampe, learning the shoemaker's trade. He remained with his uncle until September 17, 1880, when he started in business in Ottawa for himself. On that day his son, the first child, was born. He started a shoe shop at Ottawa and sold only shoes at first, which he made in his own shop. As his trade increased, he added a line of factory-made shoes and gradually increased his business. A few years later he added a stock of clothing, hats and men's furnishing goods of all kinds, and still later put in a line of ladies' clothing, millinery and dry goods. He now has a jewelry department, as well as a full line of groceries. In fact, he now sells everything to wear, from head to foot, for men, women and children. He has the two main floors and part of the upstairs in the McCracken block, to which he moved about ten years ago. He bought back the small building in which he first started on the south side of Main street on June 25, 1912, and in this building he has placed a large stock of carpets, rugs, and linoleums. In the main store he has a large number of departments, and among the conveniences for customers he has

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a rest room with a sign above the door saying, "Welcome to our rest room. A cup of coffee free."

The Rampe stores are easily the largest in Ottawa and it is safe to say that he does the largest retail business of any man in the village. He is the only practical shoe man in the business in Ottawa, his training at the trade making him an expert in judging stock. He has killed and skinned the steer, tanned the hide and made the shoes from the leather. Accord- ingly, he knows the business of shoemaking thoroughly, and this fact has undoubtedly had much to do with his success as a dealer in shoes.

Mr. Rampe was married at the age of twenty to Anna Leopold, the daughter of Barney and Elizabeth Leopold, pioneer settlers of Glandorf, in this county. Mr. Leopold came from Glandorf, Germany, in the early history of the county, and was a storekeeper and stockbuyer at Glandorf. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rampe, Harry B. and Emma L. Harry B. has charge of the men's department of his father's store, and Emma has charge of the ladies' department. Harry married Lucile Jennings, of Carrs, Kentucky. The first wife of Mr. Rampe died, February 16, 1910, and on January 17, 1914, he married Martha Kerner, who was born in Ottawa, and is the daughter of Philip and Agnes (Maag) Kerner.

Mr. Rampe, with his wife and children, are loyal and devout members of the Catholic church, and are generous contributors to its support. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Lima, Ohio. Mr. Rampe is a thorough business man, and by industry and unexcelled business judgment has become one of the most substantial men of the county.

CHARLES A. FERRALL.

It is a well-authenticated fact that success comes as the result of legiti- mate and well-applied energy, unflagging determination and perseverance in a course of action which one has decided upon. Success was never known to smile upon the idler or dreamer. She never courts the loafer and only those men, who have diligently sought her favor, are crowned with her bless- ing. It is apparent that the success of Charles A. Ferrall, leading restau- rant man of Putnam county, located at Ottawa, has been won by unfailing industry, determination and a fixed will. These qualities have also gained for him the high esteem of the people of Ottawa.

Charles A. Ferrall was born in Gilboa, Putnam county, Ohio, September

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20, 1873, the son of John and Louise (Devinney) Ferrall. John Ferrall was born in 1838, and was reared in Blanchard township, Putnam county. He was the eldest son of James and Parthena (Hickerson) Ferrall, who came to this county soon after their marriage and located in Blanchard township. They came from Licking county, Ohio. James Ferrall was the son of John Ferrall, a soldier in the American Revolution.

John Ferrall grew up in Blanchard township. His father was a shoe- maker at Gilboa and was an expert at this trade. John Ferrall married Louise Devinney in 1862, who was born in Lancaster, Fairfield county, Ohio, the daughter of John and Anna (Umwake) Devinney. John Devinney was the son of James Devinney, who was a native of France and a soldier in Lafayette's army in the American Revolution. Anna Umwake was one of four children, brought by their parents from Pennsylvania to Fairfield county, Ohio. Louise Devinney lived at Lancaster until ten years of age and then came to Ottawa with her sister, Mrs. Redd and her husband, who moved here in wagons, in 1848. They located about two miles east of Ottawa, south of the Blanchard river, where the old Pierman home is now located. Four years later, Louise Devinney went to live with her half-brother, Jacob Green, who conducted the Defiance Democrat, and was probate judge for many years and a man well known in the county. Louise Devinney went to De- fiance in order to take advantage of the better schools at that place and. after three years, began teaching. She taught about five years south and southeast of Ottawa until her marriage. John Ferrall was a soldier in the Ninth Ohio Cavalry. He enlisted a short time before his marriage and later re-enlisted. Three of his brothers also served in the Union army. John Ferrall was in the service until the close of the war, Mrs. Ferrall mean- while staying with her mother who then lived near Columbus Grove. After the war, John Ferrall spent the rest of his life at Gilboa, where he engaged in various lines of business. He died in October, 1885. He was widely known as a genial-tempered man and was marshal of Gilboa for many years. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. and Mrs. Fer- rall were the parents of five children, Mary, the wife of George Rennells, of Toledo; Anna, the widow of David Long, who was a lawyer of Ottawa; Charles A., the subject of this sketch; Eliza, the wife of Bert Shondell, a railroader, of Fort Wayne; William, a conductor on the Cincinnati, Hamil- ton & Dayton railroad, of Lima, Ohio. About two years after Mr. Ferrall died, Mrs. Ferrall moved to Ottawa, where she built a home and where she has resided since that time.

Charles A. Ferrall started a restaurant at his present location just east

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of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton tracks on the south side of Main street, about 1903. At that time it was an old frame building. He started in a small way and continued in business with increasing success.

Mr. Ferrall traveled to the Pacific coast to marry in the spring of 1910. He was married at Los Angeles, California, May 5, 1910, to Laura Kraft, who was born on May 5, 1882, at Ottawa, Ohio. She is the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Trame) Kraft.

John Kraft was born on March 25, 1855, a short distance north of Ottawa. He is the son of Joseph and Catherine (Gross) Kraft. Joseph Kraft and wife were natives of Alsace and married there. They came to this country nearly seventy years ago. Joseph Kraft was a farmer and the son of An- drew and Walbruck ( Brockmeyer) Kraft, and was born June 3, 1812, settling in this country in 1851. His wife, whom he married in Haucknew, France, April 17, 1842, was also born in Alsace, July 16, 1822. She was the daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Burger) Gross, who came to this country in 1851.

Joseph Kraft and wife settled north of Ottawa and spent the rest of their lives on the farm. John Kraft, their son, married Elizabeth Trame in 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Kraft are the parents of three children living and one dead, Laura Elizabeth, the wife of Mr. Ferrall; Catherine Johanna, the wife of Nicholas Miller, ex-sheriff of Putnam county; Mary Dorothy, who died at the age of four years and three months; and Clarence Edwin, who is at home. Elizabeth Trame was born at Toledo, Ohio, February 25, 1853, the daughter of Christopher and Mary (Brinkman) Trame, both of whom were born and reared in Hanover, Germany, the former on October 30, 1819.

Mrs. Ferrall spent most of her younger life in Ottawa, where she at- tended the parochial schools and also the Ottawa high school, from which latter school she was graduated at the age of seventeen. She then spent several years in the Meffley dry goods store and two years in Toledo in mer- cantile business. She then went to Los Angeles to live with her married sister and it was not long after she went to live in Los Angeles that Mr. Ferrall joined her.

After their marriage, Mr. Ferrall came back to Ottawa and, the fol- lowing October, sold out, expecting to locate in Los Angeles. In February he returned to Ottawa and opened a restaurant in the second room east of where the Ottawa Banking Company is located. In the December following he moved into his present location where a new building had been erected,

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and has been in business here ever since. In March, after opening in his new location, he purchased his present home.

Mr. Ferrall is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. For twenty-three years. he has been a member of the Ottawa fire department. Mr. and Mrs. Ferrall have two children, Paul Aubrey and Catherine Louise. Mr. Ferrall is a big whole-souled man, fond of hunting, fishing and other clean sports. He is a shrewd and careful buyer and knows how to conduct a good restau- rant. Mrs. Ferrall is a woman of charming appearance and socially is popular in Ottawa. Their children are bright, healthy youngsters, of whom their parents are very proud.

ANDERSON JAMES YOUNG.

Ohio was not lacking in loyalty during the dark days of the Civil War when the Ship of State was almost stranded on the rocks of Disunion, but contributed her full quota of brave men to assist in preserving the integrity of the government, prominent among whom was Anderson James Young, now a well-known druggist of Leipsic, Ohio. Loyal to his country in its hour of peril and extremity, as was demonstrated on many bloody battle- fields, he has ever been its stanch supporter in times of peace, and today there are few veterans in Putnam county who are more widely and favor- ably known, and none that can boast of a more honorable record. The ranks of the noble organization to which he belonged in the days of his youth are fast being diminished by the one invincible foe and it is fitting in every pub- lication of this nature that special tribute be paid to those who served through the greatest civil war known to history.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 36

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