History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 41

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 41

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JUDGE JOSEPH MERSMAN.

The present judge of the probate court of Putnam county, Ohio, is Jo- seph Mersman, who has been filling this responsible position since 1909. A native of this county, he has spent practically his whole life here, and since he was eighteen years of age, he has always lived in Ottawa, with the excep- tion of two years. He started when a young man as a clerk in a general store in Ottawa, and after following this for several years, he engaged in the creamery business and was the manager of the Riverside Creamery, in Ottawa, until his election as probate judge of the county. In the adminis- tration of the duties of this office he has exercised great care and sound fudgment and his decisions have always been characterized by fairness and impartiality.

Judge Joseph Mersman, the son of Bernard and Julianna (Bockhold) Mersman, was born at Glandorf, in this county, in 1858. His father was born in Hauenhorst, Rheinpfalz, Germany, in 1818, and came to America when he was about twenty-four years of age. The father of Bernard Mers- man died in Germany, and a year or so after Bernard came to this country, his mother also came here and made her home with one of her daughters, Mrs. Meyers, in Putnam county, until her death, January 2, 1877, at the ad- vanced age of ninety-six.

Bernard Mersman first located at Cincinnati, Ohio, upon coming to this country, but shortly afterward moved to Glandorf, Putnam county, where he lived the remainder of his life. He was a merchant and one of the founders of the Glandorf Woolen Mills, a factory which was of much im- portance in the early history of Glandorf. In addition to his store and fac- tory, he also owned a farm near Glandorf, making this place his home until his death, in 1866, at the age of forty-eight. Julianna Bockhold, the wife of Bernard Mersman, was born in Germany, a daughter of John and Kath- erine Bockhold. She came to America with a relative and went to Cincin- nati, later locating in Glandorf, where she met and married Bernard Mers- man. To this union the following children were born, four of whom are living, the others dying in infancy, except Bernard and George. Bernard, de- ceased, George Henry, deceased, Joseph, Frank J. and Katherine, the wife of Samuel Hunchbarger, Mrs. Theasie Goede. The mother of these chil- dren died on March 23, 1909.

Joseph Mersman spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, near Glandorf, his father dying when he was but eight years of age. He worked on the home farm and attended the schools of his township until he was

JUDGE JOSEPH MERSMAN.

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seventeen years of age, and then went to Kendallville, Indiana, where he worked for one year, after which time he returned to Putnam county, and located in Ottawa, where he has since lived, with the exception of two years. Upon locating in Ottawa he began clerking in a general store and for thir- teen years was employed as a salesman. He then engaged in the creamery business and conducted the Riverside Creamery, until he became probate judge. For several years he has been active in the councils of the Demo- cratic party, and in 1908 his party nominated and subsequently elected him as judge of the probate court, and so satisfactory was his service during his first term that he was renominated and again elected in the fall of 1912, for another term of four years.

Judge Mersman was married in 1880, to Anna M. Unterbrink. She was born in Greensburg township, this county, and is a daughter of Ferdi- nand and Gertrude Unterbrink. Her parents were natives of Germany, and upon coming to this country located in Greensburg township. Mr. Unter- brink was a well-known farmer, a justice of the peace and a county com- missioner for two terms. He was prominently known throughout the county. Mrs. Mersman is a woman of unusual attainments, and early in life began to teach in the public schools of this county, and for several years taught in Greensburg, Pleasant, Union and Ottawa townships.

Judge Mersman and his wife are members of the Catholic church, and deeply interested in its welfare:

BARNEY FELTMAN.

In recent years much attention is being paid by the farmers of Putnam county to the breeding of live stock, cattle in particular receiving careful attention in this direction, it having been satisfactorily proved by many farmers that in judicious feeding lies the greatest source of profit. Not only more, but a higher grade of cattle are being raised in this county, many farmers being particularly careful to have none but the best strains on their farms. Among the farmers of Union township who lately have been devoting much care to the breeding of choice cattle, few are better known in this direction than is Barney Feltman. Mr. Feltman is of the third generation of his family in this county.

Barney Feltman was born on a farm in Pleasant township, Putnam county, Ohio, August 14, 1869, the son of Barney and Louisa (Niese) Felt-

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man, the former of whom was born in the town of Glandorf, and the latter of whom was born on a farm in Ottawa township, both in Putnam county.

Barney Feltman, the elder, father of the immediate subject of this sketch, was the son of Henry and Angeline (Sager) Feltman, natives of Hanover, Germany, who came to America, proceeding to Putnam county, Ohio, where they located in the Glandorf settlement at an early day in that interesting German colony's history. The farm which Henry Feltman wrested from the forest wilderness became one of the most valuable tracts. in that part of the county, the site of the present town of Glandorf covering a large portion of it. Here Henry Feltman lived until the death of his wife, after which time he made his home with his son, Barney, in Pleasant town- ship, where he spent the rest of his life. He was a man highly honored throughout that section in his day and generation and he and his good wife were among the most influential members of the German colony, which did so much for the early development of that part of Putnam county. Henry and Angeline (Sager) Feltman were the parents of six children, Catherine, Elizabeth, Agnes, Mary, William and Barney, the latter of whom was reared on his father's farm at Glandorf, receiving such education as the schools of that time and place afforded and remaining on his father's farm until his marriage to Louisa Niese, at which time he moved to a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Pleasant township, which his father had given him. This he cleared and improved and later added to it fifty-three acres, which he brought to an equal state of cultivation, making it one of the best farms in that township. Barney Niese, father of Mrs. Feltman, was a well- known farmer of the Glandorf neighborhood and lived there until the death of his wife, who was a Laefker, a member of one of the early families of that section, whereupon he moved to the home of his son, Barney Niese, in Palmer township, where he spent the rest of his life. He was left with six children, Louisa, Theresa, Agnes, Anna, Barney and Helena.

To Barney and Louisa (Niese) Feltman were born seven children, as follow: Mary, who married Frank Recker and lives in Ottawa township, this county ; Barney, the subject of this sketch; Joseph, who married Helena Niermann and lives in Pleasant township, this county; Edward, who mar- ried Bernardina Uphaus and lives in the city of Ottawa, this county; August, who married Helena Kleman and lives in Ottawa township, this county; Harry, who married Florence Schmueller and lives in Pleasant township, this county, and Arnold, who married Josephine Kleman and also lives in Pleasant township.

Barney Feltman was reared on his father's farm in Pleasant township, receiving his education in the public schools of that township, and remained

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there until his marriage in 1890, after which he lived for a time on a rented farm nearby and then bought a farm of forty-four acres in the same town- ship, which he later sold and bought eighty acres in sections 7 and 18, in Union township, later buying twenty-five acres in the corporation bounds of the town of Kalida. He has improved his farm in fine shape, the build- ings being of an attractive and substantial character and the land well tilled and brought up to a high state of cultivation.

Barney Feltman was united in marriage on August 12, 1890, to Anna Ricker, daughter of Henry and Louisa (Hermiller) Ricker, prominent resident of Union township, this county, the former of whom was the son of Herman and Mary (Kottenbrock) Ricker, who came from Germany and settled in the Glandorf neighborhood in this county, where they reared a family of nine children, Henry, John, Mary, Catherine, Elizabeth, Anna, Herman, Frank and Wilhelmina. Louisa Hermiller was the daughter of Bernard and Bernardina Hermiller, both of whom were natives of Germany, who came to America and for a time lived in the state of Massachusetts, later coming to this county and locating in Ottawa township, where they spent the remainder of their lives. They were parents of seven children, Louisa, Rosa, William, Mary, Henry, Frank and Philomena.

For a time after their marriage Henry Ricker and wife lived on a farm in Pleasant township, this county, later they moved to a farm in Ottawa township, and, finally, located in Union township. To them were born nine children, Mary, Anna, Elizabeth, Clara, Lucy, Herman, Emma, Igna- tius and Caroline. Mary (now deceased) married Henry Ellerbrock, of Ft. Jennings, this county; Elizabeth married Joseph Ellerbrock and lives in Jackson township; Clara married Henry Ricker and lives in Jennings township; Lucy married Benjamin Barlager and lives in Kalida. The others are still unmarried.

To Barney and Anna (Ricker) Feltman have been born four children, as follow : Frank B., born on May 31, 1891; Emma L., born on February 18, 1905, died in infancy ; Mary, born on September 6, 1907, and Genevieve, born on April 6, 1909. Frank has completed his course at Cincinnati in auto- mobile engineering.

Mr. and Mrs. Feltman are members of St. Michael's Catholic church at Kalida and their children have been brought up in the faith, all being devoted to the church's interest and active in the various good works of the parish. Mr. Feltman is a Democrat and takes deep interest in matters relating to local government, being regarded as one of the leaders of the party in that part of the county. He has served his township in the capacity

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of assessor and is one of the directors of the Mutual Telephone Company at Kalida. Mr. Feltman is a good farmer and an excellent judge of cattle, taking much pride in his fine herd of full-blooded Shorthorns, to which he gives much attention and which he has found a very gratifying source of profit. He is pleasant in his dealings with his neighbors, courteous to all and is one of the popular men in his section of the county.

GIDEON C. STEINER.

It is a well-attested fact that the greatness of a community of state lies not in the machinery of government nor even in its institutions as much as in the sterling qualities of its individual citizens. In his capacity for high and unselfish efforts and his devotion to the public welfare, Gideon C. Steiner has conferred honor and dignity upon his community and as an elemental part of history, it is fitting that there should be recorded a resume of his career with the object in view of noting his connection with the advancement of one of the most flourishing and progressive sections of the great common- wealth of Ohio, as well as his official relation with the administration of educational affairs of the township honored by his residence.

Gideon C. Steiner was born in Riley township, Putnam county, October 23, 1864, the son of Christian and Magdalene (Lugibihl) Steiner, whose family history in found in the sketch of David C. Steiner, a brother of Gideon C.

Gideon C. Steiner was a regular attendant at the old Elm Center school, and he grew to manhood on the old home place. After finishing the common schools, he took a normal course at the Ohio Northwestern University, at Ada. Later, he did special work at Leipsic, and also special normal work at the Tri-State Normal at Angola, Indiana. Upon finishing his education, he taught school in Putnam and adjointing counties for eight years. Gideon C. Steiner was considered a successful teacher and many of his friends believe he would have risen high in the ranks of this profession had he continued a teacher.

At the age of twenty-four, on November 1, 1888, Mr. Steiner was married to Mary A. Baumgartner, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, the daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Althause) Baumgartner, the former a native of Adams county, Indiana, having been born near Berne, and the latter of Wayne county, Ohio. Daniel Baumgartner was the son of Chris-

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tian Baumgartner and wife, who were natives of Switzerland, and who settled in Adams county, Indiana, in an early day. In addition to being a farmer, Christian Baumgartner was a minister of the Mennonite church. He was the fourth child of his parents and grew up in Adams county, In- diana. He was born on December 3, 1844. After his marriage, he moved to Wayne county, Ohio, and here lived for a short time. He then removed to Bluffton, Allen county, Ohio, and after several years, returned to Adams county, Indiana, finally removing to Bluffton, which was his last residence. He was originally a farmer, and in addition to this, he learned the shoe- maker's trade, which business he followed later in life, conducting a retail shoe business in Bluffton. Daniel and Elizabeth Baumgartner had five children, Mary, the wife of Mr. Steiner; Joel, of Salem, Oregon; Albert, of Bluffton, Ohio; Elmer W., who died at Leipsic, Ohio, in 1911, and Lucy, who died in infancy. Elizabeth Althause, Daniel Baumgartner's wife, was the daughter of David and Mary (Kirchhoffer) Althause, who were natives of Switzerland, and who came to America at an early date. Elizabeth Althause was born on March 16, 1839, and died in November, 1886.

After his marriage, Gideon C. Steiner taught school for three years. Later he began farming for himself when he rented a farm of eighty acres from his father, three and one-half miles northeast of Pandora. A few years later he purchased this farm. After teaching school for three years, he devoted all of his time to farming. He has always done general farm- ing and has been very successful in this vocation. When he removed to his present farm, it had few improvements, there being only a one-roomed log cabin and a log stable. Mr. Steiner has drained the land and has suc- ceeded in clearing all but five acres. In addition, he has built a good eight- room, modern house and a large, commodious barn with other outbuildings in keeping with the surroundings. Today he has one of the finest farms in Riley township.

Gideon C. Steiner and wife have been the parents of eleven children, Orville Edison, born on October 20, 1889, who is a student at Fort Wayne. Indiana; Edna E., born on January 1, 1891, and died on August 4, 1913; Myron, born on November 8, 1892, and died on February 28, 1901 ; Lillian, born on July 12, 1894, and died on October 8, of the same year ; Olga, born on August 14, 1895; Zella, born on September 8, 1897; Armin, born on January 28, 1899; Clayton, born on November 16, 1900; Lysle, born on October 4, 1902, and died on February 10, 1904; Barbara Grace, born on November 24, 1903, and died on December 27, 1903, and Mary Arvilla, born on August 1, 1906. All of these children have attended, or are at-

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tending, the Pandora high school, except the youngest, who attends the local schools.

Mr. Steiner is a Democrat. He has been active in the educational affairs of his township and was a school director for six years. He was also a member of the township school board for seven years. He and his son are members of the Grace Mennonite church, while Mrs. Steiner and the remainder of the family are members of the Missionary church. Gideon C. Steiner is one of Riley township's most substantial farmers. He is well-to-do and is well and favorably known, a man of more than ordinary attainments and, as a citizen, he has done very much for the welfare of the township in which he lives.

EDWARD HILTY.

A man's reputation is the property of the world, for the laws of nature have forbidden isolation. Every human being either submits to the con- trolling influence of others or wields an influence which touches, controls, guides or misdirects them. If he be honest and successful in his chosen field of endeavor, investigation will brighten his fame and point the way along with others who follow with like success. The reputation of Edward Hilty, one of the leading farmers and citizens of Riley township, Putnam county, Ohio, having been unimpeachable from the beginning of his career, according to those who know him best, a critical study of his career would be a benefit to the reader of this volume. His life has been not only one of honor, but of usefulness also.

Edward Hilty was born in Riley township, Putnam county, Ohio, July 15, 1878, the son of Benjamin B. and Susanna (Steiner ) Hilty, whose family history may be found in the sketch of Benjamin B. Hilty and of Isaac Hilty, an uncle. His paternal family history is found in the sketch of Peter P. Steiner.

Edward Hilty was born on the old Hilty homestead, one and one-half miles east of Pandora. Here he spent his early childhood and attended the old Steiner district school. At the age of nine years, his mother died, and for about three and one-half years his father kept the children together, after which they were placed with neighboring families. A year before the remainder of the children were placed in new homes, Edward Hilty, who was not yet twelve years old, was sent to live with his grandfather, Peter

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Hilty, and his son Samuel. During his residence here, his grandfather died, but he continued to live with his uncle. When about fifteen years old, his father gathered the children together again and they went to live on the old home place. They remained here, with the exception of a few months after the old house burned, until Edward Hilty was twenty-six years old.

Edward Hilty was married on June 24, 1902, at the age of twenty-three, to Martha Sommer, who was born on the old Sommer homestead, one mile north of Pandora, March 15, 1881. She is the daughter of Jacob and Marian (Amstutz) Sommer, the former of whom was a native of Switzer- land, born on January 20, 1851, and who came to America at the age of eighteen, settling in Riley township, Putnam county. Here he married Marian Amstutz, who is the daughter of Abraham Amstutz and wife. They had three children, Daniel, Elias and Martha, the wife of Mr. Hilty. Elias died when a youth.

After his marriage, Mr. Hilty remained on the old home place for three years. Finishing his common school education and graduating from the Pandora high school in 1899, he taught the old home school for two years, in the meantime successfully passing the Boxwell examination, which ad- mitted him to the high school. Completing the two-year term of teaching, he took a course at Bluffton College, after which he again taught, with the exception of two years, until 1905, when he left the old home place and moved to Pandora. During his residence here, for a year and a half, he was township assessor and also worked in a store. At the end of this period, he moved back to the old home place and took charge of the farm. In addition to the sixty acres in the old homestead, he rented eighty acres, in all one hun- dred and forty acres, which he farmed for four and one-half years. He moved to Bluffton in the fall of 1911 where he took special studies at Bluff- ton College. In the summer, he employed himself at various occupations. In the winter of 1913 and 1914 he taught school in Richland township, Allen county. In the spring of 1914, he moved to the farm of his brother, Albert B., two miles north of Pandora, where he now resides.

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hilty have four children, Lenora Marian, born on June 30, 1903; Glenn Wingate, born on October 21, 1904; Merwin Otto, born on January 1, 1907, and Alice Susanna, born on March 14, 1910.

Mr. and Mrs. Hilty are members of the Grace Mennonite church. He is a Democrat, although he considers himself an independent voter. Edward Hilty is a clean-cut, well-informed farmer and citizen. He is well and favor- ably known throughout Riley township and almost throughout Putnam county. He is a man of more than ordinary attainments and from the be-

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ginning of his career, he has been a man whose counsel and advice have been sought upon many matters. He keeps fully abreast of the times and, during the periods of life when he was engaged as a school teacher, he ranked among the best in Putnam county.

BERNARD A. UNVERFERTH.

The Unverferth family have been residents of Putnam county, Ohio, since the early part of the thirties, when the grandfather of Bernard A. Unverferth came to this county from Glandorf, Germany, at the same time that a colony of his countrymen came to America. Professor Horstman and others had previously come to this county from Germany. Mr. Unver- ferth has spent his whole life in this county. He taught in the public schools of the county for several years, and, after graduating from the law depart- ment of the State University, began the practice of that profession in 1897, and has made this his life work.

Bernard A. Unverferth, the son of Andrew and Katherine (Schu- macher ) Unverferth, was born at Glandorf, in Putnam county, September 22, 1871. His father was born in this same county, west of Glandorf, in 1840, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth Unverferth, who came here from Glandorf, Germany, and located in Greensburg township, three miles west of Glandorf. Katherine Schumacher, the mother of Bernard A. Unver- ferth, was a native of Prussia, a daughter of Matthias and Elizabeth Schu- macher, who were also early settlers in Glandorf, this county. Matthias Schumacher was a tailor and Henry Unverferth was a brickmason, as was his father, Andrew, and most of the men of the family. Andrew Unverferth was a cooper, as well as a brickmason, and he and his wife, who are still living at Glandorf, are the parents of eleven children, nine of whom are liv- ing, Matthias, Bernard A., Anna, George, Gertrude, Edward, Dora, Mar- garet and Francis. One child, Harry, died at the age of nine, and Louis. died at the age of thirty-one.

Bernard A. Unverferth graduated from the high school at Ottawa, in: 1890, and for the next six years taught in the schools of the county. He then entered the Ohio State University, at Columbus, and graduated in the spring of 1897, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Before this time he had studied law at home, and also in the law offices of Ottawa.

Immediately after his graduation from the University, Mr. Unverferth

BERNARD A. UNVERFERTH.

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began practicing, in partnership, with Judges Handy and Ogan. Two years later he and Judge Handy formed a new partnership and have since been practicing together. Mr. Unverferth was prosecuting attorney of Putnam county from 1903 until 1908 and has also held a number of minor offices in addition to being prosecutor. He is chairman of the Democratic cen- tral committee, and also of the Democratic executive committee of his county, and a member of the Ohio state Democratic executive committee.

Mr. Unverferth was married in 1900 to Anna Berheide, who was born at Fort Jennings, in this county, and is a daughter of Henry and Anna Ber- heide, natives of Germany, and early settlers in Putnam county, where they spent their lives on a farm. Mr. Unverferth and his wife have one son, El- mer, who is now thirteen years of age. The family are members of the Catholic church, and Mr. Unverferth is a member of the Knights of Co- lumbus.

ALBERT SCHUTZ.

It is pleasant, and profitable as well, to contemplate the career of a man who has won a definite goal in life, whose career has been such as to com- mand the honor and respect of his fellow citizens. Such, in brief, is the record of the well-known farmer, and stockman, Albert Schutz, himself a native of Switzerland, who has attained prominence and material success in the country of his adoption. He is one of the most popular men in Riley township, where he has lived for many years, and where he has labored, not only for his own individual advancement, but for the improvement of the entire community, whose interests he ever had at heart. Mr. Schutz is a man who richly deserves the esteem which has been bestowed upon him by the citizens of his community.

He was born in the canton of Berne, Switzerland, January 18, 1859, and is the son of Jacob and Anna (Gruber) Schutz. Jacob Shutz was born in the canton of Berne, Switzerland, in April, 1820. Jacob Schutz's father was a farmer and cheesemaker, and when Jacob was about twenty-eight years of age, his father died. His mother had died when he was twenty. Prior to this time, Jacob had learned the shoemaker's trade from his elder brother, Christian. He did not follow this trade very long, however. As a youth and a young man, he worked at his trade and helped his father on the farm, where he remained up to the time of his marriage. Jacob was one of eight children, five sons and three daughters. The eldest son was Christian, who

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 41

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