History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 43

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 43

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ISAAC ZUERCHER.

The Swiss people may justly lay claim to the exertion of a greater influence on the world along lines of citizenship and the development of individual independence than has been exerted by the people of any other nation of their size. The rugged nature of their fatherland and their con- stant communion with the grandest scenic beauties of the world has fostered in the people an independence and loftiness of thought and action such as was

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exemplified by their national hero, Andreas Hofer. It is probable that from no country in the world have come such intelligent and thoroughly desirable citizens as have been welcomed by the United States on their arrival from Switzerland. In this respect Putnam county, Ohio, has been indeed for- tunate, for many of the immigrants from the rugged and mountainous re- public of Switzerland have settled in this county where they have reared families, the members of which are now ranked among Putnam county's ablest citizens. Not the least of these families is that of Isaac Zuercher, which came to this country during comparatively recent years.

Isaac Zuercher was born in Berne canton, Switzerland, August 14, 1860, a son of Isaac, Sr., and Anna (Geiger) Zuercher. Isaac Zuercher, Sr., was born in Berne canton, Switzerland, October 7, 1826, both his parents having been natives of Switzerland.

Isaac Zuercher, Sr., was a carpenter by trade and, while in Switzer- land, worked at making furniture. He also worked to some extent on a farm in that country. There he married Anna Geiger, who was born in Berne canton, Switzerland, a daughter of Peter and Marion Geiger, both of whom were natives of Switzerland. To Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Zuercher, Sr., were born thirteen children, as follows: Marian, deceased, who was the wife of Fred Geiser of Wayne county, Ohio; Daniel and Samuel of Adams county, Indiana; John, of Wayne county, Ohio; Peter, of Allen county, Ohio; David, of Wayne county, Ohio; Isaac, the subject of this sketch; Christian, who lives in Wayne county, Ohio; Jacob, who lives in Columbus Grove, Putnam county; Anna, deceased, who was the wife of Peter Welty, of Pandora; Barbara, the wife of Fred Hanni, who lives in Adams county, Indiana; Lena, the wife of Emil Kuntz, of Los Angeles, California; Eliza, the wife of George Eisenbeck, of Pandora.

Anna Geiger, mother of Isaac Zuercher, died in Switzerland on Septem- ber 17, 1869. Her father, Peter Geiger, was a farmer and was also a watchmaker by trade. He died when his son Isaac was seven or eight years old, his wife surviving him for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Geiger had one son, Christian, and two daughters, Barbara and Anna. Christian and Barbara came to America.

Isaac Zuercher was twelve years of age, when, after his mother's death, his father and nine children came to America and settled in Wayne county, Ohio. For about two years after their arrival the children were placed with relatives, while their father worked at his trade as a carpenter. He then went to Adams county, Indiana, where he married again, his second wife be- ing Mrs. Elizabeth (Sprunger) Amstutz. She had several children and

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owned a farm in Adams county. There the subject's father lived during the remainder of his life, and there he died at the ripe old age of nearly eighty- eight years, the date of his death having been on October 2, 1914.

Isaac Zuercher was twelve years of age at the time of his arrival in America, and he went at once to live with his cousin, Christian Zuercher, the fathers of both of whom were half brothers, on a farm in Wayne county, Ohio. There he attended school until he was seventeen years of age, after which he worked on the farm until he was twenty-one years old. He then went to Missouri, stopping on his way in Berne, Indiana, where he spent six weeks. He located first in Moniteau county, Missouri, where he hired out to a farmer for two years.

He married Mary Garber on January 24, 1884, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, November 26, 1864, a daughter of Christian and Barbara (Hostetter) Garber. Mrs. Zuercher's parents were born in Wayne county, Ohio, and their parents were natives of Switzerland, having come to America during the early days of Wayne county. Mrs. Zuercher was one of a family of fourteen children, and went to Missouri with her parents when she was one year of age. She grew to womanhood in Missouri and spent her life there until 1884.

After his marriage, Isaac Zuercher rented a farm for a time, and then bought property in Morgan county, Missouri, where he operated one hundred and seventy-seven acres until February, 1901. He then bought eighty acres in Riley township, Putnam county, one mile east of Pandora, where he still makes his home.

Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Zuercher, as follow : Orpha, born on March 27, 1885, now the wife of Daniel A. Basinger, of Pandora, to whom two children have been born, Naomi and one who died in infancy ; Bertha was born on December 30, 1886, is unmarried and lives at home; Lydia was born on December 29, 1888, is the wife of John Diller, of Pandora, and has one daughter, Mildred, and a son, Earnest, born on No- vember 5, 1890, married Ida Kiene and lived in Pleasant township. He has one son, Earl Frank, born on February 18, 1892, married Celia Wensinger. They had twins-one of whom is deceased. Elmer and Elfin, twins, were born on September 26, 1893. Elmer died on September 21, 1910. Elfin married Lula Marks and lives at Pandora. Wilbert was born on November 14, 1897, and Pearl on November 29, 1909.

Mr. Zuercher has always conducted his farm for general farming pur- poses and has been very successful in his business. He has a fine modern

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ten-room residence, a large and commodious barn and other farm buildings fully in keeping with the surroundings.

He is a supporter of the Republican party and has always taken an intelligent interest in political matters, but has never aspired to public office. Mr. and Mrs. Zuercher are both members of the Grace Mennonite church and are active in all church work.

Mr. Zuercher is one of Riley township's most substantial farmers. He is highly esteemed and respected throughout his community, both as a citizen and as a neighbor, and is regarded as being one of the foremost citizens of Putnam county.

EMMETT L. BURKHART.

Many citizens of Putnam county, Ohio, have come themselves, or are the sons of men who have come from the good old Keystone state of Penn- sylvania, and where they are found in this county they are among the most prosperous citizens. It is a fact that the most venturesome and ambitious people are those who have the courage to make their homes in a new and promising country, and this accounts in a great measure for the splendid prosperity which has come to Putnam county in its history. The fact that its citizens are men of courage and determination, who came here to better their condition, has given this county a citizenship which has made for prosperity in every particular.

Emmett L. Burkhart was born in Riley township, Putnam county, August 21, 1884, a son of Levi and Catherine (Parcher) Burkhart. Levi Burkhart was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, May 6, 1822, and died on October 16, 1904. He was a son of John and Sarah (Good) Burk- hart, who were natives of Pennsylvania. John B. Burkhart died when Levi was a small boy, and after his father's death, Levi went to live with an uncle.

At the age of twenty-six, Levi married Elizabeth Beyers, who was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, a daughter of John and Nancy Beyers. To that union were born seven children, as follow: John Y., born on May 12, 1849; Andrew L., born on June 11, 1851; Naomi, born on April 24, 1855; Lydia A., born on October 21, 1858, and who died in August, 1860; Samuel, born on August 28, 1861; Elizabeth, born on December 24, 1864, and Amanda Ann, born on February 26, 1867.

Levi Burkhart migrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio in the early days

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and settled first in Franklin county, near Columbus, Ohio, and later, in 1854, came to Riley township, Putnam county, and settled two and one-half miles east of what was then Pendleton, now Pandora, where his wife died.

He married again, his second wife being Catherine Parcher, a daughter · of George and Diantha Parcher. George Parcher was a native of New York state and came to Ohio during the early days, having settled near Bucyrus. He served during the Civil War and died while his children were young. His wife was a native of Vermont.

To this second 'union was born one son, Emmett L., the subject of this sketch, who was born in Riley township, Putnam county, August 21, 1884.

When Levi Burkhart came to Putnam county, in 1854, he bought the Douglas farm and gradually developed it and added to it until he owned four hundred acres, all of which lay in Riley township, except forty acres, which extended into Paulding county. At the time when he settled upon the homestead it was in practically a virgin state, heavily timbered and with only a few acres cleared. He first built a two-room log cabin and a barn, after which he proceeded to prepare his land, working at it from year to year until he had succeeded in getting it nearly all in cultivation.

He operated it as a general farm and met with marked success. He was a member of the Republican party, and was an active member of the Methodist Protestant church, which he attended faithfully. He was a hard- working, honest and upright citizen, and a man of high ideals.

Emmett L. Burkhart spent his boyhood on the homestead, where he at- tended the district school and helped his father with the farm work, his father at that time having been somewhat advaned in years. At the age of twenty-four, September 4, 1907, he married May Miller, who was a daugh- ter of William and Sarah (Lutz) Miller. William Miller was born in Allen county, Ohio, August 18, 1855, a son of Wesley and Lydia (Steeple- ton) Miller. His wife was a daughter of George and Ustana (Weaver) Lutz.

After his marriage, Emmett L. Burkhart continued to live on the homestead. He purchased a section of forty acres from his mother and the other heirs of his father's estate, in addition to the section of forty acres which he had inherited from his father. On this land he is engaging in general farming and is meeting with marked success in his endeavors.

Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Emmett L. Burkhart. They are Stanley Milton, born on April 6, 1908, and Edith Eleanor, born on February 14, 1910.

Mr. Burkhart is a supporter of the Republican party, but though he

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has always taken an intelligent interest in political matters, he has never aspired to public office. Mrs. Burkhart is an active member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church of Pandora, Ohio.

Mr. Burkhart is a keen, progressive farmer and is highly regarded in his community, both as a citizen and as a neighbor.

JOHN WILLIAM COTTINGHAM.

A well-known business man, of Leipsic, Ohio, is John W. Cottingham, who has been a resident of this place for a score of years. Born in England, he came to this country when he was six years of age with his parents, and located in Delta, Ohio. Growing to manhood in that city he lived for sev- eral years in Deshler, Ohio, and then came to Leipsic, where he has since resided. Since coming to this city, he has installed the present electric light plant and has been engaged in this line of activity ever since. He is a man of unusual energy and ability, and one of the representative men of his city and county. He is a stockholder and director in the Essex Coal Com- pany, of Columbus, of which he is also vice-president.

John W. Cottingham, the son of George Wattam and Elizabeth (Larder) Cottingham, was born in Market Rasen, England, in 1865. His parents came to America in 1871, and with their five children located at Delta, Ohio, where George Cottingham engaged in the manufacture of pearl ash. In addition to his manufacturing interests he was also engaged in farming. George W. Cottingham lived in Delta, Ohio, for the remainder of his life and became prominently identified with the life of the community. He served as a member of the city council and also held various other official positions. He died in 1903.

John W. Cottingham grew to manhood in Delta, Ohio, and received a. good common and high school education. He went to Deshler, Ohio, in the latter eighties, and engaged in the manufacture of pearl ash, in that city. After living there for seven years, he came to Leipsic and, in 1896, built the present electric light plant in this place. He has since been engaged in the furnishing of light and power to the city and private consumers of the city.

Mr. Cottingham was married at the age of twenty-three, to Laura Free- man, who was a daughter of James and Julia (Van Swearingen) Freeman, and lived at Delta from the time she was seventeen years of age. She came to Delta from Monte Valley, Missouri, with her mother, who was descended

JOHN W. COTTINGHAM.

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from a Revolutionary soldier, Joseph Van Swearingen, and has a certificate, giving the official verification of her descent. Mr. Freeman's father was a native of Ireland, and Mr. Freeman, himself, was a merchant in Missouri, until the time of his death. There were five children born to the first mar- riage of Mr. Cottingham, Frances Elizabeth, the wife of William Thomp- son, of Springfield, Ohio; Vivian Louise, the wife of Lloyd Holderman, of Leipsic; Marion Agnes, Warner Van Swearingen and Margaret Joyce, the- last three children being single and still living with their father in Leipsic. The mother of these five children died in Leipsic, in 1902, and, in 1903, Mr. Cottingham married Catherine Easton Harrison, who was born in Lincoln, England, and is a daughter of Levi and Elizabeth (Cottingham) Harrison. Mr. Cottingham lived in England until her marriage. Three children have been born to this second marriage, Dorris, who died in infancy; Dudley Harrison, and Phyllis Mary Grace.

Mr. Cottingham and his family have a beautiful home in the western part of Leipsic, where they entertain their many friends with genuine hos- pitality. He has taken an active part in the civic life of the city and has served on the school board. While living in Deshler, Ohio, he served two. terms in the council of that city. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Cottingham is a member of the Knights of Mac- cabees. The Cottingham family trace their ancestry back to old Colonial times, when the first members of the family located in New England. In England, the family had a coat-of-arms, and members of the family in that. country still use it.

DAVID HUMMON.

One of the best-known citizens of Riley township, Putnam county,. Ohio, is David Hummon, who, for sixty-six years, or during his entire life,. has lived in the township of his birth. David Hummon has been influential in the political and civic life of his township, and for many years, served the people of his community in an official capacity, having been identified with the educational interest of the township and entitled today for very much of the credit of the high standard of the public schools of Riley township. As a farmer, David Hummon has been very successful; as a citizen, he is re- spected and admired by his neighbors; having won a competence in life by his early labors, he is so situated that he may now enjoy the fruits of his- early labors.

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David Hummon was born on July 1, 1849, in Riley township, Putnam county, Ohio, the son of John and Mary A. (Wyninger) Hummon. John Hummon was born in Wyandot county, Ohio, in 1815. Both John Hummon and his wife were of German descent and came from Wyandot county to Putnam county, in 1832. John Hummon and his wife were married nine years before coming to Putnam county, where they entered one hundred and sixty acres of land and gradually added to their original holdings until, at the time of his death, John Hummon owned fully eleven hundred acres. Throughout his life, John Hummon was an ardent Democrat and was loyal to the Union cause during the dark days of the Civil War and contributed his energies and his money to the support of that cause. John Hummon died on March 6, 1878, in Riley township.

The parents of John Hummon were Simon Peter and Mary (Kerns) Hummon. Simon Peter Hummon was a native of Pennsylvania, a farmer and a distiller of whiskey and applejack. His wife was a native of Holland, who came to America alone, locating in Kittanning county, Pennsylvania, where she met and married Simon Peter Hummon. Six children were born to this union in Pennsylvania, and four more were born after their arrival in Ohio, in all, there were eight daughters and two sons, one of whom was John Hummon, the father of David, the subject of this sketch.

John Hummon and wife were also the parents of ten children, eight of whom are still living. They are, Levi, born on December 31, 1837; Adam, born on July 31, 1839; George, born on January 24, 1845; Minerva, born on July 7, 1847, David, the subject of this sketch, and Simon P., born on June 8, 1851 ; Clara E., born on February 15, 1855; and Ada, born on August 14, 1859, and died in 1888. One son died at the age of thirteen and a daughter at the age of two. The mother of these children died on Septem- ber 29, 1881. She was a member of the Methodist Protestant church.

David Hummon was born on the old homestead in Riley township, where he now lives. It was the farm which his father entered from the government when he came from Wyandot county, Ohio, and consisted origi- nally of one hundred and sixty acres. The present farm consists of one additional acre. Mr. Hummon attended the typical log cabin school and helped his father clear the land. He remained on the old home place until he was twenty-five years old.

David Hummon was married on February 4, 1875, at the age of twenty- five, to Mary E. Wilkins, who was born on December 26, 1851, in Licking county, Ohio, and who is the daughter of Albert and Harriett ( Allison) Wil-

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kins. Her father was born in Licking county on October 9, 1820, and died in Putnam county, in June, 1890. He was the son of Daniel Wilkins and wife. Harriett Allison was born in New York state, in 1823, and died in Putnam county, in 1893. She was the daughter of Samuel and Bethsheba Allison, who came to Licking county in 1840, where he remained the bal- ance of his life. After his death, his wife returned to New York state, where she died. Samuel Allison and wife had five children, Samuel, Har- riett, Rebecca, Isaac and Susan. Mrs. Hummon was one of five children, the others being, Edward M., Daniel F., George R., and Emma R. Mrs. Hummon came from Licking to Putnam county, Ohio, in the fall of 1856 at the age of five years. She was brought to Putnam county with her parents, who came in covered wagons. They settled about two miles south of Gilboa. The old two-roomed log house is still in a good state of preserva- tion. It was on the old homestead that Mary spent her childhood and here she attended the district schools. She remained at home until she was twenty-four years old, at which time she was married.

To Mr. and Mrs. David Hummon, ten children have been born, Everett J., Zoe A., Bertha E., Charles Albert, Maude Velmah, Burl W., Maroa H., Glen Leo, Grover C., and one who died in infancy. Everett J., born on March 19, 1876, married Nellie Schifferly and has had four children, Dwight W. and triplets, Faith, Hope and Charity, who died at birth; Zoe A., born on May 5, 1878, died on August 10, 1879; Bertha E., born on November 27, 1879, married Floyd Foultz; Charles Albert, born on August 21, 1881, married Verna George and has one child, Genevieve R .; Maude Velmah, born on March 11, 1883, is single and at home. Burl W., born on February 4, 1887, died on January 26, 1888. Maroa H., born on February 14, 1889, is single and at home; Glen Leo, born on February 14, 1891, married Ida Amstut and has three children, Nevin B., Marvin D. and Marie E .; Grover C., born on May 8, 1893, is single and at home.

After his marriage, Mr. Hummon continued to live on the old home place. He has always engaged in farming. A few years ago, he made a practice of feeding and raising a great many cattle and hogs, in which occu- pation he has been very successful.

Mr. Hummon is a Democrat. He has been trustee of Riley town- ship for three years and a member of the school board for several years. He is also a director in the Union Township Insurance Company, where he held this office for ten years. Mr. Hummon attends the United Brethren church, as well as his family, but Mrs. Hummon is a member of the Metho-

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dist Protestant church. David Hummon is one of the best known and most popular citizens of the community in which he resides. He comes from an old and highly-honored family and is a progressive citizen, a man of high ideals and in this respect is like so many of his worthy forbearers who have preceded him.

E. D. KOHLI.

The success of a man in raising a high-grade of stock depends upon many qualities, but especially upon good judgment and patience. One of the well-known farmers of Riley township, Putnam county, Ohio, who has made a splendid success in raising Percheron horses, and who today is regarded as an authority on this particular breed of horses, is E. D. Kohli. Mr. Kohli is one of the men of sterling worth and strength of character, who have contributed so much to the advancement of the commercial interests of Putnam county. So well known has Mr. Kohli become, as an expert judge of horses, that he was called to serve in this capacity at the Sandusky county fair, both in 1913, and in 1914, at the Wood county fair in 1913, at the Van Wert county fair in 1914, and at the Jay county (Indiana) fair in 1913. Mr. Kohli, himself, has won many prizes and is known as a man who breeds and raises the very best animals to be found anywhere.

E. D. Kohli was born on October 18, 1860, in Richland township, Allen county, Ohio. He is the son of John and Barbara (Hilty) Kohli. John Kohli was born in 1807, in Berne, Switzerland, and was the son of Frantz Kohli and wife. Frantz Kohli was a tailor in Switzerland, who came to America, about 1819, with his wife and three children, Elizabeth, John and Christian. All settled in Wayne county, and here Frantz Kohli continued to follow his trade as a tailor. He also operated a farm and lived here for several years. He then moved to Putnam county and settled about one mile west of Pandora. Later, he moved just southeast of Co- lumbus Grove.

John Kohli, his son and the father of E. D., removed with his parents, while still a lad, from Wayne to Putnam county. Here he attended the district school and helped his father on the farm. He was married, first to Fannie Snavely, whose parents came from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. To this union were born six sons and two daughters, Josiah, Samuel, Eliza- beth, Andrew, Isaac, John, Eli and Sarah. John Kohli's first wife died, and he then married Mrs. Barbara (Steiner) Hilty. She had nine children

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by her first marriage, Gideon, Mary, David, Peter, Barbara, Isaac, Elias, Noah and Fannie. By this second marriage, five children were born, Chris- tian, Daniel, Emanuel, Adam and Amos. The last two died in infancy. John Kohli lived in a number of places in Allen county, and when E. D. was born, he lived about one mile northwest of Bluffton, in Richland town- ship. He continued to live in this place for ten years. It was here that E. D. Kohli's mother, Barbara, died, when he was five years old. She was forty-five years of age at the time of her death. John Kohli then broke up housekeeping, and the children were placed with different families in the neighborhood. Three years after the wife's death, he gathered five of the youngest children together, Elias and Sarah, born to his first marriage, and Christian, Daniel, and E. D., born to his second, and moved south of Mishawaka, Indiana. Here he located on a farm, but remained there but a few years, when he returned to Allen county, Ohio. He resumed farming, and continued for about two years, when he broke up housekeeping again, and went to live with his eldest son, Josiah. A few months later he died, December 22, 1872.

E. D. Kohli continued to live with his brother until he was fourteen years of age. He then went to live with his eldest half-sister, Mrs. Mary (Steiner) Thut. The following spring he went to live with his cousin, Isaac Hilty, for whom he worked at odd times for a period of six years.

E. D. Kohli was married on December 7, 1882, at the age of twenty- two to Sarah Schumacher, the daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Suter) Schumacher. Peter Schumacher was a native of Basel, Switzerland, whose family history is to be found in the sketch of Noah Schumacher, contained elsewhere in this volume. His wife was a native of Alsace, and the daugh- ter of Christian Suter.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 43

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