History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 83

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 83

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Mrs. John Henry Schimmoller died on April 18, 1904, and is buried at Ft. Jennings. She was a loyal and devoted wife and mother, and con- tributed largely to her husband's success. Her parents, Theodore and Cath- erine (Doepker) Maag, were born in Germany and married in Cincinnati, Ohio, and settled on a farm near Glandorf, Putnam county. Of their chil- dren, seven are deceased. The living are Wilhelmina, Joseph and Edward. The deceased children are William, Bernadina, Frank, Bernard, Mary, Agnes and Josephine. Theodore and Catherine (Doepker) Maag were members of the St. John's Catholic church at Glandorf. They are deceased and their remains are buried in the cemetery at Glandorf.

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Mr. Schimmoller and his family are all members of St. Joseph's Catholic church at Ft. Jennings. Mrs. Schimmoller was a devoted member of this church. Mr. Schimmoller is a Democrat. He served as township trustee for twenty-one years, has served as township supervisor for eighteen years, and at Ft. Jennings was a collector for the German Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of which he is also a director. Mr. Schimmoller's daughters, Millie and Wilhelmina, have both taught school. The former taught for three years. Wilhelmina was a student at one time at Crawfis College. The Schimmoller family is well known in this community, and they are all highly respected.

WILLIAM HENRY ROWER.

William Henry Rower, the proprietor of an excellent farm of one hun- dred and five acres, in Jackson township, Putnam county, Ohio, and a farm which is under a splendid state of cultivation, is descended from a long line of illustrious forbears who have had a large part in the military and politi- cal history of two continents. William Henry Rower himself was born on the homestead farm of his parents, June 15, 1858. He is the son of William and Eliza Ann (Pearcy) Rower.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Rower were Christian Frederick Benjamin and Elizabeth (Long) Rower. Christian F. B. Rower was born in Dresden, Saxony, March 19, 1779. He served in the army of Saxony in the Napoleonic Wars and was a valiant soldier. He left the army and came to America, arriving on November 30, 1802. He first settled near Potts- ville, Pennsylvania, where he was a distiller, having taken up the same busi- ness in this country which he had followed in his native land. He was mar- ried to Elizabeth Long on November 12, 1807. She was a native of Penn- sylvania, having been born on February II, 1790. Her parents were of Dutch descent, and she was the daughter of Joseph Long and wife. Eliza- beth Long was educated in the common schools of Pennsylvania, she was a devoted member of the Baptist church, as was her husband also, both of whom took an active part in the affairs of this church.

Near the close of the War of 1812, Christian F. B. Rower and wife crossed the mountains of Pennsylvania in a large covered wagon and settled in Franklin county, Ohio, where they were among the earliest pioneers. He purchased a small tract of land and farmed until his death, September 20, 1826. His wife survived him twenty years, dying on June 10, 1846.

Christian F. B. Rower and wife were the parents of ten children, Ro-

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sanna, born on October 6, 1808, and died on March 27, 1887; Sarah, who died November 30, 1893, was the wife of John Coble, of Franklin county ; Julia A., December 5, 1812, and died in 1849, who was the wife of Ellis Long, of Franklin county, Ohio; Charlotte, December 5, 1815, and died in February, 1881 ; Susanne, October 4, 1817, and died on March 7, 1892, was the wife of Emanuel Conkle; Mahala, August 10, 1819, and died in 1837; John, June 15, 1821, and died on June 28, 1853; William, the father of William Henry ; and James N., February 9, 1826, and died about 1910.

William Rower, the father of William Henry, was born in Franklin county, Ohio, on August 5, 1823, and was educated in the log school in the neighborhood where he was born. He worked on the farm of his father and, when old enough, received three dollars a month for his services. He was married on September 7, 1848, to Eliza A. Pearcy, who was born on May 8, 1830, and who was the daughter of James and Sarah (Cable) Pearcy: Mrs. Eliza Rower's father, James Pearcy, was born in Ohio in 1795. He was a farmer and carpenter. His wife died on December 8, 1891. She was a devout member of the United Brethren church for the greater part of her life.

William Rower lived one year in Franklin county, Ohio, but after his marriage moved, in September, 1849, to Jackson township, Putnam county. The journey was made in a covered wagon. They settled on a tract of wild woodland which William Rower had previously purchased. It was located in the valley of the Auglaize river. William Rower and wife undertook to. live in a tent until they were able to clear enough space to build a log cabin. The season was a rainy one and the tent was not waterproof against the hard- beating rain. Consequently, they were forced to abandon the tent and live with a neighbor until they were able to build their own home. Besides building this home, William Rower assisted his brother in erecting a house. William Rower cleared his farm, especially the land around his house and stable and farmed all of his life.

William and Eliza A. (Pearcy) Rower had twelve children: Samantha J., who married George Reynolds, a farmer of Jennings township, Putnam county ; James M., who died in infancy; Sarah E., the wife of Richard Rey- nolds, a farmer in Jennings township, Putnam county; Susan Ellen, the wife of Benjamin Blakely, of Kalida, Ohio; John Tallman, who married Katherine Seifert and lives in Findlay, Ohio; William Henry, the subject of this sketch; Lewis Albert, who was first married to Ella Pangle and after her death, to Gertrude McKay, who also died; Elvin, who married Theresa Miehls and lives in Toledo, Ohio; Vallandigham, a farmer in Sugar Creek

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township, Putnam county ; Amanda A., the deceased wife of J. R. Langston; Nancy C., who died in infancy; Gurchie M., who married William Dunivan and lives in Kalida.

William Rower worked hard on the farm and improved it. He retired to Kalida in 1889 and was no longer engaged in farming. He and his wife died on the same day in Kalida, December 19, 191I.

William Rower was a Democrat in politics and was an influential man throughout his life. He was a justice of the peace for many years and served as township trustee for fourteen years. He always enjoyed the con- fidence and esteem of his neighbors and was foremost in promoting anything which had to do with the welfare of the neighborhood where he lived. He and his wife were faithful members of the United Brethren church. They were among the early pioneers of the county and passed through many priva- tions and hardships.

William Henry Rower was born on the home place. Under his father's. guidance, he learned to be an excellent farmer. He also received a good classical education in the township schools of Jackson township. William Henry Rower was married on April 15, 1885, to Clara Miehls, who was born in February, 1861, in Carroll county, Ohio. She was the daughter of George and Mary (Hegner) Miehls.

George Miehls was born on October 24, 1818, in Bavaria, Germany. He was a weaver by occupation, and came to America in 1844, and located first at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was a collier for fourteen years. He was married to Mary A. Hegner on February 14, 1847. She was a native of Wurttemberg, Germany, born February 27, 1823. She came to America with her parents at the age of four years. Her parents were George Herman and Regina Hegner.

George and Mary Miehls were the parents of eleven children, George; Joseph and Catherine, twins, the latter the wife of Clements Pund; Mary, the wife of I. N. Kahle; Barbara, the wife of William Kohlhoff ; Regina ; Clara, the wife of Mr. Rower; Benjamin A .; Frank; Theresa, the wife of Elvin Rower, and John Albert. George Miehls lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, until 1858, and then moved to Carroll county, where he lived on a farm. He followed farming until 1866, and then removed to Greens- burg township, Putnam county, Ohio. In this township he purchased a farm of one hundred acres, only twenty acres of which were cleared. He improved this farm and, in 1872, sold it and bought a tract of land in Jack- son township, Putnam county. Only a small part of this farm was im- proved and only a very small clearing had been made before he bought it.

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He farmed here until his death, October 3, 1876. George Miehls served six years in the German army before coming to America. He was a devout and faithful member of St. Mary's Catholic church at Ottoville. He was a Democrat and had served as township trustee. He died with the honors of an influential and upright citizen. His wife survived him and in April, 1893, she was married to Peter Wanneinacher, of Ottoville. He was an ex-sheriff of Putnam county. She died on October 17, 1911, a lovable and highly- respected woman.

On March 6, 1889, William Henry Rower purchased the old home place, where he was born. He moved to the farm, coming from Vaughns- ville, Ohio, where he had spent four years after his marriage. Mr. Rower has one hundred and five acres of excellent land, as heretofore stated. He has erected a barn and several outbuildings, drained the land and made many other improvements upon this farm. He keeps thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs.

William H. and Clara (Miehls) Rower have had three children, Mary Zora, born January 23, 1886; Zella Theresa, April 18, 1888, and George Har- old, September 19, 1900. Mary Zora married George Rambo and lives at Toledo, Ohio, where he is receiving clerk in a mercantile establishment. They have one son, Claude William, born on May 22, 1914. The other two children are at home.

William Henry Rower is a Democrat in politics, but has held no offices. The Rower family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church at Kalida. Mr. Rower is a member of St. Joseph's Benevolent Society and also the Holy Name Society. Mrs. Rower is a member of the Mother's Society.

OTTO RISSER.

The following is the brief sketch of the life of one who, by close atten- tion to business, has achieved marked success in the agricultural world and gained a prominent position among the enterprising men of the county, with which such interests are identified. It is a plain record, rendered remarkable by no strange or mysterious adventures, no wonderful or lucky accidents and no tragic situations. Mr. Risser is one of those estimable characters whose integrity and strong personality must force them into an admirable society which their modesty never seeks and who command the respect of their con- temporaries and leave the impress of their individuality upon the community in which they live.

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Otto Risser was born in Sugar Creek township, December 20, 1867, the son of Daniel and Elizabeth M. (Smith) Risser. Daniel Risser was a native of Wurtemburg, Germany, born on January 1, 1836, the son of Abraham and Catherine (Smitzerick) Risser. He, with his brothers, Abraham, Jacob, Henry, David and Christian, came to America in 1857, settling first in Cleve- land, Ohio, where he engaged in the operation of a bus and transfer line. At the outbreak of the Civil War, David and Christian Risser proved their loyalty to their adopted country by enlisting in the Union army, and serving throughout that great struggle, with great credit to themselves. Some time after locating in Cleveland, Daniel Risser went to Vera Cruz, Mexico, as an employe of a Cleveland concern, engaged in the operation of a bus line from Vera Cruz across the isthmus of Tehauntepec. The venture not proving successful, six months later Mr. Risser returned to Cleveland, where he remained until 1859, when he and his brother, Henry, came to Putnam county, locating in Sugar Creek township, where they purchased land. Daniel Risser bought eighty acres, located one and one-half miles southeast of Vaughnsville, which became the family homestead, having prior to this been located a short time on forty acres near Columbus Grove. At that time the only improvements on the place were a log cabin and stable and but a small portion of the land had been cleared. He devoted himself to improving the the farm, erecting substantial buildings and tiling and ditching the land so that, in due time, it became one of the best improved and most productive farms in that section of the county. He was very industrious and intelli- gent in the direction of his affairs and became well-to-do and, finally, found himself the possessor of seven hundred acres of land. In addition to the car- rying on of general farming operations, he gave considerable attention to the breeding and raising of live stock. He died at the home of his son, Daniel H. Risser, at Vaughnsville, on September 15, 1902, at the age of sixty-six years, and his widow died there on November 2, 191I, at the ripe old age of seventy-seven years. She had been a consistent and faithful member of the Christian church for many years. Daniel Risser was a Democrat, and in his religious belief, was affiliated with the German Lutheran church.

Daniel Risser was married to Elizabeth M. Smith on August 14, 1862, who was born in Ashland county, Ohio, on April 18, 1836, the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Risser) Smith. Her parents came to Ohio, in 1865, buying a farm adjoining the one owned by Mr. Risser. There were five children in the Smith family, Mary, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Catherine and Jacob, all being deceased, excepting the two last named. To Daniel and

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Elizabeth Risser were born six children, Julius C., born on February 25, 1864; Daniel R., born on August 27, 1865, whose sketch is contained else- where in this volume; Otto, the subject of this sketch; John J., born on July 21, 1870; Emma L., born on February 28, 1873; and Elizabeth A., born on October 28, 1876. All of these children are living with the exception of Emma, who died on March 5, 1893, shortly after her marriage.

Otto Risser spent his childhood and youth on the paternal estate and received his education in the old Michael district school. He continued to help his father on the home farm until he was thirty years of age, when he was married. He then moved to the Michael farm, which was owned by his father, and here he lived for about four years. He returned to the home place, taking charge of it for two years, and the following fall, after moving back to the home farm, the subject's father died on September 15, 1902. About a year and a half later Mr. Risser moved back to the Michael farm and has continued to operate this place since that time. The farm consists of one hundred and ninety-eight acres of as good land as there is in in Putnam county and here Mr. Risser has successfully followed general farming pursuits, but also giving considerable attention to live stock, being a breeder of Polled-Durham cattle and a feeder of cattle for the market. In all of his operations he has been actuated by the desire to raise the stand- ard of agriculture in his locality and has been largely instrumental in prov- ing the worth of advanced methods in his vocation.

Otto Risser was united in marriage on December 23, 1897, to Ada Miller, who was born in Sugar Creek township on March 4, 1870, the daugh- ter of Jacob W. and Catherine (Best) Miller. Both of her parents are natives of eastern Ohio, the former born in Pickaway county and the latter in Clark county. Mrs. Risser was one of ten children, four sons and six daughters, William, deceased; George, Elizabeth, deceased; James, Jane, Ada, John, Maggie, deceased; Mary and Allie. To Mr. and Mrs. Risser have been born four children, Wilbur, born on July 12, 1900; Raymond, born on December 30, 1903; Marguerite, born on October 8, 1906; and Leonard, born on April 10, 1912. All of these children are living with the exception of Marguerite, who died on July 7, 1907.

In his political views, Mr. Risser is allied with the Democratic party and takes such an interest as every good citizen should in the public affairs of his county, state and nation. His religious membership, as well as that of his wife, is with the Christian church, to which he gives a liberal support. In every phase of life's activities, material, moral or social, which affect the

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welfare of the community, Mr. Risser stands for only that which is best and, because of his upright life and splendid character, he has won the hearty commendation of all who know him.

REV. FATHER M. MUEHE.

Despite the persistence with which our captains of industry undertake to maintain that wealth is based on service and that earnings and profit are proportionate to service, we all know this contention is based upon an idle fallacy. Ministers of the Gospel, those stately men who bear the cross of Christianity to all parts of the world, the spiritual counselors of the church, receive little compensation compared to the sacrifice they endure and the service they perform. Theirs, however, is the larger compensation for the greater service, the compensation which cannot be measured by material standards. Among the clergy, who for many years have ministered to the spiritual needs of the congregation of St. Michael's Catholic church at Kalida, is the Rev. Father M. Muehe, who is the best-known and the most dearly- beloved man in this community.

Born on July 5, 1865, in a little village in Bavaria, Germany, Father Muehe, at an early age, was sent to the Royal Gymnasium at Dellingen, where for several years he was a student in the classical course given by that institu- tion. Father Muehe's father was a railway official in Germany.

Father Muehe emigrated to the United States in 1883 and after a course of instruction in the novitiate, and later in the 'theological seminary of the Fathers of the Most Precious Blood at Carthagena, Ohio, he was ordained to the holy priesthood by the Most Reverend Henry Elder, D. D., Archbishop of Cincinnati. On St. Patrick's day, in 1889, he received his pastorate at St. Mary's church, Ft. Recovery, Ohio, from which place Father Muehe was transferred to Germantown, Missouri, where he was stationed for seven years. At Germantown he was instrumental in the organization and estab- lishment of a parochial school, which remains to today as a tribute to his energy, his initiative and his consecration to the holy work to which his life has been dedicated. Coming from Germantown, Missouri, to Ohio, he was pastor, for some time, of the two parishes of McCartyville and St. Patrick's in Shelby county. During the past twelve years, he has been officiating as pastor of St. Michael's parish at Kalida. Here he also has been instru- mental in founding a parochial school, the corner-stone of the present beauti-

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ful building having been laid on December 8, 1905. The school is now in charge of and taught by four Sisters of Providence, and has an enrollment of one hundred and seventy pupils. The parish of St. Michael's is in a. flourishing condition, and this is largely due to the untiring effort of Father Muehe, a kindly man of tender and sympathetic impulses, born to the loving work to which he is engaged. Under his care, St. Michael's parish promises. to become one of the leading and most prosperous congregations in Putnam county.

Aside from the noble spirit in which his pastorial duties are performed, Father Muehe is an able preacher and eloquent speaker, and a man to whom his people naturally turn for counsel and guidance in all spiritual matters.

EDWARD KERNER.

Among the ambitious young farmers of Union township, Putnam county, few are better known or more popular than Edward Kerner, a member of one of the oldest and most influential families of that part of the county, and it gives the biographer pleasure to present on this page a brief outline of the salient points of his life. On another page of this work the genealogy of the Kerner family is set out at some length in the biography relating to Mr. Ker- ' ner's father, Joseph Kerner, of Greensburg township, this county, and that detail will be omitted from this sketch as being an unnecessary repetition. For the purpose of this immediate biography, it is sufficient to say that Ed- ward Kerner was born in Greensburg township, Putnam county, Ohio, on November 3, 1889, the son of Joseph and Mary (Schaefer) Kerner, promi- nent residents of that neighborhood.

Edward Kerner was reared on the paternal farm and received his educa- tion in the schools of Greensburg township, remaining there until his mar- riage in 1912, at which time he moved to an eighty-acre farm in Union town- ship, which was set over to him by his father, the same having been a part of the latter's extensive land holdings in this county. Young Mr. Kerner is alert and active, fully alive to the improved methods of farming and the energy which he has displayed in establishing his home, presages excellent things for him in the future, industry being sure to secure its own reward.

On September 1I, 1912, Edward Kerner was united in marriage to Anna Rieman, the daughter of Ignatius and Mary ( Marmon) Rieman, both of whom are natives of Putnam county and who for many years lived on

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the farm in Ottawa township in which Mrs. Kerner was born, this farm having been originally entered from the government by Mr. Rieman's grand- father at a very early day in the settlement of that portion of the county. Ignatius Rieman died on September 1, 1904. He was one of six children of his parents, the others being Frank, John, Henry, Anna and Bernadina. Mrs. Kerner's maternal grandparents, John and Gertrude (Verhoff) Marmon, are still living at an advanced age on the farm in Greensburg township, which for many years has been their home. To them were born nine children, Frank, John, William, Christian, Charles, Joseph, Anna, Theresa and Catherine.

To Ignatius and Mary (Marmon) Reiman were born nine children, Mary, August, Clara, John, Anna, Caroline, Louis, Theresa and Laurence. August married Anna Roof and lives in the town of Leipsic. this county, and Mary, who married Benjamin Duling. is deceased, as is also Clara.

To Edward and Anna ( Rieman) Kerner there has been born one child, a daughter, Marcella Mary, on October 3, 1914, a charming little one, who is the delight of the lives of the devoted young parents.

Edward Kerner and wife are getting a good start in life and are very popular in their neighborhood. Mr. Kerner is a good farmer, having an excellent grasp on the essential requirements of his arduous and exacting vocation and his success seems assured. His wife is a natural home-maker and as a consequence they have a delightful home, one of the pleasantest in the neighborhood, where their friends always are sure of open-handed hos- pitality and a warm welcome.

JOHN G. KAPPAUF.

There is, perhaps, no record in this volume which more clearly demon- strates the force of industry and honesty in the affairs of life than does the life history of John G. Kappauf, a well-known farmer of Palmer township. Almost every civilized country on the face of the globe has sent representa- tives to the state of Ohio, but there is no more important or valued element in our citizenship than that which has come from Germany. John G. Kappauf is the son of a well-known German farmer, of Putnam county, who came to this country and became a successful man. Although he is now past eighty-nine years of age, he is still active.

John G. Kappauf was born on November 2, 1875, in Palmer township, Putnam county, Ohio. He is the son of John, Sr., and Dora (Faber) Kappauf. John Kappauf, Sr., was born at Gross-Breidenbach, Germany,

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and was educated in his native land. He came overland from New York city to Pennsylvania, and from Pennsylvania to Leipsic, Ohio. He was twenty-six years of age when he came to this country. He was a teamster in his native land and his parents were farmers. He was reared on a farm. He spent a few years in Leipsic and then moved to the Sam Miller farm in Liberty township, Putnam county, where he farmed. He rented this farm for some time and, on March 27, 1870, moved to a farm of eighty acres in Palmer township, which he purchased. By hard work and diligent efforts on the part of himself and wife, they put the farm in good condition and later added forty acres to the original eighty. They erected all the buildings, including a residence and barn, and followed general farming. John Kappauf, Sr., retired from active farming about 1890, but he still retained his residence and turned his farm over to his son and daughter, who now operate it. John Kappauf, Sr., was drafted during the Civil War, but on account of a stiff finger on his right hand, he was rejected. He was born on January 6, 1826, and is now eighty-nine years of age. His wife was born in Wittenburg, Germany, and came with her parents to America. She died on February 22, 1914, at the age of seventy-six years. She was a devout member of the German Lutheran church. Her husband is also a member of this church. He is a Democrat, but never held office. He is not a member of any lodge. John Kappauf, Sr., and wife were the parents of six children, Mrs. William McDonald, of Liberty township; Joseph, of LaSalle, New York; Katherine, deceased; Dora, John and Anna, all at home.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 83

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