History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 85

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 85

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To Mathias and Jennie (Klass) Konst four children have been born,. as follow: Gladys, Edith, Alton and Berneda.

Mathias Konst is the treasurer of Miller City. Throughout his life he- has been an active Democrat. He is not a member of any lodges. Mathias Konst, wife and family are members of St. Nicholas's Catholic church at Miller City. Mrs. Konst is a member of the Mother's Society of the Catholic church. They are well known in this section of Putnam county and are highly respected citizens.

WILLIAM WILSON FRANTZ.

What a wonderful heritage a man gives his children in passing from: this life when he leaves behind him a knowledge of an active life well spent, and evidences of the good he has accomplished for his age and community. To be considered the foremost man of his county in his day, and the leader in all things pertaining to the welfare of the community, does not fall to the lot of many men, and only those who are truly great in heart and mind, of indomitable energy and unfailing optimism, are capable of winning the trust and confidence which places them in the leadership in matters of public good, especially in a new section. The late William Wilson Frantz, a well-known farmer of Putnam county, Ohio, was a man who belonged to this class of citizens.

William Wilson Frantz was born on September 27, 1849, in Blanchard' township, Putnam county, Ohio. He was the son of Simon Edward and Martha Jane ( Patrick) Frantz.

Simon Edward Frantz, who was the son of Daniel and Sarah Frantz,. was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, in 1820, and, with his: two brothers, William and Daniel, came to Putnam county in 1834, settling just west and south of Gilboa. Each brother entered one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government, Simon's farm adjoining the town of Gilboa on the west, who died on September 17, 1858. He was married twice, the first time to Mary Conkley, by whom he had four children, two-

MR AND MRS. WILLIAM W. FRANTZ.

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of whom died in infancy; James and Sarah lived to maturity. He was mar- ried a second time to Martha Jane Patrick, who was the daughter of William Patrick and wife, early settlers in Putnam county, whose residence here dates from the year 1834. By his second marriage Simon E. Frantz was the father of four children-William Wilson, Daniel, Martha and Ellen, all of whom are deceased.

William Wilson Frantz grew up in Blanchard township, where he re- ceived his early education from the common schools. He remained on the home farm until he was about eighteen or nineteen years of age. His father died when he was about nine years old, and his mother was married again to M. J. Olds, to which union four children were born-Jane, Thomas, Alice and Martha Ellen, who died in infancy.

At the age of eighteen or nineteen years William Wilson Frantz rented the farm. owned by his uncle, William, which was located southwest of Gilboa. He farmed this place for several years after his marriage, when he bought of the heirs of his father's estate, the old homestead, just west of Gilboa. He continued to farm this place, until he retired in 1896. He died October 9, 1898.

William Wilson Frantz was married at the age of twenty-three on April 16, 1873, to Mary E. Hoskinson, the daughter of Alpha Robert and Elizabeth (Acord) Hoskinson. Mrs. Frantz was born in this township on March 6, 1851. Her parents settled in Putnam county in 1839. Her father was a native of Virginia, and came to Muskingum county, Ohio, in an early day. His wife was a native of Muskingum county.

To Mr. and Mrs. William Wilson Frantz ten children were born-Wil- liam P., Robert Ross, Lilly Jane, Zella May, Zoa, Eva, Tony, Clyde, Nettie and Grover W. William P., born August 20, 1874, married Stella A. Maid- low and has had eight children, two of whom died in infancy. He is now the superintendent of the Putnam county infirmary, and is a well-known and popular citizen. Robert Ross, born on November 18, 1875, married Frieda Brown and has three children. He is a farmer and lives in Hillsdale county, Michigan. Lilly Jane, born on November 30, 1877, married John Maidlow and has had three children, of whom one is deceased. Her husband is super- intendent of the state serum farm at Columbus, Ohio; Zella May, born on August 4, 1879, married Reno Krohn and has one child. Her husband is a prosperous stock buyer of Pandora; Zoa, born on January 29, 1881, is un- married and lives at home. She is a teacher in the schools of Columbus Grove, where she has been very successful in her chosen profession; Eva,

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born on October 15, 1883, married Julian Kempf and has one child. Mr. Kempf is interested in the Pandora Milling Company, and is a self-made and successful business man; Tony, born on April 8, 1884, married Zella Steele and has one child. He is in business at Pandora; Clyde, born on July 10, 1885, is unmarried; Nettie, born on January 14, 1887, is stenographer for the Ohio state agricultural commission; Grover W., born on September 7, 1889, is also unmarried. Clyde and Grover W. are two of Gilboa's most progressive and popular merchants. Their store reflects the character and enterprse of the men back of it. It is one of the most up-to-date stores in Putnam county, and one of which the community has reason to be justly proud. Clyde is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Gilboa. He and his brother, Grover W., are both members of the Free and Accepted Masons at Ottawa.

Thus it appears that William Wilson Frantz, who reared a large family, now successful citizens in many different vocations, has done more for his state and for the county where he lives than he could possibly have done in any other way. No work is greater and no success more admirable than that of leaving sons and daughters, who are guided by industrious habits, worthy ambitions and high ideals. Of such success William Wilson Frantz and his wife have had a large measure.

HENRY B. NARTKER.

To obtain a worthy citizenship and achieve a career that is always honored and respected even from childhood, deserves more than mere men- tion. One may take his place in public life through some vigorous stroke of public policy and even abide in the hearts of his friends and neighbors, but gradually to rise to the same position, winning through sterling worth and faithfulness to trust, rather than by craving for exaltation and popularity, is worthy the highest praise and commendation. Such a man is Henry B. Nartker, one of the most prominent and influential farmers of Greensburg township, Putnam county, Ohio.

Henry B. Nartker was born on February 7, 1864, at Glandorf, Putnam county, Ohio. He is a son of Henry and Theresa (Vorterlandwer) Nartker, the former of whom was born in Glandorf, Hanover, Germany, on Decem- ber 1, 1836, and who died on March 21, 1909, at the age of seventy-two years.

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Henry Nartker, Sr., was ten years old when he came to America with his parents, Theodore Nartker and wife, who settled about two miles west of where St. John's Catholic church at Glandorf, is now situated. The county was new in those times, and only a small part of the land was cleared. There, Henry Nartker, Sr., grew to maturity and married Theresa Vorterlandwer, who was born in Ottawa township, Putnam county, and who was a daughter of Herman Vorterlandwer. Herman Vorterlandwer came from Germany and was an early settler near Ottawa.

After his marriage, Henry Nartker, Sr., moved to the northwest edge of Glandorf. He worked at all kinds of work and did anything which was honorable to earn money. By extraordinary diligence he secured a good start in life, although he started in an humble way. In time he owned more than two hundred acres of land. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, ten of whom grew to maturity. Of these ten, two died later, Mrs. Minnie Horstman and William. The eight living children are Henry B., Mrs. Bernadina Winkleman, Mrs. Mary Wischmeyer, Mrs. Annie Schroeder, Frank, August, Mrs. Emma Maas and Mrs. Lena Fortman. The mother of these children is still living west of Glandorf.

Henry B. Nartker grew up on the home farm and was his father's main assistance in clearing the land. He learned to use an ax and a cross- cut saw very effectively. He took up his abode on the farm where he now lives in section 1, Greensburg township, about 1892, and here he lived alone for about two years, while he cleared the land and operated the farm. At the end of that time he was married and has since made this farm his home.

Mr. Nartker was married in 1894 to Bertha Roepke, who was born in Steinfeldt, Oldenburg, Germany, in 1872. She grew to womanhood in her native country and, in 1891, came to the United States. She first went to Covington, Kentucky, and after about a year's residence in that city, was joined by her parents, Henry and Mary (Honkomp) Roepke. The family moved to near Kalida, Putnam county, Ohio, about 1893, and were farmers there. They now live on a farm between Glandorf and Columbus Grove.

Henry Nartker and wife are the parents of eight children, Alfred, Harry, George, Rudolph, Emma, Ralph, Hildegarde and Gilbert. The Nart- ker family are all devout members of the Catholic church at Miller City and take an active interest in the affairs of this parish.

Henry B. Nartker is now the owner of about one hundred and eighteen acres of fine farming land, on which he has good barns and other outbuild- ings, as well as a comfortable house, and, in fact, his farm is well kept and cultivated, and he is among the representative and substantial farmers of his neighborhood.

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Henry Nartker well remembers his childhood when his grandparents told him the story of their lives in a log cabin with no floor, a chimney made of sticks and plastered with mud, a grease lamp for light, and when they all stayed at home and worked and saved until they secured a good start in life. When H. B. Nartker was a young man he started life in a log cabin, and he and his young wife were happy with the tasks and ambitions ahead of them. His land was purchased for about one-fourth of what it is now worth. He has achieved some of his ambitions and few men are more widely acquainted and more favorably known than Mr. Nartker. He was township trustee for five years, his term of four years having been extended one year by the Legisla- ture. He is a good citizen, a kind father, and a loving husband, and more than that, he is a substantial, enterprising citizen in Greensburg township, where he has made his home for so many years.

JOHN GERBER.

The hardy and rugged little country of Switzerland has produced many of the men who later became numbered with Putnam county's most progres- sive and valued citizens. They came here filled with the energy and strength engendered by the life in their mountainous fatherland and ready to cope with whatever difficulties might rise before them in the new land of their adoption. As a class, they were intelligent, thrifty and industrious, a com- bination of characteristics well suited to aid them in procuring success in their efforts to establish themselves in the new country and to procure homes in which they and their children might live and achieve prosperity. Of these people, John Gerber, the subject of this sketch, is a striking example, hav- ing achieved marked success and risen to prosperity through his own efforts.

John Gerber was born in Berne, Switzerland, on December 31, 1871, a son of Daniel and Catherine (Scheideger) Gerber. His father was born in Berne on November 4, 1849, a son of Christian and Anna (Geiser) Ger- ber, both of whom were natives of Switzerland. Christian Gerber was a farmer who raised large herds of cattle and made cheese for the market, a business in which he attained great prosperity. To him and his wife were born eleven children. He died in 1887, and his wife died a year later.

Daniel Gerber, with John and Samuel, two of his younger brothers, came to America in March, 1891. About 1873, Anna Gerber, the eldest daughter of the family, who married Abraham Somers, came to America

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and settled first in Indiana and later in Pandora. When Daniel Gerber, his two brothers, his wife and eight children came to America in 1891, his youngest sister, Mary, followed later in the year. She was the wife of Rudolph Peters and came to America just after her marriage. She went to Indian Territory as a missionary, and died about 1905. John Gerber, the uncle of the subject, settled at Madison, Ohio, where he is farming. Samuel settled in Oklahoma. Both are married.

Daniel Gerber settled in Pandora, Ohio, where he now lives. He is a wagonmaker by trade and has lived in Pandora most of the time since com- ing to America. He and Mrs. Gerber are the parents of eight children, who are: John, Arnold, Carl, Marion, Rosie, Leah, Lena and Adolph. Marion and Leah are residents of Fulton county, Ohio; Adolph lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana; Lena is a missionary in China, and the others make their homes in Putnam county.

John Gerber was nineteen years of age when he came to America. He worked on a farm for six years and then took a position in the planing mill at Pandora, where he worked four years. After he had worked in the mill two years, he married on December 25, 1898, Levina Amstutz, who was born in Riley township, Putnam county, on September 14, 1875, a daughter of Abraham and Catherine (Hilty) Amstutz. Mr. Amstutz's family history is given in the sketch of his brother, P. A. Amstutz, and the family history of his wife is given in the sketch of Isaac Hilty, both of which appear else- where in this volume.

To that union was born one daughter, Catherine, who now lives with her grandmother, Catherine Amstutz. Mrs. Gerber died on November 8, 1900. She was a good Christian woman and a member of the Mennonite church.

John Gerber was again married on April 8, 1906, his second wife being Elizabeth Gerber, a daughter of Michael and Catherine (Moser) Gerber. Michael Gerber was a native of Wayne county, Ohio, and Catherine Moser was born in Berne, Switzerland. To John and Elizabeth Gerber three chil- dren, Prudence Elnora, Lillian Odula and Elda Elvina, have been born.

After leaving the planing mill, in the spring of 1901, John Gerber was engaged in the manufacturing of overalls, and was one of the organizers of the Pandora Overall Company. He retained his connection with that firm for three years, or until the spring of 1904, when he entered the well-drilling business with Peter Somers. That partnership endured for five years, when Peter Somers sold his interest to John Gerber's brother, Carl. The two brothers remained in partnership for four years, and then Carl sold his in-

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terest to their cousin, John G. Gerber, the concern now being known as John Gerber & Co.

John Gerber has been very successful in his business and owns a beau- tiful brick residence in Pandora, where he now lives. He owns two up-to- date drilling machines and has all the business he can take care of. He averages from fifty to sixty wells each year, and, in all, has drilled about six hundred wells since he first established the business.

John Gerber is a supporter of the Republican party and has always taken an active and intelligent interest in local political matters. For six years he has been a member of the town council.

John Gerber and wife are both members of the Mennonite (Grace). church, and are active workers in all church affairs. Mr. Gerber is an ex- cellent citizen and is highly respected and esteemed by his neighbors.

EARL JOSHUA SHAFFER.

Undoubtedly no other single influence has so much to do with the shaping of the character of the American people as has the public school system, and those associated with this work are indeed doing a noble duty and doubly justifying their existence. A prominent man in the school sys- tem of Putnam county is Earl J. Shaffer, of the West Leipsic public schools.

Earl J. Shaffer was born on July 2, 1889, in Putnam county, the son of Joshua and Susan (Campbell) Shaffer, who were the parents of nine children, namely : Homer Newton, a farmer of Paulding county, Ohio; Mil- ton Festus, also a farmer in Paulding county; Americus Vincent lives in West Leipsic; Martha Belle and Lydia Alice both live in Van Buren town- ship; Putnam county; Joshua Smith died young; Myrtle May resides in Paulding county, Ohio; Earl J. is the subject of this sketch; Oscar Turner is. chief engineer of a large Lexington, Kentucky, tobacco-drying house.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Shaffer were Samuel and Elizabeth (Runyon) Shaffer, the former of whom was born in Highland county, Ohio, in 1814, and died in 1898, and the latter of whom was born in Vir- ginia, and died in 1881, aged fifty-nine. Samuel Shaffer was a farmer and stock raiser who never lived outside of Highland county. He was road supervisor for several terms. He was a member of the Lutheran church, a hard-working man, and, like Lincoln, was a famous rail splitter. He was broad-minded and liberal in his views. He and his wife were the parents:

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of eight children, namely : Lucinda, who died in infancy; Martin Luther and Perry are Highland county (Ohio) farmers; Joshua, whose son is the sub- ject of this sketch; Moses died at the age of four; Sarah Elizabeth died in infancy; Elijah lives in Middletown, Ohio; Mary Susan also lives in Mid- dletown.

Joshua Shaffer was reared and married in Highland county and came to Putnam county in 1884, engaging in farming in 1885, from which year he worked as a farm laborer until 1890, when he bought forty acres of good land in Van Buren township, Putnam county. The land was uncultivated and was made productive by much hard labor. This land was tilled until 1894, when he rented a farm in the same township on which he lived for three years, and then moved to Paulding county, Ohio, where he bought twenty acres of land and lived for five years. Then, returning to West Leipsic, he established a general merchandise, store, bringing the most of his stock with him from Paulding county. One year after locating in West Leipsic, the Paulding county farm was disposed of. The store which he established is still in operation and does a thriving business. On November 27, 1867, Joshua married Susan Campbell.

A valued member of Lodge No. 536, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows is Joshua Shaffer. He is a Democrat in his political views, and was a member of the school board of Paulding county for several years and also of Putnam county, and he has served on the election board for several years and is active on the board at present. He is a member of the German Reformed church, of Highland county, Ohio.

The education of Earl J. Shaffer was received in the common schools of Putnam county, and the high school of Grover Hill, from which he graduated on May 12, 1905, and some time afterward took the teacher's examination in Putnam county at Ottawa, Ohio, passing with an average grade of eighty-seven and one-half. For five years, he taught school in Liberty township and for one year in Van Buren township, after which he accepted his present position in the West Leipsic grammar school, in the year 1913. Mr. Shaffer holds the following teacher's certificates; three one- year certificates, two two-year certificates, one three-year and one five-year certificate, the last two being in effect now. Mr. Shaffer is a teacher of great ability, as his winning personality is felt. On October 9, 1912, Mr. Shaffer married Ruby Violet Folk, the daughter of Jacob and Sarah (McIntyre) Folk, and Earl Joshua and Violet (Folk) have one child, Mildred Claire.

Earl Joshua Shaffer belongs to Leipsic Lodge No. 548, of the Free and Accepted Masons, and to Lodge No. 536, of the Independent Order of Odd

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Fellows, taking an active part in lodge work and being junior deacon in his chapter of the Masonic order. An active Democrat, firmly advancing the best principles of his party, he was elected in 1911, and still serves as corporation clerk of West Leipsic. He and his family are devout members of the West Leipsic church of the United Brethren. He is financial secre- tary of the church, superintendent of the Sunday school, and he, with his wife, takes an active part in church duties and functions. Unassuming, yet pleasing with his quiet courtesy, Mr. Shaffer is a good conversationalist and uses his gift to advance educational interests and the general welfare of the community. He is of an uncompromising honesty, and is open and frank in all his dealings, and is accordingly liked by his wide circle of friends and acquaintances, both in Putnam county and elsewhere. He is splendidly well informed and can talk very intelligently on a wide range of topics. He is the type of man who holds our nation in her premier position on the earth.

JOHN C. MADDEN.

American politicians are becoming actively aware of the rapid growth of the Socialist vote in this country, and are being compelled to recognize in this modern development of the political life of the nation a deep-seated protest against the enormous growth of entrenched privilege which has be- come such a serious menace to the proudest institutions of the government and the basic liberties of the people. There has grown up in this country, along with this protest, in recent years, a very determined demand on the part of the more thoughtful elements of society, that not only the public utilities of the country, but that all lands, mines, minerals and railways, together with all the instruments of production and exchange, should be in the hands of the people, the natural conservators of the public domain. The enormous problem of the unemployed, which so long has been facing our present governmental agencies, is one of the factors that is bringing to the attention of thoughtful persons the claims of the Socialists for a reorganiza- tion of the present industrial and economic system and many of these claims, that a few years ago might have been looked upon as chimerical, are now accepted as proper doctrines of government, the approach to paternalism on the part of the federal government being accepted as a most notable con- cession in this direction. Though there may be a very proper disagreement as to the near approach of the promised millennium of righteousness when all

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social wrongs shall be righted, there can be no disagreement on the proposi- tion that there are many very grave social wrongs that stand in need of righting and the pettifogging economists whose grasp upon the stern neces- sities of the times, is not sufficiently acute to detect the finer shades of mean- ing in the unceasing clamor that is going up for a correction of much of this modern injustice to propose a proper remedy for the evils thus hinted at, may yet find that the remedies now proposed by the Socialists shall become the universal panacea so long sought. The Socialistic propaganda has many ardent spokesmen in this country and in Putnam county there are not a few whose voices have been lifted for years in this behalf. Among these latter, however, there is none better known than the gentleman whose name the biographer has found pleasure in presenting at the introduction to this brief and modest biographical sketch, Mr. Madden being one of the best known and most active Socialists in this section of the state, his reputation in this direction indeed being state wide, his name having twice been submitted to the suffrages of the people of Ohio for consideration as a candidate for a justiceship in the state supreme court.

John C. Madden was born in Monroe township, Putnam county, Ohio, July 5, 1869, the son of Hiram and Catherine (Davis) Madden, the former of whom was born in Perry county, Ohio, January 9, 1827, the son of John B. and Ruth (Hall) Madden, and the latter of whom was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1827, but who moved to Perry county, Ohio, with her parents at an early age and there grew to womanhood and was mar- ried, later moving with her husband to Putnam county. John B. Madden, grandfather of John C., was a native of Virginia, and his wife, Ruth Hall, was a native of Maryland, they having migrated to Perry county after their marriage and there reared their family.

Hiram Madden was educated in the district schools of Perry county, growing up on a farm, early becoming inducted into the principles of agri- culture. He was united in marriage in 1851, to Catherine Davis, a member of one of the old families of that county, and, in 1853, moved to this county, settling on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Monroe township, where both he and his wife spent the rest of their lives, he dying on February 27, 1902, at the age of seventy-five years, she surviving but little more than a year, her death occurring in July, 1903. Hiram Madden was one of the best known and most influential men in his section of the county and had served the public most acceptably in the important office of township trustee, besides having held minor township offices, in the administration of all of which he acted with an eye single to the public good. He was a stanch

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 85

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