History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 89

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 89

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To Isaac Hilty and Anna (Blosser) Hilty ten children have been born : Henry, Elizabeth, Catherine, Peter, Jesse, Sarah, Mary, Minnie, Aldine and Abraham. Henry, who lives in Riley township, Putnam county, married Sarah Zimmerman and has three children: Melvin; Lester, who died at the age of ten years, and Gladys. Elizabeth, after finishing her common school education, attended the Ohio State Normal at Ada, where she took a course in music. After this she attended the Bible Training Institute at Bluffton and Fort Wayne, and was appointed to a post as a foreign missionary, go- ing to China in 1905, where she remained for six years, and, after a vaca- tion, she again resumed her work. In her efforts in behalf of humanity she has been very successful. Catherine, who died at the age of forty-one, was unmarried. Peter, who lives on the home place, married Dora Long and

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has two children, Irvin and Margaret. Jesse, who lives in Pandora, mar- ried Rosella Rice and has one son, Aaron. Sarah died at the age of four years. Mary, who is unmarried and lives at home, after attending the com- mon and high schools, attended the Bible Training Institute at Fort Wayne for two years. Minnie, after graduating from the common and high schools, attended the Ohio State Normal School at Ada, after which for several years she taught school and attended the Fort Wayne Bible Training In- stitute. After completing this work, she joined her sister, Elizabeth, and went to her new field in China in 1913. Aldine. who lives at Lima, Ohio, married Delia Basinger and has two sons, Francis Harold and Karl Edward. He was graduated from the high school and taught school successfully for two years. He is now in the real estate business. Abraham, who lives at home, married Nettie Basinger and has two children, Cyril Stanley and Mar- ceille Elizabeth.

Isaac Hilty is a Democrat, but he is more or less independent in his voting. He was township treasurer for several years and for about twenty years was school director. For many years, also, he was a member of the school board and successfully discharged the duties of all of these offices. Mr. Hilty is a member of the Missionary church, of which his wife is also a member. He is a member of the missionary committee of that church, with headquarters at Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is a trustee of the association. Mr. Hilty is a fine type of Christian gentleman. He has been a successful farmer and is held in high esteem by all with whom he has been brought into contact in any way. He is a man, therefore, who is entitled to repre- sentation in this volume.

REV. ALBERT SCHUMACHER.

There is no earthly station higher than the ministry of the Gospel, and no life can be more uplifting and grander than that which is devoted to the betterment of the human race, a life of sacrifice for the improvement of the brotherhood of man, one who is willing to cast aside all earthly crowns and laurels of fame, in order to follow in the footsteps of the lowly Nazarene. It is not possible to measure adequately the height, depth and breadth of such a life. Their influence continues to permeate the lives of others through succeeding generations; the ultimate influence cannot be known until the last great day when the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised in- corruptible. One of the self-sacrificing, ardent and true spirits that has been

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a blessing to his community and who is now the pastor of the Grace Men- nonite church at Pandora, is Albert Schumacher. He is a young man who has been splendidly trained for the ministry and whose life forcibly illus- trates what energy, integrity and fixed purpose can accomplish when ani- mated by noble aims and correct ideals.

Albert Schumacher was born on September 25, 1883, in Richland town- ship, Allen county, Ohio, the son of Christian P. and Regina (Steiner ) Schumacher, the former of whom was born on April 20, 1848, in Richland township, Allen county. He was the son of Peter and Magdalene ( Suter ) Schumacher. Peter Schumacher was born in Basel, Switzerland, in 1817, and was the son of Christian Schumacher and wife. Christian Schumacher, Sr., was a native of Florimont, France, and was a miller by trade. He oper- ated a mill at Basil, owned by a firm by the name of Forkhart, Wise & Sons. The mill was located in the basement of the house in which Christian Schu- macher lived and was run by water from the Rhine river. Christian Schu- macher, Sr., was in the employ of the above-named concern for about eigh- teen or nineteen years. This firm was among the wealthiest in Basel. Chris- tian Schumacher, Sr., was a trusted employe and a highly respected citizen. On leaving Switzerland he advertised his departure and welcomed all whonr he might owe to present their bills for payment. He came to America with his son, Peter, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, and spent his declining years with him. Peter was a minister in the Mennonite church and also a teacher in the schools of Ohio. He was a notary public and much sought for the drawing of legal papers. Peter came to America at the age of eighteen, in 1835. An extensive account of the history of the Schu- macher family is to be found in the sketch of Christian Schumacher, con- tained elsewhere in this volume.

Albert Schumacher spent his boyhood days on the old homestead farin in Richland township, Allen county. He received his early education in the- district school and assisted his father on the home farm. He then spent one year in the high school at Bluffton and finished his academic studies. at Bluffton College, graduating from the academic department in 1904. After this he took two years more in the classical course, graduating from the Junior College in 1906. In that year he entered Oberlin College, where he completed his classical college course in 1908. After that he took a three- year theological course at Oberlin College and graduated from this depart- ment in 1911. After completing his college work, Mr. Schumacher went abroad, visiting Gibraltar. Algiers, Africa, Italy, Southern Tyrol, Alsace- Lorraine, Switzerland, France, the Rhine valley, Belgium, London, Strat-

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ford-on-Avon and Southampton. Two years later, on his return from abroad, he was married to Elizabeth Weida, of Caledonia, Minnesota. This marriage took place on October 16, 1913. Mrs. Schumacher graduated with the class of 1911 from the Conservatory of Music at Oberlin, Ohio, special- izing in voice and piano. Mrs. Schumacher is the daughter of Owen J. and Jennie (Sweet) Weida, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ontario, Canada.

In the fall of 1911 Mr. Schumacher accepted the pastorate of the Grace Mennonite church at Pandora. He is a charter member of that church, which was organized in 1904, and it was considered fitting that at the com- pletion of his education he should be called to preside over the same church. Under his leadership the membership has increased from two hundred and twenty to three hundred and thirty, and the Sunday school now numbers three hundred and fifty.

No young man in Putnam county is more earnest in his life's vocation, or more serious in his life's purposes, than the Rev. Albert Schumacher. He has worked hard to equip himself for this vocation and he is expected to have a brilliant career.

SAMUEL P. KROHN.

The Union soldier, during the war between the states, builded wiser than he knew. Through four years of suffering and wasting hardship, through the horrors of prison and amid the shadows of death, he laid the superstructure of the greatest temple ever dedicated to human freedom. The world looked on and called those soldiers sublime, for it was theirs to reach ·out the mighty arm of power and strike the chains, from off the slave, pre- serve the country from dissolution and the only flag that ever made tyrant tremble. For all the unmeasured deeds the living present will never repay them. Attention and political power may be thrown at their feet, art and sculpture may preserve upon canvas, granite and bronze their unselfish deeds, history may commit to books and cold facts may give to the future the tale of their sufferings and triumphs, but to the children of the genera- tions yet unborn will it remain to record the full measure of appreciation and undying remembrance of the immortal character carved out by the American soldiers of the early sixties, numbered among whom was Samuel P. Krohn.

Samuel P. Krohn and George W. Krohn, brothers, enlisted in Com-

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pany G, Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, the former on September 23, 1863. He served in the Army of the Cumberland, and saw service in Ken- tucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and, finally, in Tennessee, again. He was in many hard- fought battles, his last active service being in a raid lasting about sixty days. This campaign was known as the last great "Stoneman Raid." Samuel P. Krohn was under General Stoneman, and his company, which was attached to the first brigade under Colonel Palmer, was exceedingly active. Mr. Krohn's brigade traveled hundreds of miles on this campaign. Gen. D. J. Cox, at Chicago, in 1868, referred to this final expedition in the following words :

"In March, 1865, General Stoneman made another important expedi- tion out of east Tennessee into southwestern Virginia and the Carolinas, destroying the railroads by which escape from Richmond was possible for Lee's army and performed services which, but for the fact that it occurred during the general crush of the rebellion, would have attracted universal at- tention.

"A little later the same dashing horsemen had almost succeeded in capturing the person of Jefferson Davis, whose escort surrendered, but he himself, by changing his direction of flight toward the Atlantic coast, es- caped for the moment, but only to fall into the hands of General Wilson and his gallant troopers."

Samuel P. Krohn was born on April 4, 1848, just west of Pendleton, now Pandora, in Riley township, Putnam county, Ohio. He is the son of Samuel and Sarah (Weaver) Krohn. Samuel Krohn, Sr., was born on February 10, 1817, in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania. He was the son of George and Margaret (Fry) Krohn, the former a native of Penn- sylvania, of German descent, who died in 1850, at Pendleton. His wife, Margaret Fry, before her marriage, also died at Pendleton, on January 25, 1871. Both of them passed the last days of their life at the home of Samuel Krohn, Sr.

George Krohn came to Ohio from Pennsylvania when Samuel Krohn, Sr., was a young man. He first located at Stratton, Delaware county, Ohio, where he operated a grist-mill. Later he moved to Butler county, where he was engaged in the milling business. He lived near Jacksonburg while a resident of Butler county. After a few years, in 1844, he came to Putnam county.

Samuel Krohn, Sr., was married in Butler county, Ohio. to Sarah Weaver, daughter of Henry and Margaret (Sarver) Weaver. Mrs. Sam-

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uel Krohn, Sr., was born on September 17, 1820, and was married on No- vember II, 1841. At this time Samuel Krohn, Sr., was twenty-four years old. Henry Weaver was a pioneer of Butler county, Ohio, and a farmer. In early life he was a soldier in the War of 1812, and marched through western Ohio with the United States soldiers who were engaged in clear- ing the territory of the Indians. During this march he discovered the good land here, and later returned and entered land from the government just northwest of where Pandora now stands.

By his first marriage Samuel Krohn, Sr., was the father of eight chil- dren : George W. was born on September 13, 1842; Margaret, January 5, 1844; Henry, November 20, 1845: Samuel P is the subject of this sketch; Elizabeth, July 29, 1849; Martin, September 17, 1853; David, November 29, 1857, and died at the age of seven years, while Sarah A. was born on June 18, 1860. Samuel Krohn, Sr., was married the second time, on De- cember 22, 1864, to the sister of his first wife, Madeline Weaver. She was born on July 3, 1837. By this second marriage one son, Edward, was born on December 3, 1868.

Samuel Krohn, Sr., was trustee of Riley township for four years and treasurer for six years. He was a man, therefore, of exceptional prominence in the community where he lived. When he first came to Putnam county, in 1844, he settled on the place of Henry Weaver, his father-in-law, which he had purchased a few months before. He lived on this farm until his death on April 6, 1886. He engaged in general farming and also owned and operated grist-mills, as well as saw-mills. At the time of his death he owned about two hundred and eighty acres of land. He was a Democrat in politics and a member of the German Lutheran church.

His son, Samuel P. Krohn, the subject of this sketch, received his early education in the typical log cabin school, and helped his father on the farm. Samuel P., Jr., was only fifteen years old when he enlisted in the army of the Union to preserve the republic, but, despite his youth, he acquitted him- self with exceptional credit in the service of his country. After the war he came home and remained with his parents, working on the old homestead farm. At the age of twenty-one Mr. Krohn was married to Lucy A. Day, the daughter of Dr. Hriam and Harriet (Pierce ) Day. The marriage took place on December 23, 1869: After his marriage Mr. Kohn farmed his father's place for two years and then engaged in the mercantile business for twelve years, or until 1884, when he engaged in buying and selling live stock. He again entered the mercantile business in 1888 and operated a grocery store and hotel until 1900. In this year he sold out the grocery and

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remained in the hotel business until 1902. He then re-engaged in the live stock business, to which he devoted all his attention, until 1911, wlien he turned the business over to his son, Reno A.

Mrs. Samuel P. Krohn's parents came to Putnam county in 1840. Her father was a native of Wayne county, Ohio, born on January 29, 1816; he died on April 23, 1890. Mrs. Krohn was born on August 17, 1849, at Pendleton. Her mother, Harriet (Pierce) Day, was born in Kent county, England, January 4, 1822. She was the daughter of William and Ruth (Stevenson) Pierce.

To Samuel P. and Lucy A. (Day) Krohn have been born four chil- dren : Mertie Estelle on September 27, 1870; Hiram Samuel, October 10, 1875; Reno Alvin, October 14, 1877; Harriett, March 29, 1881.

Samuel P Krohn is a Democrat. He was elected township treasurer in 1870, and served continuously, with the exception of four years, until the present time. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity at Columbus Grove and of the Knights of Pythias No. 364, at Pandora. Mrs. Krohn is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. Her husband also attends this church. Samuel P. Krohn is one of the best known and most universally respected men in this part of Putnam. He has represented his community in an official capacity for more than forty years, which speaks volumes for his reputation as a citizen and as a man. He has always led an active life, and is a clean-cut, progressive citizen, a man of high ideals and of unques- tioned integrity. He is counted as one of Putnam county's most substantial citizens.

MRS. LEAH BASINGER.

To the many sterling characteristics of the Swiss people, who played a prominent part, during its earlier days, in the settlement of this section, Put- nam county, Ohio, owes much. Not only did the Swiss contribute many fine inhabitants to this county in years past, but today the descendants of those earlier citizens are carrying on the work of the county, maintaining the ideals of their forbears and upholding the county's standard of citizen- ship in every way. They represent the best blood of the county and are in every way a type of citizens of which Putnam county has ever reason to be proud. These ideals are exemplified by the subject of this sketch, whose fathers played important parts in the foundation of the country.

Mrs. Leah (Gratz) Basinger, the widow of Noah W. Basinger, was

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born in Richland township, Allen county, Ohio, December 10, 1858, a daugh- ter of Christian and Catherine (Steiner) Gratz. Christian Gratz was born in Wayne county, Ohio, on June 22, 1833, a son of Frederick and Anna (Lugibihl) Gratz.

Frederick Gratz was born in Basel, Switzerland, but all that is known of his early life is that he was an orphan and was reared in a children's. home at Basel. While in the home, he learned several trades, and when he was a young man he came to America. He was three or four months in making the voyage to this country and, after his arrival, settled in Wayne county, Ohio, where he worked at these trades. He was a very ingenious man and was able to turn his hand to any work which demanded mechanical knowledge. By trade he was a carpenter and brick mason, and was also a tailor of no small ability.

After a sojourn of three years, in Wayne county, he moved to two miles east of Beaver Dam, Allen county, Ohio, where he located permanently. He first took a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, to which he gradually added, until his holdings eventually totaled about three hundred acres. It was to that farm that Leah Basinger's father, Christian, came with his par- ents when he was two years of age.

Frederick Gratz met the pioneer conditions with the courage and deter- mination which have been characteristic of all pioneers of Swiss birth and ancestry. Out of the wilderness, a heavily-timbered country, he made his new home, and it was amid those surroundings that Christian Gratz spent his childhood and attended school in the typical log cabin school house. Dur- ing the first few winters, Frederick Gratz taught the school. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Gratz were the parents of four sons and four daughters, of which Christian was the eldest.

Christian Gratz grew to manhood on the old homestead and remained there until he was about twenty-three or twenty-four years of age. At that time, about 1856, he married Catherine Steiner, who was born in Rich- land township, Allen county, June 30, 1837, a daughter of Peter and Bar- bara (Schumacher) Steiner, both of whom were natives of Switzerland and who came to America immediately after their marriage. They settled in Richland township about two and one-half miles west of Bluffton, where Catherine Steiner was born, the eldest of a family of seven daughters and four sons.

After his marriage, Christian Gratz located one and one-half miles .southwest of Bluffton, his farm comprising one hundred and sixty acres of land. It was there he reared his family of fifteen children, four of whom

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died in infancy. Among the children were three sets of twins, one of each pair having died in infancy. The names of the twelve surviving children are: Samuel, Leah, Andrew, Elias, Louis, Marian, Lydia, Barbara, Peter,. Fannie, Isaac and Lena.

It was on the old Steiner homestead that Leah Basinger spent her girl- hood and attended the district school, which was first held in an old church and later in a brick school house. On May 9, 1881, at the age of twenty-two, she married Noah W. Basinger, her late husband, who was born on September 20, 1858, in Riley township, Putnam county, Ohio, about three miles south- west of Pandora, and who died at Columbus Grove, September 23, 1903.

Noah W. Basinger was the son of Christian and Anna (Amstutz) Bas- inger. Christian Basinger was a native of Switzerland. His parents died while he was a child and he was reared by Leah's great-great-grandfather Steiner, who brought him to America when he was sixteen years of age. He grew to manhood in Wayne county, Ohio. Shortly after his marriage he moved to Riley township, Putnam county, where he bought the farm, which later became the property of Noah W. Basinger, his youngest son, and where Leah Basinger now makes her home.

Christian and Anna (Amstutz) Basinger were the parents of nine chil- dren, two of whom died in infancy. The surviving children are: Jonathan, John, Catherine, Stephen, David, Christian and Noah.

Noah Basinger was born and reared on the old homestead, three miles. southwest of Pandora. There he attended the district school and early took up his life work as a farmer. He continued to operate the home farm, after his marriage, and until 1901, when he retired from farming and entered the coal business at Columbus Grove. That business he continued until the time of his death, September 23, 1903.

Noah Basinger was a supporter of the Democratic party, but never took an active interest in political matters. He was a successful farmer and made a specialty of stock feeding. He was a member of the Ebenezer Mennonite church, of which his wife was also a member. She later joined the Grace church. Noah Basinger was a well-known and popular citizen, always in- terested in local affairs and ready to support any movement which seemed for the betterment of the community. He was a good Christian, and a man of high ideals and unquestioned integrity.

To Noah and Leah (Gratz) Basinger were born eight children: Tilman was born on April 25, 1883. He married Lena Stouffer and made his home at Columbus Grove. To them have been born three children, Alice Rexine, Sarah Medway and Janice Hildreth; Sophia, November 2, 1885, and is

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the wife of Charles Eversole. They are the parents of three children, Adrian Eugene, Ethel Elnora and Ray Olan, who died in infancy; Orville, July 7, 1887, died March 27, 1891; Denis, October 7, 1889, died on October 19, 1891, at the age of two years ; Della. July 12, 1891, died on April 30, 1893; Hiram, September 1, 1893, and Luella and Llewellyn, twins, March 9, 1897.

Leah Basinger is a prominent member of her community, being closely identified with church work and with many local matters. She is held in high respect and esteem by all her neighbors and has a large circle of friends.

LOUIS HERMILLER.

The farm is the granary for the office, the store and the shop. It is the farm which must feed and clothe that section of the population which pro- duces no food and no raw material for clothing. Prices of food and cloth- ing have experienced an upward trend for several years and are becoming next to prohibitive for great sections of the population. The conclusion is obvious that the production must be increased if the non-producers of food are to be fed. It is very generally agreed that there is not enough food to go around, that a shortage of supply has enhanced the prices for all classes. This condition has made farming very profitable. Within recent years the young farmers have been able to make a substantial profit out of their busi- ness, and one of the prosperous young farmers of Palmer township, Putnam county, Ohio, is Louis Hermiller, who has devoted himself assiduously to his chosen vocation.

Louis Hermiller was born on April 29, 1888, in Union township, Putnam county, Ohio, three and one-half miles from Glandorf. He is the son of William and Philomena (Recker) Hermiller.

William Hermiller was born in Ottawa township, in January, 1858, and died on November 24, 1910. He was reared as a farmer and received his education in the Ottawa township schools. He remained on his father's farm until his marriage to Philomena Recker, and after his marriage moved to Union township, where he had purchased an eighty-acre farm. Subse- quently, he added to this farm until he had more than four hundred acres at the time of his death. He was a very industrious man and his success was due to his untiring industry and splendid knowledge of farming, as well as to his business ability. He cleared the land and remained on the farm until his death. Mrs. Philomena ( Recker) Hermiller was also a native

MR. AND MRS. LOUIS HERMILLER.

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of Ottawa township. She was a daughter of Henry Recker, who was a native of Germany and who came to America and settled in Ottawa township, Put- man county, in pioneer times. They underwent the privations and hardships common to their day and generation. At that time much wild game abounded and the land was heavily timbered. There were no roads and few settlers.

To William and Philomena (Recker) Hermiller the following children were born: Benjamin, Louis, Frederick, William, Herman, Mary, John and Bernadina. Of these William, Herman, Mary, John and Bernadina live with their mother in the home place in Union township. Benjamin mar- ried Elizabeth Verhoff. He is a farmer in Union township and they have one child, Marcella. Fred married Amalia Hanneman, and they live in Greensburg township. The mother of these children lives on the old home- stead in Union township with her unmarried children. She assisted mate- rially in the success of her husband and is highly respected by the people of this community.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 89

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