History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 90

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 90

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Louis Hermiller was educated in the Union township schools and was reared on his father's farm, where he passed his early life like the average farmer's son. Mr. Hermiller was married on April 17, 1912, to Mary Hanneman, who was born in Union township, Putnam county, Ohio, and who is the daughter of Barney and Anna (Rolfes) Hanneman.

Barney Hanneman was born in Glandorf, Germany. He came to America at the age of eighteen with a colony of Germans and settled in Otta- wa township, Putnam county. He helped develop this township, clearing the land of the heavy timber, and was prominent in the affairs of this community throughout his life. After his marriage, he bought a farm in Union town- ship, of forty acres, which he developed. To this he, subsequently, added a hundred and fifty-five acres, making a total of a hundred and ninety-five acres. He still lives on the farm in Union township. Mrs. Barney Hanne- man, his wife, was born in Glandorf, Germany, and came to America alone, when twenty-two years of age. She was educated in her native land and, after her arrival in America, came to Glandorf, Putnam county, Ohio, which was a German settlement, and which had been settled by natives of Glandorf, Germany, where she had been born. She is still living on the farm in Union township. She and her husband are members of the Catholic church at Glandorf, where she reared a family of six children, as follow: Mrs. Henry Jerwers, of Union township; Mrs. Fred Hermiller, who lives in Greensburg township; Clementine and Joseph who live at home. Mr. and

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Mrs. Hanneman have reared a highly respected family and one of which they have good reason to be proud.

After his marriage, Louis Hermiller came to his present farm of eighty acres, in section 36, of Palmer township. He worked hard and, eventually, converted this farm into a paying proposition. He built most of the build- ings and made many other improvements. Mr. Hermiller had a hard time, at first, but by unceasing industry he has succeeded and made out of his farm one of the best in this section of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Hermiller have one child, Frances, born April 25, 1913.

Mr. Hermiller has a barn equipped with all the modern conveniences. He has erected a specially-built farm power-house. It is equipped with a gasoline engine and has line shafting which operates the feed cutter, washing machine, milk separator, apple press, seed separator and many other labor- saving devices. Mr. Hermiller also has his own forge and machine shop.

Louis Hermiller is a Democrat. He and his family are members of St. Nicholas Catholic church, at Miller City, Ohio. He is a successful farmer, progressive in all his ideas, not in reference to farming, but with reference to civic, political and social life. He is pleasant and agreeable in manner, and is well read and well informed.

JOHN A. MYERS.

There came to Putnam county, Ohio, in 1883 a young couple who had just been married. They bought a farm in Van Buren township and there started to make their home. They had a small, two-roomed log cabin, and in this they lived until such a time as they were able to provide for them- selves a more comfortable home. Today, John A. Myers is one of the sub- stantial farmers of his township, and the success which has come to him and his good wife bears ample witness to the fact that they have worked faith- fully and well to provide for themselves and their children.

John A. Myers, the son of David and Mary E. (Fraker) Myers, was born on May 6, 1861, in Franklin county, Ohio. His father, who was the. son of Chris Myers, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and came to. Franklin county, Ohio, where he bought a farm near Reynoldsburg. He. made two trips from Pennsylvania to Franklin county, Ohio, before he finally located in the latter county, bringing his wife and one child with him on his second trip.

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David Myers was a shoemaker by trade and worked at this when he was not engaged in farming. He remained on this farm only a few years and then removed west of Columbus, where he bought another farm, on which he lived until his death, on April 23, 1887. His wife, Mary Fraker, was also a native of Franklin county, Pennsylvania. David and Mary (Fraker) Myers were the parents of eight children: Margaret, deceased; John A., of Van Buren township; David W., of Hillard, Ohio, who married Anna Bur- ket, and has three children, Hazel, Flossie and Norman, the latter of whom died at the age of nineteen; Ezra, who marrid Carrie Rodgers, and has three children, Perry, Flora and George; Eva, who married Charles Glasier, a farmer of this county, and has four children, Ethel, Lester, Garnet and Ivalu; Katherine and Theney both died in infancy, and Benjamin F., who married Annie Miller, and has two children, Earl and Elizabeth.

John A. Myers was reared in Franklin county, Ohio, and lived there until he was married at the age of twenty-two. He received a good common school education and remained at home, assisting his father on the farm until that year. Immediately after his marriage he and his young bride set out for their new home in Putnam county, where they purchased a farm just east of Belmore on the old Defiance road. Their assets consisted of their good health and a strong ambition to succeed. The little log cabin in which they started to housekeeping is still standing. It was here that they saw their early struggles and here it was that most of their children were born. They worked with a determination to improve their farm and they have suc- ceeded to an admirable degree. Mr. Myers has been especially successful in raising stock and has given particular attention to hog raising. He is free to give much credit to his excellent wife for much of the success which has attended his efforts.

John A. Myers was married on October 11, 1883, to Caroline E. Smith, a daughter of Peter and Margaret (Fedders) Smith. Her father was a native of Germany and came to America, at the age of four, with his parents and located in Franklin county, Ohio. Margaret Fedders was a native of New York state and came to Franklin county, Ohio, with her parents when she was a child. John A. and Caroline E. (Smith) Myers are the parents of eleven children, Elizabeth Jane, David Elmer, Lulu May, Mabel, John E., Garnet William, George A., Eva Marie, Zula Pearl, Gladys Fay and Blanche Margaret. Three of these children are deceased: Mabel, who died at the age of nineteen; Eva Marie, who died at the age of two years, seven months and twenty-nine days, and Zula Pearl, who died at the age of fourteen. David Elmer, a farmer of this county, married Eva Rader, and has two

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children, Harold and Glenn; Zula May married Harry Todd, a farmer of this county, and has two daughters, Agnes and Lucile. The other children are still single and living at home.

John A. Myers is a Democrat in politics, but has never cared to take an active part in political work. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Belmore, and his two sons, John and Garnet, are also members of the same lodge. Although not a member of any church, Mr. Myers is an attendant of the Presbyterian church, of which denomination his wife is a member. Mr. Myers is a man of energy and industry, and he and his family are highly esteemed in the community where they reside.

ALPHA H. BARBER, D. D. S.

A successful member of the dental profession who is now residing at Leipsic, Putnam county, Ohio, is Alpha H. Barber, D. D. S., who has been a resident of this county for the past seven years. Receiving a good com- mon and high school education, he taught school for a time and then grad- uated from an excellent dental school, since which time he has been fol- lowing his profession. Since becoming a resident of Leipsic, he has taken an active part in the life of the community and has taken a deep interest in religious, educational and fraternal affairs.

Alpha H. Barber, who is the son of Hiram S. and Charlotte (Shoop) Barber, was born at Swanton, Fulton county, Ohio, May 25, 1875. His father was also a native of Fulton county, his birth occurring there about 1841, his mother being born in Erie county, Ohio, January 9, 1845. Hiram S. Barber and wife were the parents of four children: Rose, who died at the age of fifteen; Mary, the wife of George Murphy, of Antwerp, and the mother of two children, Claren and Jennie; Lottie, the wife of William Tehan, of Toledo, Ohio, and the mother of two chillren, Alpha F. and Pau- line, and Dr. Alpha H., of Leipsic.

Hiram S. Barber grew to manhood on the same farm, in Fulton county, where he was born. He enlisted for services in the Union army by becom- ing a member of the Fifty-fifth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served during practically the entire struggle. His regiment was with Gen- eral Sherman on his famous march through Georgia, and he participated in all the hard-fought engagements in that state. He also fought in Virginia. His health was seriously impaired while he was in the war and he- returned,

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a few months before it ended, and died shortly afterward, from disease con- tracted while in the service. Hiram S. Barber and Charlotte Schoop lived in Swanton for about fifteen years, and then moved to Paulding, Paulding county, Ohio, where the mother is now living.

Alpha A. Barber lived in Swanton until he was about five years of age, and then the family moved to Antwerp, in Paulding county. He graduated from the common and high schools at Antwerp, and immediately after finish- ing the course in the high school began to teach in the public schools of that county. After teaching two years he became a student in the Ohio Dental College, at Cincinnati, and took a complete three-years course in that ex- cellent institution. Immediately after his graduation, he located at Deshler, Henry county, Ohio, for the practice of his profession and remained there for eight years. He then removed to Leipsic, where he has since been prac- ticing with a success which speaks well for his ability as a skillful dentist.

Doctor Barber was married on May 9, 1904, to Vesta Cunningham, the daughter of Robert and Mary (Hipkins) Cunningham, and to this union one son has been born, Robert, who is now eight years of age. Robert and Mary (Hipkins) Cunningham were the parents of three children, Vesta. Doane and Edward.

Doctor Barber is president of the board of education of Leipsic and actively interested in education matters. He and his family are loyal mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he is a member of the official board of his denomination. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and is worshipful master of his lodge. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen, and is clerk of the lodge at Leipsic.

NOAH SCHUMACHER.

Success is the result of many factors which are not likely to appear in a bare statement of facts concerning a man's life. Success, however, is by no means a matter of accident. On the contrary, it is the result of careful, painstaking, diligent attention to business. Imagination, perhaps, is more vital to success than industry or even economy in personal and private life. Good judgment is merely one phase of a healthy, active imagination. Noah Schumacher is possessed of all these qualities and, moreover, has won the reputation for strict honesty and square dealing, no small factors in his per- sonal success. Everything he has touched has turned out well, because he

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reasoned well regarding the future. Now, although he has hardly arrived at the prime of life, he is able to look back upon his career with keen satis- faction, for he is a man who has made each moment count for something.

Noah Schumacher was born on August 14, 1877, in Richland township, Allen county, Ohio, the son of Christian P. and Regina (Steiner) Schu- macher. Christian P. Schumacher was also born in Richland township, Allen county, April 20, 1848, the son of Peter and Magdalene ( Suter ) Schumacher. Peter Schumacher was a native of Basel, Switzerland, who came to America about 1835, and who settled in Richland township, Allen county, Ohio, where he entered land from the government. Peter Schumacher and wife were the parents of sixteen children, all of whom grew to maturity and, in turn, reared large families. Their names are: Christian, Adam, David, Daniel, John, Benjamin, Peter, Magdalene, Barbara, Elizabeth, Mary, Fannie, Catherine, Susan and Sarah, twins, and Lydia.

Peter Schumacher lived on the old homestead in Richland township, Allen county, until his death. In addition to being a farmer, he was a min- ister of the Mennonite church; Christian, the eldest son, was reared on the old homestead and, when twenty-two years old, was married to Regina Steiner, the daughter of Benjamin and Mary Ann (Moser) Steiner. Her parents were also pioneers. After his marriage, Christian Schumacher located on part of his father's land and here he lived until 1908, when he sold this place and purchased a farm adjoining Pandora, on the north, where he now lives in retirement. Christian Schumacher and wife have had fourteen children: Samuel, of Arizona ; Helena, the wife of Daniel Diller, also resides in Ari- zona ; Menno, who married Lena Diller; Noah, the subject of this sketch; Reuben, who lives in Putnam county ; Sarah, who resides in Arizona ; Albert, who married Sarah Weida; Cyrus, who married Olivia Hilty; Franklin and William, twins, who died in infancy; Hiram, who lives at Napoleon, Ohio; Orlin, Salena and Oliver, all of whom are single and at home.

Noah Schumacher spent his boyhood days in Richland township, on the old homestead, and attended the common schools, and later, the Ohio Normal University at Ada. After finishing school, he took a position with Hipkins Brothers of Ottawa and, in the late fall of 1897, purchased an interest in the firm of P. A. Amstutz & Company. This connection he retained until 1903, when the firm changed to the Pandora Dry Goods and Clothing Company. At this time he became manager, and still holds this position. Under his direc- tion the firm has enjoyed a very healthy growth, until today it is one of the leading stores in Pandora. In addition to his interests in this mercantile busi- ness, he has other financial and commercial interests.

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On August 19, 1902, at the age of twenty-five, Mr. Schumacher was married to Mary Kempf, the daughter of Rudolph and Anna (Wehrley) Kempf, of Pandora. The former is a native of Switzerland and the latter of Riley township, Putnam county. To this happy union have been born three boys, Glenn Frederick, Earl Franklin and Wayne Richard.

Noah Schumacher is a member of the Missionary Church Association, of which association he is also treasurer. The headquarters of the church is at Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Noah Schumacher is a deacon in the local church. He is a clean-cut, young business man and one who enjoys, to the utmost, the confidence of the citizens of his community. He is modest, intelligent and honest, a devout Christian and, in fact, one of the finest types of manhood to be found anywhere in Putnam county.

JOHN D. BRIDENBAUGH.

John D. Bridenbaugh is one of the most enterprising farmers of Riley township, Putnam county, Ohio. He is a man, who, by correct methods and a strict regard for the interest of others, has made his influence felt in Riley township. He is one of those men whose integrity and strength of character must bring them into admirable notice, yet a notice which their modesty never seeks. John D. Bridenbaugh is a man who has lived an honorable and useful life. He is one of those individuals to be found in nearly every com- munity, who, by reason of ability and force of character, rise above the heads of the masses and command the highest esteem of their fellow men.

John D. Bridenbaugh, a successful farmer of Riley township, Putnam county, Ohio, was born there on August 2, 1862. He is the son of Michael and Jemimah (Graham) Bridenbaugh, the former of whom was born on December 15, 1820, in Summit county, Ohio. Michael Bridenbaugh's par- ents were natives of Pennsylvania and his grandparents of Germany. Both the paternal and maternal grandfathers of Michael Bridenbaugh were sol- diers in the Revolutionary War, two of his brothers, William and David, were in the Civil War, the former of whom was killed, and another in the Mexican War.

Michael Bridenbaugh came from Summit county, Ohio, to Putnam county, in 1835, settling in Blanchard township. It seems that Michael's father settled in Hancock county, west of Findlay, where he entered land from the government. Michael was one of a large family, consisting of about fourteen children, ten of whom lived to maturity. Michael was next

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to the eldest and, at the age of fifteen, he began to shift for himself. He came to Blanchard township and worked for several of the old pioneer farmers. He was married, first to Nancy Evans on November 5, 1854. She lived only a short time after their marriage and, at her death, left one son, Nathan Emery, who was born on August 14, 1855, and died at the age of eight years, July 30, 1863. Nancy Evans was born on August 4, 1828. Michael Bridenbaugh was married again, shortly afterward, on February 5, 1857, to Jemimah Graham, who was born in Big Lick township, Hancock county, Ohio, and who was the daughter of John and Sarah (Thomas) Graham. John Graham was a pioneer of Hancock county, who entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in Big Lick township, about 1832. He and his wife were natives of Kentucky and had three sons and two daughters: George W .; Jemimah; Monroe; Thomas, who was killed in the Civil War, and Mary, all of whom are now deceased. After his second marriage, Mich- ael Bridenbaugh settled on the banks of Riley creek, in the northwestern part of Riley township, where he purchased about one hundred and sixty acres of land. He later added to this farm, until he owned two hundred and seventy acres when he died. None of the land was cleared when he acquired pos- session of it. He first built a small one-story frame house and a log barn. This little house was replaced, in 1877, by a more commodious brick resi- dence, in which John D. Bridenbaugh lives today. Michael Bridenbaugh also built barns and other outbuildings in keeping with the brick house. He was a breeder of Belgian horses and was very successful with them. He was a Democrat and has served as county commissioner for two terms, or in all, six years, and was also trustee of Riley township for six years, was also a member of the school board for several years and held other honorary posi- tions and was a member of the United Brethren church, as was also his wife. By his second marriage, there were three children, Sarah A., born on January 31, 1858, died on August 16, 1863; John D., the subject of this sketch; and Emma E., March 16, 1867, who is the deceased wife of A. M. Emmons. She had five children, Carrie, Gertrude, Earl, Jemimah and Laurel, deceased. The mother of these children died on September 12, 1903. Michael Briden- baugh was a typical pioneer who started with nothing and who, by great in- dustry, established a home and built up a comfortable fortune in what was once a wilderness. He was a man of strong convictions, high ideals and unquestioned integrity, as are evident by the number of offices conferred upon him by his fellow citizens.

John D. Bridenbaugh was born on the old homestead and spent his childhood here. He attended the district schools and after finishing his studies there helped his father on the home place, until his parent's death,

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May 25, 1895, at which time he assumed charge of his portion of the home place.

On September 20, 1898, John D. Bridenbaugh was married to Ella Diller, who was born on May 29, 1873, in Riley township. She was the daughter of John D. and Fanny ( Wearley) Diller, both of whom came from pioneer stock. John D. Diller's father was a native of Switzerland and came to Putnam county at an early day.

After his marriage, Mr. Bridenbaugh continued to farm the old place. on which he has been very successful. He now owns two hundred acres of land and has always done general farming, feeding cattle and hogs for the market.

John D. and Ella (Diller) Bridenbaugh have five children, Ralph J.,. born on June 20, 1899; Clark G., July 4, 1901 ; Arthur J., June 28, 1903; Err S., November 28, 1905, and Warren R., November, 1909, all of whom are at home.

John D. Bridenbaugh is a Democrat and has been a member of the school board for several years. Mr. Bridenbaugh is an attendant of the Methodist Episcopal church, where his wife is a member. He is a progres- sive farmer and one of the substantial citizens of Putnam county.

EWING V. BURNS, D. D. S.

A promising young dentist of Leipsic, Ohio, is Ewing V. Burns, D. D. S., who has been practicing his profession in that place since 1905. He comes. from a prominent family of Troy, Ohio, where his father has been engaged in the practice of law since the close of the Civil War, in which struggle he was. an honorable participant. Doctor Burns is a graduate of the high school at Troy and of the dental department of the University of Cincinnati, and, in addition, has taken special training in other dental schools. He is a young man of exceptional ability, and, since living in Leipsic, has taken a very prom- inent part in the civic life of that place, and is now serving in an efficient manner as mayor of the village.

Ewing V. Burns, who is the son of Charles N. and Eliza (Bailey) Burns, was born in Troy, Ohio, on January 21, 1882. He is one of two sons born to his parents, the other son being John C.

Charles N. Burns, the son of Robert and Eliza (Vance) Burns, was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, on October 21, 1839, on the site now occupied by the John Church Company, at the corner of Fourth and Plum streets. When

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he was thirteen years of age, Charles N. Burns moved, with his mother, to Troy, Ohio, and there attended the common and high schools, graduating from the latter in three years. At the age of twenty-one he enlisted in an Ohio regiment and served until 1864, when he was honorably discharged on account of wounds received in the service. Among other leaders in that great conflict under whom he served were Generals Burnside and Mcclellan. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, Antietam, South Mountain and the second battle of Bull Run. After the close of the Civil War, he returned to his home in Troy, Ohio, and took up the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in a short time at Troy. He continued in the active practice of his profession until 1914, when he retired. Charles N. Burns was twice married, his second wife being Eliza Bailey, to whom he was married on October I, 1873. She was born at Sidney, Ohio, on January 4, 1841, her ancestors being of English descent. The Bailey family of Ohio have traced their family record back to the landing of the "Mayflower," when a member of the family came to America. Eliza Bailey's father was born at Baltimore in 1799, while her mother, Lydia Day, was born at Frederick, Maryland, on December 28, 1806.

Ewing V. Burns was educated in the public schools of Troy, Ohio, and graduated from the high school. He took a prominent part in athletics while in high school, and was captain of the Troy football team in 1899. After leaving the high school he entered the Central Dental College at In- dianapolis, Indiana, and remained there two years. He completed his dental course in the University of Cincinnati in the spring of 1903, and then took special work in Chicago, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati for the ensuing two years. He located at Leipsic, Putnam county, Ohio, in 1905, where he has built up a large and lucrative practice in his chosen profession.

Ewing V Burns, D. D. S., was married on August II, 1909, to Bessie L. Davis, of Troy, Ohio, a daughter of J. O. Davis and wife, of that city. Doctor Burns is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Royal Arch, of Ottawa, the commandery at Findlay and Zenobia Temple Mystic Shrine at Toledo. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Arcanum. He gives his hearty support to the Republican party and has been one of the leaders of his party in Leipsic since becoming a resident of this place. A striking evidence of his popularity as a public-spirited citizen is shown by the fact that he was elected mayor of Leipsic in November, 1913, and is now performing the duties of this office in a very satisfactory manner. Doctor Burns is a young man with progressive ideas in regard to civic life and a man whose ideals are in accordance with the highest type of American citizenship.

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JOHN A. WALTERS.

The prosperity and substantial welfare of a community depend very largely upon the character and enterprise of its business men, as much on those of the younger and rising generation as on those who have already achieved success and reached the goal of their desires. It is the progressive, wide-awake men of affairs who make the real history of a county or state and upon them also rests the responsibility of giving moral tone to the body politic, of directing thought and shaping opinion, and of taking the lead in all progressive measures for the public good. To this class of strong, virile young men belongs John Walters, of Riley township, Putnam county, a young man of sterling character and sturdy worth.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 90

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