History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 91

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 91

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John Walters was born on September 12, 1885, in Monroe township, Allen county, Ohio, a son of Jesse S. and Mary (Krass) Walters, the latter of whom was the daughter of Michael and Lyda Krass. Jesse Walters was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, on February 15, 1839, and died at Bluffton, Ohio, June 24, 1914. He was a son of John Walters and wife, married first to Lila Ramsey, who died, after which he married Anna Moore.

Grandfather John Walters was a farmer and moved from Fairfield county, Ohio, to Hancock county, about 1849, when Jesse Walters was about ten years of age. There he bought a farm on the banks of the Blanchard river, between three and four miles west of Findlay, Ohio, and it was on that farm that Jesse Walters grew to manhood. John Walters was twice married, having had seven children by his first union, and three by his second. Jesse Walters was a son of the first marriage, his mother having died after he had himself married. John Walters died on July 15, 1864.

Jesse Walters attended a typical log-cabin school and helped his father on the old homstead. He was a great reader and improved his mind at every opportunity. After his marriage to Mary Krass he bought a little farm near the old homestead, where he and his wife lived for a few years, after which they moved to Monroe township, Allen county. It was on this farm that John Walters was born. There Jesse Walters bought a farm, which was nearly all timber, while a large portion of it was under water. Only sufficient land had been cleared for the erection of the house, a one-room affair, built of planks. This served the family for several years, after which a somewhat more pretentious house was built. It was in this second house that John Walters was born.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Jesse Walters enlisted in the Twenty- first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, at the first call for volunteers. He

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served throughout the entire war and, during his last years as a soldier was commander of his brigade. He participated in several of the most important engagements of the war, including Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and the march to the sea.

To Jesse and Mary (Krass) Walters four children were born, as fol- low : Emma, who is the wife of John Gillespie, of Kent, Ohio, and to whom has been born three children; Mable, deceased; Howard and Melvin; Har- mon, who lives in Beaver Dam, Ohio, married Sarah Stager and has five children, Florence, Charles, Lillie, Elmer and John; Mary (Mollie) who is the wife of Brake Fruchey and lives near Rockport, Ohio, is the mother of three children, Wilbur, deceased; Mary; Lawrence; and John, the subject of this sketch.

Jesse Walters and wife were both members of the United Brethren church, in which denomination Jesse Walters was a preacher, attached to the church at Lewis Corners, Allen county, and to St. Paul's church, Riley township, Putnam county. He was a devout Christian and took part with Reverend Furgeson in several revival meetings. Mrs. Walters was likewise an active church worker and a beautiful Christian character.

When John Walters was about two years of age, his parents moved to near Rockport, Monroe township, a few miles from his birthplace. The family lived there for about twelve years, and. it was there the subject spent his childhood and attended the old Rockport district school. From that place, the family moved to Pandora in the fall of 1899, where Jesse Walters lived a somewhat retired life until his death. It was there that Mrs. Walters died on September 20, 1910, at the age of sixty-one. In October, 1911, Jesse Walters married a second time, his second wife being Mrs. Kate Put- nam. They lived in Pandora for one year, and then moved to Bluffton, where Mr. Walters died, two years later.

John Walters did not go to Pandora with his parents, but came to that place in the spring of 1900. During the next two years, he employed his time in doing odd jobs, and, at the age of sixteen, obtained a position with the Pandora Overall Company, with which concern he has been associated, continually, since that time, with the exception of one year. His first em- ployment with that company was that of a button riveter, and from that position he has risen steadily through all the departments of the manufactur- ing end of the business. He is at present in charge of the cutting depart- ment, a position which he has held for nine years.

On December 27, 1906, when John Walters was twenty-one years of age, he married Elizabeth Agner, who was born near Ottawa, Putnam county,

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on October 1, 1880, a daughter of William and Hattie Agner. To this union have been born two children, Leonard and Raymond. Mrs. Walters spent her childhood with her parents, near Ottawa, where she attended both the common and high schools. She remained with her mother until the time of her marriage, her father having died several years previous to that time.

John Walters is a supporter of the Republican party and has always taken an intelligent interest in the political affairs of his community, although he has never aspired to public office. Mrs. Walters is a member of the Church of Christ, in which she is an active worker. Mr. Walters is one of the clean-cut and progressive citizens of Pandora, a man of excellent char- acter, high ideals and unquestioned integrity. In business, his qualifications are best expressed by the appellation "live wire," so often used as the highest form of compliment in these days of hustle.

HOWARD HUMPHREYS.

There is no profession which is more closely interwoven with the intimate things of humanity or in which a follower must possess more of the milk of human kindness than in that of the undertaker. He is called into a house of mourning at a time when the inmates are bowed down by the first throes of their grief, when their thoughts cannot be centered upon the next steps to be taken and when, above all other times, they need the presence of a helping hand to which they can, with implicit confidence, entrust the cares and duties the occasion requires. At such times the undertaker enters the family circle, coming not in the guise of one who is to remove from it a beloved member, but rather as a true friend to whom may be trusted the care of the earthly remains of one who, at that moment, is held more dear than ever before. He comes without ostentation and with words of sympathy and comfort ready on his lips; he practically assumes, for the time being, all the responsibilities of the bereaved family, and stands between its members and all jarring con- tact with the outside world. He is the friend in need and the trusted adviser, never conspicuous, but ever at hand to ward off from the grief-stricken fam- ily all outside influences which might threaten to profane these, the holiest moments of their lives. Small wonder it is that the men who perform such offices should be among the most beloved members of their communities, and it is with such a man that this sketch deals.

Howard Humphreys was born on January 28, 1862, in Allen county,

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Ohio, a son of William J. and Margaret J. (Davis) Humphreys. William J. Humphreys was born in North Wales on August 27, 1828, and died in Marion township, Allen county, Ohio, November 18, 1888. He came to America with his parents when he was thirteen years of age, and settled in Cambria county, Pennsylvania, where his father spent the remainder of his life. Will- iam Humphreys remained with his parents until he reached his majority, then he came to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he worked for a short time.

In Cincinnati he met and married Margaret J. Davis, who was born in South Wales, April 7, 1832, a daughter of Jabez Davis and wife. She died on October 8, 1874. Mrs. Humphreys came to America with her parents about 1842, when she was ten years of age. The family settled in Jackson county, Ohio, where her father engaged in farming. There he lived and died at an advanced age, his wife having died several years previous to his death.

After his marriage, William Humphreys returned to Cambria county, Pennsylvania, where he remained for a few years, and then returned to Marion township, Allen county, Ohio. There he purchased eighty acres of land for himself and eighty acres for his father. Later, after his father's death, he purchased the latter's farm also. At the time of the original pur- chase of the farms the land was practically in a virgin state and Mr. Hum- phreys was obliged to expend much energy and hard labor in clearing it and preparing it for cultivation. The family lived in an old log house, which stood on the father's land, where seven of William Humphrey's ten children were born. The old log house was later replaced by a substantial frame structure, in which William Humphreys passed his declining years.

Ten children were born to William and Margaret J. (Davis) Humphreys, as follow: John W., who married Margarette Jane Evans, deceased, who had four children, one of which is deceased; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Noah E. Brenneman and the mother of four children, three of which are liv- ing; Harriett, who died at the age of twenty-eight; George W., who married Frances Ridenour and has two children; Howard, the subject of this sketch; Mary, who was taken to bring up by her father's sister, Ellen, of Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, and who died at the age of six years; David, who married Della Sherrick and has two children; William, who died at the age of twenty- two, and Emily, deceased, who was the wife of Daniel Huffer and who had one child, and Margaret, died in infancy.

Howard Humphreys remained on the homestead until he was twenty- eight years of age. He attended the schools of his township and assisted his. father in the work of operating the farm. In November, 1888, when he was twenty-six years of age, he married Myrtle Babcock, a daughter of William

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Babcock and wife. Her parents were natives of Crawford county, Ohio, and later settled in Putnam county. Mrs. Humphreys died on November 26, 1896. No children were born to that union.

Two years after his marriage, in 1890, Mr. Humphreys bought a farm in Washington township, Van Wert county, Ohio, where he remained four years. He then removed to Bluffton, Ohio, where he engaged in the livery business for two years. In the spring, after his wife's death, he moved to. Columbus Grove, where he continued in the livery business for one year. He then purchased an interest in the furniture business of Hartman & Alstetter, buying Mr. Alstetter's interests, the firm being then known as Hartman & Humphreys. He retained his interest in that business for three years and then sold his share to Mr. Hartman. His next business enterprise was when he purchased the interest of J. M. Crawford in the Columbus Grove Lumber Company, with which he was identified during the next four and one-half years. Six months after selling his interest in the lumber company, he bought a half interest in the furniture and undertaking business of C. B. Sterling. That was in 1906, and Mr. Humphreys has been identified with that business: up to the present time, having met with great success.

On October 9, 1899, he married a second time, his second wife being Emma R. Light, who was born in Putnam county, on August 13, 1873, a daughter of David and Rosanna Light. David Light was born on November 27, 1840, in Richland county, Ohio, a son of David and Barbara (Fackler ) Light, who came from Lebanon county, Pennsylvania. Rosanna (Bricker) Light was born on March 7, 1842, a daughter of Levi and Catherine (Warner ) Bricker, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Howard Humph- reys was educated in the common schools of Putnam county and in the high school at Columbus Grove. She later attended Fostoria Academy, where she took a normal course. Three children have been born to Howard and Emma. R. (Light) Humphreys, as follow: David Walter, William Howard and Nor- man Light, all of whom are living at home and are still attending school.

Howard Humphreys is a supporter of the Republican party and has taken an intelligent interest in the political affairs of his community, although he has never aspired to public office. He is a member of Knights of Pythias. Lodge No. 376, of Columbus Grove, Ohio. Both Howard Humphreys and wife are members of the First Christian church and are active in church work, Mr. Humphreys having served the church as a trustee.

As a citizen, Mr. Humphreys ranks high in his community, where he is deeply respected by all who know him. He is a man of high ideals, strict business integrity and many sterling qualities.

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JOHN BARNEY VERHOFF.

It cannot be other than interesting to note, in the series of personal sketches appearing in this work, the varying conditions that have compassed those whose careers are here outlined. An effort has been made in each case to throw a well-focused light on the individuality and to bring into proper perspective the scheme of each career. Each man who strives to fulfill his part, in connection with human life and human activities, deserves recogni- tion, whatever his field of endeavor. And it is the function of works of this nature to perpetuate for future generations an authentic record concerning those represented in its pages. The value of such publications is certain to be cumulative for all time, and will present for posterity the individual and specific accomplishment of each generation.

John Barney Verhoff, a well-known farmer in Greensburg township, Putnam county, Ohio, was born on his father's farm, April 15, 1875. He is the son of Theodore and Elizabeth (Egbers) Verhoff, the former of whom was born in Greensburg township, Putnam county, Ohio, June 17, 1838, and the latter of whom was a daughter of Theodore Egbers, and a native of Germany. Theodore Verhoff and Elizabeth Egbers were married on June 18, 1861, and had twelve children. Theodore Verhoff was the son of Francis and Mary (Kramer) Verhoff, the former of whose parents lived and died in Germany, and the latter of whom was the daughter of Theodore and Gertrude (Veraking) Kramer:

John Barney Verhoff attended school in Greensburg township, and worked on his father's farm. He performed the usual labor which falls to the average country boy, and was industrious from the time of his youth.

Mr. Verhoff was married on November 3, 1903, to Mary Lemper, who was born on September 5, 1872, and who is the daughter of William and Clara (Drop) Lampert, natives of Germany, where they were married. The children of William and Clara (Drop) Lemper were as follow: Mary, the wife of J. B. Verhoff ; William, Clara, and Agnes. William married Lena Wortmann, and lives in Michigan. They have six children; Clara married William Edelbrock, and lives in Union township; Agnes married William Verhoff, and lives near Owosso, Michigan. They have seven chil- dren.

After his marriage, John Barney Verhoff moved to his present farm of eighty acres, in Greensburg township. Mr. Verhoff owns this farm, upon which he has erected some fine buildings, and made many substantial and

MR. AND MRS, JOHN BARNEY VERHOFF,

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attractive improvements. Mr. and Mrs. Verhoff have two children, Mar- garet, born on December 19, 1907, and Mary, born on August 10, 1910.

John Barney Verhoff believes in having good horses and live stock. He owns some splendid Belgian horses and is also contemplating getting into the full-blood cattle-raising business, at this time having some splendid Shorthorn cattle on his place. Taken all in all, his live stock may be counted as first-class in every respect. He has a fine substantial barn on his place. He is very industrious and a hard-worker, which indicates a successful future. He has well-grounded opinions on topics of the day, is devoted to his wife and family and they, with their children, form a very happy circle.

John Barney Verhoff makes a specialty of chickens and thoroughbred Duroc-Jersey hogs. He is township health officer of Greensburg township, and in politics is a stanch Democrat. He is a sturdy type of the young Ger- man farmer, ambitious and acquainted with all the problems touching not only his vocation, but the political affairs of his state and the country at large. Temperamentally, Mr. Verhoff is pleasant and agreeable. He is popular in the township where he lives, and is a man who has never been known to violate a spoken or written promise. Mr. and Mrs. Verhoff and family belong to the St. Nicholas Catholic church, at Kalida. His wife has co-operated faithfully with Mr. Verhoff to his ultimate success. They have a charming family.

CHRISTIAN SCHUMACHER, JR.

Among the worthy residents of Putnam county, Ohio, whose presence has been an important factor in the development of this great county, is Christian Schumacher, Jr. Mr. Schumacher's success has been due in a large degree to his prodigious industry, good management and upright character. The business of farming demands confidence, and where that is lacking, business is liable to end. Christian Schumacher has always pos- sessed the confidence of his neighbors and the men with whom he has had business relations. His immediate associates and acquaintances respect him, and the younger generation has taken his life as an example for their careers. He not only is a progressive man of affairs and successful in material pur- suits, but is a man of modest and unassuming demeanor, well informed and a fine type of a self-made American, a friend to the poor, charitable to the faults of his neighbors and always ready to unite with every good work.

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Mr. Schumacher is proud of the county where he has spent so many years, and to which he has given a full measure of his life's energy.

Christian Schumacher was born on April 20, 1848, in Richland town- ship, Allen county, Ohio. He is the son of Peter and Elizabeth (Suter) Schumacher, the former of whom was born in 1819, at Basel, Switzerland, Christian Schumacher, Sr., and Elizabeth (Lugibihl) Schumacher were the parents of Peter Schumacher.

Christian Schumacher, Jr., lived on the old homestead farm, in Put- nam county, until he was twenty-one years of age. Prior to attaining his majority, he attended the typical log cabin school until he was fourteen years- of age. When about eighteen years of age, he learned the carpenter trade, and, at the age of twenty-one, left home and followed his trade for one year.

When Mr. Schumacher was twenty-two years old, he was married to Regina Steiner, the daughter of Ulrich and Mary Ann (Moser) Steiner. Ulrich Steiner was a native of Alsace, France, and the son of Christian and Catherine (Lugibihl) Steiner. His wife, who was Mary Ann Moser, was the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Wolley) Moser, all of whom were natives of Switzerland. Christian Steiner came to America in 1835, and was one of the founders of the Mennonite church in Putnam county. His son, Ulrich, became the first bishop of the church. Jacob Moser and family came to America in the early part of the nineteenth century, settling first in Virginia. Later, they came to Wayne county, Ohio, near Dalton.

After his marriage, Mr. Schumacher located on a farm four miles west of Bluffton, in Allen county, where he remained for thirty-five years. He then moved to a farm adjoining Pandora on the north. This farm, to which he moved after his marriage, had eighty acres which he rented for five years, when he purchased it. Later, he purchased twenty-nine acres more, giving him in all one hundred and nine acres. He sold this farm in 1907 and moved to the farm where he now lives. This farm he purchased, two years later, and in 1908, he bought the Deiter farm in the southeast part of Riley township, which consists of eighty acres. In January, 1915, Mr. Schumacher purchased forty-five acres lying east of the present home farm, giving him eighty-five acres in this farm. He has always done general farming and has been quite successful. He and his wife have been hard workers all their lives and have earned an honorable competence.

Christian and Regina (Steiner) Schumacher have been the parents of fourteen children, Samuel is unmarried and lives in Arizona; Helena is the wife of Daniel Diller, and lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where they have children as follow : Oliver, Edith, Herbert, Eunice, Catherine, Rhoda, Goldie,

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Lillian, Glenn, Robert, who died at the age of three, and a baby who died in infancy; Menno married Lena Diller, and lives in Riley township, where they have two children, Arthur and Edgar; Noah lives in Pandora, where he married Mary Kempf and they have three children, Glenn, Earl and Wayne; Reuben is unmarried and lives in Riley township; Sarah is unmar- ried and lives at home; Albert married Sarah Weida and lives in Pandora; Cyrus married Olivia Hilty, they have one child, Paul; Franklin and Will- iam, twins, died in infancy; Orlin is unmarried and at home; Hirham lives at Napoleon; Salina and Oliver also live at home.

Reverting to Mr. Schumacher's ancestors: Christian Schumacher, Sr., his grandfather, was born in Alsace-Lorraine at the town of Florimont, in 1789, and came to America in 1836, with his wife and four children, Barbara, John, Peter and Christian. Christian Schumacher, Sr., operated a grist- mill at Basel, Switzerland, and was also a wine merchant in Alsace-Lorraine. He did a wholesale, or brokerage, business in wine. He had a little farm of sixteen acres, just outside of Basel, which he sold to wealthy land owners there, on coming to America. Christian Schumacher and wife were thirty- six days on the water on their voyage to America, and a week in coming from New York City to Wayne county, Ohio. Part of the trip was made by canal boat. They remained in Wayne county, Ohio, about two weeks, visiting relatives, and then proceeded to Richland township, Allen county, formed a part of Putnam county, and here settled on a farm of two hun- dred and thirteen acres, three and one-half miles north of Shannon, later Bluffton, which he purchased of a man by the name of Gray. He later bought another farm of about two hundred acres southeast of the old homestead, from a man by the name of Sackett. In addition to this land, he entered other land from the government and had in all about nine hundred acres.

Christian Schumacher, Sr., was considered pretty well-to-do when he settled in the new country. He first lived in a log cabin, however, which was on the place, but soon afterward built a pretentious house of eight rooms after the colonial style. This house is still standing and is in a good state of preservation.

One of Christian Schumacher, Sr's, daughters, Barbara, was married to Peter Steiner before coming to America, he coming with the rest of the family.

Peter Schumacher, the father of Christian, Jr., was sixteen years old when he came with his parents to America. It was on the old homestead that he grew to manhood, where he was married, at about the age of twenty- one, to Elizabeth Suter, the daughter of Christian and Magdalene (Steiner)

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Suter, who was born on December 6, 1821, and who died on October 12, 1897. The Suters came originally from Berne, Switzerland. From there they moved to Alsace-Lorraine and it was there that Elizabeth Suter was born. The family first settled in Rockingham county, Virginia, after com- ing to America, but remained only two years when they came to Holmes county, Ohio, remaining there but a short time, finally arriving in Putnam county, Ohio, where they settled, one and one-half miles southeast of Pen- dleton, now Pandora. Here Peter Schumacher continued to farm the old homestead, until his death on May 28, 1881, at the age of sixty-two. In addi- tion to the two hundred and fourteen acres, in the original Schumacher homestead, which he inherited from his father, Peter purchased ninety acres from his brother John's son, Christian, which adjoins the old place on the south. Peter Schumacher lived on the old homestead all his life. In addi- tion to being a farmer, he was a minister in the local Mennonite church. He was a well-educated, self-made man and spoke three languages fluently, German, French and English. He was held in high esteem by all who knew him. Among his other accomplishments, he taught school for three years and was appointed, on various occasions, to act as administrator and executor of estates. He was frequently called upon to draw up legal papers and to settle differences between his neighbors. In many ways he was easily the leader in the community. He was a man of high ideals, of sterling integrity and, in every way, a most excellent character.

Peter and Elizabeth (Suter) Schumacher had sixteen children, all of whom grew to man and womanhood, and all of whom reared large families. Barbara first married Christian Amstutz, and after his death David Basinger ; Magdalene married Abraham Bixler; Fannie is the wife of Peter T. Steiner ; Mary married Christian Lugibihl; Elizabeth married Benjamin Hilty; Christian is the subject of this sketch; John married Barbara Geiger; Cath- erine became the wife of Jacob Steiner; Peter married Elizabeth Moser ; David married Marian Geiger; Adam married Sarah Welty; Daniel married Sarah Gillion; Benjamin married Sarah Miller; Sarah became the wife of E. D. Kohli; Susan became the wife of Ulrich Steiner, and Lydia married Noah Moser.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 91

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