USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, Ohio; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Vo. II > Part 28
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Announcing his name for county auditor in 1908, Mr. Lennartz was nominated by a large majority over his opponents, and was elected by a majority of two thousand and four votes. the largest majority ever given to a county auditor in Seneca county, and he is now serving his first term in this important publie office. A man of untiring energy, prompt and punctual in the discharge of his duties, Mr. Lennartz is always to be found at his post of duty, and by his faithfulness to the interests of the tax-payers he has endeared himself to the people. regardless of party affiliations. Straightforward in all his dealings, high-principled and conscien- tious, Mr. Lennartz would willingly lose all that he possesses rather than defraud any one of a single cent, and to this prominent trait of his character he attributes all of his success, his strict honesty being known and recognized by his associates and by the general public. Kind, thoughtful and benevolent, Mr. Lennartz has generously made use of his means to promote the welfare of those of limited means, and has taken especial pleasure in aiding poor children to obtain a good education. His many benefactions are bestowed unostentatiously, the needy and unfortunate never going from him empty-handed after he has heard their appeal. Mr. Lennartz is an associate member of the Grand Army of the Republic and belongs to Saint Joseph's Catholic church ..
Mr. and Mrs. Lennartz have one child, Irene, a bright and interesting girl of twelve years, and an adopted daughter. Emma, wife of Christ IIartman, of Tiffin.
HON. JOHN C. ROYER .- Judge Rover was born on his father's farm in Thompson township. this county, on the 6th day of May, 1856. His father was Samuel Rover, a son of John Royer, Sr., and his mother was Mary Ann Royer. a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Bunn. Mr. Rover remained with his parents on their farm until September, 1874, when he entered Heidelberg College at Tiffin. At college he pursued his studies in the classical course and graduated from that institution in June. 1879. After leaving college he took up the study of law with Hon. N. L. Brewer, of the Tiffin bar. In January. 1880. he entered the office of his uncle, Judge J. F. Bunn, who was then probate judge of Seneca county, and there continued his studies until October, 1881, when he was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of the state.
After his admission to the bar Judge Rover formed a partner= ship with the late Judge Rickenbaugh, under the firm name of Royer & Rickenbaugh. This partnership continued until the summer of 1885, when Mr. Royer formed a partnership with Judge Bunn, under the firm name of Bunn & Royer. In April, 1883, Mr.
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Royer was elected mayor of the city of Tiffin. his opponent being the late General William H. Gibson, and in 1885 he was re-elected for a second term. In 1887, shortly after the expiration of his second term as mayor of Tiffin, Mr. Rover was elected probate judge, to fill the unexpired term of the late Judge Harrison Noble, and also for a full term. In 1890 he was reelected for a second term. In 1894, at the expiration of his second term as probate judge, he again took up the practice of his profession, and has con- tinued it ever since, being now associated with Calvin D. Spitler under the firm name of Rover & Spitler. In 1899 Judge Royer was elected state senator for the Thirty-first Senatorial District of Ohio, and in 1901 he was reelected. At neither election when a candidate for state senator did he have any opposition.
Judge Royer was married on the 11th day of April, 1883, to Clara Baltzell. a daughter of Thomas and Caroline Baltzell (Souder Baltzell). To them were born three children, namely, Helen Royer Martin, the wife of W. W. Martin, professor of Latin and history in the Friends School of Baltimore, Maryland; Mallie Rover and Clara Lucile Rover, the latter two living with their father. Mrs. Rover died on the 22d day of June. 1889.
Judge Royer is a member of the Masonic Fraternity. in which he has attained the degree of a Knight Templar. Ile has been a member of the Board of Education of the city of Tiffin for ten years continuously, and for nine years he has been president of the Board. He has also been a member of the Board of Regents of Heidelberg University for the last twelve years, and for nearly all of that time has been the secretary of the board.
JAMES H. KNAPP .- A native son of the fine old Empire state of the Union, James HI. Knapp was born in Putnam county, New York, on the 12th of July, 1842, a son of Gilbert and Cinthia (Chase) Knapp, both of whom were likewise born in New York. the former on the 16th of January, 1821, and the latter on the 6th of June, 1820. Mr. and Mrs. Knapp emigrated from New York to Ohio about the year 1848. and they located in Erie county, where the father engaged in the great basic industry of agriculture. Mr. ' Knapp was summoned to the life eternal in 1894 and his wife, who long survived him, passed away on the 11th of April, 1910. They became the parents of three children, and of the number James H. is the first in order of birth. He was but six years of age at the time of his parents' removal to Ohio and he was reared and edu- cated in Erie county. He also pursued a course of study in the Seneca county Academy, at Republic, and that he put his scholastic attainments to good practical use is evident when it is stated that he taught school in Erie county for a number of terms. having re- ceived his certificate in 1863. In 1864 he was in the one hundred days' service in the Civil war, much of his duty being around the city of Washington. In 1869 he established his home in Seneca county as superintendent of a farm of Daniel Brown. to whose daughter he was later married. He continued as manager of this fine farm in Scipio township until he became the owner of it, in 1872, and he has there maintained his home during the long intervening years to the present time.
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Jours Knapp
Jamesst.Match
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In politics Mr. Knapp is aligned as a stalwart supporter of the principles of the Republican party and he has held office as county commissioner for one term. In 1880 he was elected to the office of township trustee and continued to serve in this capacity for several terms. Aside from the management of his finely im- proved farm of three hundred acres he is an interested principal in the Republic Banking Company, which was founded in 1906, and of which he is now the able and popular president. This sub- stantial financial institution was incorporated with a capital stock . of twenty-five thousand dollars and its other officers are: John W. Cook, vice president, and I. B. Neikirk, cashier. Both he and his wife are devout members of the Universal church, to whose chari- ties and benevolences he has been a liberal contributor.
On October 12, 1870, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Knapp to Mrs. Johanna Crissel, who is a daughter of Daniel and Sallie A. (Chase) Brown. She was born in Putnam county, New York, and when but three years of age accompanied her parents to Seneca county. They located on a tract of land on the Killborn road and the father proceeded to reclaim a farm from the virgin forest. He cleared his land and built a fine house but in 1851 he sold this farm and purchased another on Killborn road, near Republic. Mr. Brown was a member of the state legislature dur- ing the session of 1844-5 and he served as coroner of Seneca county for several terms. He was originally a Democrat but about 1850 transferred his political faith to the Republican party. Mr. Brown was born in 1800 and his death occurred on the 26th of March, 1872. Mrs. Brown was born on the 19th of October, 1813. and was summoned to eternal rest January 26, 1896. They were both loyal and public spirited citizens and were highly respected and beloved by all who knew them. Mrs. Knapp received her education in the common schools of Seneca county and this discip- line was later supplemented by a course of study in the academy conducted by Aaron Schuyler and T. W. Harvey. By her mar- riage to Mr. Crissel Mrs. Knapp became the mother of two children. Daniel B., who was born on the 16th of June. 1852. is now engaged in the coal business in Republic; and Frederick B., who was born on the 16th of January, 1856, remains at the parental home.
EMANUEL GOOD .- A representative citizen whose usefulness is by no means confined to the circle of his own interests is Emanuel Good, a farmer of modern ideas and one of the widely known men of Thompson township. He has been identified in an especially happy manner with the cause of education and has the distinction to have outlined the present excellent school system for the town- ship. In the year 1898. there being no prescribed system, he took the matter up with the board, who asked him to present a plan. After mature consideration he did this, his ideas meeting with general favor, and as a result the system promulgated by him is now in use.
Mr. Good was born March 26, 1869, his eyes first opening to the light of day upon the very scenes amid which have been played the various events of his life. His parents were Emanuel and
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Catherine (Bunn) Good, natives of Pennsylvania. The father came to Ohio in company with his parents, Adam and Mary M. (Musselman) Good, the former born in Northumberland, Pennsyl- vania, May 8, 1798, and the birthdate of the latter was January 8, 1815. The great-grandparents were George and Elizabeth (Ham- mel) Good, natives of the Keystone state, whose remains are interred in the cemetery at Troxelville, Snyder county, Pennsyl- vania.
When Adam Good came to Ohio there were broken paths and trails where now many a wide road winds, and there were still existing many of the difficulties which had beset the earliest pioneers. In the year 1833 he took up a three hundred and twenty acre tract of land from the government and proceeded to build a cabin upon it. After the log walls were up and the roof sur- mounted them it was necessary to make use of grubbing hoes to remove the hazel brush before it could be occupied. In this humble abode a family of twelve children were born and most of them were reared to maturity within its walls. Mary, David and Susan died in infancy and the names of the remaining nine were Hannah, Emanuel, John, George, Polly, Betsy, Adam, Lucy Ann and Harriet. The head of the house was a member of the Re- formed church and was active in establishing it.
The subject's father, Emanuel Good, resided with his parents until the death of the father on January 26, 1845, and even after the demise of the elder the son continued to conduct the affairs of the homestead. In 1849 he took as his wife Catherine Bunn, born August 27, 1832, her parents being Jacob and Elizabeth (Leiter) Bunn, Pennsylvanians, who cast their fortunes with the Buckeye state about the year 1835 or 1836. making their location near Bellevue in Thompson township. Jacob Bunn was a carpenter by trade. Emanuel Good and his wife became the parents of fourteen
children. Elizabeth married Martin Sherk and is the mother of four children, as follows: David, Charles, Professor John and Stella. The second daughter, Catherine, became the wife of George Noel and their children are named: Cloyd, Vertie, Jennie, Elva, Norma, Ralph and Violet. Lucy Ann became the wife of John Smith and has four children. named Warren, Myrtie, Cora and Ernie. Flora is the wife of Elmer Miller and has two chil- dren, Rilla and Erma. William B. married Sadie Cosier and has one daughter, named Beulah. Rev. George W. Good, pastor of the Reform church of Fremont. Sandusky county, was recently elected vice-president of Heidelberg College at Tiffin. He mar-
ried Hazel Bolus. D. A. married Hattie Brownfield. Minnie is the wife of Edward Wood and is the mother of two boys, named Harold and Laurel. Four children died when very young.
Emanuel Good Sr. was a man of influence in the community and served in township office, having been trustee and land ap- praiser and a member of the school board for a number of years. He resigned from the latter office on account of increasing age and debility.
Emanuel Good Jr., whose name initiates this article, received his education in the district schools, supplementing this with a
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course in Heidelberg College. In his young manhood he taught school for a time both preceding and following his marriage, and subsequently took up the management of the farm. He owns one of the eighty acre tracts of the old homestead. On March 14, 1900, Mr. Good laid the foundation of a happy married life by his union with Anna Dunn, daughter of Dr. Dunn and his wife Kate (Shaf- fener) Dunn. of Tiffin. her birth having occurred August 6, 1874. Mrs. Good. like her husband, was educated in the public schools of Tiffin and later entered Heidelberg College. and. also like him, she had some experience as a school teacher. Their union has been cemented by the birth of three children : Myron. born Oeto- ber 19, 1902; Mina, born November 18. 1903; and Newell, born December 31, 1905.
On Mr. Good's land is a large cave. known as the Good or Seneca Cave, divided into several large rooms, one of them of unknown depth. This interesting spot is much in favor with sightseers. The subject and his wife are members of the Reformed church at Fireside. and take an active part in the same, the former being a trustee and Sunday school treasurer and one of the teachers. Mrs. Good is an earnest member of the Foreign Missionary Society.
As previously mentioned Mr. Good has ever taken an en- lightened interest in educational matters, and he has done all in his power for the advancement of the cause. As president of the Annual Pienie Association of the public schools he has arranged for several successful holidays. ITis identification with the school board is of twelve years' duration, and he is at present at the head of the body. Ile casts his vote with the Democratic party and keeps in touch with current events and their bearing upon the affairs of his particular community, being. in short, of that stamp of citizenship which gives Seneca county its strength.
GEORGE DETTERMAN .- Harmon H. and Anna M. (Beimam- deich) Detterman. natives of Germany, were the parents of this well known citizen of Seneca county, who was born January 5. 1840. They came to America in' 1833 and after stopping for a while in New York came to Ohio, locating in Scipio township. Seneca county. They did not come together, however. Mr. Detterman came on and worked on the Fort Wayne canal until he could save up enough money to send back to New York for his wife, who arrived in 1835, with their son Harmon, who later, in our Civil war. gave his life for his adopted country. For a time after his settlement in the county Mr. Detterman cleared land by contract for Stephen Dorsey and others. He then had two children-Harmon, just mentioned, and an infant born here. George, Samuel, Mary and Henry R. were born later. He located on eighty acres in Adams township, so thickly timbered that there was no opening in which to build his house. George helped to improve this place on which his father lived out his days. He was a member of his parents' household till his marriage. He married Caroline Briney, who was born August 2. 1839. a daughter of Henry and Rebecca Briney, an orphan from childhood. reared by others than relatives. She bore her husband three children: Charles F., of Adams township;
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Emma J., who married Monroe Kistler and lives in Adams town- ship; and Norman, who is dead. They reared as one of their family circle Estella Benehoff, who was educated at Greenspring and has taught school successfully four terms. She was born January 23, 1890.
About 1863 Mr. Detterman bought forty acres of land of his father. Two years later he bought eighty acres and about thirty- five years ago he bought ninety-three acres. He now owns two
hundred and eighty-three acres. His home farm is one of the best in its vicinity. Ile has built on it a fine brick residence and sev- eral up-to-date out-buildings. He has given attention with much
success to mixed farming. During the last twenty-one years he has done quite a large business in buying and selling timber. and for ten years past he has shipped much stock to eastern markets. He is a member of St. Jacob's church. Adams township. having been confirmed by the Rev. Dr. Henry Good when he was only sixteen years old. He has filled the church offices of deacon. elder and trustee. In all the relations of life he is friendly and helpful. His public spirit, many times tested and never found deficient, renders him a valuable citizen.
Charles F. Detterman. son of George and Caroline (Briney) Detterman, was born October 21. 1864. Ile was a member of his parents' home circle until 1886. On March 11 of that year he married Amanda Miller, daughter of J. J. Miller, one of the most prominent men of Adams township. who is represented in this work by a biographical article of more than ordinary interest. headed by the name of his son Daniel L. Mrs. Detterman was born March 12. 1867. She has borne her husband two children : Lola V., born October 24, 1891, and Thelma L., August 21. 1904. After his marriage Mr. Detterman set up as a fariner on the old Detterman homestead of forty acres. but now farms two hundred
and ninety-three acres. He has a fine modern residence and barns and other out-buildings of the best class. In machinery and appli- ances for successful cultivation his farm is strictly up to date. In his political relations he is an independent Democrat .. In his religious affiliation he is a member of St. Jacob's church. His daughter Lola. educated in the common schools. passed the Boxwell examination at the unusually early age of fourteen years. In Adams township the name of Detterman is honored as indicating men who may safely be relied on to do their full share in any emergency. There is nothing that has tended to the general good that they have not aided to the extent of their ability so long as they have been members of the community.
MARCUS DE WITT RULE. one of the younger representative men of Seneca county, was born September 8. 1890, a son of Albert J. and Ollie D. (Holtzel) Rule. Ilis father was born June 30. 1859. His mother is a great-granddaughter of Michael Forble. a Marylander. who was among the very early pioneers in this county. When he settled here there was no house into which he and his family could move. and they were obliged to keep house under the spreading branches of a large tree until he could put up a log
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cabin. The cabin was not ready for occupancy until in the fall. when approaching winter made it absolutely essential to the con- tinued existence there of the family. Mr. Forble was a devout Christian who gave much time to evangelical work and to the allevi- ation of the sufferings of his fellow men. Not a few of the early settlers in his neighborhood were indebted to him for a helping hand. which proved him the friend in need who is the friend indeed. He was a good business man and a diligent and intelligent farmer, and in the course of his useful life amassed a fine property.
Albert J. Rule was a son of Jefferson and Eliza ( Patterson ) Rule, his father a native of New York, his mother a native of Ohio. Jefferson Rule was born March 26. 1820; Eliza Patterson was born in the same year. They secured and operated a fine farm in Adams township, on which they erected a good brick house in which they made their home to the end of their days. They had twelve children. six of whom survive. Jennie is Mrs. VanScoter. of St. John Michigan. Lucy E. is the wife of Edward Sherman. of St. John, Michigan. Ada E. married Charles E. Coffman. of Tiffin.
Seneca county. Albert J. is the father of the immediate subject
of this notice. Emma married Frank Metzger, of Adams town- ship. Della V. married John Henninger. of Clinton township. Albert J. was married in 1885 and has four children : Bessie A .. born in 1887; Mattie V., in 1888; Marens D. in 1890; and Ruth N .. in 1896.
Marcus De Witt Rule graduated from the public school at the remarkably youthful age of fourteen years. £ He studied later at Greenspring high school and at the Northern Ohio State Normal School and has since devoted much of his time to teaching. young man of conspicuous success and of much promise. he is highly regarded by all who know him. He is identified with farming and in addition is a buyer and shipper of hay.
DAVID ALLCUT .- This venerable pioneer and representative citizen of Seneca county, which has ever represented his home. has for the last decade lived retired from active business in the city of Fostoria and his memory remains an indissoluble chain which links the pioneer days with the present twentieth century. marked by opulent prosperity and progress. Hle has taken an active part in the advancement of this part of the state from a sylvan wild to its present condition as a flourishing agricultural and industrial com- munity, with admirably improved farms and thriving cities and villages. From the rude forest lodge of the early days. the primi- tive schools and meagre advantages of the pioneer epoch he has seen the varied transitions and in the evening of his life is enabled to enjoy the kindly fruits of his long years of earnest toil and endeavor.
David Alleut was born at Tiffin. Seneca county. on the 20th of September. 1824. and is a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Scott) Alleut. He was but seven years of age at the time of his mother's death and was left to the care of strangers. He was reared on a farm in this county and was afforded the meager advantages of the schools of the locality and period. About the year 1850 he
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took up his residence in Fostoria, which was then known as the village of Rome. He learned the carpenter's trade and for many years was engaged in active work as contractor and builder. IIc assisted in the erection of many buildings that are still standing in Fostoria and the solidity of their construction shows the care and reliability brought to bear by builders of the early days.
When the integrity of the nation was thrown into jeopardy by armed rebellion David Alleut was one of the young men of Seneca county who gave prompt evidence of patriotism and loyalty by tendering his aid in defense of the Union. He was mustered in, at Monroeville. as a member of Company I. One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which gallant com- mand he was in active service for three years, proving a faithful and valiant soldier of the rebellion and taking part in many battles and skirmishes. When the remains of the martyred president. Abraham Lincoln, laid in state at the national capitol, Mr. Alleut was assigned to duty as one of the guards of honor. Ile has main- tained an abiding interest in his old comrades of the turbulent per- iod of the Civil war and signifies the same by his membership in the Grand Army of the Republic.
After receiving his honorable discharge Mr. Alleut returned to Fostoria and resumed work at his trade but finally he assumed a position in the grain elevator of Foster. Olmstead and Company, with which firm he continued in service as a valued and trusted employe for the long period of twenty-three years. His sterling integrity and uniform courtesy won for him staunch friends among the farmers of this section and few citizens of Seneca county are better known or held in more unqualified esteem.
In politics Mr. Alleut has ever given unqualified allegiance to the Republican party and he has been called upon to serve in var- ious offices of public trust, including that of member of the city council of Fostoria, city commissioner and township trustee. In public station, as in private life. his loyalty and fidelity have been of the most insistent order and have cemented his hold upon popu- lar confidence and regard. Both he and his wife are devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church and in their kindly and gracious lives they have well exemplified the faith which they pro- fess. Mr. Alleut is identified with the Masonic fraternity. in which his maximum affiliations are with DeMolay Commandery, Knights Templars. He has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for forty-five years and has on several occa- sions represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge of the state. He is one of the three charter members of the Fostoria Lodge of the Knights of Pythias still living. He is also a charter member of the local tent of the Knights of the Maccabees. One of his most valued affiliations is that with Norris post, No. 27. Grand Army of the Republic. in which he has held various offical positions and as a member of which he has attended many campfires and encamp- ments. After years of earnest endeavor Mr. Alleut finally realized that the infirmities of advancing years rendered it expedient for him to retire from active business and for the past ten years he an ! his wife have been living under the most gracious surroundings in
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