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 35
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As previously stated. Mr. Matz's mother's family, the Rovers. were of Pilgrim stock, early Rovers having crossed the sea with that historie little company in 1620. The parents of the subject's mother were John and Mary ( Romig) Rover, who came to Ohio from Pennsylvania and located in Wayne county. Stephen, the father of John. went to Summit county.
William Matz was born May 13. 1862. in Reed township, and is one of a family of eleven children. Neri, born March 16. 1856. died November 7. 1892. He married Elizabeth Woleslagle. Sep- tember 12. 1876, and became the father of eight children, namely: Charles, born in 1877: Earl L .. born June 4. 1878: George E., born October 20. 1879; Lillie D .. born August 16, 1882; Arthur L .. born June 2. 1884; Ralph F .. born March 11, 1888: John C., born March 18. 1890; Neda C., born May 30, 1892. The second of the children of John and Lydia Matz was John W .. born February 26, 1858. He took as his wife Ida Cole and they have two children, named Dorothea M., born November. 1903, and William Edwin, born in 1905. Franklin. born March 3. 1860, married Evaline Hartshorn and their only offspring is a daughter. Georgia. born in June, 1900. The subject was the fourth in order of birth. The fifth,
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Mary C., born September 22-1864, became the wife of Alfred Bookmyer in 1889. and is ti .. mother of six children, whose names are Lillie. Edith. Charles. Frank. Warren and Mary. Rosie, the sixth child, was born October 13. 1866. became the wife of Dr. Irvin I. Good. and has two children, named Marian and James. The seventh child, Isaac. born February 11, 1869. married Ellen Spriges, and their only child, Harold. was born June 25. 1897. The eighth. Lizzie, born May 6. 1871. is the wife of James Spade. and the date of the birth of their son. Leonard, was 1896. Edwin. ninth in order of birth of the children of the Matz family. was born July 27. 1873. married Susan B. Good. November 24. 1889. and has one boy. Russell. the date of whose nativity was June 25. 1900. Edwin and his family reside upon the old homestead. Lillie, the tenth child. was born May 10. 1876, and became the wife of Profes- sor John E. Sherk, of Bloomville. Their issue is as follows : Florence, born in December. 1901: Donald. born December 25. 1906; Edwin M .. born January 25. 1908: and Charles P .. born in January. 1910. Samuel. the eleventh of the brothers and sisters of the subject, was born July 1. 1878, and died at the age of two Years.
William Matz was fortunate enough to receive a good educa- tion, his common school training being supplemented by attendance at Northwestern College at Ada. Ohio. after which he taught sev- eral terms of school in Sandusky and Huron counties. achieving an unequivocal success in this line of endeavor. He abandoned this calling. nevertheless, and took up the study of veterinary surgery in the college in Chicago which specializes in this depart- ment. being graduated from the institution with the class of 1894. He has a large practice in this and neighboring townships and also cultivates with great success his seventy-five acre farm, his agri- cultural methods being thoroughly up-to-date. ITis estate is adorned with a modern home, which is also the centre of generous hospitality. In addition to the interests already mentioned Mr. Matz is a director in the Farmers' Elevator and Grain Association at. Bellevue. He is likewise one of the managers of the Farmers' I'nion Threshing Company.
Mr. Matz was married. March 30. 1892. to Emma A. Zieber. daughter of Henry and Mary (Miller) Zieber. her birthdate being June 17, 1870. Her mother was born October 23. 1842, and was a daughter of Phillip and Elizabeth (Cochran) Miller. These pioneers were born March 20. 1816. and July 10, 1816. respectively. The first of the Cochran family in America was Joseph. a native of Ireland, who was influenced by reports of American opportunity to make a radical change of residence. Mrs. Matz's mother was the eldest in a family of three children. she having two brothers. Henry Zieber had nine brothers and sisters, of whom the following is an enumeration : Elizabeth, Mary H .. Johanna, Catherine. .Joseph. John. Frederick. Rachel and Alice.
Henry Zieber and his wife were married in 1861, and in 1862 he enlisted in the Thirty-fourth Regiment. Ohio Volunteer Infantry. his company being in the command of Captain Fernie. The regi- ment was engaged in scouting duty and in 1863 Mr. Zieber was Vol. II-18
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captured and sent to Richmond as a prisoner. He remained in that Virginia city from March until September, when he was trans- ferred to Andersonville prison, where he was held until November. From there he was sent to Florence and was finally released, his prison experience extending over a period of sixteen months and ten days. He was exchanged and in December. 1864, was dis- charged and sent home. He had two daughters besides the wife of the subject of this sketch. Etta. born February 23, 1866, the eldest, became the wife of David Mover. and Eskey, born July 18. 1868, is the wife of Calvin Mover.
The union of Mr. Matz and his wife has been blessed by the birth of five children. Vera M., born January. 21. 1893. has re- ceived her education in the township schools and was graduated in 1908; Bernice, born May 17. 1895 ; Gertrude, born October 9, 1897 ; J. Willard, born August 20, 1900; and Charles H., born July 29, 1904.
In the matter of religious faith the Matz family belong to the Reformed church and are active in its campaign for righteousness. The head of the house holds membership in the Masonie order, No. 173, at Bellevue. Politically he is inclined towards the Democratic party.
GEORGE A. KUIIN is one of the energetic, progressive business men of Thompson township, his connection with the commercial world having dated from the year 1893. previous to which time he was one of Seneca county's agriculturists. He is engaged in buy- ing grain for the W. HI. Gardner Grain & Mill Company at Bellevue. his own headquarters being located at Flat Rock. Mr. Kuhn is a native son of the township, having been born here September 12. 1859, the son of Adolph and Susan ( Harpster) Kuhn. The sub- ject is German in parentage, his father having been born in the Fatherland in the year 1826. coming to the land of the stars and stripes in the year 1832 or 1833. when he was scarcely more than half a dozen years of age. The elder Kuhns were named Jacob and Catherine. and the former was a well educated man. he having taught school previous to his removal to a new scene of endeavor. They found their way to the Buckeye state and located in this township.
Adolph Kuhn grew up with the new country, learning its les- sons of independence and progressiveness and he remained under the home roof until he was about sixteen years of age. Thrown upon his own resources, he worked for neighboring farmers for several years or until his marriage, when he secured a farm and branched out as an independent agriculturist. He married Susan Harpster, who was born in 1832 and died January 5, 1906. She was a native of the Keystone state. having come here with her parents, George and Catherine (Harpster) Harpster, when she was a very young girl. They secured land from the government, the deed bearing the signature of President Andrew Jackson. This they improved and converted into a comfortable home for their family, which contained seven children, whose names were Thomas. Solomon, Fred, Daniel, Elizabeth, Susan and Katie the latter being
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the only one living at the present day. George Harpster held a firm place in the esteem of his fellow men. He was a stanch ad- herent of the Democratic party and a member of the Evangelical church, in whose campaign for righteousness he played a prominent part. The First Evangelical church in Ohio was erected upon the Old Harpster farm in the year 1841, and he gave a great deal of time and money to its support. The Harpster home was a haven for traveling ministers. Two of George Harpster's brothers, Solo- mon and Daniel, were in the Civil war.
George A. Kuhn resided with his parents until the death of the head of the house on March 22, 1870. It was near that time that he married Arcelia Spittler. born June 19. 1854. to Daniel and Mary A. ( Patterson) Spittler, natives of Fairfield county, Ohio. The paternal grandfather was the son of Christian Spittler of the Keystone state. Simeon Spittler, who was an uncle of the sub- ject's wife. was a soldier of the Civil war. Mrs. Kuhn was one of four children. the other members of the family being Ransler. Josiah and one who died at birth. The father. who was born in 1816, died June 6. 1866, and the mother, born July 5, 1815. died May 14, 1902. Mrs. Kuhn is of remote Irish descent. her great- grandfather. David Patterson, having been a "Son of Erin." H
came to America and married a Maryland girl.
Two children have been born to bless the union of the subject and his wife. Samuel A., born May S. 1883, resides in Flat Rock. where he holds the position of an engineer. He married Elva A. Noel March 31. 1907, she having been born July 25. 1884, to George and Catherine Good. Their daughter. Helen M., born October 20. 1908. makes Mr. Kuhn a grandfather. The second son, William D .. born October 26, 1886. and his wife, Olive B. (James) Kuhn. born July 14. 1885, to Charles and Amanda (Tus- sing) James, reside with the subject and his wife. Their marriage was celebrated on Independence Day, 1909. and they have an infant son, Paul G., born April 8. 1910. Both sons received their education in the schools of Flat Rock.
Not only is Mr. Kuhn a good business man, but he is active and interested in public affairs. Ile pays fealty to the "Grand Old Party" and has been entrusted with positions on the school and township boards. He and his family, like those of the name who have gone before them, are faithful members of the Evangelical church, giving. as did their forbears. their sympathy and support to its good causes. Mr. Kuhn and his brother David own one hun- dred of the fertile acres of Seneca county, this tract being known as the Harpster homestead and having belonged originally to George Harpster. mentioned earlier in this article. Sammel A. and William D., the sons of him whose name initiates this review. are associated in the grain buying business with their father, and all three are recognized as representative and estimable citizens.
AMOS C. ROGERS .- A member of a fine old English family whose original progenitor in America settled near Baltimore. Mary- land, in 1819. and a fair and representative example of the evolui- tion of our best American citizenship. Amos C. Rogers is success-
,
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fully engaged in agricultural pursuits in Venice township. Seneca county, where he owns and operates a farm of one hundred and forty acres. He was born on his father's old farmstead in Venice township. on the 11th of September, 1861, and is a son of John and Elmira (Snyder) Rogers, the former of whom claimed England as the place of his nativity and the latter of whom was born in the state of Ohio. in Venice township. John Rogers, whose birth occurred in March. 1818. was the son of Stephen and Jane (Rogers ) Rogers, both natives of England. whence they emigrated to the United States when John was a child of but one year. Stephen and Jane Rogers established their home eighteen miles south of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. and in 1837 they removed to Seneca county, Ohio, where the father followed the work of his trade. that of blacksmith. They became the parents of nine children. all born in England. and of this number John, father of him whose name initiates this review. was the youngest. .John Rogers was reared to the age of nineteen years in Maryland, where his educational training was that afforded in the schools of the locality and period. He became very much attached to hunting and the excitement con- nected with big game often led to his remaining out in the forest all night rather than give up the chase. For many years he killed from twenty to thirty deer each winter. He entered government land in Ohio and became a very prosperous farmer, owning at one time as much as two hundred and twenty acres of finely improved land. He was twice married, wedding first Miss Elmira Snyder. who was likewise born in Venice township. a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Prouse) Snyder. of Dutch extraction. John and Elmira Rogers became the parents of the following named children : William, Mary M .. who is now the wife of E. D. Ellis; Anna, wife of S. R. Hull ; Levina, who became the wife of Hiram MeLaughin and both are now deceased : Mary J .. who married Lafayette Hooler ; David. who is deceased : Amos C .. the immediate subject of this review ; and Isabella, now Mrs. Gilbert Enders. Mrs. Rogers was a member of the I'nited Brethren church. and she was sum- moned to the life eternal in March. 1891. In 1892 was solemnized the marriage of John Rogers to Mrs. Agnes Freeborn, who is still living. John Rogers died in 1897. deeply mourned by his family and scores of devoted friends.
Amos C. Rogers was reared to adult age on his father's farm and he availed himself of the advantages of the common schools of Seneca county. With the exception of eight years, in which he rented various farms in this county. he has owned and operated his present splendid estate of one hundred and forty aeres, which he purchased in 1899. In politics he accords a stanch support to the cause of the Republican party and he is loval and public spirited as a citizen, doing all in his power to further the general welfare of the community. He is identified with various fraternal and social organizations of representative order and both he and his wife are members of the Reformed church. in the various depart- ments of whose work they have been active factors.
On the 29th of January, 1888. Mr. Rogers was united in mar- riage to Miss Laura Shock who was born in Bloom township and
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who is a daughter of Jacob C. and Catherine (Young) Shock, representative citizens of Bloom township. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers became the parents of seven children, five of whom are living: Lucilla, deceased; Earl; Ralph, deceased; Alta and Alma, twins; Lloyd ; and May. Those living are at home with their parents.
HIRAM HIPPLER .- There is no one nation that has contributed to the complex composition of our American social fabric an ele- ment of more sterling worth or of greater value in fostering and supporting our national institutions than has Germany. Germany has given us men of sturdy integrity, indomitable perseverance, high intelligence and much business sagacity-the result being the incorporation of a firm and strength-giving fiber, ramifying through warp and woof. Of this good stock is Hiram Hippler, who was born in Koenigheim, in the grand duchy of Baden, on June 15, 18-19. Both his father, Frances Hippler, and his mother, whose maiden name was Mary Ann Blesch, were natives of the Father- land. The former attended the excellent German schools. He escaped service in the army by drawing a high number, the recruits being secured for the ranks by drawing numbers. £ During the war of 1866, however, the subject of this review served in the German army for three weeks, taking his place in the ranks while his parent was on sick leave. In this time the young man partici- pated in one battle, that of Touberbeschofsheim, and at its termina- tion he retreated with the rest of the regiment. All the supplies were discovered to be captured and the regiment subsisted on a milk diet for some time. catching all the cows which strayed along the line of march and giving such military milkings as they chewed the end of contemplation in the pastures, undisturbed by " wars and rumors of wars." One very interesting incident of the battle Mr. Hippler will not soon forget. Upon a dead body remaining upon the field after the conflict was found a letter. The writers were in- formed of the death of him who had received it and he was mourned as dead. The body was duly claimed and buried. But it subse- quently transpired that the letter found upon the person of the dead man had not been his at all, but had been given to him by the real recipient shortly before the battle. Only the other day Mr. Hippler secured a German almanac and in it he found a description of the battle and of the letter incident. as above narrated. He naturally looked upon this as an interesting coincidence.
There were a number of children born to the union of Mr. Hippler's father and mother. Timothy emigrated to the United States when sixteen years of age, and was drafted into the service at the time of the Civil war. Rosina married Oswald Deppish and resides in Bavaria. Germany. Jacob emigrated to the United States with his family in 1880 and is now deceased. Charles, who emigrated to the United States when seventeen years of age, lo- cated in Seneca county, where he reared a family. He is now deceased, having been accidentally killed in a mill. The father of these died in Germany in 1873 and in 1880 the mother emigrated to American shores. living for eight years beneath the stars and
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stripes, her demise occurring in 1888. The father and mother were members of the Catholic faith.
Mr. Hippler received his education in the public schools of Germany and when he was seventeen years of age he crossed the Atlantic to secure his share of the highly vaunted American oppor- tunity. He borrowed his passage money from his parents. but very soon after landing he secured work and in a few months was able to repay the borrowed money. He came to Seneca county in February, 1867. He secured work with farmers and for a time received only eight dollars per month during erop season and dur- ing the winter only his board.
On December 3, 1871, at the age of twenty-three years, Mr. Hippler took as his wife Malinda Fender, a native of Seneca coun- ty. Their union was blessed by the birth of two sons, Vietor E., residing in Lodi, where he operates an implement store, and Ohlen E., also a citizen of Lodi, where he is the proprietor of a grocery and saloon.
The subject's career in the industrial world is herewith sketched. As soon as he was financially able he purchased an eighty-acre farm. For four years he engaged in the hotel busi- ness, conducting the Lodi Hotel for a term of four years. Aban- doning that he purchased his present farm of sixty acres, which he has since operated with splendid result. The farm is well im- proved and the residence is a fine brick house. Mr. Hippler has given efficient public service, having been elected a justice of the peace for sixteen years. He is a stanch adherent of the Demo- cratic principles.
ANDREW J. MITTOWER .- Among the intelligent. progressive and enterprising men who have successfully directed their atten- ton and labors to the noble work of husbandry in Seneca county and whose prosperity has come as the result of personal effort is Andrew J. Mittower. Although for nearly fifty years one of the prominent agriculturists of the county, Mr. Mittower has now re- tired and resides in Lodi. the management of his highly improved farm of one hundred and twenty acres being in the hands of his son.
Mr. Mittower is a native son of Seneca county, his birth having occurred in Scipio township September 3. 1830. his years thus being more by ten than the psalmist's alottment. His father, John Mittower, was born in Maryland and emigrated to Ohio with other members of the family in 1826. Locating in Seneca county, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres from the government and for the tract, now so valuable. paid two hundred dollars. The
nearest land office being in the state of Delaware. he was compelled to go there to complete the papers. Not being of the most robust type physically, he suffered from the privations and hardships of pioneer life. He chose as his wife Elizabeth Spangle, a native of the Keystone state, and the children born to the union of these worthy people were as follows: Rachel, who married Leander Ransburg, of Indiana, and is now deceased; Catherine. now de- ceased; Susan, who became the wife of Jeptha Dunn, and is now
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deceased; Sarah, wife of D. J. Neikirk, and a resident of Attica; and he whose name initiates the article. Mr. Mittower's father was a man of consequence in his locality and captain of the volun- teer service. The custom in those days was to organize companies, to drill them and to ever be in readiness for the call to arms. John Mittower was summoned to his eternal rest in 1874 and the mother survived for fourteen years. They were consistent members of the Lutheran church.
Andrew J. Mittower spent his youthful years upon his father's farm, attending the district schools and finishing his education in the Academy of Republic, where he had for his instructor in mathe- matics the celebrated Aaron Scheyler, author of several valuable treatises on mathematical subjects. After finishing his education he returned to the farm where he continued to reside and to be successfully engaged in his vocation. that of agriculture.
In 1860 Mr. Mittower took unto himself a wife, the lady of his choice being Miss Malinda Clay, a native of Scipio township and of Pennsylvania parentage. The children born to this union were Clara, deceased; Edwin, who resides in Cleveland, Ohio; Alpheus, a Reed township citizen; Della, who married Perry Kistler and is now deceased; Elmer, who resides in Lodi and is postmaster of that place, having held the position for seven years; Blanche. who became the wife of Mark Hoeltzel, and resides in Thompson township.
From the time Mr. Mittower left college until the year 1899 he followed farming continually and was very successful in his agricultural endeavors. In that year, crowned with years and honors, he concluded to retire from active life and to enjoy in leisure the fruits of his previous industry and thrift. He ac- cordingly entrusted the management of his estate to his son, Alpheus Mittower, and resides in Lodi, where he enjoys the respect of that community as well as of this. Mr. Mittower has played a prominent and praiseworthy part in public life, having served as township trustee, land appraiser. justice of the peace and school director. He is a stanch Republican and a member of the Lutheran church.
HARRY A. WEIDAW .- Engaged in the grain business at Re- public, Harry A. Weidaw, though a native of the old Keystone state of the Union, has passed practically his entire life thus far in Seneca county. He was born in Carbon county, Pennsylvania, on the 3d of October, 1876. and is a son of Thomas and Priscilla (Sherer) Weidaw, who emigrated from Pennsylvania to Bloom township in the year 1879, at which time Harry A. was a child of but three years. The father engaged in agricultural pursuits in Bloom township and in 1906 he purchased the fine farm on which he now maintains his home. He was united in marriage to Miss Priscilla Sherer in 1868 and they became the parents of six chil- dren, all sons, namely: Frank E., Clinton A., Harry A., Charles S., Fred A. and Harvey P., all of whom reside in Bloomville except Harry A .. the immediate subject of this sketch.
Harry A. Weidaw is indebted to the public schools of Bloom-
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ville for his early educational training and he continued to be identified with the great basic industry of agriculture until July 1. 1907, when he gave up farming and removed to the village of Republic, where he is now interested in the grain and seed business. In this line of enterprise he has built up a good, thriving business and he is recognized as one of the loyal and publie spirited citizens of Republic. In politics he accords a stanch allegiance to the cause of the Democratic party and no further voucher is needed concerning the high estimate in which he is held by his fellow citizens than that evidenced in the fact that in 1909 he was elected village marshal of Republic. In this important office he is giving most efficient and satisfactory service and he has ever given his aid in support of all movements projected for the good of the commun- ity. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, in which lodge he has been honored with several important offices, and he is also affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. IIe is a member of the Methodist church and his wife holds mem- bership in the Presbyterian church at Bloomville, and they have been most ardent workers in connection with the charities and benevolences of the churches.
In 1900, at Bloomville, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Weidaw to Miss Myrtle M. Smith, who was born in New Jersey on the 27th of December, 1881. She is a daughter of Ruben and Elizabeth Smith, natives of New Jersey. After the father's death the mother came to Ohio, about 1887, locating in Tiffin, and after- ward moved to Bloomville. Mr. and Mrs. Weidaw have one daughter, Cleo A., who was born on the 28th of May, 1902.
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