USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 50
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BERNARD BRANDEWIE, who is one of the leading citizens and large land owners of McLean township, having 600 acres and devoting a large portion of this to raising cattle and hogs, was born in May, 1856, in Auglaize county, O., and is a son of Joseph and a grandson of Anton Brandewie.
Anton Brandewie, the grandfather, was born, reared and married in Han- over, Germany, the name of his wife being Mary Wissman, and they con-
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tinued to live there for some years and when they came to America they had three children: Joseph, Barney and Catherine. They first made a home in Cincinnati, O., where they lived for six months, and then moved to Minster. At that time the land office was at Piqua and the nearest neighbor was five miles away. They bought a tract of land which is now the site of Minster, O., 160 acres, all in one body and owned by four people, Grandfather Brandewie retaining forty acres for himself. On this tract he spent his subsequent life, dying when aged seventy-two years, his burial being in St. Joseph's cemetery, Egypt. He helped to establish the Catholic church here and gave liberally to its support. He was a strong democrat and always cast his vote at elections even when he had to ride for miles on horseback to do so. He was well known among the early settlers in Shelby county but spent his days in Auglaize county.
Joseph Brandewie was twelve years old when he came to the United States and had attended school in Germany and later learned to read English although it was difficult for him to spell in this language. Probably the first money he ever earned was when fourteen years of age he became a worker on the canal as water boy. Later he drove ox teams and worked in the stone quarries and afterward again worked on the canal, with a Mr. Duncan, prob- ably living all that time in Auglaize county. He then went to Michigan and during the six years he lived there bought 120 acres of land in that state. After he returned to Ohio he married and then bought eighty acres on the Shelby county line, all of it, at that time being totally unimproved. He built a house and barn and improved land as he was able and there comfortably reared a large family and at the time of his death on the original farm, he owned 252 acres, having cleared this land by his own industry. He was an enterprising man and a great worker and lived to the age of eighty-six years and during all this long life but once called in a physician for himself. He was a lifelong democrat and never missed voting and on several occasions was elected to local offices.
Joseph Brandewie was married to Catherine Prenger, who was also born in Germany and was brought to the United States by her parents, Herman and Kate Prenger, when a child. To them the following children were born: Mary, Tony, Bernard, Kate, Agnes, Joseph, Henry, Herman, Bernadine, Caroline, and Josephine. The mother of the above' family died at the age of sixty-eight years and she was buried in the Catholic cemetery at Egypt, and many years afterward her husband was laid by her side, they having been among the earliest members of the church and faithful to its teachings, kind. good people.
Bernard Brandewie and his brothers and sisters attended the district schools near their home. In 1880 at the time of marriage, Mr. Brandewie came to Shelby county, and settled where he still lives. He has the larger part of his estate well improved and has two barns and three houses. He has always carried on general farming and for the past thirteen years has been in the livestock business, buying, selling and shipping to all parts of the country. On the portion of his farm on which he resides he put up all the substantial
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buildings. It is situated four miles southwest of Minster and three miles west of Fort Loramie.
In 1880 Mr. Brandewie was married to Miss Mary Baumer, who was born at Cincinnati, O., a daughter of Bernard and Mary Baumer, and all of their children have been born in Shelby county. Louis, the oldest, married Eliza- beth Severin and they live at Minster. Fred married Dena Ernst and they live in McLean township. Lottie married Barney Artkamp and they live in McLean township. Albert married Mary Ernst and lives in this township. Katie, Cecelia, Edward, Sophia and Lawrence, all live at home. The family all belong to the Minster Catholic church. Mr. Brandewie is a stanch demo- crat and is a member of the board of education of the Dirksen special school district.
CHRISTIAN KIRSCH, postmaster at Fort Loramie, O., is a representa- tive citizen of this town, of which he has been a resident for forty-two con- secutive years. He was born at Troy, in Concord township, Miami county, O., May 1, 1848, and is a son of John and Christina Kirsch.
John Kirsch was born in Hessen, Germany, while his wife was a native of Hanover. About 1855 they moved from Miami county, O., where they had first settled after coming from Germany, and afterward lived in McLean town- ship until their death, when aged respectively seventy and seventy-six years. They were faithful members of St. Michael's Catholic church and were buried in the cemetery adjoining the same. They were well known and highly respected people.
During boyhood Christian Kirsch attended school when his father could spare him and then learned the carpenter trade, beginning work in 1867 and continuing busy at his trade for forty-two years, coming to Fort Loramie in 1870, where he served as the first town marshal. He has been active in democratic politics and for sixteen years served uninterruptedly as a trustee of McLean township and many times has served usefully and discreetly as a member of the town council. It is through the efforts of such men as Mr. Kirsch that communities prosper for they take an interest in the progress of the town and are the agitators who bring about many useful improvements. For twenty-nine years Mr. Kirsch has been a member of the volunteer fire company and one of its early organizers. As postmaster Mr. Kirsch has served acceptably since his appointment September 6, 1907, this being a fourth class office, with one rural delivery route.
Mr. Kirsch was married to Miss Rachel Meyers, who was born at Fort Loramie, O., and is a daughter of Lucas and Otilda Meyers, both of whom are deceased. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kirsch, four of whom died in infancy. The survivors are: Bernard, who resides at Hamil- ton, O .; Albert, who resides at Dayton, O .: Adaline, who lives at Minster. in Auglaize county, O .; Anna, who is her father's capable assistant in the post office at Fort Loramie; Christian, who is a resident of Troy, O .; and Carl, who lives at Hamilton, O. Mr. Kirsch and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church. .2 8
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ARMSTRONG LOGAN MARSHALL, who has been identified with gas and fuel interests for a number of years and who has been connected with the Miami Valley Gas and Fuel Company since July, 1888, was born on a farm in Washington township, Shelby county, O., September 25, 1840, and is a son of Samuel and Jane McCord (Russell) Marshall.
Samuel Marshall was born in Washington county, Pa., and was three years old when his parents, Samuel and Margaret Marshall, came to Shelby county, away back in 1802, they being the second settlers who had penetrated thus far and established a pioneer home. They entered land from the govern- ment which Grandfather Marshall cleared and cultivated in the primitive way. On that wild farm the younger Samuel Marshall grew to manhood and he, in turn, also entered land, his selection being a tract lying one-half mile east of the old Marshall place. There he followed farming and tanning, his old tan-yard being yet recalled by the older residents of that section, and on that farm both he and wife passed away in advanced age.
Armstrong Logan Marshall had much better educational advantages than were afforded his father and he remained at home until he was twenty-three years of age. He then taught school for about six years and later was in the grain business at Harden Station and about this time was first elected county recorder, to which office he was subsequently reelected. Mr. Marshall then became connected with several publishing houses and for eighteen years was engaged in delivering county histories and atlases both in the United States and Canada. He came then to Sidney and shortly afterward entered into his present business connection. For the first three years he occupied a subordi- nate position and then succeeded Frank Hunter as agent for the Miami Valley Gas & Fuel Company, and both became agents for the Sidney Gas Light and the Sidney Electric Light Companies, and at present he also is agent for the Miami Valley Gas & Fuel Co., the Sidney and Electric Light Company, The Sidney Gas Light Company having quit business.
Mr. Marshall was first married in 1864, to Miss Mary Burness, and one daughter, Mary B., and one son, Samuel, were born to them. His second mar- riage was to Miss Margaret Walker and they have three sons: Robert, who is a land agent with the Pennsylvania Railroad offices in New York City; and Charles C. and Logan W., both of whom are practicing attorneys. Mr. Mar- shall is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
WILLIS N. HANCE, one of Shelby county's well known and highly respected citizens, resides on his valuable farm of 140 acres, lying in Perry township, but no longer carries on his farm industries himself, having been retired for some years. He was born in Miami county, O., May 1, 1846, and is a son of Joseph and Patsey (Wilson) Hance.
The father of Mr. Hance was a native of Kentucky. After his marriage in Miami county, O., he engaged there in farming until the close of his life, both he and wife dying on their old homestead not far from Casstown. Ten children were born to them, namely: Lydia, who married Larison Huff; Margaret, who married Chryance Schenck; William; Lewis; Sarepta, who
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married Levi Hockman; John; Benjamin; Seymour; Willis N .; and Letitia, who married James Wrigley.
Willis N. Hance attended the district schools near his father's farm in boy- hood and afterward assisted in carrying on the work on the homestead and well remembers how laborious much of it was, as at that period much of the labor-saving farm machinery that is now universally in use, was not yet on the market. After marriage he settled on the present farm, on which his wife was born, and has remained here ever since, for many years being one of the active and successful farmers and stock raisers of Perry township.
On January 28, 1869, Mr. Hance was married to Miss Mary Jane Kep- linger, a daughter of Mathias and Rebecca (Heckman) Keplinger, both now deceased, their burial being at Sidney. Mrs. Hance had three brothers and one sister : Sylvester, John H., now deceased, Charles A., and Naomi, who is the wife of Daniel Crumbaugh. To Mr. and Mrs. Hance the following children were born: Lilly, who is the wife of Grant Wirick, who is the mail carrier on the rural route out of Pemberton, O .; Charles A., who has charge of his father's farm, married Carrie Cannon and they have four children ; Cleora M., Irma B., Rea Vivian and Wilda Margaret ; Elsie Love, who is the wife of Charles Williamson, who is a member of the police force at Sidney, O., and they have two children-Leonard and Lois; and Earl W., who mar- ried Mary Kuhlman and they reside at St. Mary's, where he is bookkeeper for a business firm. Mr. Hance and family are members of the United Brethren church. He has always advocated reforms when they have appealed to his judgment in both local and outside communities and in his political views is in accord with the principles of the prohibition party.
EDGAR ALONZO SCHENCK, one of the representative citizens and substantial men of Shelby county, O., who resides on one of his farms, a tract of sixty acres, located in Clinton township, owns a second farm, of forty acres, which lies east of Sidney, was born on the farm he occupies, July 13, 1853, and is a son of Schuyler and Deborah (Suthen) Schenck.
The parents of Mr. Schenck were born in New Jersey and came to Ohio in youth, subsequently marrying here and spending the rest of their lives in Clinton township, Shelby county. The father was a shoemaker by trade and also followed farming. They were good, Christian people, members of the Brethren church. Of their children, Edgar Alonzo was the youngest born and is the only one living. The others were : Garrett, John, Henry, Joseph, George, Maria, Daniel and William.
Edgar Alonzo Schenck has spent his life on his present farm and has had the management of it since his school days. All the usual farm industries are carried on on both farms owned by Mr. Schenck, grain growing and stock raising, although he seldom markets any stock, growing largely for his own use. He has some other interests and is a stockholder in the Buckeye Churn Company.
In October, 1875, Mr. Schenck was married to Miss Anna Campbell, of Springfield, Ill., a daughter of Nelson and Margaret Campbell, farming
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people there, who had the following children: James, Mary Jane, Catherine, George, William, John, Minnie and Anna. Mr. and Mrs. Schenck have two daughters, both now married, with children of their own. Grace is the wife of John McClure and they have two children, being Floyd and Gladys. Nora D. is the wife of Stanley Young, their children being Mildred; Margaret and Helen. Mr. Schenck and family attend the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically he is a republican.
JOSEPH OSCAR KING, one of the busy and successful general farm- ers of Clinton township, Shelby county, O., who operates his mother's farm of ninety-four acres, was born in this township, January 4, 1875, and is a son of David M. and Leah (Kauffman) King.
David M. King was born in Mifflin county, Pa., and came to Ohio when a young man. Here he followed farming all his life dying September 21, 1911, and was a well known and highly respected man, a leading member of the Brethren church. He married Leah Kauffman, who was born also in Mifflin county, Pa., and still resides on her farm in Clinton township. To David M. King and wife the following children were born: Alice K., who is the widow of Nicholas Kauffman; Rebecca, who is the wife of George Davis: Sadie, who is the wife of Walter Parcher; Joseph Oscar; Ida, who is the wife of Harry Tennery: and. Amanda, who is the wife of Charles Miltenberger.
Joseph Oscar King obtained a common school education and since put- ting aside his books has devoted himself exclusively to farming and stock raising. The home farm is a valuable property and under his excellent man- agement is very productive. He takes a good citizen's interest in public mat- ters, votes, the republican ticket and at present is a school director.
In 1898 Mr. King was married to Miss Dora Theuer, a daughter of Martin and Anna Theurer. Mrs. Theurer was previously married but her three chil- dren, Henry, Charles and Dora, were born to her second union. Mr. and Mrs. King have two children: Helen and Melvin. The family, including the beloved mother, belong to the Brethren church.
WILLIAM F. VALENTINE, who operates the only tile mill in Green township, is an enterprising and prosperous business man of this section over which he is very well known. He was born in De Kalb county, Ind., August 25, 1864, and is a son of John and Nancy Jane (Bailey) Valentine.
John Valentine was born in Orange township, Shelby county, O., where he engaged in farming in early manhood and after marriage lived for one year in Indiana, moving from there to Illinois, eleven years later returning to Ohio. For twenty years Mr. Valentine continued to live in his native state after which he spent three years in Kansas but again returned to Ohio and his death occurred in Shelby county in his seventy-fourth year. For six years he was in the tile business but otherwise devoted himself entirely to farming. He married Nancy Jarre Bailey, who was born in Clinton county, O., and still survives. They had the following children: Mrs. Alice Johnson; Jonas I., who lives in Kansas; William F .; Levi E., who lives in Green township; Rich- ard R., who is a resident of Colorado; Thomas C. and Daisy C., both of whom
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are deceased ; Alonzo and Earl, both of whom live in Perry township, Shelby county.
William F. Valentine assisted his father and attended school until he was fourteen years of age and afterward followed farming until 1890, when he bought the tile mill which he has successfully operated ever since. The usual output of his plant is from eighteen to twenty-two kilns annually and as Mr. Valentine also carries on a business in contract ditching, he makes use of all his own factory product and uses additionally 200 car loads of tile in a year. He has some additional business interests and is one of the directors of the Farmers Telephone Company.
Mr. Valentine was married first to Miss Emma J. Rugh, of Wabash, Ind., who left two children: Mace E. and Grace F. His second marriage was to Miss Nellie J. Duffy, of Shelby county, and they have three children : Hazel, John and Newel. Mr. Valentine and family are members of the Christian church. In politics he is a republican and his party has elected him for his seventh continuous term as township trustee. He belongs to two of the popular fraternal organizations of this section, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Knights of the Golden Eagle.
CLEMENS WOLKE, who is numbered with the representative and sub- stantial citizens of McLean township, Shelby county, O., is treasurer of the Sherman Special School District and the owner of a large property situated in section 10, consisting of 160 acres of valuable land. He was born on this farm, April 8, 1856, and is a son of John C. and Mary Wolke.
John C. Wolke and wife were born, reared and married in Germany and a daughter was born to them there, Ida, who died before they came to America. They had but two children, Clemens being born after they had reached McLean township, Shelby county. They found five acres of their 160 already cleared and John C. Wolke put in a crop as soon as possible and afterward worked constantly to clear his land, being assisted by his son as the latter attained strength to be of material help. Twenty-five acres have been left as a wood lot, but all the rest is made productive through careful cultivation. All the buildings now standing were erected by the present owner and all the other improvements now in evidence were placed here by him. The father and mother both died on this farm, the father when aged seventy-two years. They were excellent people, devout Catholics and good neighbors. Their burial was in the St. Michael's church cemetery.
When aged twenty-three years, Clemens Wolke was united in marriage with Mary Raterman, a daughter of Ferdinand Raterman; a member of an old family of McLean township, and they have one daughter, Bernadina, who resides at home. Mr. Wolke and family are members of St. Michael's Cath- olic church. He has always been a democrat in his political opinions and has taken an interest in township matters and has been particularly active in advancing the usefulness of the public schools. He has long been a member of the board of education and for eighteen years has been its treasurer. His property is well situated being on the south side of the Sherman turnpike road, and but four miles southwest of Fort Loramie.
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FREDERICK H. SLEETER, a well-known and highly respected citizen of Sidney, O., to which city he retired from his farm many years ago, is a native of Ohio, born in Auglaize county, October 23, 1836. His parents were Henry and Catherine Sleeter.
Henry and Catherine Sleeter were born in Germany. After coming to Ohio and settling in Auglaize county, Henry Sleeter acquired a farm of forty acres but whenever opportunity offered worked at his trade of millwright and later left the farm and rented a mill on Greenville Creek, in Darke county, near New Harrison, and took charge of and operated it for one year before his family joined him there. Living conditions were not comfortable there, however, and parents and children returned to Auglaize county and during the cholera epidemic of 1847 the father and the youngest son, Henry, both succumbed to the disease at the same time and their burial was in the same grave. The mother was later married to John F. Meyers, who operated a hotel at Bremen, and F. H. for several years assisted his step-father, serving behind the bar and taking care of the stabling of the horses. Mr. Meyers did a good business as there was much wagon travel at that time east and west through Bremen.
Frederick H. Sleeter had attended a German school in Auglaize county but it was not until he was about fifteen years of age and had entered the employ of Joseph Dowler, in Newberry township, Miami county, that he learned the elements of the English language, being first instructed in Sunday school. He was anxious to learn and made rapid progress, his employers, Joseph Dowler and Henry Wright, who were brothers-in-law, taking a great deal of interest in him, and he remained1 with them for four years. At that time many young men were going to Iowa to seek better opportunities, and M1. Sleeter also visited that state but within nine months returned to Ohio and then came to Sidney, where a half-brother, George W. Metzger, was then living, the latter being a son of his mother's first marriage which had taken place in Germany. In the meanwhile, having learned the carpenter trade with Henry Wright, Mr. Sleeter followed the same and prior to 1860, lived for some time in Shelby county with a family connection, Benjamin Wert. After marriage he bought a farm of 140 acres, situated in Green township, on which he lived from 1860 until 1886, at which time he and his wife moved to Sidney, where they have a fine home, the handsome brick residence being on South Main avenue. Mr. Sleeter gave the first farm he owned to his daughter, Mrs. B. T. Bull, and had improved that as well as his present farm of 152 acres which is situated in Orange township.
In 1860 Mr. Sleeter was married to Miss Mary Bucannan, a daughter of David Bucannan, who was one of the pioneers of Shelby county. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sleeter: Lottie, who is the wife of B. T. Bull; Ella, who is the widow of Judd Miller; William and Olia, both of whom are deceased; Agnes, who is the wife of Jesse
FREDERICK H. SLEETER
MRS. FREDERICK H. SLEETER
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L. Frazier; and Thomas B., who died in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Sleeter are active members of the Universalist church. Formerly he was a democrat in his political affiliation and on that ticket was elected treasurer of Green township, in which office he served with efficiency, but in later years has been identified with the prohibition party. For many years he has been an Odd Fellow.
J. CLEMENS BENDER, residing two and one-half miles southwest of Fort Loramie, O., where he rents an improved farm of 120 acres, lying in sec- tion 11, McLean township, is one of the representative citizens of this sec- tion and a member of an old Ohio family. He was born in this farm, and is a son of John and Mary (Heilers) Bender.
John Bender was born in Auglaize county, O., and grew to manhood there and engaged in farm pursuits. He married Mary Heilers, who was reared at Minster, O., and they then came to this farm in McLean township and here Mrs. Bender died when her son J. Clemens was only seven years of age. There were five children, namely: John, who is deceased; J. Clemens; and Mary and Katie, who live at home; and Clara, who is deceased.
J. Clemens Bender obtained his education in the Walkup Special School District and then assisted his father and since the fall of 1911 has had entire charge of the home place, carrying on geenral farming and raising stock for home use. He married Miss Emma Seger, who is a daughter of John Seger, of Fort Loramie, O. The whole family belongs to St. Michael's Catho- lic church. Mr. Bender votes with the democratic party.
J. F. APPLEGATE, who is one of the respected and useful men of Orange township, for the past ten years a member of the school board and interested in everything that promises to be beneficial to this section, resides on his well cultivated farm, which contains fifty-four and one-third acres. He was born February 25, 1849, in Green township, Shelby county, within a half mile of Plattsville, and is a son of Edward and Elizabeth (Kiser) Applegate.
Edward Applegate was born in New Jersey and it is possible that his ances- tors came from Holland. He was twenty-five years of age when he came to Shelby county, and bought the land in Green township on which he spent the rest of his life, clearing and developing it through his own industry, dying there when aged sixty-five years. He married Elizabeth Kiser, who was born in Miami county, O., and died at Sidney, when aged eighty-two years. They had six children : Sarah Catherine, who married J. S. Loughlin; Mary E., who is the wife of Francis Bull; John I. C., who lives at Sidney; two who died in infancy; and J. F.
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