USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 56
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With his brothers and sisters, J. W. Rottinghaus attended school in the
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Sherman Special School District and afterward continued to assist his father on the home farm and when the latter died assumed entire charge. He has made many improvements here including the erecting of a substantial barn and other buildings, but the farm house, which was so stanchly built forty-five years ago, still continues the family residence. When it was built it was considered a modern house, having many conveniences and comforts not included in other structures in the neighborhood. Mr. Rottinghaus successfully carries on farming and stock raising and is one of the substantial men of this section.
Mr. Rottinghaus married Miss Mary Holthaus, a daughter of Bernard Holthaus. She died at the age of thirty-three years and her burial was in St. Michael's cemetery. His second marriage was to Mrs. Clara (Flecken- stein) Sherman, widow of Joseph C. Sherman, and they have two children : Alma and Leona. To her first marriage three children had been born: Tracy, Joseph and Velma. Mr. Rottinghaus and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church. In politics he has been a stanch democrat all his life although he has never been willing to accept any political office.
BERNARD DANZIG, who is engaged in the furniture and undertaking business at Fort Loramie, was born in McLean township, Shelby county, February 15, 1864, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Goer) Danzig.
William Danzig was born in Germany and came to the United States in youth. He carried on farming for many years in McLean township, and his death occurred here at the age of seventy-three years. After coming to this township he was married to Elizabeth Goer, who died when aged but twenty- seven years. They were devout members of St. Michael's Catholic church and their burial was in St. Michael's cemetery. They had three sons and one daughter.
Bernard Danzig attended school in boyhood and worked on the home farm for fifteen years and then came to Fort Loramie to engage in the furniture business, three months later adding undertaking and being in partnership with J. L. Applegate, the firm style being Danzig & Applegate, which continued for five years. Mr. Applegate then retired and since then the firm name has been Danzig & Ballenger. They do a large business and cover a distance of fifteen miles south, one mile north and ten miles east and west. Mr. Dan- zig owns an unimproved farm of eighty acres which is situated in Texas, which is capable of being developed into a valuable ranch.
Mr. Danzig married Miss Bernardinė Brandewie, who was born in Auglaize county, O., and they have two children: William J. and Agnes Cath- erine, the former of whom is a student and after Christmas, 1912, will be the embalmer and funeral director of the firm above mentioned. In politics Mr. Danzig is a democrat. He and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church. He is a highly respected citizen and is known as an honorable busi- ness man all through this section.
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JONAS KAUFFMAN, who is now pleasantly situated at Sidney, O., occupying his comfortable residence at No. 605 South Ohio avenue, is a retired farmer and still retains the ownership of his valuable farm of seventy-seven acres lying in Clinton township, not far from the location of the Shelby County Infirmary. He was born in Mifflin county, Pa., April 4, 1840, and is a son of Christian and Catherine Kauffman, both of whom died in Pennsylvania.
Jonas Kauffman had district school advantages in boyhood and remained on the home farm until 1865, starting out for himself at the age of twenty- one years. For four years afterward he worked on the farms of agriculturists in Juniata county, Pa., and from there went to Wayne county, O. He worked there for a short time as a farm hand and then enlisted for a period of six months ås a government employe, which he passed at Little Rock, Ark., and from there came to Shelby county. For several years afterward Mr. Kauff- man worked at different things, during the summers mainly on farms and in the winter time finding teaming and other kinds of labor ready at hand for any one willing to exercise self denial and muscle. After marriage he and wife went to housekeeping at Sidney for a time, while he was employed in a brick yard, but Mr. Kauffman preferred farm life and they soon went into the country and there he acquired tracts of valuable land. For twenty-five years he and wife lived on their farm of 156 acres, situated in Cynthian township, west of Sidney, after which Mr. Kauffman traded that farm for his present one of seventy-seven acres, receiving also $4,500 additional in cash. In 1901 Mr. and Mrs. Kauffman came to their present home at Sidney, where they are well known and highly respected people.
In the spring of 1866 Mr. Kauffman was married to Miss Elizabeth King, who was born in Berks county, Pa., a daughter of Michael King. She was six years old when her parents settled in Clinton township, Shelby county, where they had a farm of 142 acres, which Mr. Kauffman subsequently owned and then sold to William Kingseed. Mr. and Mrs. Kauffman have two chil- dren : Adam Francis, who is a farmer in Miami county, O .; and Nora, who lives with her parents. The family belongs to the Christian church.
HUGH McDOWELL BEEBE, M.D. For forty years the name of Beebe has been associated with the medical profession in Shelby county, O., repre- senting men of high scientific attainment and successful exponents of the Homeopathic School of Medicine. The pleasant and thriving town of Sid- ney, the county seat and the home of business, culture and refinement, has two physicians of the above name, father and son. Hugh McDowell Beebe was born at Sidney, July 24, 1883, and his parents are Dr. Henry E. and Ophelia (McDowell) Beebe.
Hugh McDowell Beebe was educated in the public schools of his native place and after completing the high school course, entered the Ohio State University and subsequently the medical department of the University of Michigan, and was graduated from the latter institution in the class of 1907. Shortly afterward he entered into practice at Sidney and has been associated 81
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with his father. He has won recognition, particularly as a surgeon, and is held in high regard by his professional brethren and by the general public.
Dr. Beebe was married in 1909 to Miss Ruth Pearson, who was born at Troy, Miami county, O., a daughter of Elmer E. Pearson, who formerly was auditor of Miami county. Dr. and Mrs. Beebe have one son, Henry Pearson. Dr. Beebe is identified with the Masonic fraternity and professionally is con- nected with a number of organizations including the Union Clinical Society, the Ohio State Homeopathic Medical Society and the American Institute of Homeopathy.
JOHN B. HOLSCHER, one of the well known men of McLean township, whose fine farm of eighty-five acres, situated in section 11, lies on the south side of the east and west road, three miles southwest of Fort Loramie, O., was born in Cynthian township, Shelby county, March 19, 1849. His parents were Joseph and Clara (Eilerman) Holscher.
Joseph Holscher was born in Germany and spent his earlier years in his native land, being aged about twenty-one years when he came to Ohio, where his first work was helping to dig the canal. He married Clara Eilerman and they settled on a forty-acre tract of land which is the present site of the reser- voir, which land they were obliged to vacate when plans were completed for the building of that utility. Although Mr. Holscher received a certain amount as damages it was not as large as might reasonably have been expected. He moved then to the northern part of Cynthian township, where he secured eighty acres and afterward devoted his time until death to the improvement of that land, his decease taking place in his sixtieth year. His widow sur- vived about ten years and their burial was in the cemetery attached to St. Michael's Catholic church. They had the following children: Henry, who resides on the old homestead; Mary, who is the wife of Henry Schalter, lives at Fort Loramie; John B .; Joseph, who lives in Cynthian township; and a babe that died.
John B. Holscher, with his sister and brothers, attended the Sherman Dis- trict school and grew up on the home farm as his father's helper and has car- ried on farming and stock raising on his present place ever since his marriage. He still has fifteen acres in timber but has cleared all the rest of the land and has, by careful cultivation, made it very productive. He has always been a hard working man and of so reliable a character that frequently his fellow citizens have elected him to township offices, and has served many years as road supervisor and as a member of the board of education in the Walkup Special School District.
Mr. Holscher was married first to Miss Kate Gudenkauf, who became the mother of one daughter and both are deceased. The second marriage of Mr. Holscher was to Miss Matilda Rottinghaus, and the following children were born to them: Benjamin, Henry, William, Elizabeth, Matilda, Anton, Sophia and Frances, twins, Ludwig, Adam and Emma, all of whom survive except
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William and Elizabeth. Mr. Holscher and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church. In his political views he has always been a democrat.
ROBERT B. EVANS, who is one of the substantial and well known men of Franklin township, where he owns seventy acres of very valuable land, was born in Auglaize county, O., February 15, 1860, and is a son of John and Mary (Throckmorton) Evans.
John Evans probably came of Welsh ancestry but was born in Berkeley county, W. Va., as was his wife, and they married there and then came to Ohio, where the rest of their lives were passed. They were upright people, members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They had the following chil- dren : Thomas; Margaret, who married Andrew Close; Robert B .; David; Charles; Albertus; Mary Effie, who married John Murphey; and Silas.
Robert B. Evans had common school advantages and afterward worked with his father on the home place until he was twenty-one years of age and then started out independently, working for three years by the month, for S. D. Young. In partnership with his brother he then rented land for one year and afterward, for twenty years by himself, at the end of which time he and brother together bought the home farm. Eighteen months later Robert B. Evans sold his interest and in 1907 bought what is the old Thomas Shaw farm in local conversation but it is a much better property since Mr. Evans has become proprietor. Here he carries on general farming and does consid- erable business in buying and selling stock.
On April 30, 1886, Mr. Evans was married to Miss Jennie Stewart, who was born in Shelby county, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Elliott) Stewart. The parents of Mrs. Evans were farming people who were well known and highly respected. They had the following children: William : Jennie; Emma and Anna, twins, the former of whom married Joseph Fogt, and the latter, Alonzo Boyer; and Cora, who married Stanley Chiles.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans have children as follows : Earl L., Harry F., Clyde H., Stanley, Floyd G. and Robert T. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church in which all are active, and Mr. Evans is a member of the board of trustees and a class leader as well as Sunday school superintendent. Politically a republican, Mr. Evans has frequently been urged for office by his party and has served in school positions and as road supervisor.
B. P. HIGGINS, who carries on general farming and stock raising in Orange township, owns 110 acres of well cultivated land that has been in the family since the time of his grandfather, who erected the residence that still stands. He was born in 1875, near Kirkwood, O., and is a son of J. V. and Sarah Elizabeth (Dunn) Higgins.
J. V. Higgins was born, reared and educated in Shelby county, and for thirty-five years carried on farming north of Sidney and then came to the place his son now occupies, and here the rest of his life was passed, his death occurring at the age of seventy-five years. He married Sarah Elizabeth Dunn,
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who was born on this farm, seventy-eight years ago, and resides here with her son, B. P. Higgins, who. is the youngest of the family of six children, the others being: Mrs. Susie Hartshorn, of Miami county; Charles, of Piqua ; Mrs. Minnie Hetzler, of Orange township; and W. H. and T. L., both of this township.
B. P. Higgins obtained his education in the Kirkwood schools and after- ward went to the west, where he spent eighteen months. When he returned to Shelby county he came to this farm, Grandfather Dunn's old place, and here has followed his agricultural industries ever since. In 1904 he was married to Miss Ida Baker, who is a daughter of Ephraim and Anzetta (Cain) Baker. They were well known residents of Shelby county, where the father died in 1908, when aged seventy-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Higgins have one son, Kenneth. In his political views Mr. Higgins chooses to be independent and the only office he ever accepted was that of constable. He belongs to the Odd Fellows at Kirkwood, O.
EDWARD E. KAH, one of the representative and old established busi- ness men of Sidney, who for twenty-two years has been proprietor of Kah's Jewelry Store, and who, for thirty-four years has been in the jewelry and optical business, was born on his father's farm in Franklin township, Shelby county, O., December 23, 1857, and is a son of George and Dorothy (Zimpher) Kah.
George Kah was born in Germany and both he and wife came to America prior to marriage, with their parents, settling in Shelby county. After mar- riage they lived for some time on their farm in Franklin township and then came to Sidney, where George Kah conducted a shoe store, being a practical shoemaker. He died at Sidney, December 10, 1904, where his widow, now aged eighty-two years, still resides.
Edward E. Kah attended school in this city and then gave his father assistance in the shoe store until he was twenty-one years old, when he felt at liberty to follow his own inclinations in regard to his choice of career. Consequently he went to work for C. W. McKee, who, at that time, conducted a jewelry store in the Wagner House block. He finally bought the business from Mr. McKee but in order to get a more desirable location, had to buy a book store, which he continued to conduct in conjunction with his other busi- ness until 1911, when he closed out that feature but still continues to handle wall paper and picture moldings. He is considering the matter of erecting a new building and moving into it in the near future, although he already owns a fine block in which Young Brothers' clothing store is located. He is an expert watchmaker and a graduated optician, having .completed his course in the latter branch in a well known optical college at Chicago, in 1898.
Mr. Kah married Miss Carrie A. Bush, a daughter of George L. Bush, of Sidney. They enjoy the comforts of a handsome residence on North Wal- nut avenue. Mr. Kah is a man of quiet tastes and is identified fraternally with but one organization, the Knights of Pythias.
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GEORGE EHRHARDT, a member of the board of trustees of Clinton township, and a substantial business man of Sidney, was born at St. Louis, Mo., November 6, 1879, and is a son of Henry W. and Emma (Ham- brock) Ehrhardt, the former of whom is one of the leading gardeners and florists in this section.
George Ehrhardt was two years old when his parents returned from St. Louis to Cincinnati, O., their former home, where both had been reared. In 1888 the family came to Sidney and here George Ehrhardt was educated and then served an apprenticeship to the baker's trade. In the meanwhile his father had taken his eldest son, the late Theodore Ehrhard, as his assistant in the gardening and florist business which he had established, and the younger son carried on a bakery for seven years at Sidney. When Theodore Ehrhardt died in 1910, George Ehrhardt sold his business to Edward Staley and became associated with his father. Seven acres of land are utilized for gardening purposes and six greenhouses supply plants and flowers to all this part of the county.
Mr. Ehrhardt was married in 1902 to Miss Anna Adlon, of Springfield, O. They have no children of their own but are parents to two of the four children left by Theodore Ehrhardt, Vendora and Walter A., whom they have adopted. Mr. Ehrhardt has always been identified with the republican party and on the republican ticket he was elected in the fall of 1911 to his present office and Clinton township is profiting thereby. Fraternally he is connected with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
C. K. PRUDEN, one of the representative citizens and successful agri- culturists of Orange township, whose well improved farm of eighty acres lies three and one-half miles south of Sidney, O., was born on the old home place, four miles south of Sidney, in 1870. He is a son of James K. Pruden and a grandson of Peter Pruden, who was born in New Jersey and left there in early manhood and went to Paris, Ky., where he engaged in shoemaking until 1830, when he came to Shelby county, and settled on the farm now owned by his grandson. C. K. Pruden. He married Christiana Amos, and they spent the closing years of their lives in Orange township.
James K. Pruden was one of a family of eight children and was born in Bourbon county, Ky., in 1826. After he reached manhood he engaged in farming and stock raising, improving his property and building the stanch residence in which one of his sons resides, some forty-five years ago. He lived to the age of seventy-four years, a man well known and universally respected. He married Mary E. Cooper, who was born in Hamilton county, O., but was a child when she came to Shelby county, and now is a beloved member of the household of her son, J. Edward Pruden. They had five chil- dren: J. Edward; Mrs. Mary Fields, who is deceased; Mrs. Anna Beaman, who lives on a part of the homestead; Alfred, who is deceased; and Clark K., of the present review.
Clark K. Pruden has been engaged in' farming and stock raising ever since his school days, remaining on the home place until his marriage and then
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moving to his present farm. In 1893 he erected his comfortable residence and has placed all other buildings and improvements here and was actively engaged in his various industries until 1910, when he retired to some extent, since then renting out the larger part of his land and devoting the rest to growing potatoes and some common stock for home use.
Mr. Pruden married Miss Josephine Voress, a daughter of Okey Voress, and they have two children : James Earl, who is a member of the graduating class of 1913, in Miami University, having taken a chemical course; and Alfred David, who is also a bright student, now in the Sidney schools, who is making plans to enter the Ohio State University. In politics Mr. Pruden is a republican and has been quite active in local affairs for many years. He served five years as township clerk and very acceptably served out also an unexpired term of the township treasurer. He is identified with the Odd Fellows, attending the meetings of the order at Kirkwood.
L. F. EVERLEY, whose fine farm of 114 acres, situated in Washington township, may be reached by traveling ten miles southwest of Sidney, O., belongs to one of the old families of Shelby county, which was established by his grandfather. He was born in Loramie township, Shelby county, O., July 3, 1866, and is a son of Jacob and Sarah J. (Feint) Everley.
Jacob Everley was a well known resident of Washington township where he was concerned in agricultural affairs and for many years followed the car -. penter trade. He was a highly respected man, having been honest and upright in all his dealings, and left many friends behind when he passed out of life, April 25, 1912, in his seventy-third year. He was a veteran of the Civil war and served afterward in township offices. His widow survives and is a mem- ber of the household of her son, L. F., who is one of the four survivors of a family of eight children.
L. F. Everley attended school at Lockington and afterward learned the carpenter trade, which he followed for fifteen years. When prepared to embark in farming as his main business, Mr. Everley purchased his present property, on which he erected new and substantial buildings and otherwise improved the place until it is one of the most attractive properties in the town- ship. Mr. Everley and wife, who was formerly Miss Laura Booher, with Mr. Everley's mother, enjoy the comforts of this beautiful home alone, as they have no children. They are very hospitable, however, and have a wide circle of friends. They attend the United Brethren church at Lockington. Mr. Everley is a republican in his political views.
JAMES ANDERSON LAMB, formerly one of the foremost business men of Sidney and at the time of death, December 9, 1898, president of the Citizens National Bank, was closely identified with this section of country for more than a half century. 'He was born in Pennsylvania, December 14, 1815, a son of Samuel and Jane (Anderson) Lamb.
During youth James A. Lamb worked on a farm, attended the sub- scription schools and until 1833 was a clerk in a store. In 1834 he came
JAMES ANDERSON LAMB
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to Ohio and with a partner went into the drug business first at Mans- field and later at Lancaster. He was a man of great business perception and his whole subsequent life showed the shrewd foresight that provides for emergencies while it also ventures into unknown fields. In January, 1840, he embarked in the mercantile business with Colonel Zinn and in the spring of 1842 came to Sidney, which was then a village but the business field seemed promising, and the partners started here a factory for the manufacture of pearlash, the product being conveyed overland to Sandusky. Mr. Lamb continued with Colonel Zinn until 1868 and then sold his interest and purchased a farm. This land he sold two years afterward in order to accept the presidency of the Citizens National Bank, one that he held until his death. For eight years Mr. Lamb was a member of the city council and introduced the ordinance providing for waterworks and was largely instrumental in carrying this and other public-spirited projects to a successful issue. He had much to do with the material growth of Sidney, building the warehouse later occupied by Moore & Marshall, his own fine residence, the handsome Presbyterian church and parsonage and many other structures. He was the second son born in his parents' family, all of whom came to Ohio; John, Hannah, James Anderson, Samuel, Margaret, Jane and Elenor, Hannah becoming the wife of Colonel Zinn, Jane becoming the wife of Silas Thompson, and Elenor the wife of Henry Wilkinson.
In 1843 Mr. Lamb was married to Miss Julia A. Taylor, who was born in Shelby county, a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Stipp) Taylor, farming people. The father of Mrs. Lamb was born in Maryland and the mother in Virginia. They were members of the Christian church. Mrs. Lamb was their youngest child, the others being: Jason, George and William; Susan, wife of Abner Girard; Margaret, wife of Mark Broderick; and Lewis and Shelby. Mr. Lamb was reared in the Presbyterian church and to that religious body he gave liberally. For many years he was identified with the Masonic fraternity.
ROBERT PATTERSON THOMPSON, who is one of the highly respected, widely known and substantial citizens of Washington township, was born on his father's farm in this township, in 1834, and is a representative of one of the earliest pioneer families, the Thompsons having come to Shelby county in early days. His parents were Freeborn and Margaret ( Patterson) Thompson, the former of whom died in 1837. The latter, a native of Ireland, was brought to America when four years old, and died at Piqua, O., in her eighty-sixth year. R. P. is the elder and the only survivor of his parents' two children, his sister, Elizabeth Ellen, having passed away October 23, 1912. She was the widow of George J. Legg, who died in 1859.
R. P. Thompson had few of the present day school advantages. In his boyhood books were scarce and school sessions continued through but a few months in the year and the old log school houses were but poorly equipped, in fact were fitted only for the most sturdy of children. With the others he
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trudged for miles, many times through the snow, and then hauled wood for the heating of the log structure with its puncheon floor and slab benches. In those days farmers' sons just naturally became farmers and very much, too, to their credit and advantage. Prior to 1885 Mr. Thompson followed farming on a place somewhat west of the old homestead and then moved to his own home farm of 120 acres, making all the improvements here at that time. He also owns eighty acres in Loramie township and has a part interest in the old Patterson homestead. Until 1907 Mr. Thompson carried on all his various industries himself but since then lives somewhat retired, content- ing himself with overseeing his several properties and their management.
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