USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 59
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On June 8, 1858, Mr. Finkenbine married Miss Barbara Schiff, who was born in Baden, Germany, a daughter of Michael and Magdalena (Ludwig) Schiff, who emigrated to America when Mrs. Finkenbine was six years old, she being the youngest of the family: Michael; Magda- lena, wife of Jacob Pfaadt : Sarah, wife of Michael Stengle; Jacob ; Chris- tian and Barbara. To Mr. and Mrs. Finkenbine the following children were born: William; Magdalena, wife of Jacob Hagelberger and they have four children-Della, Alfred, Frederick and Carl; Louisa, wife of Christian Foster, and they have two children-Dora and Catherine: Julia, widow of Edward English, and they had three children-May. Bessie and George ; Ella, wife of William Stockstill, and they have three children-Pearl, Minnie and Thomas; Sophia, deceased, formerly the wife of Thomas Emley, and they had two children-John and Warren: John E .; Margaret, wife of John Boyer, and they have three children -- Clyde, Donald and Paul; and Lewis H. and Milton B. Mr. Finkenbine and family are members of the German Lutheran church at Anna, O. He is a strong democrat in his political views but has never desired to serve in public office. Since coming to this section he has seen many changes take place, new methods of farming have been adopted and comforts and
JOHN FINKENBINE
MRS. JOHN FINKENBINE
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conveniences have been brought into the life of the farmer such as, in his boyhood, were not enjoyed by any residents outside of large cities. He has seen many of the old families, also, pass away, their descendants giving up their birthrights of land to enter into the rush and bustle of town and city and it must be a source of satisfaction to him that his sons still love the soil.
N. A. PAULUS, who is one of Cynthian township's substantial and valued citizens, doing a large contracting and building business all through Shelby county, resides on his valuable farm of 100 acres, which lies three miles west of Newport, O. He was born March 6, 1869, in Patterson town- ship, Darke county, O., and has spent his life in his native state.
When he was five years old Mr. Paulus was taken to Wayne township and there he lived all through his school period, then learned his trade and continued to make his home in that section until his marriage in 1900, to Miss Mary Perin. Mrs. Paulus was born in Cynthian township, a daughter of Julius and Rosa (Frances) Perin, well known and highly respected people of this township. Mr. Paulus bought the interests of the different heirs in the Perin farm and here he and family have lived ever since. With the exception of the comfortable residence, Mr. Paulus erected all the buildings now standing and has made many other substantial improvements. There are two sets of buildings on the place.
Mr. and Mrs. Paulus are members of the Catholic church at Newport. They have three interesting children: Clara, Francis and Rosa. Mr. Paulus has always voted the democratic ticket but has never been willing to accept political office, making an exception when it came to membership on the school board, and in January, 1912, he was elected a member of the board of educa- tion of the Turner Special School District to serve until 1916.
FRANK LINDHAUS, a successful general farmer residing in section 19. Cynthian township, where he owns seventy-three acres of productive and well-cared-for land, was born in Ohio, November 30, 1877, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth Lindhaus.
Frank Lindhaus was three years old when his parents moved to Fort Loramie and he obtained his education in the Berlin Special School District. General farming has occupied the time and attention of Mr. Lindhaus ever since and he has resided on this property, which lies one and one-fourth miles north of Newport, O., ever since his marriage. Here he has put in many improvements and these include the erection of the substantial buildings and the neat fencing which encloses his fields.
In May, 1903, Mr. Lindhaus was married to Miss Elizabeth Kloecker. who is a daughter of Herman Kloecker, of McLean township, Shelby county, and they have four attractive and intelligent children: Emma, Henry, Ray- mond and Laurence. Mr. and Mrs. Lindhaus are members of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic church at Newport. O. In politics he has always been a demo- cratic voter and has never accepted any public office except that of school
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director, and in January, 1912, was elected a member of the board of educa- tion of the Basinburg Special School District.
FRANK J. BORCHERS, whose valuable farm of 160 acres lies in section 26, Cynthian township, is one of the enterprising and prosperous young agri- culturists of this section. He was born November 12, 1887, in McLean town- ship, Shelby county, one and one-quarter miles southwest of Fort Loramie, O., where his people were well-known old settlers.
Frank J. Borchers attended school in the Berlin Special School District and then turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. In the spring of 1911, he came to his present farm where he has thirty acres yet in timber, but all the rest is well drained and sufficiently tiled, while Mr. Borchers has put the buildings in excellent repair. He carries on mixed farming and all his industries are flourishing.
Mr. Borchers was married to Miss Emma Boerger, a daughter of Henry Boerger, a former resident of McLean township, and they have one daughter, Freda. Mr. and Mrs. Borchers are members of the Catholic church at New- port, O., which town is situated two and one-half miles east of their farm. Mr. Borchers votes the democratic ticket in both local and national elections.
J. WILLIAM KLOCKER, a well-known general farmer and stockraiser of Shelby county, O., residing in section 35, Cynthian township, where he has eighty acres of fine land, was born December 23, 1872, in McLean township, and is a son of Herman and Elizabeth Klocker.
J. William Klocker obtained his schooling in the Berlin Special School District, after which he engaged in farming, a very natural thing to do as he was reared to take an interest in this direction. In March, 1911, Mr Kloecker purchased this farm and has all but seven acres of woodland under cultivation. Through remodeling and building, draining and tiling, he has made his property much more valuable than when he bought it. He carries on mixed farming but has little grain to sell, finding it more profitable to feed stock. His markets are easy to reach, his land lying but three and one-half miles west of Newport, O., and on the Hale turnpike road through Cynthian town- ship.
In February, 1908, Mr. Klocker was married to Miss Mary Eilerman, a daughter of F. J. Eilerman, of McLean township, and they have two chil- dren: Leo, who was born December 23, on the Eilerman farm, 1908, in McLean township; and Margaret, who was born on the present farm October 24, 1911. Mr. Klocker and wife are members of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic church at Newport, O. He is a democrat in politics and on the democratic ticket was elected in January, 1912, a member of the board of education of the Turner Special School District.
J. C. SHORT, general farmer and stock raiser, residing in Cynthian township, Shelby county, O., was born on this place, the old family home-
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stead January 25, 1872, and is a son of John Short, one of the old and respected residents of this section.
J. C. Short was primarily educated in the Short Special School District and afterward attended the Normal School at Lebanon, O., and then engaged for a time in teaching school in his own and neighboring townships. In more or less degree he has always engaged in farming and since marriage has devoted himself entirely to agricultural activities. This farm is the old Moyer homestead and here Mr. Short's mother was born, Grandfather Moyer hav- ing entered the land. There are eighty acres in the farm and it has been improved by J. C. Short and his father and is one of the fine farms of Cynthian township.
J. C. Short was married on May 1, 1901, to Miss Sarah Anderson, a daughter of I. N. and Catherine (Peters) Anderson, of Miami county, O. Mr. and Mrs. Short have one son, a bright youth of ten years who is making satisfactory progress at school and the name of John Emery Short stands on the record of the Oran Special School District with many credit marks attached. Since January, 1912, Mr. Short has been a member of the school board, elected on the democratic ticket. Mr. Short and family are members of the Christian church at Oran, O., their farm lying one mile north and one and one-half mile west of that town.
HENRY J. BORCHERS, one of the prosperous farmers of McLean township, who successfully cultivates his farm of 153 acres, which is situated in section II, two and one-half miles southwest of Fort Loramie, O., is inter- ested also in a farm of eighty acres, which, in association with his brother, J. J. Borchers, he purchased from George Williams, with the intention of devoting it to stock raising. Mr. Borchers was born in McLean township, Shelby county, O., June 3, 1874, and is a son of J. B. Borchers, one of the well-known residents of this section of the county.
Henry J. Borchers obtained his schooling in the Berlin Special School District and ever since has been engaged in agricultural pursuits and at the time of marriage purchased his home farm from his father. He has all of his land well drained and in fine tillable condition with the exception of twelve acres which he prefers to keep as a wood lot. Mr. Borchers is known as an industrious, sensible and careful farmer and his time is largely devoted to his own affairs, although at times he has acceptel official responsibilities on the board of education, for seven years serving as clerk of the Walkup Special School District.
On May 1, 1901, Mr. Borchers was married to Miss Frances Hilgefort, a daughter of Clemens and Mary Hilgefort, and their eight children were all born on this farm and here the fifth of the family, Bernard Paul, died when aged but three weeks. All the others survive and are a sturdy and interesting little group: Marie, Kate, Eleanor, Bernadine, Loretta, Ursula and Rose. Mr. Borchers and wife are members of and are carefully rearing their children in St. Michael's Catholic church. In politics Mr. Borchers is a democrat.
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JOSEPH POEPPELMAN, who operates his mother's excellent farm of eighty-three acres, which is situated in section II, McLean township. Shelby county, O., is one of the well-known and highly respected citizens of this township and for seven years served on the board of education of this special school district. He was born in McLean township and is a son of Bernard and Elizabeth Poeppelman.
The father of Mr. Poeppelman was born in Auglaize county, O., and for many years was a successful farmer in Shelby county, where he owned three farms. His death occurred in his sixty-fourth year and his burial was in the cemetery belonging to St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie, of which he was a member. His wife was born in Germany and still survives, and eight children were born to them.
Joseph Poeppelman attended school in the Dirksen Special School District and afterward helped his father and remained with his mother after the father's death. He has improved the farm in the matter of drainage, putting down a large amount of tiling, but all the buildings now standing were built before his time. He carries on a general farming line, raising stock for his own use and has the reputation of being a fine farmer and good manager.
Mr. Poeppelman was married to Miss Mary Gerling, who was born in McLean township, a daughter of Barney Gerling, and they have a family of nine children: Rosa, Ludwig, Anna, Albert, Allwis, Regina, Herman. Joseph and Martha. The family belongs to St. Michael's Catholic church. As a lifelong democrat, Mr. Poeppelman is much interested in the political future of his party and loyally supports its candidates. He has never accepted any public office for himself except membership on the school board as above mentioned.
MRS. LILLY MAY MARTZ, whose beautiful farm of 117 acres lies in Perry township, Shelby county, O., is a member of old and respected families of the county, who for years have been numbered with the solid and reliable residents. Mrs. Martz was born in Perry township and is a daughter of Will- iam A. and Rachel A. (Sturm) Ried, and a granddaughter of George and Mary (Stout) Sturm. The second marriage of Mrs. Ried was to Sanmel Woolley, and to this marriage the following children were born: Mary Etta, who is the wife of Edward Taylor ; George A. ; John William; Martha Ellen, who is the wife of William Develvis; Clarence Earl; Harley Thurman ; Mag- gie Alberta, who is the wife of Charles Glick; Anna, who is the wife of Will- iam Hatcher; Adrian; and one who died at the age of fifteen years.
Lilly May Ried was educated in the public schools of Perry township and carefully reared by a very capable mother. On December 24, 1890, she was married to Lee Martz, who is the son of Flavius and Mary ( Weaver) Martz. The parents of Mr. Martz were Champaign county people and he has one sister, Jennie, who is the wife of Albert Harner : and two brothers, Michael. who is older, and Lester, who is younger. Mr. and Mrs. Martz have two children : Jennie May, who is the wife of Vernon Elliott and they have one daughter, Verna May; and Guerna O'Feral, who married Harry M. Zimpfer.
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Mr. Martz and family belong to the United Brethren church. Politically he is a democrat and fraternally belongs to the Odd Fellows, the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Red Men. He is numbered with the enterprising and successful farmers and stock raisers of Perry township and he and family have a wide circle of friends.
J. HENRY ALBERS. The well cultivated farm of 100 acres which lies on the east side of the North and South road, in section 4, Dirksen Special School District, one-half mile west and one and one-half mile north of Fort Loramie, O., in McLean township, Shelby county, O., is owned by J. Henry Albers, one of the representative men of this section. He was born on the farm that adjoins this on the west, January 16, 1864, and is a son of H. H. and Josephine Albers.
H. H. Albers was born in Germany and came to the United States and to Ohio when a young man. He was married to Josephine N. Eneking, who was born in Auglaize county, and eight children were born to them, three of whom are deceased. After marriage H. H. Albers and wife came to McLean township and settled on the farm on which Mrs. Albers still resides, being now in her sixty-fifth year. He carried on farming there for a number of years prior to his death, when agel fifty-two years, and was a very highly respected man. He was influential in democratic politics and served as township super- visor and also as a member of the school board, and was a faithful member of St. Joseph's Catholic church, to which his widow also belongs.
J. Henry Albers obtained his education in the Dirksen Special School Dis- trict and remained at home assisting his father until his own marriage, at which time he bought his present farm from his mother and has continued here ever since. He cleared about twenty acres of the land and yet has fifteen acres in woodland, and has made many improvements including a first class system of drainage and the erection of the commodious and comfortable buildings. He carries on mixed husbandry and raises cattle, paying close attention to his industries and having the reputation of being very successful.
Mr. Albers was married to Miss Margaret Hoying, who was born in McLean township, Shelby county, O., October 20, 1877, a daughter of Clem- ens and Bernadine Hoying, and they have the following children: Clemens, Bernadine, Frances, Herman, Leo, Alphonse, Matilda and Estella. Mr. Albers and family are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church at Egypt, O. He is affiliated with the democratic party, as was his late father all his life. and is serving in his second term as a member of the board of education in the Dirksen Special School District.
FRANK BORNHORST, who resides on his well-cultivated and improved farin of eighty acres, which is situated in section 9, Dirksen School District. McLean township, was born in May, 1856, in Jackson township. Auglaize county, O., and is a son of Joseph and Katie Bornhorst.
Frank Bornhorst attended school in Jackson township and afterward worked as a farmer and after his marriage purchased his present farm of his
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father-in-law, Anthony Imholt. The land had been somewhat improved but Mr. Bornhorst completed its clearings, all but five acres, which he retains in woods, and erected all the' substantial and comfortable buildings on the place. He carries on a general farming line and raises enough stock for his own use and at all times is a busy man. He is at the head of a fine family, nine sturdy children having been born to himself and wife and they all sur- vive. He married Miss Catherine Imholt, who was born at Cincinnati, O., a daughter of Anthony and Mary Imholt, both of whom died on this farm. Mr. and Mrs. Bornhorst's children are as follows: Mary and Frances, twins, Bernard, Herman, Bernadine, Amelia, Elizabeth, Anthony and Leo. Mr. Bornhorst and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church. He is a democrat in politics and has served in local offices with honesty and efficiency, for two years being road superintendent and at present belonging to the board of education of the Dirksen Special School District.
BERNARD SEGER, who is president of the board of education of Dirk- sen Special School District, McLean township, Shelby county, O., successfully carries on general farming on his valuable tract of eighty acres, situated in section 4, on which place he was born January 9, 1862. He is a son of Clemens A. and Elizabeth Mary ( Albers) Seger.
Clemens A. Seger was born in Germany and it was about the time of the Civil war that he came to Shelby county and secured the farm under con- sideration, it then being entirely unimproved, in fact but a belt of woodland. He worked hard to clear and improve his land but did not survive beyond middle life, his death occurring in 1875, when he was aged but fifty-six years. He was twice married, first to Bernandina Grieshop, and second to Elizabeth Mary Albers. The first wife was the mother of Henry, Ferdinand. Bernard and an infant son. To the second marriage the following children were born : Herman, Elizabeth, Bernard, John, Anthony, Josephine, Anna, Theresa, Clemens and Joseph. The mother of the above children died January 29, 1902, at the age of sixty-six years and her burial, like that of her husband, was in the Catholic cemetery at Minster, where they attended church.
Bernard Seger was only thirteen years of age when his father died. With his brothers and sisters he had been attending school in the Dirksen Special School District, but the death of his father made it necessary for him to give the greater part of his time to work on the farm, which subsequently became his property. He has developed it into one of the finest and best improved forms of the township and has all cleared but ten acres. He put up all the present handsome buildings and takes a pardonable amount of pride in his richly cultivated fields and in his herds and stock. Like his late father. he is a democrat and has served several terms as road supervisor and for the past three years has been a member of the Dirksen Special School District, of which he is president. In this public office he is associated with other leading men of the community. With Mr. Seger president, the district is fortunate and the other members of the board are: Henry Fortman, clerk; August
MR. AND MRS. ELISITA YOST
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Schmising, treasurer; and Henry J. Albers, Frank Bornhorst, and Bernard Brandewie the other members.
Mr. Seger was married to Elizabeth Aspree, born in Germany, a daughter of Henry and Agnes Aspree, and the following children have been born to them: Mary, Frank, Ludwig, Charles, Johannah, Clemens, Edward, Albert and Harold, all surviving except Mary and Johannah. Mr. Seger and family are members of the Catholic church at Minster, O. The handsome home is situated on the east side of the Brandewie turnpike road.
ELISHA YOST, who is one of Sidney's most respected retired citizens, occupying his comfortable residence which is located at No. 219 North Miami avenue, is one of the best known men of Shelby county, his various activities during his earlier years, bringing him into business and social relations with a very wide circle. He was born December 25. 1837, in Morgan county, Va.
Until he was seventeen years old Elisha Yost remained in Virginia. but early in December, 1856, accompanied his uncle, Rev. John Yost, to Logan county, O., and remained with hm at Quncy, until the spring of 1857, when he began work at the carpenter trade, having learned the same with his brother before leaving Virginia. In Quincy he worked at the trade with his cousins for a time and then, being curious to see something of other parts of the state, accepted an offer from the Ameri- can Tract Society and traveled through Logan, Shelby and Champaign counties for several months, selling that company's books. In Cham- paign county he found other relatives and worked for some of them as a farmer, after which he purchased the carpenter tools of a cousin and went into the building business, and continued until 1862, erecting many houses and barns all through the country, and a Methodist Episcopal church edifice in Champaign county.
In the spring of 1862 Mr. Yost moved to Shelby county, and here. on August IIth of that year, he entered the Union army for service in the Civil war, enlisting as a private in Company H, Ninety-ninth Ohio Vol. Inf., and was honorably discharged at the close of that long struggle. During his first year he was, connected with the Army of the Cumberland but then was transferred to the Pioneer Corps, that necessary branch of the service that, among its many duties, had the responsibility of building the pontoon bridges. Mr. Yost was present at the fall of Chattanooga and after that was transferred to the Veteran Volunteer Engineers, which built fortifications and probably occupied a more dan- gerous position than any other body of soldiers, and was made up entirely of skilled men. Although for all these years he lived a life of hazard, Mr. Yost escaped all injuries and was finally mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., and returned to his home in Shelby county. In the following September he was married and he and his wife resided with the latter's father until he built a residence in Champaign county, on a farm of 265 acres, which was purchased from his wife's brother and
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partly belonged to her, and on that farm they lived for twenty-two years. While at Quincy he had had some experience in the saw mill business, and as he had fine water power on his Champaign county property, he erected a saw mill there and successfully operated it and also made a profitable business of raising tobacco. When he sold his Champaign county farm he moved to Palestine, Shelby county, where he owned 400 acres, 200 of which he has sold. In 1907 he came to Sidney, where he has been a quiet but useful citizen ever since and a liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which religious body he has been a member since January 16, 1857.
On September 12, 1865. Mr. Yost was married to Miss Caroline Weimer, a daughter of Peter and Christina (Dormire) Weimer. Peter Weimer was born in Germany and when he came to the United States as a boy was entirely dependent upon his own industry for a living. After settling in Ohio and securing land he did not have enough capital to enable him to buy a plough with which to break up his land and it was with the only farm implement that he had, a hoe, that he toiled until he could sow wheat for his first crop. This lack of tools caused many early settlers to grow discouraged and abandon the land which they had worked hard to get, but Mr. Weimer was persevering in the face of poverty and through his industry became prosperous and in the course of years one of the large and successful farmers of his section. The mother of Mrs. Yost was born in France.
To Mr. and Mrs. Yost the following children were born: Effie May, who is the wife of Edward Miller, a farmer; Olive Myrtle, who is the wife of Asbury Wilson ; Dora A., who is the wife of Marcus Partington : Caroline Belle, who is the wife of Lee Sergeant; Mary M., who is the wife of Charles Leever and they live in Cincinnati; Daisy Alberta, who is the wife of O. W. Cook, of Maplewood, O .; Norma Lavilla, who is a teacher of music, resides at home ; and Bonnie Loretta, who is deceased. While never an aggressive politician, Mr. Yost has always taken a good citizen's interest in public affairs. While living in Champaign county he served twelve years in the office of justice of the peace and afterward served six years in the same office in Shelby county. For forty years he has been identified with the Masonic fraternity.
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