USA > Ohio > Auglaize County > History of western Ohio and Auglaize County, with illustrations and biographical sketches of pioneers and prominent public men > Part 51
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During 1889 the residence for the pastor was built at a cost of $5,000, the building committee consisting of Messrs. S. W. and F. L. McFarland, C. J. Heinl, J. A. Werst and C. A. Stueve.
In 1899 the handsome school building was erected at a cost of $28,750. The building committee consisted of Rev. Wm. Russ, C. J. Heinl, secretary, C. A. Stueve, J. E. Gunther and Henry J. Werst. The building is designed to serve the combined purpose of school and hall and it is one of the most complete modern structures of its kind in the state.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
These industries contribute thousands of dollars every year to the wealth of the town, and the entire county. The business men of the town have always been liberal in their contributions for the establishment of manufacturing enterprises. The village council for several years past has not hesitated to levy taxes to- be used indirectly in furtherance of commercial enterprises.
WAPAKONETA WHEEL COMPANY.
This company was established in 1872, by J. H. Timmer- meister, Samuel Bitler, R. D. Marshall, Ditmer Fischer, Leopold Jacobs, M. Mouch, L. N. Blue, and A. M. Kuhn. The capital stock at the organization was $50,000, which has been increased from time to time, until it has become the leading wheel com- pany of the northwest.
Under the reorganization of 1891, the firm consists of the
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following members: the J. H. Timmermeister heirs, Carl D. Fischer, L. N. Blume, Chas. F. Herbst, J. H. Doering, Wm. Mc- Murray, Jno. Taeusch, and C. A. Stueve.
The output of the plant for several years past has been 50,000 sets of wheels per annum.
One hundred and seventy-five men are employed at an aggre- gate salary of about $50,000 per year.
THE DAVID KREITZER BUGGY COMPANY.
This important industry was established by David Kreitzer in 1863, and was conducted by him until 1869, when he entered into partnership with J. C. Hasenier. A large two-story frame building was erected in that year. The business grew so rapidly that it became necessary in 1878 to erect a large brick building on the corner of Race and Auglaize streets. The building was further enlarged in 1895. In 1896, the David Kreitzer Buggy Company was organized, and incorporated in that year.
The output for 1902 was eight hundred buggies and surreys, and a large amount of repair work.
The establishment employs forty hands.
The firm at the present time consists of the following mem- bers: David Kreitzer, Joseph Kreitzer, J. Kreitzer, Wm. Kreit- zer and John Kreitzer.
THE CITY BREWING COMPANY.
This company was organized in 1869, and was the first brewing company established in the county. The present com- pany, organized in 1895, is under the joint management of the proprietors, C. T. Kolter and Henry Koch. The output is suf- ficient to supply the demands of a large extent of territory. Two large ice machines are, also, operated in connection with the brewery. The larger ice machine producing fifty tons per day and the smaller one twenty tons per day.
THE STANDARD CHURN COMPANY.
was organized by the present proprietors, F. H. Haman, R. C. Haman, and S. A. Hoskins, in 1889. The output of this establish- ment last year was forty thousand churns, twenty car loads of handles, and fifteen hundred washing machines, giving employ- ment to thirty-five hands.
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THE WAPAKONETA HANDLE COMPANY.
manufactures all kinds of farming tool handles - all of which, for the past fifteen years, have been shipped to continental Europe. Tourists who go abroad can find the product of our Auglaize county forests in every city, town and hamlet. A. Kahn, manufacturer and exporter of these products, also, exports the tools adapted to these handles. One firm in France, on account of the excellence of material furnished, has labeled one of their tools, "The Wapakoneta."
The output of the plant for last year was one million pieces. Thirty hands are employed in the product.
M. BROWN AND COMPANY.
The M. Brown bentwood churn is sold all over the world and is recognized as one of the best on the market. This spring (1903) they have made shipments to South Africa, Germany, and Russia. The company's output last year was ten thousand bent- wood and several thousand dasher churns. Beside these the com- pany makes wood measures and washing machnes. The factory employs thirty men.
SWINK, SNYDER AND COMPANY.
are the successors of Swink Brothers and Company, established in 1870. The large factory owned by the original firm was de- stroyed by fire in 1888, but was immediately afterward rebuilt. The present firm consists of the following members: W. H. Swink, W. S. Snyder, M. J. Crawford, and J. L. Carson.
The sales of furniture for last year amounted to $35,000, and the sale of lumber to $10,000.
The establishment at the present time employs thirty hands.
FISHER HANDLE COMPANY.
This factory was established in 1901 in the Dickman build- ing by Henry Moore and Edward Fisher. They make all kinds of ax handles and have a planing mill in connection for general woodwork. They employ a minimum of fifteen hands.
THE WAPAKONETA MACHINE COMPANY.
was founded in 1893. The firm is composed of the following gentlemen : Carl D. Fischer, President; R. J. Schemmel, Vice-
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President ; Henry Fischer, Treasurer; Harry Loth, Secretary ; Wm. Fischer and W. C. Heinrich.
This company manufactures machinery, knives, chisels, and other specialties. Sixteen skilled workmen are employed.
THE CHARLES WINTZER TANNING COMPANY.
This industry was established by Anthony Dieker in 1840. In 1844, it passed into the possession of Gotlieb Machatanz, who continued the business until 1848, when he was succeeded by Frank Happ. In 1862 the property was purchased by Charles Wintzer, who operated the plant until 1898, when it was incor- porated under the name of "The Charles Wintzer Tanning Com- pany."
The annual output of the establishment is about 2,500 sides of harness leather.
WAPAKONETA KNITTING MILLS.
This establishment was incorporated in 1903 under the name of the Wapakoneta Knitting Company. The following are the stockholders: Joseph Walter, Anna Brockert, Henry Brockert, Mary Walter and Louisa Walter.
The output of the establishment is eight dozen union suits of men's and ladies' underwear per day.
A gas engine in the basement of the building furnishes power for running the knitting machines, and also, for running a dyna- mo from which the establishment is lighted.
Twelve hands are employed in operating the mill.
HOOP FACTORY.
This factory, situated in the southern part of town, has been in operation since 1901. The firm is composed of Joseph Buehler and sons, who manufacture all kinds of hoops. The daily output is twelve thousand hoops, giving employment to twenty hands.
THE J. M. BURDEN COMPANY.
The above named company operates a saw-mill on the Lima road at the east corporation line. They do a general milling busi- ness and employ about ten men.
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HOME MILLING COMPANY.
The oldest mill in Wapakoneta is owned by the above named company, but although long established, it is the newest in meth- ods and machinery. The company employs six men and has a daily output of one hundred barrels of flour.
CIGAR FACTORIES.
Wapakoneta has, for a number of years, been noted for the excellent quality of its cigars, a fact due no doubt to the great competition here. There are ten factories at present, employing sixty persons, with an annual output of two million cigars.
GUNTHER'S BOTTLING WORKS.
John E. Gunther, proprietor of the well known "Bottling Works," employs a number of men and does an extensive busi- ness in the manufacture of pop and mineral water and the bot- tling of beer.
G. C. HELLER'S WAGON SHOP.
is the oldest establishment of the kind in Wapakoneta. The wagons manufactured in this shop are in demand in all the sur- rounding counties.
WAPAKONETA HOLLOW WARE COMPANY.
The buildings of this company are located in the southern part of Wapakoneta. The main building is one hundred and eighty feet in length by sixty feet in width.
The firm is composed of the following members: Milton Bennett, President; Marion Stephenson, Secretary; Harry Ben- nett, Treasurer; Charles Stephenson, and S. P. Hick.
ACETYLENE GENERATOR COMPANY.
This company has but recently begun the operation of their plant here. It was formerly located in Chicago, but desiring to enlarge their capacity, they accepted overtures made by the citi- zens of Wapakoneta, and have located their shops in the south- eastern part of town. They are, at the present time engaged in the manufacture of acetylene gas generators.
The company will give employment to seventy-five men.
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CRIDERSVILLE.
The village of Cridersville, platted in 1856 by Ephraim Crider, is located in the northwest quarter of section thirty-five, Duchouquet township, on the lines of the C., H. & D. railroad, and the Western Ohio electric railway.
The recorded history of the village from 1856 to 1879 has been lost. The following is a list of the mayors from that date to the present : 1880, David Shanks; 1881, C. S. Fasig; 1882, R. Haywood; 1884, L. A. Boysel; 1886, G. T. Mahin; 1887, J. H. Nichols; 1888 to 1890, W. N. Bowsher; 1891, E. A. Speese ; 1892, W. N. Bowsher; 1894, F. S. Sellers; 1896, F. S. Sellers; 1898, M. P. Myers ; 1899 to 1902, W. A. Burkhardt.
The clerks of the village since 1879 have been as follows : 1880, G. W. Baker ; 1882 to 1894, E. A. Speese ; 1894 to 1903, G. E. Kelly.
John Murdock established the first dry goods store in Cri- dersville in 1858, and was followed in succession by John Weiser, Andrew Murdock, John McMilli, Coonrod Meffley, Thomas and David Davis, J. O. and Thomas Hover, and Thomas Blackburn and Harry Fisher.
The merchants of Cridersville have prospered since 1880. Some of them have accumulated handsome fortunes, and have retired from business. For several years after the development of the oil fields around the village, grocers, clothing stores, dry goods stores and other supply establishments did an extensive business.
The large warehouse now owned and controlled by John Reichelderfer was built in 1865. Large quantities of grain and other products are brought and shipped from this point.
A sawmill built in 1900, by Smith Bear, and a tile factory built by John Bierline in 1900, are doing a thriving business.
The Bi-County Review, a non-partisan weekly newspaper, has a subscription list of several hundred, and does a general job- bing business.
The present business concerns of the village consist of one hotel, one physician, two general stores, two grocery and pro- vision stores, one drug store, one hardware store, one boiler repair shop, one blacksmith shop, one electric power house and one har- ness shop.
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CHURCHES.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. - The Methodist preacher was a frequent visitor among the people in the Burk settlement in pioneer days. As early as 1844, a society was organized in. that settlement and services were held in the Burk school house. The old log building served the purpose of church and school house until 1868, when a frame church was erected. Ten years. afterward the building was moved to Cridersville.
The following pastors have served since 1883: Rev. T. W. Holland, 1884; Rev. Wm. Hoak, 1886; Rev. L. G. Herbert, 1887 ; Rev. J. F. Newcomb, 1891 ; Rev. D. R. Cook, 1894; Rev. Charles. B. Cromer, 1896; Rev. J. W. Sower, 1899; Rev. C. S. Barren, 1900; Rev. C. S. Brandenberry, now (1903) pastor in charge.
The church at the present time has a membership of ninety,. and a prosperous Sabbath school with a membership of one hun- dred. J. W. Haruff is superintendent of the Sabbath school.
UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH. - This society was organized in 1875. Three years afterward the present church edifice was. erected. The pastors, as near as can be ascertained, have served in the following order : Thomas Coates, 1875; Merritt Miller, 1876-7; Anthony Stemen, 1878; Elias Counselor, 1879; Wm.
Miller, 1880; Harvey, 1881; Zacheus Roberts, 1882; Caracuff, 1883; Thomas Coates, 1884; Kline, 1885; Charles Alexander, 1886; D. A. Johnson, Elias Counselor, Balduke, and Esterbrook.
The membership at the present time is about forty, and the Sabbath school has an enrollment of sixty.
The Free Methodist Church was organized in 1896, and the church building was erected in 1897.
SCHOOLS.
The village school building was erected in 1875. It is a commodious two-story brick structure, the style and finish of which give it a commanding appearance. There are four large school rooms, besides smaller ones for recitations and other pur- poses. The building and grounds are valued at $4,000.
The school enumeration in 1901 was 214, and the average daily attendance in school was 123.
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Mr. G. E. Kelly has served as principal of the schools since I886.
Duchouquet township is well supplied with churches and schools, there being three country churches and nine sub-district schools.
The school enumeration in the sub-district schools of the township in 1902 was 195, and the average daily attendance of pupils was 134.
The cost of maintaining the schools for that year was $1,860.26.
School district No. I included the entire township in 1836-7.
The following notice is posted in the township record book under date of March Ioth, 1837 :
TOWNSHIP SCHOOL EXAMINERS.
Section 36. That on the first of April, annually, the electors of each and every township in the state of Ohio shall elect in the same manner as township officers are elected, three persons, whose duty it shall be to serve as school examiners, in their respective townships, and on failure of the electors to elect such school examiners the Court of Common Pleas of the county shall, on the request of any two school directors appoint three examiners for such township.
School Examiners not to give a Certificate for a longer period than one year, nor to any person as teacher unless they be qualified to teach reading, writing and arithmetic, and sustain a good moral character.
At the election held April 3d, 1837, the following persons were elected township school examiners: G. W. Holbrook, Ro- bert J. Skinner, and Jeremiah Ayers.
G. W. HOLBROOK, Township Clerk.
The following are verbatim copies of the records of the Board of Trustees :
APRIL 3d, 1837.
The Board of Trustees altered district No. one so as to form a new district in the northwest corner of the township two and a half miles square. That is beginning at the west line of the township at the half mile stake of section 18, and running due east from thence to the center of section 16, and running due north from thence to the north line of the township at the half section
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HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
stake of section 4. From thence due west on the township line two and a half miles, from thence south to the place of beginning. GEO. W. HOLBROOK,
Clerk.
WAPAKONETA, May 27th, 1837.
The Trustees met this day. Present Chas. Levering, Thomas B. Crawford and James Elliott.
The Board being organized, a petition was taken up asking an alteration in school district No. one so as to form a new district in the northeast corner of the township 2 miles one way, and three miles the other. This petition was granted by the board and ordered onto the records of the Township as school district No. 3, with boundaries as follows viz: commencing at the south- west corner of section ten and runs east to the Township line, from thence north to the northeast corner of the Township, and from thence west to the northwest corner of section No. 3, and from thence south to the place of beginning including sections I, 2, 3, 10, II, and 12. GEO. W. HOLBROOK.
Nov. Ist, 1837.
The Trustees met this day. Present Thomas B. Crawford, and Charles Levering.
A petition was presented asking an alteration of school No. one in such a manner as to form a new district in the east part of the township including sections 13. 14, 23, 24, 25, and 26, to be known and designated school district number 4, Duchouquet Township. Boundary as follows to wit: Commencing on the Township line at the northeast corner of section thirteen and running west on the section line between sections 12 and 13 west to the northwest corner of section 14, from thence south to the southwest corner of section 26, from thence east to the southeast corner of section 25, and from thence north on the Township line to the place of beginning. GEO. W. HOLBROOK,
Township Clerk.
DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL FUNDS.
MAY 26th, 1838. DUCHOUQUET TP.
District No. I. $84.609
District No. 2. 29.988
District No. 3.
14.458
District No. 4.
28.146
MARCH 4th, 1839.
The Trustees of Duchouquet Tp. met this day. Present a full Board.
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Legal notice having been given, a petition was presented for an alteration in school district No. one and three, so as to form a new district in the east part of the township to include sections 25 and 26, and 35 and 36 and to be known as School District No. 5, Duchouquet Township. Ordered that the request of the peti- tioners be granted and that said district be hereby established.
L. H. IDE, Township Clerk.
DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL MONEY.
WAPAKONETA, OHIO, Mar. 2, 1840.
District No. I.
$72.689
District No. 2.
25.754
District No. 3.
12.420
District No. 4.
23.920
SECTION LOCATED FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES.
Sec. 29, Town 5, S. R. 5. E. 640 Acres. - For Town 5, S. R. 6, E. - 4th, Nov. 1839.
JAMES WATSON RILEY, Registrar.
Said office at Lima, Ohio,
Sept. 22, 1842.
NOTE. - The foregoing Memorandum is pasted in township record.
MARCH IIth, 1844.
Legal notice having been given for alteration in school dis- tricts No. 1, 2 and 3, so as to form two new school districts, to be known as districts Nos. 6 and 7. Ordered that the request of the petitioners be granted, and that the Township be so dis- tricted that school district No. I include sections No. 19, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and all of section No. 20, except eighty rods off the east side ; the south half of section 18, and the south half of section 17, except 80 rods off the east side.
School district No. 2, includes sections 5, 6, 7, 8, the north half of 18, and the north half of 17, except 80 rods off of the east side of 17.
School district No. 3, includes sections 1, 2, II, and 12. School district No. 4, includes sections 13, 14, 23, and 24.
School district No. 5, includes sections 25, 26, 35, and 36. School district No. 6, includes sections 3, 4, 9, and 10.
School district No. 7, includes sections 15, 16, 21, 22, and eighty rods off of the east side of sections 17 and 20.
Attest,
RICHARD METHANY,
Tp. Clerk.
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HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
Prior to 1837, the school in district No. I, was supported by subscription. After that date the practice of supplementing the public school fund by subscription was continued until 1854.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
COL. GEORGE W. ANDREWS was born in Medina, Orleans county, New York, Sept. Ist, 1825. His father, Joel Andrews was a Quaker, and was engaged in agricultural pursuits. His grandfather on the maternal side, John Lewis, was a Major in the Revolutionary army, and was a descendant of the Lewis family of Rhode Island, who, as Baptists, took a prominent part in the religious controversies of the Roger Williams period. The early education of Andrews was received at "Nine Partners' College," in Duchess county, New York. He was also an attend- ant at Oberlin College for a brief period. At the age of eighteen he began the study of law at Granville, Ohio, and in 1845 was admitted to the bar at Norwalk, Ohio. Subsequently he entered the practice of his profession at Lima, Allen county, and was at once elected prosecuting attorney. Within the three years of his residence at Lima, he established and edited the "Lima Argus." In 1848, he moved to Wapakoneta, and established the "Auglaize Republican." He was elected prosecuting attorney in 1848, and re-elected in 1850. In 1873 he was elected to the senate of the Legislature, and was re-elected in 1875. In 1861, at the request of Governor Dennison, he left the Legislature, and returned home, and within two days raised a company of vol- unteers, and entered the service with the commission of captain. He was afterward successively promoted to the rank of major, lieutenant colonel and colonel. In 1864 he left the service and resumed the practice of his profession. In 1873 he was elected to the State Senate in which he served two terms. After his retirement from the Senate, he resumed the practice of law until 1885. During the last two years of his life he was a sufferer from lung disease of which he died Nov. 28th, 1887.
DR. CICERO BERLIN, son of Henry and Julia Ann Berlin, was born in Pennsylvania, Aug. 6th, 1827. In 1830, the family moved to Columbiana county, Ohio, and settled near Washington- ville, where they engaged in farming for several years. When the son was twelve years old, they moved to Hardin county,
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Ohio, and settled near the village of Forest. In 1843, the family moved a third time, and located at Norton in Delaware county, Ohio. At this point Mr. Berlin resumed the practice of his trade. He established a pottery in which he did a flourishing business for several years. During the residence of the family at Norton, the son and daughter attended the Marion Academy, at that time one of the best schools of the kind in the state. After completing his studies in the academy, young Berlin went to Dayton, Ohio, where, at the age of twenty-two, he studied medicine under the tutorship of Drs. Wise and Geiger. During his hours of leisure, he earned wages by making reports for Gen. Speese, who was at that time postmaster at Dayton. After three years of study under Drs. Wise and Geiger, he attended the Western Reserve Medical College, at Cleveland, Ohio. In 1852, he commenced the practice of medicine at Brookville, Ohio, where he remained until 1861. He was married Oct. 17th, 1855, to Miss Elizabeth Hite of Car- dington, Morrow county, Ohio. Of this union four children have been born : Clarence D. (deceased), born Feb. 28th, 1857 ; Carrie E. (wife of Robert Boyd), born Oct. 28th, 1861; Harry H. (deceased), born Dec. 3d, 1863, and Charles C., born Feb. 13th, 1872.
In 1861 Dr. Berlin moved to Wapakoneta, and in 1862 attended the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, from which institution he graduated in 1863. After his graduation he re- turned to Wapakoneta, where he soon acquired an extensive practice, which he has held for forty years. In 1900 he entered into partnership with his son Charles C. Berlin, a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan University of Delaware, also a graduate of the Ohio Medical College of Cincinnati.
Dr. Berlin was, for several years, county school examiner, also president of the board of education for fifteen years, and a member of the village council. He is a member of the North- western Ohio Medical Association, in which he has always taken much interest. At the age of seventy-six years he still continues the active practice of his profession.
SAMUEL BITLER, the youngest son of Daniel and Elizabeth Bitler, was born in Franklin county, Ohio, in October, 1829. Samuel was five years old when his father moved to Auglaize 'county. The family settled at St. Johns in 1834, where Samuel
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HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
attended school in the typical log school-house of that time. Like all other pioneers of that period he experienced all the hard- ships attendant upon the settlement of a new country. At the age .of nineteen he was first married to Miss Susanna Coleman. who died in 1871. The following year he married Vastia Bailey, who died in 1876, leaving three children who still survive. In 1878 he married Miss Augusta Mayer, who is still living. In 1855 he opened a store in St. Johns, in which business in connec- tion with buying and selling stock, he prospered. In 1862 he entered the army, in which he served as captain of Company K of the 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry until the close of the war. Upon his return from the army he moved to Wapakoneta and engaged in the milling and grain business during the four years following. On January Ist, 1870, he engaged in a banking busi- ness, which was continued until 1887, when he closed his bank and engaged in other pursuits.
He died at Wapakoneta, May 12th, 1889.
ARTHUR BITLER, son of William Bitler, one of the Bitler pioneers, was born in the city of Columbus, April 3d, 1832. His father moved to St. Johns, Auglaize county, in 1834. Arthur attended the pioneer school of that place, and in that humble institution of learning laid the foundations of a sound education. By a close application to, the study of mathematics and the other common branches, he gradually drifted into the profession of teaching. As a teacher of arithmetic he had no superior among the teachers of that time, and we may also add that he has but few equals in the county in that branch at the present time. During the periods of time, when not employed in teaching, he engaged in other pursuits until 1864, when he was elected county treasurer, which office he filled with ability from 1864 to 1869.
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