USA > Ohio > Darke County > The history of Darke County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; > Part 67
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soon after admitted to the bar to practice in Ohio, and shortly thereafter entered into partnership with Michael Spayd, deceased, and continued in practice with him until the fall of 1875, when the partnership was dissolved, and he went South, visiting several of the southern cities, but concluding the South was not the part of the United States in which he desired to locate for the purpose of practicing law, returned to Greenville in the spring of 1876 ; after returning, he managed an important lawsuit for his parents, in which he was successful ; his parents then moving to Bradford Junction. he went with them. and. while there, made no effort to procure business in his profession. but as it became known that he was a disci- ple of Blackstone, a demand was soon made for his services, and he did quite an extensive business during the year or more he remained, though he opened no office ; in 1877, he with his parents returned to the farm near Greenville, and soon after he opened an office in the latter city, where he has since been practicing. On Feb. 27, 1879, he was married at Ansonia by Rev. Colgan, a M. E. minister, to Lilly May Bertch, youngest child and daughter of Dr. Daniel and Almira Bertch, formerly of Auglaize Co. In the month of February. 1880. he and his wife united themselves with the Christian Church of Greenville.
J. C. KATZENBERGER, retired ; P. O. Greenville; was born in Baden. Germany, July 23. 1828 ; he received a good education in his native country, and graduated from the College of Baden ; he, with his father and brothers, was in the revolution of 1848, after which he came to America, landing in New York in 1850; in August of the same year, he located in this township, and for two years was engaged in farming ; in 1852, he purchased an interest in the Greenville Brewery ; two years later, he purchased his partner's interest, and successfully followed the above business until 1868, at which date he disposed of his interest and purchased his present place ; he has 113 acres, located one mile from Green- ville. under a good state of cultivation ; his brick bank barn was erected by him in 1873, at a cost of upward of $4,000, and is probably the best barn in Darke Co. He is a strong Republican, and is the first German ever nominated for office on the county ticket. On the 3d of September, 1854, he was united in marriage with Kate Ashman ; she was born in this township June 15, 1837 ; they have ten children now living, viz., Augustus H., born Aug. 18, 1856 ; Ella J .. Dec. 21. 1859: Anna C., Jan. 6. 1862; Leopold H., Feb. 15. 1866 ; Albert R .. Feb. 16, 1868; Louisa M., March 10. 1870 ; Joseph C., Ang. 10, 1872 ; Ona M .. Jan. 18, 1875 ; Oscar S .. March 8, 1877, and an infant born March 6, 1879. Mrs. Katzen- berger is a daughter of Peter Ashman, who was one of the early pioneers of Darke Co.
GUSTAVUS A. KATZENBERGER, of the firm of Katzenberger Brothers, grocers. fishing and hunting tackle a specialty, Greenville. The gentleman whose name heads this sketch was born in Germany June 13, 1830, and is a son of Joseph and Margaret Katzenberger, natives of the same place ; his father was born Aug. 27, 1788, and died Dec. 12, 1852 ; his mother was born in 1798, and departed this life in 1872. Our subject emigrated to America in 1850. landing in New York. after a tedious voyage of forty-seven days ; he arrived in Greenville Aug. 24, 1850, and settled on a farm in Greenville Township, where he remained for three years. when, tiring of rural pursuits, he engaged with John Huffnagle as salesman, which position he held for three months. when he embarked in business for himself July 27, 1853 ; in 1858. he visited his native place, and, after spend- ing a short time among relatives and friends, and looking over the scenes of his youth. he departed for his adopted home. Charles L., member of the above firm, was born in Germany March 14, 1834 ; he emigrated to America in 1854, and, after a long and wearisome voyage of sixty-three days, reached the docks of New York ; upon landing, he came directly to Greenville, where he was employed by his brother as salesman till 1861 ; he then became a partner of his brother Joseph, and together did business for seven years, when he became a partner with Andy Weinbreicht, in the grocery business, which partnership existed three years ; selling out, he
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entered into a partnership with his brother Gustavus, which constitutes the pres- ent firm. His marriage with Elizabeth Ashman was celebrated in 1862, and to their union two children were given-George and Mary ; the latter is deceased ; Mrs. K. departed this life in 1868. Mr. K. has made three trips to his native land -- the first in 1857. the second in 1868. and the third in 1877 ; thus he has crossed the ocean seven times.
J. F. KAUFFMAN, farmer. Sec. 11 ; P. O. Greenville ; born in Cleveland, Ohio, Oct. 12, 1830. He was a son of John P. Kauffman, who was born in Ger- many May 14. 1790, and emigrated to America in 1830, and located in Cleveland ; then to Columbus, and from there to Warren and Greene Cos., and in 1863 or 1864, came to Darke Co., and during the last three years of his life lived with his son. He died March 15, 1878. He was married in Germany to Catherine M. Klineburgh. She was born Feb. 10, 1793; she died March 12, 1859. The sub- ject of this sketch lived with his father until 21 years of age, when he commenced for himself, and, in 1862, came to Darke Co. and purchased his present place of 80 acres, where he has since lived. His marriage with Rachel H. Stewart was cele- brated Nov. 17, 1853. She died March 8, 1865. They had two children, Isaiah, born Oct. 24. 1857, and died in infancy : Ida Bell, born Feb. 21. 1862, now living at home.
CHARLES F. KEMPER, Catholic priest, Greenville ; was born in Prussia on the Rhine, July 6, 1851, and is a son of John and Catherine Kemper, natives of the same place. His father died in Germany, in 1856. His mother at present resides in Dayton. Our subject attended school two years, in Bardstown, Ky .; thence to the St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati. for some time; thence to Einsbrook for three years ; thence to Rome for one year, where he finished his collegiate course, and returned to Cincinnati, and was employed as teacher in the St. Mary's Seminary for two years. He came to Greenville in August, 1877, and has charge of the church here-also those in the country. and is a gentleman of ability and refine- ment.
WILLIAM K. KERLIN, retired. Greenville ; born in Wayne Co., Ind., March 2, 1832, and is a son of Elijah and Malinda (Sands) Kerlin, both natives of Wash- ington Co., East Tenn .; they emigrated to Indiana and located in Wayne Co. in 1831 ; Mrs. Kerlin died September, 1879. Mr. Kerlin now resides in the same township where he located in 1831. They raised a family of eleven children, eight now living. Our subject, the second son. assisted his father in farming until he attained his majority. Upon the 1st of December, 1853, was united in marriage with Hannah B. Jefferis : she was born in Wayne Co., Ind., Nov. 28, 1830. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom ten now survive, viz., Anna E., Emma, Oscar, Mary B., John D., William L., Edwin, Carrie, James and Elijah. Mr. Ker- lin continued farming in Wayne Co., Ind., until March, 1865, when he came to Har- rison Township, Darke Co .. continuing the same occupation until 1870, when he removed to Greenville. where he has since lived ; during his residence in Harrison Township, he held the office of Justice of the Peace two terms, and one term in Greenville ; was Deputy County Treasurer from 1871 to 1875 ; was elected County Treasurer in 1874 ; re-elected in 1876, by a majority of upward of nine hundred, largely leading his ticket ; during his term of office he handled upward of $2,000,- 000 of the public funds, and so satisfactory was his administration that the press of both parties were unanimous in their approval of the same. Mr. Kerlin is a strong leader of his party, and has probably done as much or more in controlling the political affairs of the past ten years, than any man in Darke Co.
SOLOMON KESTER, merchant. Greenville. Among the most enterprising merchants of Greenville, we take pleasure in according the above gentleman a place in the front ranks. He was born in German Township, Darke Co., Nov. 10, 1839, and is a son of George Kester, whose sketch also appears in another part of this work. Our subject assisted his father upon the farm until 16 years of age, when he began farming for himself, and successfully followed the same until 1871,
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at which date he embarked in the mercantile business in Palestine, continuing the same snecessfully until February, 1880, when he located in the city of Greenville, with one of the largest and best-selected stocks of goods ever brought to this town. With the well-known enterprise of Mr. Kester, his large stock, pleasing, attentive and obliging clerks. we prediet for the above firm the largest annual sales of any firm in the dry-goods trade in Darke Co .; he is now located in the store formerly occupied by Wilson & Hart ; a card of his business appears in the business direc- tory of Greenville, in another part of this work. His marriage with Mary A. Lease was celebrated in 1863 : they have two children-George V. and Roxy.
WILLIAM KIPP, druggist and pharmacist, Greenville. We could hardly do justice to the business interests of Greenville, without devoting a brief space of this work to the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was born in the kingdom of Wurtemberg. Germany. April 13. 1832. where he received a liberal education. attending school continuonsly from 6 to 14 years of age. When 20 years of age, he emigrated to America, landing in New York September. 1851, making the trip from Antwerp in twenty-three days. in a sailing vessel ; he then came to Cincinnati, and was employed on the railroad some four months, and in the spring of 1853 came to Dayton ; in September of the same year, came to Greenville, where he has since lived ; upon arriving here, his capital consisted of 60 cents ; after following the business of tonsorial artist two years, he associated with Con- rad Shively in the drug business, under the firm name of Shively & Kipp. contin- uing the same until 1872, when the death of Mr. S. occurred, since which time Mr. Kipp has continued the business alone ; he keeps a full and complete line of such goods as are to be found only in first-class drug stores ; a card of his business is to be found in the business directory of Greenville. in another part of this work. His marriage with Barbara C. Rich was celebrated in the spring of 1857 ; she was born in Wurtemberg, Germany. in 1834 ; they were the parents of eight children, of whom two are deceased : the living are Emma. Bertha. Conrad. August. William and Edward.
ALBERT KLEE. butcher. Third street. west of Broadway. Greenville ; born in Prussia July 7. 1848. where he received a good education in German. until 14 years of age, after which he assisted his father in agricultural pursuits three years ; at 17 years of age, he commenced the trade of butcher, serving two and a half years. In 1872. he came to America and followed his trade in Indianapolis, Chi- cago and St. Louis, until 1877, at which date he came to Greenville, and engaged in the butcher's business, and in the fall of 1879 he located on Third street. where he has since continued. In the spring of 1879, he associated with his present partner, under the firm name of Albert Klee & Co .. his present partner being George Buchy.
A. J. KLINGER. miller and dealer in grain and seeds. Greenville. Among the old settlers of Darke Co., we are pleased to give this gentleman more than a passing notice. He was born in Preble Co. in 1830, and. with his mother. came to Darke Co. and located in Monroe Township in 1838 ; at 18 years of age, he. with an older brother. engaged in the merchandise trade. continuing the same some two years ; then. for a short time, at Ithaca, and. upon the completion of the D. & U. R. R., located at Gordon, and was the first grain merchant as well as among the first merchants of the town ; after being engaged in Gordon some five years, he disposed of his grain and merchandise interest. removed to Ithaca and followed farming two years ; he then purchased the Ithaca Mill, running the same five years ; then one year at Winchester, Ind. : in the fall of 1867. he removed to Arcanum, where he followed milling until 1871, at which date he came to Greenville, and. in 1876, purchased his present business property. remodeled and enlarged the same, placing in the most improved machinery and now has a mill of a capacity of fifty barrels per day ; he is also largely engaged in buying and shipping grain to the Eastern markets. His marriage with Caroline Werts was celebrated in 1857 : she is a daughter of Peter Werts, one of the early pioneers of Darke Co .; they are
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the parents of three sons and five daughters, viz., Sarah E .. Delia F., Laura, Almy S., Cora, D. O., Watson J. and Peter W.
JAMES K. KNICK, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 19; P. O. Greenville ; the subject of this memoir located in Darke Co. in an early day ; he was born in Miami Co., Ohio, Feb. 9, 1824 ; he was a son of William Knick, who was born in Virginia, and came to Miami Co. at an early day and followed farming until his decease, which occurred in 1850 ; he was married, in Virginia, to Rachel Arm- strong ; she was also born in Virginia, and died in Miami Co. in 1868 ; the gentle- man whose name heads this sketch assisted his father in farming until 28 years of age, when, in 1852, he, with ox teams, taking with him 116 head of cattle, crossed the Rocky Mountains at North Pass ; arrived in Stockton Valley after a long and tedious journey of five months and six days ; in California, he spent six years at mining, and met with fair success ; he then returned to Ohio, and, in 1859, came to Darke Co. and purchased 80 acres of his present place, to which he has added by purchase until he now owns upward of 220 acres, under a good state of culti- vation, with two good sets of farm buildings, nearly all of which he has secured by his own exertions. His marriage with Magdalena Ashman was celebrated in Miami Co. Feb. 16, 1860 ; she was born in Darke Co., Sec. 19, Greenville Town- ship. April 24, 1841; she died March 27, 1873. leaving seven children, viz: Thomas, born Feb. 16, 1861; John. May 6, 1862; James, August 28, 1863 ; Charles, Sept. 9, 1865 ; Magdalena M., July 5. 1867 ; Eliza J., May 8, 1869, died April 16, 1873 ; Laura Bell, born May 6, 1871. He gives his whole attention to raising stock, corn and wheat, and is now engaged in farming all his land.
CHRISTIAN KNODERER, butcher, Greenville ; born in Baden, Germany, Aug. 5, 1820 ; he received a good education in German, French and Latin. and, at 18 years of age, was apprenticed to learn the butcher's trade, and, after two years, he served four years in different countries at his trade ; he then started the same business for himself in Emendingers. Germany, following the same until 1848, and he served in the revolution of 1848-49 ; he was taken prisoner. and, after two months' imprisonment, emigrated to America, landing at New York July 4, 1850 ; he then followed farming two years in Pennsylvania, thence coming to Illinois, where he worked some nine months ; he came to Ohio and settled in Darke Co. in 1856, and farmed in Wayne Township six years, and, in 1862, came to Greenville and engaged in the butchering business, which he has since successfully followed. He was Township Treasurer of Greenville Township for the year 1876. His mar- riage with Catherine Kern was celebrated in 1854; she was also a native of Baden ; born in 1826 ; they have no children.
JAMES M. LANSDOWNE; P. O. Greenville ; cashier of the Exchange Bank of Greenville ; the subject of this memoir is a native of Ohio, and was born in Clermont Co., upon the 14th of December, 1846, and is a son of Dr. Zachariah M. Lansdowne, who was born in Kentucky, but when quite young removed to Cler- mont Co., Ohio. where he married Mary Gray Hoover, a native of the above county ; by this union there were eight children, our subject being the second child and only son ; about the year 1850, the family removed to Cincinnati, and in 1855 came to Greenville, where the Doctor followed his profession until 1876, at which date he removed to Kansas. where he has since lived ; Mrs. Lansdowne died in 1871 ; of the children. four are also deceased ; James M. was educated at the public schools, and one year at Antioch College ; in 1864. he enlisted in the 152d O. N. G., and participated fully in the short but active engagements of the above regiment ; returning from the war, he followed clerical pursuits in the express and ticket office until 1869, when he accepted his present position as Cashier of the Greenville Exchange Bank, which he now holds ; upon the 26th of September, 1876, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Knox ; she was born in Greenville Dec. 21, 1851 ; they have one child by this union. John Knox Lans- downe ; Mrs. L. is the only daughter of John Riley Knox, a prominent lawyer of Greenville.
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MARTIN W. LAURIMORE, City Marshal, Greenville ; born in the city of Greenville, Darke Co., Aug. 16, 1842, and is a son of William and Malinda (Mar- tin) Laurimore ; William was born in Allegheny Co .. Penn., Nov. 30, 1805 ; Malinda Martin was born April 3, 1811. Mr. L. came to Greenville in 1822. and engaged in the hotel business, keeping the first tavern in the place, located on Main street, just west of the city square, and known as the old Log Cabin House ; he was engaged in this business several years ; he was then engaged in the dry- goods trade several years ; subsequently he was elected Justice of the Peace, which position he held sixteen years, and until he declined to serve longer on account of failing health ; he died in November, 1863, Mrs. L. having deceased March 31, 1855 ; they were the parents of nine sons and five daughters, of whom seven sons and two daughters now survive ; our subject was educated in the schools of Greenville, and at 15 years of age commeneed the trade of printer, serving two and a half years. He responded to the first call of President Lincoln for troops at the com- mencement of the late rebellion, and upon the 16th of April, 1861, enlisted in the 11th O. V. I., for three months ; he then re-enlisted in the 34th O. V. I., Col. Piatt's Zouaves, for three years, and served through West Virginia and Maryland, partici- pating in the campaigns of the Shenandoah Valley, being in twenty-four different engagements ; was mustered out of service Sept 16, 1864, having served in the Union army three years and four months ; he then returned to Greenville and engaged in various pursuits until April 1, 1878, when he was elected City Marshal, which office he now holds. Upon the 7th of May, 1866, he was united in marriage with Mary E. Vance ; she was born in West Alexandria, Preble Co .. Ohio, Aug. 22, 1839 ; they have three children-Estella B., Frank and Nellie.
JACOB E. LEAS, merchant, Greenville ; another of the old settlers of Darke Co., born in Preble Co., Ohio, Nov. 5, 1840 ; he is a son of Jesse Leas. who came to Darke Co., in 1843, and located in Sampson ; he died in Palestine in March, 1861 ; he was married, in Preble Co., to Sarah A. Cresler, who is now living in German Township. The subject of our sketch followed clerking in the mer- chandise store of his father until the death of the latter. On the 16th of October, 1861, he enlisted as private in the 69th O. V. I., and soon after was at the front, fighting for the preservation of the Union and the honor of our glorious flag : he was in the battles of Stone River, Chickamauga, Buzzards' Roost, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, siege and capture of Atlanta, with Sherman on his march through Georgia to the sea, thenee north through the Carolinas, and with Sherman when Johnston surrendered, thence through Richmond to Washington, when, after the grand review of the army, he went to Louisville and received his discharge, in August, 1865, having served in the Union army nearly four years. After serving his first term of enlistment, he returned with his regiment, Feb. 27, 1864, and remained in service until the close of the war, passing through various grades of promotion, and was mustered out of service as Captain of Co. A. He then returned to Darke Co. and followed merchandising at Greenville, Jaysville and Palestine (with the exception of a short residence in Indiana) until April, 1871. when he came to Ansonia and followed the merchandise trade for a short time. In 1874, he received the appointment of Postmaster. Upon the locating of the well-known house of Sol. Kester at Greenville, Feb. 1. 1880, Mr. Leas resigned his official position as Postmaster at Ansonia, and associated with the above firm, where he may always be found, ready and willing to attend to the wants of his many warm friends. His marriage with Rebecca Duke was celebrated Sept. 19, 1867 ; they have three children now living, viz., Russell D., Bertha J. and Blair.
LEVI FRANKLIN LIMBERT, lawyer, Greenville ; was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio. Sept. 4, 1854 ; his father, Lewis Limbert, was born in Mifflin Co., Penn., in 1814, but was reared in Montgomery Co., Ohio, where he married Sarah E. Hinsey in 1835. Our subject, after the usual common-school course, in the spring of 1870 entered the Miami Commercial College at Dayton ; in 1871, he secured a
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position as book-keeper ; afterward, he became a teacher, and, in 1873, he entered the normal school at Lebanon; he entered upon the study of law with C. M. Anderson, in 1876, and, in 1877, was admitted to practice. and at once commenced practice in Greenville.
JOHN LONGENECKER, farmer and carpenter, Sec. 1; P. O. Pikeville : another old settler of Darke County ; born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Feb. 12. 1830 ; he is of German descent, his grandfather being one of four brothers who came from Germany and located in Pennsylvania ; the father of John was Samuel Longenecker, who was born in Dauphin Co., Penn., April 5, 1789, and emigrated to Warren Co., about the year 1821, and, six years later, located in Montgomery Co., and, in 1840, came to Darke Co. and settled in Richland Township, and followed cabinet-making and undertaking until his death, which occurred Sept. 14, 1842; he was married in Dauphin Co., Penn., to Anna Shank, who was born in the same county Nov. 19, 1790 ; they were the parents of ten children, of whom five are now living ; Mrs. S. died in Richland Township Dec. 5, 1847. The subject of this memoir came to Darke Co. with his parents, and while his father followed his trade, his sons did the labor on the farm, John remaining with him during his life- time; after the death of his father, he removed to Beamsville and followed the trade of cabinet-making three years, and, in 1865, he commenced the carpenter business, and, until 1877, gave this his exclusive attention ; his buildings extended over all of the northern townships, and among his contracts were some additions to the county infirmary ; without serving any apprenticeship at the trade, he has been one of the most successful contractors, and probably no man in the county has erected more farm buildings than Mr. Longenecker ; in 1864, he located on his present place, where he has since lived ; he has 65 acres in his home farm, all under a good state of improvement. He has been twice married ; his first wife was Letina Holloway, who died without issue. His marriage with Elizabeth Beem was celebrated Sept. 30, 1855 ; she was born Oct. 4, 1834 ; they have three chil- dren-Franklin, born Nov. 28, 1857 ; Harry, March 6, 1863; Theodore, June 5. 1867.
LOUIS B. LOTT, farmer, Sec. 19 ; P. O. Greenville.
SAMUEL LUDY, farmer and brick manufacturer, Sec. 24; P. O. Greenville ; one of the oldest settlers of Darke Co., born in Frederick Co., Md., May 30, 1833. He was a son of David Ludy, who was born in the above county and State in 1803. He was married in Maryland to Mary Burns. She was born in Ireland in 1834, and emigrated to America with her parents in infancy. David Ludy and family came to Ohio in 1838, landing in Dayton June 1. and in Miami Co., the same year, where the decease of Mrs. Ludy occurred in November, 1852. Mr. Ludy came to Darke Co. in 1875, where his decease occurred in October, 1876. The subject of this sketch resided in Miami Co. and engaged in agricultural pursuits until Oct. 8, 1856, when he was united in marriage with Christina Guntrum. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1833, and was a daughter of John Guntrum, who came to Darke Co. in 1837. The children of Samuel and Christina Guntrum Ludy were four in number-William, David, Rebecca and Samuel. Upon the marriage of Mr. Ludy, he came to Darke Co. and located upon his present place, where he has lived for a period of twenty-three years. He has 37 acres of land, with good farm buildings, his brick residence being the second-best farm residence in the township. He is largely engaged in manufacturing brick of superior quality, his yard turning out in a single season upward of ten hundred and fifty thousand. A card of his busi- ness will be found in the business directory of Greenville, in another part of this work. Mr. Ludy is now serving his second year as Township Trustee of the town- ship in which he lives.
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