BIOGRAPHIES

Source: 
A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen & Van Wert Counties, Ohio
Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co.
1896

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Dominic Zinsmayer

REV. DOMINIC ZINSMAYER Source:  A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 - Page 562

BATEMAN ZOLL, mayor of Bluffton, and one of the most prominent citizens of Allen county, was born in Eagle township, Hancock county, Ohio, and is of sturdy Pennsylvania-Dutch ancestry.  His grandfather, Jacob Zoll, was born in Pennsylvania, and was a prominent pioneer of Hancock county, Ohio, settling there in the very earliest times.  Previously, however, he had been one of the first settlers of Lancaster, Fairfield county, Ohio.      Joshua Zoll, the father of the subject was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, and removed to Hancock county, with his father, when a boy.  He married Mary a Cogley, daughter of Samuel Cogley, a blacksmith and farmer of Hancock county.  Joshua Zoll was a carpenter by trade and a farmer.  His children by his first wife were as follows:  Bateman, Matilda C., Eli, Amanda J., Sallie J., and John C.  His wife died in 1869, at the age of forty-eight years.  She was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, a sincere christian woman, and possessed of many virtues.  Mr. Zoll was next married to Sarah Bartoon in 1873, and by this marriage he had three children, viz.: Clark, Cora and Lydia.  Mr. Zoll is living in Hancock county, and is hale and hearty.  He has always been an industrious man and an honored citizen.      Bateman Zoll, the subject of this sketch, was born Oct. 11, 1845, was reared a farmer, received a good common-school education for his day, and also learned the carpenter's trade.  He was first married Oct. 11, 1869, to Miss Matilda Christ, who was born in Hancock county, and is a daughter of Simon and Mary E. (Rinehart) Christ.  To Mr. and Mrs. Zoll there were born three children, viz: Minnie E., Lawrence H., and Virtue E.  Mrs. Zoll died in Hancock county, in 1875, a member of the Evangelical church.  Mr. Zoll married, a second time, Sept. 16, 1877, in Hancock county, Miss Letitia E. Thompson, who was born in 1851, and was a daughter of Isaac and Louisa (McKinley) Thompson.  Isaac Thompson was born in Stark county, Ohio, in 1827, and was the son of David and Eliza (McCoy) Thompson.  David Thompson, the grandfather of Mrs. Zoll, was from either Trumbull or Columbiana county, Ohio, and was the son of one of the pioneers, also named Isaac Thompson, who married Miss Lovell.  David settled after the birth of his fourth child, as a pioneer in Orange township, Hancock county, and was one of the first three or four there.  His death occurred in 1853, when he was fifty-one years of age.  Politically he was a democrat, and was one of the most prominent men of his day in his township.  The first election in that township was held at his house, and he held the office of township clerk, later of township treasurer, and most of the other offices in the township at different times.  His children was as follows: Matilda, Isaac, Alfred, Elizabeth, Hiram, David, Simon P., Thomas. Mary E., and Hawkins L.  Two of his sons were in the Civil war, viz:  David and Thomas.  The former enlisted in the Fifty-first Ohio volunteer infantry for one year, and was taken prisoner in his first battle.  He afterward enlisted in another regiment.  Thomas was in the Ninety-ninth Ohio volunteer infantry, and was wounded twice, once in the side, and the second time in the back by a spent ball.       Mr. Thompson, by his own industry and thrift, cleared his farm from the wilderness, and accumulated other lands, to the total acreage of 980 acres, giving to each of his children a fine farm, and retaining for himself a farm of 160 acres.  Isaac, his son, and the father of Mrs. Zoll, was born in Stark county, Ohio, and removed with his father to Hancock county, when he was but five years of age.  His calling was that of a farmer, and he settled on eighty acres of land in the woods, which he cleared to a sufficient extent to have plenty of land for cultivation.  By his own industry and good management he prospered, and at length owned a farm of 280 acres of fine land, much of which he has given to his children, but has retained enough for a fine farm for himself.  He married Miss Louisa McKinley, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Hull) McKinley.  The McKinleys are Ohio pioneers, and of the same stock came the recent governor of Ohio, William McKinley.  The grandfather of Mrs. Louisa (McKinley) Thompson lived to be 104 years old, and the grandfather of Mr. Isaac Thompson lived to be 106 years old.  When he was ninety years old he walked from Stark county to Hancock county, to make a visit to some of his relatives — a somewhat remarkable feat for a gentleman of his greatly advanced age.      Isaac Thompson and wife were the parents of six chidren children, all of whom are living, as follows:  Letitia E., Mary J., Freeman F., Julia A., Willie H., and Chester E.  Mrs. Thompson died Dec. 30, 1887.  She was a member of the Church of Christ, and in every way a good and worthy woman.  Mr. Thompson was a democrat, and was a highly esteemed and honored citizen.  He was one of the township officials for years, holding at different times all the offices.  He was a man of high character and was noted for his excellent judgment and general information.  He was a man whom all the people trusted, and he drew up for them all their legal papers.      Mr. and Mrs. Bateman Zoll removed to Findlay, Ohio, where he for a short time followed his trade as a contractor.  In 1892 they removed to Bluffton, their present residence.  In 1885 Mr. Zoll purchased a farm within four miles of that city, and in 1892, when he moved to Bluffton, he purchased a pleasant home, in which he now resides.  Politically Mr. Zoll is a democrat.  He was elected to the of mayor of Bluffton in 1894 for two years, and fills the office to the general satisfaction of the people.  He had also served the people in office in Hancock county, having been elected there to the office of justice of the peace, and was township trustee and also assessor four terms by election and two terms by appointment.  He also served as a member of the board of education.  He is now a member of the Equitable Aid Union, an insurance society.      Mr. Zoll was a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting in Eagle township, Hancock county, county, and was sworn into the service at Lima, Ohio, Feb. 16, 1865, as a member of company H, One Hundred and Ninety-second Ohio volunteer infantry, to serve for one year.  He was honorably discharged at Winchester, Va., in September, 1865.  His services were rendered in the Shenandoah valley, and he was in several skirmishes, but not in any severe battles.  His duty was, however, performed promptly and cheerfully.  Mr. and Mrs. Zoll are members of the Disciples’ church, and they are among the most highly respected members of society.  They have many warm and true friends, who take great pleasure in associating with them in their pleasant home in Bluffton.  He is a man of most honorable character as a citizen of true worth, in every way being a self-made man.  He is a member of Robert Hamilton post, No. 262, G. A. R., and has held the office of commander in that organization, made up of none but true soldiers, honorably discharged. Source:  A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 - Page 555

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