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Source:
History of Auglaize County, Ohio
- with the Indian History of Wapakoneta, and the First Settlement
of the County. -
Wapakoneta: Robert Sutton, Publisher - 1880
BIOGRAPHIES
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Washington Twp. -
HENRY VENNEMANN was born in Westphalia,
Germany, 1804, and came to the United States with his family in
1838, locating in Washington township. During the next two
years he worked on the canal whenever he could leave his farm.
His first venture in trade consisted of the sale of a barrel of
whiskey in 1840, on which he lost $4. His second barrel
about equalized the previous loss. About this time his
friends persuaded him to add dry goods to his stock, which they
proposed to furnish. His store consisted of a small room
in his dwelling, with chests he had brought from Germany for
counters. The shelving consisted of planks laid upon pins
placed in the logs. He knew so little about English, that
when called upon for articles he was as likely to say he had
none, as to say he had, although it might be the article of
which he had most. He purchased the first shipping butter
and eggs in the county, the former at 2½
cents per lb., the latter at 2 cents per dozen. These
shipments were made to Cincinnati and Toledo, and sold at about
four times their first cost. His wife died in 1864.
They have but one surviving child. Although advanced in
years, Mr. Vennemann still gives the store his daily
attention.
Source: History of Auglaize County, Ohio - with the Indian
History of Wapakoneta, and the First Settlement of the County. -
Wapakoneta: Robert Sutton, Publisher - 1880 - Page |
NOTES:
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