OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

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AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO
 History & Genealogy


 

Source:
History of Auglaize Co., Ohio -
Vol. II of 2 Volumes
Edited by William J. McMurray
Wapakoneta, Ohio
Historical Publishing Company
Indianapolis
1923



BIOGRAPHIES

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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  CHARLES SCHMIDT, who is living on the old Schmidt farm two miles west of New Breman, one of the well known and substantial farmers and landowners of that neighborhood, was born on that farm and has lived there all his life.  Mr. Schmidt was born on Feb. 16, 1858, and is a son of HENRY and Louise (Koch) SCHMIDT, both of whom were of European birth, natives of Germany, who had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their childhood and some time after their marriage had settled on the farm above referred to.  The late Henry Schmidt's first home on coming to America was at Cincinnati.  There he experienced "land hunger" and decided to become a farmer.  With that end in view he came to this part of Ohio and became a member of the New Knoxville settlement, but not long afterward moved over into German township and bought an "eighty," the east half of the southwest quarter of section 8 of that township, two miles west of New Bremen,  and there established his home.  He got that place under cultivation and added to his holdings until he became the owner of 120 acres, and on that farm spent the remainder of his life.  In addition to his farming he also was widely known as a veterinarian, and his services in the treatment of the ailments of the domestic animals of his neighbors were much appreciated in pioneer days.  That was in the day before the science of the modern veterinary surgeon had become the highly specialized profession it now is, and the old-time "Horse doctor" did not have the aids to practice now possessed by the professional veterinarian.  HENRY SCHMIDT and wife were the parents of twelve children, five of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Julia, and three brothers, William, Henry and Benjamin Schmidt.  Reared on the farm on which he was born, Charles Schmidt received his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and from boyhood has been devoted to the affairs of the farm.  After his marriage he continued to make his home on the place, working in association with his father, and after his father's death took over the home place and has since resided there, though some time ago he sold a "forty" off the former tract of 120 acres and thus now has but the original "eighty" which his father bought upon settling there.  Mr. Schmidt and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church at New Bremen, of which congregation he formerly was a deacon, and are Democrats.  They have a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 1 out of New Bremen.  Charles Schmidt married Mrs. Augusta (Waesch) Gilberg, daughter of Karl Waesch and widow of Henry Gilberg, and to this union two children have been born, Karl and Herman, the former of whom married Lorma Schroeder.  By her first marriage, Mrs. Schmidt is the mother of one child, a daughter, Emma Gilberg.  Mrs. Schmidt was born in this county, and her parents, Karl and Sophia Waesch, were born in Germany, where they were married.  Not long after their marriage they came to America and shortly afterward settled at New Bremen, but presently moved to St. Marys township, where Karl Waesch became the owner of a forty-acre farm and where he spent the remainder of his life.  He and his wife were the parents of ten children, six of whom are living, Mrs. Schmidt having two sisters, Louise and Sophia, and three brothers, Otta, William and Herman Waesch.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 366
  DR. H. J. SCHMIDT, D. V. S., a well known veterinary surgeon of New Bremen and a former member of the town council there, is a native son of Auglaize county and has resided here nearly all his life, a practicing veterinarian at New Bremen for more than thirty years.  Dr. Schmidt was born on a farm two and one-half miles west of New Bremen on Jan. 13, 1867, and is son of HENRY and Louise (Koch) SCHMIDT, both natives of Germany and the latter of whom had come to this country with her parents in the days of her girlhood, the family settling in this county in pioneer days.  HENRY SCHMIDT grew to manhood in Germany and there took a course in veterinary surgery and medicine.  Upon coming to this country he located at Cincinnati and was there employed in the office of a veterinary surgeon for five years, at the end of which time he came up into this part of the state and settled in Auglaize county, buying a farm in the New Knoxville neighborhood, where he began farming and at the same time carrying on his profession as a veterinary surgeon.  Not long afterward he disposed of his interests there and moved to a farm of eighty acres which he bought two and one-half miles west of New Bremen, where he established his home and spent the remainder of his life, gradually enlarging his holdings until at the time of his death he was the owner of a fine farm of 120 acres.  To him and his wife were born ten children, of whom five are still living, the subject of this sketch having one sister, Julia, and three brothers, Charles, William and Ben.  Reared on the home farm, H. J. Schmidt received his early schooling in the district schools of his home neighborhood.  From the days of his childhood he had been interested in his father's profession as a veterinarian and when fourteen years of age entered the old Columbia Veterinary College, which afterward became the American Veterinary College, and in 1886 was graduated from that institution.  Thus equipped for the practice of his profession, Dr. Schcmidt returned to New Bremen and opened an office there.  A year later he moved to Delphos, where he remained for three years, at the end of, which time he returned to New Bremen, Reestablished himself in practice there and has ever since continued to make that his home, his practice covering a large part of this county and the adjacent sections of the neighboring counties.  Doctor Schmidt is independent in politics and has served two terms as a member of the town council at New Bremen.  He and his wife are members of Zion Reformed church.  Mrs. Schmidt (Alice Huenke) is a daughter of Henry Huenke.  To Doctor and Mrs. Schmidt have been born two children,, Leonard and Goldie, the latter of whom recently was graduated from Miami University.  Leonard Schmidt is following in the professional footsteps of his father and grandfather and is now a student in the Indiana Veterinary College at Indianapolis.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 105
  WILLIAM SCHMIDT, who is living next to the old Henry Schmidt place west of New Bremen, one of the well known farmers and landowners of that neighborhood, now living practically retired from the active labors of the farm, was born on that place and has lived there all his life.  Mr. Schmidt was born on Feb. 13, 1862, and is a son of Henry and Louise (Koch) Schmidt, both natives of Germany, who had settled on the farm here referred to back in the early '50s of the past century and concerning whom further mention is made elsewhere.  Henry Schmidt was a veterinary surgeon, better known in those days as a "horse doctor," and his services were in wide demand throughout that part of the county in his day.  He also was a good farmer and was the proprietor of a fine farm of 120 acres, which is still in the family, his original "eighty" there being now owned and farmed by his eldest son, Charles Schmidt, the remainder of the farm, with an additional "forty," being owned by William Schmidt, the brothers thus farming side by side.  Henry Schmidt and wife were the parents of twelve children, five of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Julia, and three brothers, Charles, Henry and Benjamin Schmidt.  Reared on the home farm west of New Bremen, William Schmidt received his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and from the days of his boyhood has been a farmer.  He remained at home working on the farm with his father until his marriage, after which he bought the farm of sixty acres on which he is now living, and a part of which had belonged to the old home place, and ever since has resided there.  Mr. Schmidt has his place well cultivated and has a well-equipped farm plant.  In 1918 he retired from the active labors of the farm and has since rented his fields out, taking things somewhat easier than during the years of his more strenuous activity.  He is a Democrat with "Independent"  leanings, and he and his family are members of St. Paul's church at New Bremen, of the congregation of which he formerly was a deacon.  William Schmidt married Mary Walters, also of this county, daughter of John P. and Dorothea (Weddermann) Walters, and to this union two daughters were born, Hilda and Huldah, the latter of whom married Elmer Tilker and has one child, Mary Jane.  Hilda Schmidt married Royal Tangerman and has two children, Jean and James.  The Schmidts have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 1 out of New Bremen.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 370-371
/j FREDERICK W. SCHROER, SR., one of Washington township's veteran farmers and proprietor in association with his son Fred, of a well improved place east of New Knoxville, rural mail route No. 3 out of St. Marys, was born on that place and has lived there all his life, a period of nearly seventy-five years, during which time he has witnessed the development of that region from its pioneer state.  Mr. Schroer was born on Oct. 13, 1848, a few months after the formal organization of Auglaize county, and is a son of H. H. and Christine (Feggenhaum) Schroer, natives of Germany, who came to this country following their marriage and for a time thereafter made their home in Cincinnati, presently coming up into this section of Ohio, where they spent the remainder of their lives.  H. H. Schroer was a tailor by trade and upon locating at Cincinnati following his arrival in this country set up as a tailor and was for a few years thus engaged in that city.  He then became attracted to the possibilities awaiting land settlement up in this part of Ohio and came up here and bought a small farm in Shelby county and started in clearing the place and getting a start as a farmer.  Some years later he disposed of his holdings there and moved up into Auglaize county and bought a farm of eighty acres in the New Knoxville neighborhood, where he established his home and spent the rest of his life.  His widow survived him for some years increasing her holdings to 120 acres.  They were the parents of eight children, of whom the subject of this sketch, the seventh in order of birth, now is the only survivor, the others having been Herman, William, Henry, Ernst, Adolph, Elizabeth and Christina.  Reared on the home farm in Washington township, Frederick W. Schroer received his schooling in the local schools.  He continued farming with his father until the latter's death and thereafter for some time managed the place in his mother's behalf.  He then bought the home tract of 120 acres and began to farm on his own account and has ever since made his home there.  Since taking possession of that place, Mr. Schroer has made extensive improvements and has a well equipped farm plant.  He also has increased his land holdings until he now owns 160 acres there, besides a farm of 140 acres in Mercer county, and is very comfortably situated.  He is a Republican and has rendered public service as a director of schools in his district.  He and his family are members of the Reformed church at New Knoxville and he has served as a deacon of that congregation.  Mr. Schroer married Mary Fledderjohann, daughter of Henry Fledderjohann and a member of the well known pioneer family of that name in Washington township, and to that union six children were born, Wilhelmina, Henry (deceased), Sophia, Louise, Fred, Jr., and Mary all of whom married save Sophia, who is at home.  The mother of these children died on Sept. 29, 1912.  Wilhelmina Schroer married William Warner and has one child, a daughter, Luella.  The late Henry Schoer married Emam Fenneman and died leaving one child, a son, Harry.  Louis Schroer married William Soerhoff and has two children,  Ada and Mary.  The junior Fred Schroer, who is now farming in partnership and his father, married Sophia Hoge and has two children, Marcella and Enoch, and Mary Schroer married Henry Vohs and has three children, Rinehart, Leonard and Olga.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 453
  H. H. SCHROER - See FREDERICK W. SCHROER, JR.

Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 453
  HENRY C. SCHROER, one of the well-known farmers of Washington township and a substantial landowner living a mile north of the pleasant village of New Knoxville, was born on the place on which he is now living and has lived there all his life, a period of more than fifty years.  Mr. Schroer was born on Feb. 26, 1872, and is a son of Herman and Sophia (Wierwille) Schroer, natives of Germany, who had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their youth and had become residents of this section of Ohio, both the Schroers and the Wierwilles having been early settlers in the New Knoxville neighborhood.  The late Herman Schroer was a well-grown lad when he came here with his parents back in pioneer days and he helped to develop the woodland farm on which his father had settled there north of New Knoxville, in the southwest quarter of section 17 of Washington township, in the fertile inner curve of the valley of Clear creek.  After his marriage he established his home on that place and became the owner of a farm of 245 acres, which he was developing in admirable fashion when death interrupted his labors in 1882.  His widow kept the farm going and long survived him.  They were the parents of eleven children, all of whom are still living save two, the subject of this sketch having seven sisters, Eliza, Sophia, Fredericks, Anna, Minnie, Sarah and Flora, and a brother, William Schroer, of whom further mention is made elsewhere in this volume.  Henry C. Schroer was but ten years of age when his father died, and he thus early began to assume mature responsibilities in connection with the operation of the home farm, which he and his elder brother carried on in their mother's behalf.  He received his schooling in the local schools, and after his marriage took over that portion of the old home place on which he is now living, established his home there and has continued to reside on that place, now the proprietor of a fine farm of 100 acres, which he has improved in excellent shape, and on which he has a well-equipped farm plant.  In addition to his general farming Mr. Schroer has long given considerable attention to the raising of live stock, and is doing well.  Henry C. Schroer married Elizabeth Duhme, who was born in Germany, and who came here in the days of her girlhood with her parents, Henry and Eliza (Kuhlman) Duhme, of whom further mention is made elsewhere in this volume, and to this union five children have been born, Gustave, Clara, Ewald, Reuben and Taletha, the two elder of whom are married.  Gustave Schroer married Selma Schroerluke and has one child, a daughter, Mildred, and Clara Schroer married Ernst Schultz and has one child, a son, Willis.  Ewald Schroer is his father's mainstay on the farm, and Reuben Schroer is his father's mainstay on the farm, and Reuben Schroer is now a student in the Mission House of the Reformed church at Cheboygan, with a view to becoming a clergyman.  The Schroers are active members of the First Reformed church of New Knoxville, and for two years Mr. Schroer served the congregation of that church as a deacon.  In his political leanings he is enrolled among the growing number of "independents" in this section of Ohio, and for two terms at different times has served as school director.  The Schroer home is very pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 1 out of St. Marys, and teh latchstring is ever out to the family's many friends.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 496
  HERMAN SCHROER - See HENRY C. SCHROER

Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 496
  HERMAN HENRY SCHROER, who died in 1914 at his farm home about two miles north of New Knoxville, where his widow is still living, was a substantial farmer of that neighborhood and a good citizen, who at his death left a good memory.  Mr. Schroer was born on that farm on July 20, 1860, and was a son of John Henry and Sophia Schroer, both members of pioneer families of the New Knoxville neighborhood, and concerning whom further and fitting reference is made elsewhere in this volume.  Reared on the home farm, he received his schooling in the neighborhood school (district No. 4) and grew up attentive to the affairs of the farm, remaining at home until he had attained his majority, when he took a trip West and was gone for three or four years, prospecting around.  Upon his return home he began working in a saw mill along the canal, and after his marriage a year later established a saw mill of his own in Washington township and operated the same for five or six years, at the end of which time he sold the mill and bought the home "eighty" of the old Schroer home place north of New Knoxville and established his home there.  On that place Mr. Schroer spent the remainder of his life, actively and successfully engaged in farming, and his widow is still living there, the family being very comfortably situated.  Mr. Schroer also owned a tract of fifteen acres on the south and had created an excellent farm plant.  His death occurred there on Feb. 15, 1914.  In his political views he was a Democrat, and at the time of his death was a member of the local school board.  He was a member of the Reformed church at New Knoxville, as is his widow, and had ever taken an interested part in the affairs of that congregation.  Herman Henry Schroer married Amelia Luft, also a member of one of the pioneer families of this county, and to this union were born thirteen children, eleven of whom are living, Frank, Leroy, Ada, Clarence, Edward, Gustave, Elizabeth, Harry, Pauline, Esther and Carl, the three elder of whom are married.  The Rev. Frank Schroer, the eldest of these children, now pastor of the Broadview Lutheran church of Chicago, married Myrtle Hanzel and has one child, a daughter, Carol Marie.  Leroy Schroer married Frances Haberkamp and has one child, a daughter, Dorothy, and Ada Schroer married Lafe Beikman and has one child, a son, Howard W.  The Schroer home is very pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 1 out of St. Marys.  Mrs. Schroer was born at New Knoxville and is a daughter of Christian and Elizabeth (Wierwille) Luft, both of whom also were born in this county, the former at New Bremen and the latter in Washington township.  The late Christian Luft, a veteran of the Civil war, grew to manhood at New Bremen, learning there the trade of harness maker.  When the Civil war broke out he enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and served as a soldier for about two years.  After his marriage he established his home at New Knoxville, where he set up a shop as a harness maker and was thus engaged at that place until his death.  He and his wife had three children, Mrs. Schroer having two sisters, Malinda and Anna.  
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 420
  SCHROER, J. H. - See WILLIAM SCHROER

Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 364
  WILLIAM SCHROER, a former trustee of Washington township and one of the best known farmers of that township, now living retired on his snug little farm on rural mail route No. 3 out of St. Marys, was born in Washington township, a member of one of the pioneer families of the New Knoxville neighborhood, and has lived there all his life, a period of more than seventy years.  Mr. Schroer  was born on Oct. 6, 1851, and is a son of J. H. and Sophia (Haberkamp) SCHROER, who were among the substantial pioneers of that neighborhood.  Both were born in Germany and had come to this country with he respective parents in the days of their youth, the Schroers and the Haberkamps becoming pioneers of this New Knoxville neighborhood.  For several years after coming here, J. H. Schroer, then a well grown lad, spent his summers working in a brick yard at Cincinnati, giving his attention to the clearing work on his father's farm during the winters, and thus earned the money with which he bought a farm of his own, where he established his home after his marriage.  He was a successful farmer, and with the land he bought and that inherited at the death of his father became the owner of 230 acres in Washington township and a man of influence and standing thereabout.  He and his wife had eleven children, of whom three are still living, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Sophia and Emma.  Reared on the home farm in Washington township, William Schroer received his schooling in the local schools, and from the days of his boyhood was attentive to the affairs of the farm.  After his marriage he rented a farm of 160 acres in Washington township, and on that place made his home for about eleven years, at the end of which time he bought the farm of thirty acres on which he is now living, in that same neighborhood, and has since made his home there, he and his family being comfortably situated.  Mr. Schroer continued actively engaged in his farming operations until his retirement in the spring of 1922, and is now taking things somewhat easier than during the long years of his activity on the farm.  He is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, having rendered public service as a township trustee and as a member of the school board.  William Schroer married Dina Oelrich, a daughter of Henry Oelrich, and also a member of one of the pioneer families of this county, and to this union seven children have been born, six of whom are living, Cora, Anna, Richard, Lydia, Gilbert and Andrew, two of whom, Richard and Anna, are at home looking after the affairs of the home place in behalf of their parents.  Cora Schroer married Henry Holtkemp and has five children, Gladys, Hilda, Esther, Lawrence and Ruth.  Lydia Schroer married George Holtkamp, and the Rev. Gilbert Schroer married Cornelia Rodeheffer and is now serving as a missionary of the Reformed church in Japan.  Mr. and Mrs. Schroer are members of the First Reformed church at New Knoxville and have for years given their earnest attention to church affairs.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 364
  WILLIAM B. SCHROER, who died in 1914 at his farm home about two miles north of New Knoxville, where his widow is still living, was a substantial farmer of that neighborhood and a good citizen, who at his death left a good memory.  Mr. Schroer was born on that farm on July 20, 1860, and was a son of John Henry and Sophia Schroer, both members of pioneer families of the New Knoxville neighborhood, and concerning whom further and fitting reference is made elsewhere in this volume.  Reared on the home farm, he received his schooling in the neighborhood school (district No. 4) and grew up attentive to the affairs of the farm, remaining at home util he had attained his majority, when he took a trip West and was gone for three or four years,, prospecting around.  Upon his return home he began working in a saw mill along the canal, and after his marriage a year later established a saw mill of his own in Washington township and operated the same for five or six years, at the end of which time he sold the mill and bought the home "eighty" of the old Schroer home place north of the New Knoxville and established his home there.  On that place Mr. Schroer spent the remainder of his life, actively and successfully engaged in farming, and his widow is still living there, the family being very comfortably situated.  Mr. Schroer also owned a tract of fifteen acres on the south and had created an excellent farm plant.  His death occurred there on Feb. 15, 1914.  In his political views he was a Democrat, and at the time of his death was a member of the local school board.  He was a member of the Reformed church at New Knoxville, as is  his widow, and had ever taken an interested part in the affairs of that congregation.  Herman Henry Schroer married Amelia Luft, also a member of one of the pioneer families of this county, and to this union were born thirteen children, eleven of whom are living, Frank, Leroy, Ada, Clarence, Edward, Gustave, Elizabeth, Harry, Pauline, Esther and Carl, the three elder of whom are married.  The Rev. Frank Schroer, the eldest of these children, now pastor of the Broadview Lutheran church of Chicago, married Myrtle Hanzel and has one child, a daughter, Carol Marie.  Leroy Schroer married Frances Haberkamp and has one child, a daughter, Dorothy, and Ada Schroer married Lafe Beikman and has one child, a son, Howard W.  The Schroer home is very pleasantly situated on rural mail route No. 1 out of St. Marys.  Mrs. Schroer was born at New Knoxville and is a daughter of Christian and Elizabeth (Wierwille) Luft, both of whom also were born in this county, the former at New Bremen and the latter in Washington township.  The late Christian Luft, a veteran of the Civil war, gre to manhood at New Bremen, learning there the trade of harness maker.  When the Civil war broke out he enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and served as a soldier for about two years.  After his marriage he established his home at New Knoxville, where he set up a shop as a harness maker and was thus engaged at that place until his death.  He and his wife had three children, Mrs. Schroer having two sisters, Malinda and Anna.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 520
  FRED SEIBERT - See PETER SEIBERT
  J. GEORGE SEIBERT, one of Salem township's well known farmers and a member of one of the old families of that township, living on the ancestral home in the southern part of the township has been a resident of Auglaize county since he was three years old.  Mr. Seibert was born in Crawford county, Ohio, Sept. 13, 1861, and is a son of FRED and Fredericka (Linn) SEIBERT, who became residents of Auglaize county in 1864 and whose last days were spent here.  The late FRED SEIBERT also was born in Crawford county and was a son of Peter Seibert, one of the pioneers of that county, who had settled there not log after coming to this country from Europe, he and his wife having been natives of the grand duchy of Baden.  Fred Seibert grew to manhood in Crawford county and after his marriage established his home on a tract of forty acres he had bought in that county.  He remained there until 1864, when he sold that farm and came to Auglaize county and bought a tract of eighty-three acres, a bit more than the measured west half of the southwest quarter of section 3 of Salem township.  On this tract, which he cleared and out of which he created a good farm,  He spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1915.  to him and his wife were born seven children, three of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Julia, and a brother, Francis Seibert.  As noted above, J. George Seibert was but three years of age when he came to this county with his parents in 1864 and he grew to manhood on the home farm in the southern part of Salem township, six miles north of St. Marys and about a mile and a half southwest of Kossuth.  He received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and grew up familiar with the details of farm management, his boyhood recollections being full of many experiences incidental to the drugery of clearing a timber tract and making a farm out of it.  He married at the age of twenty-eight years and then established his home on a farm of fifty-two acres he had bought a Noble township and continued there engaged in farming until 1916, when, after the death of his father, he returned to the old home place in Salem township and has since been living there, he and his family being very comfortably situated.  Mr. Seibert has a well improved farm and an excellent farm plant and is doing well in his operations.  It was on Feb. 19, 1890, that J. George Seibert was united in marriage to Wilhelmina Koenig, daughter of George and Margaret (Burkhart) Koenig, of this county, and to this union three children, have been born, one of whom - Laverne - is deceased, the others being Fred and Irvin, the latter of whom served as a soldier during the time of this country's participation in the World war.  Fred Seibert married Julia Funk, of Wayne county, Ohio, and has one child, a son, Richard F.  the Seiberts have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys.  Mr. and Mrs. Seibert are members of the Reformed church at St. Marys and in their political views are independent. 
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 335
  LEWIS SEIBERT, one of Salem township's well known and progressive farmers and landowners, living just west of the canal in the northern part of that township, on rural mail route No. 4 out of Spencerville, school director in his district and in other ways useful and influential in the affairs of that community, was born in Salem township and has resided there all his life, a practical farmer since the days of his young manhood.  Mr. Seibert was born on a farm in the southern part of the township on Mar. 5, 1866, and is a son of Peter and Anna Mary (Uhl) Seibert, who had settled there nearly sixty years ago.  The late Peter Seibert was born in Crawford county, Ohio, a member of one of the pioneer families of that county, and was there married.  Not long after his marriage, in 1864, he came to Auglaize county and bought a tract of eighty acres in the southern part of Salem township, the east half of the southeast quarter of section 3 of that township, right on the line between Salem and Noble townships, and on that place established his home.  He was a good farmer, kept abreast of the many advances that just about that time were beginning to revolutionize farm life and methods, and as his affairs prospered added to his land holdings until he became the owner of 272 acres in Salem township and was accounted one of the well-to-do men of that part of the county.  On that place he spent the remainder of his life and at his passing left a good memory.  He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, six of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Caroline, and four brothers, John, Daniel, Samuel and William, the two latter of whom are living on the old home place.  The deceased children of this family were Martha, Elizabeth, Charles, James and Anna.  Reared on the home farm in Salem township, Lewis Seibert received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and until his marriage at the age of twenty-five years remained on the home farm, helpful in the labors of developing the same.  After his marriage he rented a farm of 120 acres from his father-in-law (the Ritzhaupt farm west of the canal in section 23 of Salem township, just south of Deep Cut in the northern part of the township), the place on which he is now living, and has ever since resided there, his wife having inherited the place following the death of her father, Jacob Ritzhaupt, who for years was one of the best known men in the Deep Cut neighborhood.  Mr. Seibert also owns thirty-two and one-half acres of the old Seibert farm in the southern part of the township and has besides another "forty" in this township.  He carries on his farming operations in accordance with modern methods and has done well.  It was on Aug. 11, 1891, that Lewis Seibert was united in marriage to Anna Susanna Ritzhaupt, who also was born in Salem township, daughter of Jacob and Hannah Ritzhaupt, who were among the early settlers in the Deep Cut neighborhood, and of the children born to the union nine are still living, Peter J., Hannah, Elizabeth Ann, William L., John A., Daniel, Martha, Harvey and Harley.  The mother of these children died on Apr. 30, 1922.  Peter J. Seibert, the eldest of the children of this family, married Margaret Hance and has three children, Pauline, Charles and Howard.  Elizabeth A. Seibert, the second child in the family, is the wife of Leo Briggs. Mr. Seibert is a member of the United Brethren church, as was his wife, and the children were reared in the faith of that communion.  The Seiberts are Democrats and Mr. Seibert has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, and is at present serving as the director of the school in his district.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 283
  PETER SEIBERT, formerly and for years one of Salem township's best known and most substantial pioneer farmers and landowners and a man of wide influence in his community in his day and generation, left a good memory at his passing more than thirty-years ago, and it is but fitting that in making up a historical and biographical review of this character there should be carried here some modest tribute to that memory, for he had done well his part in the development of this community.  Peter Seibert was born in Crawford county, Ohio, May 15, 1836, and was a son of Peter and Charlotte (Wendeling) Seibert, natives of Germany, who had come to this country following their marriage in their native land and had the early settlers of that part of the state.  The junior Peter Seibert grew to manhood on that farm in Crawford county and was there married.  In 1864, shortly after his marriage, he sold a "forty" he owned in Crawford county and came to Auglaize county with his wife and bought a fraction more than eighty-three acres - a bit more than the measured east half of the northeast quarter of section 3 of Salem township - and on that place established his home.   Even at that comparatively late date Salem township was just properly emerging from its primitive wilderness state and native conditions thereabout were pretty raw, but Mr. Seibert was a man of progressive thought and methods and it was not long until he had made a farm out of his place and was beginning to take in more land.  The original landowner on this tract had put up a log cabin and a log stable, and these were the only improvements on the place when Peter Seibert took hold.  His location in the woods about a mile and a half west of the canal and about the same distance southwest of Kossuth gave him a good outlet for the products of his farm and his agricultural affairs prospered from the start, so that he gradually added to his holdings until he became the owner of a fine farm of 275 acres and was accounted one of the substantial citizens of Auglaize county.  On that place he spent his last days, his death occurring on Jan. 27, 1890, he then being in his fifty-fourth year, in the very prime of his life.  His widow survived him until 1917.  She was Anna M. Uhl, daughter of John H. Uhl, of Crawford county.  Peter Seibert was a stanch Democrat, and he and his wife were members of the United Brethren church, in the faith of which communion their children were reared.  They had eleven children, of whom six are now living, John H., Lewis, WILLIAM T., SAMUEL P., Daniel G. and Caroline.  WILLIAM T. and SAMUEL P. SEIBERT, who have stuck to the old home place, are among the best known citizens of that community.  William F. Seibert grew up to the life of the farm on the home place and acquired other interests in the farm until he now is the owner of 203 acres of the old home place, where he has an excellent farm plant and is carrying on his operations in up-to-date and profitable fashion.  His brother, Samuel P. Seibert, who is also living on the old home place, married Margaret A. Haver and has five children, Margaret, Martha, Walter, Benjamin and Elmer.  The Seibert brothers are Democrats and are members of the United Brethren church.  The Seiberts have a very pleasant home on rural mail route No. 2 out of St. Marys.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 388-389
  WILLIAM T. SEIBERT - See PETER SEIBERT
  CHARLES A. SELLERS, one of the best known farmer in the Cridersville neighborhood and proprietor of a well-kept farm in the northeastern part of Duchouquet township, where he has lived all his life, is a member of one of the pioneer families of that part of the county, his grandfather, LEONARD SELLERS, having been one of the original settlers there, the Sellers interests thereabout coming in time to include large land holdings in that part of Duchouquet township and over in the northwestern corner of the adjacent township of Union.  Charles A. Sellers was born in Duchouquet township on Aug. 4, 1865, and is a son of Henry and Lavina (Danner) Sellers, the former of whom was a son of the pioneer Leonard Sellers, above referred to.  Henry Sellers was born in Pennsylvania and was but a boy when he came to this county with his parents, the family settling on a woodland farm about a mile east of the Lima road in the upper part of Duchouquet township, where he grew to manhood and where, after his marriage, he began farming on his own account.  He was a successful farmer and his land holdings gradually were increased until he became the owner of no less than 500 acres in that neighborhood, part of his land lying over in Union township, and there he spent his last days, a useful and influential citizen of that community, his death occurring in 1906.  To Henry Sellers and wife were born six children, the subject of this sketch having three sisters, Rosetta, Louisa and Della, and two brothers, Henry and Grover Sellers.  Reared on the farm on which he was born, Charles A. Sellers received his schooling in the neighborhood school, and from the days of his boyhood his attention has been devoted to farming.  As a young man he remained on the home farm, helpful in extending the growing interests of the place, and after his marriage established his home there and has continued to make that his place of residence, in time inheriting the eighty-acre farm which he is now operating there.  Mr. Sellers has improved his place in admirable shape and has a well-equipped farm plant.  In addition to his general farming, he has given considerable attention to the raising of live stock, and has done well.  In 1898 Charles A. Sellers was united in marriage to Emma Hengstler, also a member of one of the pioneer families of this county, daughter of Joseph Hengstler, and to that union two children were born, a daughter, Lavina, and a son, Harry Sellers, both of whom are still at home.  The mother of these children died on Feb. 10, 1903, and is buried in the Lutheran cemetery, north of Cridersville.  The Sellers family is comfortably situated having a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 9 out of Wapakoneta.  In his political views Mr. Sellers holds himself independent of party ties.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 411
  HARRY SHANNON, head of the Shannon Players, a theatrical company widely known throughout the Middle West, is a New Englander by birth, but an Ohioan by choice, and has been a resident of this county since 1913, in which year he settled down at Wapakoneta, to which place he and his family had become greatly attached by reason of repeated professional appearances there.  Mr. Shannon was born at Hampstead, N. H., Aug. 8, 1867, and was reared there, receiving schooling in the local schools.  He early became attracted to the theatrical profession, and when little more than a boy made his first professional appearance with a stock company at Boston.  With this company he travelled all over the East, gaining a practical experience that later proved of great value when he decided to put a company of his own "on the road."  After some years as an actor with stock companies, Mr. Shannon further enlarged his practical experience by becoming engaged as the advance representative of a theatrical company, and after the organization of his own company made his headquarters at Luddington, Mich., touring the South during the winters and the states of the Middle West during the summers.  There he remained for ten years, at the end of which time, in 1913, he located at Wapakoneta, where he and his family are now very comfortably situated, having a pleasant home along the river bank on West Auglaize street.  It was in 1892 that Mr. Shannon started in business for himself, and since then the name of the Shannon Players has become a familiar one throughout a wide territory.  Before locating at Luddington, Mr. Shannon confined his engagements principally to the towns of the New England states.  At present he is confining his summer engagements to Ohio, making week stands in county seat towns, his repertoire of plays including the popular favorites.  Mr. Shannon has a well selected company, the Shannon Players now including a troupe of thirty persons, traveling by auto train, this automotive equipment including seven trucks, six trailers and two touring cars.  The tent equipment, stage paraphernalia and wardrobe carried by the company are of the best, and the high character of the performances given is attested by the fact that the Shannon Players always are welcomed back for return engagements wherever they have appeared.  Harry Shannon was united in marriage to Lorene Stoutenburg, and to this union two children have been born, a son, Harry Shannon, Jr., who is the assistant manager of the Shannon Players, and who under the careful direction of his father, has made a name for himself on the state, and a daughter, Hazel Shannon.  Mr. Shannon is a Scottish rite (32°) Mason and is a member of the Wapakoneta lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 175
  ROY SHAW, a well known and progressive young farmer of Union township, stock buyer and dealer in all kinds of livestock and proprietor of "Cloverdale Stock Farm" just northeast of Uniopolis, is a member of one of the real pioneer families of this county, the Shaws having been represented here since the year marking the departure of the Indians from this region.  Mr. Shaw was born on a farm in Duchouquet township on Oct. 11, 1887, and is a son of John M. and Sarah (Brentlinger) Shaw, who are still living in that township.  John M. Shaw was born in that same township and is a son of MARSHAL SHAW, who was a son of the pioneer, NEAL SHAW, who came here with his family from Virginia in 1832 and established his home in the woods in the vicinity of where Cridersville later was laid cut.  The Shaws have been prominently represented here ever since.  John M. Shaw grew up on the home farm in Duchouquet township and after his marriage established his home on a farm in that same township and has ever since been engaged in farming, now the owner of a well kept farm of forty-four acres.  He and his wife have four sons, the subject of this sketch having three brothers, Lawrence, Harvey and Homer Shaw. Reared on the home farm in Duchouquet township, Roy Shaw received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and remained with his father on the farm, helpful in the operations of the same, until after his marriage in his twenty-second year, when he moved to the farm of 103 acres in Union township, of which he is now the owner.  Mrs. Shaw is carrying on his farm operations in accordance with modern methods of agriculture and is doing well, feeding out 100 head of hogs and a car load of cattle annually.  He is a Democrat and is affiliated with the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at Uniopolis.  It was in July, 1909, that Roy Shaw was united in marriage to Blanch Miller who was born in Union township, daughter of Joseph J. and Martha (Hardin) Miller, both members of pioneer families of that township, as is set out elsewhere in this volume, and to this union three children have been born, Milo Miller, Myron H. and Mildred Chloe  The Shaws have a pleasant home on rural mail route No. 1 out of Uniopolis and are very comfortably situated there.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 631
  ISAIAH SHAW - See FLORIAN W. SMITH

Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 602
  MARSHALL SHAW - See ROY SHAW

Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 631
  NEAL SHAW - See ROY SHAW

Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 631
  CALVIN H. SIBERT, a well-known farmer and landowner of Auglaize county, now living retired at Uniopolis, where he has made his home for the past twenty years and more, is a native "Buckeye" and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of Auglaize county since he was three years of age, a period of more than seventy years.  Mr. Sibert was born on the Piqua plains, in Miami county, on Jan. 19, 1847, and is a son of SAMUEL and Henrietta (Shannahan) SIBERT, who settled in Auglaize county in 1850 and here spent the remainder of their lives.  Samuel Sibert was a Virginian by birth, who had come to Ohio with his parents in his youth and after his marriage had settled in Miami county, where he remained until 1850, when he came up into Auglaize county with his family and established his home on an eighty-acre tract of woodland in Pusheta township.  Not long afterward he sold that place and then rented a farm in the immediate vicinity of Wapakoneta, but not long afterward bought a farm of 119 acres just west of town, the site now occupied by the fair ground, and there spent his last days, his death occurring on Sept. 9, 1865, and his widow long survived him.  They were the parents of seven children, all of whom are still living save one daughter, Elizabeth, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Mary and Helen, and three brothers, Otho, Samuel and George Sibert.  As noted above, Calvin H. Sibert was three years of age when he came to this county with his parents, in 1850.  He was seventeen years of age when his father died, and he remained with his mother assisting in the labors of the home farm, she having disposed of her interests in the present fair ground site and bought another eighty in Duchouquet township, until after his marriage, at the age of twenty-five, when he bought that eighty and began farming on his own account.  As he prospered in his operations, Mr. Sibert bought more land, until he became the owner of a fine farm of 447 acres, and there he continued farming until his retirement in 1900 and removal to Uniopolis, where he has since made his home.  Mr. Sibert is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Christian church.  It was on May 23, 1872, that Calvin H. Sibert was united in marriage to Catherine H. Bitler,  daughter and only child of Henry and Margaret Ann (Parlett) Bitler, both members of old families in this county, and to this union three children have been born, Ira, Ida and Samuel, all of whom are married.  Ira Sibert married Emma Keifer and has one child, a son, Richard.  Ida Sibert married Jerome Orr and has two child, Flossie and Calvin, and Samuel Sibert married Dora Focht and has four children, Bonnie, Calvin, Lyman and Minard.  Mrs. Catherine H. Sibert was born at St. Johns, this county, here parents having been among the pioneers of that part of the county.  Her father, Henry Bitler, was a Pennsylvanian by birth, and her mother was a Virginian.  Henry Bitler died of cholera in July, 1851, during the prevalence of the scourge of that dread disease that swept through this region at that period.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 488
  IRA SIBERT, proprietor of a modern shoe repair shop at Wapakoneta and formerly and for years an attache of the wheel works in that city, is a native son of Auglaize county and has lived here all his life.  Mr. Sibert was born on a farm in Duchouquet township on Aug. 6, 1873, and is a son of  Cavin and Catherine (Bitler) Sibert, both of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families here.  Calvin Sibert grew up on a farm in that township and in turn became a farmer and landowner there, proprietor of a well improved farm of 357 acres, on which he made his home until his retirement in 1915 and removal to Uniopolis, where he and his wife are now living.  They have three children, the subject of this sketch having a twin sister, Ida, wife of Jerome Orr, and a brother, Samuel H. Sibert, also a resident of Wapakoneta.  Reared on a home farm in Duchouquet township, Ira Sibert received his schooling in the district schools and remained at home, a valued assistant to his father in the labors of developing the farm, until after his marriage at the age of twenty-two years, when he began farming on his own account.  Two years later he moved to Uniopolis and not long afterward moved from that place to Wapakoneta, where he became employed in the wheel works and was thus engaged for twelve years, or until the fall of 1909, when he opened a shoe repair shop at Wapakoneta.  From the beginning of this enterprise Mr. Sibert found it successful and in 1911 he enlarged and extended the capacity of his place by putting in a complete equipment of up-to-date shoe repair machinery.  Since then he has doubled that equipment and is thus prepared to take care of all local needs along that line.  Besides the several employes he has in the place he has a valued assistant in the person of his son, Richard E. Sibert, a veteran of the World war, who is giving his personal attention to the growing business his father has developed.  It was on Apr. 26, 1896, that Ira Sibert was united in marriage to Amelia A. Kiefer, who also was born in this county, a daughter of Jacob and Agnes (Strohm) Kiefer, the latter of whom was born in Germany and was but a child when she came to this country with her parents, the family locating in this county.  Jacob Kiefer, was born in Auglaize county, a member of one of the old families here.  Mr. and Mrs. Sibert have one child, the son, Richard E., above referred to.  Mr. Sibert is a Republican and he and his wife attend the German Lutheran church.  He is an active lodge man and is affiliated with the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics and the Knights of the Maccabees.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page
  SAMUEL H. SIBERT, M. D., a veteran practicing physician at Freyburg, former coroner of Auglaize county, a member of the county board of agriculture, a substantial landowner of the county and one of the best known physicians in this part of the state, is a native son of Auglaize county, a member of one of the real pioneer families here, and has resided in this county all his life.  Doctor Sibert was born in the then village of St. Marys on Apr. 13, 1858, and is a son of JAMES FRANKLIN and Catherine (Brandenburg) SIBERT, the latter of whom also was born at St. Marys Apr. 28, 1836, daughter of Henry T. and Elizabeth (Benner) Brandenburg, the latter a daughter of CHRISTIAN BENNER, the pioneer miller, who were married there.  Henry T. Brandenburg was born in Frederick county, Maryland, Jan. 31, 1805, and was ten years of age when, in 1815, he came with his parents to Ohio, the family locating at Dayton, where he grew to manhood and where he remained until 1833, when he came up into this part of the state and became engaged as a clerk for John Pickerell and Samuel Statler, proprietors of the historic old tavern at St. Marys.  Not long after his marriage, Henry T. Brandenburg became engaged in the mercantile business at St. Marys and was thus engaged there until 1855, when he moved to his farm a mile east of St. Marys.  In 1871 he sold that farm and returned to town, where he remained until in the fall of 1885, when hebegan to make his home with his grandson, Doctor Sibert, at Freyburg, where his last days were spent, his death occurring on Feb. 16, 1891, he then being past eighty-six years of age.  Mr. Brandenburg's eldest son, Christian Brandenburg, was a soldier of the Union during the Civil war and died in service at Camp Nelson, Kentucky.  JAMES FRANKLIN SIBERT, who also was a soldier of the Union during the time of the Civil war, was born in Carroll county, Ohio, in 1828, and was a young man when, in the late '40s, he came over into this part of the state and began to teach school at Uniopolis and later at St. Marys.  Not long after his arrival here he married Catherine Brandenburg and then he began farming, continuing, however, to teach school during the winters, and was thus engaged when the Civil war broke out.  In 1863 he entered the service of the Union army and went to the front as a member of Company D of the 180th regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served for more than a year or until honorably discharged on account of impaired health.  In 1865 he moved with his family to Missouri, where he established his home on a farm and where he became engaged in teaching school.  He became the owner of a considerable tract of land in Missouri and later moved to Huffsmith, Texas, where his last days were spent, his death occurring there in March, 1905.  His widow survived him for more than ten years, her death occurring on Dec. 17, 1916.  She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.  To James Franklin Sibert and wife were born five children, four sons and one daughter, the latter of whom (Rosalie) died in infancy, the others (besides the subject of this sketch) being Albert Sibert, who met his death in an industrial accident in 1888; Joseph F. Sibert, a detective on the staff of the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad Company, with headquarters at Toledo, and Verne T. Sibert, an oil speculator and operator, now living at Logan, Ohio.  Dr. Samuel H. Sibert received his early schooling at St. Marys and was graduated from the Lima high school in 1878.  He early had devoted himself to the study of medicine and after leaving the high school entered the Ohio Eclectic Medical College at Cincinnati where he spent one term.  He then spent a term in the Pulte Medical College at Cincinnati and then entered Starling Medical College at Columbus, from which institution he was graduated in 1881.  Upon receiving his diploma, Doctor Sibert returned to St. Marys and there opened an office for the practice of his profession, remaining there a year or more, o until Dec. 2, 1882, when he opened an office for practice at Freyburg, where he ever since has been located.  Of recent years Doctor Sibert has been giving his special attention to surgical cases and to the treatment of cancer.  He is a member of the American Medical Association, the Ohio State Medical Society and the Auglaize County Medical Society and is also affiliated with the Eclectic Medical Association.  The Doctor also is affiliated with the local lodges of the Freemasons, the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles at Wapakoneta and with the Swabian Society (Schwabisher Unterstuetzing Verein) at that place.  He has done well in his practice and has made some excellent real estate investments, his holdings along that line including a farm of 120 acres in Pusheta township, this county; a farm of 120 acres in Missouri and a farm of 130 acres in Texas, besides town property in this county.  The Doctor has ever given a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs and for about sixteen yeas served as coroner of Auglaize county.  He is now a member of the county board of agriculture.  In 1884, about two years after locating at Freyburg, Dr. Samuel H. Sibert was united in marriage to Flora C. Katterheinrich, also a member of one of the old families of Auglaize county, who was born at New Knoxville, a daughter of William Katterheinrich, who died while serving as a soldier of the Union during the Civil war, and to this union three children have been born, a son and two daughters, Aldo Verne, Cleola Rosina Catherine and LaVera Mildred Elizabeth, the latter of whom married Philander R. Sammethinger, a farmer of this county and a veteran of the World war, and has one child, a son, Howard William.  The elder daughter, Cleola Rosina Catherine Sibert, married Charles Frech, a farmer and son of John Frech, of this county, and has one child, Shirley E. Frech.  Dr. Aldo Verne Sibert, only son of Doctor and Mrs. Sibert, is a veteran of the World war, with the rank of major in the Medical Corps of the army.  He was graduated from Starling Medical College at Columbus and is now engaged in practice at Lima.  Not long after the beginning of this country's participation in the World war he was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Medical Corps of the army and was assigned to the base hospital at Camp Sherman (Chillicothe, Ohio), presently being transferred to the training camp at Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga.  There he presently was promoted to the rank of captain and was transferred to the camp at Waco, Texas, where he received his promotion as major, he then being put twenty-six years of age, and it was with this latter rank that he received his discharge at the close of the war.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 561

Florian W. Smith		 FLORIAN W. SMITH, one of the best known figures in insurance circles in this county, district agent for the State Automobile Insurance Company of Indianapolis, formerly and for years a teacher in the schools of this county, former deputy sheriff, former mayor of Uniopolis and for some years past supervisor of the Ohio State Bottlers Association, with office and residence at Wapakoneta, where he has made his home for almost twenty years past, is a native son of Auglaize county, a member of one of the pioneer families here and has lived in this county all his life with the exception of a period twenty years of more ago when he was connected with the Department of the Interior at Washington, D. C.  Mr. Smith was born in the village of Uniopolis on July 14, 1876, and is a son of AUGUST and Clara (Tabler) SMITH, both of whom also were natives of Ohio, the latter born in Fairfield county, a daughter of William F. and Charlotte (Purcell) Tabler, who were among the pioneers of that county.  The late August Smith, formerly Sheriff of Auglaize county, who died at Wapakoneta on Jan. 16, 1923, was born in Union township, this county, Aug. 14, 1849, the year following the formal erection of Auglaize county, and was a son of Felician and Julia Smith (Schmidt), both of whom were of European birth, the latter an Alsatian and the former a native of the grand duchy of Baden.  For some time after his arrival in this country Felician Schmidt (whose family name in the second generation was Anglicized to its present form, Smith) was located at Canton, in Stark county, this state, but when the lands over in this part of the state were beginning generally to be settled he came over here and got possession of a tract of land in the southwest quarter of section 17 of Union township, in this county, just at the north edge of the Uniopolis town site, and there established his home, becoming one of the useful and influential pioneers of that neighborhood.  It was on that pioneer farm that August Schmidt (Smith) was born and reared.  He married when twenty-five years of age and continued farming on the home place, remaining there until his election to the office of sheriff of Auglaize county, as the nominee of the Democratic party, in 1904, since which time he had made his home at the county seat, his last days having been spent in the home of his son, Florian.  By re-election, August Smith served for two terms as sheriff (1905-9) and thus became one of the best known men in the county.  Prior to his election to the shrievalty he had served for four years (1888-92) as clerk of Union township and had in other ways taken his part in public service.  It was in 1875 that August Smith was united in marriage to Clara Tabler.  To this union were born three children, of whom the subject of this sketch alone now survives, the other two, Jeannette and Charles A., having died in childhood.  The mother of these children died in August, 1903.  Florian W. Smith was reared on the home farm at the edge of the village of Uniopolis and was graduated from the high school there in 1893.  He then took a course in the normal school of Lima College, preparatory to taking up the profession of teaching and for ten years thereafter was engaged as a teacher in the schools of this county.  During the years 1895-97 Mr. Smith ws superintendent of the Buckland schools.  For six years thereafter he devoted his services to rural school work and in 1903-4 was superintendent of the Uniopolis schools.  Meanwhile, during the vacation period in 1900 he served as a clerk in the office of the Interior Department at Washington, gaining there a bit of practical experience that has proved valuable to him in more than one relation of life since then.  When his father entered upon his term of service as sheriff of the county, the family moved to Wapakoneta and Florian W. Smith was made deputy sheriff, a public service which he rendered for four years, at the end of which time he became a salesman and continued in the latter vocation until 1916, when he was appointed supervisor of the Ohio State Bottlers Association, having charge of that association's legislative program and its publicity agencies, a position which he still occupies and in the exercise of the functions of which he has done much to advance the interests of the association, which during Mr. Smith received the appointment as district manager for the State Automobile Insurance Company of Indianapolis, with direction over agencies in Auglaize and Mercer counties, and is now so occupied.  For years Mr. Smith has been looked upon as one of the leaders of the Democratic party in Auglaize county and in the campaign of 1922 was made the nominee of the party for representative in the Legislature from this district.  In addition to his service as deputy sheriff, above referred to, Mr. Smith had rendered prior public service as mayor of Uniopolis, to which office he had been elected in 1897, when but twenty-one years of age, and in 1912 he was elected councilman-at-large of the city of Wapakoneta and served for one term in that capacity.  He and his family are members of the First Lutheran church at Wapakoneta and he also is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the United Commercial Travelers.  On July 7, 1903, Florian W. Smith was united in marriage to Edith G. Smith, daughter of ISAIAH and Mary (Lump) SHAW, of Duchouquet township and both members of old families in this county, and to this union six children have been born, one of whom died in infancy, the others being J. Carl, Juanita K., Cullen C., who died on Jan. 6, 1923, Eileen A. and William F.  The Smiths have a very pleasant home at 109 East Mechanic street.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 601
  ELMER DELNO SNYDER, one of the well known and progressive young farmers and stockmen of Clay township and the proprietor of a well improved farm in the immediate neighborhood of St. Johns, was born in that township on May 23, 1891, and is a son of  Enos N. and Ellen (Clark) Snyder, both of whom also were born in that township and who are still living there.  Enos N. Snyder was born on Feb. 17, 1861, and is a son of Jacob and Mary A. (Oxley) Snyder, both of whom were born in this county and who after their marriage established their home on a farm in Clay township, where both died just as they were getting a good start, the latter not yet twenty-four years of age at the time of her death and the former just past twenty-four.  They left four children, of whom Enos N. Snyder now alone survives.  He was but an infant when he was orphaned and he was taken care of by his grandparents until he was seven years of age, after which he was taken into the household of his uncle, Allen Copeland, and there grew to manhood, receiving his schooling in the Dearbaugh school.  After he had attained his majority he took up the trade of plastering, a vocation he followed for about twenty years, meanwhile marrying when about thirty years of age.  When he began farming he made his home on a farm of forty acres on the Geyer pike, in Clay township, and there lived until 1912, when he moved to his present farm in that same township.  Mr. Snyder and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are Republicans.  He has rendered public service as a trustee of Clay township and also has served on the school board, president of the same for some time.  It was on June 29, 1890, that Enos N. Snyder was united in marriage to Ellen Clark, who also was born in Clay township, daughter of SAMUEL and Nancy (Dudgeon) CLARK, who were the parents of five children, two of whom are living, Mrs. Snyder having a brother, William Clark.  To Enos N. and Ellen (Clark) Snyder five children have been born, three of whom are living, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Leo Snyder, now farming in Shelby county, who married Hazel Dearbaugh and has a son, Ned J., and a sister, Ola, who married William Young, who is employed on the line of the Western Ohio Electric Railway Company, and has two children, Cretoria and Ralph.  Reared on the home farm in Clay township, Elmer Delno Snyder received his schooling in the local schools.  He married in the month after he had attained his majority and then began farming on his own account, renting the farm on which he is now living and was there engaged in farming for two years, at the end of which time he moved to St. Johns and there became engaged in the garage business.  Two years later he sold out his establishment thee and returned to the farm, which he bought in 1919, and has since made his home there, he and his family being very comfortably situated.  Mr. Snyder has a well improved place of ninety-six acres and gives his special attention to the raising of hogs.  It was on June 27, 1912, that Elmer Delno Snyder was united in marriage to Hazel Coleman, who also was born in Clay township, daughter of John M. and Catherine (Chambers) Coleman, both members of pioneer families in that township, and to this union three children have been born, namely: Jessalyn born on May 9, 1917; Johanna, Apr. 21, 1919, and Betty L., Mar. 24, 1921.  Mr. and Mrs. Snyder are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at St. Johns and are Republicans.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 630
  IRVIN J. SPECKMAN, formerly engaged in undertaking at New Bremen and now devoting his time to the life insurance and real estate business at that place, was born at New Bremen and has resided there all his life.  Mr. Speckman was born on Oct. 14, 1885, and is a son of Fred and Wilhelmina (Rabe) Speckman, both of whom were born at that same place, members of the old families there.  The late Fred Speckman, concerning whom further and fitting mention is made elsewhere in this volume, grew up to the mercantile business in New Bremen and was for years engaged in business there, a member of the firm of Speckman & Nieter, predecessors of the present Arcade Department Store Company there, and so continued until his death in 1917.  To him and his wife were born eleven children, those besides the subject of this sketch (the fifth in order of birth) being Frank, Edwin (who died in infancy), Luetta, Aurelia, Bertha, Elmer, Viola, Fred, Earl and Catherine.  Reared at New Bremen, Irvin J. Speckman completed his schooling in the high school there and then became engaged working in a furniture store, giving his special attention to the undertaking department of that business.  Not long afterward he and William Klanke bought this place, the plant of the Klanke Furniture Company, and began doing business as the Klanke-Speckman Company.  Three years later Mr. Speckman sold his interest in the furniture department of this concern and took over the undertaking department, which he afterward carried on alone until he sold out in 1920, since which time he has been devoting his attention to the life insurance business, local agent for the Ohio State Life Insurance Company, and to the real estate business, in both of which lines he is doing well.  Mr. Speckman is an "independent" Republican, is affiliated with the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias at New Bremen and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Wapakoneta and he and his wife are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church at New Bremen.  Mr. and Mrs. Speckman have a pleasant  home at New Bremen and have ever given their earnest attention to the community's general social movements, interested always in such movements as are designed to advance the common welfare.  Mrs. Speckman's maiden name was Florence Inderrieden.
 Source: History of Auglaize Co., Ohio - Vol. II - 1923 - Page 163

World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Card:
Name: Irwin John Speckman - Res: Monroe, New Bremen, Auglaize, Ohio
Age: 32 - Date of Birth: Oct. 14, 1885 - Race: White -
U. S. Citizen: Citizen by Father's Naturalization Before Registrant's Majority: X - Native Born: X 
Present occupation: Undertaking - Employer: Myself - Place of Employment:  New Bremen, Auglaize, Ohio
Nearest relative: Florence Speckman (Wife) - Address: New Bremen, Auglaize, Ohio
I affirm that I have Verified above answers and that they are true, Signed: Irvin J. Speckman
Height: Short - Build: Stout - Color of eyes: Blue - Color of Hair: Blond
Date of Registration: Sept. 12, 1918
Photocopy at www.familysearch.org
-------
Death info:
Name: Irvin John Speckman - Died: 13 May 1937 at New Bremen, Ohio aged 51 yrs. - Sex: Male - Age: 51 y 6 m 29 d - Born: 14 Oct. 1885 at New Bremen, Ohio - Occupation: Fieldman, loan company - Race: White - Marital status: Married - Burial: 16 May 1937 at German Protestant - Father: Frederick Speckman - Mother: Wilhelmina Babe - Cause of death: Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease and Congestive Heart Failure
Photocopy at www.familysearch.org
  JOHN H. SPECKMAN, president of the Arcade Department Store Company, of New Bremen, and for years recognized as one of the leading merchants of that city, was born at New Bremen and has lived there all his life.  Mr. Speckman was born on Jan. 8, 1867, and is the son of FREDERICK and Elizabeth Speckman, both of whom were natives of Germany, but had been residents of this country since the days of their childhood and who, in their generation, were among the best known and most influential citizens of New Bremen.  The late Frederick Speckman, who for many years was one of the leading business men of New Bremen, having become when the operation of the canal made New Bremen one of the liveliest towns in western Ohio, was but seventeen years of age when he came to this country.  After a short residence at Cincinnati he came on up into this part of the state and located at New Bremen, where after his marriage he established his home.  He had been trained to the cooper's trade and not long after locating at New Bremen started a cooper shop there, which up to the time of the close of the Civil war did a great business and furnished an outlet for the great quantities of hoop poles which in those days of the big timber provided a ready source of revenue for the farmers on the timber lands for miles about the place and also provided a market for the products of the big stave factory that was in operation there.  In 1852, F. L. Nieter bought an interest in this cooperage business, the firm continuing under the name of Speckman & Nieter.  In April, 1864, Mr. Speckman and Mr. Nieter started a grocery store, which they presently enlarged to include a general line of goods suitable to the trade and at the same time carried on a lucrative private banking business.  As was common with grocery stores in those days they also carried on a saloon business and as another side line were engaged as auctioneers and criers of farm sales, as need arose in the community, it being written of them in one of the old chronicles that they were "then only men in that locality who were first class auctioneers."  In 1876, Mr. Speckman took his elder son, Frederick B. Speckman, into business, establishing him in the dry goods and clothing line in the room adjacent to the corner grocery.  A crayon drawing executed in the late '70s preserves a graphic picture of this old grocery corner, showing to advantage the square two-story brick building with its two double-door entrances and a frame barber shop next door.  Over the entrance to the corner room, in front of which are stacked a number of kegs symbolic of the "wet" character of certain of the goods there kept for sale, is the firm name of Speckman & Nieter and the legend, "Groceries, Liquors, Etc."  Over the door of the adjoining sales room is the firm name Speckman & Son and the legend, "Dry Goods, Boots, Shoes, Hats & Caps."  A lamp post stands at the corner curb and four hitching posts are in front of the double store, at one of which posts there is standing a spirited looking saddle horse.  An ornate barber pole stands in front of the adjacent barber shop.  A light wagon to which is hitched a single horse driven by a gentleman well bewhiskered is being driven down the street in front of the store, while across the street there is a corner pump from which another gentleman even more liberally bewhiskered is watering a horse.  From a hook extending from the entrance to the dry goods store there is hanging a coat to attract attention of passersby to the stock within.  In 1881, Mr. Nieter became a partner in the general goods business as well as in the grocery and the firm name then became Speckman, Son & Co., this firm in addition to this general mercantile business also carrying on an extensive trade in grain and pork and held besides some valuable real estate, both in farm lands and town property.  Mr. Nieter presently introduced his son, William Nieter, into the firm  and Mr. Speckman introduced another of his sons into the combination, John H. Speckman, thus coming into the firm, which then became known as the Speckman & Nieter Company, into which, upon the retirement of the senior members and founders of the business, John Goll bought an interest.  That was in 1890, when the firm name was changed, being made to read Speckman, Goll & Co., the members of the firm then being Frederick B. Speckman, John H. Speckman, William Nieter and John Goll.  Upon the death of Mr. Goll three years later the sign again changed, this time reading Speckman & Nieter Co., which combination continued for another three years or until the organization of the Arcade Department Store Company of New Bremen, under which firm style the growing business has ever since been conducted, with John H. Speckman as the president of the company.  His brother, Frederick B. Speckman, who was for so long connected with the business, died some years ago.  Of the six children born to the elder Frederick Speckman (founder of the business) and his wife, but three now survive, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Caroline, wife of Henry Jaeger, and Alvina, wife of Fred Reiher.  John H. Speckman has been connected with the store ever since the days of his boyhood, having practically grown up in the business, to which ever since he completed his schooling he has devoted his most earnest attention.  When the company now operating the store was organized he was elected president of the same and in 1917 was re-elected.  From its "day of small things" this store has grown to a frontage of 115 feet, eighty-five feet back, two floors and a basement, and covers a floor space  of 17,550 feet, an unusually well equipped and outfitted department store for a town the size of New Bremen.  John H. Speckman has been twice married and by his first wife, who was Marie Cardot, has one child, a daughter, Ethel.  Upon the death of the mother of this child, Mr. Speckman married Lizzie Watermann and to this union five children have been born, Lloyd, Selma (wife of Dr. M. H. Briggs, of New Bremen), Roma, Leola and Louis.  Mr. and Mrs. Speckman are members of St. Paul's Lutheran church and Mr. Speckman has served as secretary of the congregation.  He is a Republican and is a charger member and a past chancellor commander of the local lodge of the Knight of Pythias at New Bremen.
Source: History of Auglaize Co., Ohio - Vol. II - 1923 - Page 121
  DITTMOR F. SPEES, treasurer of the city of Wapakoneta, proprietor of the Hotel barber shop on Auglaize street in that city, and one of the best known men in this county, is a native son of Auglaize county, a member of one of the real pioneer families here, and has been a resident of this county all his life, with his home at Wapakoneta since the days of his childhood.  The Spees family, of which there is a considerable connection hereabout, has been present in this part of Ohio since 1834, in which year MATHIAS SPEES came on here from Ross county and settled on a tract of land which he had entered from the Government two yeas before (the year in which the Indian reservation lands had been opened to settlement) in section 18 of Union township, in what then was in Allen county, but which became a part of Auglaize county when the latter county was erected in 1848.  That original Spees tract was in the neighborhood of where the village of Uniopolis later came to be laid out and the Spees family has been represented thereabout ever since.  Dittmor F. Spees was born on a farm in that neighborhood, in Union township, May 9, 1877, and is a son of Sylvanus and Sarah (Perlett) Spees, both of whom were born in this county, the Perletts also reared on the old home farm in Union township and continued farming for some years after his marriage, or until about 1882, when he moved o Wapakoneta and became engaged there as a stationary engineer in the plant of the Dickman Spoke Works, from which plant he presently went to the plant of the Standard Churn Company and with this concern remained connected for years, or until his removal to Ft. Recovery, in the neighboring county of Mercer, where he is similarly employed.  To him and his wife were born eight children, those besides the subject of this sketch (the fourth in order of birth) being as follows:  Maude, who married John Bauer, of Wapakoneta, and has three children, Wilbur, Walter and Roy, the first named of whom is married and has one child; John, also living at Wapakoneta, who married Maude Luckes and has two children, Bernard and Bernardine; Floyd, also of Wapakoneta, who married Emma Snyder, and has eight children, Erwin, Harry, Margaret, Roy, Helen, Grace, Ralph and Mary Ellen; William, also of Wapakoneta, who married Margaret Langhorst and has three children, Rowena, James and Ruth, the first named of whom was graduated from the high school with the class of 1922; Levi, now living at Lima, who married Lena Wormouth and has one child, a son, Franklin; Mary, who married Wade Ellis, living at Dayton, and has one child, Randolph; and Robert, of Wapakoneta, who married Jessie Bowersock and has one child, Robert, Jr.  Dittmer F. Spees was about five years of age when his parents moved from Union township to Wapakoneta and his schooling was received in the schools of that city, his first teacher in the old Third Ward school building (now the Williamson school) having been Melissa Elliott.  Upon leaving school he began to work in the old Buckeye cigar factory, but a year later became engaged at the local plant of the Standard Oil Company, where he remained two years, at the end of which time he entered upon an apprenticeship to the barber's trade in the Daniel Shimmel barber shop at Wapakoneta, where he remained a year, after which he began working as a "journeyman" barber and a year later bought the Shimmel shop.  For five years Mr. Spees operated this establishment and then sold his place and took a chair at the Hotel barber shop on Auglaize street, at that time operated by John G. Hoegner, and was thus employed for twelve years, or until 1914,when he bought the shop and has since been operating it himself.  Since taking over the barber shop Mr. Spees has made numerous improvements in the way of up-to-date equipment and has one of the  leading tonsorial establishments in western Ohio.  He carries three chairs in his shop and everything is in ship shape fashion.  Mr. Spees is a Democrat and for years has taken an active interest in local political affairs.  In 1921 he was elected city treasurer and on Jan. 1, 1922, entered upon the duties of that office, his term of service extending to Jan. 1, 1924.  He is an active member of the local Chamber of Commerce and of the Kiwanis Club and is a Royal arch Mason and a member of the local council, Royal and Select Masters, as well as a member of the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Knights of Maccabees, while he and his wife are members of St. Paul's Evangelical church.  On Aug. 30, 1897, Dittmer F. Spees was united in marriage to Lenora Schemmel and he and his wife have a very pleasant home at 11 South Water street*.  Mrs. Spees also is a member of one of the old families of Auglaize county.  She was born in Pusheta township and is a daughter of Randolph and Elizabeth (Fisher) Schemmel.  Both the Schemmel and the Fisher families have been represented in Pusheta township since pioneer days.  Randolph Schemmel grew up to farming in Pusheta township and was for some time engaged in that vocation in that township, but later became proprietor of a machine shop at Wapakoneta.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 230
* This home was found on google maps in 2024.
  MATHIAS SPEES - See DITTMOR F. SPEES

Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 230
  ANDREW SPEESE - See THOMAS FRAZIER
  NEHEMIAH SPRAGUE, who died at his home in Duchouquet township in the summer of 1921, had lived there for many years and at his passing left a good memory, for he was a good citizen.  It therefore is but fitting that there should here be set out some modest tribute to that memory.  Mr. Sprague was born on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Grand Rapids, Mich., July 18, 1846, and was a son of Henry and Margaret (Tyson) Sprague, both of whom were members of pioneer families in this section of Ohio.  Henry Sprague had come to what is now Auglaize county with his parents when but a lad, and here had grown up and married.  For some years after his marriage he made his home in the vicinity of Grand Rapids, Mich., and then returned to Auglaize county and bought a farm in Logan township.  After some years of residence there he went to Kansas, and in that state spent the remainder of his life.  To him and his wife were born twelve children, of whom six are still living.  Nehemiah Sprague was eight years of age when his parents returned to Auglaize county, in 1854, and he grew to manhood on the home farm in Logan township, completing his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood.  When twenty-four years of age he married and bought a tract of twenty acres in the southwest quarter of section 5 of Duchouquet township, and on that place established his home and spent the remainder of his life.  As he prospered in his affairs Mr. Sprague added to his land holdings until he became the owner of an excellent farm of 100 acres, which he succeeded in bringing to a high state of cultivation, and on which he had a well-equipped farm plant.  He and his wife made their start there in a log cabin which he built in the woods, and in which they made their home until he had effected his clearing and got the farm in shape for the improvements befitting his rising circumstances, and in due time they had a very pleasant home there.  The old home place is still maintained under the direction of the family.  Mr. Sprague did well his part in the general movements attendant on the development of his section of the county and for several years served as supervisor of highway construction in his district.  He and his wife were members of the Christian church and ever took a proper part in church work and in the general good works of the community in which they lived.  It was in 1870 that Nehemiah Sprague was united in marriage to Sarah E. Kelly, who was born at New Hampshire, in this county, daughter of JAMES and Rachel (Caldwell) KELLY, pioneers of that settlement, and to this union were born four children, two of whom, Herman and Lola, are still living.  Mrs. Sprague, in her younger days was widely known throughout the county as a school teacher.  She died on July 21, 1901, and Mr. Sprague survived her for almost twenty years, his death occurring on July 15, 1921, he then being three days under seventy-five years of age.  Herman Sprague, who is now living at Toledo, married Catherine Frier and has two children, Harry and Evadna, the latter of whom married Norman Brady and has one child, a daughter, Ellen.
Source:  History of Auglaize County, Ohio - Vol. II - Pub. 1923 - Page 581
` EDWARD STEINEMANN, president of the local school board at Minster, formerly and for years a member of the Minster town council, for years engaged in the grain and mercantile business there, now carrying on in the third generation the business established at that place by his grandfather in pioneer days, and long regarded as one of the most extensive Steinemann interests touching many lines of endeavor thereabout, was born at Minster and has lived there all his life, his activities ever having been directed along commercial lines.  Mr. Steinemann was born on Feb. 3, 1869, and is a son of Theodore B. and Mary Elizabeth (Wuendeln) Steinemann the latter of whom also was born in Minster, a member of one of the first families there.  The late Theodore B. Steinemann was born on a farm three miles west of Minster on Jan. 1, 1839, and was a son of John H. and Catherine G. (Meyers) Steinemann, who had settled there following their marriage about a year prior to that date, and who became early recognized as among the most useful and influential residents of the Minster community.  John H. Steinemann, the pioneer and founder of the family in this county, was a European by birth, born in the old constitutional ducal monarchy of Oldenburg in northern Germany, Oct. 28, 1808, and was well past his majority when in 1832 he came to America and after a sojourn of two or three years at Cincinnati and in the South came up into this part of Ohio in 1835, following his marriage to Catherine G. Meyers, and established his home on an uncleared tract of land in the then wilderness three miles west of the Stallo settlement (now Minster) and there made his permanent home, the rest of his life being spent there.  Upon locating on this latter place in 1837 John H. Steinemann erected a brick kiln and established the brick yard which for  years thereafter he operated, supplying the brick which entered into the erection of all the old brick houses in Minster and some of which are till standing, interesting relics of the pioneer period of the town's growth .  He also developed considerable agricultural interests and at the same time became engaged in mercantile pursuits in connection with the extensive canal trade which meanwhile was being developed at Minster following the opening of the canal in 1845 and in 1850 he erected a brick store building and warehouse for the accommodation of his growing mercantile, grain and general produce and pork-packing interests, and thus early became recognized as one of the most forceful factors in the development of the business interests of that town.  In civic affairs he also took an interested and helpful part, for years serving as justice of the peace, and in other ways did what he could go give an impetus to proper development thereabout, and thus continued active in affairs until his death, which occurred on Jan. 15, 1877.  His wife had preceded him to the grave about five years, her death having occurred on May 23, 1872.  This useful pioneer couple had five children, four sons, JOHN H., THEODORE B., Frank J. and Charles, and a daughter, Mary, and the sons carried on the Steinemann interests after their father's death.  In the Sutton "Atlas of Auglaize County" (1880) there is carried a full page devoted to a pictorial representation of the Steinemann interests at Minster, a collection of inestimable value to the family today.  Particularly interesting in this group of pictures is that setting out the old Steinemann store, grain elevator and packing house and a picture of a canal boat lined up in the canal alongside the Steinemann brick yard awaiting a cargo.  How valuable such old pictures become in succeeding generations!  Theodore B. Steinemann, the second born of the children of John H. Steinemann, began to help his father in the latter's business affairs when but twelve years of age and was thereafter a constant and helpful associate of the elder Steinemann until the latter's death, this help being made more effective and practical by reason of a course taken in St. Marys College at Cincinnati after he had attaind his majority.  In the division of the estate following his father's death he became the successor to that part of the business relating to the store and the grain and pork-packing interests and as merchant and grain dealer continued to develop the business to meet the growing community demands and so remained in business the rest of his life.  He increased the grain elevator to its present capacity and brought the plant up to modern standards, and in 1912 erected the present commodious store room, 40 by 80, two floors and a basement, in which the Steinemann mercantile business is carried on.  In addition to these interests, in 1883, Theodore B. Steinemann, in association with his brother Charles, bought the old Minster brewery, which not long afterward was destroyed by fire and they then erected the present substantial brewery plant, which inn 1890 they sold to the Star Brewing Company.  He also was a large landowner in this count and had property at Piqua, as well as other substantial interests.  He was a Democrat and gave proper attention to civic affairs, for some time serving as township clerk and he also for years held a commission as a notary public.  He and his wife were members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith.  His death occurred on Feb. 9, 1922, and he left a good memory at his passing, for he had been helpful in many ways in the community in which his useful life was passed.  It was in 1863 that Theodore B. Steinemann was united in marriage to Mary Elizabeth Wuendeln who survives him, and to this union were born nine children, all of whom are living, he subject of this sketch having five sisters, Rose, Emily, Elenora, Luetta and Cecelia, and three brothers, John, Louis and George Steinemann.  Reared at Minster, Edward Steinemann received his schooling in the schools of that place and early became associated with his father in the several lines of business carried on by the latter and thus literally "grew up" with the business, to which he succeeded following his father's death and is now carrying on, in the third generation planning developments in the mercantile and grain trade of the business so carefully developed in their respective generations by his grandfather and by his father and which no doubt will be carried on by his sons in their generation, for the Steinemann interests are substantial and give promise of permanency.  Edward Steinemann is a Democrat and for six years served as a member of the town council and now is president of the local school board.  He is one of the active members of the Minster Commercial Club, was for some yeas president of the St. Boniface Benevolent Society and is a member of the Knights of Columbus and of the St. Augustine's Orphans Society.  He and his wife are members of St. Augustine's Catholic church and he is the secretary of the board of trustees of the valuable property held in that extensive parish.  Mr. Steinemann married Elizabeth Depweg, daughter of C. D. and Mary Ann (Kramer) Depweg, and to this union have been born six children, Marie, Eugene, Pauline, Mathilda, Richard and Elenora.  The Steinemanns have a very pleasant home at Minster and have ever taken an interested part in the general social and cultural affairs of the community. 
Source: History of Auglaize Co., Ohio - Vol. II - 1923 - Page 225
  WILLIAM SUNDERMAN, a well-known and substantial bachelor farmer and landowner of Washington township, now living retired on his well-kept place on rural mail route No. 1 out of St. Marys, a mile north of the pleasant village of New Knoxville, was born on that place and has lived there all his life, a period of nearly eighty years.  Mr. Sunderland was born on Feb. 12, 1844, and is the only son of William and Christina (Steinicker) Sunderman, natives of Germany, who were married in that country and then came to America and became pioneers of this section of Ohio.  The senior William Sunderman was but a poor man, a shepherd and peat cutter in his home land, and after his marriage he decided that the thing to do was to go to America and week the advantages and opportunities which he knew never could come to him in his own country.  It required all the money he could raise to pay for the passage of himself and wife over and carry them out here into western Ohio, which was his objective upon leaving the old country, and when he got here he began working on the canal, which then was being constructed up through his part of the state.  By this means he earned a sufficient sum of money to give him a start as a landowner and he bought a woodland "forty" in the south half of section 18 of Washington township, about a mile north of the then developing village of New Knoxville, erected a log cabin on the place and settled down to make a farm  out of his woods tract.  He did well in his operations and gradually increased his holdings until he became the owner of a farm of 133 acres, the place now owned by his son, William, and there he spent his last days.  His widow survived him for years, she and he son carrying on the operations of the farm in common until her death.  There was another child in this family, a daughter, Mary (now deceased), who married William Grewe, and whose daughter, Emma, married William Schultz, who is now farming the Sunderland place, he and his wife keeping the house for Mr. Sunderman.  It was in the little log cabin, the first home of the pioneer Sundermans on this place, that the junior William Sunderman, was born, this house in time being supplanted by a substantial dwelling house.  They boy William received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and until the death of his father was a valuable aid to the latter in the labors of clearing and developing the home place.  After death took over the place and has continued to make his home there, his niece and her husband having been in charge since his retirement some years ago from the active labors of the farm.  Mr. Sunderman has a well-equipped farm plant and his operations have always been carried on systematically.  He is a member of the Reformed church at New Knoxville and in his political views is independent of party affiliation.  William Schultz, who is now carrying on the operation of the Sunderman farm, also was born in Washington township, Dec. 29, 1868, and is a son of Helmuth and Mary (Thielk) Schultz, natives of Germany, who had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of thier youth and after their marriage had settled on a farm of sixty-five acres adjoining the Sunderman farm on the south.  For ten years after coming to this country Helmuth Schulz made his home at Dayton, Ohio, and then came up here and settled on his farm north of New Knoxville.  He and his wife had eight children, four of whom are still living, William Schultz having three brothers, Joseph, John and Louis Schultz.  Reared on the home farm, William Schultz received his schooling in the New Knoxville schools and worked along with his father until after  his marriage, when he rented his father's farm and continued to make his home there until he rented the adjoining Sunderman farm, which he is now operating, his wife Emma, daughter of William and Mary (Sunderman) Grewe, being a niece of Mr. Sunderman, as noted above.  Mr. and Mrs. Schultz have three children, Laura, Oliver and Viola.  The family are members of the Reformed church at New Knoxville.
Source: History of Auglaize Co., Ohio - Vol. II - 1923 - Page 407

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NOTES:

 


 

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