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ADAM ECKSTEIN.
One of the finely developed farms in Cranberry township,
supplied with all modern equipments and facilities, is the
property of Adam Eckstein. He was born in Hesse-Darmstadt,
Germany, Feb. 15, 1845, and is the second of the six surviving
children of George and Mary (Simmermaker) Eckstein, who
were the parents of six sons and two daughters. The father
also was a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, and after arriving at
man's estate he was there married. In the year 1848 he
came with his wife and three children to the United States,
landing in New York, whence he started for Ohio, going first to
Albany, thence to Buffalo by way of the canal, on to Sandusky by
way of the Great Lakes and from there by rail to Shelby, whence
they drove across the country to Vernon township, Crawford
county. When Mr. Eckstein arrived in this county
his cash capital consisted of but forty dollars. With this
he purchased a team of oxen and began farming on rented land.
A year later he removed to Richland county, and for three years
cultivated a rented farm in Sharon township. He made all
of his own furniture, which was limited in amount as well as
primitive in character. The first year a chest was used as
a table, this having been brought from the old country, but the
other furniture was largely of his own manufacture. In
1852 he returned to Vernon township and purchased of George
Dixon ninety-three acres of land, upon which his son John
now resides. About one-half of this had been cleared and a
log cabin erected. To the further development and
improvement of his land the father devoted his energies
throughout his remaining days. He was frugal and thrifty,
and in later yeas was enabled to buy an adjoining tract of
eighty acres, so that his farm comprised one hundred and
seventy-three acres. In 1866 he built a large bank barn
and two years later erected a commodious and substantial frame
residence and added other accessories, so that his place became
one of the best-improved farms in the county. The men and
measures of the Democracy received his political support.
He belonged to the German Reformed church and for several years
was one of its trustees and held various other church offices.
His labors were of benefit in the upbuilding and advancement of
religious and educational work and in the material development
of the community, for he assisted largely in reclaiming the wild
lands for purposes of civilization. His death occurred
Feb. 7, 1885. His surviving children are: Philip,
who is living in Huron county, Ohio; Adam; Peter,
of Crestline; Catherine, now the wife of Urias
Baublitz, a farmer of Cranberry township; George, who
died, leaving six children, Lizzie, William, George, Frank,
Minnie and Emma, who are residents of Vernon
township; William, who died, leaving four children,
Calvin, Albert, Augusta and Nettie, of Crestline;
John, who makes his home in Vernon township; and Julia,
the wife of Louis Fisher, of Crestline.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford
County, Ohio -
Publ. Chicago: 1902 - Page 665 |
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JOHN ECKSTEIN,
who is a trustee of Vernon township, and one of its leading and
most progressive farmers, was born in Richland county, Ohio, on
Nov. 20, 1856. His father was George Eckstein,
extended mention of whom may be found in the biography of his
son, Adam Eckstein, in
another part of this volume.
John Eckstein of this sketch was reared on the
home farm and acquired a good common school education.
After he had reached his twenty-first year he received from his
father the customary wages of a farm hand, this being
satisfactory to both parties. On Nov. 24, 1882, our
subject was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Minck, who
was a native of Vernon township and a daughter of Charles
Minck, who was a native and Germany and one of the early
settlers of Vernon township, where the remainder of his life was
passed.
After the death of the father of our subject, in 1886,
the latter and his brother George purchased one hundred
and sixty acres of the estate, sixty acres of which our subject
owned personally, which was situated across the highway from the
home farm. Our subject continued to farm the land upon
shares for the following seven years or until the death of his
mother, when he bought the home farm, consisting of ninety-three
acres, and this made his own land aggregate one hundred and
fifty-three acres. Since that time Mr. Eckstein
has demonstrated that he is a practical farmer and has the
satisfaction of owning and operating one of the best cultivated
and most highly improved farms in the township. For a
number of years he has given his attention to his land,
understands its possibilities and intelligently meets its
demands.
Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Eckstein and seven of these still survive and make a happy
home circle. These are as follows: Charles W.,
Mamie B., John A., Ella F., Grover A., Edna M., and Emery
B., as intelligent and attractive family as Vernon township
can produce. They are all being thoroughly educated in the
common schools and promise to become useful members of society.
In politics Mr. Eckstein is a Democrat, but his
personal popularity is so great that the whole township has been
glad to place him in position to serve as its trustee, being now
in his second term, this honor having been conferred upon him
without his consent. For a number of years he has been one
of the leading members of the German Reformed church, and for
four yeas was one of the deacons. He is a man who enjoys
the esteem of his neighbors and is not only one of the best
farmers but also one of the most useful citizens of Vernon
township.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford
County, Ohio -
Publ. Chicago: 1902 - Page 771 |
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SAMUEL
EICHHORN. Among the worthy German emigrants in Ohio
was John Eichhorn, from Baden, who in 1835 located
three miles south of Galion, in Morrow county. His son, Adam
Eichhorn, was born in Baden, Germany, in 1817, and came
over to America with his father, his mother having died in 1834.
On attaining his majority he was given one half of his father's
farm of one hundred .and sixty acres, on which he erected
buildings and which he proceeded to improve. He married
Margaret Loyer, who bore him eight children, three of
whom, beside the subject of this sketch, survive: Christian,
of Polk township, Crawford county, Ohio; Catharine,
who is the wife of Peter Zimmerman of the same
township; and Emma S., who is not married. Mr. and
Mrs. Eichhorn lived on their farm in Morrow county
until 1866, when Mr. Eichhorn sold the place and
removed to Galion, where he lived until 1873, when he bought a
farm of one hundred acres on the Winchester road, two miles and
a half west of Galion, where he lived until his death, which
occurred October 24, 1900. His widow, now in her seventy-fourth
year, lives on their homestead which is now managed by their
son, Christian Eichhorn. Mr. Eichhorn,
who was a prominent Democrat, long wielded a marked influence in
the affairs of his townsmen.
Samuel Eichhorn was born on the
Eichhorn homestead in Morrow county, Ohio, October 10, 1857,
and was educated in the common schools and brought up a
practical farmer. April 21, 1881, he married Miss Mary E.
Hocker, a native of Jefferson township, Crawford county,
Ohio, and a daughter of Philip Hocker, who was
born in Baden, Germany. For a year after his marriage he worked
the home farm on shares, and in 1882 he located on his present
farm of eighty acres, then the property of his father-in-law,
which he worked on shares for five years. He then bought the
place on which, in 1890, he erected an addition to his house and
built a commodious barn. He has adequate outbuildings and all
necessary appliances for successful farming, and his farm is
considered one of the best improved and equipped agricultural
properties in the township. In 1901, Mr. Eichhorn
bought the John Wardon farm of forty acres, on
which are another fine residence and handsome farm buildings. He
devotes himself to general farming, but makes a specialty of
raising hogs, in which he has been very successful. His methods
have been so progressive and so fruitful of good results that he
has come to be regarded as one of the most substantial farmers
in Crawford county. In politics he is a Democrat and for six
years he has been a member of the township school board. He is a
member of the German Reformed church at Gallon, in which for
years he has held various offices,, and is now an elder.
Samuel and Mary E. (Hocker) Eichhorn had four
children, three of whom survive: Calvin H., who is
employed at Flickingers Wheel Works, at Galion, Ohio, and
Edwin W. and Emma M., who are members of their
father's household. Mrs. Eichhorn died December
20, 1886, and February 13, 1889, Mr. Eichhorn
married Miss Mary Edler, a native of Marion
county, Ohio, and a daughter of Carl Edler, a
prominent farmer of Jefferson township, Crawford county, Ohio.
By his second marriage he has two sons named Roy O. and
Earl F. Eichhorn.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford
County, Ohio -
Publ. Chicago: 1902 - Page 848 |
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ALBERT M. ENSMINGER.
The press has not only recorded the history of advancement, but
has also been a leader in the work of progress and improvement,
- the vangard of civilization. The philosopher of some
centuries ago proclaimed the truth that the pen is mightier than
the sword, and the statement is continually being verified in
the affairs of life. In molding public opinion the power
of the newspaper cannot be estimated, but at all events its
influence is greater than any other single agency.
In the history of Bucyrus, therefore, an account of the
Daily and Weekly Forum should form an important factor, as this
journal is the oldest established one of the county and its
present proprietors keep in touch with the most advanced methods
of journalism, making the paper one of great value in Crawford
county. Albert Milton Ensminger was associated with
his paper from 1890 until October, 1901, when it was sold to the
newly organized Bucyrus Publishing Company. He was born in
Perry county, Pennsylvania, Sept. 27, 1858, and traces his
ancestry back to Christian Ensminger, who was born
in the Keystone state June 8, 1762, and died Mar. 6, 1836.
His second son, David Ensminger, the grandfather of our
subject, was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, and married
Barabar Messinger. Their son, Henry Ensminger,
was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, Feb. 2, 1826, and
pursued his education in the district schools near his home.
He afterward turned his attention to agricultural pursuits and
followed farming in Pennsylvania until 1866, when he settled in
Jefferson township, Crawford county, Ohio. In that year he
established a store, and for two years was in partnership with
his brother, George Ensminger, at North Robinson, the
connection being dissolved by the death of the brother.
Henry Ensminger then carried on business alone for
four years, when he disposed of his mercantile enterprise and
purchased a farm near North Robinson, upon which he resided
until 1879. In that year he came to Bucyrus and opened a
dry goods store in the Quinby block, being identified
with business affairs in this city for some time. He was
known as a reliable and trustworthy merchant and enjoyed the
business confidence of the public in an unusual degree. He
married Susan jacobs, and his death occurred in Bucyrus,
Feb. 24, 1892. Unto this worthy couple were born the
following children: Franklin P., Albert M., Charles E.,
Anna M. and Alberta E.
Albert Milton Ensminger, whose name forms the
caption of this article, pursued his education in the public
schools of Crawford county, Ohio, and on the completion of his
literary course entered the law department of the State
University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated
with the class of 1882. In the same year he was admitted
to the Ohio bar and began practice in Bucyrus. In 1885 he
was elected city solicitor and discharged his duties so capably
that he was re-elected for a second term. After his
retirement from office he became associated with The Forum, and
has since been connected with the paper except during the period
from the 1st of August, 1894, until the 1st of September, 1898,
when he was postmaster of Bucyrus.
On the 16th of December, 1886, Mr. Ensminger was
united in marriage to Miss Carrie Blair a daughter of
E. Blair, president of the Second National Bank of Bucyrus
and a most prominent citizen. Their only child, Edward
Blair, was born Sept. 2, 1899. Mr. Ensminger is
a member of St. Paul's English Lutheran church and socially he
is connected with the Knights of Pythias fraternity and the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In his political
affiliations he is a stalwart Democrat and was a candidate for
presidential elector on the Democratic ticket in 1888. He
has been an important factor in the progress and upbuilding of
Bucyrus since locating here, and educational, church and social
interests owe their promotion in a considerable degree to his
efforts.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History
of Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 172 |
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