JOHN G. FISCHBACH is now living retired upon his farm of eighty acres on section 27, Allen township, Darke county.  He is numbered among the valued residents of this locality that the fatherland has furnished to the new world.  He was born in Prussia, Germany, on the 17th of April, 1829, and is a son of Lawrence and Phillipina (Metzker) Fischbach.  The father was born in 1778, and his wife was about twelve years his junior.  They were married about 1808, and became the parents of nine children, all born in Germany.  The eldest child, a daughter, was bon about 1812.  There are now three living children of the family:  Henry, who resides in Dayton, at the age of eighty-one years; John George, of this review; and Christina, the widow of Henry Hass, of Dayton.
     When but eighteen years of age the father volunteered for service in the German army in the Spanish war.  He was a carpenter and builder, and followed that pursuit both in Germany in the United States.  In 1832 he sailed with his family from Bremen for America, but the vessel on which they took passage was shipwrecked on a sand bar by the captain, who wished to get a heavy insurance.  This was a most diabolical act, which resulted in the death by freezing of some thirty-nine of the emigrant passengers.  Our subject was at that time a little child of only about three years.  He, too, was laid with the dead piled upon the deck, but his sister saw the pulsations of his neck and he was thus snatched from the grave.  He had, however, been so severely burned that skin and flesh came off, but life came back to him and he yet lives to tell the wonderful tale.  After enduring many hardships, the family finally reached America, and made their way to Dayton, Ohio, where the father followed contracting and building and became well-to-do.  He died Mar. 21, 1857, at the age of seventy-nine years and his widow passed away May 26, 1858, at the age of sixty-seven years, their remains being interred in Woodland cemetery.  They were members of the Methodist church, and were respected Christian people.
     John George Fischbach was reared in Dayton and learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed to a greater or less extent until 1862.  He was drafted for service in the army in 1864, but was not accepted.  On the 3d of April, 1850, he was united in marriage to Caroline Kimmel, who was born in Germany, and their union has been blessed with nine children:  George, of Dayton, who was married and has two sons and one daughter; Louisa, who died at the age of fifteen months; Emma who became the wife of Lewis Sink and died at the age of thirty-two years; Edward, a resident of Horatio, Darke county who has a wife and seven children; Frederick Lawrence, who owns and operates a farm near is father's; Clara, the wife of M. H. Burnhart, a farmer of Allen township, by whom she has two children; Sarah M., who died at the age of three years; William, who operates the home farm and has a wife and three sons; and Arthur, who is still with his father.  The other of these children was called to her final rest Jan. 19, 1892.  She was a faithful companion and helpmeet on life's journey, was a loving wife and tender mother, and throughout the community her loss was deeply mourned.
     In his business Mr. Fischbach has been successful.  He started out in life for himself at the age of eighteen years, and all that he possesses has been acquired through his own efforts.  His has been an energetic and industrious life, and these qualities have enabled him to overcome all difficulties and work his way upward to a position of wealth, and he is living retired.
Source:  A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio - Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company - 1900 - Page 257

DR. ROYSTON FORD, physician and surgeon at Greenville, Ohio, was born near Jaysville, in Darke county, on the 28th day of November, 1845.  His father, Mordecai S. Ford, born in Kentucky, July 18, 1807, came to Ohio when quite young with his widowed mother, Delilah Mills Ford, whose husband, also named Mordecai S. Ford, had died in the Indian war.  The family lived near Ithaca, this county, until her death, June 14, 1840.
     Another family to be mentioned is that of John Tillman.  He was born in Virginia, Apr. 1, 1780, and at the age of ten he moved to Tennessee, whence he removed to Ohio about two years before the territory became a state.  While living in Tennessee he was married to Nancy Harless, who was also a native of Virginia, born Sept. 10, 1790.  They lived in Preble county, reared a family of thirteen children, and died Feb. 14, 1850, and Sept. 1, 1863, respectively.  One of these daughters was Polly Tillman, who on Mar. 5, 1829, became the wife of Mordecai S. Ford, the father of Dr. Ford.
     This young couple lived for two years near her father's home, in Preble County, after which one hundred and sixty acres of new land were bought, in Van Buren township, Darke county.  Here they lived the hard life of early settlers and succeeded in making a comfortable home.  Besides being a farmer, Mordecai Ford was a minister of the Christian Church, and also took an active interest in education.  Eleven of their children lived to manhood and womanhood, and became useful members of the community.  All of them taught school and five of the sons practiced medicine.  In the order of their birth their names are as follows:  Joseph, John, Henry, Delilah, Nancy, Worley, Elijah, Martha, Royston, Mary and Lydie Ann.  The father died Nov. 23, 1867, but the mother lived to direct the affairs of the family until the 19th of March, 1888.
     The youngest son, the subject of this sketch, was reared on the old homestead and there began his education in the district schools.  He remained on the farm until he was eighteen years of age when he responded to his country's call for troops.  In 1863 he and his brother Worley became members of the Twenty-eighth Regiment, Ohio National Guards went to Camp Dennison, near Piqua, Ohio.  Soon afterward they were combined with two companies from Clark county, and sworn into the service of the United States as the One Hundred and Fifty-second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with Colonel Putnam commanding.  The 12th of May this regiment was sent to New Creek, West Virginia, thence on the 30th to Martinsburg, which they left on the 4th of June, accompanied by parts of three other regiments, all under command of Colonel Putnam, in charge of a supply train of two hundred and nine wagons, and with orders to reach General Hunter at all hazards, who was then somewhere in the Shenandoah valley.  By hard marching they overtook Hunter's army at Lexington, Virginia, on t he 11th of June, having passed through Winchester, Middletown, Cedar Creek, Strasburg, Fisher's Hill, Woodstock, New Market, Harrisonburg, Staunton and other places noted for the many conflicts between the Union and rebel armies.  They remained with Hunter's army west of Lynchburg until June 17, when Colonel Putnam was ordered to return with two hundred wagons, many sick and wounded soldiers and prisoners, but on account of rebel forces in the valley he had to take a long route across the Alleghany mountains by way of White Sulphur Springs, Huntersville, Beverly, Philippi and Webster, where the Baltimore & Ohio Railway was reached.
     In all they had marched over four hundred miles through a rough country, obstructed frequently by parties of rebels.  On the return march, rations were scarce.  Before they reached Beverly ear corn was once issued to the men, seven ears of corn to eight men, but the next day a supply of crackers was obtained.  From Webster they went to Cumberland by train, reaching that place July 2, 1864, and there the regiment remained until the 25th of August, when it returned to Camp Dennison, Ohio.  there on the 2d of September it was mustered out of the service and on the 5th of that month its members received their pay and final discharge.
     After his return from the war Royston Ford taught school one winter, and a few years afterward he began the study of medicine under the direction of his brother John and Dr. D. Robeson, at Arcanum.  He took his first course of lectures at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and later studied in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, at Cincinnati, where he was graduated in 1880.  He began the practice of medicine at Saratoga, Indiana, where he remained for five years, after which he spent three years at New Madison, this county, where he built up a good practice.
     In 1870 Dr. Ford was married to Miss Lizzie Albright.  After her death in 1883 he became dissatisfied with his location, and, leaving New Madison,, came  to Greenville, where he has since enjoyed a much larger practice.  In 1885 he wedded Miss Clara B. Albright, a niece of his first wife, and a daughter of Daniel Albright, of Darke county.  In 1894 he pursued a post-graduate course of study in Chicago, taking special work in a polyclinic school.  In recent years he has spent considerable time in colleges and hospitals, observing the latest and best treatments of the diseases of women and children.  During the last two yeas he has given special attention to the use of electricity in therapeutics and has obtained excellent results.  He is a member of the Darke County Medical Society, and his extensive reading and investigations have made him one of the best physicians of this locality.
     Socially he is connected with the Greenville Lodge, I. O. O. F., and with Jobes Post, No. 157, G. A. R.  He was United States examining surgeon for pensions during the Harrison administration.
Source:  A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio - Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company - 1900 - Page 673

DAVID C. FOUREMAN.  Among the well-to-do farmers and honored citizens of Van Buren township, Darke county, Ohio, is the subject of this sketch.  His father, Henry J. Foureman, was born in. Berks county, Pennsylvania, Oct. 28, 1818, a son of John and Elizabeth (Stager) Foureman.  The former was born in 1797 and his wife was born in 1794.  He passed away Aug. 17, 1872, aged seventy-five years, nine months and twenty-three days, his wife having died June 10, 1870, aged seventy-six years, five months and six days.  The son was educated in the common schools of his native state.  At the age of sixteen he came with his parents to Darke county, Ohio, the journey being made by team and wagon, and the grandfather of our subject entered the northeast section of Van Buren township, where Henry J. Foureman grew to manhood in the midst of the wilderness.  He married Susannah Baker, who was born in Brookville, Montgomery county, Ohio, Jan. 2, 1823, a daughter of Jacob and Sarah Michael Baker.  After his marriage he located on a tract of one hundred and sixty acres given him by his father, having erected thereon a two-room house 28x20 feet, built of round logs and a story and a half in height.  At the time his land was all wild and unimproved, but he placed it under a high state of cultivation, and added to his landed possessions from time to time until he had four hundred and forty acres.  After a long and useful life he retired to Arcanum, where he died in 1892, and his wife passed away a year later.  For over a third of a century they were active and consistent members of the German Baptist church, and prior to his death Mr. Foureman affiliated with the Republican party.  They had a family of four children, namely: Elizabeth, born Dec. 22, 1841, married Henry Baker, who died in Monroe township, this county, and she died there in 1886; Jacob B., born Feb. 15, 1844, married Mary Besecker and lives in Van Buren township; David C., our subject, is next in order of birth and Annias, born Aug. 1, 1852, died at the age of two years.
     David C. Foureman was born Mar. 12, 1848, on the old homestead in Van Buren township, where he passed his boyhood and youth in much the usual manner of farmer boys of his day, acquiring his education in district school No. 6, which was near his home.  It was a log building, supplied with slab seats and other primitive furniture; Mr. Foureman's first teacher was Lewis Albright, under whose instruction he learned to speak English.  On the 14th of October, 1866, he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Unger, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of George and Sarah (Merkley) Unger.  By this union nine children were born as follows: Sarah, wife of Albert Foureman, of Van Buren township; Susannah, who married Frank Michael and died in 1898; Lydia, wife of John Judy, of Van Buren township; Delilah, wife of James Allread, of the same township; Annie, wife of Willis Davis, also of Van Buren township; Harlus, Charles, Pharon and Worley, all at home.
     After his marriage Mr. Foureman located on eighty acres of land, one mile north of the homestead, which was given him by his father, and for fifteen years he successfully operated that tract which he cleared and improved by the erection of good buildings.  He then traded, it for the old homestead, upon which he also made many improvements, but in March, 1894, he removed to his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres, on which he erected a barn 72x46 feet, in the spring of 1900.  Besides this property owns an adjoining farm of one hundred and twenty-three acres.  He is wide awake and energetic and usually carries for­ward to successful completion whatever he undertakes.  By his ballot he supports the men and measures of the Republican party.  He has served as township trustee three years, and is now serving his second term as township treasurer.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 590

JOHN G. FRANK.  On Sections 17 and 18, Harrison township, is located the fine farmstead of one hundred and twenty-six acres which is owned and cultivated by the gentleman whose name introduces this review, and we are pleased to give a resume of his career in this connection, for he stands for as one of the leading German-American citizens of Darke county and as a representative of our bet yeoman that has gained to this section its reputation as one of the most attractive farming communities in the favored state, noted for its agricultural pre-eminence.
     John George Frank was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, the 26th of May, 1834, and when a young man of twenty, in 1854, emigrated to America for the purpose of trying his fortunes in the new world, where he felt better opportunities were offered to the energetic and industrious young men.  He made the eventful voyage on a sailing vessel, and after leaving Bremen fifty-three days elapsed ere the boat dropped anchor in the port of New York.  A stranger in a strange land.  Mr. Frank at once set about making his way, being determined to succeed, if success could be gained by honest and earnest endeavor.  He stopped for a time on the Delaware river, fifteen miles north of Philadelphia, where he secured work as a farm hand at eight dollars per month.  He had but a small amount of cash when he left home and fatherland, and when he reached America his financial reinforcement amounted in Pennsylvania for four and one-half months he came on to the west, being employed for about the same length of time in a wagon shop at Richmond, Indiana, after which he identified himself with the interests of Darke county, coming to Harrison township, hiring out by the month until the winter of 1857.  On the 5th of December of that year Mr. Frank showed his confidence in himself and his ability to succeed by assuming a definite responsibility, being then united in marriage to Miss Jemima Brown, who was born in this township on the 17th of December, 1833, the daughter of Edward Brown, who is still living at the venerable age of ninety-two years, being one of the wealthy and honored farmers of the county.  He was born in Pennsylvania and his marriage to Miss Mary M. Blocher, who was born near York, that state, was solemnized in Harrison township, Darke county.  Mrs. Brown died in Madison in 1888, at the age of seventy-eight years, having become the mother of three sons and six daughters, of whom the three sons are living and only one of the daughters, - Mrs. Frank, the estimable wife of our subject.  Her brothers are farmers in this township and in contiguous sections of Indiana, and the venerable father now makes his home with his children, being cared for with the deepest filial solicitude and being now feeble and broken in health by reason of great age.
     Mr. and Mrs. Frank have become the parents of four sons and four daughters, of whom we offer the following brief record: Mary is the wife of Philip Rogers, a successful farmer of Washington township, this county, and they have six children:  Sarah Jane is the wife of Newton Rogers and is the mother of seven children; Frederick W. resides on the old homestead, which he operates for his father; he married Alice Miller and they have four sons and two daughters: Jonas A., who is a successful fruit grower, residing north of Greenville, this county, is married and has seven children; Rebecca is the wife of Charles Albright and has one child; Charles Edward, a meat dealer in Hollansburg, is married and has one daughter; John G., is a tenant farmer in the adjoining county in Indiana, and of his marriage two children were born, but both are deceased;  Emma is the wife of Leonard Moore, who resides in this immediate vicinity, and they have one son; and the other child of our subject and wife was a son who died at the age of seven months.
     In the year 1859 Mr. Frank purchased fifty-two acres of land, the same being a portion of his present farm, and for this original tract he paid thirty dollars per acre, now permanent improvements having been made on the place, and the young man having to assume an indebtedness for a portion of the purchase price.  He erected a small frame house, one story in height and 16x24 feet in dimensions, and also put up a log barn.  The original house is now a part of his present attractive and commodious residence and is occupied by his son.  Improvements were made as rapidly as circumstances would permit, - he erected a small frame barn eventually, and in 1879 built his large and well equipped barn, 42x52 feet in dimensions, and in 1885 the new residence of two stories was erected.  Mr. Frank  has made three additions to the acreage of his farm since his original purchase, and he now has one hundred and twenty-six acres under a fine state of cultivations and devoted to mixed farming.  He makes it a point to rotate crops every three years, thus keeping up the vitality of the land.  He also raises swine somewhat extensively and keeps a dairy of from sixteen to twenty high grade Jersey cows, all eligible for registration.  He operates is own creamery, the products of which find ready demand in the direct family trade controlled in Richmond.
     Mr. and Mrs. Frank are members f the German Baptist church, in whose direct and collateral work they have an abiding interest, our subject being a deacon in the church.  In politics he gives his support to the Democratic party, but he has invariably declined to accept official preferment.  He and his wife continue to be actively concerned in the affairs of the homestead, though the operation of the farm has been consigned to their son, who is a practical and capable young agriculturist and business man.  They enjoy a marked popularity in the community and the high estimation in which they are held stands in unmistakable evidence of their sterling worth of character.  The farm is one of the most attractive in this section and everything about the place gives indication of the care and attention bestowed.  On the place Mr. Frank has a sorghum mill, which has brought a good revenue and has yielded much valuable fertilizing material.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 303

ADAM FRANKMANN.  Prominent among the leading citizens of the prosperous town of Versailles, Ohio, is the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch, Adam Frankmann, president of the People's Bank.
     Mr. Frankmann is a native of Germany and was born Apr. 10, 1829. According to the custom in Germany, he attended school until he was fourteen years of age, and then went to work at a trade.  He served an apprenticeship of two years at the tailor's trade, after which he spent some time as a journeyman tailor, traveling about from place to place, in the old country.  Then, thinking that his chances for getting on in the world would be better in America, he turned his face westward. After a voyage of fifty days in a sailing vessel he landed at New Orleans, May 17, 1853, and in that city remained until June 29 of the following year.  His next move was up the river to Louisville, Kentucky, thence to Cincinnati, and from there to Dayton.  At the last named place he secured a position and spent six months in work at his trade.  The next six months he worked in West Alexander, Preble county, and from there he went to Lewisburg, same county, where, Mar. 1, 1857, he engaged in business for himself.
     August 1, 1881, he came to Versailles and established himself in a tailoring and clothing business, with his son E. G., as partner. This business he conducted successfully until February, 1897, when he and Manier Brothers organized the People's Bank with a cash capital stock of twenty-four thousand dollars. Mr. Frankmann was elected the president of this company; Joe Manier, vice-president; Felix Manier, cashier; and E. C. Manier, assistant, cashier. In 1898 Mr. Frankmann built what is known as the Frankmann block, in which the bank is located, which is a valuable addition to the town, and he has also made other valuable improvements.  He has accumulated considerable property, all the result of his Own energy and wise investment; and in this instance we find another one of the many successful business men who have worked up from poor boyhood to substantial and honored position in the business world.
     Mr, Frankmann was married Sept. 14, 1857 to Elizabeth Fasig, and the children of their union are as follows: Mary T., who died in 1866, at the age of two-years; Flora F., at home; Edward G., a. merchant tailor of Versailles; Irena, the wife of F. L. Wallen, a druggist of Nicholasville, Kentucky; and Herman A., who married Jennie O. Burns and resides in Versailles.
    Politically, the subject of our sketch affiliates with the Democratic party.  He and his family are members of the Lutheran church.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 616

JOHN H. FRITZ, M. D.  This well known physician of New Madison, Darke county, Ohio, was born in Preble county, this state, on the 17th of December, 1851. His father, John Fritz, was born on the same farm and there passed his entire life, which was one of useful activity and which was protracted over the period of eighty-one years, his birth having occurred June 10, 1810, and his death occurring in 1890, on Christmas night, which was the anniversary of his wedding, and at about the same hour in. the evening.  His father, Michael Fritz, was a native of Bremen, Germany, whence he emigrated to the United States, settling in the woods, of Preble county, Ohio, where he reared a large family comprising five sons and five daughters, of whom three are now living, namely: Louise, widow of Mr. Cam, is about eighty-four years of age and resides in West Alexandria; Catherine, widow of John Gentner, is a resident of Preble county; and David, of Miami county, who is seventy years of age.  All of the children lived to attain full maturity and age except Nancy, who died when a young lady.  The grandfather of our subject cleared up his farm of one hundred and sixty acres, and this was left to his heirs, and has been retained in the possession of the family.
     The mother of .Dr. Fritz bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Seiler.  She was born in 1824, and tier death occurred in 1862, her children having been as follows: Benjamin, a resident of Eaton, Ohio; Sarah, wife of Simon Wysong; Michael, who was born in July, 1849, died in 1876; the fourth in order of birth was the Doctor, the subject of this sketch; William is engaged in farming, as is also George, who owns the old homestead, residing in Lexington; arid Lettie Maria is the wife of O. T. Smith, of Ohio.  The father remained a widower for twenty-eight years, and reared his children to maturity.  The Doctor, who weighs about one hundred and eighty pounds, weighs the least of all his brothers and sisters, one of his brothers tipping the beam at two hundred and ten pounds.  The Doctor was reared upon the farm, and its duties and free outdoor life proved effective in the developing of a sturdy constitution for the young man, who secured his preliminary educational training in the district schools, applying himself to his studies with such success that he was enabled to teach his first term of school when he was seventeen years of age.  He engaged in teaching and attended school for a period of ten years, meeting all his expenses through his own efforts.  In the beginning he taught school for two winters and thereby saved six hundred dollars, which his father appropriated, after which the young man started out upon his own responsibility, and by teaching, selling books, etc., saved fifteen hundred dollars, all of which, with an additional five hundred, he utilized in defraying the expenses of his medical education.  When the Doctor came to New Madison, in the spring of 1882, to open the practice of his profession, he was indebted to his youngest brother for five hundred dollars, which he had been compelled to borrow in order to complete his course at the Eclectic Medical College, Cincinnati, where he graduated in the spring of 1880.  For two years he was. associated in practice with his old pre­ceptor, Dr. Tillson, of West Alexandria, and in 1882, as noted, he began the individual practice of his profession in New Madison, where he has built up an excellent business, being recognized as an able practitioner and as a man worthy of all confidence.
     On the 1st of June, 1884, in Richmond,. Indiana, Dr. Fritz was united in marriage to Miss Thomas, of New Madison, daughter of Walter and Elizabeth (Kittle) Thomas. Of this union three children have been born: Ralph, the first born, died at the-age of eight months; Hattie was born Oct. 3, 1886; and Orpha Dec. 13, 1893.  The Doctor is a Master Mason, holdings membership in Fort Black Lodge, No. 413, at New Madison; is a member of the Knights of Pythias and also of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in West Alexandria. Politically he is a Republican.  The Doctor is a member of the Ohio State Eclectic Medical Society and also of the Darke County Association.  Since his marriage he has lived in his own convenient and. attractive home in New Madison, the same having been the homestead of his wife's parents.  Walter Thomas, the father of Mrs. Fritz, was a veteran of the civil war, in which he served for three years, and he died of consumption, from the result of exposure, his demise taking place about 1869.  His widow survived until 1897, passing away at the age of about sixty years.  They were the parents of five children, of whom Mrs. Fritz and her brother David are the only survivors.
     The practice of the Doctor extends through a radius of from six to eight miles in each direction, and «he keeps two horses in requisition, conducting a general practice in medicine and surgery.  His efforts have been very successful, and his clientage is one of representative order.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 749