1-16-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
The Ottoville Creamery has shut down on account of the bad roads. It will again be in operation as soon as
the roads will permit.
The Ottoville Mills shipped a boatload of grain to Toledo last week. Such a thing was never heard before in
the middle of January.
Old man Plesher died at the residence of Wm. Gasser, on last Tuesday, aged nearly 62 years. He resided
on Dog Creek in Van Wert County for the past six years and was a progressive farmer. Some three months
ago he went to Crawford County on a visit to one of his brothers but returned on New Year’s Day and walked
several miles through a heavy rain. On arriving here he layed down at the home of Wm. Gasser, from which he
never raised again. He suffered from heart disease for a long time and such was his last trouble. He leaves a
wife and a large family of grown children to mourn his rather untimely death.
Mr. J. B. Mersman was at LaGrange, Ind., his late home, last week.
The dwelling house of Frank Schumacher, near Muntanna, was entirely destroyed by fire on last Friday
morning about 4 o’clock, and fifteen of its occupants narrowly escaped with their lives. Mr. Schumacher had
several workingmen boarding with him. His loss on property is very heavy. Four hundred dollars in cash, eight
fresh butchered hogs, all his household goods, bedding and clothing, together with grain for a year’s bread, all
was consumed without insurance.
Theodore Holocher, a young lad, had his left hand badly mangled from a pistol shot on New Year’s night.
Mr. Joseph Dition and Maria Niedling were married last Tuesday at the Catholic Church here.
A large number of new buildings are to be erected here the coming season if material can be obtained, but
the open winter is causing considerable uneasiness.
Jan. 12, 1889 ARGUS
2-7-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
While in a simple state of affairs we have more agitation for pike roads, railroads and ice than ever.
Mr. Henry Ernst has sold about 400,000 of brick to Defiance parties, and is shipping them during the open
winter.
Charles Marbach has bought a canal boat and is now sailing with a load of brick to Defiance.
Reports have it that our old teacher, Mr. J. B. Gard, has left his position at Landeck and gone to Napoleon,
Riply County, Indiana.
Mr. D. J. Hale went to Buffalo last week with 400 sheep to market them. He bought them last fall at Chicago
to feed through the winter.
Mr. Max Winkelman has bought 40 acres of land off the Plumer farm, and J. Miller and F. Dietering each 40
acres of the Rekart heirs in section 13.
The steam furnace in the Catholic Church was finished last week by Shaw, Kendall & Co., Toledo, Ohio.
Married at the Catholic Church here Mr. Gerhard Brinkman and Miss Mary Heitmeyer, both of this place.
Feb. 23, 1890 ARGUS
3-27-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
Mr. Wm. Fryburger has bought the Julian Daust property and moved in the house.
Mrs. Daust and daughters moved to Defiance.
Mr. Frank Distle bought the Albert Riger property, near the schoolhouse, and Mr. George Wannemacher
bought the property where his blacksmith shop stands, and will build a dwelling on it in the near future.
Mr. A. Weaver has had a public sale and will erect a dwelling on his lots in town.
Mr. Alex Lauer raised his new barn last Saturday; it is of large size. Wm. Fishbach is the builder.
Old mother Krebs is lying in a critical condition with dropsy.
Max Winkelman is building a large dwelling on their farm, one mile west of here.
Mr. Geb. Geminer has bought the sawmill at Continental from his brother, and is now running it.
Mr. Henry Ernst will take the place in the creamery formerly filled by G. Geminer.
Mr. Mersman has worked his logs into lumber, which he will ship to other points as demand justifies.
March 23, 1890 ARGUS
4-29-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
The Ottoville creamery started up again this week. Mr. Henry Ernst has taken charge as buttermaker for the
company.
Both of our tile factories have commenced operations for the season, although they sustained much
damage from the frosts of last week.
C. Wannemacher & Son have laid in a large stock of farming implements, wagons, buggies, self-binders
and other hardware for the season’s trade.
Dr. C. E. Beardsley was here last Wednesday, assisting Dr. Binder in performing a surgical operation.
Last Friday morning death took away one of our most esteemed and respected pioneer citizens, Mr. Leonard
Curtis, at the age of 78 years, after a lingering sickness of several months duration. Mr. Curtis was born in
Massachusetts, came to Ohio when a young man, and settled on his farm at the Van Wert county line about 36
years ago. He leaves a wife without children. His remains were interred in the Middlepoint cemetery last
Sunday and was largely attended.
The Ottoville dramatic company, under the management of Ed. Mersman, gave an entertainment last week
at Beckman’s Hall, which was well attended. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, was well rendered, each actor performing his
part well, and were much applauded by the audience. They will give another performance on the evening of
the 30th of this month.
April 20, 1890 ARGUS
5-15-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
Mr. Philip Dietlin of Rogers City, Michigan, was here visiting friends.
Max Winkelman is happy over a newborn girl baby, and L. Rieger on account of another boy.
Geminer & Gasser have filled an order for building material for parties in Dakota.
Died in this place on Wednesday May 7th, 1890, at the residence of her son Joseph, great-grandmother
Theresia Wannemacher, in the 87th year of her age. She was the widow of the deceased John Wannemacher
and mother of Peter, Joseph, Timothy, Charles, Ferdinand and Benedict Wannemacher, who are nearly all
grandfathers. She was born in Germany and Emigrated with her family to this country while yet in the prime of
life and settled in the then unbroken wilderness near canal section 16, now Ottoville. In the year 1875 they
celebrated the rare feast of their golden wedding. The funeral services were held on Friday morning at the
Catholic Church, attended by numerous relatives and friends and her remains interred in the cemetery at this
place.
May 13, 1890 ARGUS
6-26-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
Ottoville will celebrate the 4th of July in an appropriate manner. A good program has been selected; good
speakers will be present, and a grand display of fireworks will be had in the evening. A large gathering is
anticipated.
Mr. Conrad Studer is laid up with a very sore hand and suffers severe pain. Drs. Binder, Beardsley and
Williams are attending him. He is now beginning to improve.
Mr. J. B. Mersman is now pushing the sawmill business for all it is worth. He keeps a number of teams
employed hauling logs; one day the hauling amounted to 30,000 feet of lumber.
Mr. Anton Weber has moved to town into the house that he bought from H. W. Beckman.
Mr. Jos. Suter has bought a lot near the M. Shulien property and will move his barbershop thereon.
On the 25th inst. Rev. Father Mueller will celebrate his silver jubilee as priest. Arrangements have been
made to make it a grand festival in this congregation.
Mr. J. P. Etchen and Wm. Schlagbaum are each building fine new dwellings on their farms.
Mr. Justice of Delphos has been employed by Geminer & Gasser to work in their planing mill. They are
crowded with orders and are running their mill to its full capacity. They have just received several carloads of
stock from Chicago.
June 23, 1890 ARGUS
7-3-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
One of the grandest festivals was held here on last Tuesday and Wednesday in honor of Rev. Father.
Mueller’s silver jubilee as ordained priest. On Tuesday evening the school children, led by teacher Finckh,
marched to the pastorate and presented him with a fine merschaum pipe. At 9 o’clock the congregation formed
a torchlight procession, with General Otte as marshal. The Ft. Jennings music band was also present. After
marching through the principle streets to the residence of the pastor the procession halted, and some fine
vocal music given by the choir. Teacher Finckh delivered a speech of congratulation, whereupon a number of
valuable and splendid presents were handed to Father Mueller, consisting mostly of church ornates, as tokens
of respect of the members of the congregation, for which he thanked them in an appropriate speech.
The next day imposing church services were held. Rev. Hoeffel of Delphos, Rev. Brasher of Ft. Jennings, Rev.
Heiland of Landeck, and Rev. Nigsch of Glandorf were present. Rev. Hoeffel preached the sermon. It was a
day that will long be remembered by all who participated.
Dr. Jones of Gomer was here last Monday on consultation with Drs. Binder and Beardsley in the case of
Nicholas Krebs. There are no hopes for his recovery.
A little infant of Mr. Turnwald died last night.
Albert Muhls and Jos. Otte were at Ft., Wayne last Monday and bought stock for their store.
Everybody seems to prepare for the Fourth and aiming to make the celebration a fine one.
June 30, 1890 ARGUS
7-17-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
Some sneak thieves broke in the house of Andrew Gramer on the 4th of July and stole a razor and
scissors, also entered the house of Henry Wannemacher, broke open a bureau and a trunk belonging to the
hire man and took two razors; the house of August Kehres was also entered where they only took some cakes.
The thieves were seen by some of the neighbors; they were of the colored class, probably from Paulding
County.
Lightening struck the house of Jos. Fierstoss Sunday of last week, but little damage was done to the roof
and ceiling.
Mrs. Mary Harris, formerly Mrs. Allmeyer, died Saturday at Spencerville of cancer and was buried at
Delphos today, Monday. She was a daughter of the wellknown Huysman family. Her age was 50 years.
Mr. J. B. Mersman was in Cleveland last week on business.
Mr. J. G. Otte is commencing to build a new dwelling house near the old swing bridge.
The ice-house of the Ottoville creamery was burnt to the ground last Saturday; it caught fire from the
engine; through efforts of our citizens the main building was saved; loss about $100.
July 13, 1890 ARGUS
9-18-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
Our village has suffered some severe loss by death within a short time: First was that of Nicholas Krebs;
next the twelve year old son of G. H. Otte, who was bitten in the arm by a mad dog some nine weeks previous
to his death, which occurred on the 25th ult.; then followed, on the 29th ult., the death of Mrs. Stephania
Wannemacher, wife of Chas. Wannemacher, of which you have kindly made note in your valuable paper. You
will please allow me to add the following short sketch of her life.
Mrs. Stephania Wannemacher was born in Wallefersingen, Lorraine, France, on the 15th of July, 1840; was
the only daughter of the late Dr. J. C. Fournier and Maria Fournier; came to America with her parents when 8
years of age. Her parents settled in Senaca county in 1851; they came to this place on the 9th of July, 1860.
She was married to Chas. Wannemacher, whom she leaves with six sons and one daughter in deep sorrow
over her untimely demise. Her age was 50 years and 44 days. She was an ardent, kind mother, a faithful wife,
a sincere Christian and a highly respected in the community. Her funeral took place on Sunday, the last day of
August, and was attended by her numerous friends from far and near. It was the largest funeral that ever took
place here. May she rest in peace.
Last Saturday Mr. Gebhart Flatz died at his home, one mile west of here, at the age of 75 years and 6
months, leaving but one son who is married, to mourn his death.
The Beckman Hotel has been thoroughly renovated and painted gaily and otherwise improved, with a new
stone sidewalk, at a cost of $251. The stable and smokehouse have been moved back on the lot, and on the
whole makes a better appearance and is more convenient.
The property of Peter Krebs, the butcher here, has also been painted and improved by the addition of a
new porch.
The abutments for a bridge across the Little Auglaize, near C. Stuter’s farm, are about completed.
The canal bridge near the widow Eickholt’s, broke down last Sunday with three head of cattle thereon.
Mr. A. Decurtin of Carthagena, the contractor and builder of the church here, was here last week on a short
visit.
Mr. Thome, of the Toledo Wheel-barrow Co., is here with Mr. Mersman, to contract for lumber for his works.
Sept. 14, 1890 ARGUS
10-2-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
Seth Swank, the owner of the blind Belgian stallion, held an exhibition of a large number of the best colts
sired by his horse and gave a premium. Peter Keefer, Jacob Adams and John Dunlap were the judges and
awarded the premium to Nicholas Louer as the owner of the best colt on exhibition.
Mr. Joseph Pittner has moved here from Michigan and will open a wagon shop.
Mr. John Hilbert of Cincinnati is here visiting Frank Diestle.
Mr. James Adams of Van Wert County has moved on the farm of George Gutekunst.
Mr. C. Morbach has sold his canal boat to parties living at Melrose.
Frank Mueller has returned home from Michigan.
Mr. J. Burgis has left for Dearborn County, Indiana, his former home.
Miss Katy Schulien has been sojourning in Chicago.
A dispatch has been received announcing the death, at Payne, Ohio, of Henry Papenbrock, a son of
Joseph Papenbrock, a former resident of Putnam County.
Sept. 29, 1890 ARGUS
Printed 11-6-1890
Ottoville Items
The following items were received too late for our paper of last week.
The creamery here has lost nearly all their stock of hogs through cholera.
Mr. Jos. G. Otte will move into his new dwelling this week.
Mr. Len Geminer made a trip to Tracy, Minnesota, and returned last Monday.
Mr. Wm. Fryburger has gone to Chicago to work in a car shop.
Mr. Henry Wurst also made a visit to Chicago last week, but has returned and is now taking up his trade as
a carpenter.
The Krebs brothers are rafting a large number of sawlogs to defiance.
The widow of Nicholas Krebs has again bought a packet, which is run between here and Delphos on
Wednesday and Saturdays to carry passengers and freight.
Dr. Binder was at Cincinnati his former home last week.
Miss Maria Zahm now at Defiance was at home here last Sunday, accompanied by Mr. Singer.
The steam heating apparatus of the church here is undergoing some changes at present, by the firm Shaw,
Kendall & Co., of Toledo.
Mr. Ben. Muehls and Math. Gergen are each having windpumps erected on their farms, supplied by our
hardware firm C. Wannemacher & Con.
Mrs. Squire Wannemacher and Mrs. John Rekart have gone to Bucyrus on a visit to relatives.
Jacob Wannemacher has engaged with Dirwort & Reul of Delphos to learn the tinner trade.
Oct. 28, 1890 ARGUS
11-12-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
Considerable business changes are about to take place in our village. Mr. Frank Maechles has sold his
share in the tile factory to Len. Geminer. The Beckman Hotel property was sold last week to J. J. Mueller, who
will take charge of the house next month. H. W. Beckman has bought the Herrick building, of the new block of
Henry Trame and Herrick, in the central part of Delphos and intends to go into business at that place.
Mr. Frank Mersman has engaged as traveling agent for the hardware firm of Charles Wannemacher & Son.
Last Thursday the Hon. S. S. Yoder, M. C., and Hon, Jos. Limback, of the Pension Bureau, of Washington City,
and M. G. Lang, of Delphos, were visiting friends at this village.
Mr. J. B. Mersman was away on business to Defiance the latter half of last week. As he has received a
supply of logs by canal he will run his mill this week.
Last Sunday the widow Zurcher, late of Paulding County, was buried in the Catholic cemetery at this place.
She died Friday night at the house of Peter Krebs, where she had been staying the past year while lingering
with consumption. She was a native of Switzerland; her age was 55 years. Her son-in-law, Adam Kronenberger,
of Oakwood, was in attendance at the funeral.
Married at the Catholic Church here on last Tuesday, Mr. Henry Landwehr to Miss L. Ricker of Ft. Jennings,
and on Thursday, Mr. Jacob Singer of Defiance to Miss Mary Zahm of this village. May happiness accompany
them through life.
Nov. 10, 1890 ARGUS
2-4-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
Mr. Andy Flick and family moved to Delphos last Saturday, to commence business in Schiller Hall, the
property which he lately purchased. Andy was among us for the last eighteen years, engaged in the dry goods
and general merchandize business, in which he was successful. May he have the same success in the new
business.
The new iron bridge across the Little Auglaize, on the Bohn road, was put up during last week.
The young folks held a dance at Beckman’s Hall last Thursday night.
The Hotel stables came near burning last Thursday night. The hostler went up in the haymow with a
lantern, which was upset and set the hay on fire, but succeeded in tramping it out before any damage was
done.
Married at the Catholic Church here, on last Wednesday, Mr. Frank Schimmoeller and Miss Lizzie Pohl. May
joy accompany them through life.
Mrs. Paul Miller, of New Washington, is here visiting her daughter.
Mr. Wm. Fryburger, Mr. Zimmerman and Mr. Schmick of Defiance, Mr. Remlinger of Kirby, and Mr. Burton of
Yorkshire, while attending the funeral of old Remlinger, paid a short visit to our village on last Sunday.
Nov. 30, 1890 ARGUS
12-25-1890 PCS
Ottoville Items
Your itemizer has been laid up with sore throat for the past few weeks, which is the cause for not sending
any items; but as he is now convalescent, he will be in the spurrs again.
Mr. Frank Krebs has bought the dry goods and grocery store of Jos. Wannemacher & Flick, and will
thoroughly renovate the interior of the room and run at the old stand with new vigor.
The Beckman Hotel also changed hands yesterday; Mr. J. J. Miller taking possession. As they are both
enterprising men and attentive to business we have no doubt they will receive a good patronage in their new
undertaking. We wish them the best success.
The Ottoville Creamery Co. has built a new icehouse a short distance north of the main building; their old
one was destroyed by fire last summer.
Mr. J. B. Mersman our townsman was in the wreck of the trains on the B. & O. railroad a week ago near
Defiance, and says that his life was saved by the engineer revering the engine before jumping off.
Ed. Wannemacher and Geo. Geminer have left this part of the country and are now in Alabama looking up
the fortune of the south.
Geo. Wannemacher, the blacksmith is laid up with a felon on his hand.
Mr. Derwart of Delphos is repairing the roof of the new church here. The new boiler for the furnace of the
church has been placed in position and put in completed working order, much to the comfort of the attendants
in cold weather.
That there is corn needed somewhere was indicated last week by a boat, which was sent here by the Eagle
Mills of Delphos to get 500 bushels from our millers, Schulien & Wannemacher. The boat had an icebreaker
ahead, and the trip only took eight days. It was a big job.
Dr. C. E. Beardsley of Ottawa and Dr. Binder of this village have made an examination in the sufferings of
Wenzis Kluema, whose stomach is almost in a condition that it cannot receive food. The diagnosis
substantiated the fact that it is no cancer, but a stricture of the aesophagus, and they will further treat him in
the hopes of restoring his health again.
Dec. 21, 1890 ARGUS