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Source:
History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County
with
Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of
Pioneer and Prominent Public Men
by C. W. Williamson
Columbus, Ohio
Press of W. M. Linn & Sons
1905
BIOGRAPHIES
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BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >
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Wayne Twp. -
JONATHAN DAWSON was born in Trumbull
county, Ohio Mar. 5th, 1823. He was the son of Joseph
and Rachel Dawson who moved to Wayne township in 1836, with
their nine boys and one girl, and settled on the farm now owned
by H. E. Kerr, Jonathan was only thirteen years of
age at the time the family settled in the wilderness. He
was deprived of early educational advantages, but by close
application to study at home, he prepared himself for teaching,
a profession that he followed during ten consecutive years.
He served his township in the capacity of justice of the peace
during a period of nine years. He also filled numerous
minor offices, and was always an ardent advocate of public
schools, and a promoter of public enterprises for the public
good.
Mr. Dawson was married in 1853, to Miss Helen
McCormick. Eleven children was the result of this
union, only four of whom are now living, viz.: Harmon,
Belle, John, and Clark. His wife died Feb. 25,
1892. After her death he resided with his children.
His last illness took place at the home of his daughter Mrs.
Belle Sutton, where he died Feb. 8th, 1904.
Source: History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County - by
C. W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio - Press of W. M. Linn & Sons -
1905 - Page 744 |
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Jackson Twp. -
THEODORE DICKMAN. Few men in
Auglaize county are more widely and favorably known than the
subject of this sketch. His father was born in North
Germany, near Bremen, and emigrated to America in 1832.
After a lengthy voyage the family landed at Baltimore, from
which port they traveled by canal to Cumberland, and crossed the
mountains in a wagon to Wheeling. From that point they
descended the Ohio river to Cincinnati in 1832, where the family
resided until 1836. In the latter part of that year they
moved to Minster and purchased eighty acres of land adjoining
the village on the south.
Theodore Dickman was born in Cincinnati, Mar.
8th, 1835, and was eighteen months old when the family settled
at Minster. Here our subject grew to manhood, and assisted
his father in clearing a farm in the wilderness.
Mr. Dickman has a distinct recollection of the
period of activity that prevailed between Loramie and St. Marys
during the construction of the Miami and Erie canal. The
work was performed by sub-contractors; each sub-contractor
engaging to excavate a certain distance, ranging from a mile to
five miles. Boarding houses were erected at Minster and
Loramie to accommodate the large number of men engaged in
digging the canal. It was the prevailing belief at that
time that whiskey neutralized the effects of malaria. As a
result of this hypothesis the sub-contractors were compelled to
supply their hands with a certain amount of the stimulating
beverage. The quantity varied from a jigger (two ounces)
to sixteen jiggers per day, and the contractor who offered the
greatest number of jiggers per day was able to secure the
largest number of hands. The report was current at that
time that the hands consumed forty-five barrels of whiskey to
forty-two barrels of flour.
The hands employed on the canal in the vicinity of
Minster were mostly German, and many of them made money enough
in the four yeas that the canal was under construction to
purchase farms for themselves.
The canal was completed in 1845, and nearly four years
of prosperity ensued in the village and township. In the
summer of 1849, the town and township were visited by that dread
scourge, the cholera. Within the two years following four
hundred citizens of the township died. Theodore Dickman,
then fourteen years of age, in the employ of a cabinet workman
in Minster, was engaged during the prevalence of the epidemic in
the manufacture of coffins. The pressing demand for boxes
was so great that the exercise of the niceties of workmanship
was impossible. The boards were planed on one side, as
fast as the boxes were made, were painted with a solution of
lamp-black in whiskey, and rubbed down with a meat rind.
When the Civil War broke out Mr. Dickman joined
the army as first lieutenant of company C, 58th O. V. I., and
was honorably discharged Dec. 8th, 1862. He has held the
office of trustee of Duchouquet township for six years, sheriff
of Auglaize county for two terms, also served as county
treasurer for two terms. He was married Apr. 23, 1857, to
Miss Mary Weinmar of Minster. Of this marriage six
children were born: Joseph Theodore, major in the
Regular Army, and member of the General Staff. He served
in the Spanish-American War War; in the Phillipine war, and
served on General Chaffee's staff in his campaign in China.
John B. Dickman, the second son, is, at the present time,
occupying a position in the Government printing office at
Washington; Mary A. is the wife of C. A. Stueve,
Probate Judge of Auglaize county; Anna Barbara is
the wife of John Gunther a resident of Wapakoneta;
Miss Lulu (unmarried) is a skilled ceramic artist whose
studio is located on Park street, Wapakoneta, Ohio, and
Catherine is the wife of Charles Freck, a resident of
Wapakoneta, and formerly Recorder of Auglaize county for two
terms.
Mr. Dickman and his estimable wife are, at the
present time, living in their commodious residence on Blackhoof
street, enjoying the fruits of a well spent life.
Source: History of Western Ohio & Auglaize
County - by C. W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio - Press of
W. M. Linn & Sons - 1905 - Page 839 |
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Duchouquet Twp. -
OTTO T. DIEKER was born in Prussia, June
2, 1827, and came with his parents to Wapakoneta when eleven
years of age. His father was a tanner by trade.
After six years of service in that business Otto went to New
Bremen where he accepted a clerkship in a store. This
position he held about three years, when he took charge of a
canal boat which he managed until 1848, when he returned to
Wapakoneta, and engaged in the sale of dry goods in the east
room of the Zint building on the corner of Auglaize and
Blackhoof streets. Four years later he married Miss
Clara Paul. Of this union nine children were born:
Matilda, Henrietta, Philomena, Amelia, Ida, George, Laura,
Lulu, and Augustus, all of whom are living. In
1857 he purchased a building on the opposite side of the street,
afterward known as the Burnett House. In this
building he and John Keller of St. Marys opened a store.
Two years later Keller withdrew from the partnership, and
the entire management passed into the hands of O. T. Dieker.
In 1863 C. P. Davis and O. T. Dieker erected what
is still known as the Dieker and Davis building.
In the same year he sold his property on the corner of Auglaize
and Blackhoof streets of Edward Burnett, and purchased
the brick residence of G. W. Andrews, into which he moved
his family in the fall of the year. He moved his store
into the new edifice in the fall of 1863. He was also
engaged in the livery business in partnership with John Wenk,
from 1864 to 1880. He prospered in all his business
transactions up to the date of his death, which occurred
December 4th, 1886.
Source: History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County - by C.
W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio - Press of W. M. Linn & Sons -
1905 - Page 628 |
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Jackson Twp. -
COLSTON L. DINE, M.D. was born in Seneca
county, Ohio, on the 11th of February, 1858. His parents,
William and Margaret (Kennedy) Dine, were natives of the
Keystone State, where they remained until about 1850. From
there they moved to Seneca county, Ohio, and there the father
followed his trade, shoemaking, until about 1863, when he moved
to Mercer county, locating in Montezuma. Five years later
he sold out and removed to Neptune, where he and his estimable
wife reside at the present time. Five of the thirteen
children born to them are now living, and Dr. C. L. is
eighth in order of birth.
The early boyhood of Dr. Dine was spent in a
district school of Seneca county, which knowledge was
supplemented by two terms in the High School at Celina and in a
private school. At the early age of seventeen, he began
wielding the ferrule and taught during the winter seasons for
nine years. While teaching, he also attended school
between terms, and during the year 1882, and while teaching, he
began the study of medicine, his course of study covering about
four years. In March, 1886, he was graduated from the Ohio
Medical College, at Cincinnati, with high honors, and received a
gold medal for the best examination on diseases of the eye.
He also received a fine case of surgical instruments, a prize
offered to the person presenting the best paper on final
examination. He received this case out of a class of
seventy-eight students. He located in Minister, Ohio, on
the 1st of April, 1886.
Dr. Dine has been twice married. On the 3d
of February, 1881, he married Miss Elizabeth Harner who
was born in Center township, Mercer county, Ohio, where her
parents resided for many years. Her father, Michael
Harner, was a soldier, and died in the hospital at
Nashville, Tennessee. The mother died when comparatively a
young woman. Mrs. Dine received her final summons
on the 7th day of February, 1889, and left the following
children: Lockie F., Portia F. and Mary I.
On the 14th of January, 1890, the Dr. took for his
second wife Miss Josephene Herkenoff, a native of
Minster, Ohio, and two children have blessed this union:
Frank W., born June 7th, 1891, and Margaret E., June
16th, 1892.
Mr. Dine is a member of the Northwestern Ohio
Medical Association, the Shelby County Medical Society and the
Ohio State Medical Society. He and Mrs. Dine are
worthy members of the Catholic Church. They have a fine
residence, one of the best in Minster, and are honorable and
useful members of society.
Source: History of Western Ohio &
Auglaize County - by C. W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio -
Press of W. M. Linn & Sons - 1905 - Page 840 |
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Jackson Twp. -
JOHN MICHAEL DREES was born in 1812, in
Garrel, a village in the dukedom of Oldenburg, North Germany.
He remained under the paternal roof until he was twenty years of
age, when he, in company with several year men left Garrel to
secure homes for themselves and friends in the New World, as
America was called at that time. They crossed the ocean on
a sail ship, landing at Baltimore. From that point they
traveled on foot over the mountains to Pittsburg. At that
point young Drees obtained employment as a blacksmith for
a year. During his leisure time he took lessons in the
English language at a popular evening school in Pittsburg.
By the end of the year he acquired a sufficient amount of the
language to enable him to transact business in the vernacular of
the country.
In 1833, his parents, brothers and sisters emigrated to
America, crossing the ocean on a slow sailing vessel, and
landing at Baltimore. From that port they made their way
to Pittsburg, the men traveling on foot, and the women,
children, trunks and boxes containing the family goods on a big
mountain wagon. From Pittsburg the family took passage on
a steamboat for Cincinnati. From Cincinnati the family and
goods were transported through the wilderness to Stallo town.
After providing a house in which to live, the father and son
built a shop in which they, at once, engaged in the practice of
their trade, that of blacksmithing, and for many years supplied
the new commonwealth with pioneer tools, strong hoes, spades,
axes, scythes, etc.
Mr. J. M. Drees, Jr. was a reputable public
officer for many years of the municipality, and also served two
terms on the first board of commissioners of Auglaize county.
Mr. Drees was twice married; his first wife,
Elizabeth Schemmel was born in Germany and came to this
country in 18354. Of this marriage nine children were
born, of three are living: Charles, H. C. Drees,
and Barney. Of his second marriage there were born:
Michael, John, Agnes, Frank, Caroline, Joseph, Louis and
Anthon.
Mr. Drees died Feb. 175h, 1878.
Source: History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County - by C.
W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio - Press of W. M. Linn & Sons -
1905 - Page 838 |
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