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(Source: History of Mercer County, Ohio and
Representative Citizens -
Edited and compiled by Hon. S. S.
Scranton, Celina, Ohio -
Published by Biographical Publishing Co. -
Chicago, Illinois - 1907 -
*UNLESS Otherwise Noted.)
EDWARD
LANDFAIR, who for six years served the village of
Celina as mayor, is one of Mercer County's prominent citizens.
He was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1845, and was about
six years old when his parents' moved to Washington township,
Mercer County, settling on a farm in the woods.
Edward remained at home, giving assistance to his
father in clearing up the farm, until he was about 17 years of
age, when he went back to Fairfield County and for a time
engaged there in farm work. In the meantime he took advantage
of every opportunity to secure an education and when about 20
years of age returned to Mercer County and for a time taught
school during the winters and attended school as much as
possible, during the summers. He thus became very well known
and in 1870, when he came to Celina, he was invited to take
charge of the village schools. During the four years that he
remained at their head, they made great advances. He was too
intelligent a man not to be interested also in public affairs
and became something of a politician. In 1868 he was appointed
a member of the County Board of School Examiners, a position
he held for 17 consecutive years. In 1871 Mr.
Landfair was elected recorder of Mercer County and served
in that position for six years. In 1881 he was elected clerk
of the courts of Mercer County and assumed the duties of the
office in 1882, which office he held for six years, being
twice re-elected. From 1899 until 1903 he was mayor of Celina.
Since retiring from public life, Mr. Landfair
has been in the loan and investment business.
In 1868 Mr. Landfair was married to
Adarene Blake, who died in April, 1903, leaving one
son, Robert B. The
latter was educated in the schools at Celina and Lexington,
then studied law, was graduated from the Cincinnati Law School
and was admitted to the bar before the Supreme Court of Ohio
at Columbus, all this before he had reached his majority. He
is one of the successful young law practitioners at Celina. |
| ROBERT
B. LANDFAIR, one of the younger members of the Celina
bar, was born, reared and educated at Celina. He is a graduate
of the Cincinnati Law School, and commenced the practice of
the law at Celina, where he has won the distinction of being
one of the ablest advocates at the bar. Mr. Landfair
is recognized as being a skillful trial lawyer, well versed in
the law; he handles his cases with ease and skill. |
JOHN
H. LAUDAHN, general merchant and prominent citizen at
Hinton, and the owner of a good farm of 40 acres in Liberty
township, was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, April 28, 1867,
and is a son of John and Sophia (Bader) Laudahn.
Our subject was 15 years of age when he accompanied his
parents to Ohio. They resided in Auglaize County from 1872
until 1882, when they came to Mercer County and settled in
Liberty township. The father died in 1893, but the mother
still survives and resides with her son.
Prior to entering into his mercantile business at
Hinton, Mr. Laudahn followed farming. This industry he
still carries on in addition to his other business. For some
years he was postmaster at this point. He conducts a general
store and carries a sufficient stock to fill the demands of
local trade.
In 1881, Mr. Laudahn was married to
Salena Preshun, and they have five children,
namely: Cora Sophia, Fred William, Frank H., Lesetta
S. and John P. Politically Mr. Laudahn is a
Republican. He belongs to the Lutheran Church. |
JACOB
LEININGER, a most highly esteemed resident of Liberty
township and one of the old settlers of this locality, resides
on his valuable farm of 160 acres, on which he located more
than 50 years ago. He was born in Stark County, Ohio, November
11, 1832, and is a son of John and Margaret Leininger.
The parents of our subject were born in Alsace, now a part of
the German Empire, and came to America about 1826, locating in
Stark County, Ohio, where they lived until 1833, when they
removed to Mercer County. They were early settlers in
Washington township and there 'they spent the rest of their
lives.
Jacob Leininger was reared in Washington
township and his school opportunities were only those afforded
by the pioneer schools of the time. When he came to Liberty
township the native timber still stood on his present farm and
years of hard work ensued before the land was entirely
cleared. It is now a fine property, valuable from every point
of view.
Mr. Leininger was married in young manhood to
Catherine Kettenring, who was born in Germany and is a
daughter of Henry. Kettenring, who brought his family
to America when Mrs. Leininger was a child and settled
in Holmes County, Ohio. At a later date the family moved to
Washington township, Mercer County, where Mrs. Leininger
was married. To this union 10 children were born and eight of
these are still living, as follows: Margaret, widow of
Frederick Betzel, residing at Fort Wayne, Indiana;
Theobald, of Black Creek township; Christina, wife
of Andrew Harb, of Black Creek township;
William H., also of Black Creek township; Mary,
wife of Frederick Schaadt, of Van Wert County;
John, residing on his father's farm; Phebe, wife of
Henry Brehm, of Liberty township; and George S.,
of Black Creek township.
Mr. Leininger is one of the substantial
members of the Democratic party in Liberty township. The only
office he has ever accepted has been that of township trustee.
For many years he has been a member of St. Paul's Evangelical
Church. He is one of the township's representative men. |
SEBASTIAN
LEISTNER, a representative citizen of Rockford, was
born in Trenton, Butler County, Ohio, March 1, 1844, and is a
son of John Andrew and Barbara (Leistner) Leistner.
John A. Leistner and wife, who were natives of
Bavaria, Germany, came to this country when young and settled
in Trenton, Butler County, Ohio. They were married in 1836 at
Trenton and in 1853 moved to Mercer County, locating in Black
Creek township, where Mr. Leistner entered 240
acres of land north of Chattanooga and placed the same under
cultivation, making this his place of residence until his
death, which occurred in August, 1894. Three sons and one
daughter were born to Mr. and Mrs. Leistner; John,
a resident of Chattanooga, who is engaged in farming;
Barbara, who married William Adams and died
October 22, 1892; Andrew, residing in Chattanooga where
he owns a farm; and Sebastian, the subject of this
sketch. Mrs. Leistner died November 11, 1892.
Sebastian Leistner
spent his early childhood days in Trenton, Butler County,
Ohio, and when he was nine years old his parents moved to
Mercer County, where he was reared and educated. Mr.
Leistner offered his service to the government at the
outbreak of the Civil War, but was rejected on account of his
youth and his inability to pass the physical examination.
Mr. Leistner owns two farms in Black Creek
township.
Mr. Leistner was married January 13,
1867, to Mary Ann Knight, a daughter of
Peter Knight. Her parents, who were natives of
Pennsylvania, settled in Trumbull County, Ohio, when she was
quite small. Later they entered and settled upon land in Black
Creek township, Mercer County, Ohio. Three children, were born
to Mr. and Mrs. Leistner: Augusta, wife of John L.
Davidson, of Van Wert, who is engaged in railroading;
Annie E., who married Harry Rutledge and resides on
a farm in Black Creek township; and William Andrew,
who married Bell Cook and resides in Rockford.
Mrs. Leistner died August 21, 1897. In 1899 our
subject retired from farm life, taking up his residence in
Rockford, where he purchased the house in which he now
resides. .Recently he built a house on the lot adjoining.
Mr. Leistner's second marriage was with Mrs.
Mary Williams, a daughter of Joab and
Sevilla Borton. She had two children by her
first marriage: John Williams, who married
Grace Stober and resides in Black Creek township;
Ada, who married Clarence Skinner and
resides in Lima, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Leistner are
both members of the United Brethren Church at Rockford.
Politically, he is a Republican. |
PETER LINN,
a prominent citizen of Liberty township and a member of the
Board of County Commissioner, resides on his finely improved
farm of 80 acres, which he has placed under a fine state of
cultivation. Mr. Linn was born in Bavaria,
Germany, Mar. 4, 1859, and is a son of Philip and Gertrude
(Fuchs) Linn.
The parents of Mr. Linn were also natives of
Bavaria. His mother died when he was 11 years of age
and he was 14 years old when his father brought the children
to America and settled in Liberty township, Mercer County,
Ohio. Two years later the father went back to Germany,
where he died.
Peter Linn grew to manhood in Mercer County.
The schooling he had received in Bavaria was supplemented by
that he obtained in Liberty township, and as a large part of
his life has been spent among intelligent people and as he
has held important offices in his neighborhood, in the
discharge of the duties of which offices he has been obliged
to use great good judgment, Mr. Linn may be fairly
considered one of the best informed men of his locality.
He has resided upon his present farm since 1882.
In 1881 Mr. Linn was married to Caroline
Menchofer, who was born in Mercer County, Ohio,
and they have had six children, namely: Mary, who
died aged two months; Saloma, Adrienne, Annie, Bertha
and Walter.
Politically Mr. Linn is identified with the
Democratic party. For three years he was a trustee of
Liberty township, of which he has also been land appraiser.
In the fall of 1902 he was elected county commissioner and
entered upon the duties of this important office in
September, 1903, and is still serving, having been reelected
in the fall of 1905. He is a member of the Lutheran
Church. He stands as one of the representative
citizens of his township and personally is held in high
esteem. |
WILLIAM
HENRY LOWRY, a well-known business man of Fort
Recovery, was born in Clark County, Ohio, near Springfield,
April 1, 1856, and is a son of Aaron Morton and Elizabeth
(Byrely) Lowry.
Aaron Morton Lowry, who was a native of New York
State, came to Clark County, Ohio, with his father,
Benjamin Lowry, when a boy. Benjamin
Lowry moved to Mercer County with his family in i860 and
settled on. a farm in Gibson township, where he still resides.
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Morton Lowry became the parents of
three children, namely: William Henry, the
subject of this sketch; Leslie, who lives in Gibson
township, and Elmaretta, who married Charles
Hastings and lives in Merritt, Washington.
William Henry Lowry came to Gibson township,
Mercer County, Ohio, with his parents when five years old.
Here he was reared, obtaining his education in the district
schools. In 1884 Mr. Lowry moved to Fort
Recovery, where he has been engaged in the live-stock
business, buying, selling and shipping stock. He is also a
contractor, building gravel roads and is now engaged in
building 24 miles of road in Wells County, Indiana. Mr.
Lowry owns a great deal of land, having 330 acres of
farm land in three different counties—Mercer and Darke
counties, Ohio, and Jay County, Indiana. Mr. Lowry
resides in a large brick house in Fort Recovery, which he
erected in 1896, and where he has since made his home. He has
been married twice; first, in 1880, to Anna Hunter,
a daughter of Robert Hunter; they had one child,
Harry. Mrs. Lowry died in 1883. His
second marriage took place in November, 1890, to Katherine
Flaherty, a daughter of Thomas Flaherty. They
have had two children: Donna and Victor.
In 1893 Mr. Lowry was elected county
commissioner on the Independent ticket. He was nominated
against his wishes and made no fight to win the office, but
was elected and served three years. He is a Mason and is a
member of Portland (Indiana) Lodge, B. P. O. E. |
JOHN
JOSEPH LUTHMANN, one of Butler township's prosperous
agriculturists, who resides on a highly-cultivated farm on
80 acres located in section I, was born at Egypt, Auglaize
County, Ohio, March 23, 1861, and is a son of John C. and
Mary Luthmann.
John C. Luthmann was born in Germany. He was a
school teacher prior to and after coming to America.
He located in Auglaize County, Ohio, and taught for some
time at Wapakoneta and at Egypt. He died Aug. 16,
1894, near Minster, leaving a farm in 149 acres in Adams
County, Indiana.
John J. Luthmann was reared in Auglaize County.
In 1884 he went to Adams County, Indiana, to cultivate the
land left by his father, and acquired a farm of 69 acres in
Adams County, which he sold in 1898, when he purchased his
present farm in Butler township. In 1901 he built a
large frame house and barn; he has made other necessary
improvements.
Mr. Luthmannwas married (first) in 1884 to Dora
Deneka, of Adams County, who died 22 months later.
He was married (second) in 1886 to Tracy Robin, who
died 13 months after marriage. They had one child,
Casper, who died at the age of 10 months. Mr.
Luthmann was married Oct. 16, 1900, aged 11 years.
Mr. Luthmann and his wife are members of the Catholic
Church. |
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