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Ottawa County, Ohio
BIOGRAPHIES |
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HENRY and JOHN
AHRENS are two of the most
prominent farmers and fruit growers of Danbury township,
Ottawa county, the former of whom was born September 22,
1860, on the old homestead farm upon which he still
resides. He is a son of CARSTEN and Elizabeth (Fauble)
Ahrens, both natives of Germany, was reared to manhood
upon the farm, and received his education in the district
schools of the neighborhood. From early boyhood he
has been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and of late
years has devoted a great deal of his time and attention
to fruit growing, owning and operating one of the largest
and most extensive fruit orchards in the township.
Socially he is a member of Peninsular Lodge, No. 607,
Knights of Pythias, and, politically, is a stalwart
Republican.
CARSTEN AHRENS, the father, was born in the Province of
Hanover, June 5, 1805, and was a son of Adolph and Katherina Ahrens, also natives of the same province.
Until the age of sixteen years he remained in his native
land, it being about 1821 when he left home, going to
England, where he worked in a sugar refinery some seven
years. In 1828 we find him a resident of New York,
where he engaged in the grocery business. Five years
later he came to Danbury township, Ottawa Co., Ohio, where
he purchased the land on which he afterward resided, and
then returned to New York. Several years later he
removed to his farm, but after a residence of a few years
rented his land to his brother and again went to New York,
remaining there until about 1838, when he returned to
Danbury township, and from that date until the time of his
death there made his home. He departed this life May
2, 1883.
The mother of our subject was born in the Province of
Hesse, Germany, April 14, 1830, and was a daughter of
Wilhelm and Katrina Fauble, both of whose births occurred
in the Fatherland. She came to America in 1850, and
for about a year made her home in Cleveland, Ohio.
On December 6, 1851, at Sandusky City, Erie Co., Ohio, she
was united in marriage with Carsten Ahrens, and became the
mother of six children, as follows: Katherine, born
February 11, 1853, who became the wife of Daniel Finken,
and died October 5, 1884; Adolph, born January 23, 1855,
died December 17, 1874; Elizabeth, born October 21, 1858,
who became the wife of William Hess, of Danbury township
and died suddenly, April 13, 1895, at the residence of our
subject, leaving a husband and four children to mourn the
loss of a faithful wife and loving mother; Henry is the
next in order of birth; Anna was born in February, 1862;
and John, born April 25, 1864, also residing on the old
homestead.
The farm is now under the personal supervision of our
subjects, and the neat and imposing appearance of the
surrounding are ample proof of their ability as thorough,
practical farmers and fruit growers. They take a
lively interest in the progress and development of the
county, giving their encouragement and more substantial
support to those enterprises which are calculated to
upbuild the community. The family attend the
services of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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DAVID
ALEXANDER (deceased), father of Mrs. Eliza P.
Miller, was born at New London, Chester Co., Penn.,
July 31, 1812, and came to Ohio in 1833, locating first
at Dayton, later at Piqua. Here he was actively
engaged in business for a number of years. In
1843-44 he represented Miami county in the Ohio
Legislature. About that time he removed to
Columbus, and for several years was engaged in the home
office of the Columbus Insurance Co. In 1854 he
became general agent for the West of the Hartford Fire
Insurance Co., removing to Chicago in 1861. In
1863 failing health compelled him to resign his position
and in order to obtain rest and recreation he came to
the Lake Erie islands. Impressed with the natural
beauty and advantages of the locality, he bought a farm
on the Peninsula, which for thirty years was his home.
During the administration of President Grant, Mr.
Alexander was appointed Examiner of National Banks,
and spent four years in government employ, his territory
embracing all of New York State (except the city), Ohio,
Indiana and a part of Virginia.
Mr. Alexander early saw the superior advantages
of the Peninsula for fruit growing, and from the first
made that the only product of his farm. He was the
first on the Peninsula to plant peaches largely for
market, and to see, as prophesied by him, that entire
section of country covered with peach orchards. He
was called from earth Dec. 23, 1894. Though of a
retiring disposition, always seeking to avoid publicity,
he took an active interest in public affairs, and few
men were better posted in the doings of the day.
In early life he united with the Presbyterian Church,
and always lived a consistent Christian life. He
assisted in organizing the Congregational Church on the
Peninsula, and was always one of its faithful
supporters.
Mr. Alexander was twice married; first time to
Martha A. Graham, of Chester county, Penn., but
she died in 1844, leaving one son, Robert Graham
Alexander, who died in Chicago in 1862, in his
twenty-second year. In 1849, for his second wife,
Mr. Alexander married Harriet R. Petitt,
of Piqua, who, with three daughters (Mrs. William
Miller, of Gypsum, Mrs. S. R. Gill, of
Lakeside, and Mrs. J. W. Benschoter of Bowling
Green) and one son (S. P. Alexander), survives
him.
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