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OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
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PUTNAM COUNTY,
OHIO
History & Genealogy
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BIOGRAPHIES
 Source:
A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen & Putnam
Counties, Ohio
Containing Biographical Sketches of Many
Prominent and Representative Citizens,
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the
Presidents of the United States
and Biographies of the
Governors of Ohio
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Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co.
1896
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GO to 1896 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX PAGE >
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AARON OBERBECK |
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CAPT. N. W. OGAN |
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GERHARD H. OTTE,
prominent as a citizen of Ottoville, Monterey
township, Putnam county, Ohio, was born May 13,
1834, on his father’s farm, near Osnabruck, Germany.
His father, also named Gerhard, was the owner
of fifty-six acres of land in Hanover, which has
been in the family for generations and on winch he
passed all his life. He married Agnes
Barlag, and to this union were born eight
children, in the following order: Gerhard H.,
Agnes, Elizabeth, Catherine,
Henry, Joseph, Mary E. and
George. He was a devout Catholic, and died
in that faith at the age of eighty-three years.
Of the above children, Gerhard H. and
Joseph came to America.
Gerhard H. Otte received a good common-school
education in Germany, and at the age of sixteen
years sailed from Bremen, and after a tedious voyage
of eight weeks and three days landed in New York in
June, 1851. He immediately repaired to Albany
via a Hudson river steamer, in company with his
second cousin, Henry Esch, who later
located in Ottawa, Ohio, but subsequently returned
to Germany. From Albany the young man went to
Buffalo, N. Y., via the Erie canal, thence via the
lake to Erie, Pa., then by canal to Beaver, Pa., and
then via the Ohio river, reached Cincinnati, Ohio,
and finally reached section No. 10, at Delphos, on
the Miami & Erie canal. A few days later he
came to Ottoville, and in the hitter part of the
year Mr. Otte settled on section No.
16, in Monterey township. He first engaged in
driving an ox team and hauling logs, as the county
was all woods. Being unacclimated, he was
seized with fever and ague and was compelled to
retire to Delphos.
On partial recovery he began working in a cooper shop
in Delphos, learned the trade and followed it for
nine ycars, and then retired to, Ottoville. where,
in 1860, he embarked in mercantile trade, and was
one of the first merchants of that town, H. W.
Beckman alone having preceded him. Mr.
Otte at once formed a partnership with
Matthias Winkleman, but, in 1887, Mr.
Winkleman sold his interest in the business,
and Mr. Otte held control until 1891,
when he sold out and retired from active life, after
an experience of over thirty years in the conduct of
mercantile affairs.
Mr. Otte has always clung to the
religious faith of his ancestors, who had been Roman
Catholics for generations, and is one of the
councilmen of St. Mary’s Immaculate church and was a
member of the building committee on the erection of
the present edifice. In politics Mr.
Otto is a democrat, and was appointed the second
postmaster of Ottoville, by President Buchanan—his
parner, Mr. Winkleman, being
the first appointed, and after the death of that
gentleman, who had served a second time, about 1880,
Mr. Otte was again appointed and held
the office until 1893. He is an honored and
trusted citizen and for thirty years has filled the
office of township treasurer and for six years has
been a notary public. During the war he was a
member of the home guards and was billeted at Camp
Lucas, Ohio.
Mr. Otte was united in marriage with
Miss Annie Wurst, who was born in 1842, in
Crawford county, Ohio, a daughter of Joseph and
Annie (Keever) Wurst, of Bavaria, Germany, but
early settlers of Crawford county, Ohio. The
result of the marriage of Mr. Otte was ten
children, viz: Joseph S., John P., Annie A., Mary
C., Girard IT. Lizzie L., Louis W., Ferdinand W.,
Leo J. C., and William M., all born in
Ottoville. The mother of this family was laid
to rest Mar. 26, 1891. She was a loving wife,
an indulgent mother, a woman of many good qualities
and a devout member of the Catholic church.
Mr. Otte is a gentleman whose integrity
has never been doubted, and who is honored for the
part he has taken in building up the town in which
he lives, and is esteemed for his just life and
charitable disposition, and for his genial and
friendly temperament.
Source: A Portrait and
Biographical Record of Allen and Van Wert Counties,
Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. - 1896 -
Page 397 |
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