Capt. C. F. Donze
Capt. C. F. Donze, one of the prominent citizens of Lima, who is identified with the city's material development and its business and social life, is a native of France, a country which has contributed largely to the good citizenship of America. Captain Donze was born June 5, 1844, and accompanied his parents to America at the age of five years.
The parents of our subject settled in Williams County, Ohio, and there the boy was reared and educated, and imbibed the patriotic feelings which induced him, a youth of but 17 years, to enlist in the defense of the flag of his adopted country. In August, 1861, he became a member of Company A, 38th Reg. Ohio Vol. Inf., remaining with the same company when it veteranized two years later. He was with the same regiment until the close of the war, with the exception of the times when on detached duty. His service covered three years and 11 months, and he was mustered out on July 22, 1865 at the close of the war. He took part in every engagement of the regiment, participating in the whole campaign under General Rosecrans through Kentucky and Tennessee, the battles of Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge, then on to Atlanta, thence to Jonesboro, back to Kingston, and under General Sherman in his famous "March to the Sea," then up through the Carolinas to the Grand Review at Washington.
Captain Donze did not escape injury during these years of exposure and dangers. He was wounded on several occasions, the most serious one being received at the battle of Jonesboro, Georgia, on September 1, 1864. Enlisting as a private, he was rapidly advanced later becoming sergeant and color-bearer. With him it is a cherished privilege to meet his old comrades at the yearly reunions and to carry again his old flag, which he so gallantly upheld when bullets rained about him and the enemy's deadly shells were exploding above his head. His company went out with a membership of 101;120 recruits were mustered into the service during the war, and of the original muster, 29 answered the mustercall at the close of the war.
After his army life was over, Captain Donze returned home and spent his first winter attending school. In the spring of 1866 he engaged in a hardware business at Bryan, Ohio and at other points under the firm name of Garver, Donze & Company. In 1878 he came to Lima and continued in the hardware business for some seven years, later in the funiture line and still later became interested in milling. In April, 1904, he sold out his milling interests and since then has not been in active business life. Although this is true, it does not mean that he has retired from all activity as to public concern and public-spirited movements, for he is now, as formerly, alive to everything which closely concerns his city. He is a large owner of real estate and built the Donze & Krauss Block, on North Main street and the fine three-story Donze Block on South Main street, which is 50 by 90 feet; also a block on Spring street, which has 50 feet frontage and a part of which is 60 and the remainder 97 feet deep.
Captain Donze is a member of the City Board of Review of Lima, a member of the board of trustees of the Masonic Hall Company and a member of the executive committee and the board of directors of Lima Progressive Association. He belongs also to the Country Club. In addition he is a Mason, belonging to the Blue lodge, Council and Commandery at Lima and to Antioch Temple, of the Mystic Shrine at Dayton. He is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.