Bernard German
Bernard German, who enjoys the distinction of being the second oldest settler of Marion township, living continuously on his own land, was born in Germany in December, 1826, and is a son of Bernard and Mary (Horn) German.
The boyhood and early youth of Mr. German were spent in his native land where he acquired a good, common-school education and enough knowledge of machinery to enable him to secure a position as stationary engineer, after coming to America, at the age of 17 years. He lived at Cincinnati for 15 years. In 1857 he left that city and moved to Allen County. He purchased 62 acres of wild land, in section 22, Marion township, and the present fine farm was all cleared by his individual efforts, with the exception of 10 acres. He paid the sum of $1,000 in gold for this property, its fine location along the Auglaize River making it a very desirable tract. The highway which now passes his comfortable residence was evolved from the blazed path he made, more than 40 years ago.
At the time Mr. German settled on his farm in Marion township, Delphos was, as it now is the nearest trading center, but almost every other fact has changed. Where now broad highways afford easy transportation to different points and where electric roads afford conveniences for more extended travel, in his day roamed the wild creatures of the wilderness, many of these so unaccustomed to the presence of the white man as to venture very close to his habitation. With game in abundance and the beautiful river teeming with fish, the pioneers of Marion township had advantages over settlers in many other localities. Mr. German's home was the inevitable house of logs, but his, unlike many others, was constructed without the use of a single nail, pegs of wood and wooden hinges sufficing. The comfortable little cabin had a puncheon floor and the huge fireplace was the dispenser of both heat and light. The furniture was very simple although entirely adequate, much of it being of home manufacture. A lard lamp was made use of for special occasions, but in those days the tired residents did not turn night into day as is often the custom of the present, and lard lamps and tallow candles were all sufficient. The winter clothing was made from the wool farm, Mr. German's estimable wife carding, spinning and weaving it into a strong, warm, fabric and making it into excellent, serviceable clothing. Mr. German says that in the early days of life in Marion township, he and his good wife, like their neighbors, enjoyed visiting and making trip to Delphos, riding on the same horse and even carried some of the little ones along without inconvenience.
Mr. German was married on June 27, 1847, to Mary Fortman, who is a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Point) Fortman. Mr. Fortman crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Germany about 1833 in one of the sailing vessels of that day, and was one of the early settlers at Dayton, Ohio. In 1837 he settled in section 21, Marion township, on the west side of the river. Joseph Fortman and wife had seven children, viz: Joseph; Benjamin; Elizabeth, wife of John Clausing; Mary, wife of Mr. German; Dena (Dickerman); and Anthony, who lives on the old Forman homestead. He and Mrs. German are the only survivors of the Fortman family. Joseph Fortman died aged 60 years and his wife, at the age of 79 years. Mrs. German, like her husband, can recall many of the early experiences of the pioneers of Marion township. When her father first built his log cabin in the woods here, there were still numbers of Indians roving through the country, subsisting upon the wild game which was so plentiful. As the first home of the family was entirely without a roof and consisted in fact of a square barricade, with no door, the only way in which either Indians or wild creatures could get in to disturb the inmates when at rest, was to enter in the same manner as did Mr. Fortman and family, and that was to crawl under. He was a man of great industry, and as he knew that work on public improvements could be had if he could provide for his family and then leave them for a time, he did what seemed best under the circumstances. No great fatality attended them, and as soon as he felt sure they could be safe, he went to work on the Great Reservoir then being built, and next found profitable employment on the canal at Deep Cut, near Spencer. He also did a great deal of the grubbing work for the canal in sections 12, 15, and 14, and when the canal was completed, he, with his son Anthony, were passengers on the first boat that arrived at Delphos. After the canal was established Mr. Fortman returned to his farm and assisted in its clearing. As noted above, his son Anthony occupies the farm, having lived upon it for 68 years. It is in the extreme northern part of Marion township on the edge of Putnam County.
Mrs. German remembers how the family came on foot from Dayton, camped out at night and thus, tired and lonely reached the log cabin shelter in Marion township The great fire-place gave warmth and all the cooking was done by it, and the admirable mother spun and wove in the light of this fire. Among the wild animals which surrounded the home and frequently disturbed their peace of mind. Mrs. German mentions bears, deer, wolves and porcupines. On one occasion a herd of 14 deer came so near the home that her brother Anthony killed one big buck with a club. In her youth her father used the flail to thresh out his grain, which he disposed of at Fort Jennings, which was their nearest trading point. The corn they raised had to be taken to this place to be ground until Mr. Fortman was able to buy a hand mill of his own. he assisted in the construction of the first frame church at Delphos, the Church of St. John the Evangelist. Her brother, Anthony Fortman, married Annie Hempker, a daughter of Conrad Hempker, and they adopted Elizabeth, who later became the wife of John Clausing.
Bernard German, who enjoys the distinction of being the second oldest settler of Marion township, living continuously on his own land, was born in Germany in December, 1826, and is a son of Bernard and Mary (Horn) German.
The boyhood and early youth of Mr. German were spent in his native land where he acquired a good, common-school education and enough knowledge of machinery to enable him to secure a position as stationary engineer, after coming to America, at the age of 17 years. He lived at Cincinnati for 15 years. In 1857 he left that city and moved to Allen County. He purchased 62 acres of wild land, in section 22, Marion township, and the present fine farm was all cleared by his individual efforts, with the exception of 10 acres. He paid the sum of $1,000 in gold for this property, its fine location along the Auglaize River making it a very desirable tract. The highway which now passes his comfortable residence was evolved from the blazed path he made, more than 40 years ago.
At the time Mr. German settled on his farm in Marion township, Delphos was, as it now is the nearest trading center, but almost every other fact has changed. Where now broad highways afford easy transportation to different points and where electric roads afford conveniences for more extended travel, in his day roamed the wild creatures of the wilderness, many of these so unaccustomed to the presence of the white man as to venture very close to his habitation. With game in abundance and the beautiful river teeming with fish, the pioneers of Marion township had advantages over settlers in many other localities. Mr. German's home was the inevitable house of logs, but his, unlike many others, was constructed without the use of a single nail, pegs of wood and wooden hinges sufficing. The comfortable little cabin had a puncheon floor and the huge fireplace was the dispenser of both heat and light. The furniture was very simple although entirely adequate, much of it being of home manufacture. A lard lamp was made use of for special occasions, but in those days the tired residents did not turn night into day as is often the custom of the present, and lard lamps and tallow candles were all sufficient. The winter clothing was made from the wool farm, Mr. German's estimable wife carding, spinning and weaving it into a strong, warm, fabric and making it into excellent, serviceable clothing. Mr. German says that in the early days of life in Marion township, he and his good wife, like their neighbors, enjoyed visiting and making trip to Delphos, riding on the same horse and even carried some of the little ones along without inconvenience.
Mr. German was married on June 27, 1847, to Mary Fortman, who is a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Point) Fortman. Mr. Fortman crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Germany about 1833 in one of the sailing vessels of that day, and was one of the early settlers at Dayton, Ohio. In 1837 he settled in section 21, Marion township, on the west side of the river. Joseph Fortman and wife had seven children, viz: Joseph; Benjamin; Elizabeth, wife of John Clausing; Mary, wife of Mr. German; Dena (Dickerman); and Anthony, who lives on the old Forman homestead. He and Mrs. German are the only survivors of the Fortman family. Joseph Fortman died aged 60 years and his wife, at the age of 79 years. Mrs. German, like her husband, can recall many of the early experiences of the pioneers of Marion township. When her father first built his log cabin in the woods here, there were still numbers of Indians roving through the country, subsisting upon the wild game which was so plentiful. As the first home of the family was entirely without a roof and consisted in fact of a square barricade, with no door, the only way in which either Indians or wild creatures could get in to disturb the inmates when at rest, was to enter in the same manner as did Mr. Fortman and family, and that was to crawl under. He was a man of great industry, and as he knew that work on public improvements could be had if he could provide for his family and then leave them for a time, he did what seemed best under the circumstances. No great fatality attended them, and as soon as he felt sure they could be safe, he went to work on the Great Reservoir then being built, and next found profitable employment on the canal at Deep Cut, near Spencer. He also did a great deal of the grubbing work for the canal in sections 12, 15, and 14, and when the canal was completed, he, with his son Anthony, were passengers on the first boat that arrived at Delphos. After the canal was established Mr. Fortman returned to his farm and assisted in its clearing. As noted above, his son Anthony occupies the farm, having lived upon it for 68 years. It is in the extreme northern part of Marion township on the edge of Putnam County.
Mrs. German remembers how the family came on foot from Dayton, camped out at night and thus, tired and lonely reached the log cabin shelter in Marion township The great fire-place gave warmth and all the cooking was done by it, and the admirable mother spun and wove in the light of this fire. Among the wild animals which surrounded the home and frequently disturbed their peace of mind. Mrs. German mentions bears, deer, wolves and porcupines. On one occasion a herd of 14 deer came so near the home that her brother Anthony killed one big buck with a club. In her youth her father used the flail to thresh out his grain, which he disposed of at Fort Jennings, which was their nearest trading point. The corn they raised had to be taken to this place to be ground until Mr. Fortman was able to buy a hand mill of his own. he assisted in the construction of the first frame church at Delphos, the Church of St. John the Evangelist. Her brother, Anthony Fortman, married Annie Hempker, a daughter of Conrad Hempker, and they adopted Elizabeth, who later became the wife of John Clausing.
Mr. and Mrs. German had nine children, the survivors being : Bernard, A. J., John, Louis and Frank. Bernard, named for his father and grandfather, resides in Oklahoma Territory. He married Mary Vergerson and has seven children, one of these, Mary, married George Droll, and has a daughter. A. J. married Kate Neimeyer, a daughter of David and a granddaughter of David Neimeyer, a pioneer of Allen County, and they have three children: Loretta, Leo and Sylvester; they live on the home farm. John also resides at home. Louis resides at Fort Jennings and he and wife have four children. Frank married Frances Knipp and they have six children. Thus our venerable subject and wife have 20 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Politically, Mr. German is a Democrat. He has served as supervisor and as trustee of Marion township, and he has also served as president, secretary and as a director in the German Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company. With his family he belongs to the Catholic Church. He belongs to the church of St. John the Evangelist at Delphos and was one of the trustees when the new church was erected. He has been prominent in the township in many was and commands the respect of all who know him.
Mr. and Mrs. German had nine children, the survivors being : Bernard, A. J., John, Louis and Frank. Bernard, named for his father and grandfather, resides in Oklahoma Territory. He married Mary Vergerson and has seven children, one of these, Mary, married George Droll, and has a daughter. A. J. married Kate Neimeyer, a daughter of David and a granddaughter of David Neimeyer, a pioneer of Allen County, and they have three children: Loretta, Leo and Sylvester; they live on the home farm. John also resides at home. Louis resides at Fort Jennings and he and wife have four children. Frank married Frances Knipp and they have six children. Thus our venerable subject and wife have 20 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Politically, Mr. German is a Democrat. He has served as supervisor and as trustee of Marion township, and he has also served as president, secretary and as a director in the German Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company. With his family he belongs to the Catholic Church. He belongs to the church of St. John the Evangelist at Delphos and was one of the trustees when the new church was erected. He has been prominent in the township in many was and commands the respect of all who know him.