John Fritz
John Fritz was born in Knox County, Ohio, November 12, 1849, a son of Ferdinand and Thacla (Grim) Fritz, natives of Bavaria, Germany, latter of whom died of dropsy, at the age of forty, after an illness of over nine years. Ferdinand Fritz was the eldest son of John and Mary (Husfielt) Fritz, and came to America with his parents when eleven years old. They settled near Danville, and there Ferdinand grew to manhood. He acquired a good property, having at his death a valuable farm of 174 acres. He died in 1883, aged fifty-seven years, his wife in 1879, aged forty-eight years. They had a family of nine children: John, Catherine (deceased), Anna, Mary, Joseph, Henry, George, Leo and Sarah.
John Fritz spent his early life in his native county, and was there educated, attending the common schools. He learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked a number of years, and has also given his attention to the work of the farm. In 1880 he bought the farm where he now lives, in Washington Township, Holmes County, which contains 110 acres of good land. He was married in 1880 to Barbara, daughter of Paul Now, and they have four children: Mary Tracy, Clara Catherine, George Edward, and Thacla Elnora. In politics Mr. Fritz affiliates with the Democratic party. He and his wife are members of the Catholic Church.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Wayne and Holmes, Ohio, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1889