John Frederick Ditzel
John Frederick Ditzel, carpenter and contractor, of No. 313 Johnson street, Dayton, Ohio, was born near Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, June 15, 1848. He is a son of Frederick and Eva (Natt) Ditzel, both of whom were born in Germany. They were the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters, five of whom are still living, as follows: John F.; Eva, wife of Elias Breidenbach; James; Elizabeth, wife of Rolla Gallagher, and Alice, wife of Jackson Carroll. Frederick Ditzel was a butcher in early life, in Germany, and came to the United States about 1856, locating in New York city.After a year or two he located near Palmyra, Wayne county, N.Y., living there until the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, in 1861. He enlisted in the One Hundred and Sixtieth New York volunteer infantry, in which regiment he continued for three years, within two months, his services to his adopted country ending with his death in Baton Rouge,La., from the effects of a wound received at Fredericksburg, Va. He was then in his thirty-ninth year. His wife survived until April, 1891, when she died in her sixty-fourth year. She was a member of the German Evangelical church, and Mr. Ditzel, while in Germany, was a member of the Lutheran church, but, upon coming to this country, both joined the Methodist Episcopal church. John F. Ditzel was about eight years of age when brought to this country by his parents. His early education he received in the state of New York, and in 1864 came to Ohio, soon after his father's death, and located at Alpha, Greene county, where he lived three or four years, working in a mill and in Harbine's still-house, or distillery. About three years were then spent on a farm, after which he removed to Dayton, where the first work he found was on the streets, after which he was employed by the contractor who was constructing the hydraulic race of the Dayton View Hydraulic company. For several years afterward he was engaged in a tobacco factory, and then, on the advice of Dr. Crook, sought outdoor occupation on account of ill health. After working thus for a painter for one year, he learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked two years for John Hoehn, and then entered the employ of the late John Rouzer. After remaining with this well-known contractor for eight years, Mr. Ditzel returned to Mr. Hoehn and remained with him a short time, or till his death. The entire business was then taken up by Mr. Ditzel, who has since been engaged in doing contract work on his own account, and has met with most gratifying success. Among the buildings which he has erected are eight school-houses and several churches in Dayton, beside numerous residences, all of which show honest, careful work. He also built a large school-house in Lebanon, Warren county. On December 25, 1872, Mr. Ditzel was married to Miss Catherine Klinkert, daughter of Mathias and Margaret (Oneth) Klinkert, the former of whom came from Alsace-Lorraine, and the latter from Frankfort, on the Main. To this marriage there have been born six children, as follows: Henry Adam, Charles Edward, Bertha May, Bessie Savilla, John Milton, and Nellie Naoma. Bessie, died when eleven years of age; Henry A. married Miss Lille Frank, daughter of Judge Frank. Mr. and Mrs. Ditzel are members of the English Evangelical association. Fraternally Mr. Ditzel is an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias, and politically he is a republican. He has served as a director of the workhouse board for three years. He erected his present home, at 313 Johnson street, in 1875, though he has been a resident of Dayton for thirty-two years. After his father's death, John, the eldest son, supported the family as they grew up, or until each was able to care for himself.He is now rearing to good citizenship a family of his own, fine children, healthy, strong and intelligent. Mr. Ditzel and a few others organized the English Evangelical association, which began with a membership of twenty-six, and now has a Sunday-school attendance of 200. The association started with no financial strength, Mr. Ditzel raising $1,500 by mortgaging his own home, and with this money purchasing the lot on which the church improvements now stand. Mr. Ditzel also organized the Builders' exchange, starting its first subscription and writing its first rules of order. He is thus a public-spirited man, full of hope for the best in all things, and willing to labor in order that that hope may be realized. He is most genial and generous, with a character above reproach or suspicion, and has hosts of warm and admiring friends. Such men are the safety and the salvation of the city, state and country.
From Centennial Portrait and Biographical Record of the City of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, A. W. Bowen & Co., 1897