In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1915) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions (1915), A Biographical history of Preble County, Ohio : compendium of national biography (1900)
ADAM EHRHARDT.
One of the prosperous and progressive farmers of Somers township, Adam Ehrliardt, has so ably conducted his business interests that success has crowned his efforts and given him a place among the substantial citizens of his community. He was born in Cincinnati, March 22, 1850. His father, Adam Ehrhardt, Sr., was a native of Germany, who married Rebecca Vogel, a native of Pennsylvania and of German parentage. She was reared, however, in Cincinnati, and in that city her marriage was celebrated, about 1846. His father’s birth occurred in 1821, and his mother’s in 1823. At the age of twenty-two years his father had sought a home in the new world, reaching America without capital. His brother, who had crossed the bring deep to New Orleans some years previously, had sent him money in order to pay his passage. He did not long harry in the Crescent city, however, but started north for Cincinnati. He followed his profession of landscape gardening and reared his three sons in the same business. Fred and Henry Ehrhardt, brothers of our subject, are still engaged in that occupation. The mother survives her husband and is now living in Cincinnati, with her three daughters. All of her six children are married and have families. The enterprise of the father brought to him a comfortable competence, and the mother is now well situated financially, so that she has been able to assist her children in getting started in life. Recently she gave to her son, Adam, two thousand dollars.
At his parental home our subject spent the days of his boyhood and youth, becoming an able assistant to his father. He was married in 1876 to Miss Minnie Seeger, and to them have been born the followingchildren: Fred, who died at the age of six years; Ada A., at home; Ollie, the wife of Winfred Johnson, by whom she has John, Levi, Rebecca, Carrie, Lida and Edmond.
Mr. Ehrhardt is now the owner of two valuable farms, one comprising one hundred and sixty-three acres, the other one hundred and sixty-seven acres. He has a good house and barn upon the farm which he rents, and his own fine new residence is a two-story frame dwelling, which he erected in 1890. It stands on a natural building site and can be seen for several miles. All of his improvements are in keeping with those of a model farm and everything about the place is neat in appearance, indicating the careful supervision of the owner. He raises the crops best adapted to this climate, making a specialty of wheat and corn, and annually harvests about two thousand bushels of wheat and three thousand bushels of corn. He gives considerable attention to the raising of hogs and finds that a profitable source of income. He has Poland China hogs upon the farm and Duroc Jerseys, and sells annually about one hundred and fifteen head. He also has graded Shropshire sheep and ten horses. His life has been an industrious one and indolence and idleness are utterly foreign to his nature. He has accumulated a fine property, to which has been added a handsome sum of money. When this sturdy farmer, in his working clothes, deposited two one-thousand-dollar bills in the bank recently the clerk was quite surprised; but Mr. Ehrhardt has carefully husbanded his resources, and his enterprise, supplemented by economy and good management, has brought to him deserved success. His political support is given to the Democracy and for three years he has capable served as road commissioner. As a citizen he is public spirited and progressive, withholding his support from no measure or movement which he believes would prove of public benefit.
As printed in A Biographical history of Preble County, Ohio : compendium of national biography (1900). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
ADAM EHRHARDT.
Among the solid and substantial citizens of nearly every section of this country will be found many of either German birth or German parentage. In this respect Preble county, Ohio, is no exception to the general rule, as it numbers among the leading residents of its various communities many persons of German ancestry. In Preble county one of the most prominent German-American citizens is Adam Ehrhardt, of Somers township, who has achieved success not only in his calling as a farmer, but also in the local politics of his community.
Adam Ehrhardt was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 22, 1849, son of Adam and Rebecca (Xogle) Ehrhardt. Adam Ehrhardt, Sr., was a native of Germany. He came to the United States when he was twenty-one years of age and landed in New Orleans, Louisiana, from which place he went to Cincinnati. He then followed the vocation of a gardener at Clifton, a small place which is now a part of Cincinnati. He married Rebecca Nogle, who was born in Pennsylvania, but who moved to Cincinnati with her parents when she was six years of age. To this union were born six children, all of whom are living, Adam, the subject of this sketch: Henry, who lives in Shelby county, Ohio; Frederick, who lives at Eaton, this county; Margaret, who is the wife of Fred Sellmeyer, of Cincinnati, and Lucy, the wife of George Close, of Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ehrhardt died in Cincinnati, the death of the former occurring in 1873. Mrs. Ehrhardt surviving her husband until 1907. They were both devout members of the German Lutheran church. In politics Mr. Ehrhardt upheld the principles of the Republican party.
Adam Ehrhardt, Jr., had little opportunity to procure an education, as he was early called upon to aid his father in the support of the family, being the eldest son and the health of his father not the best. In March, 1876, Mr. Ehrhardt married Minnie Seeger, who was born on August 1 1, 1851, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Seeger, both of whom were natives of Germany. Mrs. Seeger died on November 19, 1867, and Mr. Seeger died on July 18,
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
After his marriage Mr. Ehrhardt moved from Cincinnati to Preble county and bought eighty acres of land, on which he now lives. By degrees he added to his original land until he now owns five hundred and forty acres of rich Preble county land, all thoroughly improved and in the best of condition. On his land he has erected a fine residence and several excellent barns.
Mr. Ehrhardt is a devoted member of the German Lutheran church, as was also Mrs. Ehrhardt, previous to her death, which occurred April 4, 1914. The children are all members of the United Presbyterian church. Mr. Ehrhardt is a loyal supporter of the Democratic party and has long taken an active interest in the affairs of the party in his community. His efforts in its behalf have been recognized and rewarded by his election to the office of road supervisor of his county, the duties of which office he has so ablv executed that the voters of his township have continually re-elected him and have kept him in the office for a period of seventeen years.
Mr. Ehrhardt is in every sense of the term a self-made man, a distinction which rightfully gains for him the highest esteem and respect of his neighbors. Starting, as he did, a poor bov obliged to aid his father in the support of his family, the intelligent application of his efforts and industry
boo enabled hm to achieve success to such an extent that he is now the owner of one of the finest farms in his community, certainly giving him title to a place in the pages of this history of his county.
As printed in History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Their biographies name Adam Ehrhardt: Levi L. Ehrhardt (b. 1882)
The printed record stops around 1915. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.