In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1912) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902), History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1912)
CHRISTIAN F. BIRK.
To achieve renown in the political field there must be something substantial on which to base aspirations and something more than the desire to attain prominence. A man must possess a strict sense of honor, a firm conviction that he is capable of performing the duties to which he is assigned and 1: st have the welfare of his community and constituents at heart, sacrificin * his personal interests those of the people. For more than a quarter of a century Mr. Birk has been identified with the Democracy and has labored untiringly to promote its growth and to secure the adoption of its platform. Many times has he been honored with positions of public trust and responsibility, and in these he has ever been found faithful to his duty. He is now serving as mayor of Bucyrus and handles the reins of city government in a manner that has promoted the welfare and progress of the municipality.
One of the native sons of Bucyrus, Christian F. Birk was born April 29, 1852, a son of John G. Birk, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and came to the United States in 1845. After living for a time in Albany, New York, he went to Tuscarawas county, Ohio. In 1847 ne came to Bucyrus, and here followed harness-making many years. From 1874 to 1876 he served as treasurer of Crawford county. His death occurred November 10, 1888. In 1851 he married Miss Joanna Kuhn, also a native of Germany and a representative of one of the pioneer families of Crawford county, her people having come to this section of Ohio in 1836. Her death occurred in October,
1893, when she had attained the age of sixty-five years. In their family were the following named: Christian F., of this review; George M., who is engaged in the drug business with his brother; Christian F.; Emanuel R., who is now proprietor of the harness shop established by his father and is doing a very extensive business, making sales in various portions of the state and even beyond its borders; Lewis C, who is foreman in the harness store; and Elizabeth, the wife of F. P. Donnenwirth, a retired citizen of Bucyrus.
Christian F. Birk, whose name forms the caption of this review, acquired a common-school education in Bucyrus, and at the age of fourteen began assisting his father in the harness shop, where he mastered the business both in principle and detail. For several years he was a partner with his father in the enterprise, under the firm name of J. G. Birk & Son. For fifty-three years the business has been continued as the Birks Harness Store and is one of the most successful commercial institutions of the city, being now conducted by two of the sons of the former. In 1892 our subject and his younger brother, G. M. Birk, established a drug store, which they are still conducting. They carry a large and well selected stock of goods and their business methods are such that those who once become their customers remain as regular patrons. Their sales are constantly increasing and the proprietors therefore enjoy a good income. Our subject is also connected with the Board of Trade. In Bucyrus, in 1873, was celebrated the marriage of Christian F. Birk and Miss Bertha S. Volk, a daughter of William F. Volk, who came to Crawford county about sixty years ago. They now have three children: John W., a graduate of a commercial course in Chicago, was the first lieutenant in Company A, of the Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the Spanish-American war and served at Santiago, being present at the time of the surrender of the city; Carry Elizabeth is now the wife of G. W. Kerr, of Wrightsville, Pennsylvania; and Edna T. is a teacher in the schools of Bucyrus. The mother died August 10, 1898, a month after her son sailed for Cuba, and while he was still on the Island. Socially Mr. Birk is connected with Knights of Pythias fraternity, and with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He also belongs to the German Lutheran church and in his political affiliations is a stalwart Democrat, unswerving in his support of the party. When only twenty-three years of age he was elected to the city council and after an interval he was chosen, in 1896, for a second term of two years. He served as city marshal from 1884 until 1890, and in the latter year entered upon a four years' term as county sheriff. His fellow townsmen conferred upon him the highest honor within their power when, in 1898, he was elected mayor of Bucyrus, and two years later they again called him to the same position, a fact which indicates how faithfully he had served them, his administration being practical, progressive and beneficial. Public spirited, he has withheld his support from no measure that he believes will promote the welfare and substantial advancement of Bucyrus, and his discriminating mind enables him to judge correctly of the value to the city of any measure introduced. Over the record of his public life and private career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, and he is rich in those qualities which win and retain personal friendships.
As printed in A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio .. (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
CHRISTIAN F. BIRK, of the well known drug firm of Birk Bros., operating at Bucyrus, O., and made up of George M. and Christian F. Birk, was born at Bucyrus, April 29, 1852, and is a son of John G. and Joanna (Kuhn) Birk.
The Birk family is of German extraction and the grandfather, John G. Birk, Sr., was born in Wurtemberg, in the village of Kricheim, where the-old family residence still stands. He was one of the patriots of 1848 who, on account of his courage in advocating freedom of speech and action, was threatened with persecution and in order to avoid it, in 1849, followed other members of his family to America, feeding his estate in his native land to a daughter, but later it was confiscated by the government. Mr. Birk and wife found a safe and pleasant home in Liberty township, Crawford county, he following agricultural pursuits until his death in 1876. He became an American citizen and identified himself with the Democratic party, but never severed his connection with the German Lutheran church. In his own neighborhood he had married a Miss Schmidt, who died in 1862. They had the following children: Louis, who died at Fort Plain, N. Y., in 1865; J. Christian, who died unmarried in the Soldiers' Home at Dayton, O., at the age of sixty-two years, having served in the Civil war from 1861 until 1865; John G.; Salome, who married William Carle, a farmer in Holmes township; Wilhelmina, who married Jacob Bower, and lived and died in Liberty township; and Rosanna, who married Jacob Donnenwirth, and lived and died at Bucyrus.
John G. Birk, Jr., was born in Germany, July 22, 1823, and came to the United States in 1847, locating first at Albany, N. Y., but in 1849 reached Bucyrus and here established himself in the harness making business and continued in this line until the close of his life, his death occurring October 10, 1888. He was active in the Democratic party and served four years as county treasurer of Crawford county. On April 24, 1851, he married Joanna Kuhn, who was born also in Germany, June 6, 1831. Her parents came to America in 1832 and during the long voyage she learned to walk, although, it may well be supposed that the ship's floor was unsteady for little feet. Her people remained in New York until 1837 and then came to Bucyrus, where she died October 9, 1893. Both she and husband were members of the Lutheran church. The following children were born to them: Christian F.; Louis C, born in 1854, who is in the harness business at Bucyrus, and who married Caroline Kircus; Elizabeth, born in 1857, who is the wife of Frank P. Donnenwirth of Bucyrus and has two children
Louis and Gertrude; Helen and Matilda, both of whom died in infancy; Emanuel, born in 1866, who is proprietor of the harness store which his father founded in 1849, and who married Theresa Vollworth; and George M., who is associated with his brother. Christian F. Birk, in the drug business at Bucyrus.
Christian F. Birk attended school at Bucyrus and then learned the harnessmaking trade with his father and for eighteen years worked in the shop. In 1892, associated with his brother, George M. Birk, a licensed pharmacist, he became part proprietor of the present drug business, this being the third oldest drug store in the city. Mr. Birk has not only been a successful business man but he has been a useful, reliable and active citizen. In 1877 he was elected a member of the city council for a period of four years; in 1884 was elected city marshal, serving until 1890, when he was elected sheriff of Crawford county and served in that capacity for four years and nine months. In 1898 he was elected mayor of Bucyrus and served as such for two terms. In many ways his fellow citizens, at times, endeavored to show their appreciation of his public-spirited and faithful efforts and on one occasion presented him with a handsome ring, properly engraved. On numerous occasions he has been sent as a delegate to Democratic conventions where matters of vital party interest have been under consideration.
Mr. Birk was united in marriage with Miss Bertha S. Volk, who was born at Bucyrus, March 3, 1851, and died August 10, 1898. They had three children born to them: John W., who is a graduate of the School of Pharmacy, at Columbus, O., and of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, at Chicago, of which he is a member of the faculty, who served as first lieutenant in Co. A, in what was known as McKinley's Own, in the Spanish-American war, and who married Margaret Curtis and has one daughter, Helen; Caroline Elizabeth, who is the wife of Glenn W. Kerr, who is private secretary to the president of the Good Roads Machinery company, at Kennett Square, Pa., and has two children — Virginia and Caroline; and Edna T., who is the wife of O. VV". Kennedy. Mr. Birk is a member of the German Lutheran church. He is identified with the Elks and the Knights of Pythias.
As printed in History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Frank P. Donnenwirth George M. Birk (b. 1869)
Their biographies name Christian F. Birk: John G. Birk (b. 1874)
The printed record stops around 1902. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.