Elmer U. Burkholder

As printed in 1910

ELMER U. BURKHOLDER.

The emigrant ancestor of the family of this name was John Burkholder, a native of Bern, Switzerland, wLo. when only a boy, was seized with the wanderlust spirit, like so many of his contemporaries, and accordingly made his way across the broad Atlantic to the New World. Believing that greater opportunities awaited him in the then far West, he came to Ohio, locating in Wayne county, and, being a thrifty lad, he got possession of a farm which he redeemed from the wilderness and lived on the same the rest of his life, making a good living and leaving a competence to his descendants. His death occurred in Smithville, Greene township, in 1875. He and his faithful helpmeet were the parents of four children, namely: Jonathan S., Jonas K., Nancy and Sarah; the only one Jiving in 1909 is Nancy, the widow of Enos Hartzler, of the state of Kansas.

Jonas K., father of Elmer U. Burkholder, was reared upon the home farm in Greene township, which he assisted in developing. He married Nancy Smucker and they went to farming, Mr. Burkholder becoming one of the leading farmers of his community and he was regarded as a man of excellent personal traits and was influential in local affairs. He is now sleeping the sleep of the just, his death occurring in 1892. His widow is still living. They were the parents of nine children, of whom one died in infancy and another when fifteen years of age. The others are Emma, David. Malinda, Lydia, Anna, Amanda, and Elmer U.

Elmer U. Burkholder was born in Greene township, Wayne county, June 12, 1873, reared upon the home farm which he helped improve, attending the district schools during the winter months, later going to school at Wadsworth. He received a good education, having applied himself very closely to his text-books, and he taught several terms very acceptably in Wayne county, and he was gaining a wide reputation as an educator when his father died, which event rendered his return to the home farm a necessity, consequently he abandoned teaching and resumed farming, which he continued very successfully for a period of ten years.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Mr. Burkholder is au all-round business man, exercising wise discrimination and sound judgment in all his affairs. His attention is now devoted almost exclusively to banking, since he is at this writing cashier of the Farmers’ and Merchants’ Bank at Smithville, Wayne county, and he is discharging the duties of the same in au able and satisfactory manner to all concerned, his careful methods and his courteous demeanor towards the patrons of the bank having done much in establishing its prestige throughout the community. I'his rapidly growing and sound institution was opened for business on August 6, 1906. Mr. Burkbolder was at once chosen cashier, for when the organizers began to cast about for someone worthy of this res])onsible ])os.'tioii. none more available could be found than Mr. Burkholder, and the successful manner in which he has looked after the same would indicate that they were not misled in their estimate of the man they selected. This is a private bank of four stockholders, namely; Wesley H. Zaugg, president; E. W. Thompson, Charles M. Gray, Christian Tschantz.

In his political relations, Mr. Burkholder is a Democrat, though in the midst of his many pressing duties he does not find much time to devote to his party's affairs. Religiously, he is a member of the Mennonite church. He has always borne a reputation such as those established by his father and grandfather — exemplary in every respect.

As printed in History of Wayne County, Ohio (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.