In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1894) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1846
From A history and biographical cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio, with illustrations and sketches of its representative men and pioneers (1882), Memorial record of Butler County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of representative citizens of the county together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States (1894)
GEORGE ADAM RENTSCHLER.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
In 1864 he went to Peru, Indiana, where he was em* ployed at holding for one year. He then removed to Indianapolis, where he had charge of the Novelty Iron Works until 1870. From 1870 to 1871 he was in Cincinnati with Adams & Brith, in charge of their stove foundry. In 1872 he returned to Indianapolis, acting as superintendent of the Variety Iron Works, where he remained until their removal to Hamilton i i March, j 1873. Mr. Rentschler accompanied them and remained in the same position until June, 1875, when the firm of Sohu, Rentschler & Balle was formed. By this time Mr. Rentschler had acquired a vast stock of expeuence, and he thought he could utilize it more thoroughly for himself than by working for another man. Although the capital of the concern was small, the industry and pains of the partners supplied all defects. Their chief line was shelf hardware. July 25. 1876, Mr. Balle withdrew, and the new firm was known as Sohn A Rentschler, and their establishment as the Ohio Iron Works. In the firm of Hoover, Owens, Rentschler & Co., which manufacture;- portable and stationary engines and threshers, ! Mr. Rentschler owns a large interest.
In conjunction with Joseph B. Hughes, now the county auditor, lie founded the Royal Pottery Works, j which make a class of goods never before attempted in the United States, and of rare beauty and utility. He I has also an interest in the Phoenix Caster Company, in an ice-house in Fairfield Township, which will hold four thousand tons, and is interested in what is known as the Cincinnati Brewing Company of Hamilton. The greatest portion of his time, however, is taken up in his iron works. Here they manufacture gray iron castings, make machinery to order, and supply a large line of shelf hardware. It was some time before they were able to obviate the difficulties occasioned by a lack of money, but since that trouble disappeared, they have rapidly increased, year by year, until their business now is of large size.
Mr. Rentschler was married in 1864, at Newark, New Jersey, to Miss Kate Graf, by whom he had two sons. She died December 29, 1869. He is a member of the Blue Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, of Hamilton, No. 409, and is also a member of Germania Lodge, No. 129, of Odd Fellows, at Indianapolis. It will be seen, therefore, that the enviable position which Mr. Rentschler now occupies is not owing to any advantages given him by his parents or his friends, but is the result of his own hard labor and great capacity for taking trouble. He was only able to invest one thousand dollars in the establishment when it began, but the value of the knowledge he had attained can not be estimated. He is thoroughly informed as to every detail of the business, and has worked at every part of it, so that, if necessity required, he could do the work with his own hands. His judgment is excellent, and he looks after every portion. In manner he is social and genial, and a visitor at once feels at home in his society. Mr. Kectschler is a model of physical strength and manhood, and his standing in business and social circles in the city of Hamilton is of the highest order. Without having any particular early educational advantages, he has qualified himself, by observation and reading, until he lias stored his mind with good and useful knowledge; and with hispractical experience has uo superior in his several lines of business.
As printed in A history and biographical cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio, with illustrations and sketches of its representative men and pioneers (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
EORGE A. RENTSCHLER. In the brief outline we are able to give in this sketch of the personal history of one of the most successful residents of Hamilton, we can do little more than merely glance at some of the principal events with which he has been connected in his useful and successful career as a business man. Rising by his own efforts from an humble position to a place of honor among men, an account of his life and character presents a useful lesson to the youth of this generation, and adds another striking illustration of the power of determined purpose and perseverance.
A native of Wurtemberg, Germany, the subject of this review was born in Schmei, county of Kalb, July 8, 1846, and is the youngest of five children, the others being Jacob, Michael, Anna and Catherine. His father, Jacob Rentschler, was a transportation wine agent in Germany, but from that country came to America in 1852 and settled at Newark, N. J. There he died in 1856, at the age of fifty-five years. His wife had died when George was an infant. In religious belief they were members of the German Lutheran Church.
Our subject’s paternal grandfather, a farmer by occupation, spent his entire life in Germany, and there died at the age of ninety-two years. His family numbered six sons and four daughters. The maternal grandfather also lived and died in Germany. George A. was a lad of ten years when his father died, and thus he wasentirly orphaned, and obliged early in life to depend upon his own resources for a livelihood. When twelve years old he began to work in the foundry of Oscar Barnhard & Co., of Newark, N. J., with whom he remained from 1858 until 1867. On coming west he worked in a foundry in Peru, Ind., about one year. Then going to Indianapolis, he made Ins home there until 1870; from there he went to Cincinnati, where he remained until 1871, and then returned to Indianapolis, whence, in 1873, he came to Hamilton and accepted a position as foreman in the Variety Iron Works, formerly of Indianapolis. In 1875, in company with II. C. Sohn and John V. Balle, he established the Ohio Iron Works, their specialty being light gray iron castings.
After six months Mr. Balle retired and the firm became Sohn & Rentschler, under which the business has since been conducted upon a constantly increasing scale. He has been a resident of Hamilton for twenty-one years, and now lives in Fairfield Township, two miles from the shops. He is a member of the Phoenix Castor Company, which has been in existence for sixteen years. He is President of the Hamilton Foundry and Machine Company and Vice-President of the Hamilton Corliss Engine Company. In addition to realty in Hamilton, he owns a farm of one hundred and thirty acres, the cultivation of which he actively superintend.
On New Year’s Day of 1864, Mr. Rentschler was united in marriage with Miss Catherine, daughter of Henry and Eva (Baum) Graf, and they became the parents of two children, sons, George and Henry A. George, a farmer of Fulton County, Ind., is married and has four sons. Henry, who is single, lives in Hamilton and is proprietor of the Miami Brass Works. Mrs. Catherine Rentschler was a member of the Lutheran Church, in which faith she died. The second marriage of our subject took place January 24, 1884, at which time he was united with Miss Phoebe, daughter of Peter and Caroline (Young) Schwab. Five children have been born of this union, Robert P., Gordon S., Frederick B., Helen D. and George A., Jr. In political matters Mr. Rentschler is independent, supporting measures rather than party. Socially he is identified with the Masonic fraternity.
JOHN ORS1N1 SCHEEL, M. D. To those who, starting in life without any of those factitious helps that sometimes usher a young man into public notice, achieve success by energy, perseverance and determination great credit is due for what they have accomplished through their untiring efforts. In these paragraphs we give an outline of the history of one who early in life was obliged to steer his own craft upon the wide ocean of life, to either sink beneath its billows, or by the inherent power of native talent and indomitable will rise superior to his surroundings and become the architect of his own fortune. He has gained success, and is well known as a prominent and able physician and surgeon of Hamilton, where he has conducted a general practice since 1891.
Born on Christmas Day of 1857, our subject is a native of Morgan Township, Butler County, and a son of Jacob and Catherine (Lidin) Sclieel, the former a native of Wurtemberg, the latter of Aleace, Germany. The father, who was born July 8, 1830, emigrated to the United States in 1848, and resided for a time in Canada, also in New York State. His trade was that of a weaver, but, unable to secure employment at that occupation, he learned shoemaking in Buffalo. On completing his trade, he went to Cincinnati, where he met and married Miss Catherine Lidin, February 12, 1857. This lady was left an orphan at an early age, and came to the United States. She had one brother, John Lidin, who died in Cincinnati, Ohio, and one sister, Mrs. Theresa Braun, who still resides in Morgan Township. Mr. Sclieel also had one brother, Thaddeus, who came to this country, and who was last heard of in the West.
Before his marriage Jacob Sclieel came to Butler County and settled in Morgan Township, where he has resided since 1855. He still works at his trade, and while he has never gained wealth he has been enabled to lay aside a modest competence to provide his declining years with the comforts of life. His wife passed away May 3, 1881. Of the eleven children born to this union, seven survive her, as follows: John O., of this sketch; John Edward Albert, who died in 1881, three weeks after his mother’s death; Katie Mary; Emma, wife of J. S. Lynch, of Burns, Kan.; Thomas J. J.; Mary Theresa, who died in 1887; and Charles. The children were reared in the faith of the Roman Catholic Church, to which the parents belonged.
The subject of this sketch pursued his studies at the New London High School, after which he took a two-years course in Otterbein University. He then taught school in Butler and Hamilton Counties, and utilized his spare moments in the study of medicine under the tutelage of Dr. J. L. Masters, then of New London, now of Indianapolis. Through his own efforts he paid his way through the Ohio Medical College, from which he was graduated in the Class of ’91. Locating in Hamilton, he has since carried on a general practice, with office at No. 715 Sycamore Street. In addition to his regular practice, he is City Physician and physician for the County Infirmary.
While in college Dr. Sclieel received the opthalmological prize, a gold medal. He is well informed in every department of the science of therapeutics, and is an active member of the Butler County Medical Society. December 7, 1893, he was united in marriage with Miss Jessie B., daughter of James R. and Caroline (Clark) Brown, and a native of Butler County. She is an accomplished lady, popular in social circles and prominent in the Presbyterian Church, of which she is a member. The Doctor is a Catholic in religious belief.
WILLIAM F. CODDINGTON for the past nine years has been a resident of section 29, Oxford Township. He was born near Clifton, Union County, Ind., November 27, 1830, his parents being Enoch and Martha (Yaryan) Coddinglon, the former a native of New Jersey, and the latter of Tennessee. In early life they removed to Indiana, and their marriage took place in Union County. Our subject’s paternal grandfather, Moses Coddington, was born in New Jersey, and when he was nineteen years of age, enlisted in the patriot army during the War of the Revolution, and served until the independence of the Colonies was established. In the family to which our subject belonged there were seven sons and two daughters, of whom five sons and one daughter are yet living. Benjamin F. is a resident of Union County, Ind.; William F. is the next in order of birth; Charles lives in Ringgold County, Iowa, where he carries on his farm; John makes his home at Green’s Fork, Wayne County, Ind.; Ella is the wife of Dr. Arnos W. Fisher, of Indianapolis, Ind.; James is a farmer at Beechy Mire, Union County, Ind.; Asbury died during the Civil War, while a member of the Thirty-sixth Indiana Infantry; Millville died in childhood; and Esther became the wife of Yancy M. Powell, and died in Connorsville, Ind.
William Coddington was reared on his father’s farm, and learned the carpenter’s trade on attaining his majority during a three-years apprenticeship, at which occupation he worked for several years. August 5, 1862, he enlisted at Cambridge City, Ind., in the Nineteenth Indiana Battery, and was sent to the front, being assigned to the Army of the Cumberland under General Buell. In the first battle in which he participated, that of Perryville, Ky., he received an injury which ultimately led to his discharge from the service. In firing his gun, which was loaded with a double charge of canister, he was deafened by the report, and a partial paralysis of his left side resulted. Ten months after this accident he was dismissed from the army, and for a year succeeding that event was unable to engage in the active duties of life. He has never recovered from this unfortunate injury, and his long years of patient suffering are poorly rewarded by the small pension which the Government allows him. When able to resume work, Mr. Coddington entered a planing mill at Richmond, Ind., where he remained for twenty years. At the end of this period he was obliged to seek some other occupation, owing to the earnest advice of physicians. Believing that an outdoor life would be most beneficial, he determined to become a farmer, and accordingly located on his present place in 1885. The farm is arable and well cultivated, comprising about fifty-five acres, and has good improvements.
Mr. Coddington has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Mary E. Dodge, whose parents were very early settlers of Oxford Township on the farm now occupied by Mr. Coddington. Four children were born of this union, but only one of the number is living. Mrs. Coddington departed this life July 16, 1871. Thomas Heath, her eldest son, was born July 16, 1859, and died February 18, 1862; John D., born July 27, 1855, died July 11, 1871; Ida May, born June 7, 1865, died September 11, 1881; and Frank W. was born September 30, 1869. He is married, is a practical blacksmith, and has a shop on his father’s farm. The present wife of Mr. Coddington was formerly Miss Emily Pamela Graves, and their marriage was celebrated at Richmond, Ind., November 26, 1879. She was born in Rockingham County, Va., and when a child of nine years came with her mother to Ohio, settling in Marion County. Her father died when she was only six years old, and her mother’s death occurred in 1884. To our subject and his wife has been born a daughter, Ella Blanche, whose birth occurred May 7, 1885. For the past three years this worthy couple have provided a home for an orphan boy, now twelve years old, named Oliver Nusky.
Fraternally, Mr. Coddington is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was formerly identified with the Grand Army of the Republic, though he is not now affiliated with the same on account of his infirmities preventing his attendance at the post. He has been a life-long Republican, having cast his first Presidential vote for John C. Fremont in 1856, and since that time has never failed in his support of the party.
As printed in Memorial record of Butler County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of representative citizens of the county together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States (1894). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: John O.
The printed record stops around 1882. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.