Harrison Coblentz

HARRISON COBLENTZ.

One of the native sons of Butler township. Mr. Coblentz is still residing within its borders, his home being on section 21. where he is actively engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was born June 2, 1840. and is a representative of an old Maryland family. His grandfather, George Coblentz, was a farmer of that state and became one of the early settlers of Montgomery county, Ohio, where he took up his above in 1829. He married Catherine Hemp, and they have fourteen children, of whom five sons and seven daughters reached mature years, while three are yet living. The grandfather died about a year previous to the death of his wife. They had both reached the prime of life when called to the home beyond and their remains were interred in the Germantown cemetery. George Coblentz, the father of our subject, was born in Frederick county, Maryland, in November, 181 2. and married Eve Foutz, whose birth occurred in Montgomery county. Ohio, in December, 18 13. She was a daughter of Frederick Foutz. The 'marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Coblentz occurred in March, 1834, and for two years they resided near Germantown, Ohio, but in 1836 came to Butler township, Darke county, locating on eighty acres of timber land. After a year, however, they removed to another farm of fifty-five acres, on which some improvements had been made, and at other times the father added to his possessions until he was at one time the possessor of six hundred acres of choice land. His success was very creditable, as it came to him in return for his earnest toil, guided by sound judgment. In his family were ten children, of whom three sons and six daughters reached mature years, and one son and five daughters still living. The mother died in February, 1882, at the age of sixty-eight years, and the father passed away in May, 1896, in his eighty-second year.

Harrison Coblentz, of this review, was reared to farm life, early becoming familiar with the labors of field and meadow. He was thus engaged through the summer months and in the winter season pursued his studies in the district schools. The father gave to each of his children a farm and Mr. Coblentz thus secured eighty acres of land, valued at two thousand dollars. He was married, September 18. 1860, to Caroline Hittle. of Butler township, who was born in 1843, a daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Frishman) Hittle. The mother was twice married, her first husband having been a Mr. Smith. Four children have been born to Mr. Coblentz, as follows: John C, who resides in New Madison and has two sons and a daughter; Elizabeth, who is the wife of A. H. Judy, and has three children; Kate, the wife of C. C. Brawley, of New Madison, by whom she has three children; and Frank, a farmer, residing on land adjoining our subject's home. He married Delia Crawford.

Mr. Coblentz was formerly the owner of three hundred and fifty acres of valuable land, and now has one hundred and two acres, which yields to him a golden tribute in return for the care and labor he bestow upon them. He has carried on general farming on an extensive scale and has also engaged very largely in the purchase and shipment of live stock for many years. He has made the most money through dealing in corn and hogs. In 1860 he moved on the farm he now occupies. He enlarged his home in 1875. making it a very attractive country residence. His business affairs have been carefully- directed and his efforts have been crowned with a greatly merited degree of success. In politics he is a Democrat and for twenty years served as the township treasurer — a fact which well indicates his fidelity toduty and the confidence reposed in him by his fellow townsmen. He was also a justice of the peace for six years and has been a member of the board of education for fifteen years. He, his wife and some of their children are members of the United Brethren church, and the family is one of prominence and influence in the community.

Mr. Coblentz inherited a strong constitution, and his strength and endurance have been very great, but during the past three years his health has failed him and he leaves the active care of his farm to others, simply giving it his supervision. His wife is a highly cultivated lady, hospitable and kindly and generous, and few, if any, residents of Butler township are more generally or more highly esteemed than the subject of this review and his wife. They are broadminded people, generous and benevolent, and their many estimable characteristics have gained for them the warm friendship of many.

As printed in A Biographical history of Darke 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.