John Henry Blose

As printed in 1908

JOHN HENRY BLOSE, one of German Township's substantial and representative citizens, resides on his valuable farm of 150 acres, which lies directly north of Tremont, on both sides of the road. Mr. Blose was born in Mad River Township, four miles west of Urbana, ChampaigTi County, Ohio, August 29, 1838, and is a son of Daniel and Susanna (Pence) Blose.

Daniel Blose was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, and was a son of John and Amelia Blose, who moved to Champaign County, Ohio, when Daniel was a child of two years. The latter grew up on a farm situated four miles north of that on which his son, John Henry, resides. In early manhood he married a daughter of Henry Pence, who came from Virginia to Champaign County, in 1801, and in that county Mrs. Blose was born; This marriage was a very early one and the couple went to live on the old Pence farm, where four children were born, of whom John Henry was the eldest. The other three were, Minerva, who died aged one year; Eunice Elizabeth, who married Samuel Sowers, and, with her husband, is now deceased, they being survived by five children; and Marietta, also deceased, with her husband, who married Christian F. Rohrer. The first wife of Daniel Blose died in 1816 and he was married (secondly) to Louisa Colbert. They had seven children, namely: James Irvin, who follows farming and is also in the grain business at Urbana; Leroy, who is engaged in the grain business with his brother; Daniel, who is a travehng salesman; Emery, deceased, who was also in the grain business; Edward, who died in young manhood; and two children who died in infancy. The father of the above mentioned family died in 1871, aged fifty-three years.

John Henry Blose was reared in Champaign County, where he attended the country schools, and when about seventeen years of age he also taught school. His father owned a flour mill and also a distillery, and he worked in both of these and also engaged in farming. At the age of nineteen years he was married to Caroline Steinberger, and for two years afterward they lived on one of his father's farms. Mr. Blose then came to German Township, Clark County, and bought an interest in a farm of 200 acres, which was jointly owned by his father and a Mr. Jacob Seitz, and this he operated from 1859 until 1871, in connection with milling and distilling. He built a house near his mill, but occupied it only a short time, moving then to his present farm. After retiring from the milling and distilhng business, which he did in 1871, he settled down to farming and stock-raising, serving at various times in the important pubhc offices to which his fellow citizens have frequently elected him.

Mr. and Mrs. Blose have had eight children, namely: Rose, who died an infant;

Alpha Williams, Charles Vallandigham, Ollie Estella, Frank Pendleton, Clyde Edward, Mary Elizabeth and Lettie May. The eldest son. Alpha Williams, has been a successful teacher for the past fifteen years and resides at home. The second son, Charles V., married Lida Dingledine and they have three children — Hazel E., Lucy May and Mary Margaret. Olhe Estella married Charles K. Collins, and they have had seven children — Martha Eunice, Tandy Blose, Euth, Eoger A., Pauline and Lucy and Edna, the latter two being deceased. Frank Pendleton, who is a teacher, and is also serving in the office of justice of the peace in German Township, married Nora Weigel, and they have one child, Helen iona. Clyde Edward Blose, the third son, who is train dispatcher at Springfield for the D., T. & I. Railroad, married Viola May Kiplinger, and they have had nine children — James Elwood, Ruhl Willard, Lettie Eileen, Ethel Caroline, Emily Josephine, Florence Nell, John Henry, Joseph Philip and Mary Louise. Mary Elizabeth Blose married U. Gr. Karg, and they live near Tremont.

In politics Mr. Blose is a Democrat. From 1863 until 1893, he served as a justice of the peace in German Township, and during this long period in this important position adjusted many important cases and gave many valuable decisions. He was chosen as one of the Congressional district delegates to the Democratic National Convention held in New York City in 1868, at which Horatio Seymour was nominated for President. He was at that time a great admirer of George H. Pendleton, and earnestly worked for his nomination. Again, in 1872, he was chosen as one of the Congressional district delegates to the Democratic National Convention held at Baltimore, Maryland, which nominated as its candidate for president, Horace Greeley.

In 1873 he was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention of Ohio, which met then at Columbus, but was adjourned to Cincinnati, on account of the prevalence of cholera at that time in the former city. In 1875, Mr. Blose was elected a county commissioner of Clark County and served faithfully as such for a term of three years. He is a member of the local Grange. As an active and interested citizen, he has always performed joublic duties with an eye to the welfare of his community, and is held in high esteem by his neighbors, and by the public generally.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.