John Zeller

As printed in 1908

JOHN M. ZELLER, who owns some eighty acres of land in Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio, is an old and respected resident of that community. He is a man who has made his way in the world through hard work and perseverance, making the success he has attained all the more creditable to Mm. He was born in York County, Pennsylvania, August 31, 1828, and is a son of Henry S., and grandson of John Zeller. John Zeller was a native of France or Germany, it is not certain which, and upon coming to America located in York County, Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade as a Sadler. He subsequently moved to the blockhouse settlement at the head of the Susquehanna River, where he lived until his death.

His son, Henry S., father of John M., was born in York County, Pennsylvania, and was one of a family of three children. He had a brother, Charles, and a sister, Catherine, the latter of whom was wife of John Giesey, a wagonmaker of York County. Henry S. Zeller was a saddler and painter by trade, which he followed in York County, until his marriage, then in Mount Joy, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. While at the latter place he served a number of years as justice of the peace. He later moved with his wife to Northumberland, where he plied his trade, then later removed to Lancaster County and engaged in school-teaching a number of years. They spent the latter years of their life in Clark County, Ohio, near Medway, having followed their son, John, to this county. They were parents of eight children, as follows: John Miller; Henry, who died in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Theodore, who lives in Miami County, Ohio; George, who resides in Kansas; Susan, who is the wife of Andrew Mouk, of Clark County; Margaret, who is the wife of Samuel Brosey of Clark County; Benjamin, who is a physician of St. Paris, Ohio; Martha (Jones), whose home is in Clark County.

John M. Zeller was but a child when his parents moved to Lancaster County, where he was reared and received his educational training in the district schools. When a lad of fifteen years he took up the plastering trade, which he thereafter followed for many years. Vhen about twenty-one years old, he came to Ohio and for a time made his home with Gottleib Brosey, who lived on a farm adjoining that now owned by Mr. Zeller. He started at once to work at his trade and in a short time was able to buy an acre of his present place, which was then heavily timbered. This he cleared and in the course of time erected thereon the brick residence in which he lives. He now has thirty-one acres in the home place, in addition to which he has two other tracts in Bethel Township. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was a member of the Ohio National Guards, immer Captain McKenney, and went into camp with his regiment at Camp Dennison. He was there taken so seriously ill that he was sent back home and for two years was an invalid. He never followed his trade after that illness, but turned his attention to farming and tobacco raising He has grown and shipped tobacco for the Miami Leaf Tobacco Company of Cincinnati, for more than forty years, and in 1885 he erected a large warehouse. Mr. Zeller has retired from active work, his sons growing and selling the tobacco at the present time.

John M. Zeller was united in marriage with Esther Harnish, a daughter of Rev. John and Esther (Bowman) Harnish. Her father came from Pennsylvania, where he followed farming. He was one of the pioneer Mennonite preachers of Clark County, Ohio, whither he moved with his family in wagons, in 1840, Mrs. Zeller being six years old at that time. He became owner of large landed interests here. He and his wife were parents of the following children: Henry; Mary, deceased, wife of Jacob Neff; Esther; John, who was a Mennonite minister; Anna, wife of Levi Kauffman; Amos, of Dayton; and Emma, wife of Cyrus Helman of this county. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Zeller, as follows: Alonzo, who married Mollie Brosey; Henry; Frank; John; William, a blacksmith at Osborn, who married Rose Harnish; Christopher, a graduate of the Ohio Dental College at Cincinnati, who is engaged in practice at Yellow Springs, Ohio; Cyrus, who married Fannie Howett; and Lorenzo, who died at the age of six years. Politically, Mr. Zeller was a member of the Whig party until the organization of the Republican joarty. He voted for Abraham Lincoln, and later united with the Grreenback party, being the only one in the township. He is a man who takes an active interest in all that pertains to the welfare of his home community and county, and is always found supporting those measures and enterprises tending to benefit the people.

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.