Jonathan K. Hostetler

As printed in 1910

JONATHAN K. HOSTETLER.

One of Greene township's most progressive and influential citizens is Jonathan K. Hostetler, a representative of an old and highly respected family of Wayne county, where he was born September 22, 1860, the son of Jeptha and Salome (King) Hostetler, the former a native of Wayne township, this county, where he was born June 10, 1834, the son of Christian and Elizabeth (Yoder) Hostetler, both natives of Berks county, Pennsylvania. They came to Wayne county, Ohio, in a four-horse wagon about 1831. and settled in Wayne township, where they purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, all timbered. Christian cleared this and developed a good farm on which he

Spent the balance of his days. He was a member of the Mennonite church, and although he had nothing when he landed in this county, he became prosperous in due course of time, becoming the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land. He was a robust, hard-working man, measuring over six feet in height; he was a very religious man, of sound moral principles. To Mr. and Mrs. Christian Hostetler the following children were born: John, Samuel, Jeptha, Christian, Da\’id, Jonathan, Lydia, Barbara and Fanny.

Jeptha Hostetler was reared on the old home place which he assisted in developing from the primitive soil. He received a limited education in the old-fashioned log school house near his boyhood home, but being a good student his education was fairly good for those days. Choosing farming for his life work, he began life for himself early and when he reached manhood he married Salome King, this union resulting in the birth of seven children, namely: Lizzie, who became the wife of N. S. Burkholder, living in Greene township; Jonathan K., of this review; Christian married Mary Bener, and they are living in Alabama; Anna is the wife of John Schmucker, of Greene township; Barbara is the wife of Elam Horst, of Halifax county, Virginia; Jeptha married Fannie Hintsburger, of Orrville, Greene township; Menno died in infancy.

Jonathan K. Hostetler was reared in Wayne township, this county, and when he became of proper age he began working on his father's farm, in the meantime attending the district schools during the winter until he was twenty-one years of age. He was sufficiently educated to begin teaching, but notwithstanding the fact that his career as a teacher was promising, he seemed to prefer the free life of the husbandman and returned to the farm. When twenty-two years of age he took for his life partner Malinda Schmucker, who was born in Greene township July 31, 1862, the daughter of David and Sarah Zook Schmucker. She was reared on the home farm in Greene township where she attended the common schools.

After his marriage Mr. Hostetler remained on his father's farm for about seventeen years and then he purchased forty acres for which he paid cash, having obtained a good start on his father's farm and saved money. In 1905 he sold this place and purchased the one where he now lives in section 32, containing eighty-two acres, on which he carries on general farming and stock raising very successfully. He has a well improved and highly productive farm. Having always been a close observer and painstaking worker he has been very successful, and he so rotates his crops as to get the best possible results.

'bweb'e children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hostetler, their names and births being as follows: Salome, November 22, 1883; David, April 23, 1885; Sarah, jNIay ii, 1887; Chancy, February 23, 1889; Ammon, April 8, 1892: Boyd, June 13, 1894; Paul, September 23, 1898; Christian, November 10, 1900; Harry, January 10, 1903; Edith, July 25, 1896; Esther, July 13, 1907: Isaiah, March i, 1891. All these children received a good common school education. The members of this large household belong to the Mennonite church. In politics Mr. Hostetler was reared a Republican, but of recent years he has cast his vote with the Prohibition party, being an ardent advocate of temperance. He is regarded by all who know him as an exemplary citizen in every respect, honest in all his business transactions, and as a result of these many praiseworthy qualities he is held in high favor, as is also his family wherever they are known.

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.