Michael Rader

As printed in 1908

MICHAEL RADER, township trustee and owner of a farm of ninety-five and three-quarters acres, located about six miles northwest of Springfield, on the Eureka Road, just off the Troy Turnpike, is one of the enterprising and influential agriculturists of German Township. He was born December 9, 1868. on a farm in Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Philip and Margaret (Sultz) Rader.

Philip Rader was born and reared to manhood in Germanv and after coming to Clark County worked for a time on the farm now owned by William W. Hyslop. While visiting his sister in St. Louis, Missouri, he met and married Margaret Sultz, who was born in Germany and came to America with her parents, who settled in St. Louis. Mr. Rader and wife began housekeeping on a farm just opposite the Hyslop farm, which was then owned by Michael Shafer, an uncle of Mrs. Rader, and they have resided on farms in Clark County ever since. For a number of years Mr. Rader rented land and operated the Sintz farm in Springfield Township for six years; then became a resident of Pike Township for seven years, after which he returned to Springfield township and rented for two year. when he bought a little farm there which he conducted for nine years, then sold and bought a tract of sixty acres in Mad River Township, which he also sold, after which he bought the farm on which he and his wife began housekeeping, where he has since continued to reside. Ten children were born to Philip and Margaret Rader, nine of whom are living: Michael, Philip, who lives with his brother Michael; Henry, who died aged twenty-eight years, left one child, Augusta: Mary, who is the wife of Jolau German; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Louis Foster; Adam, who lives on the farm of sixty acres in Pike Township, which was formerly owned by Philip Moruingstar;:\finnic, who is the wife of Charles Lelmard; Kate, who is the wife of Emmard Lehnard; and Maggie, who married Ralph Saunders.

Michael Rader was born on the old Sintz farm in Springfield Townshiii and remained at home until the time of his marriage. With the exception of two years sjDent in working in the quarries, lie has always followed farming, and after his marriage located on the Cold Springs Farm in Mad Eiver Township. One year later he moved to the Susan Sintz farm, which he conducted for seven years with much success, then bought and located on his present farm of ninety-five and three quarter acres in German Township. Here he is successfully engaged in general farming and has made numerous improvements. There are two barns on the place, one of which was built by Mr. Rader in 1903.

On February 26, 1895, Mr. Rader married Kate Kaffenberger, who is a daughter of Conrad and Barbara (Schafer) Kaffenberger. Mrs. Rader 's mother died when she was but four years old, and she was reared until eleven years of age by her step-mother, after which she went to live with her grandparents, Adam Schafer and wife, both of whom were natives of Germany, but residents of German Township, Clark County, for many years. The grandmother died January 31, 1908, aged seventy-five years, and the grandfather's death occurred in July, 1905. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Rader, namely: Harry, William, Bertha, Albert, Paul and Gertrude.

Politically Mr. Rader is a Democrat, and was elected trustee of German TowTiship on the Democratic ticket. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, of Northampton.

Leffel Company, of this city, has been a resident here for the past forty-two years, and was born in 1837, near Rob Roy, Indiana, where he was reared and educated. Early in life he engaged in milling and farming, which occupation he followed until 1866, when he came to Spring-field and was here engaged in milling for one year. In 1867 he entered the employ, as clerk, of the James Leffel Company, of this city, and has gradually advanced to his present position as vice president and treasurer of that company. Mr. Bookwaiter is also a director in the Citizens' National Bank, of this city.

In 1867 Mr. Bookwalter was joined in marriage with Mary E. Croft, and to them have been born two children — John A., who is secretary of the James Leffel Company, and May L., wife of George Richmond Prout, who is associated with the American Seeding Company. Socially, Mr. Bookwalter is a member of the Commercial Club and the Lagonda Club, of this city, and is fraternally a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the Scottish Rite, of Dayton, and of the Shrine, of Cincinnati.

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.