Peter A. Schindler

Peter A. Schindler, now deceased, was for many years, however, engaged in the undertaking business in Springfield and was a man of prominence in commercial circles, his reliability commanding for him the public confidence and respect. He was born October 15, 1820, in Frederick county, Maryland, near Middletown. The father John Schindler was a native of Baden Baden, Germany, born in 1790, and in 1802 he started with his parents for America, but both his father and mother died on ship-board, and other members of the family, while enroute, also died of ship fever. John Schindler was thus left an orphan. He made his home with an uncle in Maryland, who paid his passage to this country, ‘and remained with him until he had reached manhood. He there learned the miller’s trade and in that state he was married to Hannah Leatherman, a daughter of Peter Leatherman and a sister of Jcob Leatherman, who was a minister of the Dunkard church. In early manhood John Schindler devoted his attention largely to the milling business and in later years to farming. In 1852 he came to Ohio and purchased land three miles from Springfield. Later he removed to a farm three miles south of the city, known as the Woolf farm, and upon that place he spent his remaining days, passing away at the age of seventy-three years. His wife survived him only a few years and died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Louisa Schindler, in Miami county, Ohio. Unto John Schindler and his wite were born five children, Daniel A., who became a preacher; John, a miller who died at Altoona, Pennsylvania; Mary, who became the wife of M. K. Biser and died about 1852; Louisa; and Peter A.

The subject of this review was the eldest of the family. He pursued his education in Wittenberg College, of which his brother Daniel, who became a preacher, was also a graduate. The father provided his children with good educational privileges. He had been successful in life, and, although bound out in his early years, he had accumulated considerable property and was not only well-to-do, but also a highly respected resident of Clark county. He held membership in the Lutheran church.

During his youth Peter A. Schindler assisted his father in milling and farming, and at the age of twenty-one he made a start in life for himself. He was married in 1842 to Miss Mary Ann Shafer and started out as a singing teacher, for he possessed considerable musical ability. He went to Hagerstown, Maryland, where his wite died in 1850. In October of the same year he came to Ohio, locating at Springfield, where he established a good reputation as a teacher of vocal music, a number of residents of the county to-day yet remembering his ability in this direction. In 1853 he embarked in the furniture manufacturing business in connection with M. K. Biser, under the firm name of Schindler & Biser. Various changes afterward occurred in the firm, but the business was continued until 1865, when Mr. Schindler sold his interest, having in the meantime met with heavy losses caused by endorsing notes for others. Subsequently he engaged in the manufacture of horse collars in partnership with Joseph F. Sheeter. He was am accountant and after his failure he engaged in bookkeeping for Colonel Doty, a plow manufacturer, but after a short period he began the manufacture of brick near the Erie depot, Springfield, using one of the first machines ever brought to Ohio for the purpose of brick manufacture. He continued in this line until 1867. About 1870 he became associated with J. Lamor Coleman, formerly a member of the firm of Coles & Coleman, undertakers. Mr. Schindler purchased the interest of J. W. Coles. Business was carried on under the firm style of J. L: Coleman & Company until 1884, when, in October, Mr. Schindler purchased his partner's interest and the firm oí Schindler & Son was formed, but in February, 1886, Mr. Coles re-entered the busi-

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.