Peter Bisdorf

As printed in 1905

PETER BISDORF.

Peter Bisdorf, ex-sheriff of Butler county, has in his career set at naught the application of the statement that a prophet is not without honor save in his own country. for he is a native of thi county, has here passed his entire life and has gained the unqualified confidence and esteem of its people. He was born in the city of Hamilton, on the 20th of April, 1866, and is a schon of sturdy German stock, a line notable for industry, honesty and good citizenship. His father, George Bisdorf, was born in Hessen Darmstadt, Germany, on the 24th of July, 1835. 1848, when but thirteen years of age, he took passage on a sailing vessel at Bremen, and after a tempestuous voyage of six weeks’ duration landed in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. After a temporary sojourn in the east, within which time he visited Philadelphia, Wilmington and other cities, he decided to work his way westward, and he finally arrived in the city of Cincinnati, where he was employed in a flouring mill for several months. His desire for travel in the new world, however, was not yet satiated, and the alluring tales concerning the discovery of gold in California led the adventurous youth to join the argonauts of ’49, and he made the long and perilous journey across the plains to the new eldorado. He passed three years in the far West, and within this time visited Pike's Peak, of which little was known in those days, and also made a trip into Texas and other sections of the West. He finally returned to the East and made Chicago his destination. From that point he sailed on the great lakes for several months. In 1852 he came to Hamilton, having now satisfied his ambition for uncertain adventure, and of this city he has ever since been a resident, commanding unqualified confidence in the community and being one of the sterling old citizens of the county. He has always taken an active interest in public affairs and has held many positions of local trust and responsibility, performing his duties with ability and with inflexible regard to principle. His political life has been associated with the Democracy, and he has wielded no little influence in the councils of his party in this county. He is an active and valued member of St. John’s German Evangelical church, in which he is a ruling elder. In 1882 his venerable mother joined him in America and remained a cherished member of his family circle until her death, in 1891. Mr. Bisdorf has been an active member of the Masonic fraternity about thirty-five years. In the city of Hamilton, in 1860, was solemnized the marriage of George Bisdorf to Miss Katherine Streher, who has been a devoted wife and helpmeet, and they became the parents of ten children, of whom eight are living.

Peter Bisdorf, whose name initiated this article, secured his early education in the public schools of Hamilton and thus qualified himself for the active duties of life, while in the home circle he became familiar with the German language, which he speaks with as great fluence as does he the vernacular of his native land, this knowledge being of great value to him in his present position. After leaving the public schools he completed a thorough course in a business college, and thus on attaining to man’s estate he was well equipped for the battle of life. After his school days he was engaged in various lines of business occupation until the political campaign of 1899, when he consented to permit his name to be used in the Democratic county convention in connection with the nomination for sheriff. His personal popularity became distinctively manifest in the nominating convention, where he received the highest number of votes ever given to any candidate for county office, and this signal victory was followed by an equally significant triumph at the polls, for the ensuing election rolled up to his credit the highest number of votes accorded to any candidate on the ticket. He assumed the active duties of the shrievalty on the first Monday of January, 1900, and so acceptable and able was his administration that he was chosen as his own successor in the election of 1901. Upon being inducted into this important office Sheriff Bisdorf surrounded himself with competent and. thoroughly trustworthy deputies and office assistants, and his regime stands creditable alike to himself, his corps of assistants and to the people of the county. He has now passed the statutory close of his official career, and he can feel a full measure of personal satisfaction in the thought that he did his best as a public servant and that his efforts were fully appreciated in the county, his administration having been careful and conservative. He made no effort to expand his official functions by irregular means for the purpose of increasing his emolument, but his aim was solely to discharge his duties promptly and efficiently for the conservation of law and order and good government. He dealt with a number of desperate criminals and was never found lacking in courage, though he showed a deep humanitarian spirit and did not lack in sympathy for those whose lives have been cast in shadow through their own malefactions.

He has been a zealous worker in the cause of the Democratic party and a prominent figure in its local contingent. Fraternally the subject is identified with Hamilton Lodge, No.

93, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and also with the local organization of the Royal Arcanum, the Columbia Mutual Aid Society and the Monkey Mutual Aid Society. It is probable that the term “money” is used for euphony; certainly not in any sense of reproach, for the society mentioned numbers among its members a large following of the representative young men of Hamilton. The writer is inspired to add this word of explanation in order to forefend the popular inference that “any money” can join the order. This is an assemblage of “select monkeys,” who have to pass a crucial test and bear the ignominy of serving a period of probation before attaining the highest rank in exalted monkeyship.

In the city of Hamilton, on the 21st of April, 1886, Mr. Bisdorf was united in marriage to Miss Clara Heckroth, who was born and reared in this city, where she is a favorite in social circles and who presides with gracious dignity in the home circle. Of this union were torn seven children, of whom five are living, Bertha, Stella, Elsie, Peter, Jr., and Warren G.

As printed in Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.