Sharon Kimmel

As printed in 1897

HARON KIMMEL, one of the oldest settlers of Montgomery county, sprang from Pennsylvania-Dutch stock. His grandfather was Daniel Kimmel, from Berks county, Pa., a farmer and a member of the German Baptist church. He married Barbara Kroner, by whom he had the following children: Susan, John, Daniel,

Jonas, Lewis, Michael, Mattie and Hannah. He made several journeys to Montgomery county, Ohio, on horseback, and one trip to southern Illinois, in the same manner. This was at a very early day, and on his journeys he was accustomed to camp out wherever night overtook him. About 1810 he removed his family to Montgomery county, settling five miles west of Dayton in the woods, on 160 acres of land. Clearing this land of its timber, he made of it a fine farm, and in course of time bought more land. He lived to be about sixty years old.

Michael Kimmel, son of Daniel and father of Aaron Kimmel, was born in Berks county, Pa., in January, 1810. He received the usual common-school education of the times, and was reared a farmer’s boy. He married Catherine Armantropt, who was born in Ohio, March 15, 1815, and was a daughter of Peter Armantropt, of Maryland. Peter Armantropt was one of the pioneers of Warren county, Ohio, settling there at a very early day. In religion he was a Lutheran. His children were as follows: Volumtin, Jeremiah, Philip,

Jesse, Elias, Catherine and Elizabeth. Mr. Armantropt died in Warren county at a comparatively early age, though his wife lived to be over ninety years oid.

After his marriage, Michael Kimmel settled in Jackson township, in the woods, on 172 acres of land. This farm he cleared and improved and set out upon it one of the finest orchards in that part of the country. In 1855 he sold this farm and removed to Jefferson township, where he bought 196 acres, upon which he died in 1889 at the age of sixty-eight. He and his wife are members of the German Baptist church. They reared the following children: Henry S., Aaron, Mary, George W., Michael C., Sarah, David O. and Susan.

Aaron Kimmel was born May 2, 1835, in Jackson township, Montgomery county, and was fairly well educated in the district schools. On June 1, 1858, he married Elizabeth Wallace, who was born May 18, 1839, in Montgomery county, Ohio. She is a daughter of William and Margaret (Brown) Wallace. Mr. Wallace was of sterling Scotch ancestry, a son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Brough) Wallace, and was of an old Virginia family.

William Wallace was a merchant of Liberty, coming to Ohio directly after his marriage. By trade he was a matter, but became a merchant. He died in 1849 of cholera, when he was thirty-nine years of age, his wife having died seven years before. They left the following children: Sarah, Eli, John, Elizabeth and

Mary A. After the death of his first wife Mr. Wallace married Mary Beck. To this marriage there were born three children, viz: James A., Samuel and Margaret. Mr. Wallace was a member of the United Brethren church, and a man of strong character, and stood high in the community in which he lived.

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Kimmel settled a short distance north of Liberty, and lived on the Kimmel homestead five years, moving thence to Jackson township, where they settled on fifty-three acres of land. In 1865 Mr. Kimmel sold this farm and moved to Crawford county, Ill., where he bought a farm of ninety acres. Returning to Montgomery county in the same year, he bought his present farm of eighty-one acres, which he has greatly improved by judicious cultivation, by the planting of orchards, and by the erection of good buildings. To him and his wife there have been born the following children: Jonathan

P., Althea, Emma, Harvey M., Mary A., Leslie B., Jessie D. and Carl W. Mr. and Mrs. Kimmel have been members of the United Brethren church for twenty years. Politically Mr. Kimmel is a prohibitionist. He is an unaffiliated member of the Odd Fellows fraternity, Randolph lodge, and is in all ways an excellent man and citizen.

As printed in Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.