Simon D. Burkholder

As printed in 1910

SIMON D. BURKHOLDER.

One of the leading agriculturists of Greene township, Wayne county, is S. D. Burkholder, who has made his influence felt among his fellow men and earned a name for enterprise, integrity and honor, that entitles him to worthy notice in a work of the nature of this volume. He was born in Greene township, this county, September 26. 1863, the son of Jonathan S. and Elizabeth (Smoker) Burkholder, the former born in this township in 1826, the son of John Burkholder, who was a native of Alsace-Lorraine, formerly a province of France, now of Germany. He came to the Lnited States when a young man, having been fourteen weeks on the voyage, the trip being made in an old-fashioned sailing vessel that was slow and tiresome. He made his way to Wayne county, Ohio, and located in Greene township, marrying here and securing a farm, where he spent most of his later life, and where his son, Jonathan S., lived and where S. D., son of the latter, was also reared. The grandfather, John Burkholder, moved to Smithville late in life and died at that place. Thus we see that this name has been a familiar one in \Vayne county since the pioneer days and this family has been a very enterprising and honorable one ever since. Jonathan Burkholder, mentioned above, was reared on the home farm in this township, where he was married and reared his family, which consisted of nine children, namely: Sarah, Anna, Caroline. Menno, all deceased: an infant also died unnamed; Noah S., living in Greene township: S. D., of this review: Amos J., of Greene township: Joseph, deceased.

S. D. Burkholder was reared on the home farm near Smithville and he assisted with the work there, attending the common schools in the meantime, alternating the two until he was eighteen years of age: then he devoted his attention exclusively to farming until he was twenty-two years of age. He Avas married on January 20, 1887. to Emma Musser, the daughter of a highly respected old family, and this union has resulted in the birth of eight children, five of whom are living, namely: Ada, Nora, Allen, Grace and Rov. The mother of these children passed away in 1902. and afterwards Mr. Burkholder married Salina Byler. She was reared in Noble county, Indiana, her birth having occurred September 6, 1868. Three children were born of this last union, Guy, in 1906, Ray in 1908, and Zora in 1909.

When Mr. Burkholder was first married it became necessary for him to borrow money to buy a team with which to begin farming. He rented the home place for one year, then rented other farms, prospering by reason of his habits of industry and economy, until he was able to purchase a farm of eighty-one and three-fourths acres in the center of Greene township, and as good land as the township afforded. HoweYer, he went in debt for all of the place and used what money he had saved to stock the same and began farming in a proper manner. He made a success principally by raising grain, and he has been enabled thereby to pay for the farm, remodel his house and barn and improYe the place in many ways. He has a very good dwelling and other buildings and his land is easily worth one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre, the entire farm being worth ten thousand two hundred and fifty dollars. He also has an interest in the gristmill at Smithville and had an interest in a threshing machine for some time. Considering the disadvantages under which he started in life he has succeeded admirably well and has shown himself to be a man of soundness of judgment and rare foresight. In politics he is a Democrat, and he holds membership in the Amish Mennonite church.

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.