Jacob Kepler

Notes: Letter from Debbie Lyding : Hello, I have clipped and attached something from an old book that I found online below:

source http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:pFNYJrhVWZIJ:www.heritagepursu... thomas+baughman+summit+ohio&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

HOUSTON KEPLER, farmer: P. O. New Portage: is a son of Jacob Kepler. who was born about 1797. in Center Co.. Penn. His father was John, a native of Bucks Co.. Penn., but moved with his family to Green Township. in 1802. The early ancestry were from Switzerland. John and a valuable horse were instantly killed at a cider-press by being struck with a heavy lever which became detached. Jacob remained with his father until 18 years of age. when he began working for himself, returning, however, at harvest time, to assist his father. At about 25 years of age. he was married to Susan Marsh, daughter of Adam Marsh. an early settler of Franklin Township. Jacob was always a hard-working man, with a great desire for the acquisition of wealth. which he afterward possessed. In 1822, he settled on the farm where his son Houston now lives, which at that time was a vast wilderness, but, by clearing and grubbing, he became the possessor of more than 1,100 acres of land in Coventry Township. They had thirteen children—four sons and nine daughters: six are living—two sons. both represented in this work; and four daughters—Mrs. Thomas Baughman. Mrs. Henry Wise, Mrs. Andrew Oberlin and Mrs. Solomon Reninger. Huston was born Aug. 25, 1839; he stayed with his father on the farm until his marriage. which occurred April 2, 1863, to Catharine Foust, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (Mauery), daughter of Frederic and Catharine (Hillygoss) Mauery, natives of Pennsylvania. In 1850, the Fousts came from near the southern line of the State of Wisconsin. whither they had gone, a short time before, from their native State, to Green Township, where they purchased the place known as the "Old Foust Farm." The old people there died—the father on his birthday, Oct. 20, 1875, aged 66 years; the mother, Aug. 18. 1872, aged 56 years. Houston has four children—Clara Alice, born Feb. 24, 1864; Laura Jane, Aug. 11, 1867; Maggie Elizabeth, Oct. 13, 1872; and Nelson Eugene, May 16, 1877. He was elected Clerk of the township in the spring of 1864, which position he held for six successive terms, and two terms thereafter was Treasurer one year, and for the last fifteen years has held the office of Justice of the Peace, and eleven years member of the School Board, taking an active interest in the progress of education. His life upon the farm is more especially devoted to the raising of grain, the products of his farm being from twelve to fifteen hunched bushels of wheat alone. He and family are members of the Reformed Church, and liberal givers to the cause of religion and the building of churches.

SAMUEL KEPLER. farmer; P. O. New Portage; is a son of Jacob Kepler, a brief history of whom appears with that of Houston Kepler, in this work. Samuel was born April 17, 1830, and received the educational advantages of the old log schoolhouse of those pioneer days. with its puncheon floor and Congress stove, with holes bored in the logs of the building, and wooden pins driven in to support their writing-desks, etc. At 21 years of age, he engaged in farming on his present location, which was a part of the land owned by his father. He was married. Sept. 12. 1851, to Suannah Swigart, daughter of George and Elizabeth (Daily) Swigart, she a daughter of John Daily, who was supposed to have been the first settler in Franklin Township They were natives of Bucks Co., Penn. By this union there were seven children, five of whom are living—Uriah A., born in 1852; Anna. in 1855; Jacob, July 19, 1859; Samuel, Dec. 9, 1865; Minnie May, Dec. 5, 1871. Uriah A. married Mary Lamb, daughter of Nathan Lamb, formerly a prominent business man of this county. They are farming at Chanute, Kan. ; Anna, wife of Hon. Hugo C. Preyer, formerly of the Ohio Stoats Zeiting, at Canton.now editor of the Great West, an independent paper published at Denver, Colo. He is also President of the Stonewall Mining Company. The mines of this company, four in number, are situated near Crosson, on the line of the Denver & South Park Railroad, about forty-eight miles from Denver. The camp is considered one of the best in the State, with a capital of $1,000,000. He is also Secretary of three other mines. Jacob, second son of Samuel Kepler, has advanced to a considerable degree of prominence as a township poltician and a business man. He received a district-school education, with the additional advantages, for a short time, of the high schools and College of Canton, Ohio, where he was also engaged for a time as solicitor upon the Ohio Stoats Zeitung. When a lad of but 16 years, he became very much interested in public matters, and, at 21 years of age, was appointed by the Trustees to canvass the township for election purposes, on account of the great number of transient men. He has been for a considerable time a regular correspondent of the Akron City Tines, and is at present living upon the farm with his father. The subject of this sketch has held the various township offices of trust since his marriage—those of Trustee. Treasurer, and, in 1880, was Assessor of real estate:

JOHN P. KEPLER, Akron; proprietor of the Farmers' Coal Bank, Coventry Township Ohio, which was started in 1874, opening a mine of coal of a superior quality, with a vein averaging about four and a half feet, and employing at one time nearly forty men. His machinery consists of two engines, one of eighty-five-horse power, the other of twenty-horse power: being a practical engineer, he is able to run his own power, as well as the general superintendency of his mine. In 1878, he began utilizing his power by engaging in wood-turning of all kinds, and light sawing; but, on the 13th of February, 188(1, his building, 36x46, was destroyed by fire, entailing upon him a heavy loss. He was born March 5, 1849, to John A., the son of Andrew and Maria Kintz. the latter a daughter of John Kintz, of Chippewa Township, Wayne Co., Ohio. His boyhood was spent in Green Township. where he was born, working on a farm and at the carpenter's trade. He afterward went to Akron, where he learned the machinist's trade, having before had some experience in that branch of machinery, so that he is now able to build an engine complete. Afterward, for about a year, he kept a meat market, and, since being engaged in the business of mining, has devoted some time to prospecting for coal and the study of geology. He was married, July 27. 1865, to Lovina Stroman, daughter of John Stroman, of Springfield Township. They have two children—Clara M., born June 9. 1869: and Henry Edgar, Feb. 4. 1879.

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1850 United States Federal Census :

Name: Jacob Kepler

Age: 47

Estimated birth year: abt 1803

Birth Place: Pennsylvania

Gender: Male

Home in 1850 (City,County,State): Coventry, Summit, Ohio

Family Number: 1821

Household Members: Name Age

Jacob Kepler 47

Susanna Kepler 42

Samuel Kepler 19

Mary Ann Kepler 17

Lavina Kepler 16

Eliza J Kepler 12

Houston Kepler 11

Elizabeth Kepler 6

Solomon Kepler 15

Jonathan Cormany 19

1860 United States Federal Census

Name: Jacob Keplar

Age in 1860: 58

Birth Year: abt 1802

Birthplace: Pennsylvania

Home in 1860: Coventry, Summit, Ohio

Gender: Male

Post Office: New Portage

Household Members: Name Age

Jacob Keplar 58

Susan Keplar 50

Houston Keplar 20

Elizabeth Keplar 16

Amanda Keplar 9

Flora A Keplar 6/12

John Fisher 12

Thomas Bachman 23

Eliza Bachman 23

Laman W Bachman 1

1870 United States Federal Census

Name: Jacob Koepler

Birth Year: abt 1804

Age in 1870: 66

Birthplace: Pennsylvania

Home in 1870: Coventry, Summit, Ohio

Race: White

Gender: Male

Post Office: Middlebury

Household Members: Name Age

Jacob Koepler 66

Susan Koepler 61

Cora A Koepler 10

Mary E Oberlin 12

Catharine Marner 71

Luvina Isabel 20

John Dia 19

H Kepler 30

Cathrine Kepler 29

Clara Kepler 6

Laura Kepler 2

Christian Fisher 21

1880 United States Federal Census :

Name: Jacob Kepler

Home in 1880: Coventry, Summit, Ohio

Age: 77

Estimated birth year: abt 1803

Birthplace: Pennsylvania

Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head)

Spouse's name: Susan Kepler

Father's birthplace: Pennsylvania

Mother's birthplace: Pennsylvania

Occupation: Farmer

Marital Status: Married

Race: White

Gender: Male

Household Members: Name Age

Jacob Kepler 77

Susan Kepler 71