Introduction to the 1923 Biographical Sketches
This biographical sketch was published along with many others in the 1923 History of Auglaize County, Volume II, edited by William J. McMurray and published by the Historical Publishing Company of Indianapolis. In most cases the subject of the biography was of the first generation born in this country to German immigrants. In some cases the subject may have been born in Germany and came to this country at a young age. In most cases the story tells of the immigrant parents of the subject and also the children and grandchildren of the subject named at the beginning of the story. In some cases comments have been added after the biography to explain the locations of the farms where the immigrants settled. New Knoxville did not have rural addresses until 1955, and therefore the settlers had rural route addresses of St. Marys, Botkins, etc.
EDWARD C. HOLL, a well known resident of New Knoxville and widely known throughout this part of the state as a ditching contractor, who is also the secretary-treasurer of the New Knoxville Electric Company and clerk of the board of education of that village was born at New Knoxville on February 21, 1879, and is a son of George and Elizabeth (Wierwille) Holl, concerning whom further reference, together with additional details regarding the Holl family in this county, is made elsewhere in this volume in connection with the biographical sketch relating to the Hon. George W. Holl, elder brother of the subject of this sketch and former state senator from this district. Edward C. Holl was about twelve years of age when his father, George Holl, the village shoemaker and a native of Germany, died, and he early was thrown pretty largely on his own resources to assist in his own livelihood and in helping in the care of his widowed mother and his younger sisters.
He kept in school, however, and after completing the common school course “worked his way" through a course in pharmacy in the Ohio Northern University at Ada. Thus equipped as a practical druggist, Mr. Holl, in 1899, became employed as a clerk in the drug store of Doctor Hunter at Wapakoneta and was thus engaged for about five years, at the end of which time he returned to New Knoxville and there became actively engaged in the real estate business.
Not long afterward he became interested in the possibilities connected with practical ditching and dredging operations in this section and set up as a ditching contractor, starting out with one ditching machine, and has ever since been engaged in that line, one of the best known contractors in that line in this part of the state. As his business grew Mr. Holl continued to add to his power equipment until now he has four ditching machines and is equipped for any sort of work that may be called for in his line.
He also has taken an active part in various forms of promotion in his home town and is the vice president and a member of the board of directors of the New Knoxville Electric Company.
He is a Democrat and has for a number of years been the clerk of the local board of education at New Knoxville.
Edward C. Holl married Elizabeth K. Fledderjohann, daughter of August and Louise (Schroer) Fledderjohann, both members of pioneer families in this county, and he and his wife have a very pleasant home at New Knoxville. They have two adopted children, Ruth and Donald Schellenberger, and are members of the First Reformed church of New Knoxville.