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.
F. H. FLEDDERJOHN, better known to his friends as Henry Fledderjohn, a substantial landowner and retired farmer, now living at New Knoxville, was born in Washington township about the time Auglaize County was being organized and is thus a member of one of the pioneer families of the New Knoxville neighborhood. Mr. Fledderjohn was born on March 9, 1848, and is a son of William and Christina (Honroth) Fledderjohn, who had come to this region with their respective parents from Germany in the days of their youth and were here married. After his marriage William Fledderjohann established his home on a farm in Washington township and there he and his wife and their eldest child died of cholera during the progress of the dreadful scourge of that disease throughout this region in 1849, leaving the subject of this sketch, then but an infant, and his elder sister Elizabeth orphaned. The baby Henry also suffered from an attack of the cholera, but recovered and was reared in the home of Henry Hoelscher of Washington township. His sister Elizabeth was reared at the home of her uncle H. H. Fledderjohann. Henry Fledderjohn grew to manhood in Washington township and received his schooling in the local schools. At the age of seventeen he took up the carpenter trade and followed that for five or six years, or until 1871, when he bought a piece of property in New Knoxville and set up there a cabinet making shop and furniture store, giving his attention to cabinet making during the winters and continuing to follow his work as a carpenter during the summers. About this time he married and established his home at New Knoxville, where he resided for ten years, or until 1881, when he moved with his family to a farm of 120 acres which he previously had bought down over the line in Van Buren township, Shelby county. and there settled down to farming, a vocation which engaged his attention thereafter for more than forty years, or until his retirement in 1922 and return to New Knoxville, where he is now living. quite comfortably situated. When Mr. Fledderjohn took possession of that farm down in Shelby County it was practically unimproved and upon him fell the task of clearing the same and erecting the buildings for the excellent farm plant which he gradually built up around him. He did well in his farming operations and owns in addition to his farm and his home property in New Knoxville, a quarter of a section of land in Colorado, half of which is irrigated. Mr. Fledderjohn is a Republican and for some time prior to his removal to Shelby County served (1876-81) as treasurer of Washington township. During the time of his residence in Shelby County he also for some time served as a member of the school board for Van Buren township and in other ways has given of a good citizen's service to the public need. He and his wife are members of the Reformed Church at New Knoxville and he has served as a trustee of that congregation and also as a deacon. Henry Fledderjohn married Sophia Meckstroth, a daughter of Herman W. Meckstroth and also a member of one of the pioneer families of Washington township, and to this union twelve children have been born. Of these children ten are living, Caroline, Lydia, Emma, Matilda, Minnie, Elizabeth, Herman, Henry, Silas and Rinehart all of whom are married save Herman and Henry. Caroline Fledderjohn married L. W. Eversman and has seven children Alice, Olga, Ruth, Clarence, Esther, Leona and Helen. Lydia Fledderjohn married William Rodeheffer and has two children, Cornelia and Paul. Emma Fledderjohn married Herman Kuck and has six children, Matilda, Henrietta, Ruth, Martha, Christina and Esther. Matilda Fledderjohn married Fred Lammers and has four children, Paul, Tabitha, Silas and Victor. Minnie Fledderjohn married Benjamin Wierwille and has three children, Velma, Luella and Nathan. Elizabeth Fledderjohn married Wesley Lammers and has two children, John Wesley and Loren. Silas Fledderjohn married Irma Greber and has two children, Robert and Donald, and Rinehart Fledderjohn married Irene Koepke. It thus will be noted that Mr. and Mrs. Fledderjohn have no fewer than twenty-six grandchildren, in all of whom they take much pride and delight.
NOTE: Henry Fledderjohn changed the spelling of his family name from the original spelling of Fledderjohann.
NOTE: The farm to which Henry Fledderjohn moved in Shelby County is located at 18600 Fledderjohn Road.