OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 99 : Issue 72 Today's Topics: #1 THEODORE LEONARD [LeaAnn ] #2 PETER E. AMBOS [LeaAnn ] #3 CHRISTIAN F. JAEGER [LeaAnn ] ------------------------------ X-Message: #1 Date: Wed, 03 Feb 1999 00:14:19 -0600 From: LeaAnn Subject: THEODORE LEONARD History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, Ohio Pub by Williams Bros., 1880 THEODORE LEONARD, is the son of French parents, Louis Leonard and Catharine (LaValle), who lived for a time in New York State, but removed from there to Canada and located near Montreal, where Theodore was born, October 25, 1820. His father was a well-to-do farmer but lost his property, and from the time he was twelve years of age the son was obliged to look out for himself. He worked for the farmers in the vicinity of his home, getting wages which were a mere pittance, until he was twenty years of age. Although his earnings were small, he managed, by the most careful economy, to accumulate a small sum of money, and from the very first was seldom, if ever, entirely without resources. The school was a hard one, but the lessons learned were valuable, for they established the value of prudence, industry and thrift, that have been combined to make Mr. Leonard's career one of success. When Theodore Leonard was twenty years of age, in 1840, he came to Columbus, where his father had preceded him. He was comparatively empty handed and could not speak a word of English. He immediately went to work at brick making, being employed by W. Atcheson as a common laborer. He exhibited qualities which Mr. Atcheson admired, and after three years had passed by was taken into partnership with Mr. Atcheson and another gentleman, the firm name being Atcheson, Shuemaker & Leonard. For sixteen years Mr. Leonard remained in the same business and partnership. At the expiration of that period the firm dissolved and the partners each took an equal share of one hundred and seventy-five acres of land that they had bought in common. This was the beginning of Mr. Leonard's ownership of land. He continued in the brick making business and engaged in farming. As his means increased he added piece after piece of land to the small tract he originally owned, until he accumulated his present possessions, nine hundred acres of land, which lie in the townships of Marion, Clinton and Mifflin. In addition to the other businesses which claimed his attention, the subject of this sketch, became a contractor and builder, erecting from forty to fifty houses in the city of Columbus and its vicinity. But it was in buying and selling real estate that he perhaps made the greater portion of his ample fortune. He bought and sold a great many thousand dollars worth of city and country property, and, in the main, was very successful in his ventures, though by no means uniformly so, for like other men of varied and extensive affairs, he met with some serious reverses, from one cause and another. The real estate lying close to the city limits increased fast, in value, as the city grew in prosperity and extended its territory. The avenue, bearing his name, was opened through Mr. Leonard's property in 1870, and did considerable towards enhancing its value. Mr. Leonard is one of those men who, from their manner of using wealth, show themselves worthy of being its possessors. His good fortune has been to the advantage of others than himself. His public and private charities give evidence of the most whole-souled generosity of nature, and are perpetual memorials or monuments of his kind character. Among his larger donations may be mentioned one of five thousand dollars to the building fund of the Catholic cathedral, and a still more munificent gift to the seminary known as St. Mary's of the Springs. This institution, located in Mifflin township, has grounds thiryt-three acres in extent, which Mr. Leonard gave outright for the use of the school, in addition to the donation of ten thousand dollars in cash. Besides these large gifts there have been many smaller, unostentatious tenders of aid to worthy objects, and many utterly unknown save to donor and recepient. Such is Mr. Leonards reputation among those who knew him well. Mr. Leonard is the father of eight living children. His home, which stands just upon the Clinton and MArion township line, is one of the pleasantest in that part of the county. The house, of which a view appears upon another, was built by its present owner in the year 1852. -- ------------------------------ X-Message: #2 Date: Wed, 03 Feb 1999 01:03:47 -0600 From: LeaAnn Subject: PETER E. AMBOS History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, Ohio Pub by Williams Bros., 1880 PETER E. AMBOS Peter Emil Ambos, son of Henry Ambos, was born September 29, 1814, in Zweibruken, Rheinbaiern, Germany, where he remained until nearly seventeen years of age, when, in 1830, he emigrated to America, and landed at Norfolk, Virginia. He remained in Norfolk two years, and worked at making confectionery, which business he learned, and in 1832 removed to Columbus, where he ever after resided. He opened a confectionery store on south High street, in a building situated on the ground now occupied by Comstock's opera house, his place of business being located about where Miss Wilkie's millinery establishment is now conducted. There he remained about nine years, one year of which was in a partnership with George Egner, who came with him from Norfolk. He came to this country poor in purse, but rich in the possession of good habits, and by strict attention to business, and stern habits of integrity, coupled with an indomitable perseverance, he laid the foundation of a successful life, and was enabled to amass a large property. Some nine years after engaging in business here he was enabled to purchase the ground whereon the present store of Stevenson, Ruhl & Company is located, where he continued the confectionery business. This business he disposed of in 1854, when he became connected with the Columbus Manufacturing company of which he was treasurer during the presidency respectively of Samuel Galloway and John S. Hall. The name of the company was afterwards changed to the Columbus Machine company, of which Mr. Ambos was made president in 1865, from which time, and during the remainder of his life, he was president and treasurer. He was one of the men who organized the First National Bank of columbus, in 1863, and was elected its first vice-president. After the death of W.B. Hubbard, in 1866, he was made president, which office he continued to hold until his death. He was also president of the old Capital Insurance company until it was merged into the Franklin Insurance company. On the first day of August, 1841, he was united in marriage to Dorothea Jaeger, of this city, who survives him. To them were born three children; Emelie, Emil, and Herman. Mr. Ambos had not had good health for several of the later years of his life, and while at Kelley's Island, in the spring of 1866, he contracted a severe cold, which resulted in catarrh of the lungs, inconsequence of which he went to the Hot Springs of Arkansas, whence he returned in May much improved in health. He was a man of very regular habits, and was generous to a fault. No charity scarcely appealed to him in vain. He was a man of good business qualifications, and of sterling integrity. All who knew him missed him, and none more so than those who were intimately associated with him in his business relations. He was at the First National Bank up to the closing hours on saturday, in about his usual health, from whence he repaired to his home on south High street. Shortly after his arrival at his home he was seized with a fainting spell, from which he revived, and soon after retired to rest. About eleven o'clock he was taken with severe vomiting, and after this called once for his wife. Unconsciousness soon followed, which continued until his death, at half past two o'clock Sunday morning, June 25, 1877. The immediate cause of his death was pronounced apoplexy. Besides his wife and their children, he had a sister in the city, Mrs. Louis Hoster, who mourn his death. As a banker, Mr. Ambos was prompt and accurate in judgment, and faithful to all interests confided to his care. Throughout his business career he was known as a man of unquestionable integrity, and unblemished honor. As a citizen he was enterprising and public spirited, and assisted much in all public improvements, besides contributing largely to charitable undertakings. As a neighbor and friend he was cheerful, intelligent, courteous, and kind, and at his death left no enemy in the community wherein he had lived nearly half a century. A portrait of Peter Emil Ambos, together with a representation of his beautiful home on south High street, Columbus, appears in connection with this sketch of his life. -- ------------------------------ X-Message: #3 Date: Wed, 03 Feb 1999 01:50:56 -0600 From: LeaAnn Subject: CHRISTIAN F. JAEGER History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, Ohio Pub by Williams Bros., 1880 CHRISTIAN f. JAEGER The subject of this sketch, Christian Frederick Jaeger, was born at Heiligenrode, in Hesse Cassel, Germany, August 11, 1795. His parents were Rev. John Justus Jaeger, a minister of the German reformed church, and Maria Jaeger. When but four years of age, his father died, and his mother moved with her children, to Hesse Cassel, where they were educated. In 1811, his mother was enabled to procure his admittance into the Westphalian Artillery school, where he pursued military studies, under able instructors, until 1812 or 1813, when the French were driven out of the city by a Russian corps, under the brave general Zernicheff. On their departure, the young artillery soldier determined to follow them, and join the allied forces of his native land, which he was able to do after the battle of Leipzig. The Kur-Hessian army was organized, and formed a part of the north German allied army, and young Jaeger was commissioned a second lieutenant. His superior officer was the celebrated Kleistfun Nollendorf. The German army pursued the enemy into French territory, but the corps to which he was attached took no active part in any sever battles. After the signing of the treaty of Paris, by which peace became assured, he returned to his native country, where he continued in the service, as an officer of the Kur-Hessian army. He was successfully promoted to first lieutenant and captain, and was made commandment of the flying artillery corps, in which he served until 1832, when by his own request, he was relieved from further service. By the document accepting of his resignation, he is granted the privilege of re-entering the service at any time. The following is an accurate copy of the acceptance of his resignation, and is signed by the reigning prince of Hesse Cassel: (document left out here because the copy I have is very light and cannot be made out...even in context, as it is written in German, however, it is in the book if you wish to see it. LeaAnn) Christian Frederick Jaeger was married in 1821, to Johanna Henrietta Brauer, who was born January 28, 1799, and died in Columbus, February 10, 1868. Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger, with their children, emigrated to America in 1834, leaving Germany in April, and arriving in New York the third of July. Their intention was to proceed to Missouri and there make a home. With this destination in view, they took a steamboat on the Hudson river, after about a weeks delay in New York, and journeyed to Albany. They then traveled on the first horse railway built in the country, to Schenectady; from Schenectady, by canal to Buffalo; then by steamer, on Lake Erie, to Cleveland, where they again embarked on a canal boat, having for fellow passengers, a part of the way, a flock of sheep. When they arrived at Lockbourne, they found that the feeder of the canal was broken, and boats could not come up to Columbus. A large wagon was procured, in which the children and the baggage were loaded, while those strong enough to walk, footed it to Columbus. The entire journey consumed three weeks. After they had arrived in Columbus, it was deemed best to proceed no farther west, as the cholera was raging with great violence at the time. Several months after arriving here, Mr. Jaeger made a purchase of one hundred and forty acres of land, on what is now the south part of the principle street of the city. Here Mr. Jaeger has since lived, in a house built and occupied by Governor Lucas, many years since. The extension of the city to the south, has brought this property within the city limits, and has largely increased its value. A considerable portion of it has since been sold, but there yet remain of the original farm sixty-five acres, which has not been surveyed into city lots. To Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger were born eleven children, seven in Germany, and four after their settlement in Columbus. The names of those who grew to maturity were: Dorothea (now Mrs. Peter Ambos), Herman W., Henry, who died in 1846, Maria (now Mrs. Sellbach), Joanna (now Mrs. Hoffman), Edward, who died in 1876, Frederick, Matilda (now Mrs. Lesquereaux), Emma (now Mrs. Fix); Henrietta died when about two years of age, and an infant also died. Of this large family, seven are now living, all but one, Mrs. Fix, in Columbus. Mr. Jaeger has always lived a retired life as a farmer, and has taken much interests in agricultural pursuits. He imported a number of variety of fruit trees from Germany, among them a harvest apple that has become a general favorite. He has never taken an active part in the politics of this country, though he has always kept informed on political affairs, and has generally exercised his privilege to vote. During the late war between Germany and France, probably no person in the city took a greater interest in the result of the struggle than did Mr. Jaeger. -- -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V99 Issue #72 ******************************************