BIO: John W. 1840 Stark Co OH s/o Chistopher b PA s/o John
JOHN W. STIMMEL, was born on a farm near the village of Paris, Stark county, Ohio, on the 1st of February, 1840, and his youthful days were passed in this county and the adjoining county of Carroll, where he attended the public schools until he had attained the age of fourteen years, having been up to that time reared in the home of his maternal grandfather.The Stimmel family is of German extraction, and the name has long been identified with the annals of the old Keystone state, where the original American ancestors took up their abode upon emigrating from the German fatherland.In Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, John Stimmel, grandfather of the subject, was born and reared, having been a stone-mason by trade and vocation.In the same county the father of the subject as likewise born, his name being Christopher, and as the family were in moderate circumstances and he was early compelled to depend upon his own resources, his educational advantages were very limited.He learned the trade of blacksmith in his native state and when a young man emigrated thence to Ohio, and thereafter lived in Carroll and Stark counties. In the former county was solemnized his marriage to Miss Rebecca Shults, daughter of Henry and Esther (Bachman) Shults, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania, whither his parents emigrated from Germany.He died in Brown township, Carroll county, Ohio, in 1854, having been a prominent and influential farmer of that locality, and there also occurred the death of his devoted wife, whose parents were likewise pioneers of Carroll county, whither they came from Pennsylvania.After his marriage Christopher Stimmel located in Paris township, Carroll county, where he was for a short period engaged in farming, also continuing the work of his trade.From that locality he removed to Pekin village, where he engaged in the manufacture of axes by hand.There after he was located for an interval near Malvern, in the same county, and also conducted a blacksmith shop at Middle Run for a time.He then located on the farmer of his father-in-law and there engaged in farming, also having a shop on the place and finding a ready demand for his services as a blacksmith.After several years had elapsed he came to Stark county, and located in Mapleton, where he was successfully engaged in the work of his trade until his death, in the summer of f1860, at the age of forty-eight years.In politics he was a stanch Democrat and his religious faith was that of the Disciples church.He was an honest, industrious ad unassuming man, a good citizen and one whose life was such as to gain him unqualified confidence andrespect wherever he was known.His wife survived him many years, her death occurring in Mapleton, about 1882, at the age of sixty-five years, she likewise having been a devoted member of the Disciples church.Of their children brief record is entered at this juncture:John W. is the immediate subject of this sketch;Esther is the widow of George Penrose and resides in East Liverpool, Ohio;Martin removed to Kansas about 1870, locating on a farm and later removing to the town of Newton, where he successfully engaged in the blacksmith business, continuing operations for a number of years, while later he became under-sheriff of the county and was incumbent of this office for eighteen years, he served with distinction during the war of the Rebellion, having been first a member of the Eighty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and later of the One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment, while it was his misfortune to have been taken prisoner on the 31st of August, 1864, during Wheeler's raid, but he was soon afterward paroled; he married Miss Linne Ridinger and they are the parents of numerous children;Mary is the wife of John Stimmel, of Paris township, Carroll county; and Reuben is a successful clay miner near Malvern, that county.
John W. Stimmel, to whom this review is dedicated, remained in the home of his maternal grandparents until he had attained the age of fourteen years, as has already been noted, and he then joined his parents in Mapleton.In the spring of 1855 he hired out as a farm hand, entering the employ of John Shearer and receiving five dollars a month and board in recompense for his services, while during the winter months he was enabled to continue his studies in the district schools.He remained in the employ of Mr. Shearer for a period of three years, and in the spring of 1859 he entered the employ of Zedakiah Ake, of Osnaburg township.The following spring Mr. Ake removed to Allen county, Indiana, and the subject drove his employer's team through to the new home, intending to remain, but he was not pleased with the outlook and consequently returned to Ohio.During a portion of the summer of 1860 he was employed in the McGregor brick yard, in the city of Canton, and in the autumn of the same year he here engaged in the blacksmith business, in which he was associated with Henry Stimmel.He was thus placed at the time when the great Civil war was precipitated upon a divided nation, and he showed his intrinsic loyalty and patriotism by tendering his services in defense of the Union upon the President's first call for volunteers.In the month of April, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company A, Nineteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Mandrerson and Colonel Beaty, and was eventually promoted to the position of color bearer.he enlisted for a term of ninety days and remained in service for four months, taking part in the battle of Rich Mountain, and after the close of his service he returned to his home, but he was not content to thus hold himself aloof when his country's integrity still hung in the balance, and he re-enlisted on the 20th of August, 1862, becoming a member of Company B, One Hundred and Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Lucy and Captain L. F. Hake.The regiment was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, becoming a part of the Twentieth Army Corps, under General Thomas, and Mr. Stimmel continued in active service until victory crowned the Union arms and peace was declared.he participated in many of the memorable conflicts of t war and was ever found faithful to duty, beingloyal and zealous son of the Republic and one who honored himself and his native state by his efficient services.He received his honorable discharge, in the city of Cleveland, on the 5h of July, 1865, and then returned to the work of his trade, being located in North Industry until September 16th of the following year, when he came to Canton and entered the employ of the Aultman Company, being thereafter employed in the blacksmith department of the works of this concern for twenty years, within which time he was advanced to a position of trust and responsibility.His health finally became so seriously impaired that he was compelled to seek a change of occupation, and he left the employ of the Aultman concern on the 2nd of September, 1886.He passed the winter in Kansas, as the guest of his brother, and then engaged in the selling of nursery stock, to which he devoted his attention for one year,after which he was for a time associated with Charles Ite in the putting in of door and window screens on contract.During the following years Mr. Stimmel traveled through the south in the interest of the Sun Vapor Company, manufacturers of vapor lamps, and on Christmas day of the year 1894 he established himself in the grocery business in Canton, his original quarters being nearly opposite his present equipped establishment, which is located on South Market street.By his progressive methods, scrupulous care in catering to the demands of a discriminating patronage, and his thorough reliability, Mr. Stimmel has built up a very gratifying business and is numbered among the prosperous and honored merchants of the city, enjoying unequivocal confidence and esteem in the community.He has a commodious and attractive residence on Market street, the same having been erected by him in 1872.In politics he gives a stanch allegiance to the Republican party and his religious faith is indicated in his membership in the South Market Street Reformed Church, in which his wife likewise isa zealous worker.Fraternally Mr. Stimmel is an honored and valued member of McKinley Post No. 25, Grand Army of the Republic, of Canton;while in Freemasonry he has advanced through the degree of the ancient-craft body, and he is also identified with the Protective Home Circle, the Royal Arcanum, and U. S. Grant Council of the Senior Order of United American Mechanics.
At North Industry, Stark county, on the 7th of March, 1869, Mr. Stimmel was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Friend, who was born in this county, being a daughter of Leonard and Margaret Friend, the latter of whom died three weeks after the birth of her daughter, Mrs. Stimmel.Three other children were born of the union, namely:John, who is a resident of Williams county, Ohio;Henry, who is likewiseresident of that county;and Margaret, who became the wife of Abraham Haines, and who died in Montpelier, Williams county, in 1899.Mr. and Mrs. Stimmel have one child, Ethel M., who remains at the parental home and who is one of the popular young ladies of Canton, where she received her education in the public schools.She is a graduate of Canton High School in the class of 1899.