Herman H. F. Bostelman Family

Herman H. F. Bostelman was born on December 21, 1855, at Oettinger, Hanover, Germany. He came to the United States as a young man and located in the Holgate area. A sister, Mrs. William Baden, also came to this country and lived near Okolona, Ohio.

Soon after coming to America, Herman married Anna Elling, born on September 19, 1860, in Germany. They lived and farmed in Monroe Township, Henry County, Ohio. They, with their five children, attended St. John's Lutheran Church, Holgate, Ohio. Herman died on June 23, 1908, and Anna died on July 11, 1948. Both are buried in St. John's Lutheran cemetery.

The eldest son, William H. Bostelman, was born on August 27, 1884. He left the Holgate area at the age of twenty-one to pursue the carpenter trade. He located in the Okolona area and lived with the William Holer's family. After a few years, he moved to the William Heitman farm, northeast of Okolona, Ohio.

He married, on March 25, 1913, Ina Davis, born on September 4, 1893, in Highland Township, Defiance County, Ohio, the foster daughter of Fred and Emma Behnfeldt. They resided on the Heitman farm until 1929, then moved to their own farm in Liberty Township, Henry County, Ohio. They retired from farming in 1943 to enjoy a more leisurely life on their farm. They attended St. Luke's Lutheran Church, south of Wauseon, Ohio. William died on August 24, 1956, and Ina now lives with her daughter, Caroline, Mrs. Elmer Wesche.

Her grandson, William E. Wesche, his wife Deborah, and their children, Nicole, Joyanna and Gregory now live on . her farm. Her granddaughter, Elaine Wesche and husband, John Stamm, and children, Nathan and Cherie, live in Anchorage, Alaska.

The second son, John F. Bostelman, was born on May 4, 1886. He was well known in Napoleon, Ohio, since he worked for many years in the Brown and Meyerholtz Store and the Crahan Store. John married Ruth K. Stockman on June 12, 1912. Ruth died on July 28, 1948. John married Frieda Rabe in 1950. They lived in Napoleon a few years, then resided at Oak Manor Nursing Home, Deshler, Ohio, until her death on December 24, 1968, and his death on June 1, 1969. He was buried in Forest Hill cemetery, Napoleon, Ohio.

The eldest daughter, Marie Bostelman, was born on May 18, 1888: She married Fred Servatius. Most of her lifetime was spent in Toledo, Ohio, doing domestic and factory work. She was a fine seamstress. Marie died on November 23, 1951, and was buried in St. John Lutheran Cemetery, Holgate, Ohio.

The third son, Henry Bostelman, was born in 1890. He left the Holgate area as a youth. He served in World War I. His whereabouts were unknown after that.

The youngest child, Minnie Bostelman, was born on October 14, 1891. She spent most of her lifetime in Toledo doing domestic work, and factory work at the Toledo Auto-Lite Plant. She married Fred Anderson in 1940. They lived in East Toledo and later moved to Lombard Street, South Toledo. Fred died on July 16, 1964. Minnie spent her remaining years in the Lutheran Home, Seaman Road, Toledo, Ohio. She died on October 23, 1972, and was buried in Ottawa Hills Memorial Park, Central Avenue, Toledo, Ohio.

Submitted by: Mrs. Elmer Wesche, Wauseon, Ohio