The Huddle Family

John Hottel and his family entered the port of Philadelphia and are registered in the Immigrants Registry of 1732. John Hottel was of Swiss ancestry and the progenitor of our name. They settled in Bucks Co., Pa., for 18 years. In 1750 he obtained a land grant from Lord Thomas Fairfax in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia near Toms Brook. John's youngest son George was born in 1728. George's fourth son David born 1753 and his second child was also named George and was born 1781. Young George and his family left Rockingham County, Virginia, moving west to Hocking County, Ohio, in 1812 when the orthography of the name "Hottel" was changed to "Huddle."

George Huddle had eleven children of which Daniel was the second son born in 1809. Daniel was a small boy when they traveled by wagon from Rockingham County, Virginia, across the Allegheny Mountains, and the Ohio River.

Daniel married and had twelve children where they lived near Bremen, Ohio. John the third child was born October 10, 1837. John married Catherine Shoemaker of Crawford County and moved to Henry County in 1861 and settled on a track of land near Napoleon and a part of which later became the Henry County Fair Grounds. At that time the land was wild and uncultivated. The clearing of the virgin forest and erection of buildings made up the interesting career. His first home was a small log cabin, but as the years passed and his improved finances permitted, he erected new buildings, (now owned by

Mr. Milton Zigg on Huddle Road) cultivated his land, and developed it into one of the really valuable properties of Napoleon Township. He died at the age of 83 and both he and his wife are buried in Forest Hill Cemetery at Napoleon, Ohio. They were the parents of the following six children: Rev. William W., a pastor for the Evangelical Church, who had married twice and had no children; Cora, unmarried, formerly a teacher in the public schools; Samuel, who died in infancy; Ora, married first Verda Pontius, who died after the birth of two children, Ray V. and Gale L., and then he married his second wife Adelia Pontius, a sister of the first Mrs. Huddle, and they have two children, Fred and Elizabeth; (who married Franklin Suydam) of Napoleon; and John, who married Effie Beisheim, and had one son, Noel John. Daniel, born 1868, followed the profession of teaching and farming in Harrison Township at the east edge of Napoleon. He married ken Travis, who died at the age of twenty-three years, leaving one son, Howard G., of Napoleon. Second marriage was to Annie M. Reimound and there were five children born of this union. Helen M. married Harold Travis. She is a retired school teacher living in Bowling Green, Ohio. (no children). Infant son (died same year). Kenneth W. married N. Campbell - a farmer and died 1962; they had two children, Cheryl Marie of Compton, California, and Kenneth Earl died 1956. Luella E. of Napoleon married Howard Parks. They have one adopted daughter Nancy J. of Perrysburg, Ohio, who married James F. Schueler. Clarence D. married Freda Armbruster. He is a farmer in Harrison Township specializing in beef cattle and grain crops. They have four children and all are living in Henry County.

[Photo, p. 266a] The late Daniel Huddle farm, east of Napoleon.

[Photo, p. 266b] Plowing 72 furrows of ground in Harrison Twp. in one round. Left to right: Jeff Huddle, Max Mansfield, Gary Guelde, Denny Hoffman, Clarence Huddle, Charlie and son, Jayson Kurtz.

[Photo, p. 268c] A four row carrot harvester designed and built by Jay Huddle.

Dwight married Hazel Leaders, daughter of Peter and Anna (Keehn) Leaders of Holgate and they live at Rt. #3, Napoleon. They have three children: John, married Darla Fuhrhop and they have one child born May, 1974, named Amanda Jane; Jim and Jane are both students at the University of Bowling Green, Ohio, and are living at home. Dwight is a vegetable and general farmer in Harrison Township.

Marilyn Ann married Lawrence Leaders son of Peter and Anna (Keehn) Leaders of Holgate. They have four children: Karen, married Delbert Shinn; Janet, married Allen Shutt; Kevin and Marcia at home. Lawrence is a general farmer and they live near Okolona.

Herbert married Betty (Houts) daughter of Charles and Leota (Gram-ling) Houts of Colton, Ohio, on May 6, 1951. They are the parents of four children. Diann, married Max Mansfield, and they live near Napoleon; Steven, David, and Jean Ann, all at home. Herb is employed as area manager at the Campbell Soup Company and Betty is a deputy clerk of common pleas court in the Henry County Courthouse. They live on a farm at Route #5, Napoleon, in Harrison Township.

Jay married Norma Frakes daughter of Charles and Ethel (Rentz) Frakes, of Malinta and they live at Rt. #3, Napoleon. They are the parents of four children all at home, Jeffry, Daniel, Laura, and Connie. Jay is a vegetable farmer, specializing in the growing and the storage of carrots, in Harrison Township. He has designed and built most of his vegetable harvesting equipment.

Submitted by Herbert Huddle