John P. Mangas

John P. Mangas was born in Henry County though his people were all of the German nationality that has largely prevailed in the early settlement of several of Henry County's townships.

The early generations of the family in this county were headed by his grandfather, Henry Casper Mangas, and his father, Henry Mangas. Both were born in Prussia, Germany. Henry Mangas was born there Oct. 24, 1829. When he was five years of age, Casper Mangas brought the family to the United States. They sailed from Bremen, Germany, and were 52 days on the ocean before they reached New York. At that time there was not a single railway built west of the Allegheny Mountains, and only a few miles of track had been built anywhere. The principal route of emigration to the West was the Erie Canal, which had been opened about nine years before.

Thus the Mangas family journeyed across the state to Buffalo, and from there by the Great Lakes to Cleveland and to Toledo. From Toledo they came up the Maumee to what is now New Bavaria in Pleasant Township. The Mangas family, together with the Hornungs and the Marches, were the first three families to comprise the original German colony at New Bavaria. Henry County was then a wilderness, divided between heavy forests and swamps. Nearly all land was available for settlement by direct contract with the government.

Casper Mangas entered his land and filed the claim and paid the initial fees in the land office at Lima, walking all the way. The Mangas family had to contend with difficulties, inconveniences and privations during their early life in Henry County, there being no near neighbors, roads, schools or churches, and the mills were many miles away. Casper Mangas and his wife died on the old farm when in advanced years. Their first home of round logs had been replaced by a house of hewed logs. They were among the charter members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and both are buried in that cemetery.

It was in this locality that Henry Mangas grew to manhood. He was one of the first men elected to the office of justice of the peace in Marion Township, where he settled as a pioneer. Hewas also assessor and had some place of responsibility during the greater part of his life. He lived to be 75 years of age, dying Sept. 11, 1904.

In Pleasant Township, Henry married Mary Diemer, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, and when eight years old came to America with her parents who located in Pleasant Township. Mrs. Mary Mangas died at the old home in Marion Township on April 8, 1903, at about 50 years of age. Both are buried at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

John P. Mangas was the oldest son in a family of four sons and seven daughters. He was born June 27, 1865, in Marion Township. In October, 1895, he took up farming as an independent vocation and bought 120 acres in Sections 29 and 30 of the township. His ownership eventually extended to over 360 acres, divided into three distinct farms. His home place included a barn 40 by 90 feet, and a house which is one of the finest to be built during its time.

In 1894, Mr. Mangas was married at New Bavaria to Margaret Wagner who was born in Lorain County on June 23, 1868. Her parents were both natives of Germany and her mother died in Lorain County. Her father, John Wagner, who died June 5, 1911, spent his early years as a sailor on ocean vessels and finally brought his family to America on a sailing vessel.

John and Margaret are the parents of: Mary S., Ellen (wife of Owen Brubaker), Gilbert, Catherine, Paul, and Julian.

Mary married Charles Zenz of Putnam County. He was the son of John and Mary (Diemer) Zenz. They had two children, Edwin and Elizabeth. They made their livelihood by farming. Charles and Mary are both deceased.

Ellen married Owen Brubaker of Hamler. They had two daughters, Kathleen and June. She later married Elmer Grey and moved to Toledo. Ellen and both husbands are deceased.

Catherine, wife of Valentine Dedy, lived in Henry County until his death. She and sons Walter and Donald, and daughter Joanne moved to Toledo, where she still resides.

Paul married Leona Kuhlman and lived on the Mangas homestead. They made their living farming. They had three children, John, Jeanne, and Pauline. Paul is deceased.

Julius married Amelia Shmiedebush of Miller City. They had two daughters. Julius died in 1974.

Gilbert J. married Clara Zenz, daughter of John and Mary (Diemer) Zenz of Putnam County. He purchased eighty acres of land in Marion Township and later inherited forty acres from his father. They were members of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. They had two children, Robert and Mary. Gilbert died in 1965. His wife, Clara, lives in Defiance.

Robert married Julia Sonnenberg, daughter of Theodore and Amelia (Badenhop) Sonnenberg, of rural Holgate in 1944 at Hope Lutheran Parsonage. He farmed with his father and purchased eighty acres, Section Twenty in Marion Township. He continued farming until in 1953 when he was stricken with polio. They had six children: Thomas, James, Susan, Judith, Linda, and John.

Mary married Herbert Hoover of Defiance after his return from serving four years in the United States Army during World War II. They had one son, Gerald. Herbert died in 1972 and Mary still lives in Defiance and works at General Motors. She is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Defiance.

Mary's son, Gerald, served two years in the United States Army. He was stationed in the States for one year and in Korea for the second. In 1973, he married Sandy Hollenbaugcher, a native of Indiana. They live in New Haven, Indiana, where he is an insurance adjuster and she is a secretary.

Robert's oldest son, Thomas married Jackie Walker, daughter of Lawrence and Mary (Berry) Walker, of Napoleon in 1967. He farms his father's and grandmother's land. They have two children Debbie and Jeffrey and live on his grandfather's home-place. They are members of Hope Lutheran Church, Hamler.

James served two years in the United States Naval Reserve after his graduation from Hamler High School. In 1971,  he married Judith Fojtik, daughter of Frank and Mary (Vecera) Fojtik, a native of Blissfield, Michigan. They now live in Waterville, Ohio. He works in the construction business and she is a secretary. They have one daughter, Jennifer.

Susan married James Porter, son of George and Violet Porter of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1972. The couple residesin Cincinnati where she is editor of a weekly newspaper in Milford, Ohio. Her husband is a research technician for the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine. He is also a graduate student majoring in epidemiology. Susan was recently elected to the Board of Directors for the Milford Chamber of Commerce. The couple belongs to Armstrong Chapel, Indian Hill.

Judith, married Robert Damman, son of Henry and Alma (Tietje) Dam-man of Hamler, in 1973 in Hope Lutheran Church. They live near Hamler where he raises and breeds standard bred race horses and poultry. Judy is a dental assistant in Defiance.

Linda still lives at home and is currently working as a secretary in Napoleon.

John also lives at home and attends Patrick Henry High School.

Submitted by Judy (Mangas) Damman