Fred E. Meyer Family (Kahlke, Genter and Rohrs)

FRED E. MEYER was born in Freedom Twp. on April 18, 1881. He is the son of Fred and Mary Scheele Meyer. His father, Fred Meyer was born on Oct. 25, 1845 in Hanover, Germany, the son of Dietrich (1800-1859) and Catherine Dorothea Otten Meyer (1805-?) At the age of twenty, in 1865, about the close of the Civil War, he came to America with his Mother and five brothers and sisters — Catherine (Mahnke), Anna (Oelfke), Dora (Gottschalk), Christ Meyer (who married Cecelia Yarnell), and George Meyer. The father, Dietrich, had died in 1859 in Germany. Four older children had come to America earlier and settled in Henry County. They were Sophia (Schwake), Henry, William and Dietrich. Fred started out as a laborer with the Wabash Railway and later was a sailor on the Great Lakes for 7 years and in that time visited nearly every harbor on Lake Erie. The last two years of that time were spent as an engineer. He married Mary Scheele who was born Sept. 1854 in Hanover, Germany and came to America in 1870 with her Father, Henry Scheele. Mr. & Mrs. Meyer raised eleven children. They are: Sophia, wife of John Gerken, Henry D., Herman, William H., Fred E., George, Minnie, wife of Fred Dishop, Emilie, wife of Ferdinand Bindeman, Ida, wife of Henry Kruse, August Meyer and Emma, wife of John C. Meyer. At the time of this writing, March 1978, August is the only living member of this family. He lives on his farm in Clinton Twp., Fulton Co. Fred Meyer bought different 80 acre tracts of land and later sold them to his sons. In 1905 he purchased a small farm of twenty acres one half mile west of Gerald and lived there during his retirement. His wife, Mary, died in October 1918. At the time of his death in July 1925 he was making his home with his son, Fred E. Meyer.

FRED E. MEYER grew up on the family farm in Freedom Twp., was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church. He often bold that he was considered the "runt" of the family but he was a real "scrapper" in school and could lick boys much bigger than himself. While a young man he started butchering for people in the neighborhood, walking from farm to farm. He continued butchering even after he was married and was farming his own farm. His daughters can remember how he would sit in the kitchen, sharpening his butchering knives, which he carried in a special case, the evening before a butchering job early the next morning. And incidentally, there was never a dull knife around the house.

On March 21, 1907 Fred E. Meyer married Emilie Bischoff, born July 31, 1887, the daughter of Henry Bischoff (1854-1933) and Wilhelmina Baden- hop Bischoff. (1866-1905). Emilie had three brothers and one sister, — John, Henry, and Fred Bischoff and Ida, who married Henry C. Panning. At this writing, March 1978, Henry Bischoff is still living in Freedom Twp. Fred and Emilie Meyer moved to an 80 A. farm in Sec. 13, Freedom Twp. on Rd. 13, between Rd. V and the Henry-Fulton Co. line. In 1914 they bought this farm from his father, Fred Meyer, and that same year their new house was built. Fred E. farmed here until well up in years and then rented out the farm, but they lived in their home until after celebrating their 62nd anniversary when Fred E. Meyer died on Jan. 3, 1970. Emilie remained in their home until her death on June 16, 1972. They were lifelong members of St. John Lutheran Church, Freedom Twp. and are both buried in the church cemetery. The farm remains in the family and is now owned by two daughters, Norma Genter and Denelda Rohrs. Fred E. and Emilie Meyer are the parents of four children, Clara, Arthur, Norma and Denelda.

CLARA MINNIE MEYER, born April 23, 1908, was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at St. John Lutheran Church, Freedom Twp. She attended Konzen Public School for four years and then St. John Parochial School for four years. For some years she worked in and around Na poleon as domestic help and then also in Ft. Wayne, Indiana where she also worked at General Electric for a short time. On May 2, 1943 she married Ernest Kahlke, son of Frederick and Wilhelmina Roembke Kahlke of Doehren, Westfallen, Germany. Ernest was born April 24, 1900. He served in the German Army in World War I. He came to America Oct. 23, 1922 and settled near Woodburn, Ind., working on his uncle's farm. Clara and Ernest made their home in Allen Co., Ind. where they farmed for 32 years. Clara worked as a nurse's aide at Lutheran Hospital, Ft. Wayne for 121/2 years before she retired in 1973. At this same time Ernest retired from farming and they bought a home in Hicksville, Ohio and moved there in 1974. They are members of Christ Lutheran Church, Woodburn, Indiana. Clara and Ernest have one daughter, Barbara Ann.

Barbara Ann Kahlke, born Jan. 16, 1944 attended grade school in Scipio Twp., Allen Co., Ind. and the Woodburn Parochial school. She graduated from Harlan High School. On Nov. 12, 1967 she married Robert Gillespie, son of Maurice and Beulah Kline Gillespie. Robert has two sons from a former marriage, — Robert, born April 27, 1960 and Cuyler, born May 31, 1962. Barbara and Bob have a son, Anthony Allen, born Aug. 6, 1973. They live in Hicksville, Ohio and Bob Works at Goodrich at Woodburn, Ind.

ARTHUR H. MEYER, born March 10, 1912 was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran .Faith and was a life long member of St. John Lutheran Church, Freedom Twp. As a young man he helped his father on the farm and also hired out to other area farmers as a hired hand. He also worked for Fred and Christ Garbers' sawmill at Naomi. He then took up the carpenter trade. During World War II he served with the U.S. Navy, spending part of the time in Hawaii. On his return home he again worked as a carpenter and soon started working for the Scholz Homes in Toledo as a finisher. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed fishing for perch in Lake Erie, where he kept his boat in the summertime, docked at Gem Beach, Port Clinton, Ohio. On August 27, 1966 he married Wilhelmina J., born Oct. 18, 1913, daughter of Friedrick H. Kahrs and Anna Badenhop Kahrs. Shortly thereafter he became ill and after spending long periods of time in the hospital, he died on June 27, 1968. He is buried in St. John Luth. Church Cemetery. Wilhelmina has one son, Lawrence A. Cocke, born Sept. 13, 1945, from a former marriage to Lawrence C. Cocke (5/16/12 — 6/1/53).

Lawrence married Martha Jane Myers, born Jan. 25, 1948 on Feb. 1, 1969 and they have two children: Jason Lawrence, born Aug. 19, 1970 and Kelly Jean, born May 15, 1973. Wilhelmina Meyer is a member of Emanual Lutheran Church, Napoleon, as well as her son and his family.

NORMA CATHARINE MEYER was born June 1, 1920 in Freedom Twp. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church. She attended Konzen School for one year and then went to St. John Lutheran School in Freedom Twp. She graduated from Wauseon High School in 1938. On Nov. 2, 1941 Norma was married to Wilfred W. Genter, born July 17, 1919, son of Aaron J. and Emma Bruns Genter of Ridgeville Twp. Wilfred was serving in the U.S. Army at the time of their marriage. Norma then went with him to California and Washington, returning to the home of her parents when Wilfred went overseas to Europe. He was discharged from the army in Oct. of 1945. In March 1946 they moved to the Roessing Farm near Ridgeville Corners, where they still reside. They are engaged in general farming and raising hogs. In June 1975 they purchased the A.J. Genter homestead. They are members of St. John Lutheran Church, R. 1, Stryker, Ohio. They are the parents of five children: Lynn Wilfred; Karen Ann; Roger Frederick; Dale Aaron and Lee Henry. The children were all baptized and confirmed at St. John Church.

Lynn Genter was born July 11, 1946. He graduated from Ridgeville High School in 1964. In the spring of 1969 he graduated from Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Ill. On Aug. 2, 1969 he married Helen Zurstadt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gerhardt Zurstadt of Detroit, Mich. Helen is also a graduate of Concordia. Lynn taught parochial school in Kilmanagh, Mich. for several years. Now he and his family are living in Leavenworth, Kansas where he is teaching at St. Paul Lutheran school. Lynn & Helen are the parents of three daughters, Heidi Christine born March 7, 1971; Laura Ruth, born April 5, 1974 and Emily Luise, born March 29, 1977.

Karen Ann Genter was born Aug. 4, 1947. She graduated from Ridgeville High School in 1965. She was employed in the office of the telephone company in Napoleon and in the attendance office at Four County Joint Vocational School. On June 17, 1973 Karen was married to David Keesbery, son of the late Walter W. Keesbery and Loretta Brown of R. R. 2 Defiance, Ohio. David is employed by Johns-Manville and Karen is working as a clerk-typist at Campbell Soup Co. They have two children by previous marriages, Timi Jo, born May 28, 1970 and David Wyatt, born Nov. 25, 1970. The family resides at the Fred E. Meyer homestead at Route 1, Napoleon, Ohio.

Roger Genter was born Nov. 1, 1949. He graduated from Ridgeville High School in 1967. He attended Ohio State University and graduated in 1972 with a master’s degree from the College of Agriculture. On Sept. 1, 1972 he married Lynne Moser, daughter of Curtis J. and Carolyn Ducatt Moser of Napoleon. They reside in Columbus, Ohio where Roger is teaching in Franklin Jr. High School. Lynne, also a graduate of Ohio State, is a nurse at University Hospital, Columbus.

Dale Genter was born July 25, 1953. He attended Ridgeville High School for two years. His junior and senior years were spent at Four County Joint Vocational School. Due to consolidation of schools, he graduated with his class from Archbold High School in 1971. Dale graduated from Northwest Technical College in 1973. He worked at Sauder Woodworking, Archbold, Ohio until he joined his father in farming in the spring of 1976. On Dec. 27, 1975 he married Elizabeth Sheller, daughter of Lyle and Ilene Sattler Sheller of Malinta, Ohio. Beth graduated from the Toledo Hospital School of Nursing and is now employed at Defiance Hospital, Defiance, Ohio. Dale and Beth reside at Route 2, Defiance, west of Ridgeville Corners, Ohio.

Lee Genter was born August 27, 1958. He graduated from Archbold High School in 1976. He was chosen by his class to speak at their commencement exercises. Now he is employed at Campbell Institute for Agricultural Research in Napoleon. Lee married Jane Wachtman on April 29, 1978. She is the daughter of Anna Miller Wachtman and the late Wilfred Wachtman of Route No. 5, Napoleon. They make their home at 614 Beckham St. in Napoleon.

DENELDA EMMA MEYER was born on Jan. 25, 1923 She was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church Freedom Twp. and attended parochial school there for eight years. After graduation from Wauseon High School in 1940 she worked at Grisier Ins. Agency, Wauseon until the spring of 1946. On Jan. 13, 1946 Denelda was married to Arthur C. Rohrs, born July 10, 1920, son of Carl H. Rohrs and Erna Drewes Rohrs of Liberty Twp. Arthur served in the Army from Sept. 1942 until Oct. 1945, two years in the States and one year in Europe, serving with the 9th Armored Division. He was in the Battle of the Bulge and was one of the first to cross the Rhine River at Remagen. Arthur has a son, Ronnie Arthur Rohrs, born Jan. 1, 1944, whose mother Regina Bindeman Rohrs died shortly after he was born, at the age of 22 years. When Art and Denelda were married they moved to a farm in Sec. 32, Liberty Twp., then owned by Arthur's father, Carl H. Rohrs. In the spring of 1975 they bought this farm where they have lived all their married life. Here, besides farming and raising hogs, they have a flock of laying hens and sell the eggs in Napoleon on their "Thursday Egg Route". They are the parents of four children, Jeremy James, Mara Jean, Nanette Jane and Gayla Sue. All five children were baptized and confirmed at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Napoleon.

Ronnie Arthur Rohrs, the oldest son, graduated from Liberty Center High School in 1961. He served in the Army from May 6, 1965 to May 1967, stationed at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, Camp Gordon, Georgia and then in Germany for 14 months. On Feb. 8, 1969 he married Kathleen Ann Kahrs, born Sept. 15, 1946, daughter of Julius and Emma Gathman Kahrs of Wauseon, Ohio. They live on a farm in Sec. 32, Liberty Twp., formerly owned by Wm. and Emma Rohrs. They purchased this farm in 1976. Ron farms with his father, engaged in general farming and specializing in raising hogs. Ron and Kathy have three daughters: Heather Ann, born January 21, 1970, Robin

Sue, born May 6, 1972 and Amy Lyn born Oct. 9., 1976. They are members of St. Luke Lutheran Church, Wauseon, Ohio.

Jeremy James Rohrs was born March 6, 1947. He graduated from Liberty Center High School in 1965 and from Ohio State University in 1969, with a degree in Ag. economics and Ag. journalism. He was a member of R.O.T.C. and received his commission as a 2nd Lt. at the time of his graduation from college. He was stationed at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, Ft. Bliss, Texas and Ft. Holabird, Baltimore, Maryland and then served one year in Vietnam, receiving his commission as a 1st Lt. On August 16, 1969 he married Cecily Gail Strock, born March 20, 1947, daughter of Cecil Strock and Louisa Mires Strock of Liberty Center, Ohio. Jerry and Cecily live at 111 Burke St. Archbold, Ohio where they built a new home. He works as Managing Editor of the "Farmland News' (the "Good-news" paper), published weekly. Cecily received her degree from Bowling Green State University and has taught English and Speech classes at high schools at Paulding, Stryker and Archbold. Currently she is Director of Personnel and Promotion at Sauder Museum, Archbold Ohio. They are members of St. Martin Lutheran Church, Archbold.

Mara Jean Rohrs was born April 24, 1949. She graduated from Liberty Center High School in 1967. For a number of years she was receptionist and switchboard operator at Campbell Soup Co. For the past several years she has worked as bookkeeper for TV Time Pop Corn during the harvest season. On October 30, 1971 she married James K. Musshel, son of Robert Musshel and Irma Dehnke Musshel. Jim was born April 16, 1943. He is an aircraft mechanic with the 180th Tactical Fighter Unit based at Toledo, Ohio and is a member of the Ohio Air National Guard. Prior to this, he served with the Air Force for four years. Jim and Mara Jean reside at Rt. 2, Napoleon, Ohio where they built a new home. They are the parents of two children; Bradley Robert, born Feb. 27, 1973 and Shelly Renee, born April 5, 1974. They are members of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Napoleon, Ohio.

Nanette Jane Rohrs was born November 11, 1956. She graduated from Liberty Center High School in the spring of 1975. That fall she started Nurses Training at the Toledo Hospital School of Nursing and will graduate as an R.N. in June of 1978. She was the recipient of the Heller Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Nursing Scholarship in 1975.

Gayla Sue Rohrs, youngest child of Arthur and Denelda Rohrs was born on Nov. 3, 1960. She is currently a Junior at Liberty Center High School and will be graduating in the spring of 1979. Her plans for the future are indefinite.

Both Nanette and Gayla are members of Emanuel Lutheran Church, Napoleon, Ohio, along with their parents.

Submitted by: Denelda Rohrs