Schliesser

The Schliesser families of Henry and Defiance Counties are all de­scended from Johannes and Katharina (Koch) Schliesser. They lived in the village of Wain in the Kingdom of Wurtemberg in the early 1800's.

Their son, David (1820-1882) and his bride Catharina (Kopenhofer) came to the United States, settling near Okolona, in 1848. In October of 1861 he enlisted in the Civil War. He became a corporal in Co. F — 68th OVI and when he returned to Ohio he purchased a farm near Liberty Center. His children were: Michael, Eva, Henry, George, Jacob, John, David and Elizabeth.

Jakob (1825 or 28 - 1883), a younger brother of David came to Ohio the fol­lowing year. Records on his family are not clear but we believe that his wife was Margaret and that some of his children were Mary, George, Ulerich, Ann and David. The George named here is probably the one who married Maria Lange on April 22, 1880 and the David mentioned is probably the one who married Maria Heinrichs, January 29, 1885.

In 1851 another brother, Johann Georg (1803-1871) followed his two brothers to the Okolona area. With him came his wife, Barbara (Stetter) Schliesser and several nearly grown children. They are said to have come through the port of New Orleans. By piecing together church, courthouse, Civil War records plus some informa­tion from Germany we believe that his children were: Johann Georg (1843-1916), Heinrich, Jacob, Johannes (1839-1905), Ulrich (1837-1885) and probably others. The son Johann Georg married Wilhelmina Ehrmann, March 27, 1873 and settled on a farm in Farmington, Missouri. Among his descendants were several Lutheran pastors, one of whom, the Rev. Paul Schliesser who is now retired in Tuc­son, Arizona, has been studying the family and has been visiting various local Schliesser descendants.

The Johannes born in 1839 married Mary Elizabeth Schumaker in 1866 upon his discharge from Company A, 6th Reg. Veterans Reserve Corps. He had enlisted in Co. K, 107th OVI but had been transferred due to severe ty­phoid fever which affected his eyes. He served four years in the Civil War. His children were: Emma E. (born 1867); George J. (born 1869); Henry D. (born 1871); Katie M. (born 1873); William A. (born 1875); Samuel J. (born 1877); Herman M. (born 1879); Clara A. (born 1882); Olga P. (born 1884); Arthur J. (born 1886) and Esther C. (born 1891). Many grandchildren and great-grandchildren still reside in Henry County — too many to list.

Many descendants of these three Schliesser brothers meet at the Schliesser reunion on the last Sunday of every June at the Henry County Fair Grounds.

In 1853 the son of Johannes, a fourth Schliesser brother, came to Ok­olona near his three uncles. He was Jo­hann Georg, who was born in 1829. He came to this country with his sister, Margarete (b. 1834). Their parents Jo­hannes and Magdalena (Rommel) Schliesser remained in Wurtemberg.

In 1855 George, as he was called, went to Wisconsin and there married a young widow, Magdalena Staig­mueller Mann, who was also a native of Wurtemberg. In 1860 they returned to Okolona with her son, John Mann (b. 1853), and their children Wilhelm George (b. 1857) and Mary (b. 1859). Children born in Ohio were Sophia (b. 1862); Emma (b. 1865); Elizabeth (b. 1867); and Anna (b. 1870).

George operated a store and saloon in the community for about thirty years. His wife, Magdalena, always spoke German, and her home and gar­den were the typical German village type of home. The home had fruit trees and grape arbors outside and the old fashioned cuckoo clock inside.

Their daughter Mary (Mrs. George Buntz); Emma (Mrs. Charles Wise­man) and Anna died of tuberculosis between 1896 and 98. The dreaded disease was prevalent at the time. Wil­helm, Sophia (Mrs. George Swigart) and Elizabeth went to live in Toledo in later years. Descendants today live in Toledo and Defiance, Ohio and Ad­rian, Michigan. One granddaughter, Beatrice Wiseman Sloan, has a farm in Henry County near McClure.

Material prepared by: Catharine Sloan Eberly