The John Walter Family

John and Marie (Stricker) Walter were born in Benflington, Germany. After their marriage, they both worked in a cloth factory. A son, Christian F. Walter, was born April 14, 1882. On May 13, 1883, they left from Brakman, Germany, on the ship Hoehnstaueffan to come to the United States. They landed in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 4, 1883, and took a train to Defiance, Ohio, where they were met by Mrs. Walter's uncle, George Stricker. They stayed with the uncle about a month until they found a log cabin home on the William Troeger farm in the woods in Defiance County. John worked by the day for the neighbors earning 50c per day. They went to St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, on the Ridge Road. They lived here until 1890 when they moved to the Henry Mink farm one and a half miles south of Holgate, Ohio, in Henry County. John was still doing day work for 50c per day. Here they went to St. John's Lutheran Church and school. In 1893 the family moved again to Defiance, Ohio, on the old Miami-Erie Canal Road. Here they went to St. John's Lutheran Church and school in Defiance.

In 1895, the family again moved back to Henry County to the Sirene Shelley farm to milk and take care of 65 head of milk cows. The oldest son, Christian, helped. His job was to haul the milk in a one-horse milk wagon to the Shelley Creamery in Holgate every day. This was a one and a half mile trip.

In 1915, the Walter family moved to the Conrod Groll farm, one and a half miles northwest of Holgate, to take up farming as two of the boys, Karl and Herman, aged 27 and 22 and not married, could do the farming. About ten years later, the family bought a farm just 3/4 mile west of Holgate on the old Township Line Road.

John Walter was born in Germany in 1858 and died in 1937. Marie was born in Germany in 1858 also and died in 1930. Seven children were born to them. The first son, Christian F. was born April 14, 1882, in Germany and came with them to the United States. He died in 1961. Mary (Walter) Schatz was born February 9, 1884, in the United States as were Elizabeth (Walter) Bostelman on February 10, 1886; Karl Walter, born January 20, 1888; died in 1937. Tillie (Walter) Leonhart, born June 19, 1890 and died in 1974; Herman Walter, born August 12, 1893, died in 1953 and Alma (Walter) Okuley, born April 12, 1900.

John and Marie came to the United States because they believed that there was an opportunity to make a better and easier living here.

Christian F. Walter and Anna S. Bostelman of Holgate, Ohio, were married February 22, 1906. Their four children were: Julius C., born Septem ber 21, 1907; Esther, born January 14, 1910; Lillian, born February 5, 1912; and Martin, born February 16, 1917.

Julius C. Walter married Mona Mae Beck June 3, 1930, and their first child was Julias K. Walter, Jr. who married Meta Meyer. Their children are: Pamela; Marsha, who married Tom Kessler; Michael, deceased; Terry; and Patricia. This family lives in Florida.

Their second child was Nancy Mae who married Marvin Michaelis and they are the parents of Wayne, Annette, and Tammy. They live in Florida.

Esther married Clarence (Jo) Hesselschwardt, deceased. Their children are James, deceased; Joy; Janis; John; and Jane. Joy married Colenzo Short and their children are Jerry; Terry, deceased; Jeff; Julie; and Jon. Janis married Floyd Layman and they are the parents of Danny; Don; Dean; and Diana. John married Margery Varner and they have one child, Peter. Jane married Orville Clark and they are the parents of Joseph and Jason.

Lillian Walter married Eugene Man- gas and Frances Ann; Walter; Jerry; David; and Carol were born to them. Frances Ann married Tom Kieffer and they have two children, Phylis and Shelly. Walter married Barbara Johnson. Jerry and Karen Stuckey were married and have Angela, Bradley, and Cory. David married Carol Bergman and they are the parents of Andrew and David, Jr.

Martin Walter and Mary Brooks were married and have two daughters - Marlene and Sharon. Marlene married Keith Eberle and they have three daughters - Lisa, Joani, and Susan. Sharon Walter married Tony Myles and they are the parents of Kim and Matthew.

Submitted by Julius C. Walter, Sr.