George H and Nannie Ahlering
History of Kentucky and Kentuckians, E.
Polk Johnson, three volumes,
Lewis Publishing Co., New York & Chicago, 1912. Common version, Vol. III,
pp. 1176-77.
For a period of more than thirty years George H Ahlering has been
engaged in
the practice of law in his native town of Newport, where he was born August 1,
1845. His parents, Henry and Mary (Abring) Ahlering
were both natives of Hanover, Germany, whence they came to the United
States when young, the former having made the long and weary trip alone, at the
age of fifteen years, and the latter in the company of her parents, at which
time
she was a child of seven years. Both located at Newport where they were
reared, eventually met and where their marriage was solemnized in
the year 1844. Henry Ahlering became a contractor of prominence in his
adopted home and laid many of the early streets of Newport, besides which
he constructed various wharves on the Ohio River.
During the Civil War, George Ahlering performed
guard duty as a member
of the Kentucky state troops. He participated in the engagement at
Cynthiana against General Morgan. Here he was captured and later paroled
in
June 1862. In 1863 he became connected with the commissary
department of the Mississippi fleet, and after serving nine months he was
discharged on account of disability. In September 1864 he enlisted in
Company F 53rd
Kentucky Mounted Volunteer Infantry and served as orderly sergeant about
six months. Later he served in the same capacity under Colonel true, until
his
honorable discharge in September 1865. He saw much active service during
the
memorable Saltville raid.
George received his preliminary education in the public schools at Newport, and he later supplemented this training by a course in the Commercial Business College at Cincinnati. When 21 years of age he engaged in the grocery business at the end of one year, at which time he removed to Cold Spring, where he followed the same business for several years and while a resident of this city he served most efficiently in the capacity of postmaster. He also served here as a magistrate. In 1878 he began reading law in the offices of Judge McKibben of Newport, and so rapid was his progress in the absorption and assimilation of the science of jurisprudence that he was admitted to the Kentucky bar in the spring of 1879. He immediately began to practice his profession at Newport, where he controls a large and representative clientage and where his success has been on a parity with his well directed efforts. For several years he maintained an office in the cities of Newport and Cincinnati in partnership with C L Raison, under the firm name of Raison and Ahlering.
Mr. Ahlerg has been thrice married. He first wedded Miss Nannie Niles, in 1868, who was born and reared in Campbell county and who bore him two children-Walter H. and Daisy G, the latter of whom is the wife of Thomas Waters, of Kansas City. Mr. Waters is a traveling freight solicitor for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The second marriage of Mr. Ahlering was solemnized in the year 1883, at which time he was united to Miss Mary Moore, a native of Lexington, this state. She is survived by three daughters, namely--Nettie E., who remains at the paternal home; Lucy E., who is the wife of Harry O. Power and who resides in Zanesville, Ohio; and Viola, who is attending school at Fort Wayne, Indiana.
His present wife, to whom he was married in 1895, was the widow of Fred Nash at the time of her marriage to Mr. Ahlering. Her maiden name was Minnie Perry and she is a native of Newport. Her mother was a direct descendant of William Washington, brother of General George Washington. No children have been born to the last marriage, but Mrs. Ahlering was the mother of two children by her first marriage, one of whom is living--Bettie Nash, who resides with her mother. Colonel Ahlering is a member of the Lutheran church, while his wife holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. The only son of George enlisted in the Second Kentucky Infantry during the Spanish-American war and served during the entire campaign in Porto Rico. He is now engaged in farming at Dupont, Indiana.
In politics, Ahlering gives an uncompromising
support to the principles and
policies of the Republican Party, on whose ticket, in 1891, he was elected
mayor of Newport. He served in this capacity for one year, when the change
was
made from the old to the new constitution. However, when George, a German
Republican tried to replace Police Chief Thomas Cottingham, an Irish Democrat with
his friend, Thomas Stewart, a law suit was filed. The judge ruled in favor
of Cottingham in January 1893.
Both Cottingham and Stewart showed up everyday claiming the right to rule the
police
department. Each chief was backed by his own patrolmen. Democratic
councilmen
eventually abandoned Cottingham in the face of public ridicule. Ahlering
secured Cottingham's resignation by paying him a full years salary for a few
months work. He then appointed his own man W H Wallingford as chief on
March 3.
During his regime as head executive of the city the first brick paved streets and the main sewers were constructed. During Governor Bradley's administration he served on his staff-de-camp for a period of four years, with the rank of colonel, and he was also incumbent of this position during the short administration of Governor Taylor.