CHARLES E. STADLER

CHARLES E. STADLER, M. D., a prominent and popular
 physician of West Cairo, whose portrait is shown on the opposite page,
 was born in Champaign County, Ohio, October 19, 1863.  His parents are
 Louis and Dana (Klickon) Stadler, both of whom are natives of Hanover,
 Germany. Coming to this country about 50 years ago, they here met and
 married, settling on the farm in Champaign County which is still their
 home.  Their five children are: Emma, who lives at home; George E., who
 travels for the J. I. Case Company and has visited almost every country
 in their behalf; Charles E.; William, who lives at home and manages the
 farm for his parents; and Lewis A., a farmer residing in the vicinity of
 the homestead.
     Charles E. Stadler was reared on the home farm and was accorded the
 advantage of a good business education, having been a student in
 Nelson's Business College, at Springfield.  Later, when he was about 23
 years of age, he entered the Ohio Normal University at Ada, where he
 remained two years and then entered the Eclectic Medical Institute,
 Cincinnati, graduating from the latter in the class of 1896.  For a
 short time he was stationed at Harrison, but after a few months located
 in West Cairo, Allen County, and purchased the business and good will of
 Dr. Ewing.  Here he has since been engaged in active practice.  He is a
 careful, conscientious practitioner and is meeting with deserved
 success.
     On May 20, 1896, Dr. Stadler was married to Oma Abbott, a native of
 Champaign County, Ohio, and a daughter of William J. and Emma (Compton)
 Abbott.  Her father was a native of Shelby County, Ohio, and her mother,
 of Virginia.  To the Doctor and his amiable wife, three children have been
 born, namely: William L.; Ralph; and Lois Marcella.  Dr. Stadler is a
 Democrat, but takes little interest in politics.  He is a member of the
 Methodist Episcopal Church and keeps in close touch with the Eclectic
 Medical Associations, both State and National.  He was made a Mason at
 Columbus Grove, joined the Knights of the Golden Eagle at West Cairo,
 and is a member of the lodge and encampment of the Independent Order of
 Odd Fellows, at Lima.
 
 LEONARD WALTHER
 
LEONARD WALTHER, leading merchant tailor, and a
prominent and influential citizen of Lima, was born in Pennsylvania in
1866.  About one year later his parents removed to Lima where he has
since resided, with the exception of a short period spent in Kansas.
After completing his schooling, Mr. Walther learned the tailor's trade,
and, before establishing himself in business, went to Kansas, where he
was employed as a cutter in a tailor's shop of Osage City, remaining
there two years.
     In 1888 Mr. Walther returned to Lima and opened a shop himself.  He
has conducted this business so successfully that he now enjoys the
distinction of being the leading merchant tailor of the city, and has a
large and well- paying patronage.  Mr. Walther was married in 1886 to
Elizabeth Nicholas, whose father, the late James Nicholas, was for many
years a prominent business man of Lima, being engaged in the sale of
agricultural implements.  Mr. and Mrs. Walther have two children, both
sons.   The elder, George B., is taking a commercial course in the Lima
Business College, while the younger, James Leonard, is a student in the
Lima High School.  Mr. Walther is a member of the German Reformed Church
of Lima and is also prominent in fraternal circles, being identified
with the Elks and Odd Fellows.  He is deputy grant master of Ohio and
grand master-elect of Ohio I. O. O. F.  He is also a popular member of
the German Musical Society of Lima.
 
BYRON S.  FOGLE 

BYRON S.  FOGLE, one of Lima's leading business men a
wholesale and retail dealer in pianos and organs, with commodious
quarters at No. 227 North West Street has been a resident of this city
since 1899.  He was born in 1867 in Allen County, Ohio, and is a son of
John S. Fogle.
     The venerable father of Mr. Fogle resides with our subject at Lima.
With four of his brothers, he was a loyal supporter of the government
during the Civil War, the brothers serving in the army and he in the
provost marshal's office.  In politics he was formerly an old-line Whig
and is now a Republican.
     Byron S. Fogle was educated at Lebanon, Ohio, and immediately upon
completing his education became connected with the firm of R. C. Munger
& Company, the largest wholesale piano house of the Northwest, at St.
Paul, Minnesota.  He remained there until 1885 when he removed to
Chicago, prior to the World's Fair, being connected with George P. Bent
and the Newman Brothers, firms of Chicago and St. Louis.  During the
progress of the World's Fair he handled the "Crown" piano for George P.
Bent attended to the exhibits of this firm.  Directly afterward he
opened a wholesale and retail piano and organ store at St. Mary’s, Ohio,
where he remained until 1899, when he established his business at Lima.
He still has a branch store at the former place and one at Muncie,
Indiana, and has 31 dealers in Ohio and Indiana to whom he supplies
pianos and organs, thereby conducting a lucrative and extensive
business.  In local circles his instruments have met with remarkable
sales, an illustration being that in the Deisel-Wemmer cigar factory
 alone he has patrons to the number of 124.  Many of the public
 institutions also have secured their musical instruments of Mr. Fogle,
 recongnizing their superior quality and his honorable methods of doing
 business. 
     In 1895 Mr. Fogle was married to Abbie L. Allison, who is a daughter
 of John D. Allison, of Titusville, Pennsylvania.   For many years Mr.
 Allison was quartermaster at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  Mr. and Mrs. Fogle
 have one daughter, Madeline Patrice.  Mrs. Fogle is a member of the
 Protestant Episcopal Church and Mr. Fogle is a liberal contributor to
 all the religious denominations of the city.
     For many years he has been prominent in Masonry.  He belongs to the
 Chapter and Commandery at Lima, the Council at Delphos, the Temple of
 the Mystic Shrine at Dayton, and the Consistory at Toledo, and has taken
 all the degrees up to and including the 32nd.  He is district lecturer
 of the Blue Lodge of the Fourth District of Ohio, in which he is serving
 his fourth year, having 39 lodges within his jurisdiction, located in
 Allen, Auglaize, Van Wert, Putnam, and Paulding counties.  He belongs
 also to the Odd Fellows, both subordinate and encampment lodges, and is
 one of the best known men in fraternal circles in this part of Ohio.   
 
  MRS. CATHERINE KESLER
 
 MRS. CATHERINE KESLER, one of the well-known and highly
 respected residents of German township, resides on her highly improved
 farm of 210 acres, which is situated in section 17, one mile south of
 Elida, on the Elida and Allentown turnpike road.  Mrs. Kesler was born
 March 6, 1839, in German township and is a daughter of Philip and
 Margaret (Meyers) Herring, who were early pioneers of Allen County.
     Catherine Herring was reared and educated in German township.  On
 March 4, 1860, she was married to George Kesler, who was born in
 Fairfield County, Ohio, June 22, 1838, and was a son of Abraham Kesler.
 He was two years old when his parents came to Allen County and settled
 on the farm in German township, now owned by Samuel East.  He was reared
 and educated in German township.
     Immediately after marriage Mr. and Mrs. Kesler moved up on the farm
 then owned by Philip Herring, father of Mrs. Kesler, which was situated
 directy south of the present home of Mrs. Kesler, on the other side of
 the road.  After living here some years the family moved to the present
 farm in section 17, and here Mr. Kesler built the large brick residence
 now occupied by Mrs. Kesler, which is one of the most imposing homes in
 Allen County.  Mr. Kesler always took a great deal of honest pride in
 this beautiful home, but he was not permitted to enjoy its comforts into
 extreme old age, his death occurring on May 14, 1901, when but 63 years
 old.  He was laid to rest in Greenlawn Cemetery.
     When the Civil War broke out Mr. Kesler felt that it was almost his
 bounden duty to fight for his country.  Only the fact that he was but
 lately wedded and had taken heavy responsibilities upon himself,
 prevented at that time but on September 23, 1864, he became a private in
 Company C. 179th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and served until his honorable
 discharge on June 17, 1865.
     Mrs. Kesler has never had any children, but she has two sisters and
 one brother, these being: Eliza, who married Robert Patton, of Sidney,
 Ohio, and now resides at Indianapolis, Indiana; Anna M., who married
 John Rundio, of Allen County, Ohio, now of Putnam County; and W. M.,
 pastor of the Lutheran Church of Canton, Ohio.  Mrs. Kesler is a member
 of the Lutheran Church at Elida and one of its liberal
 supporters.

 EDWARD S. MOWEN

EDWARD S. MOWEN, of the firm of Mowen Brothers,
 general building contractors of Lima, was born in this city October 11,
 1857, and is a son of the late Jacob R. Mowen.
     The name of Mowen has been known in Lima since 1841 in connection
 with the business of contracting, the father of our subject coming here
 in that year and for a long period continuing to be a leader in that
 line.
      Edward S. Mowen was reared in this city and obtained his education
 here.  Upon leaving school he learned the carpenter's trade with his
 father, and as he afterward mastered that of bricklaying, he became a
 practical and thoroughly informed workman in all that pertains to
 building.  The Mowen have erected many of the largest, most substantial
 and attractive structures in Lima, and among these may be mentioned: The
 Lima Locomotive & Machine Works (three buildings); American Straw Works,
 the Moore Brother Company's wholesale grocery building, Lima College,
 Lima High School, Pine Street and Spring Street schools, Harper, Bell,
 Crouse and Commercial blocks, Donze (four blocks), Times Democrat,
 Applas and Manhattan buildings, Trinity Methodist Episcopal, German
 Reformed, Presbyterian and First Evangelical Lutheran churches, and the
 edifice of the Disciples' Church on Wayne and Kibby streets.
      Mr. Mowen was married December 21, 1888, to Lizzie Cookes, of
 Columbus, Ohio.  They have a pleasant home, while his business office is
 in the rear of the fire department building.
     Mr. Mowen has never been active politician.  He belongs to Lima
 Lodge No. 581, and Lima Encampment, No. 62, I. O. O. F.; Modern Woodmen
 of America, Eagles and Tribe of Ben Hur.  He is one of Lima's
 representative citizens and successful business men.