PHILIP J. HOFFERBERT

PHILIP J. HOFFERBERT was born in Greenburg, Pennsylvania, July
21, 1858, and three years later came with his parents to Allen County,
Ohio, settling in Monroe township where they have since lived.
    His parents were Peter and Phoebe (Weaver) Hofferbert.
    Peter Hofferbert was born in Hessen Darmstadt, Germany, in 1834, and
when a young man of about 18 years came to the United States, locating
in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.  Here he was married to Phoebe
Weaver, who was born in Pennsylvania about 1811 and died in March, 1893.
He had learned the trade of butcher in his native land, but after coming
to Allen County he devoted his time to agriculture and acquired three
farms comprising 280 acres, of which he died possessed in March, 1895,
just two years after the decease of his devoted wife.  He was a loyal
Republican and served nine months in the Civil War.  A member of the
German Evangelical Church, he endeavored to live consistently in
accordance with his belief.  He held a high place in the regard of his
fellow-men and was trustee of his township for two terms, discharging
his duties conscientiously and with ability.  His children were as
follows: Annie E., who owns 40 acres of land in Monroe township and is a
resident of Lima; John L., who resides in Sugar Creek township where he
owns 80 acres; Philip J., ; William L., who owns 80 acres in Monroe
township and a son that died in infancy.
    Philip J. Hofferbert has resided continuously on his present farm
since 1861, remaining with his parents until his 25th year, and then
taking up the cultivation of 80 acres of the homestead in section 18,
which he afterward purchased of his father.  He was married at this
time, in 1884, and at once took his bride to the home he had prepared
for her, and which he has since improved and beautified, as only the
thrifty farmer ever does, by planting small fruit, shade and fruit
trees, and erecting attractive and comfortable buildings.  He is engaged
in general farming, though he also raises considerable stock.  Mrs.
Hofferbert, who was formerly Catherine Bernius, was born November 28,
1862, near the city of Dayton, Ohio.  Her parents were George and
Elizabeth (Reitzel) Bernius, both of whom were natives of Germany where
they grew to adult years before coming to the United States.  They were
married soon after their arrival.  Six children have blessed the union
of Mr. and Mrs. Hofferbert, namely: Elmer George; Lily Grace; Alta
Malinda; Naomi A.; Clarence P.; and Catherine Elizabeth.  Mr. Hofferbert
is a member of the German Evangelical Church.  In politics he is a
Republican and has held a number of local offices.  He is a practical,
progressive farmer and has recently added to his home farm an adjoining
tract of 50 acres, which lies in section 13, Sugar Creek township,
Putnam County.              

R. C. EASTMAN

R. C. EASTMAN, member of the law firm of Prophet & Eastman, of
Lima, was born June 1, 1851, in Auglaize township, Allen County, Ohio,
and is a son of Jonathan Owen and Rachel A. (Huston) Eastman.
    The father of Mr. Eastman was a native of New Jersey, coming to
Licking County, Ohio, in 1815, and to Allen County in 1839.  He was a
blacksmith by trade and also engaged in farming.  He married Rachel A.
Huston, a daughter of James Huston, who became a resident of this county
in 1830, coming from Pennsylvania.  Mr. Huston at one time owned the
southwestern portion of the farm on which the County Infirmary now
stands.  He subsequently moved to Lima, and lived and died in the
residence an Wayne Street, now occupied by D. C. Richmond.  James
Huston's father was also named James, and was a cousin of Sam Houston,
of Texas.
    R. C. Eastman received his primary education in the district schools
of Auglaize township, and in 1874 was graduated from the Ohio Normal
University at Ada, with the degree of A. B.  He then entered upon the
study of the law with Cunningham & Brotherton, of Lima, and taught
school at intervals prior to his admission to the bar in 1877.  He then
went to Michigan, practiced for a few months at Bangor, after which he
returned to Lima, where, on February 2, 1878, he entered into
partnership with Col. H. S. Prophet.   This connection has continued,
constituting the oldest law firm in Northwestern Ohio.
    Ever since locating at Lima and entering upon what has proven a
successful professional career, Mr. Eastman has been prominent in civic
affairs.  From 1882 to 1883 he was a member of the City Council, and for
nearly a quarter of a century he has been a member of the City Board of
School Examiners. In 1905 he was elected city solicitor of Lima, an
office for which he is eminently qualified.  For a long period the firm
of Prophet & Eastman have been attorneys for the Citizens' Loan &
Building Company, and, for the past 22 years, the legal representatives
of The Lima Locomotive and Machine Company.
       In 1878 Mr. Eastman was married to Leah Beery, of Miami County,
Ohio, and they have four children, viz: Bessie, who is a teacher in the
Lima public schools; Earl  B., who is in the oil fields of Indian
Territory; Fred E., who is at college at Wooster, Ohio; and Helen, who
is a student in the Lima schools.
    Prior to the adoption of the gold platform by the Republicans at
their national convention of 1896, Mr. Eastman was a stanch advocate of
their principals, having in the previous year been the choice of his
party for Representative; but since the adoption of the gold plank by
the St. Louis convention he has earnestly advocated the policies of what
is known as the Bryan Democracy.
    Mr. Eastman is a member of the Allen County Bar Association and the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows.  For a number of years he has been
connected with the Market Street Presbyterian Church and has served as a
member of its board of trustees and has been an active worker in the
Sunday-school. 

EDWIN CLYDE AKERMAN

EDWIN CLYDE AKERMAN, auditor elect of Allen County,
Ohio, and one of the best known educators in this section of the State,
was born June 2, 1864, on a farm located one mile and a half northeast
of LaFayette, Allen County, Ohio.  He is a son of William Henry and Mary
Jane (Ransbottom) Akerman.
    The grandfather of Mr. Akerman, William Henry Akerman, was a native
of Pennsylvania.  He came from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Ohio, in
1833, settling first in Morgan County, but removing later to a farm near
LaFayette, Allen County, where he lived to a good old age and reared a
family of 13 children, giving three of his sons Samuel, John and Henry
to the service of their country during the Civil War.  He died October
9, 1878.
    William Henry Akerman, Jr., father of our subject, was born in
Jackson Township, Allen County, Ohio, April 17, 1840, and almost all his
brief life was spent in this locality, engaged in farming and teaching
school.   In 1862 he enlisted in the Union Army as a member of the 81st
Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., and was the bugler of the regiment and
subsequently was advanced to the rank of captain of his company.  After
nine months of faithful service, he was honorably discharged.  His
lamented death took place on October 25, 1868.  In commenting upon his
decease, a local paper gave expression to the general feeling in these
words: "A model young man and the idol of the neighborhood."  On January
1, 1863, he married Mary Jane Ransbottom, and two children were born to
them, viz: Edwin Clyde and Walter Clinton, the latter of whom died aged
one year and 10 months.  The mother was born in Sugar Creek township,
Allen County, Ohio, October 2, 1840, and is a daughter of Wesley B. and
Emily (Wright) Ransbottom, natives of Virginia.  She still survives,
being an esteemed resident of LaFayette.
    Edwin Clyde Akerman was left fatherless at the age of four years.
He was seven years old when he removed from the farm to LaFayette and he
remained in that village until 23 years of age, attending school until
his 17th year.  He then began to teach and has continued in this
profession until the present time.  In 1887 he became principal of the
Bluffton High School and filled the position most satisfactorily,  He
remained in charge for four years and then resigned in order to complete
his college course in the Ohio Normal University, where he was graduated
in 1892, with honors. 
    It was in 1892 that he received a High School life certificate and
in the same year was elected to the superintendency of the public
schools of Elida, Ohio.  In 1897 he returned to Bluffton to assume
charge of the high school and he remained in that position until 1900,
when he was elected superintendent of the schools of Bluffton.  For
these important positions Mr. Akerman proved to be eminently qualified.
Politically, Mr. Akerman has always been identified with the Democratic Party. 
He was elected to the office of county auditor in November,
1905, his election being not entirely a party favor but in large part a
token of personal popularity.
    He is one of the valued members of the Allen County Teachers'
Association, the Northwestern Ohio Teachers' Association and the Ohio
State Teachers' Association.
    Mr. Akerman was married August 27, 1888, to Sarah Augusta
Butterfoss, who was born in Hardin County, Ohio, and is a daughter of C.
W. and Millie (Roby) Butterfoss.  They have two children Audrey and
Opal.  The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church and since
1895 Mr. Akerman has been secretary of the official board.  On January
1, 1901, he assumed the duties of Sunday-school superintendent.  In
fraternal life he is a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Woodman.   

FREDERICK AGERTER

FREDERICK AGERTER Among the former business men of
Lima, who for years was prominently connected with the city's machine
interests, was Frederick Agerter, whose portrait accompanies this
sketch.  He was born in Switzerland, March 3, 1833, and died in Lima,
September 15, 1883.
    Frederick Agerter had not reached his majority when he emigrated to
America in search of better industrial condition than he found in his
native land.  In 1858 he settled at Sandusky, Ohio, and worked at
various points until the outbreak of the Civil War.  He enjoyed the
honorable distinction of being the first man to enlist from Wyandot
County, joining Company C, 15th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf.  After the close of
his first term of service, he re-enlisted, in Company D, 81st Reg., Ohio
Vol. Inf.  He remained in the service for 15 months, when he resigned
his commission as 1st lieutenant, on account of ill health.  Upon his
return from the war, he was elected county clerk of Wyandot County, and,
by a succeeding election, served in that office for a period of six
years.
    In 1869 Mr. Agerter came to Lima, and with four partners immediately
engaged in the machine business, the firm being known as Carnes, Agerter
& Company.  They had extensive machine shops and greatly prospered, Mr.
Agerter remaining secretary and treasurer of the firm for 14 years, or
until the time of his death.  As a business man he was energetic and
capable, and noted for his thoroughly honest and upright methods.  He
began life with good educational advantages but no capital, and through
energy and perseverance he accumulated a fortune.
    Mr. Agerter married Martha J. Brown, a daughter of James Brown, of
Virginia, her father being a son of Captain Oliver Brown, of the
Revolutionary War.  They had these children:  Rosa J. (Hill), of Lima;
Sally L. (Mrs. E. E. Stoll), of Massachusetts; Martha W. (Mrs. H. M.
Jenks), of England; Caroline J., who resides with her mother in the
beautiful home at No. 890 West Market street, Lima, and Frederick Brown,
who died at the age of 28 years and left one child, Harry M.
     In politics Mr. Agerter was a Democrat.  Fraternally he was
identified with the Masons and the Odd Fellows.  He was a men of
sterling character, one who commanded the respect of all who knew him.
The family belongs to the Presbyterian Church.


J. BOYD DOUGLASS

J. BOYD DOUGLASS, a popular grocer of Lima, was born
in Bellefontaine, Ohio, in 1865, but has been a resident of Forest,
Hardin County, Ohio, where he operates a large flouring-mill.  He has
been engaged in the milling industry for more than 40 years, 19 of which
were spent in running a mill in Lima, where he has many warm friends.
    J. Boyd Douglass was educated in the public schools of Lima and
entered his father's mill while a lad to master the trade.  He was
engaged in milling about 12 years, finally abandoning the occupation to
accept the office of deputy clerk of the Probate Court of Allen County,
a position he held for two years, after which he again embarked in
commercial life.  He opened a grocery store and meat market which was
located on Spring street for about four years.  Then he removed to his
present commodious quarters at No. 407 West High Street, where he
conducts one of the cleanest and best stocked groceries in the city.  
      Mr. Douglass was married in 1897 to Emma Smith, daughter of S.  A.
Smith, a contractor of Lima.  To this union one child, John S., was
born.  Mr. Douglass is a member of the Market Street Presbyterian
Church.