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Below is a family biography included in The History of Darke County, Ohio published by W. H. Beers & Co. in 1880.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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GEORGE BERTZ, hardware dealer, firm of Bertz, Schlemmer & Co., Ansonia, Ohio. The gentleman whose name heads this sketch is another of the self-made men of Darke County; he was born in Saxony, Germany, April 6, 1835, and was a son of John Bertz, who was born in Saxony, Germany, in 1803, and died in 1844. He was married in Germany to Anna Magdalena Doud; she, with five children, emigrated to America in 1847; she died in Richland Township Sept. 13, 1848. The subject of this sketch emigrated to America with his mother, and, upon her death, was taken by William Baughman, by whom he was kindly cared for and raised until he attained his majority, and for compensation to this date received $100; the following seven years his wages ranged from $75 to $100 yearly; in 1864, he went to Nebraska and purchased 160 acres of land in Otoe County, and for four years was engaged in the restaurant and baker business in Nebraska City; his brother now resides upon the above farm, which he has under a good state of cultivation; in 1869, Mr. Bertz returned to Ansonia and engaged in the dry-goods trade, and in 1873 he engaged with William Baughman in the agricultural trade, and in the fall of 1874 they erected their brick store and added their present business, which they have since successfully followed; a card of their business appears among the business cards of Ansonia; in 1875, he was elected Township Trustee, which office he has since held, and is also serving his second year as Councilman of Ansonia; has been a member of the church since 12 years of age, and a member of Lodge 605 I. O. O. F. since 1875; has never made use of tobacco in any form, and is a strong champion of the cause of temperance.

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This family biography is one of 659 biographies included in The History of Darke County, Ohio published in 1880 by W. H. Beers & Co.  For the complete description, click here: Darke County, Ohio History and Genealogy

View additional Darke County, Ohio family biographies here: Darke County, Ohio Biographies

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