Re: Bornhorst, Franz & Brandewie, Catherine
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In reply to:
Re: Bornhorst, Franz & Brandewie, Catherine
7/25/01
History of Northwest Ohio, vol. II, 1917, by Nevin Otto Winter, p. 767
B. Bornhorst. To make an article a little better than other people can make it, and to keep steadily at it for a long period of years, constitutes a notable and really useful service to the world. It has been the ability to make shoes and boots of the very highest quality that has constituted B. Bornhorst's prionciple service as a citizen of Minster. Beginning as a shoemaker on the bench, he has been in business now steadily at one location for over thirty-six years, and he had brought his product to such a high standard that the Bornhorst shoes are now made and sold all over the United States. He has proved especially skillful in the making of shoes for crippled and deformed people and his skill has been at the basis of a large and increasing business. He is no only one of the oldest merchants but also considered one of the most wholesome and worthy citizens of Auglaize County.
Mr. Bornhorst was born on a farm 4 1/2 miles southwest of Minster, Ohio, September 28, 1851, a son of Joseph and Catherine (Brandewine) Bornhorst. His paternal grandparents spent all their lives in Germany, while the maternal grandfather, Anton Brandewine, came from Germany to Auglaize County, Ohio, in 1827, mingling with the earliest settlers of that locality. He became a farmer and spent the rest of his days there. Joseph Bornhorst was born in Dinlag, Germany, in 1817, and died January 14, 1900. His wife was born at Meckeisen, Germany, in 1824, and died in 1884. They were married in Auglaize County. Joseph came to America at the age of sixteen, locating in Auglaize County, and as a poor youth he found employment on the canal until he was able to buy eighty acres of land. He bought more land and owned a well improved farm of 160 acres at the time of his death. He and his wife were active members of the Catholic Church and he was a democrat, being a man highly esteemed for his wide information and knowledge of many topics. He and his wife had ten children, seven of whome are still living: The oldest is B. Bornhorst; Joseph, a farmer near Minster; Mrs. Westerheide, on a farm near Minster; Clayman, a farmer in Shelby County; Mrs. Lizzie Osterloh, on a farm near Minster; and John, who runs the home farm.
B. Bornhorst grew up on a farm, gained his education in the district schools, and also attended night school. Part of his early youth was spent in Brown and Highlands counties, and at the age of sixteen he left the farm and came to Minster to learn the trade of shoemaker. He learned it well, and from his savings he opened a boot and shoe business, handling a general stock supplied him by shoe manufacturers, but still concentrated his best efforts on his custom made shoes. After two years he joined in partnership with Henry Luckman, and they were together for two years. Since then he has been proprietor of the store and has been located in one building for thirty-six years.
On April 29, 1875, Mr. Bornhorst married Miss Josephine Sprahe, who was born in Minster and died at their home in that village in 1894, Five children were the fruit of their union: Louis, who is a saloon man at Minster; Francis, in the store with his father; Charles, also in his father's store; Nora, who makes another employee in that business; Carrie, wife of Anton Frieroth, a brewer at Minster. In 1895 Mr. Bornhorst married for his second wife Kate Sautman, who was born in Minster. They have three children, Lavina, Marie and Edith.
The family are all members of the Catholic Church, while Mr. Bornhorst has remained true to the political training of his youth and is active in the democratic party. He served as township treasurer three years, and for a period of twenty-five years has been treasurer of the Minster Loan and Savings Company.