Samuel Kurtz

     Samuel Kurtz was born on 8 September 1848 at Whetstone Township, Crawford County, Ohio.¹ He was the son of John George Kurz and Catherine Scherer.¹ Samuel Kurtz married, at age 23, Margaret Elizabeth Rexroth, age 23, daughter of John Nicholas Rexroth and Anna Maria Rittmann, on Wednesday, 21 February 1872.¹ Samuel Kurtz died on 13 April 1912 at Whetstone Township, Crawford County, Ohio, at age 63 years, 7 months and 5 days.¹ He was buried in the Scherer Cemetery, located in Whetstone Township, Crawford County, Ohio. The funeral service was officiated by Reverend [—?—] Keller.¹
     As of October 1910, Samuel Kurtz lived at 947 Prospect Street, Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio.¹

In 1912 the "History of Crawford County, Ohio and Representative Citizens" was published, in which we find Samuel's biography that was submitted to the book's editor, John E. Hopley. On pp. 1234-1235, preserved for future generations we find the following:

     SAMUEL KURTZ, a highly respected citizen of Bucyrus, a retired farmer, was born in Whetstone township, Crawford county, O., Sept. 8, 1848, and is a son of George and Catherine (Shearer) Kurtz. The parents of Mr. Kurtz were natives of Germany, where the father was born in 1821 and the mother in 1827. They came to America when young, the father of George Kurtz locating with his family in Lycoming county, Pa. About 1842 George Kurtz came to Crawford county and here was married some time later to Catherine Shearer, whose parents had also come to Ohio from Pennsylvania. The newly married couple settled on the Shearer farm and continued to live there, Mr. Kurtz assisting in its clearing. Mrs. Kurtz died there in 1868 at the age of 55 years. The second marriage of George Kurtz was to Catherine Geibler, who still resides on the old homestead in Whetstone township. There George Kurtz died in 1903, at the age of 83 years. To his first marriage two sons were born: Jacob and Samuel, the former of whom is a prosperous farmer in Tully township, Marion county, O. He was married (first) to Caroline Stoltz and they had one son, who survives. His second marriage was to Christiana Cover and they have two sons and two daughters. Samuel Kurtz, in many ways, has been a very fortunate man, growing up on his father's farm with comfortable home surroundings and being afforded an education that included both English and German studies. In the course of years he became the owner of 78 acres of the old homestead and he also acquired 79 acres in another part of Whetstone township, and on these two farms he spent many prosperous years, carrying on large agricultural operations until age and inclination led him to retire from further activities. In October, 1910, he and his wife took possession of their comfortable residence at No. 947 Prospect Street, Bucyrus. It was in this city that Mr. Kurtz was married to Miss Margaret Rexroth who was born near Bucyrus, Aug. 26, 1848, a daughter of John Nicholas and Anna Maria (Rittmann) Rexroth, one of a family of ten children. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kurtz, namely: John George, a graduate of the Ohio Northern University at Ada, O., who is a clerk in the Government service, residing on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana, married Mary Myers and has three children - Loneta, Lowell and Kenneth; Samuel Aaron, also a graduate of the Ohio Northern University, who is now science teacher in the Bellevue, O., High School, married Nellie Beldon and has four children - Russell, Marguerite, Wilbur and Elizabeth. Simeon Gershom, who also completed a course at the university, at Ada, O., now a successful farmer in Whetstone township, married Mrs. Emma (Stump) Lepp and has two children - Byron and La Verne; Mary Catherine, a handsome young woman and a most lovely character, who had musical talent of a high order and who had served the church as organist for several years, died on Feb. 23, 1897, in the twentieth year of her age; Bertha Rexroth, a graduate of expression and oratory at Ada, O., is the wife of Prof. Russell Myers, also a graduate of the Ohio Northern University and who is now principal of the High School at Columbus Grove, O; Harrison, who also pursued a course of study at Ada, O., has charge of the home farm, married Caroline Mildred Rexroth; Paul, who died in infancy; and Edwin Charles, who attends school at Bucyrus. Mr. Kurtz and family attend the German Reformed church. Politically, Mr. Kurtz is a Republican with independent tendencies. Since the above was written and before it was in print Mr. Kurtz died. The end came suddenly while he was engaged in doing some light work on the farm. Death was due to heart failure and occurred on the 13th of April. Brief funeral services were held at the home with extended and impressive services at the Whetstone Reformed church, of which he had been a member most of his life and where he had held official relations as treasurer, secretary of the board, deacon and elder for many years, and Sunday-school superintendent for 16 years. Fitting eulogies were given by former pastors while Rev. Mr. Keller gave the main discourse. The choir rendered touching and appropriate music. The interment was in the Shearer cemetery.¹