Charles F. Lutz

CHARLES F. LUTZ, one of the successful farmers of Center township, Mercer county, Ohio, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, May 13, 1847. He is the only child of Frederick and Frederika (Hopf) Lutz, who were married June 28, 1846. In company with his mother, Frederick Lutz and his younger brother, Ludwig, he emigrated to the United States in 1853, his youngest brother, John, having preceded him to this country by about two years, for the purpose of evading service in the German army. The family landed in New York May 1, 1853, started immediately for what was then the “Far West," and ended their journey westward at Eaton, Preble county, Ohio. Here they remained until the autumn of 1854, when they removed to Center town ship, Mercer county, where they remained up to the time of their death, the father, Frederick, dying April 11, 1888, and the mother, Frederika, May 7, 1893. Mary Lutz, the paternal grandmother of the subject. died in Mercer county, Ohio, in 1864, when she was seventy-eight years of age. Upon landing in the United States Frederick Lutz at once renounced his allegiance to his native country, and as soon thereafter as possible became a citizen of the United States. He allied him self with the democratic party, and remained a loyal supporter of that party until his death. By occupation during his whole life he was a farmer, and in religious faith he was a member Of the Church of God, or Winebrennerian denomination, of whom there were in the United States 22,511 members at the time of taking the census in 1890.


Charles F. Lutz received his education in the public schools of the neighborhood where he now lives. He was married September 28, 1871, to Miss Elizabeth Berry, who was born June 30, 1853. To this marriage there have been born seven children, as follows: Mary, an infant that died unnamed, Benjamin Franklin, Margaret, Elizabeth Grace, Nellie and Charles F. Benjamin Berry, father of the wife of the subject, was a son of Christopher Berry, who settled in Center township at an early day, on land which he pre-empted from the government, and of which he gave to each of his six children 160 acres. Benjamin Berry died February 18, 1873, leaving a large family in comfortable circumstances.


The paternal grandfather of our subject died in Germany. The maternal grandfather of our subject was named Charles Hopf. He also died in Germany. Both grandfathers were farmers.


The farm of Charles F. Lutz contains 120 acres, finely improved, which was all timber when he was a boy. Mr. Lutz knows how the farm was cleared, and has a keen recollection of much of the muscular labor he expended to that end; but he has the satisfaction of knowing that he now owns one of the best farms in Center township.


Charles F. Lutz served six years as a member of the board of infirmary directors, and has also served as trustee of his township; has filled other minor offices, and for a number of years was a member of the democratic central committee of Mercer county. He is a very progressive man in every respect, being unusually full of public spirit, and devoted to the best interests of the county in which he lives, as well as to the entire country. He fosters educational institutions, believing that only through an intelligent citizenship can the government stand, and he also believes in the support of religious institutions, for the reason that they are the conservators of the morals of the community.


Page 415-416

Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Mercer and Van Wert Counties Ohio, Chicago, A. W. Bowen & Company, 1896

Welcome to The American History and Genealogy Project (AHGP), an unincorporated not-for-profit network of independent sites devoted to History & Genealogy, and covering North American Countries and Territories. For more information about our group, including how you can join us, please see our About page. This page was last updated Tuesday, 21-Feb-2017 16:55:18 EST. Webspace for this site is generously provided by     and This page is a free service to all Family Historians who are currently doing research in the Mercer County, Ohio area. It is not intended for commercial use. This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent of the contributor. All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited! Copyright © 2017~2024 by the Ohio State Team & Mercer County AHGP