PETER HECKLER, an old and highly respected citizen of Harrison township, Henry county, was born in Hessen Darmstadt, Germany, June 2, 1824, the son of John and Elizabeth (Christbaum) Heckler. The father was a miller all his life and he and wife both died in their native land. The subject of this sketch received a fair education in the public schools of Germany. At the age of nine years he was bound and remained employed on farms until twenty-five years old, also serving three years in the German army. Coming to America in 1852, he first settled in Mansfield, Ohio, working two years for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and during this time saving three hundred dollars. He then came to Monroe township, Henry county, and bought forty acres of wild land. Swampy conditions gave rise to ague, however, and a year later the family were compelled to remove to Hancock county, Ohio, where for five years he worked as a farm hand, after which they again settled on the Henry county farm. This was cleared and improved and three years later sold for one thousand dollars. He then purchased forty acres in Harrison township, where he still resides, to which he afterwards added another forty acres. He also owns fifty-five acres in one farm and another one of forty acres, both in Monroe township, and forty acres in Defiance county. He has secured all by honest hard work and is now considered one of Harrison township's leading citizens. During eighteen of his active years he ran a threshing machine.
In 1852, in Mansfield, Ohio, Mr. Heckler married Miss Barbara Pfeifer, the daughter of John and Margaret Pfeifer, and to them were born ten children, namely: Henry; John, deceased; William; Edward; Daniel; Sadie is the wife of E. R. Cowdrick; Katie is the wife of Henry Zimmerman; Lizzie married William Kratz and they live on the home farm and are giving every attention to the comfort of the subject; two children died in infancy. Mrs. Heckler, who is now deceased, was a member of the Evangelical church, while Mr. Heckler belongs to the German Reformed church. In politics he is a Democrat, but is liberal in his views, voting for the candidates that seem to him best fitted for office.