Johann Gottlieb Sohn

Lost his lifewhile doing a favor for his neighbor.

Through a lamentable accident during the exercise of a favor this past week,. Johann Gottlieb Sohn, who with his family was a tenant on J. A. Aspacher's farm in Noble Township, lost his life. Thursday morning he wanted to help his neighbor Georg Ott with his move to Adams Township and had just driven a heavily laden wagon out through the yard gate, when a by asudden lurch of the spirited horse he was thrown from the wagon, which wheels ran over his legs and lower body. Everything that medical help and faithful care could do, was done, but all in vain: Saturday afternoon about four o'clock, Death freed him from his pain.

Johann Gottl. Sohn had been born on the 2nd of August in Esslingen, Wuerttemberg. In april 1881 he immigrated to this country and came first to Louisville, Ky., where he married Bertha Frei, the surviving widow. From the marriage resulted 7 children, 5 boys and 2 girls, who all are still alive. Besides these the deceased leaves behind his parents, a sister and a brother in Esslingen, a brother Albert in Paulding County and a sister Mrs Lena Schwartz in Cincinnati. Sohn had lived in our county for very many years, among them many years on the South Ridge. He was always considered to be an industrious, peaceable, and ready-to-help person, who had many friends whereever he was known. His remains were buried Tuesday afternoon under the direction of Pastor F. A. Kiess from the Church in Brunersburg to the Church cemetery there.

[d 18 NOV 1905]

Wilhelm Laub

From the infirmities of age, on Monday night Wilhelm Laub, a long-time resident of the neighboring town of Florida, died at the age of 82 years, 6 months and 4 days. He had suffered for a long time, so that Death came as a welcome release. Concerning the life of the deceased we know only that he was born in Germany and came to this country in the year 1852. As far as we know, he leaves behind a widow, two sons and two daughters. His remains were brought to the grave Tuesday afternoon, after a funeral service was held by Pastor Engelmann at 1 o'clock in the former residence and 2 o'clock in the Reformed Church in Florida.

[b Jul 1824, d 7 Jan 1906]
[wife Elisabeth, children Phillipena, Franklin, John, Rosa]

John Reuter

Another human Life Lost thru a lamentable accident.

This year has been overabundant with deadly accidents for Defiance. Saturday evening shortly before six o'clock another accident occurred, through which the well known veterinarian John Reuter came to his sudden death. Mr. Reuter had picked up a fairly ?feisty red fox to bring in from George H. Coressel in Adams Township, and was making the trip with the animal at that time ?to his offices on Ottawa Avenue. Whether the horse became unmanageable along the way and broke away, or he tried to turn the corner too quickly and the carriage tipped over, cannot be determined due to lack of eyewitnesses. In short, horse and carriage ran ?into the corner by Geiger's vegetable garden, where one turns from the Jefferson Street into the traffic lane leading to the Francis Street Bridge, with considerable force against the fence, and Mr Reuter was thrown into the half-open yard gate. He was carried into the neighboring F. Towle's apartment house and Doctor Stevens was called for, but he was only able to determine that death had already occurred, and probably due to a fracture of the lower part of the skull. The remains were later taken to Hoffmann's Funeral Parlor to be readied for burial and from there to the family residence on Nicholas Street. Tuesday morning [the remains] were buried from the St. John's Catholic Church to the Riverside Cemetery. The pallbearers were: Christ. Diehl Sr., J. F. Singer, Franz Pfirrmann, Ben. Grocalia, Napoleon G. Cunningham and Louis Archambeault.

The victim was from Luxembourg by birth, 67 years old and resident here for the past 40 years. Survivors are his widow and the following four children: Mrs. Dr. J. D. Westrick, of here, Mrs. R. St. John in Toledo, O., Mrs. George K. Stockton in Lorain, O., John Reuter in Ridgeville, Ind.

[per d cert, b Belgium; d 22 Sep 1906]

[Translator's note: Wondering if "Red Fox" might be the name of the horse??]