The Ratermann family originated in Germany and the first of those to come from Hannover was John Henry Bernard Ratermann, who was accompanied by his wife, Anna Maria Ratermann (nee Wellmann), and their one son, Ferdinand. They settled in McLean township, Shelby county, O., southeast of Fort Loramie, and there the other children were born, namely: Henry; Philip, who formerly was county surveyor of Shelby county, Bernard, a school-teacher who died at the age of twenty-three years; and Joseph, who is a resident of Sidney, each son receiving the gift of a farm from his father.The latter was one of the pioneers of St. Michael's Catholic church and in early days baptisms and other church offices were frequently performed in his dwelling. He died at the age of sixty-seven, his wife surviving him by nine months. Henry Ratermann was reared on the old farm and has heard his father say that when he settled there but one house had been built in what is now the busy and important town of Fort Loramie. He attended the Berlin district school and afterward continued his studies alone, purchasing books so that he could advancefarther in general knowledge. After his marriage Henry Ratermann settled on the farm now occupied by his youngest son, clearing the land and making improvements and on that place his deathoccurred in 1881, at the age of forty-six years. Like his father before him he was a democrat and all his life he was a worthy member of St. Michael's church. On June 4, 1867, Mr. Ratermann was married to Miss Sophia Wehinger, who was born in Wuertenberg, Germany, April 14, 1849, and was five years old when her parents, August and Frances (Rupprecht) Wehinger brought her toAmerica. They lived for some time at Fort Loramie, O.. and then moved to a small farm west of the town, and there the mother of Mrs. Ratermann died when aged forty-five and her father whenaged forty-nine years. They were parents of five children,- all reared in the Catholic church; Rosa, who is deceased; Hilda, who is a resident of St. Patrick; Madeline, who is deceased;Sophia; and Anton, who lives at Mansfield, O.
To Henry Ratermann and wife the following children were born: William, who died at the age of twenty-seven years, married Elizabeth Ceding and left one daughter, Wilhelmina, who lives with her grandmother; John Bernard, who lives at Sidney, married Catherine Zimmerman and they have six children — Henrietta, Jerome, Catherine, Hilda. William and Francis; Alolph, who is in the banking business at Fort Loramie; Anna, who is a competent stenographer employed at San Francisco; Frank, who is a physician at Fort Loramie; and Louis P. After the death of her husbandMrs. Ratermann remained on the farm as her sons were able to carry on its industries while she became a school teacher. For eleven years she continued to teach the St. Patrick public school, retiring from educational work and resuming
domestic duties in 1895. In 1906 she took charge of her son Adolph's home at Fort Loramie. She was much beloved as a teacher, being of pleasing manner and of intellectual strength, perfectly capable in the line of work she followed for more than a decade. It is worthy of mention that she was teach Frank, Bernard and Adolph. Mrs. Ratermann has a wide and pleasant social ANDREPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 617 circle at Ft. Loramie, and is an earnest member of St. Michael's Catholic church.
Louis P. Ratermann received his education at St. Patrick's district school and afterward took charge of the home farm and has continued to successfully conduct it, keeping up the improvements and raising satisfactory crops and cattle. He married Miss Anna Hoying, who is a daughter of Anthony Hoying, a farmer in Turtle Creek township. They have three children : Mary, Henry and Ludowicka. With his family Mr. Ratermann belongs to St. Patrick's Catholic church. He is a democrat in politics and takes a hearty interest in public matters but is filling no office, finding his business important enough to take up all his time.
