Halderman, Jacob

Posted By: Steve Koons
Date: 28 October 2004

transcribed from A Biographical History of Darke County Ohio, Lewis Publishing Company, 1900, part II, pp 302-303:

JACOB HALDERMAN

For many years this gentleman has resided in Darke county and his name is inseparably connected with the agricultural and building interests of this region. His thoroughly American spirit and his great energy have enabled him to mount from a lowly position to one of affluence. One of his leading characteristics in business affairs is his fine sense of order and complete system and the habit of giving careful attention to details, without which success in any undertaking is never assured. Mr. Halderman was born in Dayton, Ohio, October 25, 1835, and is a son of John Halderman, a native of Pennsylvania, who settled in Dayton the year of our subject's birth, and died there when his son was only three years old. At that tender age Mr. Halderman passed to the care of strangers and relatives, and when twelve years old went to Indiana, where he spent two years. At the end of that time he came to Darke county, Ohio, where he worked as a farm hand one year, and then served an apprenticeship to Reuben Heffner, a contractor, at the carpenter's trade, and remained with him as a journeyman after his apprenticeship was complete, being in his employ nine years. In the meantime he had attained man's estate, and at the end of that period commenced contracting and building on his own account, at the same time carrying on farming on rented land. In 1861 he rented a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Greenville township, which he subsequently purchased, and to which he has since added until he now has a valuable and well improved farm of two hundred and sixty acres. Upon his place he has erected commodious barns of the best construction, a fine residence, tobacco sheds, granaries, etc. His principal crops are wheat, corn and tobacco, and he also gives considerable attention to the raising of hogs. He is one of the most intelligent and successful farmers of the county. December 27, 1860, Mr. Halderman was united in marriage with Miss Mary Baker, by whom he had seven children, but one died in infancy unnamed. The others are Leota, the wife of S. E. Bishop, of Hamilton, Ohio; Alice, the wife of William McNeil, of Columbus, this state; Ida Bird, the wife of W. J. Wagner, a farmer and school teacher of Darke county; Herschel V., a resident of El Paso, Texas; Elnora, at home; and Pearl, the wife of William G. Bishop, of Greenville. The mother of these children died in 1875, aged thirty-six years. For his second wife Mr. Halderman married Miss Frances E. Helm, a native of Darke county and a daughter of Eli and Catherine (Zimmerman) Helm, and to them was born a son, Roll H. In Mr. Halderman we have a perfect illustration of a self-made man. Being left an orphan at the age of three years, he began the battle of life much younger than most men, and his success has been phenomenal, though of a steady, healthful growth. For twenty-eight years he has been connected with Greenville Lodge, I. O. O. F., and is also a member of the Encampment and Patriarchs Militant. He has filled all the chairs in the subordinate lodge and encampment. He has also served as ensign and lieutenant in the Patriarchs Militant. Politically, he is a supporter of the Democratic party and has served as township trustee and in other minor offices. To strangers he is always most cordial and entertaining and is widely and favorably known throughout his adopted county.

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