Bio: Hintz, George & Mary

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Hintz, Koppean, Clair, Foster, Kippenhan, Mosinski, Schwarze, Vollrath, Genteman, O’Donnell, Fravert

----Source: Family Scrapbook

Dad, George Henry Hintz, was born October 22, 1880 near Lena, Illinois. His parents were Fredrich Charles and Augusta (Koppean) Hintz. The latter were natives of Ger¬many who came to this country in a sailing vessel, ac¬companied by three children, two daughters and a son. On arriving in the U. S. they settled in Illinois on a farm.

George Henry Hintz was educated in the local district school and at the age of 22 years, on September 22, 1902, married Mary Clair, a native of Illinois who was born April 6, 1881. He had gone to school to the sixth grade and then worked out. Later he went to work for Preston Clair. This is where he met Mary Ann Clair. She was born near Kent, Illinois, attended grade school and later Mt. Morris College at Kent. Her older brother, Aaron Leslie Clair was a Professor at the college when she attended.

She could have been a school-teacher, but because of a hearing problem she settled for a dress-maker, and worked in a dress making shop.

After being married, George rented a farm for three years after which he came to Clark County in search of a home. They bought 160 acres of wild land in the Willard country through Professor Aaron L. Clair who was a real-estate representative of N. C. Foster Enterprises.

This land was in sections 15 and 16, Hendren Township. There was no road in the vicinity. Having built a shanty, 14' x 28' he moved into it with wife and two children, both born in Kent, Illinois, Paul in 1905 and Ralph in 1907.

Roland was born in this shanty in 1909, which is also the year of building the barn. The barn was a frame barn 24x36 feet.

When he began to improve the place he had two horses, three cows and a calf, eleven head of sheep and one hog; besides a plow and a wagon. His barn was a basement barn with cement floors and swing stanchions, room for 25 head of cattle. Later a silo 14x28 feet was ad¬ded. He raised purebred Brown Swiss.

He built a fine two-story house 24x26 feet in 1910. By 1915-16 he had 70 acres of land cleared, his sheep help¬ing in this work by browsing off the second growth.

He helped to start the Willard Cheese Factory in July 1914 and was its first vice-president. This factory, which started with forty patrons, had eighty-three by 1918 with an average intake of 11,000 pounds of milk daily. After serving as vice-president for two years, our father became its manager and one of the board of directors. On February 3, 1917 he became its president.

He was instrumental in forming Hendren Township and was its first chairman; he also helped form our school-district and served on its board. He was an earnest advocate of good roads.

His religious affiliation was with the Dunkard, or Brethren Church.

By 1925 he and his wife were the proud parents of nine children, seven of them born in Clark County. Roland was born in the shanty in 1909, Boyd in 1912, Kathryn in 1914, Bernice in 1916, Mary Alice in 1918, Helen in 1921 and George in 1925.

During the years he helped out many a friend or neighbor. As a self-taught veterinarian he went to Tioga, Gorman, Willard, North Willard and half way to Green¬wood. He was also instrumental in the forming of the Warner Town Mutual Fire Insurance Company and in the '30's was active in the Clark Electric Co-Op.

The folks had nine births in the family without an at¬tending physician.

In 1950 the folks sold the farm to Paul and Roland and moved to Greenwood where they lived out their lives. Father died in 1957 and Mother in 1962. Both are buried in Greenwood.

Later the farm was sold to Bill Vollrath, then to Tom Genteman who is the present owner.

Paul never married, died April 16, 1959; Ralph married Melinda Kippenhan. He passed away October 25, 1979. Boyd married Gertrude Mosinski. Bernice married Orlin Schwarze. Mary Alice married Albert Trost. She passed away October 8, 1950. Helen married Herbert Kip¬penhan. She passed away December 26, 1976. George Ed¬win Hintz married Florence O'Donnell.

Submitted by Kathryn Hintz Fravert and Bernice Hintz Schwarze