The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-05-14

The death of Martin Bechtel on Sunday
last at the age of 80 yeare, deserves more
than a passing notice. He was born in
1909, in this township of Canton, and
herein he passed his life. A few weeks
before he was born, March 10, 1909, Stark
was elected into a county by act of the
General Assembly, and that same year
county officers were chosen and the coun-
" fully organized. When deceased hrst
knew canton il contained but few
houses, and he lived TO see 1t become n
city of some thirty thousand people. Dur
ing his life the development OF lhecounty
was equally remarkable.
Among those who selected and located
land in Canton township in the year lSVo,
were David Bechtel, Jacob Aultman, the
Baer family, Philip Slusser and William
Ewing David Bechtel was the father of
Martin, Just deceased, and the original
deed for the land is signed by Thomas
Jefferson, President of the United States,
and by James Madison, Secretary OF State.
David Bechtel came from Maryland in
1903, and settled first in Columbiana
county. In the fall of 1906 he came with
a hired hand, built log cabin, cleared a
few acres and sewed II to wheat. In the
spring after this, having got married in
the mean time, be returned with his wife
and lived on this till his death in 1893. OF
this farm Martin Bechtel died seized
and on it he spent his life,
he and his wife have lived in the city, and
over thirty years ago that he kept tavern
a few years. The farm is on the Osna-
burg road, less than mile from the pres.
ent corporate limits Of the city,
The ather, David Bechtel, was a noted
huuter and trapper in his early days, and
his rifle was his constant companion, even
carrying It to funerals. He was pioneer
and one of the first settlers in the town
ship and county. He was no friend of the
IndiansTas report goes, and the father and
son were strong friends and adj
mirers of General Andrew jackson, the
hero of New Orleans, and before that, the
noted conuuerer of the Redman, indeed
the most famous Of all our Indian fight
ers.
A few yt yrs ago at the farm residence,
was celebrated the golden wedding OF the
deceased and his wife, who survives him
at the age of some seventy years. Four
sons and three daughters also survive out
of eleven ofrsprings born to them. Mar
tin Bechtel was brought up to farm work,
and school opportunities were very limit
ed in his boyhood days. AS man and
neighbor he was ever respected, as he
aimed to attend to his own business and
was always ready to do kind turn IL in
his power. He had solid points ofcharac-
ter, was firm OF purpose, faithful in all the
relations of life, true to his conviction OF
duty, a Democrat, without guile or shadow
of turning, and no less unswerving as a
member of the Reformed church, but
never given to offensive disputation.
The funeral services in the German Re-
formed church drew together large as
sembiage, where they had an opportunity
of taking last look at the familiar feat
ures of Martin Bechtel. His remains were
laid at rest in the Rowland cemetery, in
the east part of town, where they will
await the resurrection morn. Thus pass
away these noble relics OF an earlier day.