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LEVI AMMON


At the time of his death, Levi Ammon was regarded as a leading merchant and business man of Georgetown, a position which he well merited, for his career was characterized by unflagging industry, capable management and the most unfaltering honesty. He was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, November 9, 1813. His father, George Ammon, was also a native of that county, but the grandfather was of German birth. On emigrating to the new world he took up his abode in Berks county, where he followed farming and lived to a ripe old age. During the Revolutionary war he loyally served his country, enlisting as a private. The son, George Ammon, spent his entire life in the county of his nativity and was a millwright by trade. He died in 18l4, in early manhood, but his widow lived to an advanced age. In her maidenhood she was Miss Beard, a daughter of Captain Beard, who was a native of the Keystone state, a farmer by occupation and served on Washington's staff in the Revolutionary war. His father came from Germany.

Levi Ammon was one of the two children born to George Ammon and his wife. He was only about a year old when his father died, and when a little lad of seven he was bound out to a Mr. Baker, of Pennsylvania, learning the shoemaker's trade. At the age of sixteen years he left the man to whom he had been apprenticed, then worked at his trade for about two years and bought his time from Mr. Baker. At the age of eighteen he came west, settling in Liberty, Montgomery county, Ohio, where he followed shoemaking. Subsequently he was engaged in shoemaking for twenty-five or thirty years and was very successful, but lost the greater part of his property by going security for a friend. In 1860 he came to Miami county and purchased a farm of eighty acres near Georgetown, of which thirty acres had been cleared. He continued its further development and improvement until 1865, when he engaged in merchandising in Georgetown, successfully conducting his store until his death, July 9, 1898. In 1864, however, he lost two thousand dollars by again going security. On this account he sold his farm and in 1865 purchased the store which is now conducted by his sons. In April, 1869, he admitted his three eldest sons to partnership in the business, and in 1872 his son Charles was made a partner. They carried a stock of general merchandise and also dealt in leaf tobacco and were the pioneers in the buggy business in Georgetown.

Mr. Ammon was married to Miss Margaret C. Bierley, who was born in Maryland and came with her parents to Ohio during her girlhood. She was a daughter of John Bierley, who settled in Liberty, this state, where he owned a large mill and at one time was a wealthy man, but he, too, lost the greater part of what he had made by going security. He afterward worked at the shoe-making trade in Liberty, where Mrs. Ammon spent her girlhood days. She is still living, at an advanced age. By her marriage she became the mother of fourteen children, seven of whom died in early life. The others are as follows: Mary is the wife of Charles Welbaum, of Union township; Jane died at the age of thirty-nine years; George H., who was born April 5, 1844, and was the eldest son that reached maturity, was considered one of the most capable business men in the county, but his career was terminated by death April 9, 1898; Edwin M., who was born May 7, 1848, is now conducting a store in Gordon, Ohio, married Amanda Faulkner and they have two sons, Earl and Roy, who are both in their father's store; William, who conducts the store in Potsdam, married Miss Mary Mast, of West Milton, and they have a son, Harry D., now a student in the high school in Dayton, Ohio; Belle A. is the wife of G. P. Ditmer; and Charles, who resides with his mother, is also a member of the mercantile firm.

The subject of this review was an active Prohibitionist for many years and when he purchased his store he would not sell drinks as the other merchants did at that time. He was most earnest in his advocacy of the cause of temperance and both he and his wife are leading and influential members of the Untied Brethren church. He contributed most liberally to the building of the house of worship and was an earnest and active Christian gentleman. Industry was one of his chief characteristics and it was supplemented by honesty in all life's relations. Thus he won a creditable success and was very prominent in business circles. His death was the occasion of universal regret throughout the community and his loss was deeply mourned not only by his immediate family but also by many friends.

For more than a third of a century the name of Ammon has been prominent in connection with the business interests of Potsdam. At the time of his father's death, the firm name of Levi Ammon & Sons was assumed, and, when George, the eldest brother, died they settled the business, among themselves. When their father died, the four sons purchased their sister's interest in the estate, and, without employing a lawyer, satisfactorily arranged their business affairs, taking the name by which they are now known. The three sons who are now in partnership never had any division of the business, for, what belongs to one belong to all. The relation between them has ever been most harmonious and they own property in West Milton, Troy and Dayton, and about eighteen hundred acres of land comprised within improved farms in Miami and adjoining counties. They also deal in good horses and are very prominent and reliable business men, whose reputation in commercial circles is unassailable.

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