Miami County, Ohio Genealogical Researchers -- Sponsored by the Computerized Heritage Association


    JOHN A. NUNLIST

    John A. Nunlist, proprietor of the City Hotel of Tippecanoe City, is a genial host whose pleasant manner and unfailing courtesy have won him the favor of the traveling public and secured to him a liberal patronage. He was born in Nieder Erlinsbach, Switzerland, on the 7th of December, 1844, his parents being Victor and Catherine (Buser) Nunlist. In their family were the following children, John A., John D., William L., Lena, Emil, Albert and Louisa. All of these now reside in Ohio.

    When the subject of this review was a lad of twelve years he began earning his own living, working in a silk mill in his native city. In the spring of 1860 he came to America, crossing the Atlantic on a sailing vessel which, after a. voyage of fifty-seven days, reached the harbor of New York. Making his way to Ohio he took up his residence in Shelby county, where the father purchased a farm. Soon afterward he was bound out to a man in St. Johns, Mercer county, Ohio, to learn the blacksmith's trade, and with him continued from July, 1861, until March, 1862, when, without consulting his parents, he responded to the call of his adopted country for aid and became a private in Company C, One Hundred and Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The regiment went to Camp Allen, thence to Kentucky and through that state into Tennessee, where Mr. Nunlist was taken ill with typhoid fever. Soon afterward he was sent back to Lexington, Kentucky, and later was in the hospital at Covington, Kentucky, for some time. As he was then only eighteen years of age his father secured his release from the service, and returning to Ohio he began work for Fred Huber in a butcher shop, where he remained until 1871, when he went to Dayton, Ohio, remaining there from April until October of that year. He then came to Tippecanoe City, where he was engaged in the butchering business until 1873, at which time he removed to Springfield, Ohio, but after a year there passed returned to Tippecanoe City. Here he conducted the Henn Hotel until 1877, when he purchased the hotel, which he has since conducted. It was then known as the Carl Hotel but is now carried on under the name of the City Hotel. He has made many excellent improvements in the building and in its furnishing and has a well equipped hostelry, in which he has met with gratifying success.

    On the nineteenth of June, 1871, Mr. Nunlist was united in marriage to Miss Julia Messner, a native of Buffalo, New York, and they now have four children: Minnie, wife of Jacob Hand, who conducts a hotel at West Milton; Lulu, Frank D. and Edward S., at home. They also lost one child, Victor, who died at the age of seven months. He was the third in order of birth. Mr. Nunlist is a member of the D. M. Rouzer Post, G. A. R., of Tippecanoe City and is past commander. He belongs to the Catholic church and in politics is a Democrat, on which ticket he has been elected city councilman, serving in that office from 1884 until 1890. He started out in life for himself when only twelve yeas of age and may truly be called a self-made man, for his steady advancement has been the outcome of untiring diligence, guided by sound judgment. His worth as a man and citizen is widely acknowledged, and he has gained many warm friends among his fellow townsmen and among those who are entertained at the City Hotel.

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