539 Arden Place

History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio ..

Benevolent Societies — St. John’s German Lutheran Orphan Asylum, situated in East Toledo, a short distance South of the River, was founded in 1860. The Trustees in 1870 were Revs. John Dein- doerfer, C. E. Bode and Charles Beckel ; and H. H. Sampson, Jac. Nesper and John Bittel. It is sup- ported by the Lutheran Church and voluntary con- tributions, and in 1887 was under the charge of Rev. Beckel.

The Societies for tne care of the sick, the burial of the dead, and relief of members in adversity, have augmented since 1854, when the first Firemen’s Benevolent Society was inaugurated, to quite a form- idable array ; so that we can name but those which now afford proof that the inclination to afford mutual relief and assistance has not declined by the increase of population. One of the oldest of these organiza- tions is the Deutscher Arbeiter (Laborers) Unter- stuetzungs Verein, founded in 1868, numbering at present 141 members, and estimating their assets at 54,300. Their first President was George Gerber, with Franz Tillman and Jos. Meyer as Vice Presi- dents. Officers at present — John Henry, Aug. Schwarz, H. Neumeyer. The Toledo Kranken (Sick) LTnterstuetzungs Verein, constituted in 1870 (when George Meissner and C. Hipp were the first and second Presidents), counted in 1885, 137 members, with resources valued at SI. 700. Officers — Hy. Stock, President; C. W^eil and Herm. Rausch, Vice Presidents ; Jos. Livers, Treasurer. Beside these, we have the Badische Unterstuetzungs Verein — Presi- dent, .lac. Hoffman ; the German Laborers’ Benefi- cial, President, F. Wagenknecht ; the German Pro- tective Association, President, Jac. Hermann ; the Gruetli Verein, President, F. Zumbrun ; the Hildise Bund, President, N. Mertes ; the Keduscha Society, of which N. D. Oesterman is President ; the Fritz Renter, F. C. C. Mau, President ; the Schwaebische (Suabian) Unterstuetzungs Verein, President, John Schrag ; the Hessen Darmstaedter Verein, John Henry, President ; the Alsatian Verein, and the Bayrische or Bavarian Verein, J. Von Ficht, Presi- dent.