Person Page 6,064

The Botzum Family John George Botzum was born in Neuhaes, Germany in 1796. He married Katherine Dragaser, of Urmmeispatch, Germany also born in 1796. We believe they were married somewhere between 1818 and 1820. Their home was situated along the Rhine River near Strausburg.
John George had served seven years as a soldier, having fought in the Battle of Waterloo. He hated war, and having five sons, who would come of age and be drafted into the German army, he and Katherine dreamed of another land, in the new world, where they could raise their family in peace.
In May of 1836, John George and wife Katherine, and seven children: Michael, 15; Suzanna, 12; Nicholas, 11; John George, 9; John Adams, 5; Catherine Margaret, 3; and infant John August,1, immigrated from Germany to New York on a sailing ship, and found their way to Cleveland, Ohio later that same year. Shortly thereafter, Katherine gave birth to their eighth child, Conrad, who was born in St. Mary’s Flats (what is today called The Flats).
Along the Cuyahoga When the baby, Conrad, was old enough, the family left St. Mary’s Flats and traveled by flat bottom boat to Niles, Ohio (near the intersection of what is today Bath and Riverview Roads). John’s first job was digging ditches, probably related to The Ohio & Erie Canal, for 50 cents a day, while Katherine worked in the wheat fields and kept boarders. They lived in a log cabin somewhere between Ghent and Niles. (Some historians believe that Conrad was born in the log cabin rather than in St Mary’s Flats.)
Though exact records are unclear as to whether it was John George Botzum or Richard Howe who first purchased 600 acres of land from the Connecticut Land Company for $2.00/acre, Summit County Tax Auditor’s Duplicate Tax Records do indicate strong Botzum family land holdings by 1860. These same records show that John August Botzum was the owner of 200 acres in 1874, and transferred ownership to his brother Conrad in 1884.
Building on the Farmstead Conrad built the Sweitzer barn, the smaller of two barns on the property in 1885, at a cost of $200. The larger Bank Barn was built in 1898, despite the Depression of 1893. Following a fire in 1906, which destroyed the circa 1835 frame house built by Richard Howe, the current molded concrete block house, summer kitchen and privy were built.
At this time, with the Botzum Brothers businesses flourishing, the family moved to Akron, residing on Botzum Court, a street that still bears the family name, at the end of Walnut Street off of West Market Street behind St. Vincent’s Church. The Botzum family held reunions at the old cottage on the North end of the property, built by the brothers in the 1930’s, until late in the 1950’s, while tenant farmers cared for the farm until the early 70’s.
Changes in Ownership In December of 1963, Sherman Shoemaker, the family’s insurance man, and his wife Mary, purchased the farm from the Botzum family. Then in March of 1991, the farm was sold to the Public Trust for Lands and subsequently, became part of Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. Early in 1996, the farm, land and buildings were found to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. In July of 1996, the National Park Service put out a Request For Proposals, to the private sector, to lease and restore the farm. On April 13, 1998, the Winkelmann’s lease began.
Today The Conrad Botzum Farmstead, a 501.c.3, non-profit corporation, is working to preserve and restore the Farmstead under the direction of it’s Board of Directors and the leadership of George and Maureen Winkelmann. Maureen is Conrad’s Great Grand-daughter. Weddings began to be held in The 1898 Bank Barn in June of 2001.

Fought in the Battle of Waterloo; John Georg Botzum was said to be born on the Upper Rhine, possibly in the vicinity of Urmerbach. He arrived at New York 25 August 1836 on the ship Preciosa, with his wife Catherine Dragasser, and children Michael, Susanna, Nicholas, George, Adam, John Augustus, and Catherine. Son Conrad was born shortly after the family settled in Ohio.

Georg farmed in the valley north of Akron, along the canal in Northampton township, and the small town that grew up in the area was named for the family. At its height the town of Botzum boasted a population of only 40, but included a hotel, general store, tavern, saloon, post office, school, train station, covered bridge, blacksmith shop, sawmill, grist mill, boatyard, two warehouses and a dozen homes.


The following excerpt from William Doyle's "Centennial History of Summit County Ohio", gives an account of George Botzum, although some of the small details contain errors:

"John George Botzum was born in Germany in 1796, a son of John Botzum. He married Katherine Dragaser, who was born in 1796, in the village of Urmmerspach, Germany, whose parents removed to Poland when she was seven years old, and whom she never saw again, she making her home with relatives until her marriage. In 1836 John George Botzum and his family left home and traveled by ox-team to the nearest seaport, where they took passage on the vessel Princessa for the United States, arriving at New York, November 17, 1836. Here they met an agent who persuaded Mr. Botzum to agree to go to South America, where he was told that a fortune awaited him, but before arrangements were completed, Mr. Botzum discovered from the authorities that it was merely a scheme to get Mr. Botzum and his family to that country to be sold into slavery. Soon after the family took passage on a flatboat to Albany, went thence by canal to Buffalo, and by lake to Cleveland where they stopped for a time on account of illness in the family, and on resuming their journey traveled upon an open flat-boat to Niles, from whence they made their way to Ghent, Bath Township, Summit County, Ohio. There Mr. Botzum secured his first employment, being engaged at digging on a mill race, at fifty cents per day. There the family continued to reside for two years, and while Mr. Botzum worked at digging, his wife went out into the wheat fields, her gleaning the first season being eight bushels of nice wheat. The family then removed to Niles, where they remained for four years, and by the strictest economy and frugality were able at this time to purchase a farm in Northampton Township, where Mr. Botzum continued to live until his death in 1855. He and his wife were faithful members of the Catholic denomination, and Mr. Botzum assisted to build the first church of that faith in Akron. John George and Katherine (Dragaser) Botzum had the following children: Michael; Susan, who was the wife of George Neiburg; Nicholas; George; Adam; Katherine, who is the widow of Conrad Buills in Centralia, Illinois; John A. and Conrad, who resides at Akron. Michael, Susan, Nicholas, George and John A. are deceased." (1908.)