LEHMANN BRICK & TILE YARD
(Later aka the Fleckenstine Tile Yard)
(Later aka the Fleckenstine Tile Yard)
Owned and operated by Martin Michael Lehmann, Sr.
Ft. Loramie (formerly Berlin), Shelby County, Ohio
Known as Berlin until late spring of 1889, when it became Loramies, then 1890 Loramie, and finally in 1912 Fort Loramie("Early History of Ft. Loramie, Sesquicentennial, 1837-1987," Fort Loramie Historical Assn., 1987, pp. 70-71)
by
Audrey 7 (Lehmann-Shields) Hancock
[Rita Marie 6 (Lehmann) Shields; John Michael5 Lehmann; Martin Michael4, Sr.; Michel3(Jr.); Michel2 (Sr); Jean/Johann/Johannes/John1 Lehmann]
At this time little is known concerning the Lehmann Brick and Tile Yard in Ft. Loramie (aka Berlin), Ohio. However, as a descendant who has heard tidbits of family history in my growing years from my mother and some of her siblings, I wish to validate the existence of this small, family run operation.
My mother, Rita Marie (Lehmann) Shields, indicated that her father, John Michael Lehmann (as a young teenager), and his siblings worked in their father's brick and tile yard which was located across the road from the family's homestead.
The 1987 booklet, Early History of Ft. Loramie, Sesquicentennial, 1837-1987, by the Fort Loramie Historical Association (p. 97) under the subtitle of "Memoirs of Frank Willman," is mentioned that "Lehman [sic...Lehmann] and Moller [sic...Moeller] operated a tile mill west of Loramie Creek." In this booklet is the only mention of tile being manufactured by the Lehmann family that I have seen.
In this same booklet (p. 109) under "Fleckenstein Tile Yard" is indicated that the manufacture of drain tile was started at Ft. Loramie in 1881, but from my family's oral history, I believe manufacturing may have started earlier. As I understand, the Fleckenstein Tile Yard is the same tile yard started by my great-grandfather, Martin Michael Lehmann, Sr. This seems plausible because the location of the Fleckenstein Tile Yard (now lying dormant in 2005) is across the road from what was originally the Lehmann homestead.
The article on p. 109, indicates that at first flat-bottom tiles were made out of wet clay free of stones, and that the first tile-making machine was operated by using horsepower, which in time (ca 1900) was replaced by steam power which could produce round tiles. When visiting the Lehmann homestead in 2004, I learned from the present owner of the homestead that clay soil on one side of the home was harvested for production of tile and/or brick. This was evident as the lay of the land by the homestead dropped a level to give a terraced look to the land and yard. And, from family history we know that the brick used in the construction of the LEHMANN home was made by the LEHMANN family.
"Along with the ditches came the tiles that would drain the stump infested swampy land. The poisonous swamp water bred countless mosquitos, and created a serious typhoid fever and malaria environment. McLean Twp. had the clay, and soon had the tile mills to make the tiles." (Early History of Ft. Loramie, Sesquicentennial, 1837-1987, by the Fort Loramie Historical Association, p. 30: TILES) In July, August, and September of 1840 is said to have been a severe typhoid fever epidemic. (Early History of Ft. Loramie, Sesquicentennial, 1837-1987, Fort Loramie Historical Association, p. 24: THE EARLY PIONEERS: Early Records about Many Subjects) Typhoid fever is an acute illness contracted from contaminated water and food. This threat continued into the early 1900s, as I recall a story that my maternal aunts, elder sisters of my mother, who worked at the Tecklenburg Hotel in Ft. Loramie contracted typhoid. By the time word reached the family, the eldest (Catherine M. Lehmann) was seriously sick, and a surry had to be rented to go to Ft. Loramie to fetch her to the family home in Piqua. The other sister, Jennie, was able to recuperate in Ft. Loramie, and then continued with working at the hotel.
While the article on p. 97 mentions "Lehman & Moller," the article on p. 109 mentions these operators: "Kleinhenz & Volke; John Holthaus, Clemens "Clay" Daniel, and Gregor Fleckenstein." The Fleckenstein Tile Yard was in operation from 1910 until 1929. On p. 30 under "TILES" is mentioned: "Three predecessors at Gregor Fleckstein location: Klinehens and Vocke; J. H. Holthous, Lehman and Moller;..."
[NOTE: Variant spellings of surnames above is as given in different parts of the booklet. The original spelling for my family is LEHMANN, as found in records in Schirrhein, Alsace, France/Germany from whence the family immigrated in 1828. However, many of the 2nd and 3rd generations of the LEHMANN family, eventually changed the spelling to LEHMAN and removed to Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. My grandfather, John Michael Lehmann, always insisted that his children spell the surname with the double "n" on the end. ASH]
I am not sure who Mr. Moeller of "Lehman & Moller" was, but I assume he would be J. Francis "Frank" Moeller, husband of Maria Magdelena Elizabeth Lehmann, eldest child and daughter of Martin Michael Lehmann, Sr. Since the Lehmann family was from Schirrhein, Alsace, France/Germany, where production of glass, tiles and brick was common, there was probably knowledge within the family for the production of bricks and tile.
If anyone has additional information or photos concerning this family brickyard, I [Audrey] would be grateful for enlightenment.