The Tecklenburg Hotel
(aka the Tecklenburg House, and previously the Vondrele House)
1890-1918
(aka the Tecklenburg House, and previously the Vondrele House)
1890-1918
Owned and operated by Henry Tecklenburg and his wife, Katherine Mary Lehmann.
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)
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Audrey 6 (Lehmann-Shields) Hancock
[Rita Marie 5 (Lehmann) Shields; John Michael4 Lehmann; Martin Michael3 Lehmann, Sr.; Michel2 Lehmann; Johannes1 Lehmann]
In 1877, Henry Tecklenburg, believed to be the son of Henry Tecklenburg and Catharine Hinders, had a harness shop in Berlin (aka Ft. Loramie), Shelby County, Ohio. On 09 October 1879 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Ft. Loramie (aka Berlin), Shelby County, Ohio, Henry married my ancestral great-aunt, Katherine Mary Lehmann, daughter of Martin Michael Lehmann, Sr. & Katharina Reichert. Martin had immigrated with his parents from Schirrhein, Alsace, France/Germany and Katharina from Nussloch, Baden, Germany. A number of descendants spell the surname Lehman.
The history of the village of Berlin cannot be written without mentioning the Vondrele House (later the Tecklenburg Hotel), which "was built in 1869 and had a beer garden in the back, and an ice house associated with it. It is said that the Berlin band would conduct a wedding party from the church to the hotel for the wedding reception. ("Early History of Ft. Loramie, Sesquicentennial, 1837-1987," Fort Loramie Historical Assn., 1987, pp. 32-33) It would seem likely that this practice probably continued through the years as the hotel passed from one owner to another.
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R. Sutton and Co.
1883
Courtesy of: Jim Rosengarten, Curator, Wilderness Trail Museum & Fort Loramie Historical Association of Fort Loramie, Ohio
John French is said to have leased the hotel in 1878 from Vondrelles, and later it was operated by the Ellermans.
Dates of 1880, 1882, & 1883
Painting, varnishing plows, repairing plows, liquor & cigars
Courtesy of: Jim Rosengarten, Curator, Wilderness Trail Museum & Fort Loramie Historical Association of Fort Loramie, Ohio
In 1890, the hotel and saloon passed into the hands of Henry and Katherine (Lehmann) Tecklenburg. It appears that at this time it became known as the Tecklenburg House, and eventually the Tecklenburg Hotel, and here room and board could be purchased for $47.80 a month. ("Early History of Ft. Loramie, Sesquicentennial, 1837-1987," Fort Loramie Historical Assn., 1987, pp. 32-33, 35, 93: Photo)
Courtesy of: Jim Rosengarten, Curator, Wilderness Trail Museum & Fort Loramie Historical Association of Fort Loramie, Ohio
Within the hotel was this beautiful bar which still "lives" today. We can imagine that in its heyday, the Vondrele House and Tecklenburg House/Tecklenburg Hotel, must have been a cornerstone of the community and a refuge for those seeking a place to stay and/or a place to enjoy the company of others. We know it was a center of activity, as in its day one would go to this little German community and here at the hotel they could celebrate special events and/or imbibe in the spirits of the day, which included lots of beer for the German inhabitants. I was told that my mother's "Aunt Rachel" Lehmann, a spinster and the sister of Katherine (Lehmann) Tecklenburg, could be seen walking to town with her beer pail to fetch beer perhaps at the Techlenburg Hotel.
In the summer, family members would work for their aunt and uncle. Of these, were the eldest daughters of John Lehmann & Mary Catherine Mills of Piqua, Miami County, Ohio. These were my aunts: Catherine, Jennie, Henrietta (Heine), and Jean. This also included Clara Lehmann, the daughter of Martin Michael Lehmann, Jr. and Viola Poeppelmeier (later wf/o Henry Lehmann).
In 1889, Henry Tecklenburg, was elected town treasurer for the then village known as Berlin (later Ft. Loramie). The surname is spelled Tecklenburg and Tecklenberg in records.
It appears that the Tecklenburg's also operated the Tecklenburg Livery Barn in 1883, which caught fire and burned sometime after 1912. ("Early History of Ft. Loramie, Sesquicentennial, 1837-1987," Fort Loramie Historical Assn., 1987, pp. 35, 70) Perhaps this was connected to the Harness Shop operated in 1877 by Henry.
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Parishioner's Roll of St. Michael's Catholic Church Ft. Loramie, Shelby County, Ohio ca 1905 (Bigot, The Reverend Wilhelm P., Annals of St. Michael's Parish in Loramie (Berlin), Shelby County, Ohio..., Shelby Co., Anzeiger, 1907, p. 202) |
Sidney, Shelby County, Ohio Henry & Katharine (Lehmann) Tecklenburg had a son, Albert M. Tecklenburg, born 1879. He married Florence Ivy Flinn, and they purchased and operated the Grand Hotel in Sidney, Shelby County, Ohio. Florence's mother died at the hotel in January of 1907. [Note: Click on the Grand Hotel link to take you to the Shelby Co., OH GenWeb for their link concerning "HOTELS."] December 22, 1905: |
In 1918, the Tecklenburg Hotel was sold. It is said that the hotel then passed into the hands of the Benders, then Segers, and possibly unknown others. ("Early History of Ft. Loramie, Sesquicentennial, 1837-1987," Fort Loramie Historical Assn., 1987, p. 33)
After Katherine's death in 1923, Henry moved in 1926 to Troy, Miami County, Ohio and passed away in 1931.
Jim Rosengarten, [2005] Curator of the Wilderness Trail Museum & Fort Loramie Historical Association gave this accounting, "My Great Aunt and Uncle bought the hotel about 1930. I don’t know who they bought the hotel from. I do know that it went by several different names before they bought it. At one time it was owned by the Brucken Family, who also operated a bar/tavern on Elm Street. Bruckens rented the building/business to several different persons over the years."... "Originally, William 'Dutch' Smith and his wife Margaret bought the hotel, but Dutch died just a few years later. That is when Rose [Farmer] became a part owner." [Margaret Smith and Rose Farmer were Jim Rosengarten's great aunts.] "They operated the hotel until 1955 when it was sold to Henry Seger. He operated it for about 25 years when it changed hands several times up until about 2000." (Internet, E-mail 22-23 Dec 2005 to ASH from Jim Rosengarten)
Jim Rosengarten has shared this ca 1930s menu from the hotel. Among the items listed was an "Oyster Sandwich." He says, "Hard to believe they could get fresh oysters, but they did via railway."
Courtesy of: Jim Rosengarten, Curator, Wilderness Trail Museum & Fort Loramie Historical Association of Fort Loramie, Ohio
However, today the Vondrelle Hotel, later the Tecklenburg Hotel, or whatever name it was known by in later years, is only a shell of a building left to future plans, which in time can only be told in a stories and pictures. This once glorious building is reduced to a skeletal remain, that serves as a reminder to days gone by, and a tribute to the sons and daughters of the English, German, and Irish pioneers who built the village into a thriving small town.
Courtesy of: Jim Rosengarten, Curator, Wilderness Trail Museum & Fort Loramie Historical Association of Fort Loramie, Ohio
Courtesy of: Jim Rosengarten, Curator, Wilderness Trail Museum & Fort Loramie Historical Association of Fort Loramie, Ohio
Courtesy of: Jim Rosengarten, Curator, Wilderness Trail Museum & Fort Loramie Historical Association of Fort Loramie, Ohio
FAMILY PHOTOS
Courtesy of: Jim Rosengarten, Curator, Wilderness Trail Museum & Fort Loramie Historical Association of Fort Loramie, Ohio
Dau/o Gerhard Tecklenburg & Catherine M. Lammers
G-dau/o Henry Tecklenburg & Katharine M. Lehmann
Courtesy of: Jim Rosengarten, Curator, Wilderness Trail Museum & Fort Loramie Historical Association of Fort Loramie, Ohio
Tecklenburg Hotel Bar |
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Located at: Wilderness Trail Museum 37 N. Main Street, Box 276 Fort Loramie, Ohio 45845 |
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Revised: 20 March 2006