The village of Berlin,
P.O.
Loramies, has about 500 inhabitants. It is in the township of
McLean,
fourteen miles northwest of Sidney. It was laid out on December
2d,
1837, by Jonathan Counts for William Prillman, proprietor, on the line
of the Miami Canal. It has in the St. Michael's Church,
consecrated
in 1881, one of the most beautiful of churches. It is in the
Italian
Gothic style and is richly decorated with paintings, statuary, frescoed
walls, alters, etc. Historically the site is interesting, being
on
the line of Loramies Creek, or the "West branch of the Big Miami" of
ancient
maps. The site of old fort Loramie is within a mile of it.
Several relics have been discovered in this locality, and is within a
mile
of it. Several relics have been discovered in this locality, and
among them a silver cross evidently belonging to the French chevaliers
of that early and warlike period. This relic is preserved by the
priest at Berlin, Rev. Wm. Bigot.
Sutton's County History
gives the following description of the community which is valuable, as
it illustrates the characteristics of the Catholic Germans, whose
industry
and thrift has so largely helped to develop the wilderness of
Northwestern
Ohio. After stating that the people of the village and township
are
almost exclusively Germans or direct descendants of this nationality,
the
work says:
| A marked characteristic of the people is the industry observable on every hand. THis German element came here into the woods, and by hard incessant toil cleared away the primeval forest, wringing farms from the wilderness and building a town on the ruins of a forest. In common with the people of the township the inhabitants are almost uniformly Catholics in religion and Democrat in politics. There were peculiarities which brought about these results, among which we mention as one factor the authority of Rev. Mr. Bigot. After settlement here the Germans strove to prevent the settlement of Americans in their midst, and by different methods very nearly succeeded. Still a few straggling Americans settled on lands within the township, but each soon found it desirable to leave, and so was bought out as early as he would sell, and was generally succeeded by a German. This at least was the plan of the German settlers themselves, and keeping the plan in view, they have preserved the | characteristics of nationality, religion and
politics
up to the present. Throughout the town and township the German characteristics are preserved to such an extent that a stranger would question his senses as to the possibility of a community, no larger than this, maintaining the integrity of all German habits, customs and manners. They have cleared excellent farms, erected substantial buildings, and in their own way and according to the own ideas, pursue the enjoyments of life. Perhaps their church comes first, and the building is almost fit for the abode of personal gods. Next come social customs, and fronting these is lager beer, without which it appears life would be a burden, and liberty a misnomer. Following this comes politics, in which field some one man will be found to hold an electoral dictatorship, and on election day Democratic ballots will be found thick "thick as autumnal leaves in Vallombrosa." There are, in short, characteristics here which the next generation will not entirely outgrow nor outrun. |
The The Rector at Berlin,
Rev. Wm. Bigot, above alluded to , like many of the Catholic priests
who
have come to Ohio to look after the moral and spiritual welfare of
their
Ohio people, has had a previous training in the cause of suffering {pg.
606} humanity. In the Franco-Prussian war he was given
the
pastorate over 12,000 captured and wounded French soldiers who were
within
the enemies' lines. He thus passes eleven months of arduous
labor,
enduring many privations and relieving suffering. For his
services
the French Government conferred upon him the "Cross of Chivalry of the
Legion of Honor and the Cross of Merit." His portrait in the
County
History appears as that of a young man rendered strikingly refined and
sweet from the indwelling of a pure and benevolent spirit.