Fritz Bimel, junior member of the firm of L. Bimel && Son, proprietors of the spoke and handle factory in South Portland, was born in St. Mary’s, Ohio, January 8, 1859, a son of Lorenz and Elizabeth Bimel. Just before attaining his majority, he came to Portland and has since had charge of the above mentioned factory, where he is engaged in the manufacture of spokes, hub blocks, felloe strips, farming tools, and broom handles.
During the year 1882, he met with an accident by slipping over and in falling three his left hand in front of a circular saw which took off all his fingers to the palm, leaving only this thumb.
September 14, 1880, Mr. Bimel was married to Miss Maggie T. Kelsey, who was also born in St. Mary’s Ohio. They are the parents of three children – Leslie, born in the spring of 1882; Lela, born in the fall of 1883, and Hazel born in 1885.
Lorenz Bimel, the senior member of the firm, was born in Germany in 1827, and was only three years of age when his parents immigrated to America, they settling at Wapakoneta, Ohio. He has passed his life principally at Wapakoneta and St. Mary’s, being still a resident of the latter place.
He was engaged in the manufacture of wagons and buggies. He
is a prominent citizen of the county where he resides.
Biographical and Historical Record of Jay County, Indiana Lewis Publishing
Co, 1887
Transcribed by Jim Cox