Property history:
Sontag Home
Sontag Inn
Alex Shuter's Home/Bell Telephone Switchboard & Office
Alex Shuter's Barber Shop 

Private Home

Sontag Inn
at the intersection of High Street & Swauger Valley Road
Minford, OH 45653

 

Owners:  Capt. Louis & Caroline Shuter Sontag
Year started:  circa 1830
Year ended:

 

Captain Louis Sontag married Caroline Shuter and they built a log cabin in Harrisonville about 1830.  In 2012, it was the oldest house still standing in Minford.

The house was known as the Sontag Inn.  The large pecan tree in back of the house has an interesting story.  Captain Henry Lantz upon returning from the Civil War, brought the pecan seed home with him.  The local doctor, Dr. John Boone Ray, Sr. sprouted the seed for Captain Lantz.  Neither man was sure that the seed would grow in southern Ohio weather conditions.  Much to their delight, the seed grew into a very large tree.  Other pecan trees in Minford came from this tree.

 

It has been stated through oral history of the Minford area that The Sontag Inn was a stop on the stagecoach route through the area.

 

The Portsmouth Daily Times, December 9, 1911
Mrs. Caroline Sontag who had attained the age of 79, lacking one day, and the widow of Captain Louis Sontag, died at her home, No. 332 Cherry Street, Marion November 28, 1911 of dropsey and heart trouble after an illness of over four months duration.

 

Mrs. Sontag was born November 29, 1838 in Edenheim, Hanover, Germany.  In her infancy she was baptised in the Evangelical Luthern Church.

 

At the age of eight she emigrated to America with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Shuter, who settled in Scioto County.  There she lived until nine years ago when she moved to Marion.  On May 9, 1852 she was united in marriage to Capt. Louis Sontag.  Their union was blessed with eight children of whom three have preceded their mother into Eternity, namely:  Mrs. Mary B. Cousin, of Toledo, who died on May 22, 1894; Mrs. Emma J. Jacobs, of Marion, who died August 5, 1910; and Harry of Toledo who died October 22, 1910 this making three deaths in the family within the last fifteen months.

 

Thirty-eight years ago her husband was called from her side by the messenger of Death.  She leaves to mourn her sad departure two sons, Louis of Hardin County; Wm. J. of Pleasant Street, Marion; and three daughters--Mrs. Caroline McKinney of Cherry Street, Marion, and the Misses Flora and Anna at home; ten grand children and many other friends and relatives.

 

The funeral services were conducted by Rev. J. W. Schillinger at the late residence of the deceased on Friday morning, December 1, 1911.  The remains were interred in beautiful Marion cemetery. 

 

 

 

Alexander Shuter Home/Bell Telephone Switchboard & Office
at the intersection of High Street & Swauger Valley Road
Minford, OH 45653 

 

In 1902, Alexander Shuter bought house formerly known as the Sontag Inn.   

 

On October 26, 1912, the Bell Telephone Switchboard & Office moved into Alex Shuter's home.   The telephone operators were:  Lavina Shuter, Vena Shuter and May Van Gorder.

 

The Portsmouth Times, October 26, 1912 
The Bell Telephone Company is busy at present moving the exchange from Ed Samson's to the home of Alex Shuter.  Consequently there will not be much talking for several days.

 

Alex Shuter's Barber Shop

 

Owner:  Alex Shuter
Year started:
Year ended:

 

Alex Shuter's Barber Shop is mentioned in a newspaper article regarding the retirement of Floyd E. Powell.  The article states that in 1928 Alex Shuter was one of the business owners in Minford. 

 

The Portsmouth Times, April 21, 1931
ALEXANDER C. SHUTER

 

Alexander C. Shuter, 70, well known barber of Minford, died Monday at 12:30 a.m. following an extended illness with complications.  He was a son of Henry and Isabel Shuter and had spent practically all his life in the vicinity of Minford.  His wife, Mrs. Mollie Shuter, preceded him in death eight months ago.

 

Surviving are four sons and four daughters:  Mrs. J. F. Porter of Pikeville, Ky; Mrs. R. L. Moore of Sciotoville; Mrs. Paul Campbell of Minford; Miss Vina Shuter at home, Charles L. Shuter of Eden Park, Olney Shuter and Henry Shuter of Minford and Frank G. Shuter at home; one sister, Mrs. Oscar Coriell of Stockdale and two brothers, Henry Shuter of Columbus and Louis Shuter of Jackson.

 

The funeral will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. from the residence with Rev. W. J. Sheppard officiating and interment will be in the Bennett Cemetery under the direction of Omer Davis of Beaver.