Son of Charles and Louise K. (Stahl) Kopp. Married Louisa A. Oppenlander.

Wm Kopp was sheriff of Defiance Co., OH from 1904-1908.

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD BOOK OF NORTHWESTERN OHIO Pages 348 & 349

WILLIAM G. KOPP

The endeavor to excel in a chosen line or lines of effort is characteristic of the men who win success in these days of close competition, and the subject of this sketch, a well-known resident of Highland township, Defiance county, has evidently made practical application of the fact in his various business enterprises.

Mr. Kopp is a native of Ohio, having been born in Crawford county, July 21, 1859, but his ancestry on both sides is of German blood. His father, the late Charles Kopp, and mother, Mrs. Louise (Stahl) Kopp, were born at Wittenberg, Germany, and came to America early in their married life, in 1854. In 1862 they settled in Highland township, Defiance county, where the father died January 3, 1897. The mother now resides with our subject.

Our subject was the fourth in a family of eight children, and as the son of a busy farmer was trained from boyhood to habits of industry. When he was about eighteen years old he left home to learn the blacksmith’s trade at New Washington, Crawford county, where he spent about two years. He then went to Lansing, Michigan, but after nine months returned to Defiance county, securing employment with the Turnbull Wagon works at Defiance. He remained with this company fourteen months, and then engaged in business on his own account in Section 11, Highland township, where he has since resided. While conducting his blacksmith shop he became interested in a sawmill in the same locality as a
partner of his brother Frederick, who was accidentally killed in the mill March 23, 1889.

Soon after this event Mr. Kopp gave up his blacksmithing business and took charge of the mill, and also engaged in farming at his present homestead of forty acres, upon which he has made many improvements. His farm buildings are comfortable and attractive, and his management of the place is scientific, his inclination for securing the best possible results being shown in many ways, and notably in the keeping up of a herd of thoroughbred Poland-China hogs. In connection with his other work he now operates a tile factory on his farm. With all these cares he might be supposed to be too busy to take an active part
in local politics, but his fellow-citizens have too high an opinion of his abilities and judgment to permit him to remain entirely out of politics. For many years he has been one of the leading advisers of the Democratic party in his locality, and in the spring of 1896 he was chosen as a member of the Central Committee of Defiance county. On May 7, 1898,he was appointed jury commissioner of Defiance county, and served one year from May 23. He is interested in all movements that promise benefit to the community, and is prominent in religious work as an active member of the Lutheran Church.

On October 16, 1881, Mr. Kopp was married near Lansing, Michigan, to Miss Louisa Oppenlander, who was born September 12, 1861, in Wittenberg, Germany. Twelve children blessed this union their names and dates of birth, ect., being as follows: Frederick W., October 16, 1882; Elizabeth P., May 24, 1884; Sophia M., November 25, 1885; J. W. Webster, March 31, 1887; Edith A., October 7, 1890; Bertha M. P., February 22, 1892; Amelia A., September 22, 1893; Charles 2. J., May 16, 1896; and John H., May 10, 1897, died August 13, 1898. These she added. Wm. Franklin, May 14, 1900; Paul Henry, September 28, 1901; Clara Marie, May 31, 1904.