This lovely monument at the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Tiffin, Ohio, honors the memory of the extended Bork family of Seneca County, Ohio. To me it represents Christ rising from the dead, and the stone having been moved away from the tomb, and suggests that those members of the Bork family who have passed from this life, have eternal life with the Lord in Heaven. One member of the family was Minrad Bork. He was born in 1855, and died on June 26, 1937.
Minrad Bork is a representative of an honored pioneer family of Seneca county, and throughout his entire life he has resided within the borders of this county, his birth having occurred in Bloom township on the 3d of. October, 1856. He is a son of Frederick and Margaret (Young) Bork. The former was born in Germany and was a son of Philip Bork, with whom he came to the United States, taking passage on a sailing vessel which reached the harbor of Baltimore after forty days The family at once continued their westward journey, and on arriving in Seneca county made a location in Bloom township. Here the grandfather was connected with the development of a tract of wild land and. with agricultural pursuits until his death, which was occasioned by an accident on the railroad. The first possession of the Bork family in this county was a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of wild land which they secured from the government, and their pioneer home was a little log. cabin built in the usual pioneer style save that it contained two rooms-instead of the usual number—one. With the work of clearing and developing this farm Frederick was actively associated, and throughout the years of his residence here he carried on agricultural pursuits. Here he reared his family of ten children, as follows : Philip, a farmer of Seneca township; Eva; Frank, a farmer of Eden township; Magdaline, the wife of G. Fred Buchman; Mary, who has passed away; Lewis, a resident of Benton county, Indiana; John P., who is living in Eden township; Minrad, the subject of this review ; and Philomenia and Elizabeth, both living in Tiffin.The subject of this review was only four years of age when his father removed to the farm upon which he now makes his home. Here he was reared to manhood and early became familiar with the work of the farm in all its departments, laboring in the fields and meadows. He also attended the district schools, pursuing his studies through the winter months when the work of the farm was practically over for the year.. He assisted his father throughout the period of his minority and when thirty years of age he took charge of the old homestead and has since devoted his energies to its cultivation. In 1884 he purchased this property and he now owns two hundred and forty-two acres, all in one tract. in Seneca township. His fields are well tilled and surround good farm buildings. In his pasture lands are seen high grades of stock, and all modern equipment and accessories are found upon his place. He makes a specialty of raising Durham cattle and has some fine specimens of that breed. One hundred and fifty-five acres of his land is under cultivation and annually he harvests rich crops. On the 4th of March,1885, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Bork and Miss Annie Reinhart, by whom he has three children, Edward, Clara and Joseph. The parents are well known in the community, having always resided in Seneca county, and the hospitality of many of the best homes of the locality is extended freely to them. In his political affiliations Mr. Bork is a Democrat, and while he always casts his ballot for the men and measures of the party and loyally advocates its interests, he has never sought or desired public office. His religious faith is that of the Catholic church.
