His children all changed the way the last name is spelled. Some used Nice, some Nies, some Neiss, some even use Ness.
Here is the "Niece" 1850 Seneca County Census: They were all listed as born in France.
The real estate was valued at $4,500. This is the spellings used in the census.Thompson Twpm page 108
#896 John Obermeller 30 M
Daniel Niece 50 M
Mary " 50 F
Joseph 25 M
Micah 21 M
Jacob 19 M
Adaline 17 F
Martha 15 F
Catharine 13 F
Margaret 11 F
Lorenzo 9 M
Elizabeth 7 F
Household #895 was John Long age 43 and Rachael Long age 32.
In 1860 census Daniel was listed as household #826. House #828 was a Catholic Nunnery
w/40 names.1860 Seneca Co Census showed $4,000 real estate with $1,000 in personal prop. All were listed as born in Prussia. He had 3 farm hands living with him, Henry Laurence, Joseph Hoover, a. 18 ?, and Joseph Cubler.
The 1841 assessment of Seneca showed 23,049 acres valued at $70,652 or abt. $3.06 per acre. Horses at $40. ea. and cows at $8.
St. Michael's Church and Daniel Neis: St. Michaels was founded in 1833 and a log church was
built in 1847-48. The present structure was copied after St. Joseph's in
Tiffin, and built in 1883-84. Daniel Neis is list as a member "many if not
all mentioned donated land for the church, school and cemetery". In this
case Daniel would have owned land very near Bellevue.
The following is from The History of Seneca Co, Vol 1 and 2
St. Michael's Church
St. MIchael's Church dates it's beginning back to 1833, when Rev. F.X.
Tschenhens, C.S.S.R., came to visit the few Catholic families then in this
neighborhood, and repeated his visits for years until Fathers Alig and
Malhebouf were appointed his successors. Rev Sales Brunner came in 1844. In
1847-48 the first regular church building was begun and compleated taking the
place of the first log building. In 1883 the present Gothic building was
commenced. This is one of the largest country churches in Ohio, and is built
on the same plan as St. Joseph's Church at Tiffin. The congregation numbers
about 400, the number of families belonging being 71. Among the first members
were the late John Adam Perhard Stein, Ch. Krupp, B. Ramschlag, William
Glassner, John Glassner and Daniel Neis. Many if not all of those pioneer
members donated lands for church, school and cemetery. The present
congregation built the new church and school of thier own means , under the
direction of the building committee, Anthony Krupp, Peter Hepp, Ferd.
Schoeffel, Jacob Gerber, Joe Dick, Balzer Laymen, Michael and Gerber. The
trusttes are Anthony Gerhardstein, Joseph Greulich, Jacob Greulich, and
Anthony Ham. The church is in charge of the priests of the Order of the Most
Precious Blood. This society was incorperated July 15, 1848, when Rev.
Francis Maria Sales Brunner, Rev. Maria Anthony Meyer, and Rev. John Wittmer,
were elected trustees, Rev. F.M.S. Brunner, superior, and Rev. M.A. Meyer,
clerk. The locations named in acts of incorperationwere Big Spring and
Thompson Townships.This was on page 682 for Thompson Township under the heading St. Michael's Church
A short histoy of Seneca County during the time of Jean Daniel.
1845
The German Catholics of Tiffin ask the Bishop of Cincinnati to allow
them to form a new congregation. Later that year, they celebrate their
first mass in the newly formed St. Joseph�s Parish.1847
Against some opposition, mainly from Rezin Shawhan, the first bank in
Tiffin opens in November and is named the Seneca County Bank.
Benjamin Tomb is elected the bank�s President. After a year, the bank
was forced to close.1848
One of the first volunteer fire companies is started with William Gibson
as a member. He would later become a General in the Civil War.1850
Fort Ball and Tiffin unite to become one, larger, and stronger Tiffin.1852
The second bank in Tiffin is started. Benjamin Tomb, who becomes
the bank�s President, names it the First National Bank of Tiffin. It
remains in operation for over 11 years.
They had 16 children, four of whom died at birth and were never named
marriage License says Laurence Neis