Daniel Hertzler was an entrepreneur. Born in Lancaster County Pennsylvania in 1800 he grew up as a Mennonite. During the early 1830s Daniel, his wife Catherine, and their first child Barbara moved to Clark County Ohio. He managed a farm, a sawmill, a gristmill and a distillery. Later in his life he would start the Old Clark County Bank.
In 1850 Hertzler purchased 315 acres of land southwest of the Springfield. After tearing down Jonathan Donnels 1795 log cabin, the Hertzlers built their home overlooking the site of the old Shawnee village of Piqua.