High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! David Ziegler was a German immigrant to the United States who served in the U.S. military and became the first mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. Johann David Ziegler was born in Heidelberg, Germany. Little is known of his early life. He became a soldier, and was said to have fought in the Seven Years' War under Frederick the Great. He served with distinction in the army of Russia during the Russo-Turkish War (1768 1774). He became an officer, was wounded in action, and resigned his commission in 1774 with the demobilization of the Russian army.