Mar 14

Tombstone Tuesday–Johann Brinkmann

Johann Brinkmann, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2015 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Johann Brinkmann, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Hier
Ruht in Gott
Johann
Brinkmann
Geb. 26 Juli
1879
Gest. 13 Oct
1894
Alter 15 Jahr
2 Mon 17 Tag

Translation: Here rests in God Johann Brinkmann, born 26 July 1879, died 13 October 1894, aged 15 years, 2 months, and 17 days.

There is a record of this young man’s death and burial in Zion Chatt’s records. The dates and ages in the church record match the dates on the tombstone, but his name is different. The church record shows his name as Wilhelm Heinrich Karl Brinkmann.

The church record indicates that he was born near Berlin on 26 July 1879. Unfortunately it does not give the names of his parents. The record also indicates that the cause of his death was typhoid/nervous fever and that he was buried on 14 July.

Johann Brinkmann’s death is recorded in the Mercer County, Ohio, probate death records, which gives his name as John. It indicates that he died in Blackcreek Township, where he also lived, and that he was born in what looks like Hassoor Ger. Did they mean Hessen Germany?  The county record also indicates that he was a farmer and that he died of “Typ. Malria.” The writing on this record is difficult to read. This record tells that he was 15 years and 1 month of age.  Unfortunately the county record does not give the names of his parents either. [1]

When I first read the church record I thought of Berlin, Ohio, but when I read his county death record I think he may have been born near Berlin, Germany.

Johann Brinkmann, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

I don’t know of any Brinkmanns that lived in the Chatt area but Johann did attend Zion Chatt and took communion there at least once between the years 1893 and 1894. There was a Joseph Brinkman family that lived in Granville Township but I do not know if there was a connection.

Another little mystery in Zion Chatt’s cemetery.

 

[1] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 12 Mar 2017), John Brinkman, 13 Oct 1894; Blackcreek, Mercer, Deaths, Vol. 2, p.261; from FHL microfilm 914954.

Mar 10

Springtime–Flowers and Memories

Spring is less than two weeks away. Although this has been a fairly mild winter everyone is always ready for spring this time of year.

One sure sign of the upcoming spring season is the arrival of seed and plant catalogs. We received over a dozen catalogs this year, many more than we usually do. We usually don’t receive flower and seed catalogs, mainly because we don’t order seeds or plants by mail.

Why all the catalogs this year? They were sent to my mom, but forwarded to our address. We are still getting mail intended for her.

My mom was an avid flower gardener. Actually, my dad enjoyed working in the yard as much as she did and they had a beautiful yard. They took a lot of pride in their yard and they spent many hours planting, grooming, and tending to it. It was one of their favorite pastimes and, as a result, their lot was always a show-place.

They once had a small vegetable garden and a few fruit trees in back but mainly my mom grew flowers. At one time she had over 100 rose bushes. Most of them were along the fence surrounding their yard and around the back lot but she also had a small rose garden east of the gazebo.

She definitely had a green thumb and she nurtured some of her plants all winter long. In the fall she would pull up her geraniums and winter them over in their sun porch, setting them in the room’s south window. In late winter the catalogs would arrive and she would pore over them, planning and making sketches of her intended flower bed plantings for that year. Then she would order the seeds and start them indoors. Those fragile little seedlings. Some would make it and some would not, but most did survive for her. There were a few years when she used a grow-light in the basement. The fragile little plants would arrive from the plant retailers later, at planting time.

Every spring my parents planted a lot of flowers. After all, there were a lot of beds to be planted in their yard. Most areas contained some perennials, around which they would fill in with annuals. There were several beds around the yard, the area around the house and around the gazebo, the planter attached to the house and the planters by the driveway, the area by the fence, the boardwalk going to the gazebo, and the rose garden and vegetable garden. It was a lot to plant and maintain! I remember one year they planted over 300 plants. Some were started from seed, others were mail-order, and the geraniums were the ones my mom had wintered over.

My parents probably inherited the gardening gene from their parents.

Both Grandma Miller and Grandma Schumm always had very nice vegetable gardens and Grandpa Schumm had massive hedges that once surrounded their house east of Willshire.

As the years went on it became more difficult for my parents to maintain all the flowers and plants. They took out the vegetable garden and the rose garden and cut down the fruit trees. Some of the roses died along the fence and my mom gave away some of the other roses.

My dad bought a Gator to get around the yard easier. He was so proud of that vehicle.

After my dad died my mom planted more perennials and fewer annuals. That was less work and she had fewer flowers, but her yard still always looked nice.

And the new owners continue in that same tradition.

Mar 07

Tombstone Tuesday–Jacob & Gertrude (Miller) Deitsch

Jacob & Gertrude (Miller) Deitsch, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Jacob and Gertrude (Miller) Deitsch, located in row 6 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

DEITSCH

Gertrude
Deitsch
Died July
13, 1902
Aged 75 Y
8 M  21 D

Jacob Deitsch
Died June
20, 1891
Aged 67 Y
1 M   17 D

According to Zion Chatt’s Familienbuch Jacob Deitsch was born 3 May 1824 in Bischmisheim, District Sarrbrucken in the Kingdom of Prussia. He was the son of Jacob and Maria Sophia Deitsch and he  immigrated to America with his parents in 1836. They lived in Butler County, Ohio, some time before coming to Mercer County, Ohio.

Jacob married Gertrude Müller/Miller in Mercer County on 17 January 1852. [1] Her name is listed as Charity on their marriage record. She was called Charity in the 1870 census and Catharine in the 1860 census, but she usually went by the name of Gertrude.

Gerturde was the daughter of Johann Andreas and Barbara Müller/Miller. Gertrude was born 22 October 1826 in Eichfeld, District Mittelfranken, Kingdom of Bavaria. Her name was often spelled Gertraud in the church records.

In 1860 the Jacob Deitsch family lived in Jefferson Township, Mercer County, with a Celina address. In the household: Jacob, 35; Catharine, 34; Mary, 8; Sophia, 6; Margaret, 4; Jacob, 2; William, 4 months; and John Smith, 25. Jacob Deitsch and John Smith were both merchants. [2]

Zion’s records mention that Jacob Deitsch moved out of the community in 1864. The family was living in Jefferson Township in 1870 but Jacob and Gertrude took communion at Zion Chatt until their deaths. All of their children were baptized at Zion Chatt, except Elizabeth. Only Elizabeth’s confirmation is listed in the records.

In 1870 the Jacob Deitch family lived in Jefferson Township with a Celina address: Jacob, 46; Charity, 44; Mary C, 17; Sophia, 16; Margaret, 15; Jacob, 11; Frederick, 9; Louisa R, 6; Elizabeth, 4 months. Jacob farmed. [3]

In 1880 Jacob and Gertrude Deitsch and their family lived Liberty Township: Jacob, 57; Gertrude, 55; Mary C, 27; Sophia, 25; Frederick, 19; Louisa, 17; and Elisabeth, 10. Jacob was a farmer and daughter Mary C. was a school teacher. [4]

Jacob Deitsch died in Liberty Township on 20 June 1891 of rheumatism and cerebral inflammation, according to Zion Chatt’s records. He was 67 years, 1 month, and 17 days old and was buried on the 22nd. Rev. Chr. Reichert was in charge of the service.

In 1900 widow Gertrude Deitsch lived with daughter Mary and son-in-law Andrew Leistner. In the household: Andrew Leistner, 47; Mary Leistner, 47; Gertrude Deitsch, 73; William Huston, 26; Ettie Leistner, 26; and Charles Snider, 27. [5]

Gertrude Deitsch died 13 July 1902 at the age of 75 years, 9 months, and 21 days, according to Zion Chatt’s records, which disagree slightly from her tombstone inscription. She was buried on the 15th.

Jacob and Gertrude (Miller) Deitsch had the following children:
Maria/Mary Catharine (1852-1940), married Andrew Leistner
Sophia (1854-1925), married August C. Hofmann
Anna Margaretha (1856-1955), married George Germann
Jacob W. (1857-), married Ida Myers
Johann William (1860-1860)
Friedrick Conrad (1861-1947), married Ida May Biteman
Louisa Barbara (1864-)
Elizabeth (1870-1937), married Samuel Clase

 

[1] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” database with images, FamilySearch.org (accessed 5 Mar 2017), Jacob Deitsch and Charity Miller, 17 Jan 1852; Mercer Marriages, Vol. ABC, p.365, #7, FHL microfilm 914955.

[2] 1860 U.S. Census, Celina, Mercer, Ohio, p.432, dwelling 959, family 962, Jacob Deitch; Ancestry.com (accessed 5 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 805009, NARA microfilm M653, roll 1009.

[3] 1870 U.S. Census, Celina, Mercer, Ohio, ED 188, p.471A, dwelling 101, family 98, Jacob Deitsch; Ancestry.com (accessed 5 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 5527421, NARA microfilm M593, roll 1243.

[4] 1880 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 188, p.471A, dwelling & family 9, Jacob Deitsch; Ancestry.com (accessed 5 Mar 2017); NARA microfilm T9, roll 1048.

[5] 1900 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 85, p.10B, dwelling 192, family 198, Andrew Seistner; Ancestry.com (accessed 5 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1241304, NARA microfilm T623, roll 1304.

Mar 03

Dr. G.R. Hagerman, Physician and Surgeon in Chattanooga, Ohio

Very recently I found yet another envelope with a Chattanooga, Ohio, postmark, dated 2 September 1896.

When I received the envelope I was pleasantly surprised to see that it came with a letter!

The letter and envelope were written on the personal business stationery of Dr. George R. Hagerman, physician and surgeon in Chattanooga, Ohio. I had never heard of this man but he probably lived in Chatt and his medical office could have been right in his house or close by.

Envelope from Dr. G.R. Hagerman, Chattanooga, Ohio, 1896.

The letter to the Adams County, Indiana, Auditor reads:

Office of
G.R. Hagerman, M.D.
Physician & Surgeon
Chattanooga, Ohio, Sept 2nd 1896

To the Commissioners of Adams Co. Ind,

Dear Sirs—I write you my bids to doctor the county poor for Jefferson and Blue-Creek Townships:

Twenty dollars for Jefferson
Thirty for Blue Creek
If any bids lower then these are made you can sell it to me at 1.00 lower than the sum of the lowest bids for the two Townships.

 Yours Very Respct…
Dr. G. R. Hagerman
Chattanooga, Ohio

To Auditor
Please hand this to the Commissioners,
Respt…

Letter from Dr. G.R. Hagerman, Chattanooga, Ohio, 1896.

The letter was received in Decatur, Indiana, on 3 September. I wonder if he got the bids. He certainly seemed interested in the position.

Back of envelope from Dr. G.R. Hagerman, Chattanooga, Ohio, 1896.

Four years later, in 1900, Dr. Hagerman and his family lived in Liberty Township, Mercer County. In the household was George R, 43; Elizabeth A, 35; Charles W, 15; Edward W, 4; and James F, 1. This census enumeration tells us that George was a physician, born in Ohio in August 1856. He and his wife had been married 18 years and she had given birth to three children, all of whom were living. Their son Charles was a huckster driver. They lived next door to another physician, 46 year-old Price Whaters. Other neighbors included Joseph Markle, Philip Deitsch, John Strabel, Andrew Koch, Philip Koch, John Allmandinger, Fred Heffner, William Betzel, and Simon Riffle. [1]

On the 1900 Chatt plat map Hagermans are shown on lots 12 and 14, in downtown Chatt, on the east side of what is now State Route 49. These buildings were across from what was the Chattanooga Hotel.

Who was Dr. George R Hagerman?

According to his death certificate, George Robinson Hagerman was born 2 August 1856 in Mendon, Ohio, the son of James and Elizabeth Hagerman. [2]

In 1880 George, age 23, was a physician in Mendon, Ohio. He was single and lived in John Heppard’s boarding house. John C. Miller, another physician, also lived in the same boarding house. [3] 

George Hagerman married Elizabeth Luella Dutton on 25 May 1882 in Mercer County, Ohio. [4]

Elizabeth was also from Mercer County, the daughter of James W. and Sarah C. (Grant) Dutton. [5]

George and Elizabeth were living in Chatt in 1900 but by 1910 they had moved to Camden in Lorain County, Ohio. In their household: George R, 59; Elizabeth, 46; and James, 10. [6]

George remained in Lorain County the rest of his life, where he died on 6 June 1939 at the age of 82 years. [2]

His wife Elizabeth (Dutton) died in Port Clinton on 13 May 1941, at the age of 77 years. [5]

George, his wife Elizabeth, and their two young sons are buried in the Mendon Cemetery. Inscribed on the tombstone: Elizabeth L (1864-1941); Wallace E (1889-1902); Charles W (1884-1911); George R (1856-1939). [7]

What an interesting piece of Chattanooga history.

 

[1] 1900 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 85, p. 10A, dwelling 184, family 189, George R Hagerman; Ancestry.com (accessed 2 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1241304, NARA microfilm T623, roll 1304.

[2] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” FamilySearch.org (accessed 2 Mar 2017), Geo Robinson Hagerman, 6 Jun 1939; Camden, Lorain, deaths; FHL microfilm 2023716.

[3] 1880 U.S. Census, Mendon, Mercer, Ohio, ED 191, p.535D, dwelling & family 43, George Hagerman; Ancestry.com (accessed 2 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1255048, NARA microfilm T9, roll 1048.

[4] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” FamilySearch.org (accessed 3 Mar 2017), Geo R Hagerman & Libbie L Dutton, 25 May 1882; Mercer Co Marriages, Vol 5, p.135, FHL microfilm 914956.

[5] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” FamilySearch.org (accessed 2 Mar 2017), Elizabeth Luella Hagerman, 13 May 1941; Port Clinton, Ottawa deaths; FHL microfilm 2023916.

[6] 1910 U.S. Census, Camden, Lorain, Ohio, ED 101, p.3A, dwelling 67, family 69, George R Hagerman; Ancestry.com (accessed 2 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1375219, NARA microfilm T624, roll 1206.

[7] Findagrave.com, George Robinson Hagerman Memorial #64361248.

Feb 28

Tombstone Tuesday–Katharina Elisabeth Byer

Katharine E. Byer, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Katherina Byer, located in row 6 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Hier ruhet
Katharina E
Tochter von
Jasper n. Sophia
Byer
Gest. 19 Jan 1888
Alter
17 Y, 10 M, 21 T

Translation: Here lies Katharina E, daughter of Casper and Sophia Byer, died 19 January 1888, aged 17 years, 10 months, 21 days.

According to Zion Chatt’s records Katharina/Catharina Elisabetha Byer was born 27 February 1870 in Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, Ohio, born to Casper and Sophia (Gugel) Byer. She was likely their second child. Katharina’s father was born in Puschendorf, Bavaria, and her mother was born in Butler County, Ohio. Her parents married 8 August 1867. [1]

Their surname was sometimes spelled Beyer in the church records and Katharina’s father’ s name was sometimes written as Jasper.

Katharina was baptized 3 April 1870 with Henry Becker and Sophia Gugel as her sponsors.

In 1870 the Casper Byer family lived in Blackcreek Township with a Shanes Crossing post office. In the household: Casper, 30; Sophia, 20; Sixtus, 2; and Catherine [Katharina], 3 months. Casper was a farmer and some of their neighbors included Conrad and George Heffner, Fredrick Baker, Fredrick Hardzog, Sixtus Gugel, and John Baker. [2]

There was tragedy in the Byer family in 1872 when Katharina’s mother Sophia (Gugel) and Sophia’s 13 day-old child, Georg Friedrich, died on 10 March 1872. Sophia was only 22 years old.

Katharina’s father Casper married Margaret Kneisel on 9 November 1872 in Auglaize County. Their first child, John Phillip Byer, was born 7 September 1873. [3]

In 1880 the Byer family still lived in Blackcreek Township, now with seven children in the family. The Casper Byer family  in 1880: Jasper, 39; Margret, 31; Sixtus, 11; Catharine, 10; John P., 7; Mary L, 5; Matilda F, 4; Ema C, 2; and Luis, H, 1. [4]

Katharina was confirmed at Zion Chatt on Palm Sunday, 6 April 1884.

Katharina Elisabeth Beyer died 19 January 1888, at the age of 17 years, 10 months, and 21 days. She was buried on the 21st and was laid to rest next to her mother Sophia and her infant brother Georg Friedrich.

[1] “Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958,” database, FamilySearch.org (accessed 26 Feb 2017), Casper Beyer and Sophia Gugel, 8 Aug 1867; Mercer County, vol. 3-5, FHL microfilm 0914956.

[2] 1870 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, dwelling & family 160, p. 29B, Casper Byre; Ancestry.com (accessed 26 Feb 2017); FHL microfilm 552742, NARA microfilm M593, roll 1243.

[3] “Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958,” database, FamilySearch.org (accessed 26 Feb 2017), Jasper Beyer and Margaret Knisel, 9 Nov 1872; Auglaize County, vol. 4-5, FHL microfilm 0963057.

[4] 1880 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, ED 179, p.323B, dwelling & family 1, line 9, Jasper Byer; Ancestry.com (accessed 26 Feb 2017); NARA microfilm T9, roll 1048.