May 23

Tombstone Tuesday-Rebecka Sundemacher

Rebecka Sundemacher, Kessler Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2023 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Rebecka A. Sundemacher, located in row 12 of Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Rebecka A.
Frau von [wife of]
J.D. Sundemacher
Gestorben [died]
27 Aug 1872
Alter [age]
63 Jahre [years], u. 9 T [days]

This is one of two nearly identical tombstones that stand side by side in Kessler Cemetery. The women interred beneath these stones have something in common. They were both married to Johann Dietrich Reinhard Sundemacher. They were two of his three wives, wife number one and wife number two, and they died just four years apart.

Their markers are nearly identical and they have both taken on a rather unusual form over the years.

Sundemacher tombstones, Rebecka & Maria, Kessler Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio (2023 photo by Karen)

Now broken and worn, they originally were probably much taller and may have looked something like this.  

Kessler Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio (2023 photo by Karen)

These tombstones are nearly unreadable now but two separate readings from two different sources at different times [Mercer County Chapter OGS in 1990 and Find a Grave.com more recently] have read the surname as Gundemacher on both tombstones. The first letter in the surname, which is written in the old Fraktur script, does look like today’s letter G, but the first letter of this surname is actually an upper-case S. The surname is Sundemacher.  

Compare the letters G and S, written in script.

Rebecka Sundemacher, Kessler Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio (2023 photo by Karen)

The church records of Zion Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, Ohio, verify this. The death dates of both women, Rebecka and Maria Sundemacher, are included in Zion Chatt’s records and their records agree with the tombstone inscriptions, give or take a day. That discrepancy could be explained by the difficulty of reading the stones due to weathering.

Rebecka A. Sundemacher was the first wife of Johann Dietrich Reinhard Sundemacher. Zion Chatt’s records indicate the Sundemachers were from Weseloh, Kingdom of Hanover. The couple married in Germany and had their children before immigrating to America.

This family from Germany, who arrived in New York in 1853, could very possibly be the same Johann Dietrich Sundemacher family: Johann Sundmacher [sic], 39; Beeke Adelh Sundmacher [sic], 43; Dorothea Sundmacher [sic], 13; Heinrich Sundmacher [sic], 8; and Metta Sundmacher [sic], 4. [1]

The immigration list indicates that these Sundemachers were relatives to each other. In addition, their names and ages agree with this Sindmaker [sic] family living in St. Marys Township, Auglaize County, Ohio, in 1860: John D Sindmaker [sic], 47; Rebecca Sindmaker [sic], 50; Dorothea Sindmaker [sic], 21; Henry Sindmaker [sic], 15; and Martha Sindmaker [sic], 12. All were born in Hanover. John D. was a farmer, Dorothea, a domestic, and Henry a farm laborer. Martha attended school. [2]   

Daughter Dorothy Sundemacher married John Timmerman in New Bremen on 26 October 1860 by Rev. C. Hess. [3]

I believe the Sundemacher family moved to the Chattanooga, Ohio, area a few years later. Possibly to Adams County, Indiana.

Their daughter Martha Sundemacher married Jacob Hiller at Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Ohio, on 20 February 1868.

I do not know what became of son Henry Sundemacher.

Johann Dietrich Sundemacher and his wife Rebecka attended Zion Chatt and communed there fairly regularly. Johann Dietrich and Rebecka first communed at Zion Chatt on Christmas 1869. They communed at Zion Chatt December 1870, April 1871, and May 1872. Note that Zion Chatt offered Holy Communion two or three times a year at that time.  

Wife Rebecka Sundemacher died 27 August 1872 and was buried in Kessler Cemetery on the 28th.

Widower Johann Dietrich Sundemacher continued to attend services at Zion Chatt and communed there May 1873, September 1973, April 1874, and August 1874.

Widower Johann Dietrich Sundemacher married a second time in November 1874 and communed with his new wife on Christmas Day 1874.

I will continue on with the second wife of Johann Dietrich Sundemacher in an upcoming Tombstone Tuesday.

This has been a difficult family to research. I am having a very hard time determining where Johann Dietrich Sundemacher lived after 1860. In addition, the possible spelling variations of the name Sundemacher do not help in the search for him. I assume Johann and Rebecka moved to the Chatt area since they regularly attended church at Zion Chatt. It would have been quite a trek from St. Marys to Chatt in the 1870s. I wonder if they lived in Adams County, Indiana, just across the state line from Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, but I cannot find them in a census enumeration after 1860. And I have done quite a bit of looking in both counties in both states. I am beginning to wonder if they were in an early version of the witness protection program.   

[1] U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1800s-1900s, New York, New York, 1853, p.154, Johann Sundmacher [sic]; transcription, Ancestry.com, viewed 22 May 2023.

[2] 1860 U.S. Census, St. Marys, Auglaize, Ohio, p.400, dwelling & family 113, John D Sindmaker [sic]; Ancestry.com, viewed 22 May 2023.

[3] Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Mercer County Marriages 1823-1870, p.410, John Timmerman & Dorothy Sundmacher [sic]; database, Ancestry.com, viewed 22 May 2023.

 

May 19

Area Patterson Exam Grads, 1912-1914

Last week I showed the names the Van Wert and Mercer County students who successfully passed the 1911 Patterson Exam. The Patterson Exam was given to eighth grade students to make sure they were ready to enter high school. If a student passed the exam he or she could enter the high school of their choice.

The names of those who passed the Patterson Exam were reported The Celina Democrat and the Van Wert Daily Bulletin and I was interested to see if I recognized any of those names. I noticed Edna Schumm of Willshire Township passed the exam in 1911.

I also wondered if my grandpa Cornelius Schumm had taken and passed the test. He was born in Van Wert County in September 1896 and he likely would have completed the eighth grade in 1913 or 1914. I saw that one of grandpa’s friends, Herbert Gunsett, passed the exam in 1913. They were about the same age but Cornelius Schumm was not listed among the 1913 or 1914 Patterson graduates.

Either Grandpa did not pass the Patterson Exam or he did not take it. 

Just to double check I looked at the 1940 census and that indicates that the highest level of education Grandpa Cornelius completed was the eighth grade.

Below are the names of those who successfully completed the 1912, 1913, and 1914 Patterson Exams in Willshire Township and some from Mercer County. The Van Wert Times Bulletin did a better job reporting the names than The Celina Democrat. Perhaps you will recognize some of the names.

1912 Patterson graduates from Willshire Township:

Patterson grads, Willshire Township, Van Wert Times Bulletin, 9 May 1912

1912 Patterson graduates from Mercer County. This group mentions Willshire and I wonder if those students attended a Mercer County school that was considered part of Willshire, likely south of Willshire in Blackcreek Township:

Patterson Commencement, Mercer County, Celina Democrat, 3 May 1912

Patterson Commencement, Mercer County, Celina Democrat, 3 May 1912

1912 Patterson Commencement in Liberty Township, Mercer County:

Patterson Commencement, Liberty Twp, Mercer County, Celina Democrat, 31 May 1912

1913 Patterson commencement, Van Wert County and Willshire Township’s graduates:

Patterson Commencement, Van Wert County, Van Wert Times Bulletin, 27 May 1913

Patterson Grads, Willshire Twp, Van Wert Times Bulletin, 27 May 1913

1913 Patterson commencement in Liberty Township, Mercer County:

Patterson Commencement, Liberty Twp, Mercer County, Celina Democrat, 6 Jun 1913

1914 Patterson commencement, Van Wert County and Willshire Township graduates:

Patterson Commencement, Willshire Township, Van Wert Times Bulletin, 29 May 1914

Patterson Grads, Willshire Township, Van Wert Times Bulletin, 29 May 1914

 

May 16

Tombstone Tuesday-John Hancock

John Hancock monument, Granary Burying Ground, Boston, MA (2009 photo by Karen)

This is an interesting tombstone inscription. It is a rebus puzzle, a word picture puzzle. The word rebus is derived from Latin phrase non verbis, sed rebus, meaning “not by words, but by things.”

Can you figure out this rebus?

A hint: this monument is located in the Granary Burying Ground in Boston and is the marker for one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

It is the monument for John Hancock. The hand and the chickens/cocks make up the name Hancock. Clever. Below the rebus are the Latin words obsta principiis, “contrary to principles.”

John Hancock was born in Braintree, Norfolk County, Massachusetts in 1736 and died in Quincy, Norfolk County, Massachusetts in 1793. His Hancock family was in Massachusetts as early as 1638. John Hancock married Dolly Quincy in 1775 and they had two children who did not live to adulthood.

John Hancock’s father, a minister, died when John was young and John was raised by his uncle. John Hancock graduated from Harvard in 1754 and inherited his uncle’s merchant business in 1764. In 1768, his merchant ship Liberty was seized by customs officials and Hancock became a vocal critic of British policy.

John Hancock monument, Granary Burying Ground, Boston, MA (2009 photo by Karen)

John Hancock was elected to the Massachusetts Legislature in 1769 and attended the First Continental Congress in 1774 and the Second Continental Congress following year. He was elected to serve as President of both Continental Congresses and as their president he was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence. Hancock’s signature on the Declaration of Independence was so bold that to this day, signing your name is referred to as signing your “John Hancock.”

On 19 April 1775 the British Army marched out of Boston to Lexington, in part to capture John Hancock and fellow-patriot Samuel Adams, but Paul Revere’s ride warned them to flee. In 1778 Hancock led 5,000 Massachusetts soldiers in an unsuccessful attempt to free Rhode Island from the British.

In 1780 John Hancock became President of the Massachusetts Convention and became the first Governor under their new charter. He was very popular in Massachusetts and served nine terms as governor, from 1780-1785 and from 1787 until his death in 1793.

John Hancock monument, Granary Burying Ground, Boston, MA (2009 photo by Karen)

The Granary Burying Ground was founded in 1660 and is Boston’s third oldest cemetery. Also buried there are Paul Revere, three signers of the Declaration of Independence: Samuel Adams, Robert Treat Paine, John Hancock, and five victims of the Boston Massacre.

John Hancock monument, Granary Burying Ground, Boston, MA (2009 photo by Karen)

John Hancock monument, Granary Burying Ground, Boston, MA (2009 photo by Karen)

We visited the Granary Burying Ground in 2009.

May 12

1911 Patterson Exams in Mercer and Van Wert Counties

As the school year draws to a close, students and teachers look forward to summer vacation. But before wrapping up the school year there are those end-of-the-school-year tests, to determine how much information the students retained during the year. I remember those dreaded tests very well.

This end-of-year testing has been going on for quite some time. A while back I wrote about the Boxwell Test, tests from the early 1900s that covered a variety of subjects, given to eighth graders before entering high school. The questions were used to examine eighth grade pupils from rural and village schools to make sure they were ready to enter high school.

Apparently the test was also called the Boxwell-Patterson or the Patterson Test. Celina and Van Wert newspapers called it the Patterson Test in 1911. Perhaps the test name had changed by that time or was in the process of changing.

Here are some newspaper articles from Celina and Van Wert newspapers concerning the 1911 Patterson Test in those areas. Perhaps one of your relatives was one of the students who passed the test.

Patterson Commencements at Liberty, Blackcreek and Hopewell Townships, Mercer County:

Liberty Twp, Patterson Commencement, The Celina Democrat, 9 Jun 1911

Blackcreek Township Patterson Commencement, The Celina Democrat, 16 Jun 1911

Hopewell Township Patterson Commencement, The Celina Democrat, 9 Jun 1911

Mercer County’s Successful Patterson Exam applicants:

Successful applicants, Mercer County Patterson Exam, The Celina Democrat, 2 Jun 1911

Successful applicants, Mercer County Patterson Exam, The Celina Democrat, 2 Jun 1911

Van Wert County’s Successful Patterson Exam applicants:

Van Wert County Patterson Exam, successful applicants, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, 26 May 1911

Van Wert County Patterson Exam, successful applicants, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, 26 May 1911

Van Wert County Patterson Exam, successful applicants, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, 26 May 1911

Van Wert County Patterson Exam, successful applicants, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, 26 May 1911

Here is a sampling of the Patterson Exam questions. How would you do?

Geography questions, 1911:

Patterson Exam questions, Geography, Celina Democrat, 26 May 1911

Patterson Exam questions, Geography, Celina Democrat, 26 May 1911

Grammar questions, 1911:

Patterson Exam questions, Grammar, Celina Democrat, 26 May 1911

Patterson Exam questions, Grammar, Celina Democrat, 26 May 1911

Physiology questions, 1911:

Patterson Exam questions, Physiology, Celina Democrat, 26 May 1911

History questions, 1911:

Patterson Exam questions, History, Celina Democrat, 26 May 1911

May 09

Tombstone Tuesday-Carl P. Bollenbacher

Carl P Bollenbacher, St Paul’s County Church Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2023 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Carl P. Bollenbacher, located in row 3 of St. Paul’s County Church Cemetery, formerly known as St. Paul’s UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

CARL P.
BOLLENBACHER
Died May 8, 1906
Age 15y, 3m, 2d
BOLLENBACHER

The thunderstorm that went through here early last Sunday morning reminded me of the following incident that I ran across, which occurred 117 years ago, almost to the day.

STRUCK BY LIGHTENING
Young Son of J.J. Bollenbacher of near Chattanooga, Ohio

Last Tuesday at about one o’clock Charles Bollenbacher, the fifteen-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Bollenbacher, of Liberty township, was struck by lightening and instantly killed while plowing his father’s field. The team of horses the young man was driving were also killed by the deadly bolt. Another brother and a team of horses were near by as was also his father, who was burning out a stump, but they all escaped unhurt, being only stunned by the flash that killed the young lad and his team.

Charles was just making his second round of plowing after dinner when the deadly flash came that snuffed out the life of the lad and the horses.

Charles was an exemplary young man and had just attained an age when he was a great help to his father. He was an enthusiastic worker and gave great promise of becoming an intelligent and successful farmer. His death was a terrible shock to his family and the profoundest sympathy of all is extended to them in their sorrowful affliction.

Funeral services were held at the German Evangelical church in Liberty township Thursday afternoon. An immense concourse of people assembled to pay a last tribute of respect to the memory of a young man who was greatly respected and admired by all who knew him. It was one of the largest funerals ever held in that township. A number of persons from this city were in attendance. [1]

Carl P. Bollenbacher, aka Charles Bollenbacher, was born 6 February 1891, the son of John Jacob (1863-1942) and Eva Barbara (Strable) (1866-1943) Bollenbacher.

Carl Bollenbacher was enumerated with his family in just one census, the 1900 census. The Jacob J. Bollenbacher family in 1900: Jacob J, 36; Effie B, 33, wife; Lawrence A, 11; Carl P, 9; Alonzo B, 3; and Alma E, 6 months. All family members were born in Ohio and Jacob was a farmer. Jacob and Effie had been married 12 years. Effie had given birth to six children, four of whom were living. [2]

Carl P Bollenbacher, St Paul’s County Church Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2023 photo by Karen)

Carl had five siblings when he died and two other siblings were born after his death. Theodore/Ted was born later that same year and Laura Christina was born in 1911.

Charles Bollenbacher had thee following siblings:
Adam Lawrence Bollenbacher (1888-1934), married Margaret Jane McDonald
Matilda Bollenbacher (1893-1894)
Albert William Bollenbacher (1895-1898)
Alonzo Benjamin Bollenbacher (1897-1991), married Faye Teresa Now
Alma Elizabeth Bollenbacher (1899-2007), married Robert H Stephenson; married Orris Edgar Now
Pearl C Bollenbacher (1902-1982), married John Wood
Cora Bollenbacher (1904-1992), married Raymond Elmer Fetters
Theodore “Ted” Edgar Bollenbacher (1906-1992), married Esther Nutt
Laura Christina Bollenbacher (1911-1958), married Charles A Deerhake

[1] The Celina Advocate, Celina, Ohio, 17 May 1906.

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 85, p.16, dwelling 307, family 313, Jacob J Bollenbacher; Ancestry.com, viewed 8 May 2023.