Merry Christmas!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

The Nativity, on wood.

Merry Christmas from Karen’s Chatt!

Wishing you and your family all the blessings of Christmas!

c1911 Christmas postcard to Wilbert Germann

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from Karen’s Chatt! 

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving Day as we count our blessings and gather with family and friends. 

Tombstone Tuesday-Louisa (Alt) Kable

Louisa (Alt) Kable, St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. (2023 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Louisa (Alt) Kable, located in row 1 of St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Louisa
Kable
1878-1918
CHRIST IS MY HOPE

Louisa Alt was born in Mercer County, Ohio, on 30 April 1878, the daughter of Frederick and Ursula (Koch) Alt. Louisa was baptized on 13 June 1878 by the minister of St. Paul Lutheran, Liberty Township. [1] Louisa’s parents were both immigrants from Germany.

Louisa, age 2, in 1880, living with her family in Liberty Township: Frederick Alt, 58; Ursula, 39; Catherine, 17; Barbara, 15; Sophia, 13; Phoebe, 10; Frederick J, 7; Caroline, 5; and Louisa, 2. The father Frederick was a farmer. [2]

Louisa Alt married Philip William Kable Jr. on 7 February 1895 in Mercer County, married by St. Paul Liberty’s minister S. Hunziker. [3] Groom Philip W. Kable Jr. (1874-1947) was the son of Philip W. Sr. (1850-1915) and Caroline (Koch) (1849-1923) Kable.

A daughter, Mathilda Louisa Kable, was born to Philip Jr. and Louisa Kable on 15 September 1895 (calculated) and died 22 April 1897, aged 1 year, 7 months, 8 days. [4]

In 1900, Philip Jr., 25, wife Louisa, 22, and daughter Clara, 10 months, born August 1900, lived in Liberty Township, Mercer County. The couple reported that they had been married five years, that Louisa had given birth to two children but only one was living, all of them were born in Ohio, and the Philip worked as farm labor. [5]

The Philip Kable Jr. family in 1910: Philip Kable Jr, 35; Louisa, 31; Clara, 10, daughter; and Lawrence, 8, son. Louisa had given birth to 3 children and 2 of them were living. Louisa’s husband Phillip Jr. was a farmer. [6]

Louisa (Alt) Kable died from tuberculosis on 7 August 1918 and was buried on the 10th.  She left behind her husband and two children. [1] [7]

Louisa’s widowed husband Philip W. Kable Jr. married Gertrude C. Maurer (1895-1973) in 1919. 

[1] Records of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, p.137, newer book, Louisa (Alt) Kable death; p.120, older book, Louisa Alt baptism.

[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.478C, dwelling 119, family 126, Frederick Alt; Ancestry.com.  

[3] Records of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, p.234, old book, Philip Kable Jr & Louisa Alt. And Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Mercer Marriages 1887-1904, p.88, Philip Kable & Louisa Alt, 7 Feb 1895; Ancestry.com.

[4] Records of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, p.278, old book, Mathilda Louisa Kable death.

[5] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 85, p.209A (stamped), dwelling 244, family 250, Philip Kaleb [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[6] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.9B, dwelling 165, household 167, Philip Kable Jr; Ancestry.com.  

[7] Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, 1958-2007, Louisa Kable, 7 Aug 1918; Ancestry.com.

Stringtown School, 1921

Thanks to Denny for sending this 1921 photo of the students at Stringtown School. Stringtown School No.8 was located in Dublin Township, Mercer County, Ohio, a couple miles south of Rockford.

It appears this photo is an old postcard with the names of the students written on the back.

1921 Stringtown School students, Dublin Township, Mercer County, Ohio.

Front row:
Fritz Zizelman, Gail Beougher, Rich Zizelman, Lew Williams, Theodore Koeppel, Cordier Hiles, Ford Koeppel.

Second row:
Elie Koeppel, Hattie Koeppel, Vernon Hole, Mary Hiles, Opal Beougher, Florence Beougher, Inez Hole, Fannie Hiles, Harry Beougher, John Williams.

Third row:
George Maier [?], Mabel Williams, Opal Dietrich, Lowell Frysinger, Koester Hole, Albert Zizelman.

It appears that Lowell Frysinger was the teacher.

A few of those names are familiar to me.

It looks like the students were ready to play ball. Several students have baseball gloves, one has a bat, and another has a baseball. 

I do not know much about Stringtown School or how the name Stringtown originated. The school was located on the corner of State Route 707 and Lombard Road, about a mile east of State Route 118, on the southwest corner of Section 27. Otterbein/Stringtown Church was located about a half mile west of the school, in Section 28. Both were on the north side of 707.

What a nice photo! Perhaps someone knows more about Stringtown School.

Veterans Day

Be sure to thank a veteran today, on Veterans Day.

This federal holiday is observed to thank, honor, and remember our United States veterans.

Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day and was created to commemorate of the end of World War I. Fighting between the Allied Nations and Germany ceased on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. That date is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

Armistice Day became a legal holiday on 11 November 1938, primarily to honor World War I veterans and dedicated to the cause of world peace. After World War II and the Korean War the name was changed to Veterans Day. On 1 June 1954 Veterans Day became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Veterans deserve our thanks and gratitude and so much more.

To all veterans, thank you for your service to our country.