Oct 17

Paulding, Ohio, Murals

Recently we drove to Paulding, Ohio, to take a photo of their post office mural. Their post office is located at 121 West Jackson Street.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Paulding’s mural is quite different from the ones I photographed at Coldwater and Wapakoneta. Paulding’s mural is carved wood relief, carved by Charles Umlauf in 1940.

Paulding, Ohio, post office mural. (2025 photo by Karen)

The title of the mural is Industry and depicts men sawing down trees, likely in the Great Black Swamp.

Paulding, Ohio, post office mural. (2025 photo by Karen)

Paulding, Ohio, post office mural. (2025 photo by Karen)

The mural is located in the post office lobby, on the wall above the postmaster’s door, the same as the other two post office murals I have viewed.

During the 1930s-40s, to make artwork accessible to all people, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Section of Painting and Sculpture allocated monies for art and sculptures in post offices constructed between 1934 and 1943.

The artist/carver’s signature:

Paulding, Ohio, post office mural. (2025 photo by Karen)

While driving through Paulding, we noticed that there is a painted mural on the side of one of their downtown buildings. It is quite nice with a lot of little details.

Paulding, Ohio, mural. (2025 photo by Karen)

The mural contains four scenes of Paulding’s history, separated by trees. The sections, from right to left: Fort Brown and Native American Indians in a canoe; harness racers before the grandstand at the Paulding County Fairgrounds; a farmer on a tractor with the sun rising and their historic round barn in the background; and a canal boat on one of the two canals that run through the county, either the Wabash-Erie Canal or the Miami-Erie Canal, with a farm in the background.

Paulding, Ohio, mural. (2025 photo by Karen)

Paulding, Ohio, mural. (2025 photo by Karen)

Paulding is the county seat of Paulding County, established in 1820.

Paulding, Ohio, mural (2025 photo by Karen)

Their mural was painted by Sandy & Kinsey Dobbelaere, assisted by Franzi Wagner in July 2011.

Paulding, Ohio, mural (2025 photo by Karen)

Lots of little critters and birds are painted all around the mural.

Paulding, Ohio, mural (2025 photo by Karen)

Paulding, Ohio, mural (2025 photo by Karen)

Paulding, Ohio, mural (2025 photo by Karen)

Paulding, Ohio, mural (2025 photo by Karen)

Paulding, Ohio, mural (2025 photo by Karen)

We also noticed two other paintings on buildings around town.

Paulding, Ohio (2025 photo by Karen)

This one looks like it might be old: 

Paulding, Ohio (2025 photo by Karen)

Yet another local town with beautiful artwork showing the history of their area.

Oct 14

Tombstone Tuesday-Minnesota (Bennett) Drumm

Minnesota (Bennett) Drumm, North Grove Cemetery, Celina, Ohio. (2025 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Minnesota (Bennett) Drumm, located in Ward 3, Row 7 of North Grove Cemetery, Celina, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

DRUMM
Minnesota Bennett
1873-1953

Minnesota “Minnie” Bennett was born in Montezuma, Mercer County, Ohio, 2 December 1873, the daughter of Henry Brandenburg Bennett (1840-1921) and Sarah Maria (Milligan) Bennett (1844-1928). She was the third of seven children, all named after states or territories.

The Henry Bennett family in 1880: Henry, 40; Maria, 35; Nevada, 15; Dakota, 12; Minesota [sic], 6; and Alaska, 2. Henry was a farmer. [1]

The Henry Bennett family in 1900 included Minnie and her five brothers: Henry, 59; Sallie [sic], 55; Dakota, 32; Alaska, 21; Minnesota, 26; Arizona, 18; Delaware, 16; and Vermont, 13. [2]

By 1910, Minnie, Arizona, and Vermont still lived with their parents. Minnie, 35, was a servant for a private family. [3]

In 1920 Minnie lived alone with her parents in their home on Main Street in Montezuma. Minnie was probably caring for her father, 79, and her mother, 75. Minnie’s occupation was a servant for a private family. [4]

Minnie’s father Henry Brandenburg Bennett died in 1921.

Minnie married widower James Austin Drumm in Mercer County on 13 January 1928. James was a cabinet maker and Minnie was a domestic. [5] James’ first wife, Mary Elizabeth (Teeters), died in 1926.

Minnie’s mother Sarah Maria (Milligan) Bennett died a few months later, on 12 May 1928.

By 1930, James, 66, and Minnie, 56, had moved to Celina and lived at 810 Market Street. James worked as a building carpenter. [6]  

James, 76, and Minnie, 66, had moved to 213 ½ South Main Street, Celina, by 1940, and they had 3 lodgers in their household, Evelyn Garwick, 24; Monica Moeller, 20; and Harriet Will, 19. James was the manager of a pool hall and Minnie was a land lady. [7]

In 1950 James, 86, and Minnie, 76, lived at 120 S. Buckeye, Celina. No occupation was given for either of them. [8]

James and Minnie had no children.

Minnie’s husband James Drumm died in Celina on 5 May 1953. James and his first wife Mary share a tombstone in North Grove Cemetery, in Ward 17, Row 8.

Minnesota “Minnie” (Bennett) Drumm died 19 December 1953. Her obituary:

Minnesota B Drumm
Celina-Mrs. Minnesota Bennett Drumm, 80, of 120 South Buckeye Street, died at Gibbons hospital Saturday following complications due to advanced age. She was the widow of James Drumm, who died in May, 1953. She was a charter member of the Order of Eastern Star at Celina, having received her life membership at the golden anniversary on May 3, 1948. She also received her 50-year pin at that time. Mrs. Drumm was a member of St. Paul’s Methodist church and the Women’s society of the church. She is survived by two brothers, Arizona Bennett, Union City, Ind., and Vermont Bennett, Piqua; nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Vale’s funeral home, with Dr. Don Mueller officiating. Burial in North Grove cemetery, Celina. Friends may call at the funeral home. [9]

The siblings of Minnesota (Bennett) Drumm:
Nevada B. Bennett (1865-1925), married John J. Beauchamp
Dakota T. Bennett (1868-1936), married Anna Manning
Goldsby Alaska Bennett (1878-1953), married Ida Ellen Monroe
Arizona Landon Bennett (1881-1961), married Orla Yancy
Delaware Samuel Bennett (1884-1937), married Mattie Evelyn Yeaton
Vermont H. Bennett (1886-1964), married Lura Vivian Monroe; married Mattie Evelyn Yeaton

Minnie was my husband Joe’s great-aunt. 

[1] 1880 US Census, Ohio, Franklin, Mercer, Ohio, Ed 183, p.399c, dwelling 163, family 165, Henry Bennett; Ancestry.com.

[2] 1900 US Census, Ohio, Mercer, Franklin, ED 79, p.5, dwelling 102, family 104, Henry Bennett; Ancestry.com.  

[3] 1910 US Census, Ohio, Mercer, Franklin, ED 112, p.7a, dwelling & family 127, Hary B Barnette [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[4] 1920 US Census, Ohio, Mercer, Franklin, ED 130, p.9B, dwelling & family 177, Henry B Bennett; Ancestry.com.  

[5] Ohio, US, County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Mercer Marriages Vol. 13, 1925-1931, p.169, James Austin Drumm & Minnesota Bennett, 13 Jan 1928; Ancestry.com.

[6] 1930 US Census, Ohio, Mercer, Celina, ED 16, p.2 A, dwelling & family 44, James A Drumon [sic]. Ancestry.com.

[7] 1940 US Census, Ohio, Mercer, Celina, ED 54-17, p.11B, visited 254, James A Drumm; Ancestry.com.

[8] 1950 US Census, Ohio, Mercer, Celina, ED 54-29, p.12, dwelling 151, James A Drumm; Ancestry.com.

[9] Minnesota B Drumm obituary, 21 Dec 1953, The Journal Herald, Dayton, Ohio; Newspapers.com.

Oct 10

To Adam Kable, Esq, Hinton, Ohio

Below is an old envelope, addressed to Adam Kable, Esq, Hinton, Mercer County, Ohio.

To Adam Kable, Esq, Hinton, Mercer County, Ohio, 1901.

The postmark date is nearly impossible to read but is probably from about 1901.

To Adam Kable, Esq, Hinton, Mercer County, Ohio, 1901.

Hinton was a hamlet with post office, located at Oregon and Erastus Durbin Roads. Their Post office operated from 1890-1904.

The return address is Chas. J. Fox, County recorder, Celina.

Adam Kable (1861-1948) was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, and was the son of Ferdinand and Catharine (Bollenbacher) Kable, both German immigrants. He was married twice, first to Maggie Miller (1861-1889), and then to Catherine Huffman (1862-1913). Both preceded him in death.

Adam lived his whole life in Liberty Township and, according to census records, was a farmer.

The envelope referred to Adam as Esq, short for Esquire, a term that was often used for an attorney. The term used to imply that the individual was licensed to practice law. However, by the early 20th century, the term esquire was used as a general courtesy title for any man in a formal setting, with no precise significance, and was usually used as a suffix to his name.

The handwriting on this envelope is beautiful and reminds me of a time when people took pride in their penmanship. My mom also had beautiful handwriting and I remember that she enjoyed practicing her handwriting. Maybe I should try that because sometimes I have a hard time reading my own handwriting.  

I wonder what correspondence might have been in this old envelope, addressed in such a formal manner.

I want to thank David for sending me the photos of this envelope, in reference to Adam Kable’s Tombstone Tuesday blog post. [1]

[1] Karen’s Chatt, Tombstone Tuesday-Adam Kable, 29 Sep 2023.

Oct 03

Mercer County Cemeteries Online

Mercer County has a new online resource for cemetery research that includes detailed information about the county’s cemeteries, their locations, cemetery readings, and information about veterans’ burial places, available through the Mercer County, Ohio, Recorder’s Office website.

All this thanks to Julie Peel, Mercer County Recorder, and Janell Weiss from the Mercer County Auditor’s Office. They worked with advanced geographic information systems students from Miami University to make the information available to the public.  

Access to the cemetery information is on the Mercer County Recorder’s website, https://www.mercercountyohio.org/elected-officials/recorder/

Mercer County, Ohio, Recorder’s Office website

On that page, in the header, click on the Search Records. URL: https://www.mercercountyohio.org/elected-officials/recorder/search-records-2/

On that next page are 6 items under the Search Links and 2 of the links are specifically related to Mercer County cemetery research, Cemetery Records Search and Cemetery Map Search.

Mercer County, Ohio, Recorder’s Office website, Search Links

Cemetery Records Search, URL: https://cemeteries.mercercountyohio.gov/  brings up 8 more links, Veterans Grave Registrations 2025 PDF and 7 volumes of Mercer County cemetery readings by the Mercer County Chapter Ohio Genealogical Society (OGS).

Mercer County, Ohio, Recorder’s Office website, Veterans Grave Registrations 

The first link, VeteransGraveReg2025.pdf, brings up a PDF file of the Veterans Grave Registrations information and cemetery plat maps of Mercer County cemeteries, made during the WPA era.

Mercer County, Ohio, Veterans Grave Registration, Mercer County Recorder’s Office

Mercer County, Ohio, Veterans Grave Registration, Mercer County Recorder’s Office

The information on this PDF is very interesting because it gives burial information (section, lot, grave) about Revolutionary War, War of 1812, War with Mexico, Civil War, Spanish American War, and WWI veterans who are buried in Mercer County, with a plat map of each cemetery. A little information about the cemetery is also included.  

The other 7 PDF items on this page are 7 volumes of Mercer County cemetery readings made by the Mercer County Chapter OGS, made roughly around 1990. Their readings are in 7 volumes, organized by township.

Mercer County, Ohio, Recorder’s Office website, Cemetery Inscriptions, 7 Volumes.

About 35 years ago the Mercer Chapter OGS recorded the inscriptions of the readable tombstones in each Mercer County cemetery, including information about each cemetery, as well as information about veterans’ graves. These books contain invaluable information because some of these tombstone inscriptions are no longer readable and some of the tombstones may no longer exist. These books are a great resource and I use them all the time.

Note, the Mercer County Chapter OGS has published 8 cemetery inscription books in all. The 8th volume, containing Granville and Marion Townships, will be added to the cemetery information on the Recorder’s website soon. And, if you prefer the print version, all 8 volumes, in book form, are still available to purchase from the Mercer Chapter, order information at mercerogs@gmail.com .

The other item for cemetery research on the Search Links page is Cemetery Map Search.

Mercer County, Ohio, Recorder’s Office website, Search Links

Clicking that link will bring up a page that contains a map of Mercer County showing all the cemeteries. URL: https://merceroh.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=aa6ddabbebfb47ccbce252597bb96c42  

Cemeteries in Mercer County, Ohio, Mercer County Recorder’s Office

Clicking on a specific cemetery brings up an informational pop-up about that cemetery.

Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Chattanooga, Ohio, Liberty Township

Information includes alternate name, address, location (latitude & longitude), township, the cemetery’s link to FindaGrave.com, WPA Plat link (the WPA information mentioned previously), genealogy link (a link to the Mercer County Chapter OGS cemetery inscription book), and facts about the cemetery.  

Zion Lutheran Cemetery Information, Liberty Township

Zion Lutheran Cemetery Information, Liberty Township

Zion Lutheran, Liberty Township, WPA plat map, Mercer County Recorder’s Office

This gives you some idea and examples of what you can expect to find while exploring these pages.

A big thanks to all who make this resource available online to the public.

I think you will find the information very helpful for your genealogical research. I know I will!

Sep 30

Tombstone Tuesday-Margaret (Deitsch) Kable

Margaret (Deitsch) Kable, St. Paul Liberty Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2025 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Margaret (Deitsch) Kable, located in row 5 of St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Margaret Kable
1845-1925

Margaret Martha Deitsch was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on 6 March 1845, the daughter of John Jacob Deitsch (1814-1859) and Catharine (Deitsch) Deitsch (1821-1900). [1]

The John Jacob Deitsch family in 1850: Jacob, 37; wife Catharine, 39; children Susan, 9; Elizabeth, 8; Michael [sic], 5; Philip, 4; Catharine, 2; and William, 1 month. Margaret was enumerated as Michael in this census. Her father Jacob was a farmer. [2]

Margaret’s father died in 1859, leaving behind a widow and 10 children. Margaret was 15 years old and the third oldest child in the family. [3]

Margaret Deitsch married John Kable in Mercer County on 4 February 1869, married by St. Paul Liberty’s pastor Rev. George Heintz. [4] 

The groom John Kable was born in Bavaria on 1 December 1843 and was the son of Christian Kable (Sr) (1814-1885) and Dorothea (Maurer) Kable (1815-1904). The Kables also attended St. Paul Lutheran, Liberty Township church.

A year later John and Margaret had a baby son. The John Kable family in 1870: John, 26, Prussia; Margaret, 25, Ohio; John Kable, 2 mo, Ohio; Emma Gibson, 8, Illinois. John Kable was a farm renter. [5]

By 1880 John Kable and wife Margaret had five children: John P, 10; Sophia, 8; Christian H, 6; Jacob, 4; and William, 9 months. John was a farmer and his oldest son helped on the farm. [6]

John Kable died on 12 November 1881, at the age of 37. He was survived by his widow Margaret and 5 children under 15 years of age.

In 1900 and 1910, widow Margaret Kable’s two youngest sons, Jacob and Willie H, both single, lived with her. Both censuses indicate that Margaret had given birth to 5 children and all of them were living. [7] [8]

By 1920 widow Margaret Kable, 74, lived with her son William H, age 40, who was a farmer and single. [9]

Margaret (Deitsch) Kable never remarried and she died in Liberty Township on 6 September 1925, aged 80 years. She was buried on the 9th in what they called Deitsch Cemetery. [1]

Margaret’s husband John is also buried in row 5, a few stones away from Margaret.

John and Margaret (Deitsch) Kable had the following children:
John P Kable (1870-1961), married Anna D. Weitz
Sophia Kable (1872-1977), married William A Bock
Christian Henry Kable (1874-1941), married Luvella “Lula” Fredericka Schmidt
Jacob Kable (1876-1970), married Bertha Helen Linn
William Henry Kable (1879-1948), married Elizabeth Katharine Anselman

[1] Ohio Death Certificates, 1925, Mercer County, Margaret Deitsch Kable, 6 Sep 1925; FamilySearch.org.

[2] 1850 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, p.287A, dwelling, family, Jacob Deistch [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[3] 1860 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, p.356, dwelling 970, family 975, Catharine Deitch [sic]; Ancestry.com.  

[4] Ohio, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Mercer, Vol. 1861-1887, p. 212, John Kable & Martha [sic] Deitsch, 4 Feb 1869; Ancestry.com.  

[5] 1870 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, p.146A, dwelling 63, family 58, John Kable, Ancestry.com.

[6] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.481A, dwelling 175, family 183, John Kable; Ancestry.com.

[7] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 85, p.13, dwelling 240, family 246, Marguret [sic] Kable; Ancestry.com.

[8] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.8B, dwelling 147, family 148, Margeret Kabler [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[9] 1920 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 140, p.5A, dwelling 89, family 93, Wm H Kable; Ancestry.com.