Nov 27

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. 

Nov 25

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.

Nov 21

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.

Nov 11

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.  

Nov 07

Historic County Boundary Maps

If you enjoy seeing how county boundaries changed over the years, you will want to take a look at The Newberry Library’s online Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. Their website provides an excellent timeline with an explanation of the boundary changes.

I will use my home county, Mercer County, Ohio, as an example of how to use this interesting feature.

To go directly to the page: Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

Click on “Go to Maps” and select Ohio.

Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

The screen below shows the area that included what is now Ohio in 1778, named Illinois County. You can advance the timeline two ways. One, by using the drop-down timeline on the right side of the page, which includes a description of the map. You can also advance the timeline at the bottom of the page, using the sliding timeline, advancing a year or two at a time.

The old county boundaries are superimposed over a current map and you can zoom in and get a closer look of the area.

Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, 1778, Illinois County.

Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, 1778, Illinois County.

There is a brief history with each map. On the first map image, Ohio Map 12/9/1778-2/29/1784 : Change: Illinois County (Va., extinct) created by Virginia to encompass all territory north and west of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River claimed by Virginia on the basis of its 1609 charter; Illinois County included all of present Ohio.

By 1800, the southern portion of Mercer County was Hamilton County and the northern portion was Wayne County. Sort of. The dividing line was at an angle.

1800, Hamilton County, Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

1800, Wayne County, Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

By 1803 we see a change. Our area was called Montgomery County.

1803, Montgomery County, Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

By 1812 what we now know as Mercer County was called Non-County Area 6, part of Montgomery lying north of the Indian Boundary reverted to Non-County Area 6, attached to Darke, indirectly through Darke to Miami for administrative and judicial purposes.

1812, Non-county area, Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

There was a big change April 1820, when Mercer County became a county. It was created from Non-County Area 6 attached to Darke and Non-County Area 7 attached to Shelby. There was no Auglaize County at that time and St. Marys was the county seat of Mercer County. Allen County was directly east of Mercer County.  

1820, Mercer County, Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The next big change was in March 1848, when Auglaize County was formed. Mercer exchanged with Darke and lost land in the creation of Auglaize, and lost land to Allen and Van Wert.

1848, Mercer County, Newberry Library Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The Mercer County boundary timeline ends at 1888.

In addition to the map images, the drop-down timeline on the right has additional features. The first selection is “All Changes.” That page gives the Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries, telling all the state and boundary changes for the selected area. Also in that drop-down is a “Commentary” about Ohio. Both are good resources if you are looking for narratives, not maps.

This gives you an idea of what you can learn from these maps of county boundary changes, for any county in the country.

Very interesting, with a lot of history and very easy to use. Have fun looking through these maps.