Karen Bennett

Greetings from the Chattanooga, Ohio, area. Yes, Ohio has its very own Chattanooga, aka Chatt, a small village in west-central Ohio, near the Indiana border. I have been doing family history and genealogy research for over 35 years and am Credentialed as a Board-certified genealogist by the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, 2003-2024, retired 2024. My main genealogical interests are family research, cemetery research, and historical and genealogical research of the Chatt area. I also focus on two area Lutheran Churches, both named Zion Lutheran, one in Chatt and the other in Schumm, Ohio. Family names I am researching include Miller, Schumm, Brewster, Rueck, Reid, Headington, Huey, Bryan, Whiteman, Schinnerer, Scaer, Breuninger, Bennett, and a few others. I belong to several lineage societies, including U.S. Daughters of 1812, First Families of Ohio, and First Families of Mercer and Van Wert Counties. I am a retired dental hygienist and our church organist for over 60 years. I hope you enjoy Karen's Chatt.

Most commented posts

  1. Golden Wedding Anniversary — 37 comments
  2. Haunted Mercer County? — 34 comments
  3. The Old Willshire Hotel — 30 comments
  4. Metal Cemetery Monuments — 25 comments
  5. The Milligan Painting — 24 comments

Author's posts

Jul 30

Our Sensational Schumm Family

The biennial Schumm reunion is this weekend, 102 years of Schumm reunions, the 46th reunion. In commemoration of the John George Schumm family, I am sharing the talk I presented at the 2024 reunion, Our Sensational Schumm Family. For that 2024 reunion, the 100th year anniversary of the Schumm reunion, we published an updated Schumm …

Continue reading

Jul 23

Postmarked Schumm, 1912, from Anna (Seemeyer) Liebmann

This postcard is postmarked Schumm, Ohio, 19 August 1912, and provides some interesting Schumm connections for both the Schumm family and for Zion Lutheran Church at Schumm.  The message is handwritten in German script (Kurrentschrift) and was translated by Scribe AI on MyHeritage.com. Interesting that in 1912 this family was speaking and writing German.  The …

Continue reading

Jul 02

The Past 250 Years-America 250!

To commemorate Independence Day this year and America’s 250th anniversary, here is my list of some highlights of American’s past 250 years by decade. My timeline includes national, state, local, and personal milestones. 1770s: The Revolutionary War begins in 1775.The Declaration of Independence is adopted on 4 July 1776.Christian Whiteman [Karen’s ancestor] and Samuel Bennett, …

Continue reading

Jun 25

Fourth of July 2026–America 250

We are a little over a week away from the official America 250 celebration day, on 4 July 2026, although preparations and commemorations began months ago. This year’s Fourth of July is a once-in-a-lifetime event, as America celebrates its quarter of a millennium anniversary, also known as a Semiquincentennial. July Fourth 2026 is the 250th …

Continue reading

Jun 11

Dr. P.T. Waters, Chattanooga, Ohio, 1900

Here is a postcard sent from the Chattanooga, Ohio, Post Office in December 1900. The postmaster in Chattanooga’s post office in 1900 was Andrew Leistner. He was appointed postmaster in 10 April 1899 and served as their postmaster until 14 September 1904. Chattanooga’s post office was discontinued on 3 May 1905 and the mail was …

Continue reading