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 research for over 20 years and am a Board-Certified genealogist, certified by the Board for Certification of Genealogists®. My main genealogical interests are family research, cemetery research, and historical and genealogical research of the Chatt area, with a 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 the Daughters of the American Revolution, U.S. Daughters of 1812, First Families of Ohio, and First Families of Mercer and Van Wert Counties. I am also a retired dental hygienist and our church organist. 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

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, …

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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 …

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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 …

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Geisler Shot Twice and Survived

George Geisler was lucky to survive being shot twice, and he even lived a few more years after the incident. The following are newspaper accounts of the December 1938 shooting of the Willshire Township native. GEORGE GEISLER, NEAR SCHUMM, SAID IMPROVEDOne of Two Small Caliber Bullets at Base of Skull No new developments have been …

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The Kables, Kesslers, Linns, & Muellers Come to Liberty Township, 1846-1874

Over seven million Germans immigrated to America during the past three centuries, the largest non-English-speaking group that came to America. German immigration to the United States occurred in three main waves: from 1820-1850, driven by economic hardship and political unrest; from 1850-1870, influenced by the failed revolutions of 1848; and from 1880-1900, because of industrialization …

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