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

Mar 26

Tombstone Tuesday–Maria B.E. Bienz

This is the tombstone of Maria Barbara Elisabeth Bienz, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:Maria B.E. Tochter vonJ. und M. BienzGest. den 26 Jan 1897Alter 28 J. 3 M. 29 T.BIENZMaria B.E., daughter of J. and M. Bienz, died 26 January 1897, aged 28 years, 3 months, 29 days.

Mar 22

Business & Money Matters in Willshire, 1904

Today, more about Willshire, Ohio, in 1904, from information taken from the 4 May edition of the 1904 Willshire Herald.From this newspaper I learned that Willshire once had a canning factory, which was mentioned several times in the paper. They were trying to convince local farmers to grow tomatoes or sweet corn for the factory:

Mar 19

Tombstone Tuesday–Wilhelm C. & Ferdinand Bienz

This is the tombstone bearing the names of two brothers, Wilhelm C. and Ludwig Eberhard Ferdinand Bienz, located in row 1 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. Wilhelm C. Bienz is inscribed on the east side and his brother Ludwig Eberhard “Ferdinand” Bienz’s name is inscribed on the west side of the monument.

Mar 15

Willshire News, 1904

What was going on in Willshire, Ohio, in 1904? I am still going through the 5 May 1904 edition of the Willshire Herald that my great-grandfather Louis J. Schumm saved. I have so enjoyed going through this paper and I hope others also find it as interesting as I do. Today, more items from that 1904 newspaper.

Mar 12

Tombstone Tuesday–Walter Bienz

This is the tombstone of Walter Bienz, located in Zion Lutheran Cemetery Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:Son ofA.J. & P.C. BienzDied May 19, 1890Aged 2D