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. The Milligan Painting — 22 comments
  5. Metal Cemetery Monuments — 21 comments

Author's posts

Tombstone Tuesday–Christian & Marie Kessler

This is the tombstone of Christian and Marie Kessler located in Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. Their granite marker is inscribed: West Side/Front: Vater Und Mutter KESSLER  South Side: Christian Kessler Gest 25 Jan. 1892 Alter 77J. 5 M. 24 T North Side: Marie Ehefrau Von C. Kessler Gest 28 Jan 1892 Alter …

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The Infamous Mainard Brewster

There is a saying that good news doesn’t sell newspapers. And that is why you are likely to find more information about a troublemaker and his encounters with the law than you will about a regular law-abiding person. In fact, the actions of the notorious generate all sorts of records. Each person chooses his or her …

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Tombstone Tuesday–Christian & Margaret Kesler

This is the tombstone of Christian and Margaret Kesler, located in Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: Christian Kesler Died July 11, 1904 Aged 60Y.  7M. 22D.  Margaret Wife of C Kesler Died Apr. 9, 1900 Aged 47Y. 6M. 3D. Kesler is spelled “Kessler” in the church records as well …

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Brewster DNA Test

DNA testing is rather popular among genealogists these days. The possibility of discovering ancestral origins, unknown relatives and family connections is appealing to us. So I recently decided to explore this area of genealogy, too. I am still learning about using DNA for genealogy research but I know a little more about interpreting the results …

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Tombstone Tuesday–Martin V. and Clara H. Stamm

This is the tombstone of Martin V. and Clara H. Stamm, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: STAMM Martin V. 1882-1974 Clara H. 1889-1979 Martin Victor Stamm, born 1 March 1882, was the son of Peter and Mary A. (Breuninger) Stamm, of Harrison Township, Van …

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