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–Magdalene and Henry Schumm

This is the tombstone of Magdalene and Henry Schumm, located in row 11 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: SCHUMM Magdalene 1865-1946 Henry 1844-1922 Henry Schumm was known as “River Henry” to people in the Willshire area because his farm bordered the St. Marys River east of Willshire. …

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1918 Letter from Regina to Christine Rueck Miller

One of the best things about blogging about family and local history is being contacted by distant relatives, old  acquaintances, former area inhabitants and others researching the same surnames. Recently I was contacted by another Rueck researcher, Onno Rueck, from Switzerland. Onno seems to have an extensive database of Ruecks from all around the world but we …

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Tombstone Tuesday–Michael J. & Margaret Kallenberger

This is the tombstone of Michael J. and Margaret “Maggie” Kallenberger, located in row 10 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: KALLENBERGER Margaret 1879-1962 Michael J. 1871-1952 Johann Michael Kallenberger was born in Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on 16 March 1871, the son of Andrew and …

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WWII Letter from Germany

He grew up during the Great Depression. He was a security guard, electrician and farmer and could fix just about anything. He was a good, honest man, one of the Greatest Generation and a US Army Veteran. And he was my dad. In remembrance of Veterans Day I have transcribed a letter that my dad, …

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Tombstone Tuesday–Andrew M. and Elisabeth Kallenberger

This is the tombstone of Andrew M. and Elisabeth Kallenberger located in row 1 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: Father & Mother Andrew M. Feb. 22, 1830-Nov. 7, 1914 Elisabeth his wife Dec. 21, 1841- Apr. 16, 1935 KALLENBERGER Andreas Michael Kallenberger was born 22 February …

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