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

Tombstone Tuesday–Frederick W. Brandt

This is the tombstone of Frederick W. Brandt, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: Frederick W, Son of JL & M Brandt, Died Aug 25, 1872, Aged 26 days. According Zion’s church records, Friedrich Wilhelm Brandt was born 30 July 1872 in Blackcreek Township, Mercer …

Continue reading

It’s Family Reunion Time

It is the middle of summer and time for family reunions. Both sides of my family have family gatherings that we regularly attend. Although both reunions focus on relatives gathering together (and good food), there are differences between the Miller and Schumm reunions. The Miller reunion is held every year on the fourth Sunday in July, …

Continue reading

Tombstone Tuesday–Lewis and Margaretha Brandt

This is the tombstone of Lewis and Margaretha Brandt, located in row 3 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: BRANDT, Lewis Brandt, Born Nov 30, 1839, Died Jan 31, 1905, aged 65 y, 2 m; Margaretha Haffner, Born  Dec 9. 1846, Married to Lewis Brandt Jun 10, 1866, Died …

Continue reading

Brain Freeze

It hits you right between the eyes, smack in the middle of your forehead. At our house we call it brain freeze. I am not referring to the inability to think clearly or about having a senior moment. I am talking about the dreaded ice cream headache. This malady even has a scientific name, sphenopalatine …

Continue reading

Tombstone Tuesday–John and Anna C. Brandt

This is the tombstone of John and Anna C. Brandt, located in row 8 of Duck Creek Cemetery, Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed [south side]: John Brandt Died Mar. 12, 1868, Aged  57 ys, 9 mo, 13 ds. [north side]: Anna C., Wife of John Brandt Died Apr. 22, 1878, Aged …

Continue reading