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

Ten Tech Tools & Tips

I like tech items very much. I especially like gadgets that make my research easier. Tools that help me scan documents, digitize photos, store, enter and share data are at the top of my list of favorite things. Below is a list of some tech items that I like to use along with some tips. …

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Tombstone Tuesday-Mary Ann Cottrell Headington

This is the tombstone of Mary Ann Cottrell Headington, located in Green Park Cemetery, Portland, Jay County, Indiana. The gravestone is inscribed: Mary A Cottrell Headington, died June 19, 1903, aged 86y, 8m, 14d. Her date of birth was 5 October 1816, calculated from the age given on her tombstone. Mary Ann Cottrell married William …

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Here Come the Brides

The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton was just a week ago and the details of Catherine’s wedding gown were probably the best kept secrets of the entire event. The secrecy surrounding that information could rival that of any of classified military operation. Catherine’s gown was indeed elegant and timelessly beautiful. As soon …

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Tombstone Tuesday-Elvira Reid

This is the tombstone of Elvira Reid, nee Headington. The gravestone is located in Green Park Cemetery in Portland, Jay County, Indiana. The tombstone reads: REID—Elvira 1839-1911, Her Son Harry 1878-1910. Elvira was my third great grandmother, born 17 April 1838 in Knox County, Ohio. She was the daughter of William and Mary Ann Headington, …

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A Snapshot of the Past-Five Generations of My Family

This five generation photo is one of my favorites. William Reid, featured in my latest Tombstone Tuesday blog, is the man seated in the photo and is my second great grandfather. The little girl in the photo is my grandmother, Gertrude Miller, nee Brewster. Her mother, Pearl Brewster, nee Reid, is standing on the left. …

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