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

Christmas Memories–Family Gatherings

Some of the best holiday memories come from family get-togethers. When I was young we went to each of my grandparents’ homes for a Christmas celebration. The Schumms usually gathered for an evening meal sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Day. We were all able to sit around their dining room table, which was set …

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Tombstone Tuesday–Jacob Hoffmann

This is the tombstone of Jacob Hoffmann, located in row 6 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The grave marker is inscribed: Jacob Hoffmann, Gest [died] 24 Jan. 1875, Alter [age] 52 J [years], 2 M [months], 2 T [days]. Text Eb 13.14. The Family Register section of Zion’s old church records …

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Dear Christine, Clara and Wavil, 1944

Last Friday’s blog ended with the probing question, who were the two grand-nieces that were enumerated with Jacob and Regina (Gross) Rueck in the 1900 census. The two grand-nieces, Rosa and Regina, were the daughters of Johann Georg Rueck and his wife Ida Emma Schewrel. Johann Georg Rueck (1858-1944) was Jacob Rueck’s nephew, the son …

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Tombstone Tuesday–Jacob and Regina Rueck

This is the tombstone of Jacob and Regina (Gross) Rueck. This grave marker is located in Section C of Aurora Cemetery, Marion County, Oregon. The grave marker is inscribed: RUECK, Jacob, Dec. 24, 1828-Jan. 23, 1918, Father; Regina, July 22, 1833-Feb. 8, 1889, Mother. I am not sure when this tombstone photo was taken. You …

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Jacob Rueck in Oregon

The story of the Jacob and Regina (Gross) Rueck family continues in Oregon. Jacob Rueck Sr. sold his farm in Van Wert County in 1884 and most of the family moved to Oregon. Family members that moved to Oregon: Jacob and Regina, Johann George, Jacob Jr., Catherine “Katie”, David, Regina, and Carl. Fred moved on …

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