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

May 09

Tombstone Tuesday-Carl P. Bollenbacher

This is the tombstone of Carl P. Bollenbacher, located in row 3 of St. Paul’s County Church Cemetery, formerly known as St. Paul’s UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

CARL P.
BOLLENBACHER
Died May 8, 1906
Age 15y, 3m, 2d

May 05

It’s a Long Way From Shipshewana

You may have heard the old British song from WWI, It’s a Long Way to Tipperary. It begins like this: “It’s a long way to Tipperary, it’s a long way to go…” If you know the melody, substitute these words: It a long way from Shipshewana, it’s a long way to Holmes… Those words went through our minds last weekend. 

May 02

Tombstone Tuesday-Walther League Symbol

This is the symbol for the Walther League, a youth society for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Apr 28

A Bienz-Ross Photo Mystery

Last week I showed photos of three very old Schumm-related documents and this photo was with them. This photo, likely taken in Blackcreek Township, has me stumped.

Apr 25

Tombstone Tuesday-Luther Rose Symbol

The image on these tombstones is the Luther Rose, the symbol for Lutheranism. The seal was designed by Martin Luther in 1516 and it symbolizes the basic elements of Christian theology.