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 and genealogy research for over 35 years and am Credentialed as a Board-certified genealogist by the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, 2003-2024, retired 2024. My main genealogical interests are family research, cemetery research, and historical and genealogical research of the Chatt area. I also 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 U.S. Daughters of 1812, First Families of Ohio, and First Families of Mercer and Van Wert Counties. I am a retired dental hygienist and our church organist for over 60 years. 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-Coins Left on a Tombstone

Occasionally I will see coins that were left on a tombstone. What does that mean?

Area News, April-May 1911

There is probably not a better way to see what was going on in this area than to read what was in the local newspaper. Today, some area news from April and May 1911, as published in Mercer County’s Celina Democrat.  

Tombstone Tuesday-FNDOZBTKC/MRAY Masonic Inscription

These mysterious letters, FNDOZBTKC/MRAY, are inscribed on a tombstone in Van Wert’s Woodland Cemetery and are a Masonic acronym.

Willshire High School Class of 1938

Thank you very much to Larry and Anita for sharing this photo of the Willshire High School Graduating Class of 1938.

Tombstone Tuesday-Maria E. Sundemacher

This is the tombstone of Maria E. Sundemacher, located in row 12 of Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: