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-Daughters of Rebekah Symbol

The Daughters of Rebekah, a branch of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was established in 1851. The name is derived from Rebekah in the Bible. Sometimes called the Rebekahs, the society is an international service organization.

Mystery Solved! 1910 Liberty Township Boxwell Commencement

Sometimes it takes a while to solve a mystery. Sometimes it takes 9 years.
Such is the case concerning a Liberty Township photo sent to me 9 years ago.

Tombstone Tuesday-Odd Fellows Symbol

The symbol of the fraternal society known as the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, aka Odd Fellows, is three links of a chain.

Labor Day and the Durbin Bean Bake

I know what everyone is wondering right now–where did the summer go? As usual, this summer has gone quickly and here it is, Labor Day weekend, which traditionally marks the end of summer.

Tombstone Tuesday-Edna A. & Clara M. Schumm

This is the tombstone of Edna A. and Clara M. Schumm, located in row 9 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:
Edna A.
1895-1990
Clara M.
1898-1984
Sisters Edna and Clara Schumm were the fifth and sixth of eight children born to Henry M. (1861-1941) and Minnie (Hoppe) (1860-1937) Schumm.