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-Emma German [?]

This tombstone is located in row 2 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker’s inscription can no longer be read. What do you do when a tombstone is so weathered that its inscription is no longer legible?

Happy July 4th, 2022!

July 4th weekend, 2022. This coming Monday we celebrate America’s Independence Day. It is a day to remember the principles of freedom and liberty upon which our country was founded and the many sacrifices that were made to ensure those freedoms.

Tombstone Tuesday-I H S Symbol

You have probably seen the letters I H S in a church, usually seen on the altar, church windows, vestments, and even on tombstones. These three letters are called a Christogram,

Chatt News, 1917 (part 3)

Continuing with more news from Chatt in the early months of 1917, as reported in The Celina Democrat.

Tombstone Tuesday-Lillie E. Gunsett

This is the tombstone of Lillie E. Gunsett, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:
GUNSETT
Lillie E.
1898-1989