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

Jan 11

Tombstone Tuesday-Henry F. & Abalonia (Gunther) Hoppe Freese

This is the tombstone of Henry F. and Abalonia Freese, located in row 8 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Henry F
1837-1902
Abalonia
His Wife
1837-1923
FREESE

Jan 07

1896-A Good Year

1896 was a very good year in my family history. Three of my four grandparents were born in 1896. Carl Miller, his wife Gertrude (Brewster) Miller, and Cornelius Schumm were all born in 1896. Grandma Hilda (Scaer) Schumm was born in 1895.

Jan 04

Tombstone Tuesday-Lyre/Harp Symbol

A lyre or harp engraved on a tombstone is a symbol of heavenly music, praise to God, and the hope of heaven. Lyres and harps are often seen as the root of divine music.

Dec 31

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Karen’s Chatt!

Dec 28

Tombstone Tuesday-Anchor Symbol

An anchor symbol on a tombstone signifies hope. The anchor is an ancient symbol of hope and early Christians drew a cross, disguised as an anchor, to mark and guide their way to secret meeting places.