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

Tombstone Tuesday-Star Symbol

The star symbol on a tombstone can symbolize divine guidance, eternity, or immortality, as well as hope, dreams, and life everlasting. For early Christians the five-pointed star represented the five wounds of Christ.

Duckcreek Church Officers, 1879-1880

Perhaps your ancestor was a church officer or trustee at the former Duckcreek Church. Below is a list of the Duckcreek Church leaders and trustees from 1879-1880.

Tombstone Tuesday-Harold Sauer

This is the tombstone of Harold Sauer, located in row 8 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Harold Son of
J & Bertha Sauer
Born July 31, 1911
Died Aug 10, 1911

Happy July 4th!

Happy July 4th from Karen’s Chatt!

Today, to celebrate Independence Day, our nation’s birthday, a few lines from some favorite patriotic songs:

Tombstone Tuesday-More Military Inscriptions

Today, a few more military inscriptions and insignia on local tombstones.