Tombstone Tuesday–Sixtus and Magdalene Gugel

Sixtus & Magealene Gugel, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Ohio.

This is the tombstone of Sixtus and Magdalene Gugel, located in row 6 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The left side of the marker bears the inscription for Sixtus/Father and the right side for Magdalene/Mother. The bases are inscribed: GUGEL, Sixtus Gugel, Born 16 March 1817, Died 2 Jan 1884, age 66 y, 9 m, 17 d. Magdalene, wife of Sixtus Gugel, Died 20 May 1882, aged 62 years.

Father is inscribed in large letters on the left side of the arch and Mother is inscribed on the right side. At the top of the arch, under the urn, are clasped hands, signifying marriage–husband and wife. Usually the wrist cuffs on clasped hands are plain and lacy, plain for the man and lacy for the woman. On this marker the lacy cuff appears to be on the side of Father.

According to Zion’s Family Register, which is in the oldest church book:

Sixtus Gugel, son of Christoph and Catharina Gugel, was born 16 March 1817 in Birkach, County Court Markerlbach, District Mittelfranken. He was baptized and confirmed there. He traveled to North America in 1843 and settled down in Butler County, Ohio. There he married Magdalena Herzog in the same year. She was the daughter of Johann and Margaretha Herzog and was born 20 May 1820 in Buschendorf, County Court Herzogenauerach, District Unterfranken, Kingdom of Bavaria, Europe. She was baptized and confirmed there.  Both spouses lived some years in Butler County, Ohio, and then moved to Mercer County, Ohio. Children born from this marriage:

1. Anna Sophia, born 30 December 1849 in Butler County, Ohio, baptized and confirmed on 15 May 1864 in Mercer County, Ohio.
2. Anna Catharina, born 28 February 1852 in Mercer County, Ohio.
3. In October 1859 a little girl was stillborn to them.

The death and burial of both Sixtus and Magdalene are also recorded in Zion’s records:

Magdalena Kugel [Gugel] died Friday, 19 May 1882, age 62 years. She was born 22 May 18__ [left blank]. Burial was on Sunday, 21 May.

Sixtus Gugel was born 16 March 1817 in Birkach, District Mittelfranken, Bavaria. He died 2 January 1884, age 66 years, 7 months, 16 days. Burial was on the 4th in Zion’s church yard.

According to the 1876 map of Mercer County Sixtus Gugel lived in southwest quarter of Section 20 in Blackcreek Township. His 80 acre farm was about two miles north of Chattanooga on the east side of what is now State Route 49, at the end of Sipe Road.

 

 

 

2 comments

    • Jane Nelson on March 14, 2020 at 6:51 pm
    • Reply

    Hi Karen,
    I enjoyed reading about the Gugel family. My mother was born Kathryn Kugel in Celina, Mercer County, Ohio. Her parents were Lewis and Caroline Kugel. One of my sisters and I have been trying to trace our family’s history for a long time and have not been successful. Lewis’ father, Michael, emigrated to America from Germany in 1849. We have not been able to find out anything about Michael or his parents. We do know that Margaretha Kugel brought him to America.
    My reason for writing is to ask if you do research/genealogy for other people. We need help!
    Please let me know.
    Thank you, Jane Nelson

    1. So nice to hear about your connection to the Kugel/Gugel family. No, I do not take research projects for others, but there are specific German researchers that do. Plus, the Family History Library has filmed documents from many areas of Germany and are putting new items on-line all the time, to research for free. I wish you luck with your family research.

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