May 08

Tombstone Tuesday–Otto and Margery (Schott) Bollenbacher

Otto & Margret (Schott) Bollenbacher, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Otto and Margret (Schott) Bollenbacher, located in row 10 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

BOLLENBACHER

Margret
1895-1979

Otto
1888-1970

Married March 27 1913

Otto Bollenbacher was born 28 February 1888 in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. His mother Louisa Bollenbacher married Frederick Berron on 26 November 1889. His mother suffered with epilepsy most of her life which made it difficult to care for Otto and his three half-sisters. Some of them, including Otto, were likely raised by family or friends. Louisa died on 5 May 1911.

Otto Bollenbacher married Margret “Maggie” Schott on 27 March 1913 at Zion Chatt. They were married by Zion’s Rev. Lincoln Luther Loehr and Mrs. Loehr served as their witness.

Maggie Schott was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, on 5 March 1895, the daughter of Michael August and Margarethe Olga (Kuehm) Schott. She was baptized Margaretha Olga Schott on 24 Mar 1895 at the home of her parents. Her baptismal sponsors were Katharine Hoehamer, Lene Kuehm, and George Berron.

Shortly after their marriage Otto and Maggie lived about a mile south of Chatt, between Schaadt and Oregon Roads, but by 1920 they were living in Adams County, Indiana. Their household in 1920 Otto, 31; Maggie, 24; Arveda, 5; and Marguerite A. Letterman, 12, niece. Otto was a farmer. [1]

By 1930 Otto and Maggie had two more children, a son, LeRoy, and a daughter, Marjorie. The Otto Bollenbacher household in 1930: Otto, 42; Maggie, 37; Arveda, 16; LeRoy, 9; and Marjorie, 4 months. They rented their Adams County home and Otto farmed. [2]

Between 1935 and 1940 Otto and his family moved from rural Adams County, Indiana, to Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. They owned their home in Mercer County and Otto was a farmer. Living with them was Maggie’s widowed mother. Their household in 1940: Otto, 52; Maggie, 44; LeRoy, 19; Margery, 10; and Margaret Schott, 84, mother-in-law. [3]

Otto died at Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne on 12 February 1970 from injuries he sustained in an automobile accident a few days before, near Chattanooga, Ohio. He was 81 years old and resided in Willshire. According to his death certificate he sustained severe lacerations and a fractured left leg. Zwick’s in Decatur was in charge of the funeral arrangements and his son LeRoy Bollenbacher was the informant for the information on his death certificate. [4] Otto was buried on the 15th and Zion’s Rev. Ralph Hershberger was in charge of the service. Otto was survived by his wife, a son, and 2 daughters.

Otto’s obituary:

Crash Injuries Claim Life of Willshire Man
Willshire—Injuries suffered in a two-car accident Sunday noon in Chattanooga have proved fatal for Otto Bollenbacher, 81, of Willshire.

Mr. Bollenbcher was a passenger in a car driven by his wife Margaret, which figured in the accident. The couple was enroute home from church when the accident occurred.

Mr. Bollenbacher was taken to Adams County Memorial Hospital, Decatur, Ind., following the accident and was later transferred to Parkview Memorial Hospital, where he died at 9:15 a.m. Thursday.

He was born Feb. 28, 1888, in Mercer County and he and his wife lived in that vicinity until ab out two years ago when they moved to Willshire.

A retired farmer, he was an active member of the Zion Lutheran Church at Chattanooga.

Survivors include his widow, the former Margaret Schott, whom he married March 27, 1913, two daughters, Mrs. Lawrence (Arveda) Purdy of Rt. 1, Celina, and Mrs. George (Marjorie) Eckrote of Rt. 2, Berne, Ind.; a son, Leroy of Rt. 1, Willshire; three half-sisters, Mrs. Frieda Kreischer of Van Wert, Mrs. Edward (Hulda) Becher of Lakeville, Ind., and Mrs. Emma Zehr of Harlan, Ind.; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 1:45 p.m. Sunday at Zwick Funeral Home in Decatur and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Zion Lutheran Church. The Rev. Ralph Hershberger will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. today.

The family has requested that those who wish may make memorials to the church improvement fund. [5]

According to Zion Chatt’s records Maggie Schott died of cancer on 29 June 1979 in Van Wert County, Ohio. She was buried on 1 July and Zwick’s was in charge of the funeral arrangements.

Otto and Maggie Bollenbacher had the following children:
Arveda (1914-2001), married Lawrence Purdy
LeRoy Michael (1920-1974), married Nora Buchannan.
Marjorie Ilene (1929-2003), married George Eckrote

 

[1] 1920 U.S. Census, Jefferson, Adams, Indiana, ED 4, p.7B, dwelling 144, family 154, Otto Bollenbacher; Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T625, roll 420.

[2] 1930 U.S. Census, Jefferson, Adams, Indiana, ED 4, p.3A, dwelling & family 49, Otto Bollenbacher; Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T626.

[3] 1940 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 54-22, p.3B, family 60, Otto Bollenbacher; Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T627, roll 3114.

[4] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, Otto Bollenbacher, 12 Feb 1970; database on-line, Ancestry.com, accessed 7 May 2018; Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana, Year 1970, roll 2.

[5] Van Wert Times Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, 13 Feb 1970, p.1; digital images, Ancestry.com.

May 04

Chattanooga, Ohio, 1912

A few weeks ago I received the Holy Grail of postcards—an honest-to-goodness, authentic, 1912 picture postcard of Chattanooga, Ohio. Mary Anne Bollenbacher gave me the postcard a few minutes before the beginning of our church service and I was so excited I had a little trouble concentrating on my music. I knew there were probably some old picture postcards of Chatt out there but I thought I would never have one.

I have seen this photo before. Many of you may have seen it, too, if you have ever been in the Chatt Bar. A larger copy of the photo hangs on the wall there. Downtown Chatt in 1912.

1912 picture postcard of Chattanooga, Ohio.

This particular postcard comes from Olen Bollenbacher’s family, Olen being Mary Anne’s husband. The message on this postcard was written by Olen’s grandmother, Emma (Bollenbacher) Bollenbacher, the daughter of Jacob and Caroline (Schaadt) Bollenbacher, who was eventually married to John Martin Bollenbacher. Emma wrote the message on the postcard for her daughter Helen because Helen was only 6 years old at the time and could not write.

The postcard was in the possession of Olen’s cousin, who was downsizing and wanted to give the card to someone who would appreciate it. Thank you, Mary Anne, for thinking of me! I really do appreciate and treasure it.

In 1910 John Martin and Emma Bollenbacher lived in Jefferson Township, Adams County, Indiana. Emma was 31, Olen’s father Victor was 6, and Helen was 4. [1]

Two years later Emma wrote on the back of the postcard for Helen:

Message written by Emma Bollenbacher for her 6-year old daughter Helen.

Postmarked Wren, Ohio, 21 Sep 1912
To Miss Marie Kriesher
Wren, Ohio
RR2, Box 34

Hello Marie I am well and hope the same of youins. I will go to school next week. We will have a new teacher. Come over to see me some time. Mamma is writing this for Helen she can’t write yet from your friend Helen Bollenbacher

Youins. It must be a Chatt-area thing. My dad used that word quite often in his letters during the war.

School must have started late back then. They probably had to get most of the farm and field work finished before they started school.

The photo was taken looking to the north. On the left, beyond the first two buildings, was the Chattanooga Hotel and saloon, comprised of three buildings, where the Chatt Bar is today.  You can see that the roof had a high arched section.

1912 picture postcard of Chattanooga, Ohio.

The long sign by the water pump, in front of the hotel area, says gasoline. There are several buggies along the street as well as some hitching posts. There are several telephone poles along the street and another tall building a little farther north.

West side of street, Chattanooga, Ohio, 1912

Across the street, on the east side, is a rather large brick-looking building and one or two people are sitting on the second story roof of that building. It almost looks like someone is lying in that overhang area, too.  Under the overhang is a big tank labeled GAS. The piece of machinery in the lower right has a metal tractor seat. It looks like there may be a truck farther on north, beyond the open buggy. Three young boys are standing in the dirt street and it looks like they might be playing a game.

East side of street, Chattanooga, Ohio, 1912

What a wonderful old photo postcard of Chatt. I feel very fortunate to have it and so appreciate that the Bollenbacher family entrusted it to me for safekeeping. Thank you! Thank you!

 

[1] 1910 U.S. Census, Jefferson, Adams, Indiana, ED 4, p.2B, dwelling & family 35, John Bollenbacher; Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 1374351, NARA microfilm T624, roll 338.

May 01

Tombstone Tuesday–Freda (Becher) Byer

Freda (Becher) Byer, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Freda (Becher) Byer, located in row 9 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

FREDA, Wife of
Wm. BYER
1901-1933

Freda Becher, was born 25 May 1901, the daughter of Heinrich “Henry” and Rosina “Rosa” (Schlenker) Becher. Freda was baptized at Zion Chatt on 12 June 1901, with Anna Maria Becher serving as her sponsor. Her christening name was Ida Freda Becher.

Freda had 2 sisters, Carrie Louise (1898-1988), who married Theodore M. Leininger, and Martha Marie (1905-2001), who married Troy Woodruff.

Freda’s father Henry Becher died of a brain tumor on 27 April 1906, at the age of 40, leaving his widow Rosina to raise their 3 young daughters.

In 1910 Rosina and her 3 daughters lived with Rosina’s mother-in-law Maria (Becker) Becher in Liberty Township. Their household in 1910: Maria Becher, head, widow, 73; Rosa Becher, daughter-in-law, widow, 38; Carrie Becher, granddaughter, 12; Freda Becher, granddaughter, 8; and Martha Becher, granddaughter, 4. [1]  

Becher home west of Chatt, 1914. L to R: Rosa (Schlenker) Becher, Martha Becher, Freda Becher, Carrie Becher, Anna Maria (Becker) Becher. Photo courtesy of Dorothy Jean (Leininger) Hellworth.

Freda Becher was confirmed at Zion Chatt by Rev. W.F.H. Heuer on 30 May 1915.

By 1920 Freda’s older sister Carrie Becher had married Ted Leininger and it appears they were living with her mother Rosa and her 2 younger sisters. The Becher household in 1920: Rosa Becher, head, 48; Freda Becher, daughter, 18; Martha Becher, daughter, 14; Theodore Lininger, head, 24; and Carrie Leininger, wife, 22. [2]

Freda Becher married William Byer on 17 December 1921 at Zion Chatt. Zion’s Rev. Albrecht’s wife Clara was the witness to their marriage. William was 19 years of age, from Adams County, Indiana, and Freda was 17, from Chattanooga, Ohio.

William Byer was born 12 September 1902, in Adams County, Indiana, the son of James Franklin (1875-1951) and Mary (Stetler) (1879-1940) Byer. The surname Byer is spelled several different ways in the records—Byer, Beyer, Byers, but I am using the Byer spelling in this post, as inscribed on Freda’s tombstone.

Freda and William Byer had 2 children, Rose Mary, born 22 June 1922, and Kenneth Lavern, born 19 July 1923. Both children were baptized at Zion Chatt.

In 1930 William and Freda Byer lived in on a farm in Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, on a road called Smalley Pike, where William farmed. Their household in 1930: William, 26; Freda, 27; Rose, 7; and Kenneth, 6. [3]

Freda (Becher) Byer died of the intestinal flu on 4 January 1933 in Blackcreek Township. She was 30 years, 7 months, and 10 days old and was buried on the 6th.  Freda was survived by her husband, a daughter, a son, her mother, and 2 sisters. Ketcham’s was in charge of the arrangements.

Widower William Byer married Marie Louise Haas on 26 November 1936. They were married by Rev. W.F. Johnson, of Berne, but their marriage license and return are in Mercer County. Marie Louise (1909-1994) was the daughter of Jacob and Philippina (Schaadt) Haas. [4] William Byer died 21 June 1973 and is buried at Mercer Memory Gardens.

William and Freda Byer had 2 children:
Rose Mary (1922-2003), married Walter R. Piper
Kenneth Lavern (1923-1996), married Electa Jane Harger

 

[1] 1910 U.S. Census, Liberty Mercer, Ohio, ED 119, p.18A, dwelling 396, family 347, Marie Becher; Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 1375227, NARA microfilm T624, roll 1214.

[2] 1920 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 140, p.11B, dwelling 225, family 243, Rosa Becher; Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T625, roll 1418.

[3] 1930 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, ED 1, p.1A, dwelling & family 10, William H Byer; Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T626.

[4] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” database with images, FamilySearch.org, William H Byer & Marie Haas, 26 Nov 1936; Mercer County Marriages, Vol. 15 p.16, FHL microfilm 2366956.

Apr 27

More About Area Hucksters

Last week’s photo of Spitler Grocery’s huckster truck sparked quite a bit of interest and I enjoyed reading all the comments and hearing everyone’s memories about hucksters.

A couple people even sent me some photos. I thank everyone for sharing and today I am posting a couple of those photos that were sent to me.

Spitler Grocery, Willshire, Ohio, Huckster Truck

Thanks to Andy for sending this photo of the William Edgar Spitler family. William Spitler had a grocery in Willshire, which he sold to his sons Glenn and Jesse in 1938.

William Edgar Spitler family. (Photo courtesy of Andy Gappa)

Left to right: Elezan Byer Spitler (seated), Clark Edgar Spitler (seated on armrest), Jesse Christopher Spitler (standing), Bessie Glee Spitler Ross (seated), Glen Ivan Spitler (standing), William Edgar Spitler (seated), and Mary Bernice Spitler Morrison Taylor (standing).

Comparing the faces, the huckster truck driver seems to resemble Jesse Spitler.

Driver, Spitler Grocery, Willshire, Ohio, Huckster Truck

Andy is a Byer descendant and his connection here is that William Spitler married Elezan Byer. Andy is also a distant relative to William Kenneth Hoblet. Last week’s photo had a Hoblet connection because the Spitler truck was stopped at the Hoblet house, according to the name on the mailbox in the photo.

Thank you to Tom and Deb for sending this photo of Schumm huckster Carl Weinman. Carl is Tom’s maternal grandfather.

Carl Weinman drove a huckster wagon, which was probably out of Schumm. Schumm also had a grocery back then.

Carl Weinman with huckster truck. (Photo courtesy of Tom Reichard)

According to Tom’s mother there were numerous huckster wagons that served the area–Ohio City, Glenmore, Dull Town, Willshire, and Schumm. In addition, she said that other men would stop at homes, take orders from their store and deliver them the next day. She recalls that Miles Ross, out of Willshire, was one such man who came to their home in Schumm.

The photo below is the horse-drawn huckster wagon of Merkle & Egger from Chattanooga, Ohio. The photo was sent to me some time ago by Doug Roebuck, who is a Merkle descendant.

Merkle & Egger, Chattanooga, Ohio. (photo courtesy of Doug Roebuck)

Merkle & Egger ran a general store in Chatt in 1916, actually probably even before that. In 1910 Leo Merkle, 21, was a clerk in a general store and Semon Egger, 19, was a wagon driver. Egger may have driven the huckster wagon for the store.

Thank you all for sharing these great photos!

They are great reminders of times past.

Apr 24

Tombstone Tuesday–Eda E. (Hoehamer) Shindeldecker

Eda E Shindeldecker, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Eda Elizabeth (Hoehamer) Shindeldecker, located in row 9 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Eda E.
Shindeldecker
1901-1932

Edie “Eda” Elizabeth Hoehamer was born in Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on 3 September 1901, the daughter of William and Margaret E. “Maggie” (Kallenberger) Hoehamer. [1] She was baptized at Zion Chatt as Ida Elisabetha Hoehamer on 22 Sep 1901, with her maternal grandparents Andrew and Elizabeth (Burkhart) Kallenberger serving as her sponsors.

In 1910 the William Hoehamer family lived on West Pearl Street in Rockford, Ohio, where William was a blacksmith. Eda was enumerated at Edith in the 1910 census. William and Maggie had been married 10 years and Maggie had given birth to 3 children, all of whom were living. Their household in 1910: William M, 35; Maggie, 36; Edith, 8; Freda, 7; and William, 1. [2]

Eda was confirmed at Zion Chatt by Rev. W.F.H. Heuer on 30 May 1915. She was confirmed as Ida Hoehamer.

In 1920 Eda, enumerated in the census again as Edith, lived with her parents in Blackcreek Township. Their household in 1920: William Hoehamer, 44, farmer; Elisabeth, 46; Edith, 18; Frieda,16; William, 10; and “Kallen Barger,” mother-in-law, 79, widow, who was very likely Maggie’s mother, Elizabeth (Burkhart) Kallenberger. [3]

Eda Hoehamer married Carl A.B. Shindeldecker on 24 July 1923 at Zion Chatt, married by Zion’s Rev. J.E. Albrecht. Rev. Albrecht’s wife Clara was the witness. Carl was the son of Frank and Eudocia (Roebuck) Shindeldecker and was a farmer. Carl was from Rockford and was 22 years old. Eda was 21 years old and this was the first marriage for both. [4]

Eda and Carl attended Zion Chatt back then. They had a son, William Ansel Levine, born 29 January 1924, and a daughter, Elizabeth Jane Shindeldecker, born 15 April 1925. Both were baptized at Zion Chatt on 19 July 1925 and William Jr and Maggie (Kallenberger) Hoehamer, their maternal grandparents, were their sponsors.

In 1930 Carl and Eda lived in Dublin Township. Their household in 1930: Carl, 29; Eda, 28; Ansel, 6; and Elizabeth, 4½. Carl did road work, mixing concrete. [5]

Within the next year or two the Carl Shindeldecker family moved to RR#2 in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where Eda gave birth to another child on Christmas Day 1932. Eda died a few days later.

Eda (Hoehamer) Shindeldecker died in South Beaver Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania, on 31 December 1932 at 9:30 p.m. Her death certificate indicates that she died of influenza following the birth of a child on 25 December 1932. Eda was a housewife, aged 31 years, 3 months, and 28 days. She was buried on 4 January 1933 and Joseph Pratt and Brothers, Van Wert, Ohio, in charge of the funeral arrangements. Eda’s husband Carl was the informant for the information on her death certificate. [6]

According to Zion Chatt’s records Eda Shindeldecker was survived by 2 daughters, her parents, a sister and a brother. If that information is correct, I wonder what happened to their son Ansel. The other daughter mentioned was the child born on Christmas Day, a few days before Eda died.

Their daughter Elizabeth “Betty” married Gustav K. Carlgren and she died in 2005 in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. According to Betty’s obituary, she was survived by a brother Dan and a sister Mary. [7]

Eda’s husband Carl Shindeldecker married Verna J. (Glentzer) (1918-1981) after Eda’s death and they had several children together. Verna preceded Carl in death and Carl lived in Preble County, Ohio, at the time of his death in 1989, although he died in Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana. He died of aspiration pneumonia and a cerebral infarction on 15 April 1989 and is buried in Preble County. [8] [9]  

Carl and Eda E. (Hoehamer) Shindeldecker had the following children:
Ansel Levine (1924-?)
Elizabeth “Betty” (1925-2005), married Gustav K. Carlgren
Eda M (1932-?), married Emmett A. Miller

Eda’s siblings were Friedericke Louisa “Freda” Hoehamer (1903-1970), who married John Patrick Martelock and Wilhelm Andreas Hoehamer Jr (1909-1978), who married Alice Luella Deitsch.

 

[1] “Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003,” database with images, FamilySearch.org, Edie Elizabeth Hoehamer, 3 Sep 1901; Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, Births, Vol. 4, p.58, no.75; FHL microfilm 2367098.

[2] 1910 U.S. Census, Dublin, Mercer, Ohio, ED 111, p.7B, dwelling 182, family 187, William M. Holehower; Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 1375227, NARA microfilm T624, roll 1214.

[3] 1920 US Census, Blackcreek, Mercer, Ohio, ED 124, p.10A, dwelling 190, family 190, line 20, William Hoehamer; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 July 2013); from National Archives microfilm T625, roll 1418.

[4] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” database with images, FamilySearch.org, Carl Shingledecker & Eda Hoehamer, 24 Jul 1923; Mercer County Marriages, Vol. 12, p.225; FHL microfilm 2366955.

[5] 1930 U.S. Census, Dublin, Mercer, Ohio, ED 6, p.9A, dwelling 153, family 191, Carl Shindeldecker; Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T626.

[6] Pennsylvania Death Certificates, 1906-1966, Mrs. Eda Elizabeth Shindeldecker, 31 Dec 1932; database on-line, Ancestry.com; Pennsylvania Death Certificates, Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission 1906-1963, series 11.90, certificate no. range 106501-109500.

[7] FindAGrave.com, Betty D. Shindeldecker Carlgren, memorial no. 123841622, accessed 23 Apr 2018.

[8] FindAGrave.com, Carl Ancel Shindeldecker memorial no. 19180823, accessed 23 Apr 2018.

[9] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, Carl A Shindeldecker, 15 Apr 1989; database on-line, Ancestry.com, accessed 23 Apr 2018; Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Year 1898, roll 7.