Mar 28

Tombstone Tuesday–M. Zeilinger

M Zeilinger, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio (2015 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of M. Zeilinger, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

M Zeilinger

That’s it. Any other information that was once carved into this small marble stone has weathered away long ago. The broken marker is laying face up on the ground in the children’s area of the cemetery.

Who was M Zeilinger?

Although there are several Zeilinger entries in Zion Chatt’s records there are no Zeilinger deaths recorded. This is the only Zeilinger buried in the church cemetery.

I did get some information about the Zeilingers from the church records:

The church records consistently spell the name as Zeilinger but it is spelled Zeillinger once.

Michael Zeilinger was married to Elisabeth Kundinger. Michael was from Darnbuch, Old Bavaria and Elisabeth was from Zweifelsheim, Old Bavaria. According to Wikipedia, Old Bavaria consisted of the three oldest parts of the Free State of Bavaria.

The town Zweifelsheim sounds familiar because John Peter Lotter, who also attended Zion Chatt in the late 1800s, was also from Zweifelsheim. John Peter Lotter was born in 1835 and immigrated in 1869. The Zeilingers and the Lotters knew each other well because they were baptismal sponsors for each others’ children.

Zweifelsheim is not far from Herzogenaurach, where some others were from that settled in the Chatt area and attended Zion Chatt. These include the following families: Betzel, Herzog, Gugel, Hirsch, Beyer, and Hoffmann. It is very likely that these families knew each other back in the Old Country and followed their relatives and friends to the Chatt area.

I was fortunate to locate the family on a passenger list. They departed from Bremen, Germany, on the ship Baltimore and arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, on 15 October 1872. They traveled as J.M. Zeilinger, 27; Elisab. Kundinger, 26; and Cath. Kundinger, 1¾ year. Their destination was Cincinnati and Michael was a farmer. Their country of birth and last legal residence was Germany. [1] A woman’s maiden name was often used on a passenger list even though they were married. However, there is a marriage record for the couple in Butler County, Ohio. This record indicates they married 20 October 1872. [2] Maybe they were not married until they came to America.

By 1876 Michael Zeilinger and his family had settled in Mercer County, Ohio, where they lived a mile north of Chatt. Blackcreek Township’s plat map shows that he owned a farm on the Ohio/Indiana state line, on the south side of what is now route 707. In 1888 and 1900 he owned about 50 acres in Chatt, on the corner where Zion Lutheran Church and cemetery is situated.

In the Zeilinger household in 1880: Michael, 38; Elisabeth, 34; Catharine, 9; George J, 7; Mary M, 5; John W, 3; Barbara E, 1; Mary L, 1. Michael was born about 1842 and was a farmer. Michael, Elisabeth, and Catharine were born in Bavaria/Germany and the rest of their children were born in Ohio. The census enumeration specifically mentions that Barbara and Mary were twins. The family was enumerated as Sidinger in the 1880 census. They are listed right next to my great-grandfather Jacob Miller on the census page. [3]

Michael and Elizabeth (Kundinger) had the following 7 children. All were baptized at Zion Chatt except the two oldest, Katharina and Johann Georg. All were confirmed at Zion Chatt:

  1. Katharine Kundinger, born in Bavaria 2 November 1870, confirmed at Zion in 1885. Katharine married Anton Bollenbacher in 1893.
  2. Johann Georg Zeilinger, born 3 September 1873, confirmed at Zion in 1887. He was probably their son, although his parents were not named in his confirmation record. One Georg Zeilinger, from Muncie, Indiana, married Rosina Hoffman 1 October 1901. This could be the son of Michael and Elizabeth.
  3. Maria Wilhelmina “Minnie” Zeilinger, born 1 April 1875 in Blackcreek Township, confirmed at Zion in 1888. She was the first of the Zeilinger children to be baptized at Zion Chatt, baptized on 28 April 1875. Millie married John Leininger in 1893.
  4. Johann Wilhelm Zeilinger, born 11 November 1876, confirmed at Zion in 1890.
  5. Elisabeth Barbara Zeilinger born 27 Oct 1878, confirmed at Zion in 1893.
  6. Maria Louise Zeilinger born 27 October 1878, confirmed at Zion in 1893.
  7. John Heinrich Zeilinger, born 18 May 1882, confirmed at Zion in 1896.

The Zeilingers are last mentioned in Zion Chatt’s records in 1896 when Elisabeth Zeilinger was the baptismal sponsor for Edward Paul Strabel, son of Johann and Caroline (Deitsch) Strabel.

The Zeilingers moved from the area by 1900, to Delaware County, Indiana, where Michael worked as a night watchman. In their household in 1900: Michael, 54; Lizzie, 55; George, 27; William, 23; and Heinrich, 18. This record indicates that they had been married 28 years and that Michael immigrated in 1872. This census also indicates that Elizabeth/Lizzie had given birth to 7 children and all 7 were living, which is no help in determining if one of their children is buried in Zion Chatt’s cemetery. [4]

M Zeilinger, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio (2015 photo by Karen)

We know this was not the father Michael’s tombstone because he died of pernicious anemia on 24 December 1917 in Centre Township, Delaware County, Indiana, at age 72. His death certificate indicates he was born 14 Dec [?]1845 in Germany. His father was John Zeilinger and his mother’s name was not known on this record. His wife Elisabeth survived him and he was buried in Beech Grove Cemetery. [5]

We will probably never know who this marker is for. I suspect that Michael and Elizabeth may have had a child who was stillborn or who died shortly after birth or in infancy between the years 1879 and 1881.

[1] Baltimore, Passenger Lists, 1820-1964, Ancestry.com, JM Zeilinger, no. 188-90; Records of the US Customs Service, RG36, NAI No. 2655153; Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004, Record Group 85.

[2] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” Michael Zeilinger and Elizabeth Kundinger, 20 Oct 1872; FamilySearch.org (accessed 26 Mar 2017); Butler Co Marriages, Vol. 4, p.226, FHL microfilm 355779.

[3] 1880 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, ED 179, p.324C, line 31, Mike Sidinger; Ancestry.com (accessed 26 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1255048, NARA microfilm T9, roll 1048.

[4] 1900 U.S. Census, Center, Delaware, Indiana, ED 36, p.20B, dwelling 457, family 483, Michael Zeilinger; Ancestry.com (accessed 26 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1240367, NARA microfilm T623, roll 367.

[5] Indiana, Death Certificate, 1899-2011, Ancestry.com, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mar 24

More Local Obituary Abstracts, 1834-1850

Last week I posted some local obituary abstracts from the book Abstracts of Obituaries in the Western Christian Advocate, 1834-1850, compiled by Margaret R. Waters, Dorothy Riker, and Doris Leistner, copyright 1988, Indiana Historical Society. More information about this compilation is at the end of this post.

Below are a few more local obituaries from this 138-page book. Some of these obituaries give us an idea of the sadness and the hardships these families endured.

Dublin Township:

ALLEN, Elizabeth, died 19 September 1848 in Dublin Township, Mercer County, Ohio. She was about 34 years old and was married to Robert Allen, who survived her with their 4 children. She recently moved here from near Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio.

Montezuma:

ARMSTRONG, William, born 1801 in Ireland, died in Montezuma, Mercer County, Ohio, on 23 March 1850 at the age of 49. He immigrated to Liverpool, England in 1831, to Lower Canada in 1837, and to the United States in 1847. He lived in Montezuma for a short time. He had sons Thomas, who died 7 December 1849 age 8 years; John, who died 11 December 1849, age 15; William, who died 14 December, age 4; and Christopher, who died 20 December 1849, age 11.

Celina:

McMAHAN, Mrs. Elizabeth, born February 1779 in Virginia, died 16 January 1843 in Celina, Mercer County, at the age of 63. Her children included a son Elza.

I learned that there was also a Shanesville in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Of the two entries below, one specifies Mercer County, Ohio. I am not sure if the other was Mercer County or not.

Shanesville:

ROEBUCK, Oliver H.P., died 5 October 1842 near Shanesville, Mercer County, Ohio, at the age of 23.

OFFICER, David, died 12 June 1846 at Shanesville, Ohio. He was married. Signed Shanesville, Ohio. [The county was not specified.]

Mendon, Ohio:

PRETSMAN, Mrs., died 6 November 1842 near Minden [sic], Mercer County, Ohio, at the age of 51. She was married to John Pretsman. [I assume they meant Mendon.]

Willshire:

BLOSSOM, Mary, died 20 December 1848, near Willshire, Van Wert County, Ohio, at the age of 66. Her husband survived her.

HORDZOG, Solomon, died 7 November 1848 in Willshire, Van Wert County, Ohio.

MAJORS, David, died 5 November 1847 in Willshire, Van Wert County, Ohio, at the age of 69. He died about 6 hours before George Majors. [The abstract notes that their relationship was not stated.]

MAJORS, George, died 5 November 1848 in Willshire, Van Wert County, Ohio, at the age of 31.

McKIM, Mrs. Calinda, born 30 November 1824 in Montgomery County, Ohio, died 1 September 1850 in Willshire, Van Wert County, Ohio. Her parents were James and Hannah Majors. She married Thomas S. McKim in 1846 and he survived her.

Van Wert County:

HILL, William, born 16 December 1773 in Berkley County, Virginia, died 21 October 1845 in Van Wert County, Ohio. He moved from Fayette County, Ohio, to Van Wert County in 1836 and was a Presbyterian.

PRIDDY, Eliza, born 1791 in Delaware, died 23 May 1843, probably in Van Wert County, Ohio. She was the youngest daughter of Benjamin Butler. She was reared in the family of her eldest brother, Thomas Butler, after her mother’s death when she was 5 years old. She moved near Chillicothe with her brother’s family in 1807 and he died soon after that, leaving a widow and 6 small children. Eliza married William Priddy in 1817 and they moved to Putman County, Indiana, in 1832 and then to Van Wert County. They had 8 children. Signed Lima, Ohio.

JACKSON, Ferman, died 19 February 1849 at his residence in Van Wert County, Ohio, at the age of 45. His wife and 3 children survived him.

Ohio City:

DUNHAM, William, died at 4 o’clock p.m. on 29 March 1848 at Ohio City, Ohio. His wife and 1 child survived him.

LATIMER, Mr., a resident of Ohio City, died 28 July 1838 in Painsville, Ohio, when he fell into boiling lye at an ashery.

Not relevant to our area but still interesting:

NON-ON-DA-GUM-UN, Chief of Delaware Indians, died 11 November 1842 at the Delaware Mission in Missouri. He had converted 8 years before his death, was accused of witchcraft by members of his tribe in 1840, and narrowly escaped death.

Next week some local Indiana obituaries from the Western Christian Advocate, 1834-1850.

Obituary Abstracts from the Western Christian Advocate 1834-1850.

About the book:

The Western Christian Advocate was a weekly publication of the Methodist Church, printed in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was an outgrowth of the Christian Advocate and Journal, a newspaper started in New York City in 1826, which by 1831 had the largest circulation of any weekly paper in the nation, religious or secular.

As Methodism spread westward there was a need for an additional newspaper to provide for those in the Midwest. The Western Christian Advocate was established in 1834 for this purpose and consisted of four standard-size newspaper pages. News consisted of obituaries, some marriages, general news items, medical information, temperance and missionary news, Methodist meeting reports, sermons, and denominational concerns. Obituaries were not limited to Methodists and most of the deaths reported were from Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and other Midwestern states. The paper had a circulation of 14,000 in 1840 and 18,000 by 1850. It was published until 1929.

 

Mar 21

Tombstone Tuesday–Anna M. Wick

Anna M. Wick, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2013 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Anna M. Wick, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Our Darling
Anna M.
Daut. Of
S.S. & A.C. Wick
Died
Aug. 25, 1879
Aged
2 Yrs, 9 Mo, 3 d.

Anna’s tombstone is rather easy to spot. It is located in the middle of Zion’s cemetery and is the only tombstone in the cemetery with a figure of a lamb on the top. A lamb was most often used on a child’s tombstone and signifies innocence and purity. Markers with a lamb are not unusual but this is the only one in Zion Chatt’s cemetery. There are a couple tombstones with lambs carved into the stone in the cemetery.

Christened Anna Magdalena Wick, Anna was born In Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on 22 November 1876, the daughter of Samuel Sixtus and Anna Catharine (Gugel) Wick. Anna was baptized when she was just 34 days old, on 26 December 1876. Her maternal grandparents, Sixtus and Magdalena (Herzog) Gugel, served as her baptismal sponsors. The records do not indicate whether she was baptized at home or at the church.

Her birth is also recorded in the Mercer County Probate Court records, reported by her father.

This surname was usually spelled as Wick in the church records but it was recorded as Wieck on Anna’s baptismal record as well as on her sister Maria Anna Wick’s baptismal record in 1878. The Gugel surname was sometimes spelled as Kugel.

Anna’s parents, Samuel Wick and Anna Catharine Gugel married 6 April 1873 at Zion Chatt. Anna’s paternal grandparents were Johann and Anna Wick and her maternal grandparents were Sixtus and Magdalena Gugel.

Anna Magdalena was born between two census enumerations so there are only few records that tell of her short life.

Anna M. Wick (2013 photo by Karen)

Anna Magdalena died 25 August 1879, at the young age of age 2 years, 9 months, and 3 days.

Anna M. Wick (2013 photo by Karen)

Samuel and Anna Catharine Wick had four other children. Two of them are mentioned in Zion Chatt’s records: William Henry Wick, born in January 1875; and Maria Anna, born in March of 1878. They also had twin sons, John Sixtus [1] [2] and Fredrick, both born 20 June 1880. [3]

Anna’s father died in 1910 and her mother died in 1927. Both are buried in Duck Creek Cemetery. Her maternal Gugel grandparents are buried in Zion Chatt’s cemetery.

When I looked at the 1900 census I noticed that the Samuel Wick family lived very close to my great-grandfather Jacob Miller and his family, which included my grandfather Carl Miller.

The 1876, 1888, and 1900 Blackcreek plat maps indicate that Samuel Wick lived just around the corner from my great-grandfather. In 1876 Samuel owned 80 acres on the northwest corner of State Route 49 and Sipe Road. His father-in-law Sixtus Gugel lived across the road and also owned 80 acres. In 1888 and 1900 Samuel still owned his same 80 acre parcel as well as the 80 acres Sixtus Gugel had once owned. According to the map it looks like the Wicks lived in the house that Kralls once lived in.

 

[1] 1900 U.S. Census Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, ED 74, p.10A, dwelling/ family 204, Samuel Wick; Ancestry.com (accessed 19 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1241303, NARA microfilm T623, roll 1303.

[2] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” FamilySearch.org (accessed 19 Mar 2017), John Sixtus Wick, 1 Oct 1945; FHL microfilm 2372585.

[3] Fred Wick: b. 20 Jun 1880 MCO, died 4 Jul 1945: “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” FamilySearch.org (accessed 19 Mar 2017), Fred Wick, 4 Jul 1945; FHL microfilm 2372580.

 

Mar 17

Some Local Obituary Abstracts, 1834-1850

I was doing a little spring cleaning and trying to reorganize my office when I came across a book that I forgot I had, Abstracts of Obituaries in the Western Christian Advocate, 1834-1850. It was compiled by Margaret R. Waters, Dorothy Riker, and Doris Leistner, copyright 1988, Indiana Historical Society. It took a lot of research and hard work to compile this interesting and informative book that is indexed and very well organized.

Abstracts of Obituaries in the Western Christian Advocate, 1834-1850

The Western Christian Advocate was a weekly publication of the Methodist Church, printed in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was an outgrowth of the Christian Advocate and Journal, a newspaper started in New York City in 1826, which by 1831 had the largest circulation of any weekly paper in the nation, religious or secular.

As Methodism spread westward there was a need for a newspaper to provide for those in the Midwest. The Western Christian Advocate was established in 1834 for this purpose and each issue consisted of four standard-size newspaper pages. News consisted of obituaries, some marriages, general news items, medical information, temperance and missionary news, Methodist meeting reports, sermons, and denominational concerns. Obituaries were not limited to only Methodists and most of the deaths reported were from Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and other Midwestern states. The paper had a circulation of 14,000 in 1840 and 18,000 by 1850. It was published until 1929.

I looked through the index and found some obituary abstracts of individuals from our area. I noticed places such as Deep Cut and Duck Creek were specifically mentioned, likely because there was a Methodist congregation in those areas. Also note that St. Marys was still part of Mercer County until 1848.

Below are a few local obituary abstracts.

Auglaize County, Ohio:

GRAY, Eliza Jane, b. 16 August 1804 in Virginia, d.15 August 1849 at her residence near Wapakoneta, at the age of 45. Her parents were William & Catharine McGee and the family moved to Kentucky when she was 12 years old. She married Samuel Gray on 28 March 1819 and they moved to Miami County, Ohio, in 1827; to Mercer County, Kentucky, in 1832; and to Auglaize County, Ohio, in 1838. Her husband survived her and they had children, but they were not named in the obituary.

Deep Cut, Mercer County, Ohio:

DELLINGER, Susannah, born in Fairfield County, Ohio, died 17 July 1847 in [Deep Cut] Mercer County, Ohio. Her parents were William and Susanna North. She married Samuel Dellinger on 20 April 1835. She was survived by her husband and 2 small children.

Duck Creek, Mercer County, Ohio:

COUNTERMAN, Mrs. Elizabeth, died in 1 January 1843 at the age of 23 [Duck Creek]. She was married to Jacob Counterman.

FLAGG, Samuel, born September 1772 in Boilstone, Massachusetts. He died January 1843 [Duck Creek]. In 1800 he lived in Berkshire, Franklin County, Vermont.

Mendon, Mercer County, Ohio:

DUTTON, Mrs. Elizabeth, died November 1840. She was married to Jonathan Dutton.

Mercer County, Ohio:

DONLEY, Mary, born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, died 9 March 1839 in Mercer County, Ohio. She came to Ohio in 1818.

GLINKLE, Mrs., born in New York, died in Mercer County, Ohio. She was married and had a family. Her death was in the 26 January 1844 issue.

HARPER, Mrs. Catharine, born 20 May 1795 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, died 8 November 1841 in Mercer County, Ohio. Her parents were John and Catharine Martin. She married Joseph Harper on 3 September 1813. They had a daughter Margaret who died 20 December 1841. She lived in Venango County, Pennsylvania, at one time.

HOLLINGSWORTH, Deborah, born in Jackson County, Ohio, and died 8 October 1844 at St. Marys, Mercer County, Ohio, at the age of 33 years. She was the daughter of Cuthbert and Deborah Vinson and they moved to Mercer County in 1825. She married William Hollingsworth in 1834 and they had 3 children.

JONES, Charlotte, died 19 April 1837 in Mercer County, Ohio. She was the daughter of Samuel and Ruth Johnson. She was the wife of JB Jones and they lived in Dayton, Ohio.

LATTIMER, Esther, born 26 August 1796 in New York state. She died near St. Marys, Mercer County, Ohio, on 5 August 1844, at the age of 48. She moved to Medina County, Ohio, in 1826, and to Mercer County, Ohio, after her marriage to William Lattimer, which was on 20 October 1842.

MERLIN, Lydia, died in Mercer County, Ohio, on 21 May 1849 at the age of 41. She was married to William Merlin.

MORE, James, born in 1786 in Virginia, died 21 October 1839 in Mercer County, Ohio. He moved to Madison County, Ohio, about 1809, to Franklin County, and finally to Mercer County.

POWERS, Margaret Jane, died in Mercer County, Ohio, on 20 December 1841, at the age of 20. She was the daughter of Joseph and Catharine Harper and was married to John Powers.

ROEBUCK, Benjamin, born in Virginia, died 17 December 1842 in Mercer County, Ohio. He moved from Virginia to Ross County, Ohio, in the early 1800s. He had children who were not named in the obituary.

ROEBUCK, Greenley, died in Mercer County, Ohio, on 28 December 1841 at the age of 26. He was the son of Benjamin Roebuck and was formerly from Fayette County, Ohio.

ROEBUCK, Sarah, born in South Carolina, died 11 December 1842 in Mercer County, Ohio. She was past 50 years of age. She was a widow and her husband died about a year before. She had 11 children, 1 died young and 2 sons were deceased. She moved from Fayette County, Ohio, 24 years ago.

UPTON, Margaret, born in Hardin County, Kentucky, died in Mercer County, Ohio, on 20 June 1845, at the age of 25 years. She married Thomas Upton on 21 March 1839 and they moved to Mercer County shortly after their marriage.  They had 4 children.

WATTS, James, born 1787 in Baltimore County, Maryland, died in Mercer County, Ohio, on 24 January 1843.

WRIGHT, Able, born 1765 in Shenandoah County, Virginia, died in Neptune, Mercer County, Ohio on 17 March 1848, at 83 years of age. He moved to Clinton County, Ohio about 40 years ago and later to Mercer County.

WRIGHT, Mrs. Mary, died in Mercer County, Ohio 3 August 1840, at the age of 75. She was married to Able Wright.

WRIGHT, Wealthy, born in Whately, Massachusetts, died in Mercer County, Ohio on 3 September 1845 at the age of 60. She was the daughter of John and Jane Smith and they moved to western New York when she was young. She married James Wright in 1805.

I will print a few more local obituary abstracts from the Western Christian Advocate next week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mar 14

Tombstone Tuesday–Johann Brinkmann

Johann Brinkmann, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2015 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Johann Brinkmann, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Hier
Ruht in Gott
Johann
Brinkmann
Geb. 26 Juli
1879
Gest. 13 Oct
1894
Alter 15 Jahr
2 Mon 17 Tag

Translation: Here rests in God Johann Brinkmann, born 26 July 1879, died 13 October 1894, aged 15 years, 2 months, and 17 days.

There is a record of this young man’s death and burial in Zion Chatt’s records. The dates and ages in the church record match the dates on the tombstone, but his name is different. The church record shows his name as Wilhelm Heinrich Karl Brinkmann.

The church record indicates that he was born near Berlin on 26 July 1879. Unfortunately it does not give the names of his parents. The record also indicates that the cause of his death was typhoid/nervous fever and that he was buried on 14 July.

Johann Brinkmann’s death is recorded in the Mercer County, Ohio, probate death records, which gives his name as John. It indicates that he died in Blackcreek Township, where he also lived, and that he was born in what looks like Hassoor Ger. Did they mean Hessen Germany?  The county record also indicates that he was a farmer and that he died of “Typ. Malria.” The writing on this record is difficult to read. This record tells that he was 15 years and 1 month of age.  Unfortunately the county record does not give the names of his parents either. [1]

When I first read the church record I thought of Berlin, Ohio, but when I read his county death record I think he may have been born near Berlin, Germany.

Johann Brinkmann, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

I don’t know of any Brinkmanns that lived in the Chatt area but Johann did attend Zion Chatt and took communion there at least once between the years 1893 and 1894. There was a Joseph Brinkman family that lived in Granville Township but I do not know if there was a connection.

Another little mystery in Zion Chatt’s cemetery.

 

[1] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 12 Mar 2017), John Brinkman, 13 Oct 1894; Blackcreek, Mercer, Deaths, Vol. 2, p.261; from FHL microfilm 914954.