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.

Mar 10

Springtime–Flowers and Memories

Spring is less than two weeks away. Although this has been a fairly mild winter everyone is always ready for spring this time of year.

One sure sign of the upcoming spring season is the arrival of seed and plant catalogs. We received over a dozen catalogs this year, many more than we usually do. We usually don’t receive flower and seed catalogs, mainly because we don’t order seeds or plants by mail.

Why all the catalogs this year? They were sent to my mom, but forwarded to our address. We are still getting mail intended for her.

My mom was an avid flower gardener. Actually, my dad enjoyed working in the yard as much as she did and they had a beautiful yard. They took a lot of pride in their yard and they spent many hours planting, grooming, and tending to it. It was one of their favorite pastimes and, as a result, their lot was always a show-place.

They once had a small vegetable garden and a few fruit trees in back but mainly my mom grew flowers. At one time she had over 100 rose bushes. Most of them were along the fence surrounding their yard and around the back lot but she also had a small rose garden east of the gazebo.

She definitely had a green thumb and she nurtured some of her plants all winter long. In the fall she would pull up her geraniums and winter them over in their sun porch, setting them in the room’s south window. In late winter the catalogs would arrive and she would pore over them, planning and making sketches of her intended flower bed plantings for that year. Then she would order the seeds and start them indoors. Those fragile little seedlings. Some would make it and some would not, but most did survive for her. There were a few years when she used a grow-light in the basement. The fragile little plants would arrive from the plant retailers later, at planting time.

Every spring my parents planted a lot of flowers. After all, there were a lot of beds to be planted in their yard. Most areas contained some perennials, around which they would fill in with annuals. There were several beds around the yard, the area around the house and around the gazebo, the planter attached to the house and the planters by the driveway, the area by the fence, the boardwalk going to the gazebo, and the rose garden and vegetable garden. It was a lot to plant and maintain! I remember one year they planted over 300 plants. Some were started from seed, others were mail-order, and the geraniums were the ones my mom had wintered over.

My parents probably inherited the gardening gene from their parents.

Both Grandma Miller and Grandma Schumm always had very nice vegetable gardens and Grandpa Schumm had massive hedges that once surrounded their house east of Willshire.

As the years went on it became more difficult for my parents to maintain all the flowers and plants. They took out the vegetable garden and the rose garden and cut down the fruit trees. Some of the roses died along the fence and my mom gave away some of the other roses.

My dad bought a Gator to get around the yard easier. He was so proud of that vehicle.

After my dad died my mom planted more perennials and fewer annuals. That was less work and she had fewer flowers, but her yard still always looked nice.

And the new owners continue in that same tradition.

Mar 07

Tombstone Tuesday–Jacob & Gertrude (Miller) Deitsch

Jacob & Gertrude (Miller) Deitsch, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Jacob and Gertrude (Miller) Deitsch, located in row 6 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

DEITSCH

Gertrude
Deitsch
Died July
13, 1902
Aged 75 Y
8 M  21 D

Jacob Deitsch
Died June
20, 1891
Aged 67 Y
1 M   17 D

According to Zion Chatt’s Familienbuch Jacob Deitsch was born 3 May 1824 in Bischmisheim, District Sarrbrucken in the Kingdom of Prussia. He was the son of Jacob and Maria Sophia Deitsch and he  immigrated to America with his parents in 1836. They lived in Butler County, Ohio, some time before coming to Mercer County, Ohio.

Jacob married Gertrude Müller/Miller in Mercer County on 17 January 1852. [1] Her name is listed as Charity on their marriage record. She was called Charity in the 1870 census and Catharine in the 1860 census, but she usually went by the name of Gertrude.

Gerturde was the daughter of Johann Andreas and Barbara Müller/Miller. Gertrude was born 22 October 1826 in Eichfeld, District Mittelfranken, Kingdom of Bavaria. Her name was often spelled Gertraud in the church records.

In 1860 the Jacob Deitsch family lived in Jefferson Township, Mercer County, with a Celina address. In the household: Jacob, 35; Catharine, 34; Mary, 8; Sophia, 6; Margaret, 4; Jacob, 2; William, 4 months; and John Smith, 25. Jacob Deitsch and John Smith were both merchants. [2]

Zion’s records mention that Jacob Deitsch moved out of the community in 1864. The family was living in Jefferson Township in 1870 but Jacob and Gertrude took communion at Zion Chatt until their deaths. All of their children were baptized at Zion Chatt, except Elizabeth. Only Elizabeth’s confirmation is listed in the records.

In 1870 the Jacob Deitch family lived in Jefferson Township with a Celina address: Jacob, 46; Charity, 44; Mary C, 17; Sophia, 16; Margaret, 15; Jacob, 11; Frederick, 9; Louisa R, 6; Elizabeth, 4 months. Jacob farmed. [3]

In 1880 Jacob and Gertrude Deitsch and their family lived Liberty Township: Jacob, 57; Gertrude, 55; Mary C, 27; Sophia, 25; Frederick, 19; Louisa, 17; and Elisabeth, 10. Jacob was a farmer and daughter Mary C. was a school teacher. [4]

Jacob Deitsch died in Liberty Township on 20 June 1891 of rheumatism and cerebral inflammation, according to Zion Chatt’s records. He was 67 years, 1 month, and 17 days old and was buried on the 22nd. Rev. Chr. Reichert was in charge of the service.

In 1900 widow Gertrude Deitsch lived with daughter Mary and son-in-law Andrew Leistner. In the household: Andrew Leistner, 47; Mary Leistner, 47; Gertrude Deitsch, 73; William Huston, 26; Ettie Leistner, 26; and Charles Snider, 27. [5]

Gertrude Deitsch died 13 July 1902 at the age of 75 years, 9 months, and 21 days, according to Zion Chatt’s records, which disagree slightly from her tombstone inscription. She was buried on the 15th.

Jacob and Gertrude (Miller) Deitsch had the following children:
Maria/Mary Catharine (1852-1940), married Andrew Leistner
Sophia (1854-1925), married August C. Hofmann
Anna Margaretha (1856-1955), married George Germann
Jacob W. (1857-), married Ida Myers
Johann William (1860-1860)
Friedrick Conrad (1861-1947), married Ida May Biteman
Louisa Barbara (1864-)
Elizabeth (1870-1937), married Samuel Clase

 

[1] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” database with images, FamilySearch.org (accessed 5 Mar 2017), Jacob Deitsch and Charity Miller, 17 Jan 1852; Mercer Marriages, Vol. ABC, p.365, #7, FHL microfilm 914955.

[2] 1860 U.S. Census, Celina, Mercer, Ohio, p.432, dwelling 959, family 962, Jacob Deitch; Ancestry.com (accessed 5 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 805009, NARA microfilm M653, roll 1009.

[3] 1870 U.S. Census, Celina, Mercer, Ohio, ED 188, p.471A, dwelling 101, family 98, Jacob Deitsch; Ancestry.com (accessed 5 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 5527421, NARA microfilm M593, roll 1243.

[4] 1880 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 188, p.471A, dwelling & family 9, Jacob Deitsch; Ancestry.com (accessed 5 Mar 2017); NARA microfilm T9, roll 1048.

[5] 1900 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 85, p.10B, dwelling 192, family 198, Andrew Seistner; Ancestry.com (accessed 5 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1241304, NARA microfilm T623, roll 1304.

Mar 03

Dr. G.R. Hagerman, Physician and Surgeon in Chattanooga, Ohio

Very recently I found yet another envelope with a Chattanooga, Ohio, postmark, dated 2 September 1896.

When I received the envelope I was pleasantly surprised to see that it came with a letter!

The letter and envelope were written on the personal business stationery of Dr. George R. Hagerman, physician and surgeon in Chattanooga, Ohio. I had never heard of this man but he probably lived in Chatt and his medical office could have been right in his house or close by.

Envelope from Dr. G.R. Hagerman, Chattanooga, Ohio, 1896.

The letter to the Adams County, Indiana, Auditor reads:

Office of
G.R. Hagerman, M.D.
Physician & Surgeon
Chattanooga, Ohio, Sept 2nd 1896

To the Commissioners of Adams Co. Ind,

Dear Sirs—I write you my bids to doctor the county poor for Jefferson and Blue-Creek Townships:

Twenty dollars for Jefferson
Thirty for Blue Creek
If any bids lower then these are made you can sell it to me at 1.00 lower than the sum of the lowest bids for the two Townships.

 Yours Very Respct…
Dr. G. R. Hagerman
Chattanooga, Ohio

To Auditor
Please hand this to the Commissioners,
Respt…

Letter from Dr. G.R. Hagerman, Chattanooga, Ohio, 1896.

The letter was received in Decatur, Indiana, on 3 September. I wonder if he got the bids. He certainly seemed interested in the position.

Back of envelope from Dr. G.R. Hagerman, Chattanooga, Ohio, 1896.

Four years later, in 1900, Dr. Hagerman and his family lived in Liberty Township, Mercer County. In the household was George R, 43; Elizabeth A, 35; Charles W, 15; Edward W, 4; and James F, 1. This census enumeration tells us that George was a physician, born in Ohio in August 1856. He and his wife had been married 18 years and she had given birth to three children, all of whom were living. Their son Charles was a huckster driver. They lived next door to another physician, 46 year-old Price Whaters. Other neighbors included Joseph Markle, Philip Deitsch, John Strabel, Andrew Koch, Philip Koch, John Allmandinger, Fred Heffner, William Betzel, and Simon Riffle. [1]

On the 1900 Chatt plat map Hagermans are shown on lots 12 and 14, in downtown Chatt, on the east side of what is now State Route 49. These buildings were across from what was the Chattanooga Hotel.

Who was Dr. George R Hagerman?

According to his death certificate, George Robinson Hagerman was born 2 August 1856 in Mendon, Ohio, the son of James and Elizabeth Hagerman. [2]

In 1880 George, age 23, was a physician in Mendon, Ohio. He was single and lived in John Heppard’s boarding house. John C. Miller, another physician, also lived in the same boarding house. [3] 

George Hagerman married Elizabeth Luella Dutton on 25 May 1882 in Mercer County, Ohio. [4]

Elizabeth was also from Mercer County, the daughter of James W. and Sarah C. (Grant) Dutton. [5]

George and Elizabeth were living in Chatt in 1900 but by 1910 they had moved to Camden in Lorain County, Ohio. In their household: George R, 59; Elizabeth, 46; and James, 10. [6]

George remained in Lorain County the rest of his life, where he died on 6 June 1939 at the age of 82 years. [2]

His wife Elizabeth (Dutton) died in Port Clinton on 13 May 1941, at the age of 77 years. [5]

George, his wife Elizabeth, and their two young sons are buried in the Mendon Cemetery. Inscribed on the tombstone: Elizabeth L (1864-1941); Wallace E (1889-1902); Charles W (1884-1911); George R (1856-1939). [7]

What an interesting piece of Chattanooga history.

 

[1] 1900 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 85, p. 10A, dwelling 184, family 189, George R Hagerman; Ancestry.com (accessed 2 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1241304, NARA microfilm T623, roll 1304.

[2] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” FamilySearch.org (accessed 2 Mar 2017), Geo Robinson Hagerman, 6 Jun 1939; Camden, Lorain, deaths; FHL microfilm 2023716.

[3] 1880 U.S. Census, Mendon, Mercer, Ohio, ED 191, p.535D, dwelling & family 43, George Hagerman; Ancestry.com (accessed 2 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1255048, NARA microfilm T9, roll 1048.

[4] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” FamilySearch.org (accessed 3 Mar 2017), Geo R Hagerman & Libbie L Dutton, 25 May 1882; Mercer Co Marriages, Vol 5, p.135, FHL microfilm 914956.

[5] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” FamilySearch.org (accessed 2 Mar 2017), Elizabeth Luella Hagerman, 13 May 1941; Port Clinton, Ottawa deaths; FHL microfilm 2023916.

[6] 1910 U.S. Census, Camden, Lorain, Ohio, ED 101, p.3A, dwelling 67, family 69, George R Hagerman; Ancestry.com (accessed 2 Mar 2017); FHL microfilm 1375219, NARA microfilm T624, roll 1206.

[7] Findagrave.com, George Robinson Hagerman Memorial #64361248.