Feb 03

The Buchanans of Willshire

Here are a couple more interesting postcards from Willshire, Ohio, from the early 1900s.

You can see the name Buchanan on the side of the the horse-drawn hearse below.

Stephen S. Buchanan, undertaker in Willshire, Ohio.

Stephen S. Buchanan and his son Claude were both undertakers in Willshire. This is likely Stephen Buchanan driving the hearse. According to the awning on the building, the photo was taken in front of his furniture/undertaker business.

Stephen Sylvester Buchanan was born 15 November 1848 in Ohio. He married Rosa Fairchild 27 April 1871 in Fairfield County, Ohio. [1] Stephen died 4 February 1934 in Willshire, at the age of 85 years and is buried in Willshire Cemetery beside his wife Rosanna. [2]

In 1880 Stephen S. and Rosa Buchanan lived in Willshire. In their household at that time: Steve, 32; Rose, 28; Emily Alice, 8; Claude E, 6; Daisy Dell, 3; and James S, 1. Steve was enumerated as a carpenter. [3]

According to census enumerations Stephen S. Buchanon was a furniture merchant, carpenter and undertaker in Willshire over the years. I have seen his name as the undertaker on several local death certificates from years ago. Furniture makers were often undertakers because they could make the wooden coffins.

Pictured in the next photo is likely the father Stephen S. Buchanan and his son James S., in front of their general store in Willshire. His son James S. was born about 1879.

J.S. Buchanan General Store, Willshire, Ohio.

I remember a general store on the west side of State Street in Willshire. I think it was near where Lillie’s Tin Ceiling is today. I remember shopping for fabric there years ago, in the late 1950s to early 1960s, but I do not remember the name of the store. Was it Buchanan’s? I do not know when the Buchanan store there closed. Perhaps someone remembers.

I worked in St. Marys, Ohio, for nearly 37 years and there was also a Buchanan’s Department Store there, on East Spring Street. That would have been in the 1970s and maybe the early 1980s. It was a nice store that had clothing and fabrics and I always wondered if Buchanan’s Department Store in St. Marys was connected to the Buchanan store in Willshire.

Just this past week, after studying these photos, I asked a couple of my St. Marys patients if they remembered the St. Marys Buchanan store. One man said his mother did household work for the Buchanan’s. He recalled that Mrs. Buchanan’s name was Mary but could not remember Mr. Buchanan’s name. Another person remembered the store but not the owner’s name. Finally, I talked to one lady who said she actually worked in Buchanan’s Department Store in St. Marys. She said she bought her children’s clothing there and that the owner’s were Stephen and Mary Buchanan.

Were these Buchanan stores in Willshire and St. Marys connected somehow?

According to FindaGrave.com Stephen James Buchanan (1909-1984) and his wife Mary Bancroft (1907-1997) are buried in Elam Grove Cemetery, St. Marys, Ohio.  [4] They would have been the St. Mary’s Buchanan store owners.

Stephen J. Buchanan was the son of James S. and Liza C. Buchanan. And James S. Buchanan was the son of Willshire’s carpenter and undertaker, Stephen S. Buchanan.

James S. Buchanan married Eliza K. Hill in Mercer County, Ohio, on 14 Dec 1904. He was living in Van Wert County and she was from Blackcreek Township. James S’s parents were given as S.S. Buchanan and Rosie Fairchild. Eliza parents were Fredrick Hill and Nancy Bollenbacher. James S. was a blacksmith at the time of their marriage. [5]

In 1910 James S. Buchanan and his wife Eliza lived on Green Street in Willshire, where James S. owned and operated a blacksmith shop. The couple had been married 6 years and their son Stephen was 8 months old. It appears he was their only child. [6]

In 1920 James S. and Liza Buchanan lived on Sprague Street in Willshire, where James S. owned a clothing store. Their household in 1920: James S, 39; Liza C, 37; Stephen J, 10. [7]

So Stephen James Buchanan, the owner of Buchanan’s Department Store in St. Marys, was the grandson of Stephen S. Buchanan, the undertaker. And Stephen James Buchanan was also Claude Buchanan’s nephew since James S. and Claude were brothers.

A family with generations of merchants, carpenters, and undertakers.

Mystery solved.

 

[1] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013, FamilySearch.org (accessed 2 Feb 2017); Stephen Buchanan & Rosa  Fairchild, 27 April 1871; from Fairfield County Marriages, Vol.3, p.215; FHL microfilm 295270.

[2] Find a Grave.com, Stephen S. Buchanan memorial no. 71892217.

[3] 1880 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 154, p.461C, family 68, Steve Buchanan; Ancestry.com ( accessed 2 Feb 2017); FHL microfilm 1255074, NARA microfilm T9, roll 1074.

[4] Find a Grave.com, Stephen James Buchanan memorial #40528178.

[5] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013, FamilySearch.org (accessed 2 Feb 2017); JS Buchanan & Eliza K Hill  14 Dec 1904; from Mercer County Marriages, Vol.3, p.80; FHL microfilm 914958.

[6] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.12B, dwelling 76, James Buchanan; Ancestry.com (accessed 2 Feb 2017); FHL microfilm 1375251, NARA microfilm T624, roll 1238.

[7] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.10B, dwelling 105, James A Buchanan; Ancestry.com (accessed 2 Feb 2017); NARA microfilm T625, roll 1446.

Jan 31

Tombstone Tuesday–Catharine (Kuhn) Herzog

Catharine Herzog, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Catharine/Katharina (Kuhn) Herzog, located in row 5 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The markers [Yes! Catharine has two grave markers!] are  inscribed:

The inscription on the older stone:

Catharine
Wife of
Fredrich
HERZOG
Died
Dec. 9, 1871
Aged
44y, 9m, 25 d

The inscription on the newer stone:

Katharina
Ehefrau von
G. Friedrich Herzog
Gest. 9 Dec. 1871
Alter 44 J, 9M, 25 T

Both tombstones are side by side and the newer one is erected next to her husband’s stone. It is interesting to note that the older stone is inscribed in English while the newer stone is inscribed in German. Katharina, the German spelling, is used on the newer stone. The newer stone matches Friedrich’s stone and his second wife’s stone. The second wife’s stone is situated on the other side of Friedrich’s marker.

Katharina Herzog, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. Her newer grave marker. (2011 photo by Karen)

According to Zion Chatt’s records, Catharine Kuhn was born 14 February 1827 in Bedesbach, Rhein District, Kingdom of Bavaria, the daughter of Heinrich/Henry and Margaretha Kuhn. She was baptized and confirmed in Bedesbach.

Catharine Kuhn married Friedrich Herzog on 15 April 1852 in Mercer County, Ohio. [1]

They lived in the Chatt area of Mercer County after their marriage, where Friedrich farmed. They had a Shanesville/Shanes Crossing post office address. It appears that they did not have any children. Just the two of them are seen in the 1860 and 1870 censuses. Zion Chatt’s communion records begin in 1861 and Friedrich and Catharine are listed among those first recorded communicants in December 1861.

In 1860: Friedrich, 35, and Catharine, 34. Both were reportedly born in Germany. [2]

In 1870: Friedrich, 46, and Catharine, 43. Both were reportedly born in Bavaria. [3]

Catharine’s death and burial are recorded in Zion Chatt’s records. This record indicates that she died 9 December 1872 at the age of 44 years, 9 months, and a few days. Her year of death in this record disagrees with the year on her tombstone.

Friedrich married again after Catharine’s death. More about this family next week.

 

[1] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” database with images, FamilySearch.org (accessed 29 Jan 2017), Frederick Hartzog/Harzog and Catharine Kuhn, 15 Apr 1852; Mercer County Marriages, Vol.ABC, p375. ; FHL microfilm 914955.

[2] 1860 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, p.333, dwelling 625, family 630, Fred Hardsag; Ancestry.com ( accessed 29 Jan 2017); FHL microfilm 805009, NARA microfilm M653, roll 1009.

[3] 1870 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, p.29B, dwelling/family 158, Fredrick Hardzog; Ancestry.com (accessed 29 Jan 2017); FHL microfilm 552742, NARA microfilm M593, roll 1243.

 

Jan 27

S. Lotter’s Meat Market, Willshire, Ohio

I enjoy looking at old postcards and a while back I acquired some old postcards of Willshire, Ohio.

Yesterday I scanned them onto my computer and enlarged and looked at them closely. There are people in the photos and detail on the postcards is good.

Written on the postcard below is “bank and drug store Willshire, O.”

State Street, Willshire, Ohio.

I believe these buildings were on the west side of State Street, in the first block south of today’s signal light.

As I looked at the photo closely I was able to read the store signs. The building to the far was the Drug Store. It looks like they had a telephone there because there is a bell-shaped sign hanging from the Drug Store sign. Unfortunately I cannot read the sign on the side of that building. The next business in that building was evidently the bank.

The small middle building was a meat market–S. Lotter’s Meat Market. Perhaps the store owner is one of the men standing in front of the store.

The name Lotter got my attention because I have recently been writing about the Lotters who are buried in Zion Chatt’s cemetery.

S Lotter’s Meat Market, State Street, Willshire, Ohio.

I am not sure if this S. Lotter who owned the meat market was connected to the Lotters who attended Zion Chatt, but he probably was.

There was a Simon Lotter mentioned in the church records several times. The first mention was in 1876 when Simon and his wife Maria Wilhelmine were baptismal sponsors for Maria Wilhelmine Zeillinger.

On 9 July 1876 their own child, Emilie Elisabeth Lotter, was baptized at Zion Chatt. Emilie was born 24 February 1876 and that record indicates Simon Lotter’s wife was Wilhelmine Preus/Preuss.  Emilie Elisabeth died 9 July 1876 at the age of 4 months and 13 days. She may be buried in Zion Chatt’s cemetery but her tombstone does not remain.

Simon and Wilhelmine Lotter had another child baptized at Zion Chatt on 20 April 1879–Louis Peter, born 27 February 1878.

Those were the only times that Simon Lotter was mentioned in Zion Chatt’s records but they did have several other children, which included a son Samuel (1886-1973). Depending on when this photo was taken, this may have been Samuel’s Meat Market.

In 1880 Simon and Wilhelmine “Minnie” lived in Willshire and Simon was a butcher. In their household: Samuel, 33; Minnie, 32; George, 6; Lue, 2; and Minnie, 1 month. Also in the household was a 19 year-old male, born in Bavaria, whose occupation was butcher. Simon and Wilhelmine were born in Bavaria and their children were born in Ohio. Their daughter Minnie’s name was crossed out. [1]

The Simon Lotter family remained in Willshire and in 1900 Simon’s occupation was “provisions dealer.” Their son Willie, 16, was a “provisions salesman.” Their household in 1900: Simon, 53; Minnie, 51; Emma, 19; Willie, 16; Samuel, 13; John, 11; and Carl, 8. They had been married 26 years and six of their nine children were living. According to this census Simon immigrated in 1873. [2]

By 1910 both Simon and his son Samuel were butchers in Willshire. This census enumeration indicates that Simon was the store owner and that Samuel worked in the “home shop.” Daughter Emma was a clerk in a dry goods store. The family lived on State Street in Willshire: Simon, 63; Minnie, 61; Emma, 29; Samuel, 22; John, 20; and Carl, 18. [3]

Simon Lotter (1847-1913) and his wife Wilhelmine (1848-1926) are both buried in Willshire Cemetery.

Simon died in 1913 and I imagine this photo was taken before then, when he owned the market. By 1920 his son Samuel had moved to Fort Wayne, where he was a meat cutter in a butcher shop there.

What an interesting postcard!

 

[1] 1880 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 154, p.460B, family 57, Samuel Lotterer; Ancestry.com (accessed 26 Jan 2017); NARA microfilm T9, roll 1074.

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 97, p.3B, dwelling 59, family 63, Simon Lotter; Ancestry.com (accessed 26 Jan 2017); FHL microfilm 1241329, NARA microfilm T623, roll 1329.

[3] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p 14A. dwelling/family 118, Samion Zoller; Ancestry.com (accessed 26 Jan 2017); FHL microfilm 1375251, NARA microfilm T624, roll 1238.

 

Jan 24

Tombstone Tuesday–Margaret Callens

Margaret Callens, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2015 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Margaret Callens, located in row 5 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. Her broken tombstone is nearly illegible, but it appears the inscription is:

[Top is broken off]
….et
…. of
Tobias Callens
Died
Sept. 22, 1878
Aged
77 y, 10 m, 2 [?] d

I looked at the tombstone in person, but the date is just about the only thing that is readable anymore.

I looked at how the Mercer County Chapter OGS read it in 1990. The marker may have been more legible in 1990 but it was broken even back then. The Mercer County readers were unable to determine the surname and Mercer County Cemetery Inscriptions, Vol. VI only shows the last two letters of what they determined could be the surname—ET. Their inscription from 1990: …ET, Tobias, Sept. 22, 1878, age 77 years, 10 months, 0 days.

I looked at the tombstone’s entry on Find a Grave.com. Find a Grave.com shows the surname as Lotter and the tombstone was read as: wife of Tobias Lotter, died Sept. 22, 1878, aged 77y, 10m, 22d.

However, I believe Zion Chatt’s death and burial records tell who is buried beneath this tombstone. Their records indicate that the surname is not Lotter at all, but is Callens.

Margaret Callens, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2017 photo by Karen)

Zion Chatt’s records indicate that Margarethe Callens died 22 September 1878, at the age of 77 years, 10 months, and 4 days.

The letters ET at the upper right could be the last two letters of the name Margaret since the rest of the name has broken off on the upper left

The dates on the tombstone match the dates in the church records, except for the 4 days entry. The days on the grave marker are basically too worn to read but it looks like 2 or 22 days.

Margaret Callens, negative image to better see the inscription. (2017 photo by Karen)

That surname is not familiar to me and it was only entered in the church records that one time.

Did Margaret live in the area?

Did she die while visiting relatives or friends?

Or did she die while passing through the area?

Who was Tobias? Was he her husband or her father?

Yet another mystery in Zion’s cemetery.

We may never know the answers to these questions but it appears the church records have helped identify another grave marker.

 

Jan 20

Photos from the “Germann Collection”

Here are a few more photos from what I like to refer to as “The Germann Collection,” a group of old photos that belonged to Edna and Viola Germann.

Edna (1896-1997), Viola (1900-2001), and their brother Wilbert (1905-1972) were the children of Stephen E. and Rosina (Schumm) Germann.

Their father Stephen was the son of Henry and Mary (Hertz) Germann and their mother Rosina was the daughter of Jacob Frederick and Maria (Germann) Schumm.

From time to time I have posted some photos from the Germann Collection and below are some more, photos from Edna and Viola’s childhood.

Edna and Viola Germann:

Edna & Viola Germann

Edna and Viola’s aunt Louise Schumm (their mother’s sister) married Henry Friedrich Schinnerer. Henry Friedrich and Louise (Schumm) Schinnerer had children William (1893-1963), Lydia (1897-1985), and Fred, and two other children who died in infancy.

Edna and Viola with their first cousins William and Lydia Schinnerer:

Edna & Viola Germann with 1st cousins William and Lydia Schinnerer

Edna & Viola Germann with 1st cousins William and Lydia Schinnerer

Edna, Viola, and their brother Wilbert Germann:

Edna, Viola, & Wilbert Germann

Edna, Viola, Wilbert Germann, and Fred Schumm:

Edna, Viola & Wilbert Germann; Fred Schumm

I believe the small boy in the above photo is Joseph Fredrick “Fred” Schumm, the son of Charles “CJ” and Jeanetta Ann (Bury) Schumm. Jeanetta was accidentally electrocuted a little less than 2 months after their son Fred’s birth. It appears that Fred went to live with the Stephen Germann family after her death. Fred was enumerated with the Germanns in the 1920 and 1930 censuses, shown as their nephew. Charles “CJ” Schumm was a brother to Edna and Viola’s mother Rosina, so Fred would have been Edna and Viola’s first cousin.

Thank you to Edna and Viola for labeling so many of your photos!