Nov 18

Advertising Chattanooga Businesses

Today, a blast from the past—some old advertising giveaways from Chattanooga, Ohio, businesses.

I enjoy collecting these items and they sure bring back a lot of memories. Memories of some businesses that were once in Chatt—Fisher Hardware, Wendel Brothers Motor Sales, Heffner’s Grocery, and the Chatt Home Restaurant.

A tear-off shopping list from Heffner’s Grocery:

Heffner's Grocery, Chattanooga, Ohio.

Heffner’s Grocery, Chattanooga, Ohio.

A pretty picture and thermometer from Wendel Motor Sales. We always called it Wendel’s Garage.

Wendel's Garage, Chattanooga, Ohio

Wendel Motor Sales, Chattanooga, Ohio

Wendel's Garage, Chattanooga, Ohio

Wendel Motor Sales, Chattanooga, Ohio

This piece was made in Monroeville, Indiana.

Wendel's Garage, Chattanooga, Ohio

Wendel Motor Sales, Chattanooga, Ohio, back of photo.

Most of the advertising items I have are from Fisher Hardware. Fisher’s had a nice hardware and appliance store and they sold John Deere implements as well.

Fisher Hardware, Chattanooga, Ohio

Bullet pencils and a match book from Fisher Hardware, Chattanooga, Ohio.

From Fisher Hardward, a perfectly good fly swatter, in nearly-new condition.

Fisher Hardware, Chattanooga, Ohio

Fisher Hardware, Chattanooga, Ohio

The Farmer’s Pocket Ledger, 1953-54, compliments of Fisher Hardware.

Fisher Hardware, Chattanooga, Ohio

Fisher Hardware, Chattanooga, Ohio

Fisher Hardware, Chattanooga, Ohio

Fisher Hardware, Chattanooga, Ohio

Some items from the Chatt Home Restaurant and Bar.

Chatt Home Restaurant

Chatt Home Restaurant

The Chatt Restaurant and Bar is the only one of these businesses that is still open today.

I hope these items bring back some pleasant memories for you, too, and that you enjoy reminiscing about the bygone businesses in Chatt.

Nov 15

Tombstone Tuesday–Darleene Becher

Darleene Becher, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

Darleene Becher, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Darleene Becher, located in row 8 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

DARLEENE Dau. of
L. & M. Becher
1939-1941

Norma “Darleene” Becher was born in Berne, Adams County, Indiana, on 2 September 1939. She was the first child born to Louis Fredrick and Maryan (Ferry) Becher. Darleene was baptized by Rev. Yahl at Zion Chatt on 15 October 1939, with Lorain and Magdalene (Hone) Itskin as her sponsors. Darleen’s father was from Blackcreek Township and her mother was from Geneva, Indiana. Louis and Maryan Becher lived in Berne at the time of Darleene’s birth and Louis worked as a clerk in a meat market. [1]   

Darleene Becher birth certificate. [1]

Darleene Becher birth certificate. [1]

In 1940 the Louis Becher family lived in a rented home at 260 East Main Street in Berne. Louis and Maryan were both 21 years old and Darleen was nine months old when the 1940 census was taken. Louis worked as a clerk in a meat market and Maryan was a housewife. They had lived in a rural area five years before. [2]

Darleene died at Riley Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, on 25 November 1941, at the young age of 2 years, 2 months, and 23 days. She had been a patient there for 25 days. Her death certificate and the church records indicate that she died of rectal cancer. Yager and Sons Funeral Home was in charge of the funeral arrangement. Her death certificate indicates that the family was living at 240 E. Walnut Street in Fort Wayne at the time of her death. She was buried on the 28th.  [3]

Darleene Becher death certificate. [3]

Darleene Becher death certificate. [3]

According to Zion Chatt’s records Darleene was survived by her parents, grandparents, 3 great-grandparents, 4 uncles, 3 aunts, and 1 cousin.

 

[1] Indiana, Birth Certificates, 1907-1940, Norma Darleen Becher, 2 September 1939; database on-line, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Nov 2016); Indiana State Board of Health, Vol. 76-80, Roll no. 16, #39070, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.

[2] 1940 U.S. Census, Ed 1-6, p. 3A, line 36, Louis Becher; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Nov 2016); from NARA microfilm T627, roll 1024.

[3] Indiana Death Certificates, 1899-2011, Norma Becher, 25 Nov 1941; database on-line, Ancestry.com  (www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 Nov 2016); Indiana State Board of Health, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Nov 11

Remembering Our Veterans on Veterans Day

Today is Veterans Day, a day to remember, thank, and honor our U.S. veterans.

Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day and was created to commemorate of the end of World War I. Fighting between the Allied Nations and Germany ceased on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the date generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

Armistice Day became a legal holiday on 11 November 1938, primarily to honor World War I veterans and dedicated to the cause of world peace. After World War II and the Korean War the name was changed to Veterans Day and on 1 June 1954 it became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Herbert Miller, 333 Reg, 84 Div, "Rail Splitters", WWII

Herbert Miller, U.S. Army, 333 Reg, 84 Div, “Rail Splitters”, WWII

There are several veterans in my immediate family. My dad, Herbert Miller, was a World War II veteran and his two brothers are veterans. Two of my other uncles and some of my dad’s cousins were also veterans. My cousin Ron Weitz and Joe’s brother Greg served in Viet Nam.

Below are photos of some of the veterans in my family from the Chatt area:

Carl LaVerne Miller, Army Anti Aircraft Artillery

Carl LaVerne Miller, U.S. Army Anti Aircraft Artillery

Kenneth Miller, 278 Regimental Combat Team 1953-55

Kenneth Miller, U.S. Army, 278 Regimental Combat Team 1953-55.

Paul "Red" Linn

Paul “Red” Linn, WWII, South Pacific.

Paul Eichler, Army, Korean War

Paul Eichler, U.S. Army, Korean War

Dale Caffee, Army, WWII

Dale Caffee, U.S. Army, WWII

Donald Caffee, Korean War.

Donald Caffee, U.S. Army, Korean War era.

Murlin Miller, Marines, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam

Murlin Miller, U.S. Marines, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam

Wesley Kallenberger, WWII, Navy Seabees, South Pacific.

Wesley Kallenberger, WWII, Navy Seabees, South Pacific.

 

As we remember all U.S. veterans on Veterans Day, we thank you for your service and sacrifices to protect and defend our freedoms.

 

Nov 08

Tombstone Tuesday–Luther K. Becher

Luther K. Becher, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

Luther K. Becher, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Luther K. Becher, located in row 8 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

LUTHER K. BECHER
Sept. 18, 1913
July 15, 1914

Luther Kenneth Becher was born 18 September 1913 in Indiana, the son of G.J. Edward and Hulda (Berron) Becher. He was baptized at Zion Chatt on 26 October 1913 with his parents serving as his baptismal sponsors. His parents married in January of 1913 [1] and he was the first child born to them.

I did not find a state birth record for Luther, just his baptismal record at Zion Chatt.

Luther’s father George Jacob Edward Becher was the son of Jacob and Maria (Kettering) Becher, who lived in the Chatt area. Luther’s mother Hulda Magdalena Berron was the daughter of Friedrich and Louise (Bollenbacher) Berron and they lived in the Geneva area. Both families attended Zion Chatt and Luther’s father and mother were both baptized at Zion Chatt.

According to Zion Chatt’s records Luther K. Becher died 19 July 1914, at the age of 10 months and 1 day, and was survived by his parents. This death date disagrees with his tombstone inscription. The record indicates that he died of inflammation of the bowels. He was buried on the 21st, with Rev. Emch in charge of the service. I am not familiar with that minister.

According to his death certificate he died in Jefferson Township, Adams County, Indiana, at 3:30 a.m. on 19 July 1914, which also differs with the death date on his tombstone. This record indicates his cause of death was acute gastroenteritis with toxemia as a contributory factor. Dr. Charles N. Watkins of Chattanooga was the physician of record. The death certificate indicates he was buried on the 19th, which conflicts with the church record.

There is an obvious mistake on his death certificate which makes you wonder if some of the other items were also recorded incorrectly. Luther’s death certificate indicates that he was born 18 October 1914 and that he died 19 July 1914, which means he died three months before he was born. It gives his age as 10 months and 1 day, which agrees with the church record. The death certificate also shows that Luther’s father Edward was born in Indiana, while the church records show his father was born in Mercer County. [2] 

Luther Kenneth Becher death certificate, 1914.

Luther Kenneth Becher death certificate, 1914.

Luther’s parents had at least eight more children and they eventually they moved out of the area. They are buried in Woodland Cemetery, St. Joseph County, Indiana. Luther’s sister Bettie E. Becher (1922-1922) is also buried in Zion Chatt’s cemetery.

This surname name was also spelled Becker in some records.

 

[1] “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 5 Nov 2016), George Jacob Edward Becker and Hulda Magdalena Berron, 23 Jan 1913; from Adams County Marriages, Vol. J, p.198; FHL microfilm 2321629.

[2] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, database on-line, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 Nov 2016), Suther Kenneth Becker, 19 Jul 1914; Indiana State Board of Health, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Nov 04

Madonna of the Trail

The fall foliage has been particularly spectacular this year so a couple weeks ago we decided to spend a day driving around Indiana looking at the beautiful countryside. We ended up in Richmond for a late lunch, at a restaurant on U.S. 40. Route 40 is also known as the National Road. There is a Madonna of the Trail statue at Glen Miller Park in Richmond but we had never stopped to get a close look at it. Glen Miller Park is also along the National Road.

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

There are 12 Madonna of the Trail monuments across the country, from Maryland to California, on the National Old Trails Road. Two of the statues are close to here, the one in Richmond and the other in Springfield, Ohio. And I have visited both of them.

The 12 monuments were commissioned by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) to be placed in 12 states along Route 40, from Bethesda, Maryland, to Upland, California. They serve as trail markers on the Old National Trails.

Glen Miller Park, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Glen Miller Park, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

The project started in 1911 when the NSDAR took steps to make the Old Trails Road a national memorial highway and to recognize the contributions of women by erecting 12 statues along the road.

A year later the National Old Trails Road Association was formed with Judge Harry S. Truman as committee chair.

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Each monument is the same–the image of a pioneer woman holding a baby in her left arm and gripping a rifle with her right hand as her young son clings to her skirt. The gun was fashioned after Daniel Boone’s rifle and the woman is standing in prairie grass and cactus brush. Arrowheads and a rattlesnake lay in the grass.

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

According to the sculptor, the monument was intended to depict a pioneer mother who was worried when her husband did not return home when expected. Concerned about the possibility of danger, she grabbed her infant and a gun and set out to look for her husband.

The cast statues were created by sculptor August Leimbach of St. Louis, Missouri. Each statue stands ten feet high,18 feet with the base, and weighs five tons. They are made of poured algonite stone, with Missouri granite as the main aggregate.

Inscriptions on two sides of each base are the same while the other two sides usually include local information.

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

All 12 monuments were dedicated between 4 July 1928 and 19 April 1929. The Springfield, Ohio, monument was the first of the twelve to be dedicated and Judge Harry S. Truman, chair of the National Old Trails Road Association, spoke at the Springfield dedication in 1928. Truman said, “They were just as brave or braver than their men because, in many cases, they went with sad hearts and trembling bodies. They went, however, and endured every hardship that befalls a pioneer.”

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

The Springfield, Ohio, monument was originally situated along U.S. 40, The National Road, west of downtown. It has been moved several times and was relocated to the National Road Commons Park in downtown Springfield in 2011. It faces south but most of the statues face west.

Madonna of the Trail, Springfield, Ohio. (2003 photo by Karen)

Madonna of the Trail, Springfield, Ohio. (2003 photo by Karen)

 

The Madonna of the Trail monuments and the date each was dedicated:

Bethesda, Maryland (19 April 1929)
Wheeling, West Virginia (7July 1928)
Beallsville, Pennsylvania (8 December 1928)
Springfield, Ohio (4 July 1928)
Richmond, Indiana (28 October 1928)
Vandalia, Illinois (26 October 1928)
Lexington, Missouri (17 September 1928)
Council Grove, Kansas (7 September 1928)
Lamar, Colorado (24 September 1928)
Albuquerque, New Mexico (27 September 1928)
Springerville, Arizona (29 September 1928)
Upland, California (1 February 1929)

Over the years some statues have been refurbished, re-dedicated, or moved to new locations a short distance away because of highway changes.

We enjoyed driving through Glen Miller Park that day. Here is a nice building in the park, next to the Richmond Rose Garden.

Glen Miller Park, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Glen Miller Park, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Rose Garden, Glen Miller Park, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

Rose Garden, Glen Miller Park, Richmond, Indiana. (2016 photo by Karen)

You can read more about the Madonna of the Trail monuments here: Madonna of the Trail, Wikipedia.org.