Jacob Kuhm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Jacob Kuhm, located in row 3 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Hier Ruht in Gott
Jacob Kuhm
Ehemann den
Julia Berron
Geb. 26 Sept
1863
In Schillersdorf
Elsass
Deutchland
Gest 11 Nov 1899
Alter
36 Jahr, 1 Mo
u. 16 Tage

[Here rests in God Jacob Kuhm, husband of Julia Berron, born 26 September 1863 in Schillersdorf, Elsass, Germany, died 11 November 1899, aged 36 years, 1 month, and 16 days.]

This tombstone contains a lot of genealogical information, more than most, and very helpful indeed! Most are not inscribed with the date and place of birth and spouse’s maiden name.

Jacob is buried next to his brother and sister, Georg and Lena Kuhm, and two rows from his widow Julia.

According to various entries in Zion Chatt’s records, Jacob Kuhm was the son of Michael and Elisabeth (Mueller) Kuhm, born 26 September 1863 in Schillersdorf, Elsass. Jacob married Julia Berron on 4 November 1886 in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana. Julia was the daughter of Georg and Katharina (Hausbarcht) Berron, born 14 November 1867 in Petersbach, Elsass.

Jacob and Julia had the following children, mentioned in Zion’s records, where most were baptized:

Lydia Sophia Margaretha (1887-1957), married John Henry Martin
Emelia Barbara (1888-1973) married William H. Fogel
Mathilda Katharina (1890-1891)
Jacob Edward (1892-1922), married Harriet I Frey; drowned in an oil tank in Oklahoma
Rosa Elisabeth (1894-1984), married Earl Adam Shaefer
Esther Maria (1896-?)
Katharina Elisabeth “Lizzie” (1898-?)

Jacob Kuhm died of a stroke on 11 November 1899, at the age of 36 years, 1 month, and 16 days. He was buried on the 15th. Survivors included his widow, six children, his parents, and five siblings.

The Kuhms lived in Adams County, Indiana, and the 1900 census indicates that Julia had given birth to eight children, but only six were living. In 1900 Julia was a widow, living next to her brother-in-law, Michael Kuhm Jr. [1]

Jacob’s widow Julia married William Betzel on 12 September 1901. Julia died 15 September 1927 and she and William are buried in Zion’s Cemetery.

[1] 1900 U.S. Census, Jefferson Township, Adams County, Indiana, ED 4, p. 50A stamped, p. 11 penned, dwelling 197, family 197, Julia Kuehm; digital image by subscription Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 August 2014), from FHL microfilm 1240357, from NARA microfilm T623, roll 357.

This is the tombstone of Michael (Sr) and Elisabeth (Mueller) Kuhm, located in row 6 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio.

Michael & Elisabeth Kuhm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

The marker is inscribed:

Hier ruht in Gott

 Vater
Michael
Kuhm
Geb. den
29 Juli 1826
Gest. Den
18 Nov. 1909

 Mutter
Elisabeth
Kuhm
Geb. den
27 Aug. 1826
Gest. den
22 April 1912

KUHM

[Here rests in God, Father Michael Kuhm, born 29 July 1826, died 18 November 1909; Mother Elisabeth Kuhm, born 27 August 1826, died 22 April 1912.]

The following information for both Michael and Elisabeth is from Zion Chatt’s records and their tombstones:

Michael was born 29 July 1826 in Schillersdorf, Elsass [now in Germany]. The records did not say who his parents were. He died of old age on 18 November 1909, at the age of 83 years, 3 months, and 20 days. Michael was buried on the 21^st and was survived by his widow and 4 children.

Michael’s wife, Maria Elisabeth (Mueller) Kuehm, was born 27 Aug 1826 and died 22 April 1912, at the age of 85 years, 7 months, and 25 days. She died of old age and complications from a throat problem and was buried on the 24^th. Elisabeth was survived by 1 son, 3 daughters, 30 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. The records did not give the names of her parents or where she was born.

After searching for some time I finally located the Kuhms in the census records. Sometimes a surname is indexed with a different spelling, depending on how the name was read and transcribed when it was indexed. That can sometimes make it difficult to find a family on websites such as FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com. Plus, a name may be indexed differently on different websites, so it may be helpful to search for a hard-to-find name on several websites that have indexed records. I tried all that, so I used another method to find them–I searched for a neighbor with an easier-to-spell name. And it worked!

I searched for Jacob Hiller. The Hillers also attended Zion Chatt, where the Kuhms were baptismal sponsors for some of the Hiller children. Thinking of the “FAN” technique [friends, associates, neighbors], I figured the two families were probably neighbors and friends. They were. And I suspected the families lived in Adams County, Indiana. They did. So I searched for Jacob Hiller in Adams County, Indiana, and found the Hillers and Kuhms were enumerated side-by-side in both the 1880 and 1900 censuses, both living in Jefferson Township in Adams County. And they all likely lived very close to Chatt.

Michael and Elisabeth Kuhm were both 53 years old in 1880 and Michael was a farmer. The family consisted of the Kuhm children: Michael (Jr), 19; Jacob, 17; Mary, 15; Lena, 12; Barbara, 10; and George, 8. All were born in “Alsaac” [Elsass], [1] and from Zion’s records we know they were from Schillersdorf.

In 1900 the Kuhms were still living in Jefferson Township and still residing near the Hillers. They were enumerated between Jacob and George Hiller. The 1900 census is one of my favorites because it asked some different, but good questions, such as the year of immigration.

There were only three family members in the “Kuehm” household in 1900. [Yes, the name was spelled Kuehm in this record.] This enumeration indicates that Michael was born in July of 1827, that his wife Elisabeth was born in August of 1826, and that Lena was born in August of 1867 and was 32 years old. Both Michael and Elisabeth were 73 years old and they had been married 55 years. Their daughter Lena was singe. Elisabeth had given birth to eight children but only three were still living. [There may have been more children living, according to later records.] All three in the household were born in Germany and Michael immigrated in 1873. We know they were all born in Germany and I would assume the whole family immigrated together. Michael was a farmer and owned his farm. [2]

As I browsed through a few pages of those censuses I noticed that the Kuhms didn’t live all that far from some of my Brewster ancestors: great-great-grandfather Daniel Brewster and great-grandfather Philip Brewster. My grandma Gertrude Brewster was just 13 years old then. They also lived close to Charles Brewster, Winfield Brewster, Jesse Buckmaster, John Bollenbacher, Jacob Bollenbacher, James Duff, and Conrad Heffner, to mention a few. All familiar names. Jefferson Township borders Ohio and many of these Indiana folks conducted business in Chatt, and of course some attended church at Zion Chatt.

Michael died a year before the 1910 census was taken and Elisabeth, age 83, was a widow in 1910. She was living with her daughter Barbara “Phizer” [Pfeifer] and Elisabeth’s two Pfeifer grandchildren, Hilda, 8, and Carl, 6. Barbara was 40 years old and married, but her husband was not enumerated with them. They were living close to Elisabeth’s son Michael Kuhm Jr and his family, and all were still living close to the Hillers. [3]

Michael and Elisabeth (Mueller) Kuhm had the following children:

Margaretha (1855-1942), married Michael Schott
Michael Jr (1861-1947),married Maria Geier
Jacob (1863-1899), married Julie Berron
Maria (1865-1890), married Georg Berron
Magdalena “Lena” (1867-1909)
Barbara (1870-1928), married George J Pfeifer
Georg (1871-1899), married Lizzie Goess

Zion Chatt’s records mention a Catherine/Katherine Kuhm, married to George Hoehamer, who was a baptismal sponsor for a couple children. At this point I do not know if she was another daughter of Michael and Elisabeth.

[1] 1880 U.S. Census, Jefferson, Adams County, Indiana, ED 133, p. 6B, dwelling 50, family 50, Michael Kuhm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 July 2014); from NARA microfilm T9, roll 263.

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Jefferson, Adams County, Indiana, ED 4, p. 11B, dwelling 203, family 203, Michael Kuehm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 July 2014); from FHL microfilm 1240357, from NARA microfilm T623, roll 357.

[3] 1910 U.S. Census, Jefferson, Adams County, Indiana, ED 4, p. 2B, visited 37, family 37, Elizebeth Kuhm; Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 23 July 2014); from FHL microfilm 1374351, from NARA microfilm T624, roll 338.

Georg & Lena Kuhm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2014 photo by Karen)

The German words Bruder und Schwester are inscribed on the front of this marker, located in row 3 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Ohio.

Brother and Sister.

The column portion of this tombstone is now leaning against its base. It is a little difficult to see, but the base behind the column bears the name Kuhm in large letters.

At first I glance, looking at only the front of the tombstone, I thought it was probably the marker of two young siblings. But that is not the case. There is writing on two other sides of the marker that tell who the brother and sister were. Those inscriptions on the sides could easily be missed.

The north side of the marker is inscribed:

Georg
Kuhm
Gest den
26 Oct 1899
Alter
28J 10M 1T
Off. 1-11, Joh. 21:4

[Georg Kuhm died 26 Oct 1899, age 28 years, 10 months, 1 day.]

The south side of the marker is inscribed:

Lena
Kuhm
Gest den
3 Apr 1909
Alter
41J 8M 17T
1 Cor. 15: 42-43

[Lena Kuhm died 3 April 1909, age 41 years, 8 months, 17 days.]

They were not young children at all. Who were these two siblings, from a family that I know very little about? The only thing I know about the Kuhms is that is that there is a Miller/Kuhm marriage in the family. Pete Miller married Della Kuhm about 1914. Pete was the son of Jacob Miller [my great-grandfather] and his second wife Margaretha Strable. Pete was my granduncle and Della was the daughter of Michael Kuhm Jr and Maria Geier.

Georg & Lena Kuhm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery. (2014 photo by Karen)

I found very little information about the Kuhm brother and sister in my two favorite Internet go-to sites, Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. So I went to one of my favorite and best local resources, Zion Chatt’s church records, where the family is mentioned a few times. [1]

The Kuhm family first appears in Zion’s records in 1875, when Michael Kuhm and his wife Elisabeth were baptismal sponsors for Elisabeth Hiller. There are a few Kuhm marriages, confirmations, and burials in Zion’s records. From these entries I learned that Elisabeth’s maiden name was Müller. That several, if not all, of Michael and Elisabeth’s children were born in Schillersdorf, Elsass, in what is now Germany. And that they immigrated sometime after 1863 and eventually lived in Jefferson Township, Adams County, Indiana.

Georg Kuhm, the brother named on the tombstone, was confirmed 6 April 1884 at Zion. This record gives his date of birth as 16 December 1871 and named his parents as Michael and Elisabeth Kuhm. He was likely born in Germany. Zion’s records indicate that he died in Hamilton County, Ohio, of a brain inflammation and stroke. He was survived by his widow, 2 children, his parents, and 6 siblings. The church burial record shows his age as 27 years, 10 months, and 10 days, which agrees with the 16 December birth date, but which disagrees with his tombstone inscription.

Georg Kuhm (2014 photo by Karen)

I did find a couple records for Georg Kuhm on Family Search and they add to the above information. Georg married Lizzie Goess in 1894 in Butler County, Ohio. [2] They had at least one son, Albert, born 12 April 1897, in Hanover Township, Butler County. [3] This would correspond with his death/burial information in the church records which states he was survived by a wife and 2 children and he died in Hamilton County, which is near Butler County. He was probably brought to his family and former home near Mercer County to be buried.

According to Zion’s records, his sister Magdalena “Lena” Kuhm was confirmed 16 April 1882. She died of pneumonia on 3 April 1909, at the age of 41 years, 8 months and 16 days and was buried on the 6th. Her calculated date of birth is 18 July 1867. Although the church records do not specifically name her parents, she communed with Michael and Elisabeth, the only Kuhm family in the area, and most importantly, her tombstone indicates she was the sister of Georg, who we know was the son of Michael and Elizabeth.

Lena Kuhm (2014 photo by Karen)

From the church records I was able to determine most of Georg and Lena’s siblings:
Maria Kuhm, married Georg Berron
Michael Kuhm Jr, married Maria Geier
Jacob Kuhm (1863-1899),married Julie Berron
Margaretha Kuhm, married Michael Schott

Bruder and Schwester.

[1] I have seen this name spelled Kuehm and Kühm, and our family usually pronounces the name as Keem, with a long e.

[2] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 20 Jul 2014), George Kuehm and Lizzie Goess, 4 Feb 1894; citing Marriage Records 1890-1898, Vol. 6, p. 229, Butler County, Ohio; from FHL microfilm 355780.

[3] “Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 20 Jul 2014), Albert Kuehm, 12 Apr 1897; citing Butler County, Ohio, Births, Vol. 3, p. 142-3; from FHL microfilm 373049.