Jul 31

Tombstone Tuesday–Friedricka Beberstein

Friedricka Beberstein, Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio.

This is the tombstone of Friedricka Beberstein, located in row 14 of Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: Friedricka, Wife of A Beberstein, Died Sept 15, 1905, Aged 74 Y, 7 d. She is buried near her husband, with two tombstones between theirs.

According to the church records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Friedricka “Biberstein” died 15 September 1905 of pneumonia. She was aged 74 years and 7 days and was buried on the 18th. Her survivors included 1 son, 2 daughters and 16 grandchildren.

Other church records show that Friedricka’s maiden name was Stretter and that she was born in Murr, Württemberg.

A search on FamilySearch.org indicates that Abraham “Bebertson” married Frederica Streiter on 12 Jun 1856 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. [1] This location is confirmed by another church record at Zion that states that their son George Washington was born in Sandy Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio.

However, it appears that Abraham was married before this. The 1850 US census shows Abraham and Anna M “Beverstone” living in Sandy, Tuscarawas County. Abraham was 55 years old and Anna was 46. [2]

In 1860 Abraham and Fredericka “Beverstine” were still living in Sandy, with George W (2) and Mary (1) in their household. Abraham was 63 and Fredericka was 29. [3]

By 1870 the family was living in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio: Abraham “Bastian” (72), Fredrcka (38), Washington (13), Abraham (11), and Lydia (7). [4]

In 1880 the “Beaverstein” family was still living Mercer County, Ohio: Abraham (83), Fredricia (48), George W (23), Mary (21), Minnie (16), and Caroline (5). [5]

Abraham passed away in 1885 and was the subject of last week’s Tombstone Tuesday.

Friedricka Beberstein, Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio.

Sources:

[1] Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1994,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org  : accessed 29 July 2012), Abraham Bebertson, 1856.

[2] 1850 US Census, Sandy, Tuscarawas, Ohio; Roll: M432_735; Page: 264B; Image: 93 (http://www.ancestry.com  : accessed 29 July 2012).

[3] 1860 US Census, Sandy, Tuscarawas, Ohio; Roll: M653_1043; Page: 354; Image 297; Family History Library Film: 805043 (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 July 2012).

[4] 1870 US Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio; Roll: M593_1243; Page: 148B; Image: 301; Family History Library Film: 552742. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 July 2012).

[5] 1880 US Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio; Roll: 1048; Family History Film: 1255048; Page: 472C; Enumeration District: 188; Image: 0656. (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 July 2012).

 

 

Jul 27

More Photos From the Barn

The new Miller horse trough. Howard Caffee, Ruth, Helen, Em, Carl Miller. (c1925)

Here are a few more photos from the group that I found in the Miller barn a few weeks ago. My Aunt Ruth was able to identify individuals in a few of the photos last weekend.

We had quite a discussion about last week’s photo that was labeled Gertrude Brewster Miller. A couple of us thought the girl in the photo looked like Gertrude’s mother Pearl but Aunt Ruth believes the girl in the photograph is indeed Gertrude. Brian pointed out that the chair Gertrude was sitting in is identical to the chair Augusta Brewster was photographed sitting in. Augusta was born in 1897 and Gertrude was born in 1896. They were close in age and both photographs may have been taken by the same photographer.

The above photo was taken after pouring a horse trough at the Miller farm. The Millers and Caffees were neighbors and Howard’s wife Caroline was my Grandpa Miller’s sister.

Vernon Caffee, son of Howard:

Vernon Caffee (1915-1977)

Ralph and Alpha (Brewster) Derrickson and daughter Pauline. Alpha was Grandma (Gertrude Brewster) Miller’s sister. Aunt Ruth said that Ralph was a very good baseball player:

Ralph and Alpha (Brewster) Derrickson with daughter Pauline. (c1917)

Dorothy (Brewster) Weaver, Grandma (Gertrude Brewster) Miller’s sister:

Dorothy (Brewster) Weaver (1916-2009)

Wesley and Ardella Kallenberger:

Wesley and Ardella Kallenberger. (c1910)

Mike and Maggie (Rueck-Miller) Kallenberger with children Ardella, Wesley and John. Maggie was Grandpa Miller’s half sister. Aunt Ruth remembers that she enjoyed eating pop corn at Aunt Maggie’s. She also said that the Kallenbergers had a Delco system for generating electricity:

Mike and Maggie (Rueck-Miller) Kallenberger with children Ardella, Wesley and John.

Wesley and Minnie (Johnson) Kallenberger with children:

Wesley and Minnie (Johnson) Kallenberger with children Max, Jean LaVonne, baby Donald.

Please let me know if any of you readers have additions or corrections to any of these photos.

 

Jul 24

Tombstone Tuesday–Abraham Beberstein

Abraham Beberstein, Kessler Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio.

This is the tombstone of Abraham Beberstein, located in row 14 of Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: BEBERSTEIN, Abraham Beberstein Died Sept 4, 1885, Aged 87 Y, 6 M, 26 d.

The broken column is now on the ground, facing west and leaning against the base. The base faces east and is inscribed BEBERSTEIN.

Although Abraham Beberstein and his family attended Zion Lutheran Church in Chattanooga, they were buried in Kessler Cemetery. Kessler Cemetery, also known as Liberty Cemetery, is located on Oregon Road, about 2 miles from Chattanooga and one half mile from the Indiana State Line.

According to Zion Lutheran’s records Abraham Beberstein was born 17 February 1798 in Betringen, Canton Bern, Switzerland, and died 3 September 1884, He was aged 87 years, 6 months and 16 days. Note that the tombstone and church records disagree slightly.

An 1876 map of Mercer County shows that Abraham “Bevestine” owned land in the southeast quarter of Section 18 of Liberty Township. This land would have been about 2 miles south of Chattanooga and about 1/2 mile from Kessler Cemetery, on what is now State Route 49.

Abraham’s tombstone is between those of his children and his wife Friedricka.

This surname was spelled several different ways in the church records and on their tombstones: Baberstein, Beberstein, Beiberstein and Biberstein.

 

Jul 20

Found! A Stash of Photos

Photo labeled Gertrude Brewster Miller.

I spent this past week working with photos–rearranging family photos that my dad had on his computer and scanning a group of photos I found while helping clean out the Miller barn.

We spent several Saturdays this summer cleaning out the barn. I had hoped to find a few treasures there but until that last Saturday I had only found a few horse shoes, some granite containers, some old blue Ball jars, an old school desk and a crude handcrafted wooden cupboard that Joe and my mom could not believe that I insisted we drag home.

But on that last Saturday, after we had almost filled a second dumpster, I found a box of old books, papers and photos. That was it! That was what I was hoping to find. My work gloves came off and my barn cleaning work came to a halt so I could rummage through the photos.

Among the items in the box were loose photos and an old black photo album. I do not know who originally owned the album but there were some Miller, Caffee, Brewster, and Kallenberger and photos in it. Perhaps the album belonged to my grandma, Gertrude (Brewster) Miller. There were photos that I had not seen before and others I had seen but only had copies of.

So this past week I sorted through the photos, arranged them and set out to digitize them. I scanned over three hundred photos in just a couple hours with my Flip Pal portable scanner. After I scanned them I put them on my PC and cropped and edited them. Here are a few of photos from the album.

The above photo has Gertrude Brewster Miller written on the back. However, the girl in the photo looks a lot like her mother Pearl. I also wonder about the clothing style in the photo. The photo may have been taken about 1910 if that is Gertrude in the chair. Gertrude was born in 1896 and Pearl was born in 1880.

This is a photo of Gene, Fern and Vernon Caffee, cousins to the Millers:

Gene, Fern and Vernon Caffee

Mice had chewed the corners of many of the loose photos in the box. It is a good thing the picture portion wasn’t very tasty to them. Below is an old Sunday School photo with Elsie Byers as the Sunday School teacher. It was taken in what is now the kitchen at Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga. You can see where mice chewed the corners of the photo.

Sunday School Class, Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga. (c1950)

Here is a photo of Johnny & Clara (Miller) Reef and her mother Christina (Rueck) Miller:

Johnny & Clara (Miller) Reef, Christine (Rueck) Miller.

I also found a WWII photo of my dad in one of the worst picture frames I have ever seen. I have seen this type of glass frame before and even have one at home. It is not a photo friendly frame because it leaves 4 screw holes in the corners of the photo.

Glass picture frame with 4 screws.

And of course, no Miller photo album would be complete without a porch swing photo:

Early porch swing photo.

Jul 17

Tombstone Tuesday–Frederick W. Brandt

Frederick W. Brandt, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio.

This is the tombstone of Frederick W. Brandt, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: Frederick W, Son of JL & M Brandt, Died Aug 25, 1872, Aged 26 days.

According Zion’s church records, Friedrich Wilhelm Brandt was born 30 July 1872 in Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, the son of Ludwig Brandt and his wife Margaretha, born Haffner. The records state that Frederick’s father was born in Dietzhausen, Kingdom of Prussia, and that his mother was born in Mercer County, Ohio. The records also state that he was baptized 31 August, with his parents as sponsors, and that he died 25 August 1872, aged 26 days. He was buried on the 26th and his funeral text was Mark 10:14.

Frederick’s baptism date was likely entered incorrectly in the church records because Lutherans do not baptize after death. I would guess that he was baptized on either the 31 July or 3 August.

This portion of row 7 appears to be the children’s section of the cemetery.