Feb 13

Tombstone Tuesday-John Henry Kable

What do you do when there is no tombstone for a Tombstone Tuesday? I guess you go ahead and write a brief bio of the deceased anyway.  

I should have looked for the tombstone photo first, before I started researching and writing a Tombstone Tuesday about John Henry Kable, a member of the Kable family I have been writing about the last few weeks.

Kessler/Liberty Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio (2017 photo by Karen)

When I got to the point of looking through my Kessler, aka Liberty, Cemetery, tombstone photos, I found that I did not have a photo of John Henry Kable’s tombstone. However, I did not overlook taking a photo of his tombstone. There is no grave marker for John at Kessler Cemetery, although his death certificate indicates he was buried there on 27 January 1957. W. H. Zwick & Son, Decatur, was in charge of the funeral arrangements.

Although he has no tombstone, here is a little about today’s subject, John Henry Kable.

John Henry Kable was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, on 9 April 1877, the son of Frederick (1817-1886) and Catharine (Koch) (1837-1911) Kable. His parents were both German immigrants.

John Henry Kable was baptized a Zion Lutheran, Chatt, on 13 May 1877, with George Weinmann and wife serving as his baptismal sponsors. His christening name was Johann Heinrich Kable.

John was enumerated with his family in 1880: Frederick Kable, 64, head; Catharine C Kable, 43, wife; Jacob Kable, 14 son; Christina Kable, 12, daughter; Frederick Kable, 10, son; and John Kable, 2, son. [1]

John’s father Frederick Kable died 29 April 1886.

In the late 1890s John H. Kable was a schoolteacher at Wild Cat School, Blackcreek Township, Mercer County. He taught at Wild Cat School during 1897-1898 school year and was my great-uncle Jacob Miller’s teacher that year. Awhile back I wrote a blog post about Wild Cat School’s 1897-98 school souvenir book. [2] John H. probably taught a few additional years.

John H. Kable may be the man standing on the far left of this undated Wild Cat School photo.

Wild Cat School, Mercer County, Ohio. Undated photo.

Wild Cat School Souvenir Book, 1897-1898, John H. Kable, teacher.

Wild Cat School Souvenir Booklet, Mercer County, Ohio, 1897-1898.

In 1900 John H, 23, schoolteacher, resided with his widowed mother Catherine (Koch) Kable, 63, head, and three of his unmarried siblings: Christina Kable, 33, Jacob Kable, 35, farmer; and Frederick Kable, 30, farmer. [3]

John H. Kable, 29, married Viola L. Baumgartner, 17, on 4 November 1906, in Mercer County, Ohio. Viola was the daughter of John Baumgartner and Nettie Urick. John’s residence was Liberty Township and Viola was living in Rockford. Neither were previously married and they were married by C L Culbertson. Viola was underage and her father gave permission for her to marry.  [4]

The John H. Kable household in 1910: John, 33, head; Viola, 21, wife; Walter, 2, son; Larena, 3 mo, daughter; Catharine Kable 72, mother. John was a farmer. [5]

John’s mother Catharine Kable died in 1911.

In 1912, John H. Kable was a Justice of the Peace in Liberty Township, Mercer County. [6]

A brief 1913 news article in a Fort Wayne newspaper indicates that John H. Kable and family lived in Fort Wayne at that time: Mr. & Mrs. John H. Kable of 173 Jackson Street, are at Shane’s Crossing, Ohio, to attend the funeral of a relative. [7]

By 1918 John H. Kable once again resided in Mercer County, where he registered for the draft in September 1918. His wife Viola was his next of kin. [8]

John’s wife Viola (Baumgartner) Kable died in Liberty Township, Mercer County, from the Spanish flu, on 11 December 1918. Her death certificate indicates she was buried in the Chattanooga Cemetery, but it appears her grave marker does not exist either.   

In 1920 widower John H. Kable, 42, and his four children lived in Mercer County with his widowed sister, Christina (Kable) Baumgartner, 52: John H Kable, 42, widowed; Walter E Kable, 12; Lorena V Kable, 10; Victor D Kable, 8; Bessie Kable, 6; Christina Baumgartner, 52, sister, widow. [9] 

John’s two oldest children, Walter and Lorena, both died in 1921.

Sometime between 1920 and 1930, probably after the death of his two children in 1921, John and his remaining two children moved to Adams County, Indiana, in or near Decatur. The John H. Kable family in 1930: John, 56, widow; Victor, 19; Bessie, 16. John and his son Victor both worked in a foundry and daughter Bessie rolled tobacco at a cigar store. [10]

John Henry Kable died in Adams County, Indiana, on 22 January 1957, his death caused from a cerebral hemorrhage. His address was RR 3 Decatur.

John’s son Victor Kable was the informant for the information on John’s death certificate. Unfortunately, it appears Victor was not interested or knowledgeable about the Kable family history. Or maybe his father did not talk much about the family. John’s parents were Frederick and Catharine (Koch) Kable, but Victor reported that John’s father was unknown and mother was Viola Baumgarder. Viola was actually the name of John’s deceased wife, who was Victor’s mother. [11]

John H. and Viola L. (Baumgartner) Kable had the following children:
Walter Elmer Kable (1907-1921)
Viola “Lorena” (1910-1921)
Victor Daniel Kable (1912-1961), married Agnes L. Spangler
Bessie Maud Kable (1913-1980), married Dale Henry Eley

John H. Kable had the following siblings:
Jakob Kable (1865-1946), never married
Christina Kable (1867-1939), married John A. Baumgartner
Frederich Kable (1870-1934), married Mary Ann Wendel
Christian Friedrich Kable (1872-1876)
Katharine Kable (1876-1876) 

[1] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.473B, dwelling 43, family 45, Frederick Kable; Ancestry.com.

[2] Wild Cat School Souvenir Booklet, Karen’s Chatt, 18 Jan 2013.

[3] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 85, p.6, dwelling 115, family 120, Catherine Cable [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[4] Ohio, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Mercer County, 1904-1910, p.278, John H. Kable & Viola L. Baumgartner, 4 Nov 1906, Ancestry.com.  

[5] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.12A [penned], dwelling 212, family 219, John Kable; Ancestry.com.

[6] The Celina Democrat, Celina, Ohio, 27 Sep 1912, p.5; Newspapers.com.

[7] Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 1 Feb 1913, Newspapers.com.

[8] U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Ohio, Mercer County, John Henry Kable; Ancestry.com.

[9] 1920 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 140, dwelling 196, family 213, John H Kable; Ancestry.com.

[10] 1930 U.S. Census, Indiana, Adams, Decatur First Ward, ED 10, p9A. dwelling 206, family 209, John Kable; Ancestry.com.

[11] Indiana Death Certificates, Year 1957, Adams County, John Henry Kable, 22 Jan 1957; Ancestry.com.

Feb 09

Wives Without First Names

I am old enough to remember when married women did not use their given names. Years ago, wives referred to themselves, and were referred to by others, with their husband’s given name. It was Mrs. John Doe, not Mrs. Jane Doe.

My mom did that same thing. She did not refer to herself as Mrs. Florence Miller, but she called herself Mrs. Herbert Miller. All married women of that time period did that.

There are plenty of examples of this in older newspapers:

Lima News, 3 Sep 1961

Lima News, 12 May 1971

That was the way things were for many years, even centuries, but that all began to change in the 1970s.

But why? Why did married women use their husband’s given name?  

This custom started in the Middle Ages, with the Law of Coverture, a set of laws that said that a married woman’s identity was “covered” by her husband and her legal rights were governed by her husband. This legal status was called feme covert, literally “covered woman.” Upon marriage the wife gave up her separate and legal identity and her husband had complete legal and economic control over her. Everything she did legally had to be in her husband’s name since she was a non-person under the law.

Because she was not legally a person, she could not own any property, make decisions for her children against her husband’s wishes, sign legal documents, enter into contracts, keep her own salary, or get any education against her husband’s wishes. And she had to use her husband’s given name.

However, there was an advantage for unmarried women, who were called feme sole under the Law of Coverture. An unmarried woman was recognized as an individual person and was able to own property and sign contracts in her own name.

As time went on, the Laws and Doctrine of Coverture slowly went away, beginning with the passing of women’s property acts in the mid-19th century.

All that ultimately determined how society and newspapers referred to women years ago.

Newspapers use stylebooks to govern precisely how to use words. Stylebooks are reference books for writers, editors, and publishers. Stylebooks cover grammar, punctuation, footnotes, words, and just about anything else concerned with writing. Stylebooks evolve with customs and language. My go-to stylebook is The Chicago Manual of Style.

In the early 1960s stylebooks required that Mrs. was never to be used with the Christian name of a woman. A married woman’s name was to be written as Mrs. John Doe, not Mrs. Jane Doe.  

By the late 1960s women could occasionally use their first name without the Miss or Mrs. (e.g. Jane Doe), but Mrs. was to be used when her name was used in conjunction with her husband’s name.

By the 1970’s, stylebooks stated that if the couple was divorced a woman should use her first name with Mrs., e.g. Mrs. Jane Doe. A married woman or a widow should still be referred to by her husband’s Christian name, e.g. Mrs. John Doe.

Finally, by the early 1990s married women were to be referred to by their own first name and surname, e.g. Mrs. Jane Doe or Jane Doe. They did not have to use their husband’s given name.

All this leads up to how to interpret this news article I recently found. It didn’t make sense until I learned the writing style of that time period.

Lima News, 11 June 1947

My first thought was that Mrs. Mary Jane Schumm should not marry someone else if she was already Mrs. Schumm. By today’s standards, it appears that she was married to Mr. Schumm.

But it makes sense for an article written in 1947. According to the stylebooks of the time, Mrs. Mary Jane Schumm was a divorced woman and she married again. At that time a divorced woman used Mrs. and her given name.

All this is just a little something to help interpret what was written years ago.

By the way, I always enjoyed grammar in school.

Sources: The Art of Editing, Floyd K. Baskette & Jack Z. Scissors and “Starting in the ‘70s, married women’s first names were included in Post’s references,” John Kelly, 23 Nov 2019; WashingtonPost.com.

Feb 06

Tombstone Tuesday-Katharina Kable

Katharina Kable, Kessler, aka Liberty Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2023 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Katharina Kable, located in row 12 of Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The weathered marker is inscribed:

Katharina
Gestorben
28 May, 1876
Alt 3 Monat
& 18 Tag
Kinder von F & C Kable

Katharina, died 28 May 1876, age 3 months, 18 days. Children of F & C Kable.

This is half of a double tombstone for two young Kable siblings, Katharina and her brother Christian, the children of Frederick and Catharine (Koch) Kable. The two children died 13 days apart. Lambs, carved at the top, are often used on the tombstones of children.

Siblings Christian & Katharine Kable, Kessler/Liberty Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2024 photo by Karen)

Katharina Kable was born 10 February 1876, as calculated from her tombstone and according to Mercer County Probate birth records. She was born in Liberty Township, the daughter of Frederick and Catharine (Koch) Kable.  [1]

Katharina’s death is also recorded in Mercer County Probate and that record indicates that she was 1 year and 3 months old when she died. [2]

It appears that her age at death was recorded incorrectly on the probate record but is correct on her tombstone. There can be incorrect information on any record. 

Katharina’s brother Christian died 13 days later, on 10 June 1876. They both died from scarlet fever. [2]

There is no baptism record for Katharina Kable at Zion Chatt, although her brother Christian was baptized there.

Katharina Kable had the following siblings:
Jacob Kable (1865-1946)
Christina Kable (1867-1939), married John A. Baumgartner
Frederich Kable (1870-1934), married Mary Ann Wendel
Christian Friedrich Kable (1872-1876)
Johann Heinrich Kable (1877-1957), married Viola L. Baumgartner

[1] “Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003,” Mercer County, Vol. 1, 1868-1883, p.170, Catharine Kable, 10 Feb 1876; FamilySearch.org.

[2] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” Mercer County, Book 1, 1867-1888, p.86, Catherine Kable, 28 May 1876; FamilySearch.org.

Feb 02

Happy Groundhog Day!

Happy Groundhog Day!

Punxsutawney, PA, postcard, early 2000s.

What will the groundhog predict today? What will groundhog Punxsutawney Phil’s weather forecast be for the next six weeks? Will he see his shadow?

Will there be six more weeks of Winter? Or six weeks until Spring?

Does it really matter? Is there really a difference between those two predictions?

Probably not.

I am writing this on Thursday and by the time you read this on the morning of Friday, February 2nd, we will probably know the ground hog’s prognostication.

This is the way it works. If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If Phil does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.

Punxsutawney, PA, postcard back, early 2000s.

Just how accurate is this groundhog? Phil is accurate about 40% of the time, according to weather experts. Phil predicts six more weeks of Winter weather more often than he predicts an early Spring.

Why February 2nd? The tradition goes back to the Celts in Europe centuries ago, when they celebrated four days this time of year, the midpoint between the Winter solstice and Spring equinox.

In Pennsylvania, groundhog weather-forecasting dates back to German households in the 1840s. German immigrants in the Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, area celebrated the mid-winter holiday in the 1880s by hunting and eating groundhogs and picnicking. The name Punxsutawney is derived from the Native American word meaning “town of sandflies” or “town of mosquitoes.” Today it is the town of groundhogs. 

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club was organized in 1899 and they care for Phil in a special burrow beside the Punxsutawney Memorial Library.  

Punxsutawney, PA, postcard, early 2000s.

Groundhog Day has been an annual tradition in Punxsutawney since 1887, held at Gobblers’ Knob. The Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club plans the ceremony and events each year, as well as caring for and feeding Punxsutawney Phil. The grounds at Gobblers’ Knob open at 3 a.m. and thousands gather to see the early morning event.

Punxsutawney, PA, postcard, early 2000s.

Our son Jeff went to Gobblers’ Knob in the early 2000s to join the Groundhog Day celebration. He said there were a lot of people there having a very good time. And he said it was cold. I asked him to get me a souvenir and he got me several postcards (shown here) and this cute hand-painted pin.

Punxsutawney Phil Groundhog Day pin.

Although some animal lovers think groundhogs are cute, adorable little critters, farmers consider them a detrimental, and even dangerous nuisance. They are a burrowing, destructive animal. They eat soybeans in the field and they dig and burrow deep holes in the ground that can be hazardous for farmers driving farm equipment. They can weaken a building foundation and chew tubing and wires. They also eat garden plants, alfalfa, clover, most garden vegetables, bark, twigs, and seedlings. Their only redeeming characteristic is that they eat grubs, snails, and other insects. They are fair game around here.

Groundhogs are the largest species in the squirrel family, weighing from 6-12 pounds. They live from 3-6 years and their incisors continue to grow throughout their lifetime. They can climb and swim.

Punxsutawney, PA, postcard, early 2000s.

Groundhogs have a shrill, high-pitched whistle and are sometimes called whistle-pigs. They are also called land-beavers or woodchucks.

They hibernate from October until Spring, and that is probably why Punxsutawney Phil looks so grumpy when they take him out of his cage on 2 February. Note that the handler in the fancy suit and top hat always wears very heavy gloves.  

My grandma Schumm really disliked ground hogs on the farm. They burrowed under their barn and in the fields, especially in the area to the back of the farm, by the old railroad track. She wanted them gone and my hubby Joe was more than happy to help with pest control.

It was sunny today, February 1st, and it will probably be sunny tomorrow, Groundhog Day. Since Phil’s forecast won’t make a lot of difference weather-wise, I’ll take another day of sunshine. January was a rather cloudy, foggy month. We can use some more sunshine.

Source of some information: “When is Groundhog Day 2024? What to know about the decades-old winter prediction tradition,” Jana Hayes, The Oklahoman, 1 Feb 2024.

Jan 30

Tombstone Tuesday-Christian Kable

Christian Kable, Kessler/Liberty Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2024 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Christian Kable, located in row 12 of Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Christian
Gestorben
June 10, 1876
Alt 3 Jahre
6 Mo, 12 Tag
Kinder von F & C Kable

Christian, died 10 June 1876, age 3 years, 6 months, 12 days. Children of F & C Kable.

According to the records at Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Ohio, Christian Kable was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on 28 November 1872, the son of Frederick and Catharine (Koch) Kable. Christian was baptized 1 January 1873, with Christian Kesseler his wife serving as his sponsors. 

According to his tombstone Christian Kable died 10 June 1876, age 3 years, 6 months, and 12 days.

A lamb is carved at the top of the tombstone, a common symbol on the gravestone of a young child or infant.

This tombstone is very weathered and nearly impossible to read. Find a Grave.com has a photo of the stone, taken a few years ago, which is more legible.

The tombstone is a double tombstone for two Kable siblings, Christian and his sister Katharine. Next week, Katharine Kable’s tombstone.

Siblings Christian & Katharine Kable, Kessler/Liberty Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2024 photo by Karen)

Christian Kable had the following siblings:
Jacob Kable (1865-1946)
Christina Kable (1867-1939), married John A. Baumgartner
Frederich Kable (1870-1934), married Mary Ann Wendel
Katharine Kable (1876-1876) 
Johann Heinrich Kable (1877-1957), married Viola L. Baumgartner