Feb 20

Tombstone Tuesday-Walter E. Kable & Viola Laurina Kable

Last week’s Tombstone Tuesday featured John Henry Kable (1877-1957), a deceased individual without a tombstone, although he reportedly was buried in Kessler, aka Liberty Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio.

The son of Frederick (1817-1886) and Catharine (Koch) (1837-1911) Kable, John H. grew up in Liberty Township and married Viola L. Baumgartner on 4 November 1906. [1]

By 1910 John and Viola had two children, Walter Elmer, 2, and Viola Laurina, 3 months. [2]

According to Zion Chatt’s records, Walter Elmer Kable was born 16 August 1907, the son of John Henry and Viola L. Baumgartner. He was baptized at Zion Chatt on 10 April 1908 with his parents serving as his baptismal sponsors.

Also, according to Zion Chatt’s records, Viola Laurina Kable was born 8 January 1910, the daughter of John Henry and Viola L. Baumgartner. She was baptized 24 July 1910 with her parents serving as her baptismal sponsors.

In 1913 John H. Kable and family lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana, for a short time [3] but they moved back to Mercer County by 1918. [4] And by 1918 John H. and Viola had four children.

John H. Kable’s wife Viola (Baumgartner) Kable died in Liberty Township, Mercer County, on 11 December 1918. [5]

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

John’s two oldest children, Walter and Viola Laurina, both died within a few weeks of each other in 1921.

According to Zion Chatt’s death and burial records, Viola Laurina Kable died from spinal meningitis on 11 November 1921, aged 11 years, 10 months, and 13 days. She was buried in the Chattanooga Mausoleum on the 13th.  She was survived by her father, 2 brothers, and 1 sister. 

According to Zion Chatt’s death and burial records, Walter E. Kable died from blood poisoning on 24 November 1921, aged 15 years. He was buried in the Chattanooga Mausoleum on the 27th.  He was survived by his father, a sister and a brother. According to his civil death record, Walter died in Mercer County. [7]

Chattanooga Mausoleum, Chattanooga, Ohio

Although the records indicate both children were laid to rest in the Chattanooga Mausoleum, neither has a marked vault there. However, John H. Kable purchased three vaults at the Chattanooga Mausoleum between 1919 and 1925.

John H. Kable purchased compartments no. 9 & 10, Section F, in the Chattanooga Mausoleum on 10 February 1919, certificate no. 21. Were these two compartments originally purchased for John H. and his wife Viola? But she had already passed away in 1918 and according to her death certificate she was buried in the Chattanooga Cemetery. Did that mean Kessler/Liberty Cemetery? Her tombstone has not been found there.

Or did John H. Kable originally purchase the two compartments for himself and his wife Viola, but used them instead for his two children? He probably did not expect two of his children to die at such a young age.  

Six years later John H. Kable purchased another compartment at the Chattanooga Mausoleum. He purchased compartment no. 11, Section F West, on 7 December 1925, certificate no. 23. Perhaps he purchased that additional compartment for himself, where he would be laid to rest next to his children?

It is also interesting to note that John’s sister Christena (Kable) Baumgartner purchased compartments no. 7 & 8, Section F, on 22 February 1918, Certificate no. 19. Christena and her husband John Baumgartner are laid to rest there and their compartments are engraved with their names.

Chattanooga Mausoleum

The Kable family has five compartments in the Chattanooga Mausoleum, compartments 7-11, all next to each other.  

Records indicate that John H.’s children Walter E. and Viola Laurina were laid to rest in the Chattanooga Mausoleum. Perhaps their names were never carved on their vaults.

The father, John Henry Kable died in Adams County, Indiana, on 22 January 1957 and is reportedly buried in Kessler Cemetery, but there is no marker for him either.

[1] 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. 

[2] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.12A [penned], dwelling 212, family 219, John Kable; Ancestry.com.

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

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

[5] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” Mercer, Viola L Kable, 11 Dec 1918; FamilySearch.org.

[6] 1920 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 140, dwelling 196, family 213, John H Kable; Ancestry.com.

[7] “Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, 1958-2007,” Walter E. Kable, 1921; FamilySearch.org.

 

Feb 16

The First Schumm Reunion, 1924

The descendants of the John George Schumm family in America have an important anniversary this year, 100 years since the first Schumm Reunion. The biennial reunion is held in August at Zion Lutheran Church in Schumm, Ohio. The earliest reunions were held on the Schumm homestead farm, just west of the church.

The first Schumm reunion was held 10 August 1924 at the Henry G. and Walter E. Schumm farm.

The first Schumm Reunion, 1924, at the Schumm homestead.

I will write about the Schumm reunions and the Schumm family several times during this anniversary year. Today, a news article about the first Schumm reunion, printed in the 14 August 1924 edition of The Willshire Herald:

Schumm Reunion, Willshire Herald, 14 Aug 1921

Schumm Family Reunion Brings Many Together
The first annual re-union of the Schumm family, held at the home of Henry G. and Walter E. Schumm, near Schumm church, Sunday, was a magnificent success from every point of view, including ideal weather conditions. Members of the family bearing that name came from far and near to participate in the event, representatives being in attendance from Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and as far west as California. Between four hundred and five hundred Schumm kin were present, and many old ties were re-newed and new ones made, which will be reflected in future gatherings of the direct descendants of John George Schumm, who came to this country from Germany in 1832, settling first in Philadelphia, Pa., coming to Holmes County, O, several years later, and to Van Wert County in 1837, at which time he made entry on a section of land. Direct descendants of the founder of this branch of the Schumm family are said to number 850, perhaps, a greater number.

The real opening of the re-union took place at the noon hour, at which time a bounteous picnic dinner was served at long tables in the yard, places being provided for every one of the assembled guests.

Following the dinner a fine literary and musical program was presented, the participants being presented to the audience by Rev. Otto Schumm of Centerville, Mich., who officiated in the capacity of chairman of the re-union. The program opened with a musical selection, The Appollo March, by Zion orchestra; welcome address, Rev. Otto Schumm; vocal solo, “Call Me Back, Pal O’ Mine,“ Mrs. Estella Gunsett; reading of family history, Rev. Paul Schumm; piano solo, “Thine Own,” Miss Alma Buechner; humorous recitation, Hugo Schumm; vocal solo, “The Kookuck Clock,” Mrs. Estella Gunsett; prayer and benediction, Rev. R.O. Bienert, the program concluding with the singing of “God Be with You Till We Meet Again.”

Officers elected for ensuing term were: H.G. Schumm, president; C.A. Schumm, vice president; F.G. Roehm, secretary; Oscar Lankenmann [sic; Lankenau], treasurer. The officers elected were give [sic] authority to select committees necessary to carry on the work of the re-union association and to perfect plans for the holding of future re-unions, it not being decided at this year’s gathering whether to have a re-union annually or every two years, owing to the fact that the relationship is scattered throughout the United States.

During the giving of the program a collection of missions was taken up, amounting to $70.

First Schumm Reunion 1924.

Here is another photo that I believe was taken at that first Schumm reunion.

First Schumm reunion, 1924.

Note the brass quartet at the front.  

Brass ensemble at first Schumm reunion, 1924.

Some of the musicians from another photo.

It is unknown what songs the brass ensemble may have played, but some popular secular songs of that time were Rhapsody in Blue; It Had to Be You; California, Here I Come; Somebody Stole My Gal; Linger Awhile; I Wonder What’s Become of Sally; Keep My Skillet Good & Greasy; and Charleston.  

I can just hear the little brass ensemble playing California, Here I Come.  

I hope to see many of my Schumm relatives at this historic reunion on 4 August this year.

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.