Jul 19

Tombstone Tuesday-Georg J Brenner

Georg J Brenner, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Georg J. Brenner, located in row 9 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Georg J. Brenner
Geboren
Oct. 11, 1797
Gestorben
Feb. 23, 1879
[Alter 82 Y, 4 M, 12 D]

This tombstone appears to be broken and I am relying on some additional information read on the stone in 1992, as recorded in Volume 5, Van Wert County, Ohio, Cemetery Inscriptions, by the Van Wert County Chapter OGS.

Georg Johann Brenner was born 11 October 1797 in Michelbach, Wuerttemberg, the son of Johann Leonhard & Eva Rosina Brenner. He was baptized the same day he was born and christened as Johann Georg Brenner. [1] The records of Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, give this same information and also indicates that he came to America in 1832.

Georg Johann Brenner married Elisabeth Herzog in Van Wert County on 14 January 1840, married by Jacob Harper JP. [2]

Georg Johann and Elisabeth (Herzog) Brenner had one son, Johann Gottfried Brenner, born in Willshire Township 11 July 1845, according to Zion Schumm’s records.

The Georg Johann Brenner family lived in the Willshire/Schumm area in 1850. Their household in 1850: John Brenner, 51, Germany; Elisabeth Brenner, 46, PA; Gottfried Brenner, 5, Ohio; and Cyrus Reed, 8, Ohio. [3]

According to Zion Schumm’s records, Cyrus Reid was the foster son of John Brenner. Cyrus Reid died 6 May 1857, at the age of 15 years, 10 months, and 2 days, after getting chilled and developing pneumonia. He is buried in row 5 of Zion Schumm’s cemetery.   

The Georg Johann Brenner family in 1860: John Brenner, 62, Wuerttemberg; Elisabeth, 55, PA; Godfrey, 16, OH; and Catharine Airman, 10, OH. The 10-year-old was likely Catharine Ehrman/Ehrenman, perhaps another foster child. John Brenner was a farmer. [4]

The Georg Johann Brenner family in 1870, living with their son John Gottfried Brenner and his wife of 3 years, Mary (Kreiselmeyer) Brenner: John Brenner, 73; Elizabeth, 65; JC Brenner, 25; and Mary Brenner, 21. [5]

Georg Johann’s wife Elisabeth (Herzog) Brenner died of palsy in Willshire Township on 6 May 1875, at the age of 70 years, 2 months, and 1 day. She is buried in row 8 of Zion Schumm’s cemetery. [6]

Georg Johann Brenner died of old age in Van Wert County on 23 February 1879, at the age of 82 years, 5 months, and 12 days. [7] According to Zion Schumm’s records he died following “a painful illness” at the age of 82 years, 4 months, and 12 days. He was buried on the 25th.

Two days later, on 25 February 1879, his son Johann Gottfried Brenner died of lung fever, aged 33 years, 8 months, and 14 days. [8] According to Zion Schumm’s records he died of pneumonia and was 33 years, 8 months, and 8 days old.

Child of Georg Johann & Elisabeth (Herzog) Brenner:
Johann Gottfired (1845-1879), married Ktharina Maria Margaretha Kreiselmeyer

[1] Wuerttemberg, Germany, Lutheran Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1500-198, an Der Heide u Michelbach, Heiraten,Tote & Taufen, 1600-1882, Johann Georg Brenners, 11 Oct 1797; Ancestry.com, viewed 18 Jul 2022.   

[2] “Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958,” Van Wert Marriages, image 25, John Brenner & Elizabeth Harzogg, 14 Jan 1840; FamilySearch.org (https://www.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-S5QF-47?i=24&cc=1614804 : viewed 6 Sep 2021).

[3] 1850 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, dwelling 354, family 373, John Brenner; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Sep 2021.

[4] 1860 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, dwelling 1073, family 1067, John Bauner; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Sep 2021.

[5] 1870 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED, dwelling 101, family 102, JC Brenner; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Sep 2021.

[6]“Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” Van Wert County, Vol. 1, p.102-3, Elisabeth Brenner, 6 May 1875; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6725-YC?i=224&cc=2128172&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AF6NJ-J4D : viewed 6 Sep 2021).

[7] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” Van Wert County, Vol. 1, p.144, John Brenner, 23 Feb 1879; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6725-VD?i=245&cc=2128172&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AF6NJ-2JS : viewed 18 Jul 2022).

[8] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” Van Wert County, Vol. 1, p.144, John G Brenner, 25 Feb 1879; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6725-VD?i=245&cc=2128172&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AF6NJ-2JS : viewed 18 Jul 2022).

Jul 15

More Local News Items from 1917 (part 4)

I continue with some more news clippings from The Celina Democrat, a newspaper published from 1895-1921. A few of those years are available on the Library of Congress.com website. Here is more local news from 1917.

There were two Bollenbacher obituaries that year, the first was that of Catherine Elizabeth Bollenbacher:

Catherine Elizabeth Bollenbacher obituary, 11 May 1917, The Celina Democrat.

The second that of Carrie Bollenbacher:

Carrie Bollenbacher obituary, The Celina Democrat, 5 Oct 1917.

A rather unique injury in Celina:

Injury, The Celina Democrat, 12 Jan 1917.

Teachers in Liberty, Blackcreek, and Dublin Townships and in Rockford. I assume these are teachers in the one-room schools, at least in the rural areas.

The Celina Democrat, 16 Nov 1917

I did a double-take when I saw there was a teacher named Miriam Fetters. Miriam Fetters is a friend of mine, but not this person. The one I know was not yet born in 1917.  

And lastly, local communities participated in a big flag-raising event at Rockford. It was interesting to read that the Chattanooga, Willshire, Rockford, and Blackcreek bands participated.

Rockford Flag Raising, The Celina Democrat, 20 Jul 1917

Jul 12

Tombstone Tuesday-Sphere

You may have seen a grave marker topped with sphere or ball. The 3-D circle represents eternity and the unending circle of life.  

Sphere, Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio.

It may also represent the soul waiting for the resurrection.

Sphere, Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio.

Below is a small sphere used as finial.

Fountain Chapel Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio.

The spheres below are probably not actual tombstones but they make a nice addition to this cemetery.  

Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio.

 

 

Jul 08

1951 Bible School, Zion Lutheran, Chatt

Summer is Bible School time for many local children. Most churches host Bible School (aka Daily Vacation Bible School) for a week in June or July.

Here is a photo I ran across the other day, a 1951 Bible School photo from Zion Lutheran Church in Chatt. This was probably one of the older classes, with an average age of about 10 years. There were likely several other younger classes.

Bible School, Zion Lutheran, Chatt, 1951.

Standing, left to right:
Mrs. Elsie Byers, Eileen Krall, Eileen Byers, Pat Myers, Cindy Reef, Evelyn Krall, Lois Krall, Rev. Waldo Byers.

Seated:
Larry Woodruff (front), Larry Caffee (behind), Farrel Krall, Joe Clase, Leon Kallenberger, Max Kallenberger, Jim Myers.

Rev. Waldo Byers was Zion’s minister at that time. Although I was not born yet, he was Zion’s minister from 1947-1960 and I remember him and his wife Elsie.

Rev. Waldo & Elsie Byers.

I remember going to Bible School at Zion Chatt most every summer while growing up. My earliest memories of Bible School are of Helen Jean White picking me up at the Miller farm and taking me and her two children, Martha and Charles, to the church. She drove us to Chatt in what I thought was a very cool car, in what I believe was a Pontiac Woody station wagon. For me it was like riding a small bus to Chatt.

Bible School was (and still is) a lot of fun. We heard Bible stories, sang songs, made crafts, had activities, and ate snacks. I remember at least one year when Bible School was all day and we took our lunch. Another year we had half-day Bible School for 2 weeks. But usually Bible School was one week for half a day. And we always had a program at the end of the week.   

Good memories.

Jul 05

Tombstone Tuesday-Emma German [?]

Emma German, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2019 photo by Karen)

This tombstone is located in row 2 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker’s inscription can no longer be read.

What do you do when a tombstone is so weathered that its inscription is no longer legible?

The first thing I did was look at a local source, the 1992 Van Wert County, Ohio, Cemetery Inscriptions, by the Van Wert Chapter OGS. The Van Wert Chapter read and recorded all the stones in the cemetery three decades ago. This stone was weathered back then but they were able to read parts of it. They read the stone as Emma German, 1y, _m, 11d, daughter of J.

That is not a lot to go on, especially since the year of her death was not legible. There appears to be a lamb image carved at the top of the marker, which indicates it is the tombstone of a child.  

I next looked at Zion Schumm’s church records. There was only one Emma German in their death records, but this is not her tombstone. The Emma German in the church records lived from 1907-1917, is buried in row 11 of Zion Schumm’s cemetery, and her tombstone is very legible.

I do not have much German family genealogy and do not know if there was an Emma German who died young, whose father’s first name began with J, and who was not mentioned in Zion Schumm’s records. Perhaps a German researcher can shed some light on this.

From Zion Schumm’s church records I know that there was a Johann and a Jacob German who attended church there years ago. Perhaps Emma was the daughter of one of them.

There were not many Emmas in their church records, but one Emma did die in infancy. Anna Susanna Emma Bienz, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Bienz, born 9 October 1874, died 21 May 1876, and was buried in the parish cemetery 23 May. It appears her tombstone did not survive.  

There is just not a lot to go on here. And, considering the condition of this tombstone, are we sure the name is actually Emma German? The script on some markers is difficult to read when a marker is in good condition, let alone on a severely weathered stone. 

This tombstone may just have to remain a mystery.