Hilda (Linn) Bollenbacher, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio (2024 photo by Karen)
This is the tombstone of Hilda (Linn) Bollenbacher, located in row 6 of St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The tombstone is inscribed:
1913-1933
Hilda Bollenbacher
Hilda Linn was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on 25 June 1913, the youngest child of Henry (1871-1934) and Margaret (Deitsch) Linn (1877-1967) Linn.
The Henry Linn and wife Margaret had a family of nine children. The Henry Linn family in 1920: Henry, 48; Margaret, 42; Edward, 20; Andrew, 19; Valentine, 17; Urban, 15; Paul, 13; William, 11; Eda, 9; and Hilda, 6. Their son John Linn had left home by 1920. [1]
In 1930 Hilda, 16, resided on the home farm with her parents and three of her siblings, Valentine, 27, Urban, 25, and William, 24. [2]
Hilda Linn married Ferdinand Christian Bollenbacher in Mercer County, Ohio, on 14 May 1932. Hilda’s parents gave their consent for her to marry. The couple was married by Rev. Alfred J.A. Wahl. Ferdinand Bollenbacher (1910-1951) was the son of Charles W. Bollenbacher and Mary (Hoffman), also from Liberty Township. [3]
A daughter, Ilene M., was born to Ferdinand and Hilda Bollenbacher on 11 December 1932 in Mercer County.
Hilda (Linn) Bollenbacher died as a result of blood hemorrhages and spleen problems on 19 April 1933 at University Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. She had been a patient there for three weeks and her spleen was removed two days before her death. She 19 years, 9 months, and 24 days old and was buried on the 21st. [4]
From Hilda’s obituary:
Hilda (Linn) Bollenbacher was born in Liberty township 25 June 1913, the daughter of Henry and Margaret (Deitsch) Linn. She was baptized 27 July 1913 by Rev. S. Egger and confirmed in St Paul’s Evangelical Church, Liberty Township, on 10 April 1927 by Rev. A.J. Wahl. She was united in marriage with Ferdinand Bollenbacher 14 May 1932, with Rev. Wahl officiating. Hilda and Ferdinand lived at the home of his parents after their marriage and they had a daughter, Ilene May, born 11 Dec 1932. Hilda was active in the church, a graduate of the First Teachers Training Class in 1930, and she taught Sunday School.
Hilda was survived by her husband, a daughter, her parents, her grandmother, Mrs. John Deitsch Sr; her in-laws, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Bollenbacher; six brothers, Edward Linn, Celina; Andrew Linn, Coldwater; Valentine Linn, Urban Linn, William Linn, Liberty Township; Paul Linn, South Bend, Indiana; a sister Eda Linn, Celina; brother-in-law Richard Bollenbacher; sisters-in-law Mrs. Edwin Bollenbacher, Liberty Township, and Mrs. John D. Bollenbacher, Celina. She was preceded in death by her brother Carl Linn in 1927 and another brother who died in infancy. At her funeral her confirmation class sang the hymn O Jesus, I Have Promised. [5]
It is interesting to note that Rev. Wahl confirmed Hilda and presided over her marriage and burial.
Ferdinand and Hilda (Linn) Bollenbacher had one child:
Ilene M. Bollenbacher (1932-2012), married Leroy W. Limbert
Hilda Linn had the following siblings:
Charles John Linn (1897-1937), married Hulda Bollenbacher
Edward H Linn (1899-1972), married Margaret E Laderman
Andrew Chris “Andy” Linn (1900-1971), married Velma A Douglas
Valentine “Jim” Linn (1903-1985), married Elizabeth K Wendel
Urban P. Linn (1904-1978), never married
Paul Roma Linn Sr (1906-1973), married Helen K Kindig
William P Linn (1908-1993), married Alma Irene Brown
Eda Caroline Linn (1910-1993), married Herbert Schaadt
In 1940, Hilda’s widowed husband Ferdinand and daughter Ilene lived with Ferdinand’s parents in Liberty Township. Ferdinand married Melba Smithley (1921-1990) in Adams County, Indiana, on 14 March 1944. Ferdinand and Melba had a son, Michael Charles Bollenbacher (1949-2009). Ferdinand Bollenbacher died 31 January 1951 and Melba married Leroy G. Overman (1923-2005) in 1953.
[1] 1920 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 140, p.5A, dwelling 84, family 87, Henry Linn; Ancestry.com.
[2] 1930 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 20, p.4A, dwelling 86, family 86, Henry Linn; Ancestry.com.
[3] Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Mercer Marriage Record 14, p.52, Ferdinand Bollenbacher & Hilda Linn, 14 May 1932; Ancestry.com.
[4] Ohio Deaths Records, Hilda Bollenbacher, 19 Apr 1933; FamilySearch.org.
[5] Hilda (Linn) Bollenbacher Find a Grave Memorial no.28261687; Find a Grave.com.
2 comments
Thank you so much for this post, Karen. Losing her sister, Hilda, was so difficult for my mom, Eda Linn Schaadt. Mom saved the last correspondence she had from her, a letter Hilda wrote to mom from the hospital in Columbus asking my mom to send her a comb.
Author
Such a sad situation. Hilda was so young and left behind her baby daughter and husband. So sad for her whole family. Thank you for sharing your family memories. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.