Tombstone Tuesday-Theobald & Caroline (Kable) Leininger

Theobald & Caroline (Kable) Leininger, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Rockford, Mercer County, Ohio. (2023 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Theobald and Caroline (Kable) Leininger, located in row 6 of St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Rockford, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

LEININGER
Theobald
1861-1944
Caroline
1862-1934

Theobald Leininger was born in Mercer County, Ohio, likely in Liberty Township, on 20 July 1861, the son of Jacob (1832-1908) and Catherine (Kettering) (1836-1914) Leininger.

In 1870, Theobald Leininger, age 8, attended school and his father Jacob Leininger was a farmer. Their family in 1870: Jacob Leininger, 35; Catharine Leininger, 32; Margaret Leininger, 13; Theobald Leininger, 8; William Leininger, 5; Christina Leininger, 4; Mary Leininger, 2; and Henry Kettering, 25. [1]

No longer a student, in 1880 Theobald Leininger worked on the family farm. The Jacob Leininger family in 1880: Jacob, 47; Catherine, 43; Theobald, 18; William, 16; Christine, 14; Mary, 12; Phoebe, 9; John, 6; and George, 4. [2]

Theobald Leininger married Caroline Kable on 21 January 1886 in Mercer County, married by Rev. Samuel Egger. [3]

Caroline Fredericka Kable was born in Mercer County on 2 January 1863, the daughter of Ferdinand and Catharine (Bollenbacher) Kable. Both of her parents were German immigrants and Caroline was the fourth child born to the couple, their first daughter. Caroline’s two oldest brothers, Jacob and John George, died of dysentery in 1865, shortly after their father Ferdinand returned from serving in the Civil War.

The Ferdinand Kable family in 1870, with daughter Caroline, living in Liberty Township: Ferdinand Kable, 43; Catharine, 37; Adam, 9; Caroline, 7; Louisa, 3; and Catharine, 1. [4] The Ferdinand Kable family in 1880: Ferdinand, 54; Catharine, 45; Adam, 17; Caroline, 16; Louisa, 13; Catherine, 12; and Nettie, 8. [5]

After their marriage Theobald and Caroline Leininger lived on a farm in Black Creek Township. I believe their 80-acre farm was just north of Chatt, on the Black Creek/Liberty township line, aka Strable Road, about a half mile east of route 49, on the north side of the road. The Theobald Leininger family in 1900: Theobald, 38, head; Caroline F, 37, wife; Henry L, 13, son; Edwin A, 8, son; Bertha C, 5, daughter; and Samuel J, 2, son. Theobald was a farmer. The couple had been married 14 years and four of six children born to the couple were living. [6] Theobald served as justice of the peace in Black Creek Township during this time.

The Theobald Leininger family in 1910: Theobald, 48, head; Caroline F, 47, wife; Edwing A, 18, son; Bertha C, 15, daughter; Samuel J, 12, son; Victor F, 5, son. The family lived on Leininger Pike in Black Creek Township. Five of seven children born to the couple were living. [7]

In 1920 Theobald, wife Caroline, and son Victor, lived with married daughter Bertha (Leininger), her husband Leroy Pifer, and their children: Roy Pifer, 28, head; Bertha Pifer, 28, wife; Beatrice Pifer, 1, daughter; Ruby Pifer, 7 months, daughter; Theobald Leininger, 58, father-in-law; Caroline Leininger, 56, wife; Victor Leininger, 15, son. Theobald had retired from farming by this time and his son-in-law Leroy Pifer farmed. [8]

In 1930 Theobald, 68, and Caroline, 67, lived by themselves on Stringtown Pike, in Black Creek Township. Theobald was a stock & poultry [?] farmer. [9]

Caroline (Kable) Leininger died in Liberty Township, Mercer County, on 7 April 1934. She was 71 years, 2 months, and 5 days old and her death was due to complications from dementia. She was a housewife and was buried on the 9^th. [10]

In 1940 widower Theobald Leininger once again resided with his daughter Bertha (Leininger) Pifer and her family. The Pifer family in 1940: Leroy C Pifer, 49, head; Bertha C, 45, wife; Beatrice, 22, daughter; Ruby, 20, daughter; Glenda, 19, daughter; Marjorie, 18, daughter; Twyla, 14, daughter; Glee [Verna], 10, daughter; Gerald, 6, son; and Theobald Leininger, 79, widow, father-in-law. [11]

Theobald Leininger died in Mercer County on 7 June 1944. Theobald Leininger’s obituary:

Rockford, June 8—Theobald Leininger, 82, retired farmer of Blackcreek-tp, died Wednesday at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Pifer, near Chattanooga, O.

Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. Leroy Pifer; four sons, H.L. of Caldwell, Ida.; E.A. of Hobart, Ind; S.J. of Liberty-tp and V.F. of Fort. Wayne, Ind; one brother, William of Ft. Wayne, and one sister, Mrs. Andrew Harb of Blackcreek-tp and 15 grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. [12]

Theobald and Caroline (Kable) Leininger had the following children:
Henry Lewis Leininger (1887-1976), married Luella Jane Loree
Edwin Anton Leininger (1891-1976), married Lola Mae Landfair; married Gladys (Wood) Landfair
Bertha Caroline Leininger (1895-1978), married Leroy Pifer
Samuel Jacob Leininger (1898-1990), married Lela V Myers
Victor Frederick Leininger (1904-1983), married Naomi C Kuhn

Find a Grave.com also indicates that an infant child born to Theobald and Caroline died 14 July 1889 and is buried at St. Paul UCC Cemetery. [13]

[1] 1870 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, p.150B, dwelling 133, family 119, Jacob Lininger [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.479A, dwelling 140, family 148, Jacob Leininger; Ancestry.com.

[3] 1886 Leininger/Kable marriage p. 362, 1861-1887

[4] 1870 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, dwelling 100, family 92, p.148B, Ferdinand Kable; Ancestry.com.  

[5] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, dwelling 51, family 54, p.474C, Ferdnand [sic] Kable; Ancestry.com.

[6] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Black Creek, ED 74, p.15, dwelling & family 303, Theowald Leininger [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[7] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Black Creek, ED 107, p. 1A, dwelling & family 8, Theotatt Leininger [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[8] 1920 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Black Creek, ED 124, p.8A, dwelling & family 157, Dewalt Lemininger [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[9] 1930 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Black Creek, ED 1, p.6B, dwelling & family 139, Theobald L Lininger; Ancestry.com.

[10] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” Mercer, Liberty, Caroline Fredericka Leininger, 7 Apr 1934; database with images, FamilySearch.org.  

[11] 1940 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Black Creek, ED 54-1, p.9B, household 188, Leroy C Pifer; Ancestry.com.

[12] Theobald Leininger obituary, The Lima News, Lima, Ohio, 8 Jun 1944, p.4; Ancestry.com.

[13] FindaGrave.com, Memorial no. 28288740, Infant Leininger, St. Paul UCC Cemetery.