Tombstone Tuesday–John Bausser

John Bausser, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2014 photo by Karen)

John Bausser, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2014 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of John Bausser, located in row 6 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

John
Husband of
Polly
Bausser
Born
Apr 11, 1847
Died Apr 11, 1898
BAUSSER

The past two weeks I have featured the Bausser tombstones in Zion Lutheran Cemetery. Three Baussers are buried there, John, John’s wife Pauline (1856-1929), and their daughter Marie (1887-1905). Only Pauline’s death and burial were recorded in Zion’s records, recorded as Pauline Grabner Bausser Andress Bollenbacher. Very little is known about John Bausser, not much more than what is inscribed on his tombstone.

In addition to his tombstone, I have found only a couple other records that mention John Bausser–his marriage record, the 1880 census, and a handful of church records that mention him as father.

His surname was spelled Bowsher in the 1880 census. There are Bowshers in Augalize County and I do not know if the Bausser name is a spelling variation of Bowsher.

John Bausser married Pauline Grabner on 22 March 1877 in Auglaize County, Ohio. [1]

John Bausser, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2014 photo by Karen)

John Bausser, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2014 photo by Karen)

In 1880 John and Pauline were living near Wapakoneta, in Pusheta Township, Auglaize County. John was enumerated as age 33, born in Württemberg, and Pauline was 25, born in Ohio. They had one child at that time, their son Edward, who was six months old. John was a farmer. There were two others in the household, Frank Rohr, 11, an apprentice; and Stephen Kruse, 21, a servant. [2]

The John Bausser family moved to the Chattanooga, Ohio, area sometime before 1887. There they first attended St. Paul Lutheran Church in Liberty Township, Pauline’s home church, and later Zion Lutheran Church in Chatt.

Their daughter Marie Bausser was baptized at St. Paul Liberty on 16 October 1887 and confirmed there in 1900. Her siblings Edward and Margaretha Bausser were confirmed at Zion in 1893 and 1896 respectively.

John and Pauline Bausser had four children:

Johann “Edward” (1879- ?) married Belle Rockwood
Maggie L. (c1886-1992) married Gust W. Bollenbacher
Marie (1887-1905)
William “Willie” (1891-1956) married Minnie Foor

John Bausser died 11 April 1898, according to his tombstone. He was 51 years old.

John Bausser, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2014 photo by Karen)

John Bausser, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2014 photo by Karen)

 

[1] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 8 June 2014), John Bausser and Polena Grebner, 11 Mar 1877; citing Auglaize, Ohio, Vol. 4, p. 418; from FHL microfilm 963057.

[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Pusheta, Auglaize County, Ohio, ED 10, p. 478C (stamped), dwelling 50, family 52, John Bowsher; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 June 2014); from FHL film 1254993, from NARA microfilm T9, roll 993.

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