Tombstone Tuesday–John & Friedericka Becher

John & Friedericka Becher, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

John & Friedericka Becher, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

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

BECHER
Father
John F.
1864-1927

 Mother
Friedericka
1862-1951

According to the church records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Johann Friedrich Becher was born 14 March 1864 in Mercer County, the sixth child born to Johann and Anna Maria (Becker) Becher. He died 1 June 1927 of cancer at the age of 63 years, 2 months and 17 days. He was buried on 3 June and his funeral text was Rev. 3:11. Survivors included his widow, 5 sons, 9 grandchildren, 2 brothers and 3 sisters. According to John’s death certificate, he died of pancreatic cancer. [1]

John F. Becher death certificate, Mercer County, Ohio.

John F. Becher death certificate, 1927, Mercer County, Ohio.

Johann Becher married Louise Friederike Mamber on 11 November 1886 at Zion Chatt.  Witnesses to their wedding were Heinrich Becher and Emilie Rieger. Emily was also listed as a bridesmaid.

Louise Friedericke Mamber was born 27 October 1862 in Ochsenbach, OberAmt Brakanheim, Württemberg, according to Zion’s records. She died 1 March 1951 in Center Township, Mercer County. Her parents are shown as Unknown on her death certificate. [2]

Friedericka Becher death certificate, 1951, Mercer County, Ohio.

Friedericka Becher death certificate, 1951, Mercer County, Ohio.

Obituary:

Death Claims Mrs. Becher
Native Of Germany; Leaves Six Sons
Mrs. Fredericka Becher, 89, passed away at 1 p.m. yesterday in the home of her son, Carl, of near Neptune, where she had resided for the past four years. Death was attributed to complications.

She was born in Germany, October 27, 1862, and come to the United States in 1881. In 1886 she married John Becher, who preceded he in death. She lived several years near Chattanooga.

Survivors include six sons, Fred, Chattanooga; Carl, near Neptune; Roma, Albert, Ernest and Walter, all of Ft. Wayne, Ind.; 16 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church of Chattanooga, where services will be conducted Sunday at 2:30 p.m., with Rev. Waldo Byers officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Friends may call at the Dick and Stallter funeral home, Rockford, after 7 p.m. this evening, and until time of the services. [3]

John and Friedericka had the following children:
Friedrich Wilhelm Becher (1887-1960?
Christian Carl Becher (1888-1960)
Rome Johann Phillip Becher (1896-1964)
Albert Wilhelm Becher(1897-1865)
Ernst Heinrich Becher (1900-1968)
Walter Heinrich Conrad Becher (1902-1984)
Louisa Wilhelmina Becher (1904-1926)

Their daughter Louisa (Becher) Hileman died shortly after the birth of her daughter Helen Jean in 1926 and Fredericka raised her granddaughter Helen Jean.

 

[1] “Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X8LC-WPF : accessed 14 Mar 2013), John F Becher, 1 June 1927; citing Liberty Twp., Mercer, Ohio, Regis. Dist no. 5307, File no. 36736.

[2] “Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X6TF-LXL : accessed 14 Mar 2013), Fredericka Becher, 1 March 1951; citing Center Twp., Mercer, Ohio, Reg. Dist. No. 5300, State File no. 18610.

[3] The Daily Standard, Celina, Ohio, 2 March 1951, p.1.

5 comments

Skip to comment form

  1. It would be interesting to know if he was a smoker, ie pancreatic cancer connection. Not sure when cigarettes became available or common. Certainly chewing tobacco and pipes were common in this period.

    • Jim Becher on October 30, 2015 at 5:00 pm
    • Reply

    Wow. My Mom, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa (all Bechers) are buried in Geneva. I always heard several Bechers were buried in Chattanooga. I guess John and Friedericka are my Great Grandma and Grandpa. What a kick!

    1. So glad you were able to connect the families.

    • Jim Becher on October 30, 2015 at 5:41 pm
    • Reply

    A question if I may. I had to read it several times. The headstone says Friedericka but her maiden name was Louise Friederike Mamber? So when she married she changed her first name?

    1. It was the old German tradition, for both men and women, to go by their middle name. Most had two or more given names that were recorded at their baptism. They were often named after parents, relatives, or baptismal sponsors. Thanks for reading!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.