Tombstone Tuesday–William & Julia (Berron) Kuhm Betzel

William & Julia Betzel, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

William & Julia Betzel, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of William and Julia (Berron) Kuhm Betzel, located in row 1 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

BETZEL
Julia
1868-1927
William
1854-1934

William Betzel was the son of George Friedrich and Anna Rosina (Herzog) Betzel, born 12 February 1854 in Mercer County, Ohio. His parents were both born in Bavaria and his father immigrated in 1828, according to Zion Chatt’s records.

William Betzel married Sophia Deitsch on 19 October 1879 at Zion, Chatt. Sophia was the daughter of Johann Jakob and Catharine Deitsch, born in Ohio on 13 October 1856, according to the records of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Liberty Township.

William and Sophia had at least three children, possibly more:
Mary A. (1880-1881)
Margaretha Katharina (1882-1961), married James Marbaugh
Edward Michael (1885-1895)

Sophia (Deitsch) Betzel died 25 April 1890 at the age of 33 years, 7 months, and 22 days.

William Betzel was now a widower with two young children. He would eventually marry a local widow, Julia (Berron) Kuhm, with whom he probably attended church.

Julia Berron was the daughter of Georg and Katharina (Hausknecht) Berron, born 14 November 1867 in Petersbach, Elsass. She married Jacob Kuhm on 4 November 1886 in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.

Jacob Kuhm was the son of Michael and Elisabeth (Mueller) Kuhm, born 26 September 1863 in Schillersdorf, Elsass. They lived in Adams County, Indiana.

Jacob and Julia Kuhm had the following children:
Lydia Sophia Margaretha (1887-1957), married John Henry Martin
Emelia Barbara (1888-1973) married William H. Fogel
Mathilda Katharina (1890-1891)
Jacob Edward (1892-1922), married Harriet I Frey; drowned in an oil tank in Oklahoma
Rosa Elisabeth (1894-1984), married Earl Adam Shaefer
Esther Maria (1896-?)
Katharina Elisabeth “Lizzie” (1898-?)

Jacob Kuhm died of a stroke on 11 November 1899. Julia was now a widow with several young children to support and raise.

Widower William Betzel married the widow Julie (Berron) Kuhm on 12 September 1901. Their marriage is recorded in Zion Chatt’s records as well as in Adams County, Indiana. They were married by Zion Chatt’s minister, R.V. Schmidt. According to this record William lived in Chattanooga. [1]

In 1910 William and Julia were living in Liberty Township. William was 56 and Julia was 43. They had been married 8 years and both had been married twice. William was a pumper in the oil field. Julia had given birth to 9 children and 6 were living at that time. Four of her Kuhm children, from her first marriage, were living in the household, listed as William’s step-children: Edward, 18, Rosa, 16, Ester, 14, and Liizzie, 11. Edward worked on the farm and Rosa worked in a restaurant. [2]

Julia Betzel died of diabetes at her home in Liberty Township on 16 September 1927. She was 61 years, 10 months, and 2 days old. [3] The church record shows her death date as the 15th.

Julia (Berron) Kuhm Betzel death certificate.

Julia (Berron) Kuhm Betzel death certificate.

William died of nephritis on 8 September 1934 in Liberty Township. He was 80 years, 6 months and 22 days old and was buried on the 11th. [4]

William Betzel death certificate.

William Betzel death certificate.

According to his death certificate, William worked in a harness shop, probably in Chatt. It does not appear that William and Julia had any children together.

William’s first wife Sophia is buried at Kessler Cemetery, south of Chatt. Juilia’s first husband Jacob Kuhm is buried a couple rows from her, in Zion’s cemetery.

 

[1] “Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 10 Aug 2014); William Betzel and Julia Kuhm/Berron, 12 September 1901; citing Adams County, Indiana, marriages Vol. 1:113, FHL microfilm 002321357.

[2] 1910 U.S. Census, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, ED 119, p. 16B, family 322, William Betzel; FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 10 August 2014); from FHL microfilm 1375227, from NARA microfilm T624, roll 1214.

[3] “Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 10 August 2014), Julia Betzel, 16September 1927; citing Liberty Township, Mercer, Ohio, FHL microfilm 1985117.

[4] “Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 10 August 2014), William Betzel, 8 September 1934; citing Liberty Township, Mercer, Ohio, FHL microfilm 1993042.

 

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