Chattanooga Mausoleum Interments

The Chattanooga Mausoleum, built about 1915, is located on the west edge of Zion Lutheran Cemetery and is the final resting place for nearly 40 former area residents. It was organized and managed by the Chattanooga Mausoleum Association, comprised of those that established the mausoleum and their successors. Originally H.C. Baker was the president of the association and S.A. Bollenbacher was the secretary. The Mausoleum Association sold burial compartments and issued a certificate when a compartment was sold.

Chattanooga Mausoleum

Chattanooga Mausoleum

I have been in the mausoleum a couple times but unfortunately I did not photograph every compartment. Some bodies have been moved to other locations and it appears that some were laid to rest there without an inscription on their compartment, making it difficult to determine who is still interred there.

Find A Grave.com shows that 40 individuals are entombed in the mausoleum. Mercer County Cemetery Inscriptions Vol. VI, 1990, lists 41 mausoleum interments. In 1989 members from the Mercer Chapter OGS read and recorded the information for the book and were aided by Harold Bollenbacher, who unlocked the mausoleum doors and helped with the readings.

Chattanooga Mausoleum (2013 photo by Karen)

Chattanooga Mausoleum (2013 photo by Karen)

I used several sources to try to determine who was once laid to rest there and who may still be entombed there: Zion Chatt church records, Mercer County Cemetery Inscriptions Vol. VI, Find A Grave.com, and death records on FamilySearch.org.

Below are the names of those who are interred or who were supposedly interred in the mausoleum at one time, as well as some additional information. * denotes a member of Zion Chatt or if their death and burial was recorded in Zion Chatt’s records.

Luetta L. Baker (13 Oct 1902-24 Oct 1932); d/o Theodore & Mary H. (Bollenbacher) Baker*
Mary H. Baker (8 Mar 1875-19 Nov 1961); d/o Adam & Christina (Koch) Bollenbacher; w/o Theodore*
Theodore W. Baker (5 Aug 1875-14 Dec 1932); s/o Henry A. & Mary A. (Manche) Baker; h/o Mary H. (Bollenbacher)*
John A. Baumgartner (1864-30 Oct 1917); s/o John & (Amstutz) Baumgartner; h/o Christina (Kable)
Christina Baumgartner (1867-13 Sep 1939); d/o Fred & (Koch) Kable; w/o John A.
Oscar Samuel LeRoy Becher (1 Dec 1900-2 Nov 1922); s/o Jacob & Maria (Kettering) Becher*

Oscar S. Becher; Frank Shindeldecker, Chattanooga Mausoleum (2013 photo by Karen)

Oscar S. Becher; Frank Shindeldecker, Chattanooga Mausoleum (2013 photo by Karen)

John Jacob Bollenbacher (5 Nov 1853-25 Jul 1930); s/o George & Anna Barbara (Albrecht) Bollenbacher*
Vernon R. Bollenbacher (Dec 1907-May 1930); s/o Charles & Mary (Bauer) Bollenbacher; moved to North Grove beside his parents
George E. Bollenbacher (7 Apr 1867-20 Oct 1932); s/o George & Anna Barbara (Albrecht) Bollenbacher*
Carrie A. Bollenbacher (1876-2 Oct 1917)
Bertha Bollenbacher (3 Aug 1897-3 Jun 1977); d/o Jacob & Mary (Kessler) Huffman; w/o Samuel A.*
Samuel Abraham Bollenbacher (22 Jul 1872-2 Apr 1945); s/o George & Anna Barbara (Albrecht) Bollenbacher; h/o Bertha
(Huffman)*
Sarah Roseann Huffman (Mother) (Feb 1854-1947); nee Dodge; w/o George F.*
George F. Huffman (Father) (Jun 1853-20 Jan 1937); s/o Ferdinand & Elizabeth (Hartzog) Huffman; h/o Sarah (Dodge)*
William Jacob Kessler (1 Feb 1866-1957); s/o Christian & Mary (Koch) Kessler; h/o Caroline (Bollenbacher)*
Caroline Kessler (18 Dec 1868-25 Sep 1941); d/o Charles & Catherine (Baker) Bollenbacher; w/o William J.*
Mary Elizabeth Koch (24 Mar 1880-27 Nov 1973); nee Fisher; w/o John
John Koch (14 Feb 1876-19 Sep 1952); s/o Anton & Margaret (Menchhofer) Koch; h/o Mary E. Fisher
Margaret Koch (28 May 1846-22 Apr 1931); d/o John & Catherine (Pflughandt) Menchhofer; w/o Anton
Anton Koch (28 Apr 1847-16 May 1930); s/o John & Anna Mary (Schear) Koch; h/o Margaret (Menchhofer)

Anton Koch, Chattanooga Mausoleum (2013 photo by Karen)

Anton Koch, Chattanooga Mausoleum (2013 photo by Karen)

Huldah M. Koch (6 Jun 1883-2 Oct 1979); d/o Charles & Catherine (Becker) Bollenbacher; w/o George A.
George Adam Koch (1 Dec 1877-16 Oct 1954); s/o Anton & Margaret (Menchhofer) Koch; h/o Hulda (Bollenbacher)
Salena Laudahn (Mar 1861-1917)
John H. Laudahn (28 Apr 1857-1940)
Margaret Linn (1847-1924); d/o John & Maria (Kessler) Miller; w/o Philip; moved to Swamp College*
Philip Linn (1841-1920); s/o Philip Daniel & Gertrude Louise (Fuchs) Linn; h/o Margaret (Miller); moved to Swamp College*
Caroline B. Linn (3 Sep 1852-26 Feb 1924); d/o John & Catherine (Pflughandt) Menchhofer; w/o Peter
Peter Linn (4 Mar 1859-19 Feb 1925); s/o Philip Daniel & Gertrude Louise (Fuchs) Linn; h/o Caroline (Menchhofer)
Mary Linn (24 May 1857-25 May 1927); nee Fenning w/o Gottfried
Gottfried Linn (23 Sep 1856-18 Feb 1936); h/o Mary (Fenning)
Margaret P. Linn (31 Mar 1902-6 Jan 1947); d/o John & Caroline (Alt) Fickert; w/o Clarence
Clarence Linn (16 Jun 1900-19 Jun 1980); s/o Gottfried & Mary (Fenning) Linn; h/o Margaret (Fickert)
Jacob Miller (1843-15 Jun 1918); s/o Johann & Maria (Kessler) Miller; h/o Christena (Rueck)*
Christena Miller (1858-14 Jun 1945); d/o Jacob & Marie Regina (Gross) Rueck; w/o Jacob*
Owen U. Sapp (Sep 1864-1915); s/o Lewis & Mary Sapp; w/o Della (Showalter)
Della S. Sapp (May 1866-1934); nee Showalter; w/o Owen U.
Joseph J. Schmidt (1895-1916); s/o Jos C. & Mary (Sachreder) Schmidt; h/o Hulda C. Allmandinger
Hulda C. Schmidt (27 Aug 1894-24 Oct 1935); d/o John W. & Anna (Bollenbacher) Allmandinger; w/o Joseph J.
Merrel G. Shindeldecker (1895-1962); s/o Frank & Olive E. Shindeldecker
Mary Ann Stetler (2 Oct 1941)
Lawrence G. Westerberg (22 Jun 1914-26 Jan 1953) (Mason); s/o Ernest & Laura (Anderson) Westerberg; h/o Enid (Caffee)*

Lawrence Westerberg, Chattanooga Mausoleum. (2013 photo by Karen)

Lawrence Westerberg, Chattanooga Mausoleum. (2013 photo by Karen)

Also supposedly laid to rest in the mausoleum, per Zion’s records and their death certificates:

Viola Laurina Kable (8 Jan 1910-11 Nov 1921) age 11 years, 10 months, 13 days; d/o Henry & Viola (Baumgardner) Kable* [1]
Walter Elmer Kable (16 Aug 1907-24 Nov 1921), age 14 years, 1 month, 6 days; s/o Henry & Viola (Baumgardner) Kable* [2]
Mary Kathleen Carr (20 Nov 1921-25 Jan 1922, 2 months, 4 days; d/o JH & Leona (Baker) Carr* [3]

Group of compartments, Chattanooga Mausoleum. (2013 photo by Karen)

Group of compartments, Chattanooga Mausoleum. (2013 photo by Karen)

Once buried in the mausoleum but moved:
Vernon R. Bollenbacher (Dec 1907-May 1930); moved to North Grove with parents
Margaret Linn (1847-1924); moved to Swamp College
Philip Linn (1841-1920); moved to Swamp College

There are two additional vault inscriptions that are not listed in Mercer County’s cemetery book: Stella May Height (1890-1960) and George I. Height (1864-1959). Two compartments bear their names and the couple may have been interred in the mausoleum at one time but moved. Find a Grave.com indicates they are buried in Ridge Cemetery, Middle Point, Ohio.

Comparing the above information to the mausoleum certificate stubs I wrote about last week, the following people received a certificate but do not appear to be entombed in mausoleum:
Henry Baker (2 compartments)
George Menchhofer
John Fahncke (2 compartments)
Henry Fahncke (2 compartments)
Michael Branstetter (2 compartments)
Dora Spinner
John Spinner (2 compartments)
C.L. Bollenbacher (2 compartments)
John H. Kable (2 compartments) [these two compartments were likely used for his two children]

Last week someone asked how the caskets were raised to the upper compartments in the mausoleum. I did not know but I think I may have found the answer in the photo below. The device to raise them appears to be at the back of the mausoleum.

Chattanooga Mausoleum

Chattanooga Mausoleum

No members of the Chattanooga Mausoleum Association are alive today and there are no funds available to maintain the building. The Liberty Township trustees took possession of the Chattanooga Mausoleum in the summer of 2013.

[1] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://familysearch.org : accessed 22 Oct 2015), Lawrenca V Kable, 11 Nov 1921; citing Liberty Township, Mercer, Ohio; from FHL microfilm 1991858.

[2] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://familysearch.org : accessed 22 Oct 2015), Walter Elmer Kable, 24 Nov 1921; citing Liberty Township, Mercer, Ohio; from FHL microfilm 1991858.

[3] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://familysearch.org : accessed 22 Oct 2015), Mary Kathleen Carr, 25 Jan 1922; citing Black Creek Township, Mercer, Ohio; from FHL microfilm 1991911.

5 comments

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    • Deb Reichard on October 25, 2015 at 8:41 pm
    • Reply

    Karen,
    I was looking at some of my Bollenbacher/White history. Michael and Leahline Branstetter purchased 2 compartments. I don’t have record of where they were buried. Michael died September 5, 1935 and Leahline in 1940. I also checked Duck Creek Cemetery and they are not listed there. I checked Find A Grave and no record came up.

    Does anyone on your contact list might know where they were buried. They would be my great, great grandparents on my Grandma Bollenbacher’s side.

    Thanks,
    Deb

    1. Deb, they are both buried at Riverside in Rockford. They share a tombstone.

        • Deb Reichard on October 26, 2015 at 2:05 pm
        • Reply

        Thanks Karen, I should have known that. I figured I had 2 or 3 choices, Duck Creek, Liberty or Willshire. I did not think it would be Riverside in Rockford. Now I can add that to my family history.

        Appreciate your help,
        Deb

        1. You are welcome! Glad to help.

    • Brian Brewster on October 29, 2015 at 8:36 pm
    • Reply

    Mary Katherine Carr was a cousin to my grandmother Kathryn Carr Black. She stated that once while we visited the crypt that She was in fact buried in the mausaleom. Also Owen and Dell Showalter Sapp were aunt and uncle to my grandmother. Dell Sapp was a sister to Mary Showalter Burley maternal grandmother to my grandma .Grandma sid she remembered her funeral and seeing the casket placed into the vault.

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