Tombstone Tuesday–Jacob J. Heffner

Jacob J. Heffner, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

Jacob J. Heffner, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Jacob J.Heffner, located in row 3 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Jacob J. Heffner
Sept. 1, 1861
Dec. 18, 1899
In Memory
Of Our Father

Jacob Joseph Heffner was born 1 September 1861 in Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, Ohio. He was the 8th of 12 known children born to Conrad & Margaret (Miller) Heffner. Jacob was baptized 6 October 1861 at Zion and Jacob Becker and Jacob Deitsch were his sponsors. He was confirmed at Zion Chatt on 18 April 1875.

Jacob Heffner married Elizabeth Merkle on 16 December 1884 at Zion Chatt. Witnesses to the marriage were Joseph and Lucinda (Kantner) Merkle, parents of the bride.

Elizabeth Merkle was born 30 July 1865 in Celina, Ohio, according to their church marriage record.

Jacob Joseph Heffner died of lung and liver disease on 1 December 1898, at the age of 37 years and 3 months. According to Zion Chatt’s records he was survived by his mother, 10 siblings, and 3 children.

Two years after Jacob’s death Elizabeth and her three sons were living in Celina, where they likely lived before Jacob’s death. In the household were Lizzie, 34; Carl R, 14; Leo C, 13; and Ralph J, 11. Elisabeth “Lizzie” was employed as a dressmaker and the boys attended school. [1]

By 1910 widow Elizabeth Heffner and her three sons had moved to Dayton, Ohio, where Elizabeth worked as a dressmaker at their home on 247 Chestnut Street. Living with her were sons Carl, 24, a lithographer at a printing office; Leo, 22, a merchant at a retail grocery; Ralph, 21, a cabinet maker; and her brother Fredrick Merkle, 37, who was employed as a carpenter. Her sons and brother were all single. [2]

Elizabeth died in 1924 in Dayton and is buried in Woodland Cemetery there. All three of her sons are also buried there.

Children of Jacob Joseph and Elisabeth (Merkle) Heffner: [3]
Charles “Carl” Rudolph (1885-1918)
Leo Conrad (1887-1967) married & divorced Ella R. Ryan
Ralph J. (1889-1940), married Louise Josephine “Lulu” (Schmacher) Ackerman

 

[1] 1900 U.S. Census, Celina, mercer, Ohio, ED 84, p.17A, dwelling 338, family 362, Lizzie Heffner; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 May 2015); from FHL microfilm 1241304, from NARA microfilm T623, roll 1304.

[2] 1910 U.S. Census, Dayton Ward 7, Montgomery, Ohio, ED 95, p.5A, no.249, visited 113, family 126, Elizabeth Heffner; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 24 May 2015); from FHL microfilm 1375229, from NARA microfilm T624, roll 1216.

[3] Their children were evidently not baptized at Zion Chatt since they were not in Zion’s church records.

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