Tombstone Tuesday–Maria Helena Heffner

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

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

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

Maria H.
Dau of
F. & A. Heffner
Died Sept 21, 1898
Aged
5m 9d

Maria Helena Heffner was born 12 April 1898 to Fredrick and Anna (Merkle) Heffner. She was baptized by Zion Chatt’s Rev. Carl August Affeld on 1 May 1898, with Lucinda Merkle and George Heffner as her sponsors.

Maria died 21 September 1898, at the age of 5 months and 9 days. Zion Chatt’s death records give her cause of death as summer sickness, which was likely diarrhea caused by spoiled milk. This record indicates that she was survived by her parents and 5 siblings.

Maria’s Mercer County Probate death record indicates she died of typhoid and that she was 6 months and 21 days old. This record does not name her parents but indicates that she was born and died in Liberty Township and that she lived in Chattanooga. [1]

 

[1] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.FamilySearch.org : accessed 28 December 2014), Marie Heffner, 21 September 1898; citing Deaths, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, Vol 2, p.309, from FHL microfilm 914954.

2 comments

    • Mary Goodwin Haddad on January 9, 2015 at 11:05 am
    • Reply

    Spoiled milk seems like a strange cause of death for a 5 months old baby. Wouldn’t she had been nursing?

    Just wondering? Thanks for all your work. Enjoy your blog.

    1. It does make sense that she would have been nursing. The church record said she died of “summer sickness” and one definition says that was diarrhea caused by spoiled milk. Maybe another source of the diarrhea? The other death record said she died of typhoid. Back then they may not have known for sure but she may have had a fever and diarrhea before she died.

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