Tombstone Tuesday–Christian & Marie Kessler

Christian & Marie Kessler, Kessler Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2013 photo by Karen)

Christian & Marie Kessler, Kessler Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2013 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Christian and Marie Kessler located in Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. Their granite marker is inscribed:

West Side/Front:
Vater
Und
Mutter
KESSLER

 South Side:
Christian
Kessler
Gest
25 Jan. 1892
Alter

77J. 5 M. 24 T

North Side:
Marie
Ehefrau Von

C. Kessler
Gest

28 Jan 1892
Alter 59J. 6T.

Translation: Father and Mother. Christian Kessler died 25 Jan 1892, aged 77 years, 5 months, 24 days; Marie, wife of C. Kessler, died 28 Jan 1892, age 59 years, 6 days.

According to the oldest records of Zion Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, Ohio, Christian Kessler [Sr] was born 1 August 1814, the son of Johann Georg and Katharina [Schwarz] Kessler. He was born in Walzheim, County Neue Hornbach, District Rhein, Kingdom of Bavaria.

These records indicate that Christian married Margaretha Kable in Walzheim in May 1841. At least three children were born to them in Bavaria before the family immigrated to America in 1849:

Margaretha, b. 19 September 1842 in Fechingen, married Andreas Kallenberger
Christian, b. 15 September 1845 [church records] or 19 November 1843 [tombstone calculation] in Walzheim, married Margaret Haffner
Ferdinand, b. 22 May 1847 in Fechingen

At least three more children were born to Christian and Margaretha after they arrived in Mercer County:
Magdalena, b. 18 October 1850
Johann Georg, b. 28 August 1852; d. 28 April 1853
Jacob, b. 1 March 1856, d. 27 Jul 1892, married Mary Betzel

Margaretha (Kable) Kessler died 8 September 1862 and soon afterward Christian met and married the widow Marie Drewes.

Marie Kessler inscription, north side of stone. (2013 photo by Karen)

Marie Kessler inscription, north side of stone. (2013 photo by Karen)

Marie was the daughter of Jacob and Marie Koch and was born in Trossingen, Württemberg, on 22 January 1833. Marie Koch married Frederick Drewes on 7 October 1856 in Auglaize County, Ohio. [1] Friedrich and Marie had at least two daughters and both were confirmed at Zion Chatt after Marie married Christian Kessler:
Anna Maria, b. c1860; confirmed at Zion in 1873
Maria Barbara, b. 1862 in Auglaize County, Ohio; confirmed at Zion in 1875; married Jacob Betzel; d. 1948

Christian Kessler and Marie (Koch) Drewes were married 20 April 1865 in Mercer County. [2] They had the following known children, all born in Mercer County:
Wilhelm Jacob Heinrich, b. 1 February 1866
Sophia Christian, b. 4 May 1868
Georg Heinrich, b. 4 September 1872; d. 10 November 1873

In 1870 the Christian Kessler family of near Chattanooga in Liberty Township looked like this:

Christian “Resner,” 55, Prussia; Mary 37, Prussia; Magdalena, 19; Jacob, 13; Wilhelm, 4; Sophia, 2; Anna Dravis, 10; Mary Dravis 6. [3]

Christian Kessler [Sr] inscription, south side of stone. (2013 photo by Karen)

Christian Kessler [Sr] inscription, south side of stone. (2013 photo by Karen)

Christian Kessler [Sr] died of la grippe [flu] on 25 January 1892 in Chattanooga. He was 77 years, 5 months, and 24 days old. He was buried in Kessler Cemetery on the 27th.

Just three days later, at 11:30 on the night of 28 January 1892, Marie (Koch) Drewes Kessler died at home near Chattanooga. She was 59 years and 6 days old and was laid to rest in Kessler Cemetery on the 30th.

 

[1] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1994,” Index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:MM9.1.1/XZ24-RMS : accessed 8 September 2013), Frederick Drewes and Anna Maria Koch, 1856; citing Vol. 2:87.

[2] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1994,” Index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:MM9.1.1/XZGF-PLK : accessed 8 September 2013), Christian Keshler and Maria Drewer or Kazh, 1865; citing Vol. 3:85.

[3] 1870 US Census, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, dwelling 103, family 85, line 31, page 148B, Christian Resner; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 7 September 2013); from Family History microfilm 552742, from National Archives microfilm M593, roll 1243.

1 comment

    • Waldo on September 10, 2013 at 10:32 am
    • Reply

    And they say the flu is more dangerous these days, ie bird, swine, N1H1, etc. Wonder how much the media has to do with the “increased” risk? Increased population density? Increased mobility? Or even food and environmental control, ie probably not really warm and comfy with plenty of fresh veggies in Mercer county in 1892. If both adults were sick in bed, who was stoking the fire, fixinig meals, cleaning, etc.

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