March-Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History month. Women were the heart of the family and have made many contributions to society over the years. We all have fond memories of our mothers and grandmothers and for the generations of women beyond them, we rely on family stories and search for additional information about them.  

Women were actually included in quite a few records, such as vital records (birth/marriage/death), tombstone inscriptions, church records, census records, passenger lists, directories, military records and pensions, land records, guardianships, wills and probate, court records, newspaper items, and published histories.

Unknown ladies from Schinnerer/Scaer album; Longsworth & Agler photo, Van Wert

That is a good list of sources, but female ancestors can still be a research challenge, as we try to learn who their parents were, their maiden name, and what happened to them.

For one thing, a woman’s name usually changed when she married. A few weeks ago I wrote that years ago it was the society norm to call a married women by her husband’s given name, e.g. Mrs. John Doe. When you think about it, the woman completely changed her name when she married. She basically took her husband’s given name and surname. Jane Smith became Mrs. John Doe. Thank goodness census reports show the woman’s actual given name, although it might be in the form of nickname or shortened version of the name.

The above is a fairly long list of possible sources of information, but I usually use a few specific ones for research from here at home. Below are some examples of where I research women, the ones I use most.  

Censuses
Census enumerations are one of my favorite sources of information for anyone, but especially women. Family members were not specified (wife/daughter/son) until the 1880 census but sometimes in the 1850-70 censuses I will see “helps mother.” That indicates a relationship to me. From 1880 on, wives and daughters are identified.   

Some of my favorite census years and their questions for information about women:
1900: How long the couple has been married; number of children the woman gave birth to; how many of those children were living; when the individual immigrated; birth month & year of each person.
1910: Number of children the woman gave birth to; how many of those children were living; the number of the couple’s marriage (1st, 2nd ); number of years married.
1930: The person’s age at first marriage.

Years ago, before assisted living homes were common, older, widowed women often lived with their children or one of their siblings, so it is important to research all members of a family, not just your direct line.

Marriage Records
Marriage records include civil records and church records, although church records may not exist or be available.

We want to know who a woman married and when.

The problem: I know a woman was married to a certain man, but I can’t find their marriage by using her maiden name.
The solution: This may be her second or third marriage, but I assumed it was her first marriage. On a marriage record, her surname will usually be the surname of the man to whom she was just previously married. If she was married several times and you don’t know about one of those marriages, you may have a problem finding a later marriage for her.

Another hint: Add the names of the women’s parents into her marriage search. The parent’s names were often included on a marriage license.

Other information is often included on a marriage license and marriage record: the ages and birth dates of the bride and groom, their place of birth, current residence, occupation, number of marriage. 

A woman may have been included in various records generated during the time she was married to each husband, so researching all the husbands may turn up additional information.

Having an unusual name is also helpful. But it is a mixed blessing. An unusual name may be easier to find but it is also easier to misspell and index. Add poor penmanship to that and some names are difficult to find no matter what.

Some interesting given names I have recently run across in my research include Blossom, Ivadeen, Echo, Gladysmae, and Carmaletta.

It appears some women are drawn to men with unusually long surnames. I recently ran across a woman who married Mr. Stoppenhagen and after his death she married Mr. Sassmannshausen. Another woman, whose maiden name was Haendschke, married Mr. Jesowshek. Challenging surnames indeed.  

John & Elizabeth (Schinnerer) Scaer, 1894.

Obituaries
Obituaries can be very helpful in researching women, giving a lot of family information (parents, children, grandchildren) and some occupational and personal information as well. Search for an obituary by using both a woman’s maiden name and her married name. Previously unknown surnames may show up in an obituary, often used in conjunction with the children’s names, and may be clues to a previous marriage.

In an obituary, a woman’s name may be shown as husband’s name, e.g. Mrs. John Doe. In that instance, you would not find the obituary searching for Jane Doe.  

Other obituary search tips: Search by using the full name of one or more of her surviving children. Search for her siblings. Search for her last name and the married surname of one of her daughters or sisters.

Scaer sisters: Elsie Roehm, Hilda Schumm, Edna Schumm.

Speaking of newspaper obituaries, on-line newspaper subscriptions are a good source for finding obituaries as well as for reading regular, society articles. Look for engagement and wedding announcements, where parents are mentioned, as well as siblings or cousins, who may have been wedding attendants. Newspapers often include photos. It is interesting to see photos of the people you are researching. It brings them to life and you see that they are not just names, dates and places.

Perhaps a woman belonged to a local society or card club. She may be mentioned in the news for any number of things.

I use FindaGrave.com regularly and a woman is usually entered there with her last married name. FindaGrave.com also usually includes a woman’s maiden name and links to memorials of deceased family members. Their information is pretty accurate, but I have found a few errors. Often times an obituary is included in the FindaGrave.com memorial, which is a real plus.

Occasionally, a woman’s tombstone inscription will include her maiden name.

Finally, the birth and/or death record of any of a woman’s children may reveal previously unfound information about the mother.

Basically, search a wide variety of sources for information and hopefully you will be rewarded with some new information and insights into your female ancestors, and other ancestors as well.

You may soon be doing the Genealogy Happy Dance.   

Tombstone Tuesday–Fred & Mary A. (Wendel) Kable

Fred & Mary A. (Wendel) Kable, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Twp, Mercer County, OHio (2023 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Fred and Mary A. (Wendel) Kable, located in row 6 of St. Paul’s UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

KABLE
Mary A.
1874-1966
Fred
1870-1934

Frederick “Fred” Kable was born in Mercer County, Ohio, on 27 January 1870, the son of Frederick (1817-1886) and Catharine (Koch/Cook) (1837-1911) Kable. He was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, on 28 January 1870, with Ferdinand Hoffmann and wife serving as his sponsors, although this church record recorded his name in error as Ferdinand.  

A few months after his birth Fred Kable was enumerated in the 1870 census with his family in Liberty Township, Mercer County: Frederick Kable [Sr], 52; Catharine, 33; Jacob, 6; Christina, 3; Frederick, 4 mo. [1] By 1880 Fred had another brother, John H Kable, born in 1877. [2]

Fred’s father Frederick Kable [Sr] died 29 April 1886.

In 1900 Fred, 30, a farmer, resided with his widowed mother Catherine (Koch) Kable, 63, head, and his three unmarried siblings: Christina Kable, 33, Jacob Kable, 35, farmer; and John H, 23, schoolteacher. [3]

Fred Kable married Kable Mary Ann Wendel 20 September 1904 in Adams County, Indiana. Rev. Samuel Egger, Chattanooga minister, officiated over their ceremony and David Gerber was a witness to the occasion. [4]

Mary Ann Wendel was born 30 August 1874 in Adams County, Indiana, the daughter of Phillip (1848-1937) and Margaret/Martha R (Emerick) (c1854-bef.1900) Wendel. Mary Ann’s parents were both born in Germany. [5]

The Phillip Wendel family in 1880, residing in Liberty Township, Mercer County: Phillip, 32; Martha R, 29; Mary A, 5; Caroline, 3; and John 1. [6]

Mary Anna’s mother Margaret Wendel died before 1900 and the family moved from Liberty Township to Jefferson Township, Adams County, Indiana. The Phillip Wendel family in 1900, residing in Adams County, Indiana: Phillip, 52; Mary A, 25, daughter; Caroline, 23; Sarah, 14; John, 21; William, 11; Jacob Daniel, 11; and Louis Phillip, 9. [7]

Mary Ann and Fred married in 1904 and by 1910 they had two children, William, 3, and Lewis, 2, both born in Ohio. Fred Kable was a farmer in Liberty Township. [8]

Fred Kable’s mother Catharine (Koch) Kable died 5 July 1911.

By 1920 Fred and Mary Anna had three children: William, 13; Louis, 12; and Freda, 7. [9]

Fred Kable died from kidney disease and complications from surgery on 13 March 1934 at the Decatur Hospital, Decatur, Adams County, Indiana. [10]

Mary Ann’s father Philip Wendel died 3 February 1937.

In 1940, widow Mary Ann (Wendel) Kable, age 65, lived by herself in Liberty Township. [11]

Mary Ann (Wendel) Kable died 15 Jun 1966 in Willshire. Her obituary:

Mary Ann Kable
Rockford-Mrs. Mary Ann Kable, 91, of Rockford, died at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Richard E. Felver of Willshire, with whom she had lived since 1947.

Born Aug. 30, 1874, in Adams County, Ind., she was the daughter of Philip J and Margaret Emerick Wendel. She married Frederick Kable Sept. 20, 1904, and he died March 13, 1934.

Mrs. Kable was a member of the United Church of Christ in Liberty Township, Mercer County.

Surviving are two sons, William of Rt 1, Celina, and Lewis of Rt. 3, Celina, a daughter, Mrs. Richard E. (Frieda) Felver of Willshire; a brother, Lewis P. Wendel of Chattanooga, Ohio, 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Services will be 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home, Rockford, Rev. Larry May officiating. Burial will be in the United Church of Christ cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 1:30 p.m. Thursday. [5]

Fred and Mary Ann (Wendel) Kable had the following children:
William Kable (1906-1982), married Mary Margaret Griggs
Lewis Kable (1907-2003), married Remma M Felver
Frieda Kable (1912-2005), married Richard E Felver

[1] 1870 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, p.148B, dwelling 105, family 97, Fredrick Kable; Ancestry.com.

[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.473B, dwelling 43, family 45, Frederick Kable; Ancestry.com.

[3] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 85, p.6, dwelling 115, family 120, Catherine Cable [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[4] “Indiana Marriages, 1811-2019,” Adams County, Vol. H, Oct 1899-May 1905, p.508, Fred Kable & Mary Ann Wendell, 20 Sep 1904; FamilySearch.org.

[5] Mary Ann Kable obituary, Lima News, Lima Ohio, 2 Feb 1966; Ancestry.com.

[6] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.480D, dwelling 160, family 168, Phillip Wendel; Ancestry.com.

[7] 1900 U.S. Census, Indiana, Adams, Jefferson, ED 4, p.7, dwelling & family 124, Phelip [sic] Wendel; Ancestry.com

[8] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.4A, dwelling & family 59, Fred Kalle [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[9] 1920 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 140, p. 10B, dwelling 206, 224 family, Fred Kable; Ancestry.com

[10] Indiana Archives & Records Administration, Indianapolis, Death Certificates, Year 1934, Roll 4, Fred Kable, 13 Mar 1934; Ancestry.com.

[11] 1940 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED, p. visitation no.152, Mary Kable; Ancestry.com.

Men’s Nicknames

Last week it was interesting to look at some women’s nicknames and abbreviated versions of given names that were used in the past. And it was interesting to hear from some of you who shared interesting family names, nicknames, and names you have run across while doing research.

I learned even more about names by following up on a question about the unusual name Submit. I had never heard that given name, but after a little research, I learned that Submit is one of a number of names called virtue names, many of which were used in colonial times by the Puritans. Some women’s virtue names include Faith, Grace, Hope, Joy, Silence, Deliverance, Discipline, Prudence, Temperance, and many others.

Continuing on with names, below are some of the more common men’s nicknames and abbreviated given names, focusing mainly on American and German names that you may run across in old records.

Zion Lutheran, Schumm, dedication, 1915, colorized.

I did not include nicknames that are obvious derivatives of the given name, such as Alex for Alexander.

Achim: Joachim
Adi/Dolph: Adolph, Adolf
Alois: Aloysius
Armin: Herman
Barney: Barnaby
Bart/Bat: Bartholomew
Bernie/Bern: Bernard
Bert/Berti/Bertie: Bertram, Albert, Herbert, Hubert, Norbert, Engelbert
Bo/Boy/Buddy: Boyd
Carl: Carlisle
Claus/Klaus: Nikolaus, Claudius
Cly/Ide: Clive, Clyde
Con/Connie/Curd/Curt/Conny: Conrad, Konrad
Con/Cor/Cory/Niel: Cornelius
Cy: Cyril
Dewey: Dwight
Dieter: Dietrich
Dima/Mitri: Dmitri
Dolf: Adolf
Dyer: Obediah
Early/Erl: Earl
Eben: Ebenezer
Finn: Phineas
Floy: Floyd
Frank: Francis
Fritz: Friedrich
Georg: Jorg
Gerg, Gert: Gerhard(t)
Gus/Gussi: August, Augustus, Angus
Hal/Harry: Harold, Henry
Hank: Henry
Hans/Iwas/Jan: Johannes
Jos/Jupp/Osip/Sepp: Joseph
Lazar: Eleazer
Lee/Lanny: Leland
Lig/Lige/Lije: Elijah
Louis/Lutz: Ludwig
Mewes: Bertholomaus
Mo/Reece: Maurice
Mills/Tony: Milton
Monty/Emery: Montgomery
Nate: Nathan/Nathaniel
Ned: Edward
Newt: Newton
Obie/Oben: Obadiah
Ollie: Orville
Oz/Ozzy/Waldo: Oswald
Ozzy: Osmond
Poldi: Leopold
Paddy: Patrick
Ralphy/Rafe: Ralph
Riah/Rias/Rye: Zachariah
Ricky: Erik
Rinney: Phineas
Rolf/Ralf/Rudi: Rudolph
Roo: Rufus
Sandy: Alexander
Si: Josiah, Cyrus
Stoffel: Christoph
Sigi: Siegfried
Thies: Matthias
Tiah: Azariah
Tony: Anton
Ulie/Ollie: Ulysses
Uli/Ulli: Ulrich
Veit: Valentin
Wasti/Wastl: Sebastian
Zander: Alexander

My Grandpa Schumm was named Cornelius. I don’t believe he was called anything other than Cornelius.

Some male virtue names include Able, Chance, Judge, Leon, Merit, Phoenix, Reason, Sterling, Uriah, and Valor.

Sometimes we don’t know where a person’s nickname came from. This is particularly true in hubby Joe’s family. His Uncle Fred was called Joe, cousin Kent was called Pete, and brother Fred was called Butch.

 

 

Tombstone Tuesday-Viola L. (Baumgartner) Kable

I continue to write about the John Henry Kable family, and as it turns out, four of the six family members do not have marked burial sites. I may have to rename this series of blog posts Tombstoneless Tuesday.

Today’s post, John Henry Kable’s wife Viola L. Baumgartner, who married John H. Kable (1877-1957) in Mercer County on 4 November 1906. [1]

Viola L. Baumgartner was born in Adams County, Indiana, on 9 March 1889, the daughter of John and Nettie (Urick) Baumgartner. [1] [2] [3]

Viola Baumgartner came from a large family. In 1900, Viola Baumgartner, age 11, lived with her parents, six siblings, and two half-brothers in Dunkirk, Jay County, Indiana: Joe [John] Baumgartner, 36, head; Jeannette [Nettie], 31, wife; Eddie, 13; Edgar, 13; Viola, 11; Irene, 9; Cloah, 6; John, 4; Frank, 9 months; Jesse Baumgartner, 19, son; and William Baumgartner, 17, son. Joe/John and Jeannette/Nettie had been married 16 years, so the father John likely had two sons, Jesse and William, from a previous marriage. Jeannette/Nettie had given birth to eight children and seven of them were living. [2]

John H. Kable married Viola Baumgartner on 4 November 1906 and their marriage record gives some valuable information. It indicates that Viola L Baumgartner was born in Adams County, Indiana, 9 March 1889, the daughter of John Baumgartner and Nettie Urick. Their marriage license indicates that Viola was 17 years old when they married, and because she was underage her father gave permission for her to marry. Neither John nor Viola was previously married. Viola resided in or near Rockford and John, a teacher, resided in Liberty Township, Mercer County. They were married by C. L. Culbertson. [1]  

John H Kable & Viola Baumgartner marriage record, 1906 [1]

John H Kable & Viola Baumgartner marriage record, 1906 [1]

In 1910 John, 33, farmer, and Viola, 21, resided in Liberty Township, Mercer County and had two children, Walter, 2, and Laurina, 3 months. John’s mother Catharine Kable also lived with them. [4]

John H. and Viola had two more children within the next couple years, Victor Daniel Kable, born in 1912, and Bessie Maud Kable, born in 1913.

In September 1918, Viola Kable was given as her husband John’s next of kin when he registered for the draft in Mercer County. [5]

John’s wife Viola (Baumgartner) Kable died in Liberty Township on 11 December 1918, aged 29 years, 8 months, and 2 days. She died from pneumonia, associated with the Spanish flu. Her death certificate indicates she was buried in the Chattanooga Cemetery, on the 13th. [6] I assume this was Kessler/Liberty Cemetery, a couple miles south of Chatt. But she does not have a grave marker. Neither does her husband John H. Perhaps she is buried near her husband John and perhaps they both had temporary markers at one time.

Viola (Baumgartner) Kable death certificate, 1918 [6]

John H and Viola L (Baumgartner) Kable had the following children:
Walter Elmer Kable (1907-1921)
Viola Laurina (1910-1921)
Victor Daniel Kable (1912-1961), married Agnes L. Spangler
Bessie Maud Kable (1913-1980), married Dale Henry Eley

[1] Ohio, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Mercer County, 1904-1910, p.278, John H. Kable & Viola L. Baumgartner, 4 Nov 1906, Ancestry.com

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Indiana, Jay County, Dunkirk, ED 68, p.4, dwelling 76, family 76, Joe [sic] Baumgartner; Ancestry.com.

[3] WPA, Indiana, Adams County, Index to Birth Records, 1882-1920, Vol. 1, Surnames A-Z, Baumgartner, 9 Mar 1889; Ancestry.com.

[4] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.12A [penned], dwelling 212, family 219, John Kable; Ancestry.com.

[5] U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Ohio, Mercer County, John Henry Kable; Ancestry.com.

[6] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” Mercer County, Viola L Kable, 11 Dec 1918; FamilySearch.org.

Women’s Nicknames

While doing some recent research I came across the name Nettie. Nettie is not a particularly unusual nickname, but I could not come up with the original given name for that nickname.

People have used shortened versions of their names for a long time. It is usually fairly easy to figure out the given name from which a nickname is derived, but some nicknames do not seem to have any connection to the given name. Some of the not-so-obvious nicknames such as Polly for Mary, Peggy for Margaret, Patsy/Patty for Martha, and Sarah for Sally, are more confusing. Where did they come from?

Church records record the original given name, the formal Christian name given to the person at their baptism. An individual may have used a nickname or an abbreviated version of their given name later in life and you want to make sure you are looking at the same person in various records.

My paternal grandmother, Gertrude (Brewster) Miller, was called Gertie, and sometimes Gert.

Gertrude E. Brewster (1912 photo)

At any rate, I could not come up with the given name for the nickname Nettie. There are actually a couple. Nettie could have been christened Annette or Jeannette, or even Henrietta.

Below is a list of a few women’s nicknames and their original root name. This list may help you determine who someone really is if they used one of these nicknames.

Bess/Bessie/Beth/Betsey/Betty: Elizabeth
Callie/Carrie: Caroline
Cindy: Lucinda
Clara: Clarissa
Dolly/Dot: Dorothy
Ellen/Elly/Elsie: Eleanor
Elsie: Helen
Elise/Eliza/Elke/Ellen/Else: Elizabeth
Erna: Ernestine
Etta: Henrietta
Eva: Evelyn
Fanny: Frances, Franziska
Flora/Flossie: Florence
Fronie: Sophronia
Gerty/Gert: Gertrude
Grete: Margarete
Hanna: Johanna
Hatty: Harriet
Helma: Wilhelmine
Henny/Hetty: Henriette
Hilde: Hildegard, Brunhilde, Mathilde
Ika: Veronika
Ina/Ines: Agnes
Isa/Isbella: Elisabeth
Kate/Kay/Kitty: Catherine, Katherine
Lena: Angelina, Caroline, Helen, Madeleine, Magdalene
Letty: Letitia
Lottie: Charlotte
Liz/Lizzie: Elizabeth
Lucy: Lucinda
Madge/Maggie: Margaret, Margery
Mattie: Martha
Meg: Margaret
Mena: Almena
Millie: Amelia, Emelia, Mildred
Mina/Minnie: Wilhelmina
Myra: Elmira
Mollie: Martha, Mary
Nancy/Nan: Anna, Ann
Nell: Helen
Nellie: Eleanor, Ellen, Helen
Nettie: Henrietta
Nora: Eleanor, Lenora
Patsy/Patty: Martha
Peggy: Margaret
Polly: Mary
Retta: Loretta
Rika/Riki/Ricki: Frederike, Friederike, Fredericke
Rita: Marguerite
Sally: Sarah
Sandra: Alexandra
Sophie: Sophia, Sophronia
Tess: Theresa, Teresa
Tilly: Matilda
Toni: Antonia
Torie: Victoria
Trudy: Gertrude
Viney/Vinnie: Lavina
Wilma: Wilhelmine
Winnie: Winifred, Edwina

Elizabeth has the most nickname variations and the name Elizabeth is used a lot in the Schumm family. My mom’s middle name was Elizabeth and her grandmother was Elizabeth, nicknamed Lizzie.

Lastly, here is an old German name that is probably never used any more, but a name that is found in my family genealogy, Kunigunde, which has the nicknames of Gunda and Gundi.