Apr 19

Some Chattanooga Residents

Some residents of Chatt from days gone by.

Jack August

 

Carl Schroeder

 

Anna (Huffman) Bollenbacher

 

Theodore Leininger

Ivan Johnson

 

Bruno Betzel

Apr 16

Tombstone Tuesday-J.R. “Rudy” & Henrietta (Warrick) Strabel

J.R. "Rudy" & Henrietta (Warrick) Strabel, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)This is the tombstone of J.R. “Rudy” and Henrietta (Warrick) Strabel, located in row 10 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

STRABEL
Henrietta
1904-1971
J.R.
1897-1984

Johann Rudolph “Rudy” Strabel was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on 22 July 1897, the son of Peter (1869-1957) and Louise (Fisher) (1870-1953) Strabel. He was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church, Chatt, by Rev. August Affeld on 22 August 1897, with Johann Strabel and Carolina Fischer serving as his baptismal sponsors. He was confirmed at Zion Chatt on 9 April 1911.

As far as I remember, he was always called Rudy and I will use that name in this writing.

This is a photo of Rudy with his Confirmation Class in 1911. Rudy is one of the few individuals in the photo who is specifically identified. Rudy Strabel, Row 3, far left. [1]

1911 Confirmation Class with Rev. Haas, Zion Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio.

Rudy Strabel, 1911 Confirmation, Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga

Rudy Strabel was the oldest child of Peter and Louise Strabel. He grew up in Liberty Township with his siblings, Leona, George Albert, Marcella Magdalene, Opal Victoria, and Carl William “Charles.“ The family attended Zion Chatt and all their children were baptized there.

The Peter Strabel family in 1920: Peter, 50; Louisa, 49, Rudolph, 22; Albert, 15; Marcella, 13; Opal, 10; and Charles, 3. [2] By 1930 siblings Rudy, Opal, and Charles lived with their parents in Liberty Township.

Rudy Strabel married Henrietta Warrick in Mercer County on 28 November 1935, married by Rev. Koenig.

Henrietta Warrick was born in Black Creek Township on 31 March 1904, the oldest child of Frank H. (1879-1956) and Zell Bertha (Hinton) (1881-1920) Warrick. [3]

The Frank H. Warrick family in 1910: Frank H, 31; Zella B, 29; Henrietta, 6; Rosa I, 4; and Doris R, 2. All family members were born in Ohio and the father Frank was a farmer. [4]

By 1920 the Frank Warrick family had moved to Hopewell Township, Mercer County, and the family included several more children: Henrietta, 16; Rhoa, 14; Doris, 12; Marcella, 10; William, 8; Wilson, 3; and Betty, 1. [5]

In 1930 Henrietta, 26, and her sister Betty, 11, lived with their widowed maternal grandmother Ida C. Hinton, 68, on West Livingston Street in Celina. Henrietta worked as an inspector in a furniture factory. [6]

After their marriage in 1935, Rudy and Henrietta moved to Liberty Township, where Rudy farmed. Henrietta was baptized at Zion Chatt on 9 April 1939 by Rev. Carl Yahl. They resided in Liberty Township in 1950 as well. [7]

Henrietta (Warrick) Strabel died from complications of a stroke in Berne, Indiana, on 17 June 1971, at age 67. She was buried on the 18th. Her obituary:

Henrietta Strabel dies in Berne
Mrs. Henrietta Strabel, 67, of Celina, O., Route 1, died Tuesday night at the Berne Nursing Home. A daughter of Frank and Bertha (Hinton) Warrick, she was born March 31, 1904. Mrs. Strabel was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church at Chattanooga, O.

Surviving are her husband, R. J. Strabel; four sisters, Mrs. Rhoa Tricker of Monroe, Mrs. Doris Kuhn of Coldwater, O., Mrs. Marcella Imes of Osakis, Minn., and Mrs. Betty Mundhenk of Centerville, O; and two brothers, Hollis Warrick of Detroit, and Wilson Warrick of Celina.

Rites will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Vale and Stein Funeral Home in Celina, with Rev. Ralph Hershberger officiating. Burial will be in Zion Lutheran Cemetery at Chattanooga. Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. today. [8]

Widower John Rudolph/Rudy Strabel died in Celina on 19 March 1984, age 86, following a heart attack while driving a car. He was buried on the 22nd.

Rudy and Henrietta did not have any children.

[1] 1911 Zion Chatt Confirmation Photo: Row 1) Ed Strabel, far left. Row 2) Clarence Becher, far left; Carrie Becher last girl far right. Row 3) Rudolf Strabel far left; Rev. Haas. Remaining individuals in photo, order unknown: Gertrude Haas, Lizzie Kuehm, Bertha Huffman, Klara Huffman, Frieda Kessler, Clara Bender, Elvira Baker, Hulda Andrews, Mary Andrews, Carl Berron, Heinrich Kuehm, Louis Brandt, Raymond Becher, Albert Becher, Wilhelm Berger, Omar Heffner, Otto Allmandinger.

[2] 1920 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 140, p.9B, dwelling 178, family 192, Peter Strabel; Ancestry.com.

[3] Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Mercer County, Vol. 14, p.291, John Rudolph and Henrietta Warrick, 28 Nov 1935; Ancestry.com.  

[4] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Black Creek, Ed 107, p.6B, dwelling 134, family 135, Frank H Warick [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[5] 1920 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Hopewell, ED 135, p.7A, dwelling 132, family 140, Frank H Warrick; Ancestry.com.

[6] 1930 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Celina, ED 17, p.1B, dwelling and family 19, Ida B Hinton; Ancestry.com.  

[7] 1940 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 54-22, p.8A, household 148, Rudolph Strabel; Ancestry.com.

[8] Henrietta Strabel Obituary, Decatur Daily Democrat, Decatur, Indiana, 17 June 1971; FindaGrave.com.

Apr 12

Merkles and Heffners of Chatt

Today, a few more Merkle and Heffner photos, courtesy of Doug Roebuck.

A few weeks ago I wrote about the children of Joseph and Lucinda (Kantner) Merkle.

Joseph Merkle (1835-1901), born in Germany, and in 1860 married Lucinda Kantner (1843-1919). Joseph and Lucinda Merkle moved from Auglaize County to Chattanooga about 1872. Joseph worked as a blacksmith in Chatt and Lucinda ran a boarding house there. Their family attended Zion Lutheran Church in Chatt.

One of their nine children, Anna Merkle (1867-1935), married Fred Heffner (1861-1918) at Zion Chatt in 1885. Fred was the son of George and Sophia (Martin) Heffner.

Anna (Merkle) Heffner, wife of Fred Heffner. Photo courtesy of Doug Roebuck.

Fred Heffner resided in Chatt most of his life and ran a saloon there for several years. They had nine children: George “Rudolph,” Albert Conrad, Emma Elizabeth (m. Jacob A. Bauer), Walter Herbert, Fredrich Oscar ”Brownie”, Maria Helena, Roman Edward, Verla “Marguerite” (m. William “Curt” Roebuck), and Vernon Hugo “Cy.” Fred and Anna Heffner are buried in Zion Chatt’s cemetery, and a number of their family as well. 

Here is a photo of the Fred and Anna (Merkle) Heffner family:

Fred Heffner family. Front: Marguerite, Fredrick, Vernon, Anna, Emma. Back: Roman, Rudolph, Herbert, Albert, Oscar.

Below is a four generation photo of Lucinda (Kantner) Merkle, her daughter Anna (Merkle) Heffner (1867-1935), Anna’s daughter Emma (Heffner) Bauer (1890-1938), and Emma’s daughter Mildred (Bauer) Fisher (1908-2001).

Merkle, Heffner, Bauer, Fisher 4 generation photo. Photo courtesy of Doug Roebuck.

Fred and Anna (Merkle) Heffner’s son Vernon Hugo “Cy” (1905-1987) married Carmella Bury (1911-1978). In 1980, widower Cy Heffner married Mary Wilma (Zeigler) Lewis (1909-2000). Cy and Carmella are buried in Zion Chatt’s cemetery.

Vernon “Cy” Heffner & wife Carmella Bury. Photo of courtesy of Doug Roebuck.

Cy Heffner and his brother Oscar “Brownie” (1896-1956) ran a filling station/auto repair business in Mendon. Cy ran the filling station for 25 years and also owned and trained standard breed horses. He was known for his patience, knowledge, strict training schedule, and dedication, training at Spring Garden Ranch, Florida, and Greenville and Celina, Ohio. His most successful horse was the pacer Rocky Win and his most prestigious win was at the Ohio State Fair in 1957.

Cy’s brother Brownie Heffner was a veteran of WWI and married Lillian Kinkley in 1921 and later married Dorothy Evelyn Patton in 1946. Brownie is buried in Zion Chatt’s cemetery.

Below is a photo of Cy Heffner and his sister Verla “Marguerite” Heffner (1902-1970). Marguerite was married to William “Curt” Roebuck (1899-1975).

Cy Heffner and his sister Marguerite (Heffner) Roebuck. Photo courtesy of Doug Roebuck.

Again, thanks to Doug Roebuck for sharing his family photos and information.

Apr 09

Tombstone Tuesday–Peter & Louisa W (Fisher) Strabel

Peter & Louisa (Fisher) Strabel, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Peter and Louisa W. (Fisher) Strabel, located in row 10 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

STRABEL
Peter 1869-1957
Louisa W. 1870-1953

Johann “Peter” Strabel was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on 31 December 1869, according to his baptismal record, and on 28 December 1869, according to his conformation record, both records at Zion Chatt. He was the son of John Peter (1818-1889) and Dorthea “Dora” (Herbolzheimer) (1826-1913) Strabel, both German immigrants. Peter was baptized 28 January 1870, with Ferdinand Hoffmann and his wife serving as his sponsors. He was confirmed at Zion Chatt on 6 April 1884 by Rev. C. Adam.

Early on, Zion Chatt’s records spell the name Stroebel, Strobel, and Strebel, and by 1907 the name was spelled Strabel.

Peter Strabel, the younger, was enumerated with his parents and siblings in Liberty Township in 1870 and 1880. Peter’s siblings in those enumerations included John, Barbara, Mary, George, Michael, Susanna, and Peter. The senior Peter Strabel was a farmer. [1] [2]

Peter Strabel married Louisa W. Fisher in Mercer County on 5 November 1896. They were married by Rev. Samuel Egger. [3]

Louisa Wilhelmina Fisher was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County on 3 February 1870, the daughter of John Christian (1839-1909) and Mary (Bollenbacher) (1848-1920) Fisher. Louisa’s father was born in Germany and her mother was born in Ohio. Louisa was baptized in infancy and was confirmed at St. Paul E & R Church by Rev. S. Egger on 6 April 1884.

Louisa was enumerated with her family in the 1870 census when she was just a few months old and in the 1880 census as well. Her siblings included Magdaline, Emma Margaret, John, twins William and Mary and two siblings who died between census enumerations. Her father was a farmer. [4] [5]  

In 1900, four years after their 1896 marriage, Peter and Louisa (Fisher) Strabel had two children and resided in Liberty Township: Peter, 30; Louisa, 30; Rudolph, 2; and Leona D, 4 months. Peter’s widowed mother Dora, 74, also resided with them. Peter was a farmer. [6]

Four more children were born to Peter and Louisa during the next ten years. Victor Christian Strabel, born 3 January 1903, died 27 February 1903. The other three children lived to maturity: George Albert, born in 1904, Marcella Magdalene, born in 1907, and Opal Victoria, born in 1909. The 1910 census indicates that Peter and Louisa had 5 living children and two who had passed away. [7] They attended Zion Chatt and their children were all baptized there, but Zion Chatt’s records do not show the birth or death of another child during that time period.  

Another son, Carl William “Charles” Strabel, was born to the couple in 1916.

The Peter Strabel family in 1920: Peter, 50; Louisa, 49, Rudolph, 22; Albert, 15; Marcella, 13; Opal, 10; and Charles, 3. [8]

In 1940 and 1950 son Charles Strabel lived with his aging parents in Liberty Township.

Louisa (Fisher) Strabel died from complications of a stroke at her home on 26 June 1953, aged 83. She was buried on the 28th.

Mrs. Peter Strabel
Celina-Mrs. Louisa Strabel, 83, wife of Peter Strabel, died at 2:30 a.m. Friday at her home in Liberty-tp following a long illness. She was a native of Liberty-tp.

Surviving, besides her husband, Peter, are three sons, Rudolph and Charles, both of Route 1, Celina, and Albert, Akron; three daughters, Mrs. Victor Schaadt, Akron; Mrs. Hugo Bollenbacher, Ft. Recovery, and Mrs. Forst Farlo [sic], Route 5, Celina; two sisters, Mrs. John Koch, Chattanooga, and Mrs. William Weitz, Celina; a brother, William Fisher, of Chattanooga; 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

The body will remain in the Vale funeral home until 2 p.m. Saturday after which friends may call at the residence. Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Zion Lutheran church. The Rev. Waldo Byers will officiate and burial will be in the church cemetery. [9]

Peter Strabel died from a cerebral hemorrhage at home on 5 May 1957, aged 81 years. He was buried on the 8th. He was survived by his children JR, Albert, Charles, Mrs. Hugo Bollenbacher, Mrs. Forest Forlow, and Mrs. Victor Schaadt; 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by grandson Joseph Bollenbacher.

Peter and Louisa (Fisher) Strabel had the following children:
John Rudolph (1897-1984), married Henrietta Warrick
Leona Dorothea Strabel (1900-1994), married Hugo Charles Bollenbacher
Victor Christian Strabel (1903-1903)
Albert George Strabel (1905-1975), married Minnie Frances Kafka
Marcella Magdalene Strabel (1907-1962), married Forest Owen Forlow
Opal Victoria Strabel (1909-2007), married Victor “Joe” Wilhelm Schaadt
Carl “Charles” William Strabel (1916-2005), married Enid (Caffee) Westerberg

[1] 1870 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty Township, p.150A, dwelling 131, family 117, Peter Strabel; Ancestry.com.

[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.472C, dwelling, 20, family 21, Peter Strable [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[3] U.S. County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Ohio, Mercer, Vol. 1887-1904, p.210, Peter Strabel & Louisa Fisher, 5 Nov 1896; Ancestry.com.

[4] 1870 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, p.148B, dwelling 103, family 95, John C Fisher; Ancestry.com.  

[5] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.474C, dwelling 153, family 156, John C. Fisher; Ancestry.com.  

[6] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 85, p.12, dwelling 194, family 229, p., Peter Strabel; Ancestry.com.  

[7] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.11A, dwelling 195, family 200, Peter Strabery [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[8] 1920 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 140, p.9B, dwelling 178, family 192, Peter Strabel; Ancestry.com.

[9] Louisa Wilhelmina Fisher Strabel memorial, no. 39883997, FindaGrave.com.

Apr 05

Total Eclipse of the Sun 2024

The countdown is on. As of this morning, we are just 3 days away from a total solar eclipse here in west central Ohio.

By now, probably everyone has heard about the total solar eclipse that will occur this coming Monday, 8 April 2024. We are in the best viewing path of the eclipse, running from Mexico, Texas, and northeast through Maine. Communities such as ours have been planning and gearing up for the event for a couple years. Large numbers of people are expected to travel to areas such as ours, where the eclipse will be most visible.

This will be the longest and most visible eclipse to the U.S. in 100 years. In Celina it all begins at 1:53 p.m. The maximum view will be at 3:10 p.m. and it will end at 4:25. The duration will be 2 hours and 31 minutes, with totality for nearly 4 minutes.

My Aunt Ruth (1919-2020), my dad’s sister, once told me that she viewed an eclipse with her aunt, Clara (Miller) Reef, using a piece of smoked glass that Clara had made. Clara likely blackened the glass with lamp smoke, the safest way to view an eclipse then, probably sometime between 1925-1935. That smoked glass is what people used in their attempt to safely view the solar eclipse years ago, when solar protective gear was not available.

From the Van Wert Weekly Bulletin, 6 August 1869:

Get Your Glasses Ready
It is well known that the solar eclipse can be better observed through a piece of smoked glass than with the naked eye. Those, therefore, who are not provided with properly colored glasses for use with instruments, will do well to prepare in this way for a view of this most interesting phenomenon.

From the Van Wert Daily Bulletin, 29 Jun 1908:

Partial Eclipse of the Sun Viewed by Many Van Werters–Interesting Street Talk
Many Van Werters availed themselves of the opportunity of the witnessing the partial eclipse of the sun, Sunday morning. By the aid of smoked glass the phenomena was discerned and practically on the moment announced by the astronomers. The first contact occurred shortly after eight o’clock, within seconds of the predicted time, and the image of the sun was perfect at that time, there being no clouds to obstruct the view. The second or last contact, which marked the disappearance, took place twenty-three seconds ahead of the predicted time.

For the 2024 eclipse many local communities provided free eclipse glasses, approved to safely view the eclipse. We got ours at the Rockford Library and looking through them is like looking through thick black cellophane. You can’t see anything. That is evidently what you want because there are unapproved glasses out there, too.

Approved 2024 Solar Eclipse glasses.

The markings on these glasses show they are made in the U.S.A. and approved for safely viewing the eclipse. 

 

 

 

There are a number of solar eclipse events planned in this area for the historic eclipse, although officials are warning locals that there may be an influx of people into the area to view the event. We plan to watch it from home, but an eclipse party is nothing new. These young folks from Pleasant Township, Van Wert County, had a lunar eclipse party in 1889:

Pleasant Party
Twenty young men gave very enjoyable party to their lady friends Wednesday evening, in honor of the lunar eclipse. There were only twelve dances on the programme and the party consequently ended shortly before midnight. Heistand’s orchestra furnished the music. It was the most delightful event of the season. —Van Wert Times, 18 January 1889.

Hundreds of years can pass between total solar eclipses, but the most recent in the U.S. was 21 August 2017. Having two total solar eclipses in seven years is unusual. However, 2017 eclipse took a different path across the country, from Oregon to South Carolina, and lasted 2½ minutes. I remember how strange the afternoon looked during that eclipse. Monday’s eclipse should be even more dramatic, if the weather cooperates.

Historically, one of the most well-known total solar eclipses occurred in Ohio on 16 June 1806 and was predicted by Tenskwatawa, The Prophet, the brother of Shawnee chief Tecumseh. Tenskwatawa, residing near Greenville, Ohio, at the time, predicted that the sun would turn black on 16 June 1806. It did just that and his prediction greatly increased his credibility.

I looked through my family databases to see if anyone in the family was born on the day of an eclipse, but no one was.

So, on Monday, get your eclipse glasses out and enjoy the show in the sky. After all, most of us won’t be around for the next local total solar eclipse in 2099.