Tombstone Tuesday–George & Anna B. Bollenbacher

George & Anna B. Bollenbacher, Liberty (aka Kessler) Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio.

This is the tombstone of George and Anna B. Bollenbacher, located in row 7 of Kessler Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

George Bollenbacher
1830-1912
Anna B. His Wife
1836-1913
BOLLENBACHER

Kessler Cemetery, aka Liberty Cemetery, is about ½ mile from the Indiana state line and about two miles south of Chattanooga, Liberty Township.

George Bollenbacher and Anna Albrecht [sic] were married in Mercer County, Ohio, by Rev. John George Streckfuss on 28 July 1853. (source: Mercer County Marriage Book D:19) Rev. Streckfuss was a pastor at St. Paul Lutheran, Liberty Township, Mercer County, in the mid 1850s as well as a pastor the Zion Lutheran, Schumm, Van Wert County, 1847-1856. George and Anna may have been married at someone’s home because the St. Paul church was not completed until about 1856.

George and Anna Bollenbacher attended Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, a good portion of their adult lives. Both of their funeral services were held at Zion by Pastor Loehr. The following information is taken from Zion’s death and burial records:

George Bollenbacher died 14 Apr 1912, age 81 years, 5 months, 5 days.  He was buried on the 16 April.  Survivors include his spouse, 8 children, 37 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren.  The cause of death was heart disability and mitral insufficiency.  Text: John 11:25, 26; Deut. 33:27. (source: Records of Zion Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, Book II:343) His date of birth was 9 November 1830, as calculated from the church records.

Anna Barbara Bollenbacher died 1 Feb 1913, age 76 years, 10 months, 12 days.  She was buried on 4 Feb. Text: Rom: 8:28; Prov. 23:23.  (source: Records of Zion Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, Book II:344) Her date of birth was 20 Mary 1836, as calculated from the church records.

Anna’s Ohio Department of Health death certificate gives the following information: Anna Barbara Bollenbacher, born 19 April 1836 in Germany, the daughter of John and Barbara (Hiller) Albright, died 1 February 1913 in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. She was buried 4 February 1913 in Kessler Cemetery. She was 76 years, 9 months, and 22 days old. She was a housewife and was a widow at her death.  As often happens, her age differs in these two records.

Liberty (aka Kessler) Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio

George and Anna were enumerated as “Bulenbaugh” in the 1860 census in Liberty Township, with a Skeels Cross Roads Post Office. Their household consisted of George, 30, born in Germany; Barbary, 26, Germany; Jacob, 6, Ohio; Caroline, 4, Ohio; Harriett, 2, Ohio; and Ellen, 2/12, Ohio. (source: 1860 US Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio; Roll: M653_1009, page 359)

In 1880 George Bollenbacher was a farmer in Liberty Township, Mercer County. The following were in the Bollenbacher household in 1880: George J., 49, Rhein Beirne [sic]; Barbara, 44, Rhein Beirne [sic];  Louis, 20, son; Louisa, 17, daughter; Anna, 15, daughter; George, 13, son; Frank, 11, son; Samuel, 8, son; Mary, 5, daughter; and Edward, 1, son. All the children were born in Ohio. (source: 1880 US Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio; Roll: 1048:474C)

In 1900 George, Anna and their family were still living in Liberty Township. In the Bollenbacher household were George, 69, head, Germany; Anna B., 65, wife, Germany; George, 33, son, Ohio; Samuel, 27, son, Ohio; Edward, 21, son, Ohio; Christina Shenebarger, 17, granddaughter, Indiana; and William Shenebarger, 10, grandson, Indiana. In the enumeration they stated they had been married 48 years. Anna had given birth to 12 children but only 8 were living in 1900. This census also tells us that George immigrated in 1847 and Anna in 1840. George was still a farmer. (1900 US census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio; Roll T623_1304:11B)

The 1910 census was the last census George and Anna were enumerated in. They were still residing in Liberty Township. In the household were George, head, 79; Barbara, wife, 74; George, son, 42, single; Samuel, son, 37, single; Edward, son, 30, single; and William Sinabagher [sic], 19, nephew.  (source: 1910 US Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio; Roll: T624_1214:11B)

Several of their children were either baptized, confirmed, or had burial services conducted at Zion, Chattanooga. Most of the church confirmation records also give birth dates. The following information concerning their children is in Zion’s records:

Anna Henrietta Bollenbacher was born 16 Nov 1857 and was baptized 27 Dec 1857. Witnesses at her baptism were Ferdinand Kable and his wife Catherine.  (source: Records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Book I:103)

Louise Emilie Bollenbacherwas born 4 Jun 1862 and confirmed 17 Mar 1878. She died 6 Sep 1882, age 20 years, 2 months, 18 days.  (source: Records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Book I:320)

Laurina Ida Bollenbacher, young child of George and Anna Maria Bollenbacher, was born 17 Feb 1882 and died 16 Mar 1884. Her death was some sort of accident. Her age was 2 years and 29 days. She was buried on the 18^th. (source: Records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Book I:320)

Frank Bollenbacher was confirmed at Zion in 1884. He was born 25 July 1869. (source: Records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Book I:173)

Samuel Abraham Bollenbacher was confirmed at Zion in 1886. He was born 22 July 1872. (source: Records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Book I:174)

Maria K. Bollenbacher was confirmed at Zion in 1890. She was born 23 June 1875. (source: Records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Book I:175.)

Edward Daniel Bollenbacher was confirmed at Zion in 1893. He was born 31 Jan 1879. (source: Records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, Book II:205-06)

Angel atop tombstone of George & Anna B. Bollenbacher, Mercer County, Ohio

George and Anna, with several of their children, took Communion regularly at Zion, Chattanooga. Their names are in Zion’s Communion Records regularly from 1882-1899 and at various times between 1907-1910.