A strong woman

Found among the research on the Koehler family in Vanderburgh County, Indiana is an article appearing the Evansville Press on 4 August 1919. My wife's 3rd-great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Schwarzlose Koehler, was gored by a cow. She was 60 years old then, survived the incident, and lived to be 96 years old.

Evansville Press, 4 Aug 1919

Mary was born on 8 February 1859 in West Salem, Edwards County, Illinois. She was a daughter of German immigrants John William Schwarzlose and Maria Elizabeth Hesse. The Schwarzlose family is featured in a book available via FamilySearch (see Genealogy of the John William and Maria Elizabeth Schwarzlose Family, 1853-1989).

Mary and William Henry Koehler were married on 30 January 1883 in West Salem, Illinois. They moved from Illinois to neighboring Vanderburgh County, Indiana. In the Schwarzlose book, there is a passage from Mildred Mary (Roser) Wilhoit who noted her grandparents moved to "rural Evansville, Indiana. Grandpa Koehler was a farmer and a gardener. Their home place was at what is now Highway 62 and 41. He owned much land down to Pidgeon Creek, and Highway 41 was once part of his property. There were ten children in the family. The older son died in infancy, and a daughter died in her early 20's. The rest all married and had families."

Photo via Schwarzlose book, page 8.

"The whole family attended Salem Evangelical Church in downtown Evansville, where sermons were preached in German on Sunday nights until 1900. The family was always together at Grandma and Grandpa's house for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Threshing time was also a big get together. The women all helped cook, and usually there were as many visitors as workers in the field. Many people from church loved to go to Koehler's for 'threshing'. And we kids loved to play in the straw piles."

Mary died on 29 December 1955 in Evansville, Indiana.
 

Thoughts with Istanbul

This morning I woke up to learn about another attack, this time in the historic and cultural heart of a city I have been lucky to experience several times in the past year. As with prior events in Paris, suburban Los Angeles, Beirut, and countless others, innocent people were hurt and killed. My thoughts go out to them, their families, and my friends and colleagues who live in Istanbul.

Photo by Patrick Jones. 16 Apr 2015. Hagia Sophia.

Photo by Patrick Jones. 16 Apr 2015. Sultanahmet.

Emma Koehler Umbach

Continuing with a walk back on my wife's side of the family tree, her 2nd-great-grandmother Emma Ella Koehler Umbach survived husband Fred Umbach by 18 years. She was 92 years old when she passed away on 16 December 1980. According to her obituary, she was survived by a sister, two daughters, 11 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and 9 great-great-grandchildren (including my wife and her brother).

Source: Browning Genealogy database, Evansville.

Emma was born on 24 July 1888 in Lancaster, Wabash County, Illinois. Wabash County was also home for a time to my 4th-great-grandparents Asa Putnam Smith and Lucinda McIntosh. Emma's parents were William Henry Koehler and Mary Elizabeth Schwarzlose. She was the fourth of ten children. I will have much more on the Koehler and Schwarzlose families in the near future.

The Plumber

Over the Christmas break, I wrote about my wife's great-grandfather, Calvin Luther Halter. In the 1930 US Census, he and wife Helen Umbach Halter were living with Helen's parents, Fred C. Umbach and Emma Koehler Umbach in Evansville, Indiana. According to Fred's World War II draft registration card, he was born on 7 November 1885 in Posey County, Indiana. He was a master plumber who operated his own business.

Ancestry.com, WWII Draft card for Fred C. Umbach.

Fred and Emma appear in the 1942 City Directory in Evansville (along with other Umbachs):

Looking at his World War I draft card, Fred's full name was written as Fredrick Charles Umbach. The card also shows he was tall, with brown eyes and light colored hair.

Ancestry.com, WWI Draft card for Fred Umbach.

Fred and Emma were married on 31 March 1909 in Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana. In the 1910 US Census, they appear with daughter Helen in Ward 7, Evansville. Fred was working in a leather store. Interestingly, in the 1920 US Census, Fred and Emma were living next door to Emma's parents. Her father's occupation was listed as tanner, so perhaps Fred got his start in Emma's father's store.

1910 US Census (via Ancestry)

1920 US Census (via Ancestry)

Fred and Emma had at least the following children:
- Helen Elva Umbach
- Elmer Frederick Umbach
- Clarence William Umbach
- Ruth Eleanor Umbach

Fred passed away on 14 September 1962 in Gary, Lake County, Indiana.

Historic Find in Old Town

The City of Alexandria has been excavating a large ship dating back to the late 1700s that was uncovered during the construction for a new hotel at 220 S. Union Street. The partial hull was a major find at the site, along with the discovery of the 1755 foundation for the first warehouse in Alexandria. The warehouse was built by John Carlyle, and later hosted the first brewery in the city.

Photo via City of Alexandria, ship hull at 220 S. Union.

This Washington Post article includes a video clip on the excavation and plans to preserve the hull and new discoveries. For those who may have had ancestors in early Alexandria, these findings provide further understanding into the lives of those who lived and visited the city in the mid to late 1700s.