Tombstone Tuesday - Do You Understand What it Says?

A tombstone can tell you a lot...if you know what it says!

Here we have a tombstone for Ernestine E. Hermann.  It tells you that her maiden name (name at birth/born as) was Muller (also spelled with an umlaut over the "u", and as Mueller).  It also tells you that her husband was Valentin Hermann.  She was born on September 28, 1860 and died on May 18, 1904.

Now most genealogists would be able to figure most of that out without knowing German, but if you weren't careful you could get it wrong.

Anyway, Valentin and Ernestine Hermann nee Muller are my husband's 2nd great grandparents.  Ernestine was born in Germany and they were married in Wisconsin around 1881. They had 5 known children:  Carl, Elizabeth, Dorathea (my husband's great grandmother), George and Valentine (Jr).  Ernestine and Valentin are buried in Union Cemetery, Theresa, Dodge County, WI

A bit odd.  I never realized that Ernestine was only 43 when she died.  She was fairly young. Sometimes I forget that just because these people lived what seems to be a long time ago, it doesn't mean that they were actually old.  How sad that she still had children that were living at home when she died.  I will have to go in search of her death certificate (which I may have in a stack of papers), because I would like to know why she died so young.

Sunday's Obituary - George Herman

West Bend News, 01AUG1963

"George A. Herman

Funeral services for George A. Herman, sr., a resident of the town of Wayne for the past 42 years, are being conducted at St. Lucas Lutheran church, Kewaskum, at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) with the Rev. Donald Bitter officiating.  Burial will be in Theresa Union cemetery at Theresa.  Friends called at the Miller funeral home, Kewaskum, from 2 p.m. Wednesday, to 10:30 today and at the church from noon to the times of the services.

Mr. Herman passed away very unexpectedly at his home early Monday, July 29.  Death was attributed to a heart attack.

He was born in the town of Theresa on Sept. 21, 1888 and married the former Alwina [sic] Hahn in that township on Jan. 5, 1911.  She passed away on Feb. 18, 1951.  Mr. and Mrs. Herman were the parents of four children, on of whom Vanelda (Mrs. Alex Krell), died in 1958.  Surviving are Louise (Mrs. Ervin Butzlaff), George, Jr. and Lyle, all residing at rural route, Kewaskum.

He also leaves 11 grandchildren, two great grandchildren, a daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law and a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Zimdahl of Allenton.

Mr. Herman was president of the Theresa Mutual Insurance Co.  He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Herman."

George Herman (also spelled "Hermann") is my husband's 2nd great uncle.  George's wife's name on her tombstone in spelled "Alvina". Still need to verify which is correct.

Sunday's Obituary - Valentine Herman

"V. Herman Of Allenton Dies Tuesday (hand-written 1954)
Valentine Herman, 63, of Allenton, died Tuesday, Sept. 21, in that village.

He is survived by his wife, nee Hulda Hahn; three sons, Erwin, Raymond and William; four grandchildren, three daughters-in-law, two brothers, Carl and George, and two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Zimdahl and Mrs. Dora Kuehl.

Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon, Sept. 24, at 1:30 o'clock at Zion's Lutheran church Kohlsville, the Rev. G. Kaniess officiating.  Interment will be in Union cemetery, Theresa.  In state at the Ritger funeral home, Allenton after 1 p. m. today (Thursday) and until 11 a. m. Friday, and from noon until the hour of services at the church."

Valentine was actually the son of Valentin Hermann and Ernestine Mueller.  The surname can be spelled with one or two n's at the end. Valentine Jr was my husband's great-great uncle.

Sunday's Obituary - Johannes Hermann August Kuehl

Unknown Wisconsin newspaper

Oh how I love that name! Gut und German!  He wasn't born in Germany, nor was his father, but a fine German name he was given, and to a ripe old age he lived!  He was going by "John" at the time of his death so that's what's seen in his obituary.  John Kuehl is my husband's great-grandfather.

June 6-1974 - handwritten (unknown which Wisconsin newspaper clipping was published in)

"John Kuehl

John Kuehl, 90, of Route 3, Campbellsport, formerly of Kewaskum, died Thursday evening at St. Joseph's Community Hospital, West Bend.

He was born Sept. 14, 1883, near Theresa.  He married Dora Herman on Nov. 6 1906, at St. Jacob's Church in the Town of Theresa.

Mr. Kuehl was a retired farmer and carpenter.  He farmed in the Town of Wayne for 30 years, in 1947 he moved to Kewaskum where he resided until 1970 and the past four years with a son, Elmer at Route 3, Campbellsport.

Survivors include three sons, Roman and Elmer of Route 3, Campbelsport, [sic] and Marvin of West Bend; a daughter, Mrs. Leroy Stean [sic] of Sheboygan Falls; 13 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and three brothers, William of Milwaukee, Paul of West Bend and Rudy of Minneapolis, Minn.

He was preceded in death by his wife of Feb. 22, 1958, by a son, Lester, during World War II, and a son in infancy.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Salem United Church of Christ at Wayne.  The Rev. Timothy Prasad will officiate and burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation for Mr. Kuehl will be from 4 p.m. Saturday and until 11 a.m. Sunday at Miller's Funeral Home, Kewaskum, and at the church from noon Sunday until the time of services."

John's daughter is listed as Mrs. Leroy Stean, and the surname should be Strean.

Wedding Wednesday - John Kuehl and Dora Hermann

John and Dora Kuehl nee Hermann

Johannes Hermann August Kuehl born in Wayne, Washington Co, Wisconsin in 1883.  The surname KUEHL is German.  Feel free to remove the "e" and add an umlaut to the "u".  That's most likely how you'd see it spelled in the homeland.  In fact that's how it was spelled with the first few generations in this country.  Well, most census takers didn't actually put the umlaut.  They just spelled it "Kuhl".  I love John's full and proper name.  He was two generations removed from the homeland, but still got a rockin' name!

Well, John married Dorathea Bertha Hermann.  Dora was born in Theresa, Dodge County, WI in 1885.  Her surname can also be seen with or without that second "n".  Dorathea....I like that name very much.  So these two were married on November 6, 1906 in Theresa, WI.  I haven't gotten to reentering all of the Kuehls in the family tree so I can't really give detailed information on their children, just one for now, Romand.

Romand Valentin Gustav Kuehl was my husband's grandfather and who my son Benjamin Romand is named for!

(Sorry for the late post!  My internet provider wasn't working until this morning!  Now off to a Webinar!)