Caroline Koewler Lutz

Four days after Christmas, 1878, Anthony and Henrietta Koewler stood in St. Michael Catholic Church in Ripley, Ohio and witnessed the baptism of their three week old baby daughter, Caroline Catherine. Frederick Wucher and Catherine Gast served as her godparents. 

Caroline, or Carrie as she was called, was the eighth child of Anthony and Henrietta (Fischer) and spent her childhood in a house near Eagle Creek in Brown County, Ohio. When she was about 21 years old, she went to live with her brother, Henry, and his family in Evansville, Indiana. Not only did her brother live in that city, but both her paternal and maternal uncles, Thaddeus Koewler and Jacob Fischer, also lived in the city. In the 1900 census, Carrie can be found working in Evansville as a maid for the Christian Felker family. According to the August 13 issue of the Georgetown, Ohio News Democrat, she returned to Ripley. 

"Miss Callie [sic] Koewler, who has been making her home with her brother at Evansville, Ind., and returned here Friday, is reported to be seriously ill with typhoid fever at the home of her mother, near town."

After recovering from her illness, she returned to her brother's house. She met a German immigrant, Henry Lutz, who lived with his parents in Evansville. In October 1904, they obtained their license to marry and on December 26 of that year they were wed by Father L. W. Burkhardt in St. Boniface Catholic Church. Henry and Caroline made their home at 1222 West Michigan Street in Evansville.

The following summer, Caroline was expecting her first child. It is not known whether she had a difficult beginning to her pregnancy, but it is documented in the newspaper that in July she was hospitalized at St. Mary's Hospital in Evansville. On March 7, 1906, Walter John Lutz was born. Whether the pregnancy and subsequent childbirth brought about Caroline's organic heart disease or it was something she had previous to getting pregnant is not known, but it is apparent that giving birth weakened her to the point of exhaustion. On April 3rd, the Evansville Courier and Press reported that Caroline was seriously ill at her home on West Michigan Street. In addition, baby Walter never thrived and on April 5th, according to his death certificate, he died from marasmus and spasms which is a condition brought about from a lack of nutrition. The next day, Walter John Lutz was buried in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery while his mother   

"was unable, from her extreme weakness to even lift her hand to stroke the little one's dying brow and could not leave her bed to follow the baby's remains to the little grave in the cemetery." *

In fact, her condition was so serious that she died the very next day and was laid to rest next to Walter on April 10. Her death was reported in the Evansville newspaper and in the Ripley (Ohio) Bee.  

Ripley Bee, page 1, April 11, 1906

*  "Mother Follows Her Babe To The Grave", obituary, Evansville Courier and Press, 8 April 1906, page 13, Evansville, Indiana

Anthony Koewler Becomes a Naturalized Citizen

Journal of the Probate Court of Brown County, Ohio

Volume 9, page 269

April 1st 1872

Anthony Koewler

Naturalization

This day Anthony Koewler an alien and native of Bavaria and subject of the Emperor of Germany personally came before the judge of the said Probate Court and made application to be naturalized under the Laws of the United States and it appearing by sufficient testimony to the satisfaction of the Court that he the said Anthony Koewler had made application Declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States in due form of Law at least two years before making his said application: that he had been a resident of the United States for at least five years then last past and of the said State of Ohio at least one year then last past and also that during that time he had behaved as a man of good moral character attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and will disposed to the good order and happiness of the same. Whereupon By order of the said Court an oath of allegiance was administered in due form of Law to the said Anthony Koewler in open Court that he will support the Constitution of the United States and that he absolutely and entirely renounced and abjured all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Power Potentate State or sovereignty whatsoever and particularly to the Emperor of Germany whose subject he was. And thereupon It was ordered by the said Court that a certificate of Naturalization be granted to the said Anthony Koewler according to the form of the statute of the United States in such case made and provided which by these presents is done accordingly. Therefore the said Anthony Koewler is a citizen of the United States.

S.H. Stevenson

Judge

The Last Will and Testament of Anton Koewler

Anton Koewler wrote his will on November 10, 1894, six years before his death. His wife, Henrietta Fischer Koewler entered it into probate on April 10, 1900. The following is the court file for the Last Will and Testament of Anton Koewler. The original can be found in the Brown County, Ohio Wills, Volume 12, page 238.

In the matter of the last will and testament of Anton Koewler, deceased.

No. 1240

Probate Court held at the Courthouse in Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio on the 10” day of April A.D. 1900 before Robert E. Campbell, Probate Judge within and for said county.

Be it remembered that on the 10” day of April A.D. 1900, that Henrietta Kowler [sic] filed in this court a paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Anton Koewler deceased and at the same time filed her application in writing asking that said paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of said Anton Koewler be admitted to probate and entered of record, which said application is in the words and figures following, to-wit,

Application for Probate of Will

Probate Court, Brown County, Ohio

In the matter of 

the Last Will and

Testament of

Anton Koewler,

deceased

To the Probate Court of said county:

your petitioner respectfully represents that Anton Koewler late a resident of the township of Union in said County died on or about the 26” day of March A.D. 1900, leaving instrument in writing, herewith produced purporting to be his last will and testament:

The said Anton Koewler died leaving Henrietta Koewler his widow who resides at Ripley, Ohio and the following named persons his only next of kin, to-wit:

Catherine Schwallie, daughter, Henderson, Ky.

Henry Koewler, son, Evansville, Ind.

Joseph Koewler, son, Henderson, Ky.

Mary DeFosse, daughter, Ripley, Ohio

Louisa Koewler, daughter, Ripley, Ohio

Caroline Koewler, daughter, Evansville, Ind.

Henrietta Koewler, daughter, Evansville, Ind.

Lena Koewler, age 16, daughter, Evansville, Ind.

your petitioner offers said Will for Probate and prays that a time may be fixed for the proving of the same, and that said above named persons resident in this State may be notified according to law of the pendency of said proceedings.

Henrietta Koewler, Petitioner

The State of Ohio, Brown County, ss.

The above named Henrietta Koewler being first duly sworn, says that the facts stated and allegations in the foregoing application contained are true as she verily believes.

Henrietta Koewler

Sworn to before me and signed in my presence this 4” day of April A.D. 1900.

Ernest Bambach

Notary Public

We the undersigned next of kin of the within named decedent, hereby waive further notice and consent to the probate of said Will.

Dated this 4” day of April A.D. 1900.

Mary DeFosse

Louise Koewler

Henrietta Koewler

Lena Koewler

Be it further remembered that on the 10” day of April A.D. 1900, the notice required by law to all the next of kin of said decedent, residents of the state of Ohio was issued by said court, which said notice was afterwards on the 13” day of April A.D. 1900, returned and filed herein which said notice together with the endorsement thereon are in the words and figures following, to-wit:

Notice to Next of Kin

The State of Ohio,

Brown County, ss

In the Probate Court.

In the matter of the last Will and Testament of Anton Koewler, deceased.

To Lena Koewler, a minor over 14 years of age, 

You are hereby notified that on the 10” day of April A.D. 1900 an instrument of writing, purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Anton Koewler late of Union Township, in said County deceased, was produced in open Court and an application to admit same to Probate was on the same day made in said Court.

Said application will be for hearing before this Court on the 16” day of April 1900 at 10 o’clock A.M.

Robert E Campbell, Probate Judge

Dated at Georgetown, Ohio, this 10” day of April A.D. 1900

Return

The State of Ohio,

Brown County, ss.

Ernst Bambach being duly sworn, says that on the 11” day of April, A.D. 1900 he served the within notice by delivering a true copy thereof to the within named Lena Koewler.

Fees Serving notice 50 cts.     Ernst Bambach

Subscribed in my presence and sworn to before me this 11” day of April A.D. 1900.

G.G Bambach

Notary Public

due 40 cts.

the undersigned mother of the within minor & with whom said minor resides hereby acknowledges service of the within notice this 11 day of April 1900

Henrietta Koewler

Be it further remembered that at the hearing of the aforesaid application the testimony of the subscribing witnesses to the paper writing purporting to be the last will and testament of said Anton Koewler deceased was taken and reduced to writing which is in the words and figures following, to-wit:

Probate of Will

The State of Ohio

Brown County, ss.

In Probate Court

Personally appeared in open Court G. Bambach and Ernst Bambach the subscribing witnesses to the last Will and Testament of Anton Koewler late of Union Township in said Brown County deceased who being duly sworn according to law, to speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, in the relation to the execution of said Will, depose and say: that the paper before them bearing date the 10” day of November A.D. 1894, purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Anton Koewler, now deceased, is the will of said deceased Anton Koewler that they were present at the execution of said Will and at the request of the Testator, respectfully subscribed their names to the same as witnesses in the presence: that they saw the said Anton Koewler deceased sign and seal said Will and heard him acknowledge the same to be his last Will and Testament, and that the said Anton Koewler at the time of making, signing and sealing said Will, was of full age of sound mind and memory, and not under any restraint.

G. Bambach

Ernst Bambach

Sworn to and subscribed by said witnesses in open Court, this 16” day of April, A.D., 1900.

Robert E Campbell, Probate Judge

Be it further remembered that on the 16” day of April A.D. 1900, an entry was placed upon the Journals of said court which is in the words and figures following to-wit:

In the matter of the last will and testament of Anton Koewler, deceased.

The last will and testament of Anton Koewler late of this county, was this day presented to the court for probate and record, and it appearing to the court that the widow of said decedent and all the next of kin residents of the state of Ohio have been duly notified of the presentation of said will for probate - thereupon G. Bambach and Ernst Bambach, subscribing witnesses to said will appeared in court and were duly sworn and examined according to law, and their testimony was reduced to writing and filed. And it appearing to the court the testimony so taken that the said will was duly executed and attested and that at the time of executing the same the testator was of full age and of sound mind and memory and not under any restraint, the court now admits the said will to probate, and it is ordered that the same together with the testimony so taken be recorded according to the statute in such case made and provided.

Be it further remembered that the paper writing in said matter produced and ordered to be probated and entered of record as aforesaid is in the words and figures following to-wit:

I, the undersigned Anton Koewler of Union Township Brown County, Ohio, being of sound mind and memory, do make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in manner following that is to say - 

Item I.  I desire that all my just debts and funeral expenses shall be first paid by Executrix hereinafter named as soon as covenient [sic] after my death.

Item II.  I give devise and bequeath all of my property real and personal wherever the same may be located or situated to my beloved wife Henrietta Koewler -

Item III.  I hereby constitute and appoint my said beloved wife Henrietta Koewler the Executrix of this my last Testament and request that she be not required to give a Bond as such.

Item IV.  I hereby revoke all former wills by me made.

In testimony whereof I have here to set hand this 10” day of November 1894.

Anton Koewler

Signed in our presence and by us signed as witnesses in the presence of said Testator and in the presence of each other.

G. Bambach

Ernst Bambach

Anton Koewler

The News Democrat

Georgetown, Ohio

29 March 1900

 The death of Anthony (Anton) Koewler, my great-great grandfather, on 26 March 1900 was not unexpected. It came after receiving three gun shot wounds, including one in the chest, just over six months earlier.  His death left his wife, two sons, and six daughters to mourn him. 

  An argument over possession of a gun changed the lives of not only Anthony and his family, but, no doubt, the life of the young man who delivered the shots, William Sidwell. 

The News Democrat
Georgetown, Ohio
7 September 1899

  The newspaper article written at the time of the incident tells the story of what transpired in the melon patch on that Sunday afternoon. Anton is said to have had a reputation for being quarrelsome which really makes me wonder how he earned that description. We will never know what angry words were passed between the two parties to cause Anton to point his weapon at Sidwell which in turn enraged the 28 year old enough to retrieve his gun and actually fire three times. Were his actions those of a "peaceable young fellow" as the writer of the article claimed him to be? Was it regret that made him turned himself in for his crime?  Sidwell paid for his crime by serving four years in the penitentiary for killing Anthony Koewler. He can't be found in the 1910 or 1920 censuses, but is found living with his widowed mother on South Second Street in Ripley, Ohio in 1930. He was single and a farm laborer. Two years later, he was a resident of the County Home in Georgetown where he died at the age of 60 as a result of chronic nephritis. 

Henry Koewler's Obituary

Maplewood Cemetery, Ripley, Ohio

Henry Koewler was an older brother of my great-great grandfather, Anthony Koewler. His obituary was published in The Ripley (Ohio) Bee on March 28, 1906. It read

"Mr. Henry Koewler died last Wednesday evening at 6 o'clock at the home of his son John in the country, after an illness of several months duration. 

He was born in Schoenau, Germany, in 1832, and had he lived until May he would have been 74 years of age. The funeral was held Friday morning from St. Michael's Church, Rev. Father Theodosius officiating, burial in Maplewood.
His wife preceded him to the great beyond just three years ago, and the youngest son, Frank just two months ago. He leaves eight sons and one daughter to mourn the loss of a kind and indulgent father.

 Mr. Koewler came from Germany to Ripley in 1852. He obtained work here and later engaged in flatboating produce to New Orleans, making a number of trips. He afterwards went to Kentucky where he was engaged on the construction of the Kentucky Central Railroad. He again returned to Ripley where he formed a partnership with the late J. P. Helbling in the butcher business which lasted for over thirty years. He always maintained the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens as an upright and honorable business man. 

The later years of his life have been spent on a farm, but failing health prevented his taking any active part in that life.

The sympathy of the community is extended the relatives."  

The Marriage Record for Elizabeth Haitz and Albert Steele

This is the Brown County, Ohio marriage record for Elizabeth H Haitz and Albert F Steele.  Their marriage took place on April 15, 1933.  It was four years into the Great Depression, but each of them were employed.  Albert as a shoe worker and Elizabeth was a file clerk.  

Elizabeth was the fourth child of Joseph Haitz and Henrietta Koewler.  Frank Steele and Anna Flaugher were the parents of Albert.  He was their oldest child.

The marriage most likely took place at St. Michael Catholic Church in Ripley since Father P Ambrose Reger was the person who performed the ceremony.  However, since the exact place is not indicated on this document, I am forced to only acknowledge the location as Brown County.  I wish record keepers of the day had named, at least, the town that the marriages took place! 

Emma J Haitz Marries Elwood Griffith

1938 Marriage License and Certificate
Leonard E Griffith and Emma J Haitz

The 1938 marriage document for my great-aunt Emma J Haitz and Leonard E Griffith can be found in the Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 database on Family Search.  From it, I was able to learn several new pieces of information while it also raised a couple of questions.  

I was not aware that Emma's husband was named Leonard.  All I have ever seen or heard was Elwood.  For this marriage license application, he stated his birthdate as February 7 and since he was 20 years old that previous February.  He still resided in the town and was a truck driver there.  His parents were Marion Griffith and Selma Shelton.  It was his first marriage.

Emma J Haitz was about 5 years older than her husband according to this document.  Her date of birth was December 7 and her 26th birthday was just around the corner from the time she and Elwood were granted the marriage license.  I do not know what Emma's middle name was and finding out has been added to my To-Do list.  Her parents were Joseph and Henrietta (Koehler) Haitz and she was a housekeeper, most likely helping her mother at their house in Ripley, Ohio.  She had not been previously married.

Due to Leonard's age, the consent of his father was required and Marion's signature is below that of the couple's.

The Rev. Father Anthony Hoch of St. Michael Catholic Church in Ripley married the couple.  His signature can be found on the bottom of the marriage certificate that was filed and recorded in probate court on December 22, 1938.  Therein lies the big question I have about this marriage.  The date that Father Anthony wrote on the marriage certificate is December 26, 1938, but how can a certificate be filed before the marriage was performed?  Did Father Anthony make a mistake in writing the date?  Was the marriage performed on November 26 instead of December?  Writing the wrong month would be an easy mistake to make, especially if the calendar had already turned by the time Father Anthony had completed this form.  It can be easily seen that he had already written Leonard's name where the date is indicated.  

My plan is to try to find a wedding announcement in The Ripley Bee that will clear up the mystery when I can get a chance to take a road trip to Ohio.  Until then, the question remains!

Louise Koewler and the Broken Promise

Following the church marriage of my grandparents, George Henry Haitz and Janet Linn Becker, the couple lived on Second Street in Ripley with Janet’s parents, Louis and Amy Becker.  While George had stated for the marriage license that he was a clerk, it is unclear just where he was employed.  It is possible that he worked for his father-in-law in the family clothing store, Becker’s, as he would report six years later in the 1940 census.  

His elopement with my grandmother resulted in a loss of what he had hoped would become a career in the business that he loved, baseball.  My grandfather absolutely loved baseball and he was an avid Cincinnati Reds fan all of his life. While I do not know all the details surrounding the loss of a hoped for career, the story is that his maternal Aunt Louise had promised to pay for her nephew’s education and training as an umpire for the Reds.  When she discovered that he had eloped, the promise was withdrawn and George was unable to follow his dream.  I do not know whether he knew of the promise before he eloped or Louise taunted him with it after the fact.  

This story leads to the question of just who was Louise Koewler, besides being the sister of George’s mother, Henrietta.  Her birth is listed in the Ohio, Births and Christenings Index, 1800 - 1962 database on Ancestry.com and Family Search.  She is recorded as Louisa, daughter of A Koehler and H Fisher born 14 June 1877 in Union Township, Brown, Ohio.  She is found as a three year old in the 1880 census of Ripley, Union Township, Brown County, Ohio.  Louise was the ninth born child of Anthony and Henrietta Koewler, although she was the fifth living child during that year as four siblings had died in infancy before her birth.  Her childhood was spent on the family farm in Union Township and at age 22, she was still living there with her then widowed mother.  

"Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11052-148025-41?cc=1932106 : accessed 26 May 2015), Brown > Birth index 1867-1878 vol 1 > image 236 of 238; county courthouses, Ohio.

The next year finds Louise as a special teacher with the Nelsonville, Ohio branch of the Work’s Dress Cutting School of Saint Louis, Missouri.  She is working with George F Henry who would, in two years, become her husband.  She and George F., who was also from Ripley, married November 25, 1903 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Her name is recorded on the marriage license/record as Louise Margaret Koewler. I wonder if it possible that my grandfather was named for Louise’s husband.  If that is the case, it might be that Louise felt a special bond with my grandfather which would explain the umpire school offer.  

• The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]), 12 Sept. 1901. 
• Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87075048/1901-09-12/ed-1/seq-3/>

  

"Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-21130-39052-44?cc=1589502 : accessed 26 May 2015), 004268836 > image 87 of 218; county courthouses, Pennsylvania.

Louise and George’s life after their marriage is still being researched.  There are several possible matches for them in the census for the years 1910 - 1940 in locations from Chicago to Indianapolis, although I haven’t been able to actually prove that those listings are the same people.  I haven’t found any possible children for them so it may be that they were childless. 

George F died in 1957 and Louise in 1961.  Both are buried in Maplewood Cemetery.

The Two Anniversary Marriage

On page 343 of the Brown County, Ohio Marriage Record book, there is an entry for the marriage of my grandparents, George H. Haitz and Janet Becker.  It is dated January 4, 1934 and is signed by Father G. Anthony, the Catholic priest in Ripley, Ohio.  The application for the marriage license that is above the marriage certificate is dated December 30, 1933 and giving consent to the court were their mothers, Henrietta Haitz and Amy Becker.  A fairly straight forward record documenting the date and place of a marriage between two people who were in love or so it would seem, however, that isn’t the whole story of my grandparent’s wedding.   

"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789 - 1994," digital images,
Family Search (https://familysearch.org accessed: 20 March 2015),
issue of marriage license and marriage of
George Haitz and Janet Becker; citing volume 30, page 343.

No matter what the document states as the marriage date, my grandparents celebrated the anniversary of their wedding on December 26, the day after Christmas for that is the true date of their marriage, or at least the first one anyway.  I’ll never know how long their plan had been discussed and perfected, but at the age of nineteen, George along with sixteen year old Janet crossed the Ohio River, found someone with authority in Augusta, Kentucky, and were married.  

I’m not sure how long the secret stayed between them, but the cat was certainly out of the bag by December 30 when the application for a marriage license for the two of them was granted in Georgetown, Ohio.  I wasn’t there, of course, but I can imagine that no one in either family was overly happy with the situation, the exception being George and Janet.  When George’s Catholic parents discovered what had occurred on the day after Christmas, a church wedding was immediately planned and on the fourth day of January in 1934, George and Janet found themselves once again vowing to love, honor, and obey each other, only this time in front of the parish priest.  

I haven’t been able to locate the record for that first elopement date and only know the story from my grandmother telling me.  She has been gone now for 31 years, but I wish I had back the time to ask a few more questions. 

When and how did she meet my grandfather?  George had graduated from Ripley High School that spring and she was a junior.  She was a town girl and he was a country boy so I suppose they met in school, but how long had they known each other?  

Why did they decide to go to Kentucky to elope rather than stay in Ohio?  Did they return that day or the next?

Was she scared or nervous when she left her house on Second Street knowing that when she returned she would be a married woman or was she filled with sixteen year old bravado?  How about my grandfather?  He had to have known that his parents would not be happy.

What did my great grandparents, both the Beckers and the Haitzs say and do when they were told?

Did she and my grandfather have a plan for the future or were they just hoping it would all work out in the end?

The marriage license states that my grandfather was a clerk.  Was he working for my great-grandfather Becker in his Ripley dry-goods store, Becker’s, at that time?  Is that where and how they met?

There is a little more to this story.  My grandfather lost a baseball career opportunity as a result of his elopement, so stay tuned!