Louis Fehrmann, a grocer in Cumminsville

Louis and Christine Fehrmann were purported to be my gr-gr-granparents, hence my interest in this family. But puzzles concerning these people abounded from the very beginning, and it's taken quite awhile to get some clarity concerning this family.

The starting point for Louis is his death record in Hamilton County, presumably either restored or a survivor of the courthouse fires which occurred in the late 1800's. His record says he died on May 2, 1877, was a grocer on Ludlow Avenue, had been in the county for 28 years (since 1849 or so), and was buried at Carthage Road., and born in Germany. "Carthage Road" was the name used by many people for the Spring Grove Cemetery.

The next piece of interesting evidence is his will, refiled in Hamilton County Probate Court following the destruction of the original filing on May 31, 1884. Critical features of his will are:

Filed 31 May 1877, wife Christina Fehrmann named administrator.

"I will and bequeth to my three youngest children Mary Fehrmann, William Fehrmann and Charles Fehrmann the sum of three hundred dollars each."

"I will and bequeth to my Step Daughter Sophia Kuester the sum of twho hundred dollars..."

"... be equally divided among the following children, Henry Fehrmann, Louis Fehrmann, Anna Fehrmann, John Fehrmann, Louisa Jacobs, Sophia Kuester, Charlotte Isolein, Johanna Kuester, Mary Fehrmann, William Fehrmann, and Charles Fehrmann."

"After the decease of my wife Christina Fehrmann, Christian Fehrmann my cousin be appointed Executor of this my last will and testament."

Signed 21st day of April, 1877.

This Louis has been introduced previously in the description of the baker Henry. I believe the first person mentioned in this will is the Henry who operated the bakery in Cumminsville.

The implication of the will is that both Louis and Christina were married before, and that Christina had married a Kuester. In the restored marriage records of Hamilton County we find a marriage on 10 July 1863 of Ludwig Fehrmann and Christine Kuester, having taken place at First United Church of Christ on Hoffner Street in Cumminsville.

I've been unable to find the 1870 census record which should show this couple together with their family, but have found the 1880 census, after Louis died at age 55:

Fehrmann, Christine, age 56, widower, keeping a grocery store, born in Prussia.

John, age 20, a laborer

Johanna, age 19, working in grocery store

Mary, age 16, working in grocery store

William, age 14

Charles, age 12

The youngest childrem agree with the naming pattern mentioned in the will, but Johanna is listed as a Fehrmann, when the will names her as a Kuester (this is my supposed gr-gr-grandmother). But Johanna was born in 1861, so it's not clear which father she was born to, unless we presume a census error, in which case the will record takes precedence. A confirmation record on 24 May 1875 lists a Johanna Kuster born on 27 February 1861, which is most likely the same girl.

A Johann [John] Fehrmann was confirmed on 29 March 1874, and is listed as being born 20 March 1860.

Confirmed on 10 April, 1870 are both Ludwig Fehrmann and Anna Fehrmann, both born on March 11, 1857.

A church record for a Caroline Marie Fehrmann says she was born on May 20, 1864 and was baptised June 26, 1864, the daughter of Ludwig Fehrmann and Christine Kuester. Another baptism record for a Carl Freidrich, born 10 June 1868 and baptised 21 June 1868 matches with the Charles we see in the 1880 census. His parents are Ludwig Fehrmann and Christine Ruther. Witnesses are Freidrich Weihe and Christian Fehrmann. Karl Christian Frd Fehrmann was confirmed in the same church on 10 June 1882, at age 14.

These confirmations and baptisms in the same church, at about the same time, suggest that Louis Fehrmann and his first wife, and Christine Kuester and her first husband attended the same church

Going back to the will, we can find a marriage record for a Lottie Kuster to Joseph Eiselein on 12 February, 1877 at St. Peter German Evangelical Church, and another record of Louise Kuster to Marcus Jacobs on 1 August of 1870 at the same church on Main and McMicken Streets.

In the 1880 census (Enumeration District 197) Marcus Jacobs and his wife Louisa are living just two doors away from Christine Fehrmann on Ludlow Avenue. They have three sons: John aged 6, William, 5, and Georg, 1. Three doors away from Christine in the other direction is Joseph Eiselein and his wife Charlotte, and their son Edward who is 3. Joseph is a cooper, and Marcus is a foreman in a brewery.

The city directories tell us something of the children after Louis' death in 1877. John is listed in 1878 as a baker boarding at his brother Henry's. In 1879, Louis is is listed as baker boarding at Henry's, as well as in 1880.

We can find Louis, the son, in the household of Henry and Henrietta as a boarder, age 23 in the 1880 census. So Louis was born about 1857.

John Fehrmann

John, fourth listed child in the will, is living with his mother and working in a brewery in 1883.

The death certificate for an Anna Fehrmann (April 14, 1916), of 3608 Dawson, lists her father as Wm. Helmick and her mother as Julia Helmers. The informant is Wm H. Fehrmann, but no relationship is given for him. She's buried at Vine Street, whose records say is was the widow of John H Fehrmann. A marriage record indicates a John H Fehrmann married Anna Helmick on June 24, 1887. Witnesses were Wilhelm Helmick and Julia Helmers

William E. Fehrmann

William E. Fehrmann was buried at Vine Street, as well as his mother Christine. He is recorded as being the husband of Anna Ahlbrandt, born on November 27, 1866, and died in 1944. A marriage record of a Wm Ernst Fehrmann to Anna M Ahlbrandt on 20 June 1893 is recorded in Hamilton County Probate. The marriage was performed by Christien Schenck, the pastor of the church at the time. Scheck's records from 1881 (when William would have been 14) indicate he was confirmed into the church as Ernst Wilhelm Fehrmann, born on 27 November, 1866.

Mary Fehrmann

A death certificate for Mary E. Buchmann in 1915, indicating she was born on May 20, 1864 to Louis Fehrmann and Christine Reuter says she is buried at Spring Grove. The informant is a Nickolas Buchmann. Chruch records list a marriage of Nicolas Buchmann and Maria Fehrmann on 12 September, 1883.

Charles Fehrmann

Charles Fehrmann died on December 3, 1915, according to his death certificate. He's buried in Spring Grove, and his last residence was 1424 Knowlton. His wife was Kate, who is listed as being born with the surname Reichle in his death announcement (Cincinnati Friei Presse, 5 December 1915). The 1900 census lists his family as:

Fehrmann, Charles, born June 1868, married 7 years (1893), and a teamster

Katherine E, born July 1876

Charles W, born June 1893

Harry, born February 1897

John E, born June 1894

There is a double baptism record for Emma Maria, born 23 February, 1901 and Heinrich Ludwig, born February 1897 on 28 March 1901. Their parents are Carl and Elizabeth Katherine (born Reichle.) A birth record on 6 September 1891 for an Earl Walter Fehrmann to Charles Fehrmann and Kate Riechle exists in Vital Statistics.

Louis Fehrmann

On February 25, 1887, Ludwig Fehrmann and Katherine Rurade were married. Witnesses were John Fehrmann and Hannah Helmick. We can find Louis and his wife Kate in the 1900 census on Main Street:

Fehrmann, Louis, born March 1858, married 13 years, a driver for a brewery

Kate, born Aug 1864, married 13 years, 6 children

Oscar, age 12

Harry, age 9

Flora, age 8

Ida, age 6

Walter, age 3

Raymond, age 1

The age and marriage date agree favorably with Louis' second son. In November of 1890, a Louis Fehrman was born to Louis and Kate, with Louis the father listed as a baker living on Hoffner Street (the directory lists him that year as at 107 Hoffner). He was baptised on 23 December 1890 as Heinrich Johann Fehrmann. Another birth record lists Oscar Louis Fehrman as being born February 19, 1888 to Louis, a baker, and Catherine Rurade.

Flora died 21 December 1996, according to her obituary. She is described as a sister of Ray Fehrman, Ida Davis (the late), Walter, Oscar, and Harry Fehrman. She was a choir director at Mt. Healthy Christian Church, and is buried at Spring Grove.

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