Charles Krebs

Charles Krebs was born on February 8, 1847, and died on October 21, 1876. He is buried in Oakland Cemetery. An inscription forming an arch at the top of Mr. Krebs' tombstone reads "In Memory of My Husband." Though the dates do not match up perfectly, this is most likely the same person who is listed as Charles Creps in the 1870 Erie County Census. Charles was a brewer who was born in Germany, and he had a wife named Christina, and a small infant in the household. Records at the Probate Court of Erie County indicate that a Christina Krebs married Jacob Crecelius on January 30, 1879. Jacob was listed in the 1870 Census as Jacob Chisalious. He had a wife and seven children, all living in Oxford Township.

By the 1880 U.S. Census, it appears that Jacob;s first wife had died. Jacob and Christina Crecelius were married, and in their household were:

Paulina
Hermon
Katherine
August
William
Matilda
Jacob
and Albert Crecelius
(children of Jacob Crecelius and his first wife)

as well as

Arnie Krebs
and Charles Krebs
(stepsons of Jacob Crecelius; Christina's children with first husband Charles Krebs)

and

an infant named Lewis Crecelius, the son of Jacob and Christina Krebs Crecelius. It must have been a very busy household!

In the nineteenth century, when a person lost their spouse, it was not unusual for them to remarry relatively quickly. A man would need help with raising his children and running the household, while a widow would find financial and emotional security by marrying again. Blended families have always been quite common, and were of course made part of popular culture by the long running television program, "The Brady Bunch" and the movie "Yours, Mine, and Ours."