According to the book
SANDUSKY EINST UND JETZT, by Ernst Von Schulenburg, Johann Kärcher was born in Weingarten, Baden, German in 1825. He settled in Sandusky, Ohio in 1846, and he married Katharina Lay in 1850. A
marriage record on file at Erie County Probate Court listed Johann's name as
John Carrier.
In McKelvey's 1867 Sandusky City Directory, Johann Kärcher's name is listed as
John Kercher. In 1867, he resided at 15 Jefferson Street, and his occupation was engineer. For several years Johann Kärcher worked as a marine engineer on the steamer
Louise. Katharina Lay Kärcher died on December 26, 1895. The inscription on her tombstone indicated that she was born in Schaffhausen, Baden, Germany on August 17, 1826.
An article in the May 16, 1904 issue of the
Sandusky Evening Star, reported that Johann Kärcher had taken his own life by consuming carbolic acid. It is believed that he had become increasingly despondent after his wife's death. Mr. Kärcher had resided with his wife's nephew John Lay, for several years, but for a few months he lived at the Odd Fellows Home in Springfield, Ohio. Mr. Kärcher spent the last few days of his life at the Kunzmann Hotel in Sandusky. Otto Kunzmann discovered the lifeless body of Johann Kärcher when there was no answer at the door to his hotel room. Funeral services for Johann Kärcher were held at Krupp's mortuary, under the auspices of the Odd Fellows. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery. Johann Kärcher's date of death was May 15, 1904. The majestic monument which honors the memory of Johann and Katharina Kärcher is found in the North Ridge section of Oakland. Katharina Kärcher was the sister of
Jacob Lay, who died in the 1849 cholera epidemic. Jacob's three sons went on to establish the
Lay Brothers Fisheries.
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