O'Toole Monument at St. Joseph Cemetery

The surname O'Toole is located at the base of this majestic monument located in Section D of the St. Joseph Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio. Flowers on a cross adorn the top of the O'Toole monument, on the side of the monument which faces west.

The side of the O'Toole monument which faces to the east contains no inscriptions.

Katie O'Toole's name is inscribed on the side of the monument which faces toward the South. Bridget Catherine "Katie" O'Toole died on March 10, 1884, at the age of 17. In 1880, Katie was residing with her family on a farm in Margaretta Township, Erie County, Ohio. Her parents' names were listed as Bartholamue and Hannah Toole. They were both natives of Ireland. Katie O'Toole was buried in the family lot at the St. Joseph Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio.

Rosa Koberle; Age Two Years and Seven Days

Rosa Koberle (sometimes spelled Koeberle) died on October 15, 1886, at the age of two years and seven months. She was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio.  The phrase "Ruhe in Frieden"   is the German phrase for "Rest in Peace."

Rest in Peace, Chuck, the Accidental Genealogist

Today I learned that a library patron, who had gotten to know the staff very well, died this week unexpectedly. Chuck McCoy used to visit the library almost every day for the past two years. He had learned a lot about how to do genealogy by searching for his own ancestors. He shared that knowledge with several other patrons who also wanted to know about the previous generations in their own families. Chuck brought us treats, told us jokes, and was always pleasant and positive. We will miss you Chuck! The library won't be the same without you!

Arndt Monument at Oakland Cemetery

This lovely monument at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery honors the memory of Mr. and Mrs. David M. Arndt. David M. Arndt was a well-known Sandusky business man, who is credited with bringing telephone service to Sandusky, Ohio. David M. Arndt died on May 18, 1914, while visiting his son, Dr. Charles Henry Arndt in Germantown, Pennsylvaina. His wife, the former Anna Hussey, had passed away in 1909.

A cross adorns the top of the Arndt monument.

While standing near the Arndt monument at Oakland, and facing to the south, one can see a lovely view of the cemetery, with its winding roads and many trees.

Mrs. Anna Scherz, A Native of Germay

This beautiful monument at Oakland Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio,  honors the memory of Anna Shettler/Schettler Scherz. Anna Schettler was born on May 1st, 1828 in Wankheim, Kingdom of Wuerttemberg, Germany. She emigrated to the US in 1846 with some of her siblings and her father.  By the year 1849, Anna Shettler was living in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio. That year she married John Louis Scherz.

The 1850 U.S. Census listed the couple as Lewis and Ann Schult. By 1860, John Louis Scherz and his wife Ann/Anna had three children. Sadly, Anna Schettler/Shetler Scherz died on September 21, 1866, at the age of 38. She was buried in the family lot at Oakland Cemetery. Shortly after arriving in America, Anna Schettler witnessed the ravages of the cholera epidemic in Sandusky. Read a letter she wrote to family members back in Germany at this online site, Emigration Paths Into the U.S.A.  (Ctl-f to the word Dangers to read Anna’s letter.) Many thanks to Mr. Kemmler for hosting this amazing site!

Below is a picture of the tombstones of three members of the Scherz family who were all buried at Oakland Cemetery.

The back of the tombstone of J.L. Scherz speaks volumes about his character.

Bartholomew and Hannah O'Toole, Natives of Ireland

According to his death record, Bartholomew O'Toole was born in Ireland. In 1851, Bartholomew O'Toole married Hannah Williams at Holy Angels Church in Sandusky, Ohio. You can see the brief marriage record at FamilySearch's collection of records from the Toledo Diocese.

In the 1860 U.S. Census, Mr. O'Toole was listed as B. Tool. Also in the record were his wife Hannah, and children Dennis, Anne and Mary. The family was living in Margaretta Township of Erie County, Ohio.  By 1870, the family had three more daughters, Mercy, Hannah, and Katy/Katie. Sadly, Katie died at the young age of 17. In the 1890s, the O'Toole family moved to Chicago, Illinois. Bartholomew O'Toole died on June 14, 1897. His remains were brought back to Sandusky by train. Funeral services of Bartholomew O'Toole were held at Holy Angels Church, and burial was at the St. Joseph Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio. Mrs. Hannah O'Toole remained in Chicago, until her death on March 24, 1915. She too was buried at the St. Joseph Cemetery.

A beautiful monument on which Katie O'Toole's name is inscribed is found on the family lot at the St. Joseph Cemetery.

A marker with the letters O'T mark the southern most boundary of the O'Toole family lot at the cemetery.

Steen Thomas Parker Married Evelyn James in Sandusky

Pictured above are Evelyn and Steen Thomas Parker, and their oldest child, Patricia Ann Parker, not long after they got married in Sandusky, Ohio. Today when I was looking for something else, I ran into an article about their wedding, from the August 21, 1947 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal. Steen Thomas Parker was my mom's older brother, making him my uncle.

They went on to have two more children, Steen Thomas Parker, Jr. and Shelley Parker. When I was little, we all looked forward to the Parker family's  annual cross-country drive from California to Ohio, to visit all the relatives back in Erie County! Though they later divorced, and each married again, it was delightful to read about Uncle Tom and Aunt Ev's wedding in 1947!