Christoph Kemm

Christoph (1812-1891) and his wife, Elizabeth Grunmeyer (1812-1895) emigrated from Graben, Germany, to America in 1845 and settled in Flatrock Township soon after. They were the parents of nine children: Christian (1838-?) died in the Civil War; Christine (1839-1906); Katharina (1840-1849); Fredericke (1842-1922); Philippine (1843-1919); Magdalena (18451878). Three children were born in America: Lidia (1847-?), Maria Leisa (1849-1919), William Jacob (18521919).

In 1877, William J. (1852-1919) married Katharine Yackee (1850-1931) who had immigrated with her family to Henry County from Germany. The couple settled on a farm on the east bank of the Maumee four miles south of Napoleon where they lived in a log house until around 1900 when the present house was built. Their ten children were: Louis (1878-1958), William Jacob (1879-1954), Amanda (18811938), George (1883-1952), Ludema (1885-1964), Louise (Lucy) (1887-1973), Emma, Clara (1891-1892), Cora, and Carl. Clara died in infancy, and they raised an orphaned grandson, Allen.

Louis married Nellie Osborne; she died a few days after the birth of a son, Allen Osborne Kemm. Louis later married Rose Mary Hogan, and had two daughters, Roberta and Helen, both of whom reside in Michigan.

William Jacob went to Los Angeles as a young man and there met and married Daisy L. McDonald, also of Ohio. Four years and one child later they returned to Ohio to live. Their children are: Mildred, a graduate of Heidelberg College in Tiffin and Columbia University in New York; Harold, The Ohio State University; Nellie, Henry Ford Hospital School of Nursing in Detroit; William, Jr., Heidelberg College; and Marian, Philadelphia School of Occupational Therapy.

Amanda married Ferd Rettig and they were the parents of Vera, Naomi, Kenneth, and Cloyce.

George married Laura Brassel and had one son, Raymond (1909-1971).

Ludema as a young woman was a skilled "in-residence" dressmaker. She married Charles Mull.

Louise married Charles E. Grossman and they had two sons, Charles E. Jr., and Richard. Both sons attended The Ohio State University and served in World War II.

Emma, who served in the YWCA in France at the time of World War I, married Charles Fork and they are the parents of two children, Katharine and David. Katharine is a graduate of U.C.L.A. David, after serving in the Navy, completed his doctorate in marine biology.

Cora has always lived at the family homestead.

Carl married Martha Orthwein also of Henry County and they have one daughter, Mary, a graduate of The Ohio State University. Carl interrupted his studies at The Ohio State University to serve in the U.S. Army during World War I. After serving in France, he returned to Ohio and following the death of his mother moved his family to the homestead on the Maumee. After his retirement as a U.S. postal clerk in Napoleon, he enlarged his activities to include watercolor paintings as well as farming.

Many of my summer vacations were spent in this pastoral country where the house was large and airy, the summer kitchen - the center of activity with the large table set with Grandmother's delicious German cooking. The rich milk and cream were kept in a spring house on the side of the river bank where the flow of spring water provided natural refrigeration for their storage. Butter was also churned down in the spring house.

It was a beautiful setting where the wheat and clover were home to bees and other insects on the wing, and the wide slow river wound its way between tree covered banks while the sky seemed like a giant bowl reaching overhead. As the day drew to a close, the night softly shed its dew and all was peace broken only by sounds of nocturnal creatures. With the coming of the dawn, mourning doves called to each other as the bright sun awoke a sleeping world.

At the head of his family, the patriarchal figure of my grandfather asked grace before each meal, and he remains in my memory as a benevolent and soft-spoken person. Grandmother, a meticulous housekeeper, was fluent in both French and German and her sense of orderliness was never outdone by her sense of humor.

Some of the friendliest moments were when friends would come and the group sat in the dim light of the kerosene lamp and spoke in German, not a word of which I understood, but I wouldn't have missed the conversation for anything! And several of the women in the countryside would visit for hours on the telephone. During the war with Germany someone listened in on the line and asked, "Why you talk United States?" This amused my grandmother to no end.

As a summer visitor I learned many things from the Kemms. My grandfather told me that each time a child was baptized or confirmed he gave the pastor $10. His family were all brought up in the Reformed Church near Holgate.

One summer day, looking for something to do, I washed the good buggy and Grandfather gave me 50Q. This was unexpected and as far as I can recall it was the first money I had ever earned. I kept it for a long time.

Today there are 72 descendants of William and Katharine Kemm, 18 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren and 12 great, great grandchildren.

Grandfather Kemm in the farmyard

The Kemm Family reunion in 1901 was held at the new home of William Kemm.

William and Katharine Kemm in the good buggy with grandson. Allen.

Mathias Brown and Anna Evans, above, were married in the Kiebel house because the Sacred Heart Church had burned down the night before, Feb. 22, 1886. Mat and Anna were the parents of Joe E. Brown, the famous comedian.

Anthony Dietrick and Bessie Miller Weaver in buggy with horse named Henry. Bessie was raised by her Aunt Barbara (Miller) Kiebel. Mrs. Kiebel's home is in the background.