Recently I compared the lives of my third great-grandmother Elisabeth (nee Schmitt) and her sister Christina Kirchheiner.

While drafting that post, a document inside Christina’s file caught my eye; a receipt for her funeral arrangements. Three obituary notices were listed. Why hadn’t I followed up on these leads? Immediately I sent a request to the Cincinnati Public Library. The very same day I received digital images of the three obituaries I had requested and two additional notices:

From the German-language newspaper, the Cincinnati Volksblatt published 08 Feb 1911 page 8 column 4:

From the 08 Feb 1911 issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer page 7, column 1: “KIRCHHEINER- Christina Kirchheiner (nee Schmidt), widow of Nicholas Kirchheiner, Monday, February 6, at 8 p.m., at her [r]esidence, 1722 Baymiller st., aged 63 years. Funeral Thursday, 2 p.m., from St. Luke’s Epicopal Church, Findlay and Baymiller. Services at Crematory chapel at 3 p.m. Kindly omit flowers. Friends invited. (New York and Chicago papers please copy.)”

From the 08 Feb 1911 issue of the Cincinnati Times Star page 11: “KIRCHHEINER – Christian (nee Schmidt), widow of Nicholas Kirchheiner, Monday, February 6, at 8 p.m., at her residence, 1722 Baymiller street, aged 63 years. Funeral Thursday, at 2 p.m., from St. Luke’s Episcopal church, Findlay and Baymiller. Services at crematory chapel at 3 p.m. Kindly omit flowers. Friends invited. (New York and Chicago papers please copy.)”

The reference to New York intrigues me. I don’t know of any Schmitt descendants living in New York. Is it possible that Christina’s husband had family there?

A very kind and thorough librarian (many thanks!) included the following memorial notices as well.

From the 08 Feb 1914 issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer, page 5: “In Loving Memory…Of our dear father, Nicolaus Kirchheiner, who died September 29, 1895, and our mother, Christine Kirchheiner, who died February 6, 1911. Gone, but not forgotten. From Their Loving Children.”

From the 06 Feb 1915 issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer, page 5: “In Memory…Of Nicolaus Kirchheiner, who died September 29, 1895, and Christine Kirchheiner, who died February 6, 1911. Gone, but not forgotten. From Her Loving Children.”

I have to admit I’m always a little disappointed when obituaries don’t contain the names of surviving family members.

Nonetheless I am thrilled that there are extant records of all three of the newspapers mentioned on Christina’s funeral statement.

Most exciting was that the Cincinnati Public Library provided me with this picture of Christina’s family both at the time of her death and for years after.