William Ketner
William Ketner was born between 1820 and
1824 and resided in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania as
an adult. An index of obitiuaries listed in the Miners
Journal, a Pottsville newspaper at the time, lists an obituary on
April 10 1873 of a William Ketner of Pottsville who was aged
52. If this is the same William, then his birth year would be
1821. This issue of the Miners Journal is missing from the microfilm
records of the Schuylkill County Historical Society. Census
records state that he was born in Pennsylvania, however family oral
history relates that he immigrated from Germany. Family
history also indicates that he was Catholic. Census records
note that his parents were of foreign birth. (If this is
correct, then William is not necessarily descended from the Johann
Ketner, whose family is easily found in several places on
the Internet, and whose son Henrich Adam Ketner and his
descendents seem to have resided in Schuylkill County.)
He married Catherine
Dougherty , born
between 1824 and 1831. Her mother is Rosanna Dougherty.
U.S. Census records indicate that neither woman could read or write.
and that both of Catherine's parents were of foreign
birth.
In 1850 and again in 1870, William
Ketner's occupation is listed as "boatman" on the U.S. Census.
A boatman worked on the boats that traveled the Schuylkill Canal to
and from Philadelphia. Constructed between 1821 and 1825, the
Schuylkill Canal primarily carried coal to the south and other
goods northward (including malt to brew beer).
In 1860, the Census lists William's
occupation as "porter bottler". An 1881 history of Schuylkill
County reports three breweries in operation in Pottsville during
this period: the Orchard Brewery, the Market Street Brewery, and the
Eagle Brewery (now known as D.G. Yuengling & Son).
A Miners Journal obituary for Henry
Ketner, William's son, reports that the funeral originated at the
father's residence at 34 Centre Street. An 1870 map of
Pottsville shows William Ketner's residence there as well.
Later street renumbering changes the identity to 522 South Centre
Street, where Catherine's residence is still listed in the 1890
Census Directory (although it is possible that this address is not
the same as William's residence, as she could have moved a few doors
away for some reason). This is very close to both the
Schuylkill Canal and the Yuengling brewery. The 1850 Census
lists William's residence in Manheim Township; in 1860, the Mid.
Ward, Pottsville; and in 1870, the SE Ward, Pottsville. These
may all be the same place, merely indicating changing population,
municipal boundaries and voting wards as time passes.
William died on April 10, 1873. It
is not known where he is buried, although oral family history
reports Pottsville. If he was a German Catholic, then his
grave is likely to be found in the cemetery of the only German
Catholic church in Pottsville at that time, St.John Baptist Catholic
Church, which is found to the rear of the church's location of Tenth
and Mahantongo Streets. This cemetery is very overgrown with
brush and many of the grave markers are overturned or missing.
The church has another cemetery in nearby Yorkville which does
contain Ketner graves, just not this William's.
Children of William Ketner and Catherine
Dougherty
Henry Ketner, born 1844,
died October 22, 1872 in Pottsville, Schuylkill County,
Pennsylvania. Occupation: boatman.
Hannah C. Ketner, born
1846.
Married Thomas
Kennedy.
Rosannah Ketner, born
1849.
John Edward Ketner, born
December 1851 in Pottsville; and died May 1928 in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; buried May 21, 1928 in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
Occupation: 1870 - boatman, 1890 - laborer.
Married Agnes Louise Miller,
daughter of John Miller and Bridget Cullen, about 1881.
She was born in February 1858 and died in July 1937 in
Philadelphia. Buried in Holy Sepulchre
Cemetery.
Catharine Frances
Ketner, born 1854.
Kate Ketner, born about
1855. (1890 Census Index lists a Kate Ketner, dressmaker, at
residence of 511 E. Norwegian Street, Pottsville).
Ellen Ketner, born
1858.
William B. Ketner,
born 1859, died 1935. (There is a grave stone for William B.
and Theresa A. Ketner in the Yorkville Cemetery of St. John Baptist
Catholic Church.)
Married Theresa A. _____, born 1859,
died 1937.
Thomas F. Ketner,
Sr., born Nobemer 20, 1861 (in Minersville, according to
oral family history) and died May 2, 1947, buried in Yeadon,
Pennsylvania.
Thomas F. Ketner, Sr.
Thomas F. Ketner, Sr. was born November 20, 1861
in Minersville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania (according to oral
family history, although no document confirms this fact). He
was the son of William Ketner and Catherine
Dougherty.
He married Maude Mabel Saxon,
daughter of William Saxon and Sara. She was born
October 30, 1873. Oral family history states that Maude was
not Catholic and Thomas' marriage to her was cause for him to be
excommunicated from the Catholic Church. Pennsylvania
history indicates that this was not uncommon, as the number of
Catholic males was significantly greater than the number of Catholic
females, and the clergy had difficulty ministering to a widespread
fold Excommunication was frequent in these
circumstances.
Thomas and Maude apparently lived in
Pottsville for a time, as their first born's obituary is found in
the Miners Journal. However, by 1900, they were living at 919
McKean Street in Philadelphia. At some point, Maude left
Thomas, according to family history. She moved to California
with her mother, where she was a "maid to movie stars".
Thomas died May 2, 1947 and is buried in Yeadon,
Pennsylvania. Maude died in 1937 and is also buried in Yeadon,
Pennsylvania.
Children of Thomas F. Ketner, Sr. and Maude
Mabel Saxon
John C. Ketner, born 1887, died
August 1887.
William Ketner, born May 6,
1895, died November 23, 1984
Married to Trella, died July 3k,
1976.
Sara Ketner, born
August 12, 1896, died November 30, 1982
Married to _____
Whistler.
Thomas Ketner, Jr., born
May 5, 1898 in Philadelphia, died May 6, 1959, buried at sea in the
Atlantic Ocean.
Married to Hannah Maria Fritzinger ,
born December 5, 1901; died October 26, 1973 in Hazleton, Luzerne
County, Pennsylvania.
Charles Ketner, born September 11, 1901,
died October, 1983.
Married to
Mabel, died October 4, 1981.
Thomas Ketner, Jr.
Thomas Ketner, Jr. was born May 5,
1898 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the son of
Thomas F. Ketner, Sr. and Maude Mabel
Saxon.
He married Hannah Maria
Fritzinger, daughter of Jeremiah Elmer
Fritzinger and Hattie
Pettit
. She was born December 5,
1901.
From a newspaper clipping, unknown date
or source:
WELCOME AND ENGAGEMENT
Drifton Home
Scene of Happy Event - One Wounded Boy Unable to Attend - Briefs
and Personals
Soldiers Welcomed; Engagement Announced
-
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry
Fritzinger in Drifton was the scene of a pleasant social gathering
last evening, the occasion being a welcome home party for three
soldier boys, William Fritzinger their son, John Moore of
Freeland, and Thomas Ketner of Philadelphia.
Charles
Sloan, a Drifton soldier who recently arrived at New York from
France was also to be a guest of honor on the occasion, but Mr.
Sloan who arrived in Drifton on the evening train was unable to
attend being still troubled with the wounds received in
France.
The parlor and dining room was tastefully
decorated for the occasion and supper was served in the best style
of the hostess. A musical program was rendered which was
interspersed by tales of Camp life by the returning
soldiers.
A surprise was injected into the program when
Mr. and Mrs. Fritzinger announced the engagement of their daughter
Miss Hannah to Thomas Ketner, a Philadelphia soldier recently
mustered out of the service.
The young people were the
receipients of generous congratulations from the assembled guests,
plus many wishes for their future happiness. The date of the
ceremony was not announced, but will likely take place when the
Drifton roses are in bloom.
The young couple met in
Philadelphia, when Miss Fritzinger visited a married sister two
years ago. They became engaged before young Ketner joined
the colors, but kept the matter a secret until the armistice was
signed. As soon as the young soldier was mustered out he
hastened to Drifton to see his fiancee and the young couple
decided to take the girls parents into their confidence, and the
welcome home social of last evening was the result. Supper
was served and vocal and instrumental selections rendered.
The following were present: Thomas Ketner, John Moore, and
William Fritzinger, mustered out soldiers; Mr. and Mrs. John
Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. William Carlin. Miss Margaret Carr,
Miss May Gillespie, John Watkins and daughter Miss Emma, Miss
Sallie Fowler, Cletus and Miss Nellie Miller, Paul Albertson, Mr.
and Mrs. Thomas Fritzinger and family, all of Drifton; Mr. and
Mrs. William McCarron, Remauh Zemany, Ethel Wilkinson, Jaseph
Sarricks, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Fritz, all of Freeland; Misses
Madeline Schell, May Haswell, Emma Schugart, Mr. and Mrs. Clyde
Klingerman and Samuel Klingerman of
Hazleton.
Thomas became a merchant
seaman. He died May 6, 1959 and was buried at sea.
Hannah divorced Thomas. She
later married Francis Doolittle, who died and was buried in Freeland
Cemetery, Freeland, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. She then
married Joseph Bartholdi who was born August 6, 1892 and died July
18, 1974. She continued to live in her parents home at 397
Scotch Hill, Drifton, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, until her death
on October 26, 1973. She is buried in Freeland Cemetery,
Freeland, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
Hannah and Thomas had two
children who are still living.
Other Hobbies:
Cooking
Beers, Wines, & Fine
Liquors
Model Railroading &
Railfanning
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