Three Herbert Finsterwald's-roots in Athens Co., OH
Three Herbert Finsterwalds
These three men, all third cousins to each other, all born in the 1890s, are frequently confused with one another, particularly since census records make errors re their birth dates and because two of them had fathers who died young, making them difficult to find in the census’. With the help of WW I draft card and U.S. Census images on Ancestry.com, it is possible to distinguish the three Herberts, see below:
Charles Herbert Finsterwald (listed as “Herbert” in the census)
Charles Herbert Finsterwald was born July 2, 1892 in Nelsonville, OH, the son of Charles Finsterwald and Clara Bowers (Charles/Clara>Jacob/Amy Benjamin>John immigrant/Catharina Stalder).
His father died between 1893 and 1898 and his mother, Clara, remarried, about 1898 to Frank Murphy. Charles Herbert is found in the census in 1900 and 1910 with his mother, stepfather & siblings, first in Carbon Hill, Hocking Co., OH, then in Nelsonville, Athens Co., OH.
Charles Herbert married Mary Kincaid about 1912 and in 1917 they lived in Pomeroy, Meigs Co., OH. They had three children, Charles Herbert Jr., Jane and Robert. They later returned to Nelsonville. Charles Herbert was a mining engineer in a coal mine. His WW I draft card describes him as tall, medium build, with brown eyes and reddish brown hair.
Herbert Finsterwald
Herbert Finsterwald was born June 12, 1893 in St. Bernard, Hamilton Co., OH, where he spent his entire life, as far as can be told, and it appears he never married. His father died in 1900 and he lived with his widowed mother and siblings in St. Bernard. At one point he worked as a mail sorter in a soap factory. His WW I draft card describes him as tall, medium build, gray eyes, dark hair, missing his right arm. Herbert Finsterwald died Aug. 1, 1937, at age 44, in Hamilton Co., OH.
Hebert Finsterwald was the son of Henry Finsterwald and Sarah Jane Kemper (Henry/Sarah>John A./Mary Ann Hill>John immigrant & Catharina Stalder).
Herbert Jesse Finsterwald
Herbert Jesse Finsterwald [listed in the census as Herbert J. and as Herbert Jesse on his WW I draft card] was born April 7, 1896, the son of Frederick Finsterwald and Effie Minnie Love (Fred/Effie>Peter/Amanda Liggett>John immigrant & Catharina Stalder). He lived his early life with his parents in Lodi Twp., Athens, Co., OH.On June 22, 1918, he married Della Frances Evans. They had two daughters, Grace and Virginia.
In 1920 he lived in Fowler Twp., Trumbull Co., OH, where he was a teacher. In 1930 he lived in Columbus, Franklin Co., OH, where he was a high school principal.
He is described on his WW I draft card as medium height, medium build, blue eyes, brown hair.He served in WW I from June 25, 1918 to July 5, 1919, in the 158th Depot Brigade, the 309th Supply Train, and the American Expeditionary Forces, as a private, and received an honorable discharge.