Sketch of Louisa Oatney Thimmes
1836 - 1911

Louisa Oatney, daughter of Benedict and Christina Otteni, was born on 11 Mar 1836 in Fairfield County, Ohio. There is much confusion as to the year Louisa was born since different records indicate different years. The following lists seven sources indicating five different dates of birth.

• 1836 - 1840 - The 1840 U.S. Census only lists children by age groups, however, only one daughter was marked in the "under 5" category. Since all other daughters of Benedict were accounted for in the other age groups, Louisa is assumed to be in the one in the "under 5" group. This would make her birth year between 1836 and 1840.

• 1836 - According to the 1850 U.S. Census, Louisa was 14 years old

• 1836 - The 1860 U.S. Census reaffirms 1836 because she was listed as 24 years old

• 1838 - The 1870 U.S. Census indicates that Louisa was 32 years old in that census year

• 1834 - The 1880 U.S. Census shows Louisa was 46 year old

• 1833 - Louisa's headstone at St. Mary Cemetery in Fairfield County, Ohio states her age at death to be 78 years, 8 months, and 22 days from her death date of 3 December 1911

• 1832 - The 1902 publication of The Biographical Record of Fairfield County reported Louisa as being born in February 1832

Given that Louisa's brother, John Oatney, was born on 10 Oct 1833 and the three earliest census records agree, 1836 is the most plausible year of birth. Using this assumption, this means that Louisa's tombstone is in error.

Using 1836 as the year of birth, Lousia was 17 years old when she married Mathias Thimmes. On 7 Aug 1853, Joshua Young, a priest at St. Mary Catholic Church, performed the marriage. No witnesses were recorded in the Fairfield County Court House files.

Mathias was born on 24 Apr 1829. His year of birth is also subject to some confusion. Like Louisa, the following accounts cite different birth years.

• 1829 - The 1860 U.S. Census shows that Mathias was 30 years old, however, the census may have been taken before his 31st birthday. If so, 1929 is still correct.

• 1829 - In 1870, the U.S. Census shows that Mathias was 41 years old

• 1832 - The 1880 U.S. Census, however, lists Mathias' age at 48

• 1831 - The Biographical Record of Fairfield County denotes that Mathias was born in 1831

• 1831 - The Thimmes Family History, published in 1958, agrees with the Biographical Record. However, the possibility exists that the author used the date from this publication.

• 1829 - Mathias' headstone shows that he was born 24 Apr 1829.

In this case, the headstone is probably correct since the 1870 census agrees and the 1860 census essentially agrees.

Although the original sources are not cited, the Thimmes Family History mentions the following as background on the Thimmes family.

• The Thimmes name changed from the original spelling of THOIMMES

• Mathias Thoimmes (grandfather of Mathias Thimmes) was born in 1781 and died in Fairfield County, Ohio on 11 Jan 1858

• Nicholas Thimmes (father of Mathias Thimmes), was born in Wittenberg, Germany in 1805 and married Catherine Schneider (later spelled Snider)

• Mathias Thimmes was born in Trier, Germany but later moved to Baden, Germany

• In April 1842, the Thimmes family moved to Fairfield County, Ohio.

By 1860, according to the U.S. Census, Louisa and Mathias started a family and lived in Fairfield County, Ohio. The census showed five children in the family. They were: 

The 1870 U.S. Census shows that the family had grown to eight children although it did not list Benedict. According to the Thimmes Family History, Benedict died in 1867 of pneumonia. The children listed were:

In the 1870 U.S. Census, both Mathias and his oldest son, John, listed their occupation as "butcher". According to The Biographical Record of Fairfield County, John began to assist Mathias at the meat market at the age of twelve. According to the 1880 U.S. Census, Christian, Charles, William and Frank were also in the butchering business. They all were listed with the occupation of "butcher."

In all, Louisa and Mathias had 14 children. From a combination of records, their full names, birth and death dates are:

The Thimmes Family History points out that a nurse dropped Sara Cecelia and the fall caused her death in 1868.

It is not clear whether Christian's name is his only name or if Christopher is a second or even his original name. The 1860 U.S. Census lists him as "Christopher" as well as some land transfer documents. However, many records indicate his name was Christian although many records simply abbreviated his name to "Christ."

Much of the history of the family business is recorded in The Biographical Record of Fairfield County published in 1902. The following is an excerpt from the sketch on John Thimmes, son of Louisa and Mathias.

The biographical sketch indicated that Mathias started his business in 1848. In 1874, Mathias entered into a partnership with his son, John. In 1877, John purchased his father's interest in the business. John continued alone for three years at which time he entered into a partnership with his two brothers, Christian and Charles. The business became known as "Thimmes Brothers."

The sketch continues to say:

Louisa and Mathias owned a number of parcels of land both in the City of Lancaster, Ohio and in Fairfield County. One worthy of mention is at the corner of Columbus Street and Wheeling Street in the city of Lancaster. Mathias purchased the north part of Lot 1 of the 8th Original Square of Lancaster on 1 Apr 1869 for $4,500.

According to the original town layout, as can seen below, the residence stood at the corner of Wheeling Street and Second Street. Even though Second Street became Columbus Street by city ordinance on 21 Feb 1868, the recorded real estate transaction refers to "Second" Street.

Residence of Louisa and Mathias Thimmes in 1869
Corner of Second (Columbus) and Wheeling Streets

Charles Goslin's book, Crossroads and Fence Corners, Volume II, documents the history of Lot 1 or Square Eight. The following is an excerpt from his book.

It is interesting to note that Mathias deeded this property over to Christopher Thimmes on 25 Jan 1878 for $10.00. Then, on the same date immediately after that transaction, Christopher signed over the property to Louisa for $10.00. Even more interesting is that these transactions were not recorded until four years later on 18 May 1882.

Mathias Thimmes died on 26 September 1892. He is buried in St. Mary Cemetery in Lancaster, Ohio in a family plot with a family monument. Louisa Oatney Thimmes, who died 19 years later on 3 December 1911, is buried next to Mathias. Many other family members are buried in the family plot located in Row 1 of the "Holy Mother of God" section.

For more information on the Thimmes family, visit the Thimmes Family. (Use your browser BACK BUTTON to return to this page)