Joseph Mathias or Mathis

Joseph Mathias, was my Great Great Grandfather. Joseph was born in Endigen, Freiburg, Baden, Germany February 15, 1811, and worked as an Apprentice Shoemaker. He came to America as a young man, and once in America he settled in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio and married Maria Anna Merkle on December 17, 1834.

Joseph and Maria were the parents of 9 known children. All were born in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio:

1.  Magdalena "Ellen" [1835-?] married Augustus Eisele

2. Joseph [1837-?]

3.  John [1840-1904] married Margaret Schuees

4.  Mary [1842-1842]

5.  Elizabeth [1844-1844]

6. Elizabeth [1845-?] married Lucas Keller

7.  Lucas "Luke" [1848-1914]

8.  Philomena [1850-?]

9. Joseph Aloysius [1854-1854]

Joseph also raised his granddaughter, my grandmother, Philomena Margaret Mathias Dailey.

Joseph Mathias died December 6, 1890 in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio and is buried, with his wife Maria, in St. Margaret Cemetery in Chillicothe.

I'm not sure why his gravestone carries the surname Mathis. I'm not sure who his parents were but I have indications they were Bernard Mathis and Magdalena Fleiz or Gleiz. I'm trying to confirm or deny this supposition. This would explain the surname Mathis on Joseph's grave stone.

I had collaborated with two Mathias cousins I found through my research in Chillicothe. The one cousin had in his possession a small book belonging to Joseph and it contained a record of his children's births.

It breaks my heart to say that in 2011 a good portion of my genealogy, and the photocopies of records I obtained, were destroyed in a home burglary.