LOUIS KIRCHHOFF

Louis & Harry Kirchhoff headstone, cleaned

Christ is my life, dying is my …….

Age 53 years, 11 months, 3 days

LOUIS KIRCHHOFF

DOB: November 3, 1858
little log cabin, Lake County, IN USA

DOD: October 6, 1912
at home, Sollitt, IL USA

Son of Henry Kirchhoff and Mary (nee Ristenpart) Kirchhoff
Brother to: Louise M. (Henry Hattendorf), Mary (Fred Marten), Henry, Fred (Emma Fick) and a third brother (name unknown) Kirchhoff
(Editor’s note: Henry and the third brother died young of typhoid fever)

Help Please

Can anyone translate the writing in German below their names? We are in the process of cleaning and repainting the headstone. We have already removed the stains.

Louis Kirchhoff married Caroline L. Beseke on October 7, 1883, in Will County, IL USA.
Father to: Louis H. (Grace C. Murphy), Mary (Charles Strong), Harry W. ( Harry is buried with Louis ) and Charles F. Kirchhoff


October 11, 1912 – Beecher Herald

LOUIS KIRCHHOFF PASSES AWAY

Sollitt Business Man and Postmaster Answers Final Summons

Funeral Was Held Tuesday With Interment in the Beecher Cemetery

Louis Kirchhoff obitLouis Kirchhoff, well known businessman and postmaster at Sollitt passed away early Sunday morning after many years of suffering.

example of an log cabin

example of a log cabin

Mr. Kirchhoff was 53 years, 11 months and 3 days old, having been born in a little log cabin in Lake County, Indiana on November 3, 1858.

They resided there a few years and then settled on the prairie, where the home is now located. When he was 12 years of age his father died, leaving everything in the hands of his mother and himself, he being the oldest of a family of four boys and two girls, two of which survive him: Mrs. Henry Hattendorf of Crete, and F. Kirchhoff, living northeast of Sollitt. Mrs. Fred Marten passed away a few years ago, the other brothers died while young men, of typhoid fever. His mother died a few years ago.

Example of a General Merchandise Store early 1900s

Example of a General Merchandise Store early 1900’s

Mr. Kirchhoff engaged in business 24 years ago, being obliged to give up farming on account of his health, having injured his spine from which he suffered for years. Being unable to rest in bed, he spent most of his nights on the floor.

Help Please(Editor’s note: What the obituary calls “engaged in business” was a general merchandise store in Sollitt 1888-1912. If anyone has a photo of the General Store in Sollitt, please share it with us)

The medical profession seemed unable to locate his ailment. He was taken to the hospital April 21 and underwent an operation for gallstones, and after eight weeks he returned home and seemed to improve somewhat for a while, but finally grew worse and again went to the hospital September 30 and returned a few days later, the physicians claiming they could do nothing for him.

He leaves a wife, who was Miss Caroline Beseke, two sons, Louis H. and Charles, and one daughter Mrs. Mary (Charles) Strong.

The funeral was held from his late home Tuesday afternoon, and was largely attended. The remains were brought to Beecher for burial, interment being the St. Luke’s Cemetery. Undertakers Hack & Hunte of Beecher were in charge of the funeral.

(Editor’s note: Louis and his son, Harry, were moved into the Beecher Mausoleum after its completion in 1914)


Louis’s family members also resting in the mausoleum are:

Wife: Caroline L. (Beseke) Kirchhoff
Son: Harry Kirchhoff
Father-in-law: Charles W. Beseke
Brother-in-law: Conrad E. Beseke
Brother & Sister-in-law: Charles C. Beseke & Margreta (Tobeck) Beseke

Other, more distant family include: Bahlman, Batterman, Bergmeier, Beseke, Bielfeldt, Bohl, Cloidt, Dunlap, Engleking, Fenske, Fick, Fiene, Freerking, Frobose, Graham, Guritz, Hack, Hager, Haltenhof , Heine, Heldt, Hildeman, Hinze, Hoffman, Hoppensteadt, Horn, Hunte, Kaczynski, Kappe, Kilborn, Klocksieben, Koch, Langreder, Leder, Maass, Matthias, Mc Carty, Meyer, Monk, Niedert, Ohlendorf, Pansa, Peters, Pralle, Riley, Ristenpart, Rohe, Rust, Saller, Selk, Struve, Thielman, Vagt, Von Engeln, Wegert, Wehmhoefer, Wiechen, Westphal, Wilkening,