OTHER WITT GRAVES

The first child of Alvy and Lillian WITT was a daughter, Alva May (1928-1930), who died of pneumonia just before their second child (and only son) Robert William was born in 1930. Robert (my Uncle Bob), died young from diabetes in 1967. Bob and his wife Eva MONDRUT, who died in 1968 leaving five children, are buried near Bob's parents in Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown, Ohio.

The first husband of Alvy and Lillian's daughter Maureen WITT was Edward FILO, who died in August 1956. He is also buried near Alvy and Lillian in Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown.

My Uncle Francis WITT (1899-1992) was the next older brother of my Grandfather Alvy WITT. Francis was frequently at Alvy's house, and he was the sibling I knew best after Alvy. Francis married Helen BIXLER in 1918; Francis and Helen are buried in Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown. A stone inscribed with a poem written by Helen is set at the head of their two stones.

Two children of Francis and Helen are also buried in Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown. Ruth Gloria (1926-1932) died young and was buried with her grandparents Joseph and Mary Elisabeth WITT. My mother's cousin Howard WITT (1929-2001) is buried on the other side of the cemetery, nearer his parents.

Ralph BODEN, whose ancestors came from Rodt with Nicolas and Katherine KRANTZ GOVERNOR on the Vandalia, lives in the Pittsburgh area; he took photographs of many WITT, BODEN and ZAHRINGER graves in 2003 at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Pittsburgh, including the marker for Martin and Elizabeth KREHER WITT. An overview of the markers is shown below:

Martin M. WITT (1866-1941) was two years older than his brother, my great-grandfather Joseph WITT. Martin married Lizzie BODEN, who came to America with her father and step-mother, and also with Nicolas and Katherine KRANTZ GOVERNOR. Martin and Lizzie's tombstones are shown below.

Martin and Lizzie's children grew up in Pittsburgh, and several of them are also buried at Mt. Carmel. Gertrude WITT (1890-1964) married Joseph ZAHRINGER; Hilarion WITT (1895-1948) married Emma OSTOFF; and Regis WITT (1904-1916) died young after being dragged and kicked by his horse. Catherine BODEN (1872-1919), Lizzie's half-sister who was born in Germany just before the family left for America, is also buried at Mt. Carmel.

John and Christina WITT were buried in St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church Cemetery in North Oakland, PA. Although my great-great-grandfather Martin WITT moved away from Butler County, many WITTs stayed in North Oakland, and there are a number of descendants of John and Christina also buried at St. Joseph's.

Martin and Louise KREHER WITT had a daughter, Catharine, who died in 1861 at five months old and was buried at St. Joseph's. Her stone is now nearly illegible; earlier transcriptions of the stone give this as "Catharine, dau of M. A. WITT".

Lawrence WITT (1832-1915) was the first child of John and Christina WITT born in Pennsylvania. He married Helena NEFF (1835-1901), daughter of other German immigrants to Butler County. Lawrence and Helena prospered in North Oakland, and left numerous descendants in the area. Mary WITT (1843-1929) was the second oldest daughter of John and Christina WITT; Mary never married, and was simply referred to as "Aunt Mary".

Elizabeth (1864-1942), Eva (1870-1904) and Frances (1876-1960) are daughters of Lawrence and Helena NEFF WITT who are buried at St. Joseph's.

Anthony J. WITT (1874-1935) was the only son of Lawrence and Helena NEFF WITT. He married Mary Ellen (Molly) FORQUER (1876-1943).

The WITTs of Butler County are all descended from Anthony J. WITT. All of Anthony's children except Regis WITT (1917-1986) are buried in the upper sections of St. Joseph's Cemetery. (Regis moved eventually to Tennessee.) John (1904-1952), Charles (1907-1953), Mary Irean (1909-1913) and Hugh Vincent (1912-1960) were the four oldest children.