Louise A. Fenker1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 29, (1885 - 1981)
FatherJohn William Fenker4,5,6 (25 Dec 1856 - 7 Nov 1912)
MotherAmelia Louise Wieman7,8,6 (16 Jun 1861 - 16 Dec 1943)

Key Events:

Birth: 6 Mar 1885, Covington, Kenton Co., Kentucky9,10,11
Death: 2 Sep 1981, Silverton, Hamilton Co., Ohio12,13,14
Burial: 4 Sep 1981, Cemetery of Spring Grove, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio6
ChartsDescendants of Hermann Hinrich Fennker
Descendants of Maximilian Friderich Wiemann and Anna Maria Margaretha Elisabeth Lüken
AncestryThe Fenker Family
The Wieman Family

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Louise A. Fenker was born on 6 Mar 1885 in Covington, Kenton Co., Kentucky.9,10,11
     Louise recalled that she often spent a week or so with her grandmother Louisa Lebeau, who let her sprinkle the yard. Louise thought this was great fun as there was no grass at her mother's home on Gest St. in Cincinnati. She also recalled that her great-grandmother, Christina Baum, was baby sitter when her mother had to be away. Both the great-grandmother and grandmother lived with them off and on.15
     She appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, in the household of her parents, John William Fenker and Amelia Louise Wieman.5 She appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, in the household of her parents.16
     She was an artist for an art company by 1910. By 1912 she was a forelady at The Gibson Art Co., an art publisher, located at 418 Elm St.. She continued there until at least 1918 in 1910.17,18
     Her father having died, she and her younger brother moved to 448 Considine Ave. with their mother by 1913.19
     Louise and her mother moved to New York before 1920, so Louise could go to school there. According to family lore, Louise's sister-in-law, Irma Aurelia Sander, paid for her to study in New York.20,21 She appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Kings Co., New York, in the household of her mother.8
     Louise and her mother returned to Cincinnati by 1922, when they were living at 917 Curtis St.22 After her return to Cincinnati, Louise described herself as an artist in the city directory, but no further details about her work have been found. She was listed as an artist through 1925.23
     About 1925 she went to work for The George F. Otte Co., merchants in carpets, curtains, and draperies, at 29 West 4th, as an interior decorator. At about the same time she also began teaching interior decorating at West Night High School. She continued teaching there until at least 1935.24,25,26,27
     Louise and her mother moved to the suburb of Norwood about 1926.28
J. Sherman Oberhelman Co. Advertisement
from The Cincinnati Enquirer29
She appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Norwood, Hamilton Co., Ohio, in the household of her mother.30
     About 1937 she and J. Sherman Oberhelman, general manager, left the George F. Otte Co. and established a new business, at 311 Vine St.. The business carried Oberhelman's name, but hers was prominently displayed as an associate in the firm's advertising.29,31,32
     Louise appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Norwood, Hamilton Co., Ohio, at 2268 Feldman, enumerated 20 Apr 1940, reporting she owned a home valued at $6,000. Her mother is listed as living with her, and both reported they had lived in the same house in 1935.33
     According to family lore, during the War she worked in an architect's office, drawing up plans for defense companies. She reported in the 1950 census she had worked 40 hours the prior week, doing drafting for a chemical manufacturing company.34,35
     Louise appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of Norwood, Hamilton Co., Ohio, at 2268 Feldman, enumerated 3 Apr 1950, reporting she lived in a home that was not on a farm.36
     Louise died on 2 Sep 1981 in Silverton, Hamilton Co., Ohio, at age 96.12,13,14 She was buried on 4 Sep 1981 in Cemetery of Spring Grove, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, in the family lot owned by her mother.6

Citations

  1. [S161] William J. H. Fenker household, 1910 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows name as Lousia A. Fenker.
  2. [S250] Interview, Emilou Fenker Frazier, 3 & 5 Jul 2000, gave name as Louise, not Louisa, "definitely."
  3. [S463] Interview, Marian Ruth Fenker, 20 Aug 2002, said she thought Lousie's middle name was Amelia, from her mother, but is not sure.
  4. [S250] Interview, Emilou Fenker Frazier, 3 & 5 Jul 2000.
  5. [S715] William Fenker household, 1900 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio.
  6. [S751] Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum, online burial records, record for Louise Fenker, 4 Sep 1981.
  7. [S715] William Fenker household, 1900 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows Louise as the daughter of Amelia's husband.
  8. [S10435] Emille Tenker household, 1920 U.S. Census, Kings Co., New York.
  9. [S1323] "Ohio Deaths, 1958-2002," Ancestry.com, record for Louise Fenker, shows date, state, and certificate 066521, volume 24572.
  10. [S715] William Fenker household, 1900 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows month, year, age 15, and state.
  11. [S130] "Social Security Death Index," Rootsweb.com, record for Louise Fenker, Soc. Sec. No. 268-07-7118, shows date.
  12. [S1324] "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944," Ancestry.com, record for Louise Fenker, citing cert. no. 66521, shows date, city, as Silverton, county and state.
  13. [S751] Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum, online burial records, record for Louise Fenker, 4 Sep 1981, shows date, place of death being "Deer Park Nsg. Home, Cin."
  14. [S130] "Social Security Death Index," Rootsweb.com, record for Louise Fenker, Soc. Sec. No. 268-07-7118, shows month, year, and last residence as "45242 (Cincinnati, Hamilton, OH)."
  15. [S277] Louise A. Fenker, ""The Fenker Family" and "The Wieman Family.""
  16. [S161] William J. H. Fenker household, 1910 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio.
  17. [S161] William J. H. Fenker household, 1910 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows occupation as artist, industry as art company.
  18. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1912, pg 632, shows her as forelady, 2nd fl 418 Elm; pg 734, shows Gibson Art Co (The) art pubs 2d fl 418 Elm; 1918, pg 622.
  19. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1913, pg 26.
  20. [S10435] Emille Tenker household, 1920 U.S. Census, Kings Co., New York, shows occupation as student and industry as school.
  21. [S279] Frazier letter to Timothy Frazier, January 1996, shows story of going to school in New York.
  22. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1922, pg 511.
  23. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1922, pg 511; 1925, pg 604.
  24. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1926, pg 611, shows occupation as decorator, work address as 29 W 4th, pg 1312, shows company name, Geo. F. Otte Jr. president, at s.e.c. 4th & Race, and Geo. F. Otte Jr. at 29 W 4th.
  25. [S10436] "Staffs," The Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Sep 1925, lists her as a teacher at West Night High, in interior decorating.
  26. [S10437] "Chief's Word," The Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Sep 1935, lists her as a teacher at West Night.
  27. [S506] Emilie Fenker household, 1930 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows occupation as interior decorator, with a draper company.
  28. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1926, pg 624.
  29. [S10438] J. Sherman Oberhelman advertisement, The Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Dec 1937.
  30. [S506] Emilie Fenker household, 1930 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio.
  31. [S10413] William's Cincinnati Directory, 1940, pg 356, her occupation as J Sherman Oberhelman; pg 1819, shows company under Carpets, Rugs, and Floor Coverings - Retail heading, and address.
  32. [S10433] Louise A. Fanker household, 1940 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows occupation as interior decorator and industry as decorating.
  33. [S10433] Louise A. Fanker household, 1940 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio.
  34. [S279] Frazier letter to Timothy Frazier, January 1996.
  35. [S13326] Louise A. Fenker household, 1950 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio, shows occupation as drafting and industry as chemical manufacturinmg.
  36. [S13326] Louise A. Fenker household, 1950 U.S. Census, Hamilton Co., Ohio.