Viola J. (Blum) Kohl (1898 - 1937)

Wife of Charles Edward Kohl — married 15 Feb 1917 in West Bend, Washington County, WI

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Biography

Viola was born on January 23, 1898, in Hardford/Polk Townships area of Washington County, Wisconsin. She was baptized on March 8, 1891at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Schleisengerville now called Slinger Wisconsin. In the baptism record, her parents were listed as Petro [latin for Peter] and Margaretha (Pies) Blum. Her sponsors were listed as Joannes Peil and Catharina Wolf.^{[1] [2]} Her last name was actually spelled Pease.^[3]

She passed away in 1937.^[4] Her parents were Peter and Margaret Blum. She came from a big family. Here is the list from the 1905 Wisconsin State Census, taken at Marshfield Wisconsin:

• Peter Blum 49
• Margaret Blum 49
• Joseph Blum 19
• Mary Blum 19
• Mathias Blum 16
• Margaret Blum 14
• Jacob Blum 12
• Peter Blum 10
• Viola Blum 8
• Mathilda Blum 6
• Elizabeth Blum 4
• Anne Blum 1

On February 15, 1917 Edward C. Kohl and Viola Blum were married in West Bend, WI. Her family was from that area and moved to Marshfield right after she was born. The wedding was witnessed by Mrs. Joseph Merkel (Margaret Blum) and Mrs. Rud Jaekel, both of West Bend. Edward was 21, his first marriage, a chauffeur born in Missouri. Viola was from Marshfield, 19 years old, her first marriage, her father Peter was born in MI, and her mother Mary Peas was born in WI.^[5]

The 1920 census finds Edward married to Viola Blum in Manitowoc, WI. He is the head of household with everyone else her mother and her siblings. They were living at 1418 Washington Street in Two Rivers, Manitowoc County, WI. The household members included:^[6]

• Edward Kohl Head M 23 Missouri, worked in a factory.
• Viola Kohl Wife F 21 Wisconsin
• Margurite Blum Mother-in-law F 64 Wisconsin
• Martin Otto Brother-in-law (Viola's sister's husband) M 29 Wisconsin
• Margurite Otto Sister-in-law (Viola's Sister) F 27 Wisconsin
• Anna Blum Sister-in-law (Viola's Sister) F 15 Wisconsin
• Arthur Blum Brother-in-law (Viola's Brother) M 8 Wisconsin

Edward died from a heart attack on April 7, 1937 while maneuvering a truck, which cause the truck to fall into the river. His family sued his employer, the Rosenow Carriage Company, (of Milwaukee), but the coroners determined it was the heart attack that killed him, not falling into the river because of the truck.

Viola died shortly there after in 1937. She was buried at Calvary Cemetery , Manitowoc, Wisconsin.^[7]

Upon her death, she left behind four minor children, Edward, Eugene, Robert and Donna Mae. They were mentioned in one of the newspaper articles of Edward's death.^[8]

Here is an excerpt from her obituary, original source unknown:

Out of town persons here for the funeral of the late Mrs. Viola Kohl included Mr. and Mrs. Peter Blum, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Blum and Mrs. Joseph Schnell of Marshfeld, Mr. and Mrs. William Warden of Campbellsport, Mrs. Joesph Merkle of Greenwood, Artheur Oberg and Elwood Homes of Green Bay, Mr. and Mrs. John Jacquette, mrs. Ella Kohl, Joseph Ott, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kohl of Two Rivers and Martin Ott of Milwaukee.

Sources

1. ↑ Item # 808-Baptisms, on page 205 of the original church books, St. Peter Catholic Church Slinger Wisconsin Genealogical Record, translated and transcribed church records by John Von Haden, Advanced Programming Technologies, Inc.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM2B-SZH : accessed 22 January 2017), Peter Blum, Marshfield town (excl. Marshfield city), Wood, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 150, sheet 6A, family 90, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,825.
3. ↑ From the This Is Us 2013 Family Tree on Ancestry.com by Victoria Mothes.
4. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 145105941. Created by: Rose Mohnsam. Record added: Apr 16, 2015
5. ↑ from the This Is Us 2013 Family Tree on Ancestry.com by Victoria Mothes. She referenced that the marriage record is in the Washington County Courthouse, transcribed: "Edward C. Kohl, Marshfield, 21, first marriage, b. Missouri, chauffeur; father: Chas Kohl, b. New Jersey; mother: Lena Kohl, b. Wis. Viola Blum, Marshfield, 19, first marriage; father: Peter Blum, b. Mich.; mother: Mary Peas, b. Wis. 15 Feb 1917, West Bend, WI. Witnesses: Mrs. Jos. Merkel & Mrs. Rud Jaekel, both of West Bend." Detail: File 9474, [(M)K-1a]
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF2W-DH4 : accessed 22 January 2017), Edward Kohl, Two Rivers Ward 2, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States; citing ED 122, sheet 7A, line 20, family 139, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1994; FHL microfilm 1,821,994.
7. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 145105941. Created by: Rose Mohnsam. Record added: Apr 16, 2015
8. ↑ FIND EDWARD KOHL DIED OF HEART ATTACK, Manitowoc Herald Times, May 30, 1938.