This profile is part of the Oesting Name Study.

Biography

Census, birth and death records paint a sad picture of this family. The 1910 and 1920 Census records show that the four children grew up in St. Aloysius' Orphan Asylum in Cincinnati after the death of their mother, although their father was still living.

On the 28th of March in 1909, parents Susanna and Joseph had a baby boy who died at birth.^[1] Susanna died just a few days later, on the 7th of April.^[2] The next year, in the 1910 Census, four surviving children were listed in St. Aloysius' Orphanage in Cincinnati - the youngest just 2 years old. That winter, the second sister, Margaretha, died at the orphanage.^[3] She left behind an older sister (Mary) and a younger brother and sister (Joseph and Franziska/Frances) at the orphanage. She was buried in Saint Mary Catholic Cemetery.^[4] Son Joseph joined the father and his new wife in Kentucky toward the end of their lives.

Joseph lived in the orphan asylum through at least age 15. He rejoined his parents in Kentucky, married a woman named Thelma and had at least one child. In 1940, he was a head of household living with his wife, daughter, and his parents.

United States Census, 1910 for Joseph Oesting^[5]
The 1910 census found Joseph Oesting, together with his siblings Mary, Joseph, and Franziska, living as inmates of the St. Aloysius Orphanage in Cincinnati Ward 13, Hamilton, Ohio, United States. Their father's birthplace was listed as Germany and their mother's as Kentucky.

• Mary Oesting Inmate F 9 Ohio
• Margaret Oesting Inmate F 7 Ohio
• Joseph Oesting Inmate M 5 Ohio
• Franziska Oesting Inmate M 2 Ohio

United States Census, 1920 for Joseph Oesting^[6]
The 1920 census found Joseph Oesting, male, and Frances Oesting, female, living as inmates of the St. Aloysius Orphanage in Cincinnati Ward 13, Hamilton, Ohio, United States. Their parents were listed as German speakers born in Germany, and the children were listed as Ohio-born with a first language of German. From the cross-outs and corrections on the original record, they look like they were mistaken for German immigrants initially. Their ages are listed as 'unknown'.

• Joseph Oesting Inmate M unk Ohio
• Frances Oesting Inmate F unk Ohio

No 1930 census record has been found for Joseph Oesting, but some hint of the family's location is given with the following. The parents show as already having moved to Kentucky as of the 1930 Census, but at least some of the children still appear to have been in Ohio.

Yesterday, St. Charles Church, Carthage, was the scene of a June wedding of impressive simplicity when Miss Mary Oesting, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Oesting, became the bride of Mr. Joseph Royer, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Royer. Miss Hilda Royer, a sister of the bridegroom, was Miss Oesting's bridesmaid, and the maid of honor was Miss Frances Oesting, a sister of the bride. The best man was Mr. Joseph Soete. The grill of the Hotel Alms was the scene of the wedding breakfast, this cool breeze-swept room being decorated in garden flowers. Covers there were laid for 30 guests. When Mr. and Mrs. Royer return from their honeymoon, which will be spent on the Atlantic coast, they will reside at 3318 Harrison Avenue, Westwood.
The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, Sunday, June 28, 1931, Page 74

Sometime between 1920 and 1940, probably before 1935, Joseph married Thelma, claimed by user contributions on Familysearch.org to have the maiden name of Thelma Kelly and birthplace of Boone, Kentucky. Joseph's obituary gives his wife's maiden name as Kelly.

United States Census, 1940 for Joseph Oesting Jr^[7]
The 1940 Census found Joseph Oesting, a 35 year old married white male head of household, living in Elsmere, Magisterial District 7, Kenton, Kentucky, United States. He was born in Ohio, and had been living in Elsmere since at least 1935. Joseph Jr. worked 50 hours a week as a shipping clerk and reported an annual salary of $1000. Members of the household were as follows:

Joseph Oesting, born 19 Mar 1905 in Ohio, died in September of 1982 in Kenton, Kentucky, according to the Social Security Death Index.^[8] His funeral was held on September 4th.^[9] His death was announced in the Cincinnati Enquirer.^[10]

OESTING - Joseph J., beloved husband of Thelma Oesting (nee Kelly), devoted father of Gary Oesting and Mrs. Jo Ann Smith, beloved brother of Mrs. Marie Royer, grandfather of four grandchildren. Thursday, September 2, 1982. Age 77 years. Residence Stevenson Road, Erlanger, Ky. No visitation. Family suggest memorials be made to Ridgeview Nursing Home, Covington, Ky. Stith Funeral Home, Florence, Ky. in charge of arrangements.

Sources

1. ↑ "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X8Z9-NGH : 8 December 2014), Susana Koetting in entry for Infant Oesting, 28 Mar 1909; citing Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, reference fn 13699; FHL microfilm 1,926,957.
2. ↑ "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8Z2-J89 : 8 December 2014), Susanna Oesting, 07 Apr 1909; citing Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, reference fn 19449; FHL microfilm 1,927,087.
3. ↑ "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X88X-XFJ : 8 December 2014), Margaretha Oesting, 29 Sep 1910; citing Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, reference fn 50098; FHL microfilm 1,952,607.
4. ↑ "BillionGraves Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VTWN-MTV : 24 June 2015), Marg Oesting, died 29 Sep 1910; citing BillionGraves (http://www.billiongraves.com : 2012), Burial at Saint Mary Catholic Cemetery, St. Bernard, Hamilton, Ohio, United States.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLJF-Y65 : accessed 31 May 2016), Joseph Oesting in household of Mary Oesting, Cincinnati Ward 13, Hamilton, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 156, sheet 11A, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,375,202.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MDTD-1GB : 7 December 2015), Joseph Osting, Cincinnati Ward 13, Hamilton, Ohio, United States; citing sheet 9A, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,821,391.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7TL-CQY : accessed 5 January 2016), Joseph Oesting, Elsmere, Magisterial District 7, Kenton, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 59-75, sheet 11A, family 209, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 1325.
8. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V9QH-C49 : 20 May 2014), Joseph Oesting, Sep 1982; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
9. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio. United States of America. Friday, September 3, 1982. Page 41.
10. ↑ The Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio. United States of America. Friday, September 3, 1982. Page 41.