Kern Family History

The Kern family came from Germany in the mid-1800's. My great-grandparents Jacob and Clara(Schmidt) were married in Cleveland, Ohio on February 3, 1873. They settled in Upper Sandusky, Ohio and Jacob worked 17 years tending cattle and sheep for David Harpster. In October of 1890 he bought forty acres of land in Salt Rowk Township in Marion County, Ohio,now known as the Marsailles-Galion Rd. He was a farmer and had a threshing outfit. He was injuried and died of his injuries while working on the William Kennedy farm, West of Marion in Big Island Township. He and Clara had 14 children, one of which was my grandfather Karl Kern, who was born November 17th, 1888 and married Nina Coates McCarley November 13, 1912. Nina was born March 27, 1890. They had three children from this marriage one of which was my father Vincent Kern. He married Anna Catherine Green. To this union were born 4 children, I being the youngest. I married Jan Oberdick from York, Pa. in September,1967.