KERN-L Archives

From: Chet Swanson <>
Subject: KERN, Mathias
Date: Mon, 02 Dec 1996 14:31:40 -0800

Chris,

I think our two Mathias Kerns are different people. Mine wasn't born until
around 1868, probably in Ohio. I've included a more complete 3 generation
report of his family group (he is the last child shown), with the very
limited information I have on the family. This is one of my tough lines and
I'm sure hoping to find more details on this family one of these days. If I
can do anything else for you, let me know.

Chet

John Kern b. ABT 1822, Wurtenberg, , Germany, m. BEF 1845, Christena
(_____), b. ABT 1824, Wurtenberg, , Germany. John Kern is shown with his
family in Dodge County, Nebraska in the 1870 Census. He is shown to be a
farmer. The family was somewhere in Ohio by 1845 when the oldest known son,
George was born. They moved to Nebraska about 1869.
I.John W. Kern Reverend b. 1852, Ohio, m. (1) 1932, Luella Walker, b. ABT
1855, m. (2) 25 Dec 1881, in Nebraska, Nora Viola Conner, b. 11 Jul 1861,
Boscobel, Grant County, Wisconsin, (daughter of John Conner and Martha J.
(_____)) d. 25 Mar 1927, LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, buried: MAR
1927, LaConner, Skagit County, Washington. John died 26 May 1935,
Bellingham, Whatcom County, Washington, buried: 29 May 1935, LaConner,
Skagit County, Washington. Reverend Kern moved with his family to Nebraska
in 1869, and in 1881 married Nora Conner. He was shown with his father's
family in Dodge County, Nebraska on the 1870 Census. He was shown to be 18
years of age, and his occupation was shown as Farm Lab. After her death in
1927, he married Mrs. Luella Walker of Bellingham, a family friend for many
years. He was first mentioned as a Methodist minister in the 1893 North
Nebraska Conference Minutes when he was reported for the Mineola and Paddock
Methodist Churches, Holt County, Nebraska. The statistical record in 1893
shows, "some good revivals, resulting in 35 conversions and 19
accessions...with 45 full members on the charge and 35 enrolled in the
Sunday School. He was paid a salary of $286.00. He continued in the
Methodist ministry in Nebraska until 1899 when he and his family moved to
the Puget Sound area of Washington State. From then, until his retirement
he served the Pacific Northwest Conference of the Methodist Church in
several communities. His first church in Washington State was at Mount
Vernon from 1900 to 1902. He last served the congregation of the La Conner
Methodist Church. Among his other pastorates were Issaquah, Bothell,
Lynden, Ronald, DesMoines, Burlington, Sultan and Hillman in Seattle. His
family was the first to live in the parsonage in Burlington, built in 1904.
He died at the family home on a Sunday morning, 26 May 1935 after suffering
a paralytic stroke on 15 May from which he failed to recover. In the 1910
Polk Directory for Everett and Snohomish County he is shown as a resident of
Arlington and pastor of the Methodist-Episcopal Church. Besides the children
shown, Rev Kern and Nora had three other children on whom I currently have
no other information. Luella: Luella died of a heart attack. Other
information on her death is not known at this time. Nora: In the 1870 Census
for Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, her name is shown as Viola. When three
years of age she moved with her parents to Nebraska. She joined the
Methodist Episcopal Church when she was 14 years old. Nora married the
Reverend John W. Kern. According to her obituary in the 1927 Puget Sound
Annual Conference Journal of the Methodist Church, she was a woman of strong
convictions and intense in her emotions. Her joy was in revival meetings,
she was said to be mighty in prayer and to assist a seeking sinner at the
altars of the church to believe through to victory was her supreme delight.
She was a lover of her home and family and was ever trying to beautify it.
Nora was highly honored when the Church granted her a local preacher's
license at the last church which she and her husband served. Her departure
on 25 March 1927 was as sudden as a flash of light. It was simply a
translation from earth to Heaven while talking to her daughter and bending
over to fondle the flowers which she loved so well. She had been suffering
from heart trouble for several years, and may have suffered a fatal heart
attack. The funeral services were held in the LaConner Baptist Church, it
being larger than the Methodist Church. It was filled to overflowing with
sympathizing friends. The service was conducted by the District
Superintendent and he was assisted by the Reverends P. H. Raymond, E. J.
Bates, Richard Oates, and B. V. Bradshaw.
A.Coy Roscoe Kern (son of John W. Kern Reverend and Nora Viola Conner) b.
3 Aug 1887, Cedar Bluffs, Decatur County, Kansas, m. 20 Aug 1911, in
Arlington, Snohomish County, Washington, Ethel L. Jones, b. 8 Oct 1886,
Little Caney District, Chautauqua County, (daughter of Lewis Newton (Newt)
Jones and Caroline Luella (Carrie) Stearns) d. 21 Jul 1964, Mount Vernon,
Skagit County, Washington, buried: JUL 1964, LaConner, Skagit County,
Washington. Coy died 7 Dec 1967, Mount Vernon, Skagit County, Washington,
buried: DEC 1967, LaConner, Skagit County, Washington. Born in Northwestern
Kansas, Coy moved with his family to Skagit County, Washington in 1900,
settling in Burlington. His father was a methodist minister. The family
later moved to Arlington, where he enlisted in the U. S. Navy. In the Navy,
Coy served as an enlisted yeoman on a cruiser on the China Station from 1905
to 1908. The majority of Coy's service was on the USS Concord (PG-3) which
was commissioned 14 February 1891. The USS Concord served during this period
on the Yangtze Patrol and as station ship at Shanghai and Canton. He
returned to Arlington after his Navy service, where he met his future wife,
Ethel Jones. After marriage Coy and Ethel settled in Redmond, King County,
Washington where their first son was born. They then moved to LaConner,
Skagit County, Washington, where Coy was active in Republican politics. He
served as the Postmaster in LaConner and spent time as City Clerk along with
other town duties. He worked at the Dunlap Hardware Company in LaConner.
Coy and Ethel started in the funeral business in LaConner at this same time.
Coy and Ethel also founded the Kern Funeral Home in Mount Vernon, Washington
in 1937, managing the business until his retirement in 1950. While living in
Mount Vernon, Coy served two terms on the City Council and on the Draft
Board during World War II. In the Polk Directory for 1910 of Everett and
Snohomish County, he is shown as a resident of Arlington and bookkeeper for
A. H. Moll. He was a member, and past master of the Garfield Lodge, F&AM in
LaConner, member and past patron of the Coral Chapter of Order of Eastern
Star in LaConner, the Mount Vernon Elks Lodge and the Mount Vernon Kiwanis
Club. With his wife, he was a member of the First Methodist Church of Mount
Vernon. While in the Navy, Coy had numerous tatoos applied to his body. C.
V. Swanson, one of his grandchildren, remembers that Ethel always made Coy
wear a long sleeve shirt with the collar and sleeves buttoned so the kids
wouldn't see the tatoos. It was always considered a real treat when Ethel
was away for awhile and the kids could talk Coy into lifting up one of his
shirt sleeves and showing some of his tatoos. There were dragons and many
other decorations. His daughter, Marian, says that he had tatoos from at
least his waist up to his neck, including (as she remembered) at least one
lady with little or no clothing and possibly a ship. According to her all
the available area from his waist to his neck and wrists had tatoos. He
died of complications of a stroke and a heart attack. Ethel: Ethel was a
member of the Coral Chapter #150 Order of Eastern Star in LaConner, holding
several Chapter offices. She was also a member of the Daughters of the
American Revolution (#368766), Court #28 of the Order of Amaranth, Lodge 32
of the Esther Rebekah in LaConner, and the First Methodist Church of Mt
Vernon. Ethel talked about traveling with her family from Standwood to
Arlington up the Stillaquamish River in an Indian canoe. She and her family
arrived in Arlington before it was a town. She attended Bellingham Normal
School (now Western Washington University), graduating in 1906, and held a
teacher's certificate from the State of Washington. In the 1910 Polk's
Directory of Everett and Snohomish County she is shown as a resident of
Arlington, and a teacher at Garfield School. She also taught school in
Getchel. Her and her husband, Coy operated a funeral home in LaConner, and
then in 1937 opened the Kern Funeral Home in Mount Vernon which they
operated until their retirement in 1950. Funeral services were held at the
Kern Funeral Home with the Reverend Earl Poindexter of the First Methodist
Church in charge.
B.Bertha Kern (daughter of John W. Kern Reverend and Nora Viola Conner) b.
ABT 1889, m. ABT 1910, Silas Tilden Coombs, b. ABT 1885. Silas: Silas was
an insurance salesman. He was married previously and had a son, Harold.
C.Francis Kern (son of John W. Kern Reverend and Nora Viola Conner) b.
1897, d. 1919, Washington, buried: 1919, LaConner, Skagit County,
Washington. According to family tradition, Francis was a U. S. Navy veteran
of World War I. He apparently died of complications of appendicitis.
II.George Kern b. ABT 1845, Ohio, m. BEF 1870, Anna Thrush, b. ABT 1845.
George is shown on the 1870 Census for Dodge County, Nebraska with his
father's family. He is shown as a farmer.
A.Charles W. Kern b. ABT 1870, m. ABT 1895, Antonia (_____), b. ABT 1870.
Charles died 10 Feb 1966, Boyd County, Nebraska.
B.Clarence C. Kern b. ABT 1882, m. BEF 1907, Ida Noh, b. ABT 1885.
C.John Kern b. ABT 1885.
III.Julia Ann Kern b. ABT 1855, Ohio, m. ABT 1875, (_____) Mumford, b. ABT
1855. Julia died BEF 1 JUL 1949. Julia is shown as a student, living at
home in the 1870 Census for Dodge County, Nebraska.
A.Bertha Mumford b. ABT 1885, m. ABT 1910, (_____) Bunnell, b. ABT 1885.
B.John Mumford b. ABT 1887.
C.Ernest Mumford b. ABT 1890, d. 13 May 1963, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.
D.Lee Mumford b. ABT 1892, d. 6 Jun 1942.
E.Sara Mumford b. ABT 1894, m. ABT 1916, (_____) Vorous, b. ABT 1894.
Sara died 20 Sep 1928.
F.Fay Leora Mumford b. ABT 1896, m. (1) ABT 1930, John H. Turnbill, b. ABT
1896, m. (2) ABT 1920, (_____) Shanks, b. ABT 1896.
IV.Ernest Kern b. ABT 1858, Ohio. In the 1870 Census for Dodge County,
Nebraska, Ernest is shown as a student living at home with his family.
V.Solomon Kern b. ABT 1860, Ohio. Solomon is shown on the 1870 Census for
Dodge County, Nebraska, as in school and living at home.
A.Emma Kern b. ABT 1887, m. ABT 1910, (_____) Todd, b. ABT 1885.
B.Mattie Kern b. ABT 1890, m. ABT 1915, (_____) Jones, b. ABT 1890.
VI.Dan Kern b. ABT 1862.
A.Hattie Kern b. 1887, m. ABT 1910, (_____) Carroll, b. ABT 1885.
B.Ida Kern b. ABT 1890, m. ABT 1925, Guy W. Albert, b. ABT 1890, d. 19 Nov
1960. Ida died 12 May 1952, Wayne County, Nebraska.
C.Edward M. Kern b. ABT 1892, d. 12 May 1952.
D.John D. Kern b. ABT 1894, d. 14 Apr 1956, Fairfax, Missouri.
VII.Charles E. Kern b. ABT 1864, m. ABT 1890, Catherine T. (_____), b. ABT
1865, d. 22 Nov 1965. Charles died 1 Jul 1949, Dodge County, Nebraska.
VIII.Katie Kern b. ABT 1866, m. ABT 1890, (_____) Mick, b. ABT 1866.
A.(_____) Mick b. ABT 1900.
IX.Mathias H. Kern b. ABT 1868, d. 7 Aug 1950.

--
C. V. (Chet) Swanson Jr.
Everett, WA
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