KERN-L Archives

From: Chet Swanson <>
Subject: Kern, John Reverend, b 1852, Ohio
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 12:20:00 -0800

This is another of my John Kern's, The Reverend John Kern is my
gggrandfather through Coy Kern.

First Generation

1. John W. Kern, Reverend, son of Johann Kern and Christena (-----), was
born in Ohio, 1852. John died 26 May 1935 in Bellingham, Whatcom County,
Washington, at 82 years of age. His body was interred 25 December 1881 in
LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. He married
twice. He married Nora Viola Conner in Nebraska, 25 December 1881. Nora was
born in Boscobel, Grant County, Wisconsin 11 July 1861. Nora was the
daughter of John Conner and Martha J. (-----). Nora died 25 March 1927 in
LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, at 65 years of age. Her body was
interred March 1927 in LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, Pleasant Ridge
Cemetery. 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. He married Luella
Walker 1932. Luella was born about 1855. Luella died of a heart attack.
Other information on her death is not known at this time. 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, Des Moines, 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.
John W. Kern Reverend and Nora Viola Conner had the following children:

+ 2 i. Coy Roscoe2 Kern was born 3 August 1887.
3 ii. Bertha Kern was born about 1889.
4 iii. Francis Kern was born, 1897. Francis died 1919 in Washington, at
22 years of age. His body was interred 1919 in LaConner, Skagit County,
Washington, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. According to family tradition, Francis
was a U. S. Navy veteran of World War I. He apparently died of
complications of appendicitis.

Second Generation

2. Coy Roscoe Kern (John W.) was born in Cedar Bluffs, Decatur County,
Kansas, 3 August 1887. Coy died 7 December 1967 Mount Vernon, Skagit
County, Washington, at 80 years of age. His body was interred December 1967
in LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. He
married Ethel L. Jones in Arlington, Snohomish County, Washington, 20
August 1911. Ethel was born in Little Caney District, Chautauqua County,
Kansas 8 October 1886. Ethel was the daughter of Lewis Newton (Newt) Jones
and Caroline Luella (Carrie) Stearns. Ethel died 21 July 1964 Mount Vernon,
Skagit County, Washington, at 77 years of age. Her body was interred 23
July 1964 in LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.
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 Stanwood to Arlington up the Stillaguamish 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. 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 tattoos 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
tattoos. 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 tattoos. There were dragons and many other
decorations. His daughter, Marian, says that he had tattoos 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 tattoos. He died
of complications of a stroke and a heart attack. Coy Roscoe Kern and Ethel
L. Jones had the following children:

5 i. Jack Dale Kern was born in Redmond, King County, Washington, 28 May
1912. Jack died 31 January 1933 in LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, at
20 years of age. His body was interred 2 February 1933 in LaConner, Skagit
County, Washington, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. Jack died of complications of
pneumonia after a suffering through a long series of illnesses. According
to his obituary he passed away at 6 o'clock in the morning at the home of
his parents after a final illness of a week. He had been visiting with his
grand father, L. N. Jones in Arlington, when he was suddenly stricken with
a high fever on Wednesday the 25th of January. He was taken home to his
parent's house in LaConner in an ambulance. He moved to LaConner with his
parents as an infant, attending the LaConner schools. He graduated as
valedictorian of the class of 1930 from LaConner High School. He attended
Junior College (now Skagit Valley College) in Mount Vernon for a period of
time. He had been working with his father for the last two years of his
life assisting in, and learning, the family undertaking business. Services
were held at the family funeral home, the Kern Funeral Home, in charge of a
family friend, Walter Hulbush. The service was officiated by the Reverent
R. T. Holland with Mrs. Ina Nelson signing.
6 ii. Marian Joslyn Kern was born in LaConner, Skagit County,
Washington, 28 March 1914. Marian died 31 October 1989 in Seattle, King
County, Washington, at 75 years of age. Her body was interred 3 November
1989 in LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. She
married twice. She married Chester Vincent Swanson Sr. in LaConner, Skagit
County, Washington, 29 September 1934. Chester was born in LaConner, Skagit
County, Washington 29 October 1913. Chester was the son of Anton Svennson
and Anna Alexandra Olin. Chester died 23 December 1975 in Seattle, King
County, Washington, at 62 years of age. His body was interred December 1975
in LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. Vincent,
as he was usually known, worked as an accountant all of his life. He worked
in the commercial fishing business in Washington and Alaska. He was
superintendent of the Port William, Alaska plant of Washington Fish and
Oyster Company for many years prior to his death. One of four children,
Vincent was the only one to strike out on his own, leaving the family farm
in his early twenties. Vincent and Marian moved to Seattle in 1963 after
their children had finished public schools in LaConner. Fall and Winter
seasons were spent at the family home in Seattle and Spring and Summer were
at the plant in Alaska. Vincent died after a short battle with cancer.
She married John Lionel Oard in Seattle, King County, Washington, 24 March
1983. John was born in Sawyer, Ward County, North Dakota 2 June 1914. John
was the son of Ralph C. Oard and Petra Myers. He married Frances (-----)
1945. John died 22 April 1989 in Seattle, King County, Washington, at 74
years of age. His body was interred 25 April 1989 in Shoreline, King
County, Washington, Holy Rood Cemetery. John was a U.S. Navy veteran of
World War II. He spent most of his working life in the lumber and hardware
business, working in the Seattle area. John was a hobby wine maker, with
many of his vintages surpassing anything available commercially. He died
after a long fight against cancer. During her adult years, Marian worked as
an office manager and bookkeeper for several firms in Skagit County and in
Seattle. She was a long time member of the Order of Eastern Star belonging
to Coral Chapter #150 of LaConner, Washington and, after moving to Seattle,
of University Chapter #83 of Seattle, Washington, holding numerous Chapter
and State offices. Marian died after a long battle against cancer.
7 iii. Margery Elizabeth Kern was born in LaConner, Skagit County,
Washington, 23 August 1915. Margery died 17 February 1987 in Burlington,
Skagit County, Washington, at 71 years of age. Her body was interred 1987
in LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. She
married twice. She married Clyde Briedlander about 1938. Clyde was born
about 1912. She married Leonard Lee in Mount Vernon, Skagit County,
Washington, about 1950. Leonard was born in North Dakota 24 November 1915.
Leonard is the son of Gilvan Lee and Sarah Gulbranson. Margery worked as a
Registered Nurse through out her adult life.
8 iv. Katherine Kern was born in LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, 22
June 1917. She married Lawrence Harold Seiler Mount Vernon, Skagit County,
Washington, 13 February 1942. Lawrence was born in Victoria, Victoria
County, Texas 27 April 1900. Lawrence was the son of August Seiler and
Minetta Vogt. Lawrence died 8 August 1965 in Norwalk, Los Angeles County,
California, at 65 years of age. His body was interred 12 August 1965 in
Fort Rosecaus, San Diego, California. Lawrence was a member of the United
States Marine Corps. Katherine worked as a Registered Nurse through out her
adult life.
9 v. Frances Vivian Kern was born in LaConner, Skagit County,
Washington, 22 October 1920. Frances died 11 May 1992 in Tulsa, Tulsa
County, Oklahoma, at 71 years of age. Her body was interred 13 May 1992 in
Bixby, Tulsa County, Oklahoma. She married twice. She married James William
Murdock II 28 October 1944. James was born 5 July 1915. James was the son
of James William Murdock I and Etta May Moore. He married Lois (-----)
about 1937. James died 25 October 1969 in Oklahoma, at 54 years of age. Jim
died of a heart attack. She married Gus D Acton in Oklahoma, 1 June
1978. Gus was born 10 January 1911. Gus died 21 February 1979 in Oklahoma,
at 68 years of age. Gus died of a heart attack. Francis died of cancer.
10 vi. Donald Newton Kern was born in LaConner, Skagit County,
Washington, 10 February 1927. Donald died 28 October 1934 in LaConner,
Skagit County, Washington, at 7 years of age. His body was interred October
1934 in LaConner, Skagit County, Washington, Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.
Donald died from complications of severe burns.

3. Bertha Kern (John W.) was born, about 1889. She married Silas Tilden
Coombs about 1910. Silas was born about 1885. Silas was an insurance
salesman. He was married previously and had a son, Harold. Bertha Kern and
Silas Tilden Coombs had the following child:

11 i. Ruth3 Coombs was born, about 1911. She married Mcgowen about
1930. He was born about 1905.

--
Chet Swanson
Eastmont Aviary; ABS (28S), WBS, & BS
Everett, WA
mailto:
http://www.premier1.net/~swanson/index.htm
"My kid had sex with your honor student"
Copyright 1998, Chester Swanson, all rights reserved

This thread:

• Kern, John Reverend, b 1852, Ohio by Chet Swanson <>