Biography of Catherine (Zoeller) Beisel

Zoeller

Family of Bernhard and Katharine (Zoeller) Beisel

of Pittsburgh

Their gravestone is inscribed in German. It is in the Zoeller plot at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church Cemetery in Mt. Oliver. The marker is in the same row as Phillip G. and Margaret (Keinert) Zoeller, Margaret Zoeller and Julia Zoeller.

1817 - Bernhard born on Feb. 12 in Baden, Germany.

1820 - Katherine J. Zoeller born on Jan. 10, presumably in Wurttemburg, Germany.

1842 - Son "C. Beisel" born in Pittsburgh -- believed to be "Christian" Beisel, named for his paternal grandfather.

1844 - Daughter "W. Beisel" born in Pittsburgh.

1846 - Daughter "F. Beisel" born in Pittsburgh.

1848 - Daughter Catherine Beisel born in February.

1850 - Family not yet found on the U.S. census.

-- Daughter "E. Beisel" born in 1850 in Pittsburgh.

1853 - Daughter Louisa Beisel born.

1860 - The U.S. census shows the family living in Lower St. Clair Township, near Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. In the household that year were Bernhard and Katharine and their six children, ranging in age from six to 18. That year, Bernhard's occupation was as a "conductor on cars" and son "C. Beisel" work was as a teamster. Also making their home in the Beisel residence were 24-year-old teamster Jacob Brown and Bernard's 78-year-old father, Christian "Chris" Beisel.

1862 - Bernhard died on Sept. 5, 1862– obituary not found in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

1867 - Daughter Catherine married Charles G.B. Weihl (1834- ? ). Charles was a native of Darmstadt, Germany. The Weihls went on to have at least three children -- Catherine "Kate" Weihl, Clara Weihl and Etta "Ettie" Weihl.

1870 - When the federal census was taken, Catherine made her home with her daughter and son in law, Kate and Charles Weihl, and her unmarried daughter Louisa Beisel, in Pittsburgh's First Ward. Charles' occupation was given as liquor dealer.

-- The census shows son Christian Beisel living at age 28 in Buchanan, Lower St. Clair Township, employed in farm work. In the household also were 26-year-old wife Sarah and children Rebecka (age 4), Mina (2) and Christina (1).

1880 - The U.S. censes shows Catherine continuing to resided with the Weihls in Pittsburgh.

1883 - Nov. 26 – “Catherine” died at 9 a.m. at the home of son-in-law Charles G.B. Weihl, at 100 Western Avenue, Allegheny City (North Side), at age 64. Funeral held at St. Paul's German Lutheran Church, Eighteenth Street, South Side. Her obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said she was “wife of the late Bernhard Beisel” and that "Friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend" the funeral.

~ Life Story of Daughter Catherine (Beisel) Weihl ~

1900 - In the census, daughter Catherine Weihl is shown at age 51 living with married daughter and son in law, Ettie and Charles W. Ridinger Sr., on Perrysville Avenue near the intersection of Watson Boulevard in Allegheny City (today's Pittsburgh's North Side). Charles (1872- ? ) and Ettie (1876- ? ) had been married for two years at the time, and had one son, Charles W. Ridinger Jr. Charles Sr. was marked as an "electrical engineer."

1910 - The census shows daughter Catherine "Kate" Weihl, age 61, continuing to reside with the Ridingers. By then, they had moved to a new home on Marlborough Street in Pittsburgh. That year, the Ridingers had two sons, Charles W. (age 12) and John S. (age 8). Kate Weihl was marked as the mother of three children, with two of them living. Charles Sr.'s occupation was given as engineer in an electrical shop.

1920 - As shown on the census, Catherine "Kate" Weihl, age 70, continued to make her home under the Ridingers' roof on Marlborough Street. Charles Sr.'s employment was given as electrical engineer. Servants Anna Fiella and Elizabeth Stream also were in the home.

1920s - The marriage between Etta and Charles Ridinger Sr. ended, either due to divorce or Ettie's death.

1923 - Grandson Charles W. Ridinger Jr. married Alice Y.

1925 - Grandson John Ridinger married Dorothy.

1930 - Son in law Charles W. Ridinger, age 56, was shown in the census with an apparent second wife, Lulu Ridinger, age 51. Charles' occupation was listed as president of an electrical company.

-- Grandson Charles and Alice Ridinger Jr. are marked on the census of Pittsburgh, with Jr. employed as the office manager of an electrical contractor company. Their children that year were Charles W. III and Sara L. Ridinger. Servants Clara R. Yearsley and Teresa Scharl also lived in the household, located on Pitcairn Place.

-- Grandson John Ridinger and wife Dorothy are shown on the census living on Lynne Haven Road in Pittsburgh. Their children were John Ridinger Jr., William Ridinger and Margaret Ridinger. John's occupation is given as assistant secretary of an electrical office.

1940 - Charles is mentioned in the book, Fessenden: Builder of Tomorrows, authored by Helen M. Fessenden. The book concerns Reginald Aubrey Fessenden (1866- ? ) whose career was in the electrical industry. Fessenden apparently caught the attention of George Westinghouse, who urged that Fessenden be named to be chair of electrical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Before leaving Pittsburgh, Fessenden "opened an Electrical Consulting Office," the book says, "taking into partnership Mr. Charles Ridinger. This gave good promise of success and was a giong concern when we left Pittsburgh."