Heinrich "Henry" Ochsner

Henry Ochsner With His Sons, Charlie and Rudy

Charlie and Crystal Ochsner collection

• April 16, 1865 - Born in Zurich, Switzerland.
• October 8, 1890 - Married Anna Ludescher in Zurich.
• 1890 - Filed for Swiss document of sanctuary.
• 1891 - Son John died at birth.
• July 6, 1892 - Daughter Annie born.
• 1893 - Left Zurich to come to America.
• March 3, 1893 - Arrived in the United States (age 27).
• 1894 - Son John Henry born in Joliet, Illinois.
• 1896 - Son Rudy born.
• 1898 - Son Charlie born.
• April 19, 1898 - Filed a Declaration of Intention for Citizenship.
• 1900 - Son Henry ("Hankie") born.
• 1904 - Son John Henry died.
• 1906 - Placed bids on land in Oklahoma.
• 1907 - Moved to Oklahoma.
• April 2, 1907 - Purchased Oklahoma farm.
• December 7, 1908 - Requested Declaration of Intention.
• 1910 - Filed "first papers" to become a naturalized citizen.
• January 28, 1911 - Made his will.
• January 30, 1911 - Died at his farm from a ruptured appendix (age 45).
• Buried in Chattanooga Cemetery.

Henry is buried with his wife, Anna, in Chattanooga Cemetery, underneath the same tombstone. In 2002, however, a man in Frederick who was doing some road work unearthed a tombstone bearing the name of Henry Ochsner. The man began calling Ochsners listed in the phone book and reached one of Henry's great grandsons, who picked it up and set it up in his back yard.

Frederick is the closest town to Chattanooga with a funeral home. While there is no way to know for sure why this other tombstone was made, it is possible that Anna had it made when Henry died, but could not afford to pick it up. Then, by the time the present tombstone was made, the original one had been forgotten about or discarded.

Read the book excerpts for more of Henry's story.