Herbert Bernard Kohus Sr. was born 27 Dec 1886 in Cincinnati, Ohio the son of Louis Kohus and Julia Elbrey. Herbert was about age 5 or 6 and living in Cincinnati at 18 German Street when the family relocated to Addyston, Ohio. That is where Herbert spent his childhood and teenage years. Addyston is a small town only a few miles east of Cincinnati, along the Ohio River. Herbert married very young. His first wife was Lizzie LaFever. They were married on 7 Sept 1903 in Dearborn Co., Indiana. Herbert was 16 and Lizzie was only 15 years of age. They married on Lizzie's 15th birthday. On 1 Jan 1905, Herbert and Lizzie had a daughter, Julia Alma. Lizzie died the same day Julia was born. She is buried in the old section, J-2, of Greendale Cemetery, Greendale, Dearborn Co., Indiana. Lizzie has a concrete headstone with the initials L K on it. Her father, Andrew Jackson LaFever, made the headstone for her grave and was known to whitewash it on occasion to keep it looking nice. At the time of Lizzie’s death, Herbert was left a single, 18-year-old parent, with an infant daughter. He left daughter Julia with his mother-in-law, Julia (Lacey) LaFever for the first two years of Julia’s life, returning after his second marriage to Mabel Duncan to take custody of his daughter and return her to live with them. Herbert's second wife, Mabel Julia Duncan, was the daughter of Orson "Oscar" Duncan and Elisabeth Walters. Herbert and Mabel were married on 15 Apr 1907, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mabel Julia Duncan Herbert B. Kohus
At the time of his second marriage, Herbert was 20 years of age and Mabel Duncan was 16. Mabel was my grandmother's birth name and it appears on early records before she started using the name Mary. I remember Grandfather Herbert Kohus always called her Mabel. I was at their house one time in the early 1960's when an old song came on the radio, entitled Mary. I remember my grandfather saying how he loved the song and how it was special to him since grandma's name was Mary. I was surprised, I did not know until then that my grandmother’s name was Mary. I was probably about 13 years old at the time. This confused me for many years until I learned that Mary was the name my grandmother took at the time of her baptism into the Catholic Church. Mabel was not considered a Christian name. I remember Grandma Kohus loved to play the harmonica. I don’t know how or when she became interested in playing it but I remember her playing the harmonica often and the song Mary was one she knew well. Know I know why.
Herbert and Mabel were married at a very young age by today’s standards. It is interesting that on their marriage certificate, Herbert states his age as 21 and Mabel 17. Several documents relating to Herbert Kohus place his birth date at different times. His birth certificate places his birth in 1886.
When Herbert applied for his social security card in 1936, he was working for the Cincinnati Street Railway Co. as a conductor. The birth date on his marriage license differs from that record also. A problem all to common when doing genealogical research. The information on the marriage license was sworn to and signed by Mabel's father Orson Duncan. (Orson Duncan and Oscar Duncan are the same person. Orson started using the name Oscar, between 1900 and 1910). Her father should have known Mabel's age, but I wonder if he knew Herbert was only 20 at the time? Age however, made little difference in the success of their marriage. If years are an indication of marital success, the marriage between Herbert Kohus and Mary Julia (Mabel) Duncan was quite an accomplishment. It lasted a total of 63 years and produced 7 children.
The number of times Herbert and Mabel changed their residence throughout their lives is interesting. No doubt they probably moved more times between the city directory listings. In 1908, Herbert, Mary and daughter Julia were living at 513 East 13th. St. In 1909, they had their first child Evelyn Elisabeth Kohus. They live at 1125 Jackson that year. In 1910, Louis Oscar Kohus was born, evidently named after his grandfathers, Louis Kohus and Oscar Duncan. They lived at 1308 Main that year. In 1911, they lived at 126 Dorsey, and in 1912, at 1227 Clay. That year they had another child, Edward Henry Kohus, born 19 Apr1912.
From 1909 to 1918 Herbert Sr. was tending bar at his brother’s business, the John Kohus’ Cafe at 1215 Main Street. It is interesting to note the building that once housed the John Kohus Cafe in Cincinnati later became the "John 3.16 Baptist Church." in the 1960's. On 27 Feb 1917, while living at 15East 15th Street, their forth child was born, my father, Herbert Bernard Kohus, Jr.
Three months after the birth of Herbert Bernard Jr, Herbert Kohus, Sr.’s brother, John William, died . John William Kohus died on 28 May 1917 from tuberculosis. He was 37 years old. John William was survived at death by his wife Mary (Shafer) Kohus and daughter Loretta. Mary (Shafer) Kohus continued to operate the saloon business in 1918-1919. In 1919, however, she is listed in the city directory at that business address but was selling soft drinks.
Herbert Kohus "Bar Tender" standing in front of his brother's saloon. The people in the truck are the SUHOK CLUB. The club was probably organized at their saloon business. The SUHOK CLUB was a baseball team as depicted below. It is not known if the club had other functions. John William Kohus driver and Herbert Kohus Sr. standing in rear of truck. The truck is a Packard.
Herbert Kohus 6th from left top row. Brother-in-law Edward Duncan top tow, left1st person
Herbert Kohus Sr. left the Saloon business about 1919 and took a job with the Cincinnati Street Railway Co. as a street car conductor. A conductor was the person who stood at the door and took the money as people entered the street car. Herbert retired from this company in the 1950’s. The company is known today as Queen City Metro. In 1920, Herbert Sr. and his family moved to 1812 Republic where on May 22, 1920 their daughter Adeline Virginia Kohus was born.
In 1924, Herbert Sr. and Mary Julia had a son named Robert Kohus. Robert lived only about one month. Their seventh and final child, William Clifford Kohus, was born on 17 Apr 1928. From 1931 to 1943 the family moved often. Some of the streets they lived on were Cinnamon, Freeland Avenue, Torrance Avenue, East McMicken Avenue, Fairfax Avenue, Taft Road and again back to Fairfax Avenue. They lived on Fairfax Ave. until 1947, when they moved to the second floor of their son Herbert's house at 2622 Hackberry in Walnut Hills.
Herbert Kohus Sr.
They lived there until 1953 when son Herbert Jr., sold the house and moved to Mt. Repose just east of Milford, Ohio. At that time, Herbert Sr., Mabel and Adeline moved to 29 West McMillan, Apt. 2. They lived there until one day while Mabel was pursuing her passions, "bingo," and won $500. That was a respectful sum of money in 1953. The money was used as a down payment on a house just up the street from their son Herbert's new home on Floyd Place in Mt Repose. The house was purchased in their daughter Adeline’s name. They lived in the house with daughter Adeline until their deaths.
Families stories tell that Mabel Kohus was opposed to moving to a rural area so far from Cincinnati and the places she play bingo. The house was probably one of the only residences they lived in since childhood that had a yard. That must have been why Herbert Sr. enjoyed his yard as he did. He loved working in his yard and it seemed to occupy most of his time. I can remember fewer things as a child that I loved more than the visits I made to my grandparents’ house just up the street from ours. All children should have such memories. They were very loving grandparents. I remember how Grandma Kohus liked to play cards. I would visit and play cards with her for hours. Grandma also loved to play her harmonica and would play songs that Grandpa and I would request. She knew simple tunes such as Yankee Doodle, Jimmy Crack Corn, Suwannee River, My Old Kentucky Home, Taps and Mary. She would let me play it whenever I asked. I remember spending hours doing just that. I probably drove them all crazy with the noise, but I cannot remember a discouraging word directed my way. Maybe this exposure to music is what fostered my interests in becoming a drummer with various bands in later years.
Grandpa Kohus loved gardening and would spend hours in his yard, planting, pruning and weeding his flowers. Anyone visiting their house could expect at least one guided tour of the yard to inspect the progress of his plants. He loved gardening and inspired me to begin planting a summer vegetable garden when I was a child.
Herbert Bernard Kohus, Sr. died at home on 3 May 1969. Mary (Mabel) Julia Duncan died 16 months later on 3 Sep 1970. They are both buried in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 11000 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45249.
Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio
