Jennie Esther Romberger (1873-1879) - Find a Grave Memorial

Jennie Esther Romberger

Birth

26 Jun 1873

Death

29 Sep 1879 (aged 6)

Burial

Peace Church Cemetery

Berrysburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, USA Add to Map

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Jennie Esther was my great grandpa's little sister. She was a daughter of Gilbert Romberger and Mary Sophia Kiehl/Keihl Romberger. My great grandpa was born in 1858 so this was another sibling death he was old enough to remember.

Many genealogies of the Romberger family miss this little girl, owing to the poor layout of a frequently consulted source of baptisms.

She was christened February 15, 1874 at Union Salem Church, Berrysburg, Pennsylvania. On this same day, a number of her parents' children were baptized there; it is unlikely they were new members of the church since they had buried at least five children in the church cemetery by that year. Perhaps having lost so many children they waited to have them baptized, or perhaps the family just got the kids "done".

Jennie's middle name of Esther is after her grandma, her mother's mother, Esther Eyster Kiehl/Keihl.

This six year old child died the same year as her elder sister Elmira, leaving the family no doubt emotionally exhausted. Jennie Esther's place of rest is presumed to be Peace United aka Salem Union since her sister had been buried there earlier the same year, and Jennie also appears in the church's records as having been buried there.

The little girl died of meningitis. The census mortality schedules say she died in September.

A life so short and so long ago may not be remembered by anyone living now, but let's turn to a mention of her death in a local newspaper of the time.

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BERRYSBURG ITEMS.

Berrysburg, Oct. 1, 1879

To the Editor of the Register:

Yesterday, at 2 p.m., the funeral of Esther, daughter of Gilbert and Mary Romberger of Berrysburg, took place at the Lutheran church. The dear one was aged 6 years, 3 months, and 3 days. Rev. George C. Henry officiated, taking for his text 2d Kings, 4th chapter, latter clause of the 26th verse: "Is it well with the child? and she answered it is well."

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These were wise words of comfort from the young, for the young. Pastor George C. Henry had graduated from the Gettysburg Lutheran seminary in June of that year, and had been ordained on September 23, 1879, only six days before young Jennie Esther's death.