"I will tell you first what I know of Grandfather Ernst. He was born about 1808 in Hessen Kassel, Hessen, Germany. He was left an orphan when seven years old and was raised by a sister and brother-in-law. How and with whom he came to this country [America] in 1830, I do not know. He was a cabinet maker and ship carpenter by trade, and that probably accounts for his locating in Vermillion [sic], Ohio. At that time the town was quite a harbor and ship building center on Lake Erie.... Grandfather Ernst was a six foot tall, broad shouldered, good looking man. He had black hair and was dark skinned. He was easy going and good natured, but his weakness was drink. By what I have been able to gather on this subject, [however,] he was not a drunkard. Knowing Grandmother Ernst as I did, although I was rather young to form an opinion, the trouble between them was that Grandmother would not stand for his weakness and she got a divorce some time in 1848 or 1849. As stated before, the Ernst brothers must have brought some means with them from the old country. Grandfather Ernst bought about an acre of land in the center of Vermillion and built a fair sized frame house on it. This property and some money he gave to his wife at the time of the divorce... Grandfather Ernst died in 1850 at the early age of 42, of typhoid fever, which was a deadly disease in those days. He was buried in Vermillion [cemetery] along [the shores of] Lake Erie. The cemetery has since been washed into the lake."
- From "Sketch of the Parents of the Ernst Girls" by Henry F. Rahe, 1942
1846 Mar 18 naturalization
Caspar Ernst and Henry Ickler, subjects of William the 2nd of Hessen in Germany, Renounce loyalty and swear allegiance to the USA
1846-1849 Erie Co. Clerk of Courts, p. 21
1850 Census, Vermillion, Erie, Ohio
Ernst, Casper, 40, b. Germany, carpenter, $800
-, Cornelia, 37, b. Germany
-, Elizabeth, 11, b. Ohio
-, Martha, 8
-, Sophia, 6
-, Cornelia, 5
-, Sarah, 3
-, Mary, 2
1852 May 31 justice of the peace, Erie County
Anna Ernst and her counsel appeared before the court, she was granted a divorce and custody of the children, as well as possession of the house, land, and household goods. He retained mechanical tools, personal clothing, a bed, and bedstead. Other lawsuit involving debts if his and others to him in 1853. He did not appear for that hearing, but it several people who knew him were there and he was spoken of in the present tense, so it seems unlikely he was dead or missing in 1853.
Cousin Susan Hawkins spoke with staff at Ritter Library in Vermilion, who felt confident that Orchard Beach cemetery could have been where he was buried, and that it originally was on the lake shore but was moved one block farther inland to avoid graves washing into the lake.
- From "Sketch of the Parents of the Ernst Girls" by Henry F. Rahe, 1942
1846 Mar 18 naturalization
Caspar Ernst and Henry Ickler, subjects of William the 2nd of Hessen in Germany, Renounce loyalty and swear allegiance to the USA
1846-1849 Erie Co. Clerk of Courts, p. 21
1850 Census, Vermillion, Erie, Ohio
Ernst, Casper, 40, b. Germany, carpenter, $800
-, Cornelia, 37, b. Germany
-, Elizabeth, 11, b. Ohio
-, Martha, 8
-, Sophia, 6
-, Cornelia, 5
-, Sarah, 3
-, Mary, 2
1852 May 31 justice of the peace, Erie County
Anna Ernst and her counsel appeared before the court, she was granted a divorce and custody of the children, as well as possession of the house, land, and household goods. He retained mechanical tools, personal clothing, a bed, and bedstead. Other lawsuit involving debts if his and others to him in 1853. He did not appear for that hearing, but it several people who knew him were there and he was spoken of in the present tense, so it seems unlikely he was dead or missing in 1853.
Cousin Susan Hawkins spoke with staff at Ritter Library in Vermilion, who felt confident that Orchard Beach cemetery could have been where he was buried, and that it originally was on the lake shore but was moved one block farther inland to avoid graves washing into the lake.
"I will tell you first what I know of Grandfather Ernst. He was born about 1808 in Hessen Kassel, Hessen, Germany. He was left an orphan when seven years old and was raised by a sister and brother-in-law. How and with whom he came to this country [America] in 1830, I do not know. He was a cabinet maker and ship carpenter by trade, and that probably accounts for his locating in Vermillion [sic], Ohio. At that time the town was quite a harbor and ship building center on Lake Erie.... Grandfather Ernst was a six foot tall, broad shouldered, good looking man. He had black hair and was dark skinned. He was easy going and good natured, but his weakness was drink. By what I have been able to gather on this subject, [however,] he was not a drunkard. Knowing Grandmother Ernst as I did, although I was rather young to form an opinion, the trouble between them was that Grandmother would not stand for his weakness and she got a divorce some time in 1848 or 1849. As stated before, the Ernst brothers must have brought some means with them from the old country. Grandfather Ernst bought about an acre of land in the center of Vermillion and built a fair sized frame house on it. This property and some money he gave to his wife at the time of the divorce... Grandfather Ernst died in 1850 at the early age of 42, of typhoid fever, which was a deadly disease in those days. He was buried in Vermillion [cemetery] along [the shores of] Lake Erie. The cemetery has since been washed into the lake."
- From "Sketch of the Parents of the Ernst Girls" by Henry F. Rahe, 1942
1846 Mar 18 naturalization
Caspar Ernst and Henry Ickler, subjects of William the 2nd of Hessen in Germany, Renounce loyalty and swear allegiance to the USA
1846-1849 Erie Co. Clerk of Courts, p. 21
1850 Census, Vermillion, Erie, Ohio
Ernst, Casper, 40, b. Germany, carpenter, $800
-, Cornelia, 37, b. Germany
-, Elizabeth, 11, b. Ohio
-, Martha, 8
-, Sophia, 6
-, Cornelia, 5
-, Sarah, 3
-, Mary, 2
1852 May 31 justice of the peace, Erie County
Anna Ernst and her counsel appeared before the court, she was granted a divorce and custody of the children, as well as possession of the house, land, and household goods. He retained mechanical tools, personal clothing, a bed, and bedstead. Other lawsuit involving debts if his and others to him in 1853. He did not appear for that hearing, but it several people who knew him were there and he was spoken of in the present tense, so it seems unlikely he was dead or missing in 1853.
Cousin Susan Hawkins spoke with staff at Ritter Library in Vermilion, who felt confident that Orchard Beach cemetery could have been where he was buried, and that it originally was on the lake shore but was moved one block farther inland to avoid graves washing into the lake.
- From "Sketch of the Parents of the Ernst Girls" by Henry F. Rahe, 1942
1846 Mar 18 naturalization
Caspar Ernst and Henry Ickler, subjects of William the 2nd of Hessen in Germany, Renounce loyalty and swear allegiance to the USA
1846-1849 Erie Co. Clerk of Courts, p. 21
1850 Census, Vermillion, Erie, Ohio
Ernst, Casper, 40, b. Germany, carpenter, $800
-, Cornelia, 37, b. Germany
-, Elizabeth, 11, b. Ohio
-, Martha, 8
-, Sophia, 6
-, Cornelia, 5
-, Sarah, 3
-, Mary, 2
1852 May 31 justice of the peace, Erie County
Anna Ernst and her counsel appeared before the court, she was granted a divorce and custody of the children, as well as possession of the house, land, and household goods. He retained mechanical tools, personal clothing, a bed, and bedstead. Other lawsuit involving debts if his and others to him in 1853. He did not appear for that hearing, but it several people who knew him were there and he was spoken of in the present tense, so it seems unlikely he was dead or missing in 1853.
Cousin Susan Hawkins spoke with staff at Ritter Library in Vermilion, who felt confident that Orchard Beach cemetery could have been where he was buried, and that it originally was on the lake shore but was moved one block farther inland to avoid graves washing into the lake.
Gravesite Details
Orchard Beach Cemetery (originally Cuddeback Cemetery) was moved several blocks away from the lakeshore because of erosion. It is almost certainly the cemetery in which Casper Ernst was originally buried. Info from Susan Hawkins and Ritter Library.
Family Members
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