Catherine Yoder

Catherine was a daughter of Martin Zincon, and married Dr. Noah Webster Yoder on June 6, 1861. After Noah's service in the Civil War, they had seven children, although only their four daughters - Minerva, Mildred, Mila and Virgilia lived to adulthood. Their first child Ellsworth died in infancy, and son Leonidis passed away at age 7 of diphtheria.

Following the accidental death of her husband in 1877, Catherine, her four daughters, and son Miltie struggled financially. On New Year's Eve 1881, the entire family decided to celebrate the holiday at a large banquet on the second floor of Goeler's Hall on the square of Shanesville. A structural modification to the building and the over-sized crowd led to the largest disaster in Tuscarawas County history that evening, as the floor gave way and the falling lamps and stove ignited a fire. Catherine's daughter escaped unharmed, but Catherine and 7-year-old Miltie were near the center of the room by the stove. Miltie died that evening from the flames, while Catherine received burns holding him in the wreckage from which she would not recover.

Note: Catherine is buried with a single marker for she and her husband, along with sons Miltie and Leonidis. The article posted here incorrectly lists the number of children at the time of her death.