September 22, 2026 -- The Newlyweds Settle In by Earl Shreckengast

The Newlyweds Settle In Sylvia and Charles Koester returned to Marysville from their honeymoon on September 9, 1876, to start their life together as a married couple. Their seven-week honeymoon trip took them to Philadelphia and the Centennial Exposition, Cincinnati, Washington D.C., New York City, and Niagara Falls.

They stayed with Charles’ sister, Jane Schmidt, until their house could be made ready to move in. Charles had added upstairs bedrooms and a parlor to his two-room bachelor pad in anticipation of their marriage. Sylvia saw the inside of the updated house for the first time the day after they arrived back in Marysville, Sunday the 10th. They had lunch with Sylvia’s brother, John Broughten, and afterwards Charles and Sylvia walked to the house. They untied and opened the front gate which had been closed from December 7, 1874, when Charles’ mother, Ludowine, died and her body was carried through it. (Charles’ mother lived with him until her death.)

Charles proudly announced in his diary, “Home” is seen for the first time by Sylvia! We walk through the House, and the Keys are in her keeping.” He also observed, “This day we are Married “Seven weeks”.

Sylvia and Charles planned to move into the house the following Tuesday. In the week leading up to the move, Charles went to the office to catch up on business and Sylvia cleaned and arranged for the final move. They visited various relatives and had lunch with them, no doubt telling them about their wedding trip.

On Monday, the 18 th , the day before the intended move, Charles wrote, “Sylvia continues to arrange about the “house” for our final Move on tomorrow! When we intend to give our Family a Supper “the first” in our House. I buy the 1 st Sack of Flour this Afternoon & Sundry spices for the Household. “Sylvia” continues to arrange the kitchen until late: “7” P.M.”

It rained on the 19 th and the move was deferred until the 21 st . Charles continued to be busy at the office while Sylvia spent her time making covers for the furniture.

On Monday afternoon, the 20th , the day before the move, Sylvia was at the house “baking and fixing for tomorrow.” Sylvia’s brother, John, brought by a present of a Bible. Charles recounted move-in day, Tuesday, the 21 st : “This morning after Breakfast Sylvia and I take Ludo (Charles’ young Schmidt niece) to school and go down to our House. Sylvia is Baking and Cooking for this Evenings Supper; while I hang Pictures and gather some Flowers…Our 1 st meal “Supper” at “our home” present Bro Schmidt & Wife, Bro Broughten & Wife and Bro McIntire & Wife and Mrs. Lonergan, all enjoyed it splendid and the Meal a most “palatable one.”

Besides his work at the Exchange Bank of Schmidt & Koester, Charles purchased and sold property. It was with some delight he noted on September 28, “I make a deed to W. Jackson for the property sold to “Harry Frazier” . . . This the “first deed” “My Wife” signs with me.”

It was a propitious start for Charles and Sylvia as they began their lives together. Charles would say, “What is Paradise? This is our home!”

The photo above was taken from Broadway. It shows the house on the left as it was when Charles and Sylvia settled into it in 1876.