The Black Sheep of the Family

I am sure there were more than just this one black sheep in our family, but this is one my mother knew. He was her first cousin. His name was Leo Zimmeth.

Leo was the eldest surviving child of George and Julia (Blust) Zimmeth. He was born in 1907 and had two sisters who also survived until adulthood. He had 9 brothers and sisters who did not.

George Zimmeth was my grandfather's brother and the brother closest to him in age. George died in October 1918. Julia, George's widow remarried in June of 1925. She was dead by the end of the year. Leo was 18 and his sisters were 15 and 12.

In 1929, Leo married Adele Kasten who was from Missouri. It took me a long time to find a marriage record (it was noted in Leo's baptismal record) but I finally found it in Ohio. I presume there was a divorce somewhere along the line as Adele remarried in 1946.

Many years ago, I remember my mother telling me she visited Leo in jail before he was sent to Jackson (Michigan) prison. She was terrified. My grandfather also was slightly scared of Leo. He never really said why, he just was. I have a copy of his prison record. But I was really glad to find some actual reports of his - um - activities. Here is the first one.

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