John Charles Wildermuth

He was the eldest of Johann Michael Wildermuth and Catharina Boeshar’s three documented sons — the others being his younger brothers William Clifford (b. 17 September 1866, Robert Earl Wildermuth’s paternal grandfather) and Edward Frederick (b. 17 February 1873, who lived to 1964 in Marietta). He was born September 1865 in Ohio.

The “grandfather John” question

Robert Earl Wildermuth’s 1989 memoir and 1990 Wildermuth/Fleming Heritage refer to his grandfather as “John Wildermuth.” Dale Eesley’s GEDCOM, settled June 2026, makes it clear that Robert Earl’s actual paternal grandfather was William Clifford Wildermuth, not John. The “John” in Robert Earl’s memory is most plausibly John Charles — William Clifford’s older brother and Robert Earl’s great-uncle. The recall confusion may have come from oral-history transmission (Robert Earl’s father Earl Adam wrote the 17 January 1972 letter naming the family elders) where “Uncle John” and “Grandfather William” were close in family memory and could be confused at one or two removes.

John Charles is therefore Robert Earl’s great-uncle and Chuck’s great-great-uncle, not the grandfather the memoir naming suggested.

He is Chuck’s great-great-uncle on the maternal Wildermuth side.

Sources: Dale Eesley / FamilySearch — John Charles Wildermuth (GSJC-729); Robert Earl Wildermuth’s 1989 memoir and 1990 Wildermuth/Fleming Heritage — the “grandfather John” reference.