Although Henry Kistner, a German stonecutter, established the monument business in 1877, it was originally maintained at 1620 Vine Street, a very short distance from his Corryville residence. Following his death in 1929, two of his sons, including Anthony, operated the business, which eventually relocated to St. Bernard.
The Kistner family purchased the building once occupied by Schwartz Monuments, 604 E. Ross Avenue. Until 2016, it was operated by Anthony Kistner’s grandson, Ken Kistner (photo) a 4th generation owner. The company provided headstones and monuments for the nearby cemeteries of St. Mary and St. John, as well as cemeteries throughout the Cincinnati area. It is now under new ownership.
​
Kay Heller Phillips
Source: St. Bernard-Ludlow Grove Archive Files; The Cincinnati Enquirer, 01 Jan 1929, p. 7.