Louis F. & Cora E. (Roop) Schumm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Louis F. And Cora (Roop) Schumm, located in row 8 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

SCHUMM
Louis F.
1892-1974

Cora E.
1884-1971

Married
April 5, 1913

Ludwig Friedrich “Louis“ Schumm was born 4 March 1892, the son of “River“ Henry and Magdalena “Lena“ (Geisler) Schumm. Louis was baptized at home on 20 March 1892, with Ludwig Schumm and Friedrich Kreiselmeyer serving as his sponsors. His sponsor Ludwig Schumm was his uncle and was also my great-grandfather.

Louis‘ father was known as River Henry because he lived near the St. Marys River and to differentiate him from several other Henry Schumms living in the area at that time.

Louis Schumm grew up in a large family. His father River Henry (1844-1922) was married twice and Louis was the oldest of the three children from his father’s second marriage. Louis grew up with two full siblings and eight step-siblings.

The children from River Henry’s first marriage to Anna “Rosina“ Schinnerer (1854-1890):
John Martin Schumm (1873-1954), married Lizzie Boroff
Clara Rosina Schumm (1875-1936), married Ernest George Dietrich
Minnie Schumm (1877-1958), married Martin H. Hofmann
Hannah Barbara Schumm (1878-1937), married George Merkle
Edward Ludwig Schumm (1880-1885)
Gustavus Jacob Schumm (1881-1951), married Dorathea Elizabeth Bienz
William Jacob Schumm (1883-1967), married Marie Sauer
Tillie Sarah Mathilda Schumm (1886-1971), married Ernest Theodore Merkle
Joseph Henry Schumm (1888-1957), married Edith May Smear
Carl Friedrich Schumm (1890-1893)

River Henry Schumm‘s first wife Rosina died in 1890 and the next year he married Lena Geisler (1868-1946). They had 3 children:

Louis Fredrick (1892-1974), married Cora Roop
Herman Andrew (1893-1984), married Anna Goellner
Theodore Gottlieb (1898-1967), married Leona Stetler

The River Henry Schumm family in 1910, living in Willshire Township: Henry, 65; Lena, 42, wife; Louis F, 18, son; Herman, 16, son; and Theodore, 11, son. [1]

Louis Schumm married Cora Eva Roop on 5 April 1913 at the Zion Lutheran parsonage at Schumm. They were married by Zion’s pastor, Rev. George J. Meyer. The church records note that both were from Willshire. Lillian E. Meyer, the minister’s wife, was the witness to their marriage.

Cora Eva Roop was born in Van Wert County 18 March 1884, the daughter of Jacob Lewis and Mary T. (Strickler) Roop.

The Jacob L. Roop family in 1900: Jacob, 55; Mary, 44, wife; Albert, 20, son; Cora, 16, daughter; and Lizza, 11, daughter. Cora attended school and her father Jacob was a farmer in Willshire Township. [2]

In 1910, Cora, age 26, single, resided with her parents on Sampson Street in Willshire. She worked for a private family at this time. [3]

Louis and Cora married three years later and in 1920 they lived on State Street in Willshire, where Louis worked as a house carpenter: Louis F, 28; Cora E, 34; and Robert William, 4, son. [4]

The Louis Schumm family in 1930, residing on State Street in Willshire: Louis F, 38; Cora E, 44 wife; Robert W, 14, son; Albert R, 12, son; Mary, 10, daughter; and Herbert, 1, son. Louis’ occupation was general carpentry. [5]  

The Louis F Schumm family in 1950: Lewis F, 58, was a carpenter; Cora E, 65, wife; Mary E, 25, daughter, never married, worked at the Farm Bureau Office; Herbert J, 21, son, never married, Church of God preacher.

Louis Schumm was one of the best carpenters and home builders around. In fact, Louis Schumm and Bill Baker built my parents’ home in 1957. Bill Baker, who was also a very good carpenter, learned from the best. I also remember Louis and Cora’s daughter Mary Schumm, who was a very talented musician. She played the harp and organ and probably even more instruments. She was my first organ teacher, back in the early 1960s. I learned a few years ago that Mary had also been a close school friend of my Aunt Ruth (Miller).

Louis and Cora Schumm resided in Willshire the rest of their lives. Cora (Roop) Schumm died 23 August 1971. Cora’s obituary:

WILLSHIRE-Mrs. Cora E. Schumm, 87, wife of Louis Schumm of Willshire, died at 11:20 a.m. Monday in Van Wert County Hospital, where she had been a patient for 10 days.

Born, March 18, 1884, in Willshire Township, she was the daughter of Jacob L, and Mary T. (Strickler) Roop.

Mrs. Schumm had attended Fort Wayne Business School and was employed at S.F. Bowser of Fort Wayne prior to her retirement. She attended churches in the Willshire area regularly. She and her husband celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1963.

Survivors in addition to her husband include: three sons, the Rev. Robert W. Schumm of Dixon, Ill., Elbert R. of Rt. 1, Rockford, and the Rev. Herbert I. Schumm of N. Andover, Mass.; a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Schumm of Willshire; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. A son, sister and brother are deceased.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Zwick Funeral Home, Decatur, Ind. with the Rev. Robert Schuler officiating. Burial will be in Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm. [6]

Louis F. Schumm died 16 January 1974. His obituary:

Louis F. Schumm, former Willshire council head, dies.
Louis F. Schumm, 81, of 639 Fort Recovery Road, Willshire, O., a contractor and builder for 60 years and a past president of the Willshire town council, was dead on arrival at the Van Wert, O., county hospital at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Death was unexpected. Mr. Schumm, a member of the Zion Lutheran Church at Schumm, was a well-known and lifelong resident of the Willshire area.

Born in Willshire township, Van Wert county, on March 4, 1892, he was the son of Henry and Magdalena Geissler-Schumm [sic] and was married on April 15, 1913 [sic], to Cora E. Roop, who died on August 23, 1971.

Surviving are four children, Rev. Robert W. of Dixon, Ill.; Elbert R. of route 1, Rockford, O., Miss Mary Elizabeth Schumm of Willshire, O.; and Rev. Herbert I, of North Andover, Mass.; one brother, Herman of Port Gibson, N.Y.; 11 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. One son, four half-sisters, one brother, Theodore, and four half-brothers preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. (Ohio time) at the Zwick funeral home, with Rev. Robert D. Schuler officiating. Burial will be in the Zion Lutheran cemetery at Schumm. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. tonight (Ohio time). Preferred memorials are to the Lutheran Hour. [7]

Louis and Cora (Roop) Schumm had the following children:
Robert W Schumm, Rev. Dr. (1915-2003), married Delora Maude Burk
Elbert R. Schumm Sr (1918-1978), married Elva Jan Martin
Mary Elizabeth Schumm (1920-2016)
Frederick Arthur Schumm (1923-1923)
Herbert Ivan Schumm, Rev. (1928-2018), married Priscilla Ruth Bonell

[1] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.3A, dwelling & family 50, Henry Schumm; Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Jun 2022.

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 97, p.7, dwelling 133, family 147, Jacob L. Roop; Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Jun 2022.

[3] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.12A, dwelling, family, Jacob F Roop; Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Jun 2022.

[4] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, Ed 146, p.11A, dwelling 126, family 127, Louis F. Schumm; Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Jun 2022.

[5] 1930 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 22, p.4B, dwelling & family 105, Louis F Schumm; Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Jun 2022.

[6] Cora Eva Roop Schumm memorial no. 34047065, Find a Grave.com.

[7] Decatur Daily Democrat, Decatur, Indiana, 17 Jan 1974.