Johann “Adam” Dietrich, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)
This is the tombstone of Johann Adam Dietrich, located in row 4 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:
Johann Adam
Dietrich
27 Jan. 1828
10 Feb. 1912
Alter 84 J. u. 14 T.
DIETRICH
Johann “Adam” Dietrich was born 27 January 1828 [1], the son of Jacob and Mary C. (Werner) Dietrich. [2] According to Zion Schumm’s records Adam was born in Hainstadt, Kreis Erbach, Hesse Darmstadt.
He went by the name of Adam, which I will use in the post.
Sutton’s 1882 History of Van Wert County indicates that Adam Dietrich was born in Germany in 1828 and that he came to America with his father, Jacob Deitrich, in 1838. The family settled in Willshire Township. Adam married Mary Germann in 1854 and they had six children. That biography also gives us a little idea about the life in Van Wert County in those early years: The Dietrichs, like many other early settlers, commenced in the woods without any means. They first lived in a camp till they could build a cabin; cleared a patch of ground for potatoes and corn; that fall they sowed one acre of ground in wheat; they were not able to buy the seed for more. This they cultivated with the hoe, not having a team to work with. He says they have been six weeks at a time without bread in the house. [3]
In 1840 the Jacob Dietrich family resided in Willshire Township, Van Wert County, not all that far from the Schumms. Their name does not look like Dietrich on the 1840 census page and is indexed as “Tudrich” on Ancestry.com, but I believe it is the same Jacob Dietrich family. The number of people in the family and their ages fit pretty well: Jacob, who was about 54, is in the 40-50 age column, shown a couple years younger than he actually was. A male, likely Adam who was 12, is in the 10-15 year column. A female, likely the mother who was age 38, is in the 30-40 year column. And a young female, likely daughter Maria K. who was 8, is in the 5-10 year column. [4]
The Jacob Dietrich family in 1850, in Willshire Township: Jacob, 63; Catharine, 48; and Adam 22. Jacob was a farmer. [5]
Johann “Adam” Dietrich married Maria Germann in Van Wert County on 21 November 1854. [6] Their marriage is not recorded in Zion Schumm’s records so they likely married nearby, at St. Thomas Lutheran Church, where many of the Germanns worshipped.
The couple lost several children in the early years of their marriage. Their first son Jacob Dietrich died in infancy in 1857. Two years later, Catharina, one of their twin daughters, died the same day she was born. Their son Wilhelm died in 1863, at just a little over a year of age. Six of their children lived to adulthood.
The Adam Dietrich family in 1860: Adam, 32, born in Hesse Darmstadt; Mary E, 27, Hesse Hamburg; Mary M, 1, Ohio; Eserbert Zimmerman, 19, Bavaria; and Margaret Airaman, 15, Ohio. [7] They lived next door to Jacob and Catharine Dietrich.
The Adam Dietrich household in 1870, where Adam was a farmer: Adam, 42; Mary, 37; Augustus 7; Magdalene, 11; John, 9; Arnst, 6; Sophia, 3; and Henry, 9 months. The parents were born in Hesse Darmstadt and the children in Ohio. [8] The 1872 plat map of Willshire Township shows that Adam owned 160 acres, the northwest quarter of Section 23.
The Adam Dietrich household in 1880: Adam Dietrich, 52; Mary, 47, wife; Mary MM, 21; John, 19; Ernest, 15; Sophia, 13; Henry, 10; Emma, 6. Adam farmed and Mary kept house. [9] The 1886 plat map of Willshire Township shows that Adam owned most of the north half of Section 23, 300 acres. A 20-acre plot in the northeast corner was owned by Magdalene Sauer, likely Adam Dietrich’s daughter, who married Adam Sauer in 1883.
Adam’s wife Mary died on 28 November 1888 and is buried in Zion Schumm’s cemetery.
In 1900 Adam Dietrich, a widower residing with 4 of his children on the family farm: Adam, 72, head, Germany; John A, son, 39; Anna M S, daughter, 33; Henry J, son, 30; and Hannah E M, daughter, 26. The children were all born in Ohio. This enumeration indicates that Adam immigrated in 1838. Living next door was son Ernst Dietrich, his wife Clara (Schumm}, and their daughter Rosa. [10]
In 1910 Adam, 82, son Henry, 40, and daughter Sophie, 43, lived together, likely on the family farm. [11]
Adam Dietrich died less than two years later, on 10 February 1912, from an infection caused by a bowel obstruction he had had for 30 days. He was 84 years and 14 days old. 84 years and 12 days according to his death certificate. He was buried on the 12th and Buchanan was in charge of the arrangements. His son Henry was the informant for the information on his death certificate. [2] Adam‘s funeral text was from the first chapter of 1 John. According to Zion Schumm’s records he was survived by 4 children, 11 grandchildren, 3 child relatives through marriage, 2 brothers-in-law, and 1 sister-in-law.
Adam and Maria (Germann) Dietrich, had the following children:
Jacob Dietrich (1857-1857)
Maria Magdalena “Lena” Margaretha (1859-1940), married Adam Sauer
Catharina (1859-1859), born and died on the same day, twin to Maria Magdalena Margaretha
Johann Adam (1860-1903)
Wilhelm (1862-1863)
Georg Ernst (1864-1905), married Clara Schumm
Anna Maria Sophia (1866-1945), did not marry
Jacob “Heinrich” (1869-1935), married Maria Schumm
Hannah “Emma” Magdalena (1874-1956), married Johann “Ferdinand” Schinnerer
[1] Adam Dietrich’s date of birth is given as 27 Jan 1828 on his death certificate, Zion Schumm’s records, and his tombstone.
[2] “Ohio County Death Records, 1840-2001,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9ZY-T2RF?i=87&cc=2128172 : viewed 14 Jan 2019), Adam Dietrich, 10 Feb 1912; Willshire Twp, Van Wert County.
[3] Sutton, History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio, (1882; reprint, Mt. Vernon, Indiana : Windmill Publications, Inc., 1991), 257.
[4] 1840 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p. 70, line 15, Jacob Tudrich; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=8057&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 14 Jan 2019).
[5] 1850 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.172 (stamped), p.343 (penned), dwelling 357, family 376, Jacob Detrick; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=8054&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 14 Jan 2019).
[6] “Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958,” database, FamilySearch.org, Adam Detrick & Mary Elizabeth Germann, 21 Nov 1854, Van Wert, Ohio.
[7] 1860 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p: 151 (penned), dwelling 1075, family 1069, Adam Dertrich; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7667&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 4 Jan 2019).
[8] 1870 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p: 20 (penned), dwelling 136, family 137, Adam Dietrich; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7163&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 4 Jan 2019).
[9] 1880 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 154, p: 449A (stamped), p.13 (penned) family 116, Adam Dietrich; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6742&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 4 Jan 2019).
[10] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 98, p.310A (stamped), dwelling 210, family, 215, Adam Dietrich; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1900usfedcen/?name=adam_dietrich&birth=1828_germany_3253&birth_x=1-0-0&residence=_van+wert-ohio-usa_2983 : viewed 14 Jan 2019).
[11] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p258 (stamped), dwelling 115, family 116, Adam Dietorch; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7884&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 14 Jan 2019).
