Sep 15

Tombstone Tuesday-Ernst C. Roehm

Ernst C Roehm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Ernst C. Roehm, located in row 10 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Ernst C.
Sohn von
F. u. H. Roehm
18 Apr. 1913
22 Jan. 1918
Text: Matth 18:14

Ernst Christian Roehm was born near Schumm on 18 April 1913, the sixth child of Frederick G. and Henrietta (Schumm) Roehm. He was baptized at home by Rev. George Meyer on 4 May 1913, with Amos Schumm and Heinrich Dietrich serving as his sponsors.

Ernst Roehm died at home from broncho-pneumonia on 22 January 1918. He was 4 years, 9 months, and 4 days old and had been sick for about 4 days. Ernst was buried on the 24th. [1]  

His father Frederick Roehm, a cashier at the Willshire Bank, died in 1926 [2] and his mother Henrietta (Schumm) Roehm died in 1947. [3] Their tombstone is next to Ernst’s tombstone.

Ernst Roehm had the following siblings:
Paul Andreas, (1903-1989), married Elsie Scaer
Emanuel “George” (1905-1938), married Esther Ohnesorge
Anna Marie (1907-1990), married Kenneth Bergman
“Frederick” John (1908-1954), married Nora Louise Berning
George Walter (1911-1982), married Edith Lucille Gribler
Louise Rosina (1915-1976), married Rev. Frederick Voigtmann
Alma Margaret (1919-2001), married Harold Ervin Thieme
Albert Henry (1919-1991), married Ruth Elizabeth Meyer

[1] “Ohio Deaths, 1918-1953,” Willshire Twp, Van Wert Co, Ernst Rhoem, 22 Jan 1918; database with images, FamilySerch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPJ1-S4QX?i=944&cc=1307272&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AX8V4-NRC : viewed 13 Sep 2020).

[2] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001, ”Willshire Township, Van Wert, Frederick G Roehm, 22 Dec 1926; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9ZY-TV17?i=417&cc=2128172&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AF6CF-PQM : viewed 7 Sep 2020).

[3] Indiana, Death Certificate, 1899-2011, 1947, roll 6, Henretta Roehm; digital image, Ancestry.com.

Sep 11

We Will Never Forget

We Will Never Forget

September 11th, 2001.

Nearly every one of us remembers where we were and what we were doing 19 years ago, when we heard the news that planes had hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and that a fourth had crashed in rural Pennsylvania.

New York City, before 2001

At 8:46 a.m. Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower.

At 9:02 a.m. Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower.

At 9:59 a.m. the South Tower collapsed.

At 10:48 a.m. the North Tower collapsed.

At 9:37 a.m. Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon.

At 10:03 a.m. Flight 93 crashed in Somerset County, southeast of Pittsburgh.  

Today, we remember the nearly 3000 people who died that day, as a direct result of the attacks, and we remember and honor the police, firemen, and others who sacrificed their lives to help others that day.  

We will never forget.

We must never forget.

 

Sep 08

Tombstone Tuesday-Frederick G. & Henrietta A. (Schumm) Roehm

Frederick G & Henrietta A (Schumm) Roehm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Frederick G. and Henrietta A. (Schumm) Roehm, located in row 10 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Frederick G.
1872-1926
Henrietta A.
1879-1947
ROEHM

Andreas “Frederick” Gustav Roehm was born in Van Wert County, Ohio, on 26 July 1872, the second of eight children born to John and Rosina (Schumm) Roehm. He was baptized 4 August 1872, with Andreas Roehm and Frederick Bienz serving as his sponsors.

The John Roehm family in 1880, with Frederick enumerated as Andrew: John, 37; Rosina, 34; Minnie, 8; Andrew, 6; Julia, 5; Pauline, 4; and Mary H, 2. [1] 

The John Roehm family in 1900: John 57; Rosina, 55; Fred, 27; Louis J, 18; Albert C, 16; and Alma, 16. [2]

Frederick Roehm married Henrietta Schumm at Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, on 18 May 1902.

“Henrietta” Amalia Schumm was born in Ohio, likely in Mercer County, on 12 August 1879. She was the sixth of nine children born to Friedrich Schumm Jr and his first wife Margaret Ehrenmann. Henrietta was baptized at home on 24 August 1879, with Mrs. Rosina Schinnerer and Maria Buchner serving as her sponsors.

Henrietta Schumm, enumerated with her family in 1880, residing on the family farm in Black Creek Township, Mercer County: Frederick Schumm, 35; Margaret, 33; Catharine, 6; Hugo, 4; Leona, 2; and Henrietta, 10 months. [3]

Henrietta’s mother Margaret (Ehrenmann) died 27 June 1885 and in 1888 her father married Maria/Mary Catharine Buchner.

The Frederick Schumm Jr family in 1900: Frederick, 56; Mary, 39; Hugo A, 24; Leona B, 22; Henrietta A, 20; Lawrence W, 15; Amos C, 8; Erna F, 5; and Naomi M, 3. Henrietta had 5 full siblings and 3 step-siblings living at this time. [4]

The Frederick and Henrietta (Schumm) Roehm family in 1910, eight years after their marriage: Frederick, 37; Henrietta, 30; Paul A, 6; Emanuel, 4; Anna, 3; and Frederick, 1. Frederick worked as a cashier at a bank. This enumeration indicates the couple has been married 8 years and that Henrietta had given birth to 4 children, all of whom were living. [5]

The Frederick Roehm family in 1920: Fred G, 47; Henrietta, 40; Paul A, 16; Emanuel G, 14; Anna, 12; Frederick, 10; George, 8; Louise M, 4; Alma, 2; and Albert 2. Frederick continued to work as a cashier in a bank. [6]

Frederick Roehm died of bladder cancer in Willshire Township on 22 December 1926, at the age of 54 years, 4 months, and 26 days. He was buried on the 26th. He was a cashier at the F & M State Bank of Willshire. [7]

Widow Henrietta (Schumm) Roehm, with some of her children, in 1930: Henrietta, 50; Anna, 23; Frederick, 21; George, 18; Louise, 14; Albert, 10; and Alma, 10. [8]

In 1940, widow Henrietta lived with two of her unmarried children east of Willshire: Henrietta, 60; George, 28; and Albert, 21. Her son George was a farmer and they lived very close to where my mother grew up. [9]

Henrietta (Schumm) Roehm died at Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne, on 31 May 1947, at the age of 67 years, 9 months, and 19 days. Her usual residence was recorded as Willshire. She was buried on 3 June, with Rev. A.P. Schlegel in charge of the service. [10]

Friedrich and Henrietta (Schumm) Roehm had the following children:
Paul Andreas, (1903-1989), married Elsie Scaer
Emanuel “George” (1905-1938), married Esther Ohnesorge
Anna Marie (1907-1990), married Kenneth Bergman
“Frederick” John (1908-1954), married Nora Louise Berning
George Walter (1911-1982), married Edith Lucille Gribler
Ernst Christian (1913-1918)
Louise Rosina (1915-1976), married Rev. Frederick Voigtmann
Alma Margaret (1919-2001), married Harold Ervin Thieme
Albert Henry (1919-1991), married Ruth Elizabeth Meyer

[1] 1880 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 154, p.449B, family 123, John Roehm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 97, p.8, dwelling 165, family 178, John Roehn; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020). 

[3] 1880 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, ED 179, p.333B, line 31, Fredone Schuman; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/ : viewed 15 Jun 2020).

[4] 1900 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, ED 74, p.2, dwelling & family 29, Frederick Schumm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/ : viewed 17 May 2020).

[5] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.2B, dwelling & family 47, Fredenol Rochen; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/ : viewed 7 Sep 2020).

[6] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.4A, dwelling 76, family 77, Fred G Roehm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061/ : viewed 7 Sep 2020).

[7] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” Willshire Township, Van Wert, Frederick G Roehm, 22 Dec 1926; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9ZY-TV17?i=417&cc=2128172&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AF6CF-PQM : viewed 7 Sep 2020).

[8] 1930 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 24, p.3B, dwelling 68, family 70, Henryetta Roehm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/ : viewed 7 Sep 2020).

[9] 1940 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 81-28, p.8A, visited no.163, Henretta Rochen; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2442/ : viewed 7 Sep 2020).

[10] Indiana, Death Certificate, 1899-2011, 1947, roll 6, Henretta Roehm; digital image, Ancestry.com.

Sep 04

Our Monarch Butterflies

Spoiler alert. This blog post has nothing to do with genealogy. Instead, it is about one of my other interests, a new project we tried out this year.

Raising monarch butterflies.

Joe and I both enjoy the birds and other wildlife we see in our woods, but Joe is the real gardener around here. He loves working in the yard–landscaping, growing flowers, and nurturing a pollinator garden. He does the majority of the outdoor work around here and I help out to a lesser degree. Dead-heading spent flowers is my specialty and I’m not too bad at raking.

Our pollinator garden sign.

One of Joe’s projects the past couple years has been to start and maintain a pollinator garden, something to help the butterflies and bees. He planted several varieties of milkweed for the monarchs as well as other blooming plants for the bees and for other types of butterflies.

Butterfly Weed, a type of milkweed.

Yellow Milkweed

Last year we attended a monarch butterfly workshop in Celina and learned that some local people were helping the monarch population by putting monarch eggs and caterpillars in a specially-styled box, providing them with food and a place to attach their chrysalis, and releasing the butterfly that eventually emerges.

We decided we wanted to try this, hoping to improve the butterfly’s chances. Joe made a wood-framed, screened-in box last winter for this project.

Monarch caterpillar box Joe built.

The female monarch butterfly lays tiny white eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves. A little caterpillar hatches from the egg in about 5 days and eats the milkweed leaves. The caterpillar grows quickly. They are little eating (and pooping) machines. After about 14 days, when the caterpillar is about 2 inches long, it will attach itself to the underside of a leaf or twig and turn into a chrysalis, like a cocoon, which is the pupal stage. Eventually a butterfly will emerge from the chrysalis in about 10-14 days.

In the wild, monarch eggs have less than a 10% chance of making it to a butterfly.

Monarch caterpillar in the garden, eating common milkweed.

Monarch chrysalis in the wild. The butterfly emerged later that day.

We learned that you can improve the odds of this whole process and help the monarchs by putting the eggs or the caterpillars into a special box and making sure they have plenty of milkweed leaves to eat. This will sustain them through the chrysalis stage, until they become a monarch butterfly, which can then be released.

Four monarch caterpillars in our box, eating milkweed.

On 6 August we found a monarch caterpillar and put it on a milkweed stem and placed it into the box. Joe put the milkweed stem in a little tube of water. That first caterpillar was fairly good sized and two days later, on 8 August, it climbed to the top of the cage and attached itself to the screen in an up-side-down position. By the next day it was a chrysalis. Eleven days later, on 19 August, a beautiful female butterfly emerged. It took a couple hours for her to dry out, spread her wings, and leave the cage, but she eventually flew away and landed on a tree, in the sun.

Our first monarch butterfly, a female. You can see two other chrysalises hanging from the top.

Our first monarch, ready to fly away.

This was fun, so in the meantime we added more caterpillars to the box. On 8 August we added 4 more good-sized caterpillars and 2 more on the 10th. Of course, we had to add more milkweed stems. They really do eat a lot!

Eventually they all climbed to the top of the box and transformed into chrysalises. At one point we had 7 chrysalises hanging from the top of the box. 

Five chrysalises hanging on this side of the cage.

Two other chrysalises on the other side of the cage, seven total.

Over the next week 5 more beautiful butterflies emerged.

Monarch #2, just after emerging from her chrysalis. Note the other two chrysalises.

Monarchs #3 & 4, just after emerging from their chrysalises.

One chrysalis did not survive and we are not sure what happened to it. Five of the monarchs were females and one was a male. Males have a black spot on each of their lower wings. We wonder if there are naturally more females to help perpetuate the species.

The lone male monarch. Note the spots on each of his lower wings.

The male monarch.

Monarchs #5 & 6, shortly after emerging from their chrysalises.

Monarchs #5 & 6, shortly after emerging from their chrysalises.

We thought we were finished for this year, after raising and releasing 6 butterflies. After all, the weather will be getting cooler and the last generation of monarchs will be heading down to Mexico before long, where they will spend the winter.

But on 19 August I found a teeny tiny caterpillar on the underside of a milkweed leaf and we put him in the cage. He grew quickly he turned into a chrysalis on the 29th.

Then Joe found 2 mid-sized caterpillars and put them in the box on 31 August. As of today, these last two are still munching away on the leaves and are about large enough to turn into chrysalises.

When these emerge, we will have raised and released a total of 9 monarch butterflies. What fun and what a good way to help the monarch population. We will definitely do this again next year.

We did learn that we will probably need more milkweed plants. These caterpillars really do eat a lot! One of our larger milkweed plants has a pod on it and we will harvest it for the seeds when it matures.

Common milkweed seed pod.

We took a ride around the woods a couple days ago and saw 2 monarch butterflies flying around. They are so beautiful when they fly.  We wondered if they were ones that we had released.

Hopefully the monarchs we nurtured will make it all the way to Mexico.

Safe travel, little ones.

Sep 01

Tombstone Tuesday-Albert C. Roehm

Albert C. Roehm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Albert C. Roehm, located in row 4 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Albert C. Roehm
1883-1953

Albert Christian Roehm was born near Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio, on 16 August 1883. Albert was a twin. He and his twin sister Alma were the last children born to John and Rosina (Schumm) Roehm. Albert and Alma had six older siblings at the time of their birth, but their sister Marie Therese died in 1892.

Albert Roehm and his twin sister were baptized at home on 19 August 1883, with Christian Schumm and Sophie Schumm serving as his sponsors.    

The John Roehm family in 1900, when Albert was 16 years old: John Roehm 57; Rosina, 55; Fred, 27; Louis J, 18; Albert C, 16; Alma, 16. [1]

The John Roehm family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, by 1910, where they resided at 2430 Hanna Street: John Roehm, 66; Rosina, 64; Alma S, 26; and Albert C, 26. Albert worked as a machine hand for a steam railroad. [2]

When Albert registered for the World War I draft he lived at 2229 Smith Street in Fort Wayne and worked as a machinist at S.F. Bowser & Co. in Fort Wayne. Albert was described as short, with medium build, light brown eyes, and light brown hair. [3]

In 1920 Albert lived at 2229 Smith Street in Fort Wayne, living as a lodger in the home of Edwin Buuck and working as an assembler in pump works. Albert was 36 years of age and single. [4]

Albert Roehm moved to Carnegie, Pennsylvania, by 1930 and in 1930 he lived in a boarding house on 829 West Main Street there. Age 46 and single, Albert worked as a machine operator in a paper mill there. [5]

Albert’s father John Roehm died in 1932 and his obituary mentions that Albert was living in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. [6]

In 1940 Albert Roehm, 56, was a boarder in the home of Emma Oriss, age 72, 520 Washington Avenue in Carnegie. Albert reported that he lived in this same house in 1935. He was single and worked as a machine operator in a paper box factory. [7]

Albert Roehm registered for the WWII draft in 1942 and resided at 3032 Norland Ave, Carnegie, Pennsylvania. He was 58 years old, 5’6”, 160 pounds, with hazel eyes, gray-brown hair, and a light complexion. He stated he was born in Willshire and worked at Superior Paper Products Company. Albert stated that Mrs. William Franke, 29 Welsford Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was a person who would always know his address. [8] Mrs. William Franke was his sister Mary “Julia” (Roehm) (1875-1957).

Albert Christian Roehm died in Miami-Dade, Florida, 22 February 1953. [9]

Albert Roehm had the following siblings:
Minnie (1871-1953), married George “Frederick” Schinnerer
Andreas “Friedrich” George (1872-1926), married Henrietta Amalia Schumm
Mary “Julia” (1875-1957), married William Conrad Franke
Charlotte “Paulina” (1876-1962), married Frederick J. Acker
Marie Therese (1878-1892)
John “Louis” (Rev.) (1881-1975), married Anna Elizabeth Peters
Alma Sophie (1883-1974), married Herman Kraft

[1] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 97, p.8, dwelling 165, family 178, John Roehn; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020). 

[2] 1910 U.S. Census, Fort Wayne Ward 7, Allen, Indiana, ED 554, p.16B, dwelling 360, family 366, John Roehm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/ : viewed 23 Aug 2020).

[3] World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Allen County, Indiana, Draft Board 3, Roll 1503885, Albert Christian Roehm, Serial no. 3304; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com.

[4] 1920 U.S. Census, Fort Wayne Ward 10, Allen, Indiana, ED 82, p.20B, dwelling 408, family 452, Albert C Roahm [Edwin Bunck (Buuck) household]; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061/ : viewed 30 Aug 2020).

[5] 1930 U.S. Census, Carnegie, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, ED 534, p.19A, dwelling 337, family 7, Albert C Roehm, household of Agnes Augustine; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/ : viewed 30 Aug 2020).

[6] Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, p.3, 1 Sep 1932, digital images by subscription, Ancestry.com.

[7] 1940 U.S. Census, Carnegie, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, ED 2-73, p.13B, household visited 222, Albert Rochner, household of Emma Orris; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2442/ : viewed 30 Aug 2020).

[8] Records of the Selective Service System, World War II Draft Registration Cards for the State of Pennsylvania, 1942, Record Group 147, Series No. M1951, Albert C Roehm, Serial no. 143.

[9] Florida Death Index, 1877-1998, Florida Department of Health, Albert Christian Roehm, 1953; database, Ancestry.com.