Jul 12

Bridesmaid Dresses from the 1950s

A couple weeks ago, while getting out my mom’s wedding gown and veil, I found three other formal dresses that she had saved. I didn’t know if my mom wore them to the prom or if she wore them in weddings.

With a little photo detective work, by looking at her sisters’ wedding photos, I was able to identify where she wore two of the fancy dresses.

It turns out they are bridesmaid dresses. My mom’s sister Esther married in 1951 and my mom was her maid of honor. My mom wore this pink dress. It has satin under the tulle.

Bridesmaid dress, worn by Florence (Schumm) Miller in Esther Schumm’s wedding, 1951.

Bridesmaids in Esther (Schumm) Krueckeberg’s wedding, 1951. Amy (Schumm) Boenker, Florence (Schumm) Miller, Phyllis (Gunsett) Dietrich.

Esther (Schumm) & Alvin Krueckeberg wedding party, 1951. Left to right: Herb Miller, Phyllis (Gunsett) Dietrich, Florence (Schumm) Miller, Esther & Al, Elmer Schumm, Amy (Schumm) Boenker, and Jr. Krueckeberg.

The mom’s sister Amy married in 1953 and my mom was also in her wedding, where she wore a blue dress. This dress has a short, sleeveless, lacy jacket and lacy lower arm coverings. There is a layer of satin under the lace.

Bridesmaid dress worn by Florence (Schumm) Miller in Amy Schumm’s wedding, 1953.

Bridesmaid dress (Amy’s wedding) with jacket and arm covering.

Amy (Schumm) & Herman Boenker wedding party, 1953.

The third dress is blue satin and likely a dress my mom wore in another wedding, but I am not sure whose wedding. Perhaps it was my aunt Kate’s wedding. Kate was my dad’s sister and was a bridesmaid in my parents’ wedding. The blue satin has discolored a little over the years, giving it an iridescent look.

Dress worn by Florence (Schumm) Miller in someone’s wedding.

All three bridesmaid dresses are the same size. I know this because I tried them on! These dresses are heavy and hot! Not dresses you want to play dress-up in on a hot July day. They are a little difficult to get into because they have a side zipper, under the arm. A back zipper, from the neck down, would have made them much easier to get into. However, I did get into them but I was not able to zip any of them up. I am bigger on the top than my mom was.

How styles have changed! I am sure these were the very latest styles in bridesmaid dresses at the time, but we had a good laugh when I modeled them for Joe. I looked a like cross between Bo-Peep and the Blue Bonnet girl in the blue satin dress. Needless to say, photos of me in the bridesmaid dresses have been deliberately omitted here.

My mom’s wedding gown has nice embellishments around the neck and little buttons going down the back. I imagine it was originally white but is more of an ivory-color now. The matching veil was first worn by my mom in 1950 and was also worn by both of her sisters in their weddings.  

Florence (Schumm) Miller, wedding photo, 1950.

Florence (Schumm) Miller wedding dress, 1950 wedding.

Florence (Schumm) Miller wedding dress & veil, 1950 wedding.

Florence (Schumm) wedding dress, 1950 wedding.

My mom was not the only one in her family who saved her wedding gown. Her sister Esther displayed her wedding dress at their 50th wedding anniversary celebration in 2001.

Esther (Schumm) wedding dress, Krueckeberg 50th Anniversary, 2001.

Jul 09

Tombstone Tuesday-Arthur H. Gunsett

Arthur H Gunsett, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Arthur Hermann Gunsett, located in row 2 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Arthur H.
Sohn von
J. und C.
Gunset
Gestorben
22 Dec 1895
In Alter von
2 J. 10 M. 14 T.
GUNSETT

Arthur H, son of J and C Gunset, died 22 December 1895, at the age or 2 years, 10 months, and 14 days.

Arthur Hermann Gunsett was born 8 February 1893, the son of Joseph and Clara (Schinnerer) Gunsett. He was baptized at home on 26 February 1893, with George Weinmann Jr. and Hermann Gunsett serving as his sponsors.

Arthur’s father Joseph (1863-1931) was the son of Joseph and Hannah (Wyandt) Gunsett. Arthur’s mother Clara (1866-1942) was the daughter of Friedrich and Elizabeth (Schumm) Schinnerer. Friedrich and Elizabeth Schinnerer were my great-great-grandparents.

Joseph and Clara Gunsett lived a couple miles northeast of Willshire and Joseph was a farmer.   

Arthur Gunsett died of suffocation on 22 December 1895. He was 2 years, 10 months, and 14 days old. He was buried on the 24th. [1] Zion’s church records and his Van Wert County death record both indicate that he suffocated but no additional information was given.  

The surname is spelled Gunset on the face of his tombstone. It looks as though the engraver may have run out of space on the stone and did not have enough room for the second t.

Joseph and Clara (Schinnerer) Gunsett had the following children:
Walter Friedrich (1890-1968), married Clara Bender
Edward Theodore (1891-1973), married Martha A. Dirkson
Arthur Hermann (1893-1895)
Herbert Heinrich (1896-1981), married Fayelle Kelly
Lillie Emma (1898-1989)

 

[1] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” Van Wert, Vol. 2:55, no. 9, Arthur Gunsett, 22 Dec 1895; database with images, FamilySearch.org
(https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-672G-3X?i=422&cc=2128172 : viewed 8 Jul 2019).

 

Jul 04

Happy July 4th!

 

This is Boston’s Old State House, the oldest surviving public building in that city, where The Declaration of Independence was read from its balcony on 18 July 1776.

Boston’s Old State House.

Below is The American’s Creed, which we recite at our DAR meetings. The American’s Creed was the winning submission in a 1917 national writing contest for a creed of the United States. William Tyler Page used phrases from the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address in his entry. The American’s Creed was adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives in 1918.

The American’s Creed
I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes. I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support it Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.        —-William Tyler Page

A couple other patriotic quotes:

“Where liberty dwells, there is my country.” –Benjamin Franklin

“And I’m proud to an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.” –Lee Greenwood

Today, as we celebrate the Fourth by flying American flags, watching parades and fireworks, and attending family picnics, remember our patriot forefathers who gave us these freedoms, as well as our veterans and active military.  

I wish everyone a happy and safe Independence Day.

God Bless America!

Jul 02

Tombstone Tuesday–Karl F. Schumm

Karl F Schumm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio, d.1893. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Karl F. Schumm, located in row 2 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Hier Ruhet
Karl F.
Sohn von
H. und [R.]
Schumm
Gest. Den 23
Juni 1893
Alter
3 J, 5M, 8T

Here rests Karl F, son of H and [R] Schumm, died 23 June 1893, age 3 years, 5 months, 8 days.

“Karl” Friedrich Schumm was born at home in Willshire Township on 15 January 1890, the 10th child born to Henry and Anna “Rosine” (Schinnerer) Schumm. Carl’s father was known as “River Henry” because he lived near the St. Marys River and to distinguish him from the other Henry Schumms in the area. Carl’s mother Rosine was the daughter of Friedrich Schinnerer and his first wife Mary Deier.

Karl’s mother Rosine (Schinnerer) Schumm died the same day Karl was born. Zion Schumm’s records indicate that she died of a heart attack at 7:00 in the evening, at the age of 35. I wonder if she actually had a heart attack or if she died from complications of giving birth earlier in the day. Rosine is buried in row 5 of Zion Schumm’s cemetery.  

The next day, 16 January 1890, Karl Schumm was baptized at home. Friedrich Schinnerer (the second) and Martin Schinnerer (the second) served as his sponsors.

River Henry Schumm, left to raise his 10 children, including the newborn infant Karl, married a year later. River Henry married Anna Magdalena “Lena” Geisler on 27 January 1891. Karl and his siblings had a step-mother.

Karl Schumm died 23 June 1893 at the age 3 years, 5 months, and 8 days. Zion Schumm’s records indicate that he died in a fall. Van Wert Death Records indicate that he died of a broken neck, [1] likely a result of the fall. Karl was buried on the 25th.

River Henry and Rosine (Schinnerer) Schumm had ten children:
John Martin (1873-1954), married Elizabeth Boroff
Clara Rosina (1875-1936), married Ernest Dietrich
Magdalena Wilhelmina “Minnie” (1877-1958), married Martin Hofmann
Hannah Barbara (1878-1937), married George Merkle
Edward Ludwig (1880-1885)
Gustavus Jacob (1881-1951), married Dorathea Bienz
William Jacob (1883-1967), married Maria Sauer
Sarah Mathilda “Tillie” (1886-1971), married Ernest Theodore Merkle
Joseph Heinrich (1888-1957), married Edith May (Smear) Wise
Karl Friedrich (1890-1893)

River Henry and “Lena” (Geisler) Schumm had 3 children:
Louis Fredrick (1892-1974), married Cora Eva Roop
Herman Andrew (1893-1984), married Anna Goellner
Theodore Gottlieb (1898-1967), married Leona Stetler

 

[1] “Ohio, Couty Death Records, 1840-2001,” Willshire, Willshire Township, Van Wert, Vol. 2:191, no.7, Carl F Schumm, 23 Jun 1893; database with images, FamilySearch, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6722-8J?i=532&cc=2128172 : viewed 1 Jul 2019).

Jun 28

The Veil

Last week I posted a photo from my Aunt Esther’s wedding reception, which was held in their family barn east of Willshire.  

Below are more wedding photos of the Schumm sisters, the three daughters of Cornelius L. and Hilda (Scaer) Schumm, my mom and her two sisters Esther and Amy.

Florence (Schumm) & Herbert Miller, 3 December 1950.

Esther (Schumm) & Al Krueckeberg, 10 June 1951.

Amy (Schumm) & Herman Boenker, 4 July 1953.

In addition to the fact that they are wedding photos, do you notice something else the photos all have in common?

It is the veil. All three sisters wore the same veil!

Wedding veil worn by Schumm sisters, 1950-1953.

My mom and dad were married first, on 3 December 1950, the weekend after the big Thanksgiving blizzard. They planned to marry on that Thanksgiving weekend but had to postpone the event for a week due to the blizzard.

Dress & veil worn by Florence (Schumm) Miller, 1950. The beading on the veil and dress match quite nicely.

My mom’s sister Esther married the next year, in June 1951, and their sister Amy was married in July 1953.

My mom purchased the veil for her wedding and her sisters borrowed it for their weddings.

What a nice idea! I never knew about this until my aunt Esther mentioned it a few years ago.

Florence (Schumm) Miller, December 1950, wearing the veil that would later be worn by her sisters.

It is a very pretty veil, which my mom saved all those years. Had I known about this family tradition I may have worn the veil at our wedding. It is actually fancier than my veil was. A missed opportunity… Sigh.

Closeup view of veil worn by Schumm sisters.

My mom also saved her satin wedding dress as well as their wedding cake topper.

Wedding dress, veil, and cake topper from Florence (Schumm) Miller’s wedding, December 1950.

She saved a lot of things and I will share some more of those wedding items soon.