Feb 01

Personal Items from 1904 Willshire Herald

I am still getting information from the 5 May 1904 edition of the Willshire Herald that my great-grandfather Louis J. Schumm saved. The Willshire Herald was the predecessor of today’s Photo Star.

Years ago local newspapers included personal items—information that included some of the happenings around the neighborhood–what the neighbors were doing, who visited who, who was sick, who was new in town, and other such information.

I enjoy reading these little personal items, hoping to see some familiar names. Perhaps one of your ancestors was mentioned.

Items of interest from 5 May 1904, The Willshire Herald:

Mrs. Peter Schafer visited her parents in Decatur last Friday.

J.F. Baucher and Chris Byer were Van Wert visitors yesterday on real estate business.

Mr. And Mrs. Nelson Hook, who live southwest of town, spent Sunday in the home of Clarence Kohn in the town.

Alex Johnson is employed temporarily by the Ohio City Telephone company as an expert electrician, at $2 a day and expenses.

Mrs. Peter Frysinger, of Wren was reported lying at death’s door last Friday, the attending physician having announced that her recovery is impossible.

Mr. Sol Hetler, of near Berne, was an agreeable caller at the Herald office last Saturday. Our readers will observe that a “star” precedes his name in The Herald’s “roll of Honor.”

Will Case came home Saturday and remained until Sunday evening, visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jud Case, and other relatives. He is now located at Versailles, Ohio, employed at his trade, that of harness making.

W.H. Stults and J.L. Moser, of Wren, were Willshire visitors Saturday afternoon. The latter is president and the former, cashier, of the Bank of Wren. They are both hustlers, and the leading financiers of their bailiwick.

Frank Detter made a business trip to Decatur yesterday.

L.L. Heaston spent several days last week in Ft. Wayne, visiting relatives.

Albert Weinmann, of Schumm, has accepted a clerical position with G.M. Syphers, the grocer, and began work on Monday. Jas. O. Chilcote arrived yesterday from Jamestown, Ohio, and is now domiciled at the home of Mr. And Mrs. John Hofstetter.

Mr. John Davis, who lives out Chattanooga way, is a new subscriber to the Herald. He has the appearance of being a prosperous farmer. Mr. Davis is an uncle of Reed and H.M. Davis of this town.

Mrs. L.L. Syphers and two young daughters, who spent part of last week visiting their relatives in this town and in the vicinity of Steele, returned Monday to their home in Van Wert. They are as yet undecided just where they will locate after they retire from the conduct of the Wayne hotel, though they will remain in Van Wert for an indefinite time, at least.

Rev. J.H. Walters was over from Lima, Ind., the first of this week. Rumor has it that he will shortly move on to his farm a short distance west of this town.

The ten-year-old son of A.T. Baldwin, the Baldwin Oil company, operating in the territory southeast of this town, is dangerously ill at his home in Buffalo New York.

Billy Stetler, the outside hustler for trade for G.M. Syphers rounded up 1703 dozen eggs last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. That’s going some, we guess, and it surely must be a record-breaker.

A bunch of Willshireites went to Ohio City Sunday afternoon to see a game of ball, but as there was no game scheduled, they failed to see one. There was a game played at Delphos, however.

Little Vivian Closs, a decidedly interesting young miss, accompanied her father, Jacob Closs, the watch-repairing artist, over from Decatur Monday, and remained until Tuesday, taking in the sights.

The district conference and missionary convention of the M.E. church, Lima district, will meet at the first Methodist church in Van Wert next Monday and Tuesday, May 9th and 10th. Rev. P.B. Cuppett, formerly of this town, has a place on the program and will preach the sermon for the Tuesday afternoon session.

A.J. Shoemaker, who a little over a year ago moved from the W. H. Hunter place east of town to the Bowen farm, near Decatur, Ind., was in town Monday, and called at this office. He is now living at Bobo, farming for Henry Colter, the saw-mill man. Mr. Shoemaker says he is getting along well, likes his job and the community in which he lives. He recently bought a couple town lots in Bobo and expects to make that town his permanent home.

F.G. Roehm was on Saturday appointed by the trustees to the position of supervisor on road district No.5. A better appointment could not have been made.

Mrs. James Bonames and children have gone to the home of her mother, Mrs. Sarah Parnell, at Petersburg, Ind., for a prolonged visit and she says she will stay until her husband can secure a dwelling house for their accommodation. Mr. Bonames, who is pumper for Clover Leaf, might as well call himself a widower.    

We acknowledge an invitation and complimentary ticket to attend the ball game at Delphos Sunday, between the Dayton Reserves and the Delphos clubs, but we are not going. We have our short-comings, but attending Sunday baseball games is not one of them.

W.A. Spiegel, the Ft. Wayne piano tuner, will be in Willshire May 16. Make your wants known to Jas. B. Stogdill, if you want your pianos and organs tuned and repaired.

Judge David Studabaker, of Decatur, died late Tuesday night, aged 77 years. He was distinguished as a lawyer, jurist, agriculturalist, and financier.

Mrs. E. Brown and a couple of the children went out to her mother’s, Mrs. Hoffman, near Ohio City, and remained until Monday evening.

Mrs. John Stetler is in town this week, looking after her property interests.  

Fred Detter and Otis Passwater attended the commencement of the Convoy High School last Friday night They speak highly of the exercises and of the work Prof. I.F. Alexander is doing in that town.

The village council, at its meeting Monday night decided to make substantial improvements to the public park. They are badly needed. The present condition of the park is an eyesore to the town.

Willshire has a very nice park today, but back in 1904 it must have had some issues, as mentioned above. The following may have been part of the planned park improvement:

Public Sale
The mayor and council of the village of Willshire, Van Wert County, Ohio, have authorized the village marshal, S.H. Sims, to offer at public sale the fence enclosing the Village Park, to the highest and best bidder, at 1 o’clock p.m., on Saturday, May 7, 1904. Terms of sale made known on day of sale. By order of the Village Council, Monday, May 2nd, 1904.

And lastly, a different way to announce a marriage:

Another Couple mated
Last Wednesday evening, at the residence of Rev. and Mrs. H.H. Kohn, occurred the marriage of Benjamin F. Loop and Mrs. Parmelia King. Prior to the wedding a nuptial dinner was served at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. H.H. King, in this town, only members of the family being present. This ante-nuptial arrangement was a fad of the groom, who believes in scattering the good things incident thereto all along the wedding journey and his wishes were acceded to. A portion of the cake and other delicacies of the feast found their way to the supper table of The Herald family, and their excellence was real. The groom is foreman of a department in Wabash railroad shops at Ashley, Ind., and is a man of excellent parts. The bride is a daughter of Mr. J.C. Ault, who lives two miles northeast of this town and is well known to many of The Herald readers. We are sure that the people of this community generally wishes them all the prosperity and happiness that is due worthy people.

They used a few terms that are rarely used today—“bailiwick” for one. And the term hustler seems to have had a different meaning back then.

I noticed a few spelling errors in the paper but I copied the names as they published them.

Jan 29

Tombstone Tuesday–Johann Dietrich

Johann Dietrich, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Johann Dietrich, located in row 8 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Heir Ruhet in Gott
Joh Dietrich
Geboren
Den. 13 Oct. 1860
Gestorben
Den. 30 Marz 1903

Here rests in God, Joh Dietrich, born 14 Oct 1860, died 30 March 1903.

“Johann” Adam Dietrich was born in Van Wert County, Ohio, on 13 October 1860, the 5th child born to Johann “Adam” and Maria (Germann) Dietrich. Johann was baptized 31 October 1860, with Peter Germann (Sr), Johann Büchner, and Mrs. Catharine Germann serving as his sponsors. His parents were both born in Germany.

Johann Dietrich lived most of his life near Schumm.

The Adam Dietrich household in 1870, Johann, age 9, living with his parents and 5 siblings: Adam, 42; Mary, 37; Augustus 7; Magdalene, 11; John, 9; Ernst, 6; Sophia, 3; and Henry, 9 months. [1]

The Adam Dietrich household in 1880: Adam Dietrich, 52; Mary, 47, wife; Mary MM, 21; John, 19; Ernst, 15; Sophia, 13; Henry, 10; Emma, 6. The father Adam was a farmer. [2]

John’s mother Maria died a few years later, on 28 November 1888, and is buried in row 5 of Zion Schumm’s cemetery.

In 1900 Johann Dietrich lived on the family farm with his widowed father and 3 of his siblings: Adam, 72, head, Germany; John A, son, 39, Ohio; Anna M S, daughter, 33, Ohio; Henry J, son, 30, Ohio; and Hannah E M, daughter, 26, Ohio. Johann worked on the family farm. [3]

Johann Dietrich died in Toledo, Ohio, on 30 March 1903 of exhaustion, with melancholia as a contributing factor. [4] Another county death record gives his cause of death as erysipelas. [5] Johann was 42 years, 5 months, and 17 days old. He was buried on 2 April and his funeral text was Mark 7:37. These county records show he was born in 1861, but the church records indicate the 1860 date, and I believe the church records to be the most accurate.

Johann’s parents, 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] 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).

[2] 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).

[3] 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).

[4] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,“ database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89ZR-V9P1-X?i=1160&cc=2128172 : accessed 28 Jan 2019) John Dietrich, 30 Mr 1903, Toledo, Lucas County.

[5] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,“ database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-672K-8L?i=402&cc=2128172 : viewed 28 Jan 2019), John Dietrich, 30 Mar 1903, Toledo.

Jan 25

Why Was This 1904 Newspaper Saved?

Below is a photo of the front page of the Thursday, May 5th 1904 issue of the Willshire Herald. I found the 8-page newspaper among some Schumm papers and I speculate that my maternal great-grandfather Louis J. Schumm (1851-1938) saved the paper. His son, my grandpa Cornelius, would have only been about 8 years old in 1904 and I doubt that he saved it.

Willshire Herald, 5 May 1904.

The question is, why did Louis Schumm save this one newspaper? There must have been something important in the paper, but I am not sure what it is. I can only guess.

Here are some possibilities, from some news items on the front page. You might even see your ancestor’s name mentioned below:

On the front page is a photo of Willshire Public School, ”The Pride of Our Town.” But the school was not recently built at that time. It was completed in 1901.

Willshire Herald, 5 May 1904.

Also on the front page is the report of an accident involving a Chattanooga, Ohio, resident. Louis Schumm resided near Willshire so he probably did not know many people near Chatt. The piece is still interesting:

A Serious Accident
Mrs. George Kuhn, who lives near Chattanooga, was the victim of a serious accident while driving to Willshire yesterday afternoon. Her horse was frightened by meeting a Portland, Ind., sport in an automobile, and upset her buggy. Mrs. Kuhn sustained the fracture of several ribs and was otherwise severely bruised. The Portland tough drove his machine right ahead and never stopped to see whether or not the victim of the accident was killed or how badly she was hurt. The accident occurred right in front of Harrison Miller’s residence at the south approach to town.

There is some political news. I don’t know that my great-grandfather was really into politics, though:

Republicans Hold Another Caucus
Willshire West Republicans held another caucus last Friday evening, but it was a tame affair compared with the judicial contest several weeks ago, less than half as many votes being polled. O.J. Passwater, James Chilcote, Frank Forker and John Beam were placed in nomination for the county convention, to be held next Saturday. Beam and Forker were elected by practically a vote of 2 to 1. The contest throughout the county was generally decided upon machine and anti-machine claims. In the town of Van Wert 17 out of the 22 delegates elected are anti-machine, which the Van Wert Republican interprets to mean, anti-Frank Gamble for delegate to the state convention.

There is a list of recent Willshire Herald subscribers. Louis’ name is not mentioned:

F.G. Kreiselmeyer, Schumm
Otto Brandt, Willshire
Wm. Foreman, Marion Ind.
Mart Kreischer, RFD 5, Van Wert
W.H. Stults, Wren
C.C. Larue, Wren
O.F. Swoveland, Wren
W.E. White, Williamsburg, Ind.
Sol Hetler, Berne
Albert Hertle, Van Wert
J.H. Sipe, Portland, Ind.
John Davis, RFD 1, Willshire
Chris Byer, Willshire
A.J. Shoemaker, Bobo, Ind.
Calvin Morehead, Willshire
Fronefield Bros, Van Wert
Tom Berry, Van Wert
B.L. Parks Spencerville, Ohio
Chas. W. Baker, RFD 1, Willshire

Obituary Mention:
Ruth Krick was born April 18, 1898, died April 26, 1904. She lived the earthly life six years and eight days. She had entered upon the heavenly life to live forever. Her mother, two brothers and a half-sister have gone before her. She leaves three sisters, one brother, a step-brother and sister, her father and step-mother to follow her…

County Official News
Official Acts at the Court House Since Last Friday
Probate Court Items:
The will of the late Catharine Gorman, of Ridge township, has been probated. The husband is given life lease on the property, with the exception of the household effects.

The will of John H. Morgan, of Jennings township has been probated. The property is ordered divided equally among his heirs.

D.X. Baumgardener has been appointed guardian of Earl Baumgardener, of Willshire township.

Marriage Licenses Issued:
Forest Williams, of Ohio City, and Olive M. Roller, of Liberty township.
J.R. Rankin and Winnie McKenzie, of Delphos.
Frederick W. Oechsle and Emma F. Hurless, of Hoaglin township.

Real Estate Transfers:
W.S. Johnson and wife, one-half acre, section 5, Pleasant towship to J.W. and Dale McMillen, $150.
Charles J. Foster and wife, inlot, section 12, Pleasant township to J. M. Stanley, $20.
M.W. McCarty, 3 acres, section 5, Willshire township to Philip Gehres, $200.
Samuel Smith, a tract, section 21, Harrison township to Frederick W. Oechsle, $350.

Common Pleas Court:
…Arthur G. Moon was granted a divorce from Flora H. Moon. The plaintiff is a resident of Delphos.

Casseus L. Wade against Lydia R. Wade. Decree of divorce granted plaintiff. The parties are residents of Middle Point.

No mention of Schumm relatives thus far.

There is a long article about a big oil gusher on the L. S. Cully farm, located a mile northeast of Willshire. It was reported as a “big strike in the Willshire field,” possibly producing up to 1,000 barrels a day.

Willshire Herald, 5 May 1904.

This could be it! This article could be why my great-grandfather saved this newspaper. He lived in the area of that oil well. The article said that new development and increased production in the local field are very promising.

The article also mentioned wells on the E.A. Hileman farm, 4 ½ miles east of Willshire; the Hopf well southwest of Willshire; the Adams lease 6 miles southeast of town; the Widow Lake lease, southwest of town; and the Widow Stamm lease 3 miles east of town.

There was an oil boom in the area at that time, particularly south of Willshire, near Chatt. My paternal great-grandfather Jacob Miller had several oil wells on his farm north of Chatt at that time. Perhaps my maternal great-grandfather hoped for some drilling on the Schumm farm.

For now, my money is on the oil article.

Jan 22

Tombstone Tuesday–Sophie Dietrich

Sophie Dietrich, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Sophie Dietrich, located in row 3 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Sophie
DIETRICH
Dec. 25, 1866
Sept. 20 1945

Anna Maria Sophia “Sophie” Dietrich was born in Willshire Township, Van Wert County, Ohio, on 25 December 1866. She was the daughter of Johann “Adam” and Maria (Germann) Dietrich, who were both born in Germany. Sophie was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, on 1 January 1867, with Friedrich Schumm and his wife Maria (Germann) Schumm serving as her sponsors.

The Adam Dietrich household in 1870: Adam, 42; Mary, 37; Augustus 7; Magdalene, 11; John, 9; Ernst, 6; Sophia, 3; and Henry, 9 months. The parents were born in Hesse Darmstadt and the children in Ohio. [1] 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, head; Mary, 47, wife; Mary MM, 21; John, 19; Ernst, 15; Sophia, 13; Henry, 10; Emma, 6. Adam farmed and Mary kept house. [2]

Sophie’s mother Maria died on 28 November 1888 and is buried in row 5 of Zion Schumm’s cemetery.

In 1900 Sophie lived with her father Adam Dietrich, a widower, and 3 of her siblings on the family farm. Here Sophie was enumerated as Anna M S. Their household in 1900: 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 the father Adam immigrated in 1838. Sophia’s brother Ernst, his wife Clara (Schumm}, and their daughter Rosa lived next door. [3]

In 1910 Adam Dietrich, 82, son Henry, 40, and daughter Sophie, 43, lived together, likely on the family farm. [4] 

Sophie’s father Adam Dietrich died less than two years later, on 10 February 1912 and is buried in Zion Schumm’s cemetery. [5]

In 1920 Sophie lived with her brother Henry Dietrich and his family. Sophia was enumerated as Sophia Mary in the 1920 census: Henry J, 50; Mary E, 38; Carl A F, 6; Edgar J, 4; Adolph F, 2; Emma A, 1 month; and Sophia Mary, 52. Sophia was reported as having no occupation. [6]

Sophie continued to reside with her brother Henry Dietrich and his family. The family in 1930, indexed on Ancestry.com as Dutrick: Henry, 60; Mary E, 48; Carl, 16; Edgar, 14; Adolph, 12; Emma, 10; Henry, 7; and Sophia, 63, sister. [7]  

Sophie’s brother Henry Dietrich died in 1935 and in 1940 Sophie resided with Henry’s widow Mary and her children: Mary, 58, head, widow; Edgar, 24, son; Henry, 17, son; Sophia, 73, sister-in-law; and Adolph, 22, son. This enumeration shows that Sophie had completed the 8th grade. [8]

Sophie Dietrich died in Willshire Township on 20 September 1945 at the age of 78 years, 8 months, and 25 days. According to her death certificate she died of myocarditis, brought on by arteriosclerosis. Sophie was buried on the 23rd and Rev. A. Moeller was in charge of the service. Her funeral text was John 11:23-27. H.B. Cowan, Ohio City, was in charge of the funeral arrangements. [9]

Sophie’s parents 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] 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).

[2] 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).

[3] 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).

[4] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.258 (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).

[5] “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.

[6] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.282 (stamped), p.2A (penned), dwelling & family 35, Henry J Dietrich; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6061&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 21 Jan 2019).

[7] 1930 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 24, p.5A (penned), 262 (stamped), dwelling 93, family 95, Henry Dutrick; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6224&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 21 Jan 2019).

[8] 1940 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 81-28, p.5B, house no.23, Mary Dietrick; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=2442&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 21 Jan 2019).

[9] “Ohio County Death Records, 1840-2001,” database with images, FamilySearch ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9ZY-Y8GC?i=536&cc=2128172  viewed 21 Jan 2019), Sophie Dietrich, 20 Sep 1945; Willshire Twp, Van Wert County.

Jan 18

1937 Germann Reunion Minutes

Last week I shared some information from the booklet, Germann Family Record, Vol. 1, No. 1, published in January 1939. I have copies of the first two issues but I do not know how many others were published. Their purpose was to provide Germann family history, information, and notifications of vital family events.

This first publication includes the minutes from the 12th Annual Germann Reunion, held in 1937, as well as a commentary about the 1938 Germann Reunion.

Minutes Read at the 1938 Reunion

The twelfth annual reunion of the Germann family was held Sunday, August 15, 1937, at Franke Park in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

A religious service was held in the forenoon with Prof. E.E. Foelber of Concordia College as the speaker. Miss Helen Limbert sang a solo, “The Lord’s Prayer.” Rev. Karl Hofmann, of Dillsboro, Indiana, gave the invocation and also read the Reunion Prayer, which was written by the late Rev. P.F. Germann and which always brings back fond memories of him and the love and esteem he held for his relatives.

Part of the afternoon was spent in listening to a very interesting program consisting mainly of solos by Miss Limbert and Rev. Richard Trojan, and a comedy sketch by the Muntzinger sisters.

During the business meeting a suggestion was made to change the date of the Reunion to the second Sunday in July because of the difficulty encountered in getting possession of a Fort Wayne park in August, and also because the two first Sundays in August conflict with the dates of other reunions in which members of the Germann family are interested. It also was suggested that the Reunion should be held near Van Wert in 1938, but this was left for the committee to decide.

There was no further business.

Respectfully submitted,
Della Brase

One of the “conflicting” reunions could very well have been the Schumm reunion, which is held on the first Sunday in August, every-other year.

Germann Family Record, January 1939, Vol. 1, No. 1

Evidently the Germanns held their family reunion every year, beginning in 1926. In 1938 Laura Germann took the time to write her observations about that year’s Germann reunion:

Reunion Day Ramblings
From the Host City
By Laura Germann

What a big day it was for the Germann family—August 7, 1938. It was then that its members gathered at Van Wert for the thirteenth annual reunion. The day was hot, which may have been one reason why the crowd was not as large as it was in 1927, when Van Wert was host for the second reunion. Or it may be that those who were here then did not have a good time, and so decided to stay away this time. Regardless, the assembly voted to have its next reunion in the vicinity of Van Wert again.

For most of those who attended, the reunion meant extra work on Saturday to prepare for dinner on Sunday, but for the committee and few others there was work for days in advance to get ready for the expected guests.

The New York cousins, who came for the first time, seemed to like their relatives “out west,” because they were very enthusiastic about coming back for another reunion. One of their number, Rev. Gary E. Germann, delivered a splendid sermon at the service in the morning. He came as a 1938 graduate of Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Louis. The occasion served also as a reunion between him, his parents, Gerhard and Edna Germann of Whitesboro, New York, and his uncle and aunt, Albert and Gertrude Germann, of Utica, New York. Gary (short for Gerhard) is a grandson of the late Rev. C.A. Germann of Utica, New York, who delivered the sermon at the earlier Van Wert reunion in 1927. Gary is stationed at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where he is organizing a congregation.

The entire art hall in the Van Wert County Fairground was thrown open to the family, the center having been transformed into an auditorium where services were held in the morning, and the program in the afternoon. Long tables had been arranged in the wings for the mid-day feast. The day was hot, but there wasn’t enough hot coffee to go around and Minnie Siegel and Ollie Germann worked hard to supply everybody. When there was no more hot coffee they clamored for ice water. Ruby Germann, who was officer in charge for the day in the absence of the president, Prof. E.J. Germann, who was ill, kindly obliged. Will Hofmann, who had charge of the cold drinks, passed out the ice, and everyone was happy again.

Everybody was occupied with “just talk” after dinner until time for the program. The younger members of the group supplied the entertainment ad special vocal numbers were given by Rev. Richard H. Trojan of Fort Wayne, Indiana, a guest who presents regular programs on radio station WOWO.

A highlight of the day was the registration booth where all who applied were effectively “tagged.” Printed cards were used for this purpose and names and addresses of individuals were neatly typed in the blanks. Throughout the entire day the tags proved to be immensely popular with everyone, both old and young.

Perhaps the busiest person at the reunion was little Miss Ruth Ann Germann of Hinsdale, Illinois. Ruth Ann had never attended a reunion and soon after arriving in Van Wert with her parents, Paul O. and Ruth Germann, and her brother Paul Jr, she began to plan how she was going to meet all her relatives. She decided a good way was to get their autographs and addresses and get them she did! Reunion day found her with a notebook, bought especially for the occasion, busily interviewing everyone in sight to discover if, how, and why she should be related to so many people she had never seen before. Her ides, though simply a personal matter in her case, might be an incentive for a register for all to sign at the reunion another year.

I wish they would have mentioned how many people attended their reunions. The Germanns, like the Schumms, began their reunions with a worship service and after had a very structured reunion, with officers, minutes, and entertainment.

Of course, when I think of family reunions, I think of one of the most important parts—the pot luck dinner with all that delicious home cooking!