Oct 30

Happy Halloween!

Today, on the eve of Halloween, here are some of my favorite cemetery and tombstone photos.

Somewhere in southern Indiana

Fountain Chapel, Mercer County, Ohio

Tomlinson Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio

Riverside Cemetery, Geneva, Indiana

Boston, 2009

 

Boston, 2009

Palmer Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio

Boston, 2009

St. Paul Lutheran, Liberty, Mercer County, Ohio

Fountain Chapel, Mercer County, Ohio

Greenlawn, Wapakoneta, Ohio

Woodlawn Cemetery, Lima, Ohio

Tomlinson Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio

Zion Lutheran, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio

Ft. Loramie Cemetery, Shelby County, Ohio

Happy Halloween!

 

Oct 26

Dear Mom & All–WWII Letters from Herb (part 30)

Below are the last of the transcriptions of my dad’s WWII letters. That is not to say another letter or two may show up sometime, but right now, I think this is it.

This past year I have been transcribing the letters that my dad, Herbert Miller, wrote home while in the Army, stationed in Germany during WWII and the occupation time afterward. The family saved many of his letters and my goal has been to transcribe them and post them here as blog posts.

Herbert Miller, France, 1946.

The war was over by the time my dad wrote these letters and he was serving in the Occupation Force in Germany, serving until he had enough time and points to be honorably discharged from the U.S. Army. He was stationed and working as a Tec 5 postal clerk at an Army post office in Heidelberg, Germany, a job he often said he liked very much. [1]

The last two letters were written in April 1946. By May of 1946 he had been in Europe 16 months. These letters were written to my dad’s sister Em, her husband “Jack” and their little son Ron.

4 April 1946
Heidelberg, Germany

Dear Em, Jack, & Family,
It’s about time I write isn’t it. I just came back from furlough in Paris, France. It’s the worst place I’ve ever been in. I’m sure glad to get back in Germany. I like it here a lot better than I would in France.

In 172 Army Postal Unit there are two guys out of about twenty that have more service or points than I have. I’ve got more overseas time than any of them. These two guys are leaving the outfit sometime in the next 10 days. So it won’t be long until I’m high point man in the 172.

I had a fair time on my furlough. The thing I enjoyed most of all was the plane ride down to Paris. I rode on of those 4-motored C-54 mail planes (A.T.C.). I came back in a jeep. I bought two cameras and one ladies watch. I’m going to save the watch until I get engaged for good or married.

Love,
Herbie

Even though my dad did not have kind words to say about Paris, he saved quite a few nice photos from the time he was there. Paris and the whole country of France was probably in pretty bad condition right after the war. As to the watch, I never heard him mention it, but I wonder if he gave it to my mom.

Herbert Miller, Marne, France, 1946.

Herbert Miller, Paris, France, 1946.

Herbert Miller & another GI, Hotel Ambassador, Paris, France, 1946.

GI at Hotel Ambassador, Paris, France, 1946.

15 April 1946
Heidelberg, Germany

Dear Em, Jack & Family,
Boy I’ve really fell off on my writing. I’m going to have to get busy in the next couple of days and write.

How is everything coming along? Especially Ronnie. I’ll bet he is really getting big. There is one thing I get mixed up—the name of your baby and the name of Ruth’s baby. I imagine after I see them and see who they take after I’ll know which is which.

How are automobiles? Pretty high price? I’m going to be in the market for one pretty soon after I get home. Maybe a year or two after.

The Red Cross is really crowded now since the 3rd Army came into Heidelberg.

Must close for now.

Love,
Herb

I am not sure when my dad finally came home but he was honorably discharged from the Army on 7 June 1946, according to his discharge papers. His separation record states he was discharged at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. He served in the Army from 29 June 1944 to 7 June 1946 and served in the European Theater for 18 of those months. He served 4¼ months as a private in basic training, 9 months as a PFC rifleman, and 8 months as a Tec 5 postal clerk. A summary of his military occupations, according to his discharge paper: Postal Clerk–served with Headquarters, 172nd Army Postal Unit; received sorted, and distributed all classes of mail; insured and registered mail; issued and cashed postal money orders and sold stamps and other postal supplies; maintained accurate records of all transactions and was responsible for funds.

A few more photos my dad took in Paris:

Arch being rebuilt in Paris, 1946.

Arch in Paris, 1946.

Arch in Paris, 1946.

Church in Paris, 1946.

Statue in Paris, 1946.

GI by statue in Paris, 1946.

MP wagon in Paris, 1946.

The last letter [below] is out of chronological order. The top of the page is torn and only “Sep” remains. I had placed it at the end of his letters but, after reading it closely, it was very likely written in September 1945, written before my dad worked in the Army post office in Heidelberg and before his nephew Ronnie was born.

In the letter below my dad refers to Jeanne Betzel and the fellow she was dating. Jeanne was from Chatt, she attended Zion Chatt, and was about my dad’s age. I assume “the guy she was dating” was probably the same man Jeanne eventually married, Frank Schwab, who also served in WWII. My parents remained friends with the Schwabs the rest of their lives and visited them out west on at least one occasion that I remember.

Also, in the letter below, my dad actually diagrammed the gears of the two trucks he mentioned, but I could not reproduce the drawings here.

Sept [1945]
Dear Em & Jack,

It’s been quite some time since I’ve written you last. I’ve been pretty busy but I guess that is no excuse.

I received your box a few days ago. Thanks a lot.

I received a letter from the guy Jeanne Betzel goes with and he is trying to get me in where he works in the post office.

All last week I’ve been driving 2½ ton and 1½ ton trucks. The gears are sort of tricky but they are nice to handle. Here are the gears on a 2½ 6×6 G.M.C. and on a Dodge 1½ 6×6. The G.M.C. had 10 gears forward and 2 in reverse and the Dodge 8 forward and 2 in reverse.

I had the chance to drive a 2½ all the time but turned it down. Tomorrow morning I’m supposed to report at the Battalion Motor Pool to get a license to drive a 1½. But I’m going to go to Div. Headquarters for an interview.

How is everything on the farm? The John Deere is running OK?

Must close for now.

Love,
Herbie 

That is the last letter I have. I think. Sometimes things show up around here later.

[1] My dad, Herbert Miller, trained as a replacement troop during the fall of 1944, arrived in Europe in December of that same year, and was assigned to Company L, 333rd Regiment, 84th Infantry Division. The 84th was known as the Railsplitters. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and later in parts of Luxembourg, Germany, and France.

Oct 23

Tombstone Tuesday–Anna Maria Seaman

Anna M. Seaman, Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2018) photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Anna M. Seaman, located in row 7 of Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Anna M.
Wife of
John Seaman
Died
Jan. 12, 1894
Aged
75 Y.  12 D.
SEAMAN

I recently wrote several Tombstone Tuesday posts about the Seamans buried in Zion Lutheran Schumm’s cemetery. The Seamans attended Zion Lutheran, Schumm, in the second half of the 19th century even though Anna M. [Maria], the wife and mother, is buried in Greenbriar Cemetery.

I could find very little information about Anna Maria Seaman. According to census records she was born in Wuerttemberg. Her date of birth would have been 31 December 1818, as calculated from her tombstone. She died 12 January 1894.

I do not know Anna Maria’s maiden name. According to Zion Schumm’s records, her husband John Seaman was born in Wuertemburg in 1814. The couple likely married in Wuertemberg and had at least one son, Jacob, before immigrating to America. They settled in Ohio, where they had at least two daughters—Maria Seaman (1855-1862) and Emma Seaman (1857-1896), who married John Kreiselmeyer (1854-1887).

I do not know when the John and Anna Maria Seaman immigrated to America but the church records indicate that their daughter Emma was born in Warren County, Ohio, in 1857. The family moved to the Schumm area by 1862, where daughters Maria and Emma were both baptized.

The Seaman household in 1870, living in Willshire Township: John, 56; Mary, 51; Jacob, 23; and Emma, 13. The father John was a farmer and son Jacob was a carpenter. All were born in Wuerttemberg except Emma, who was born in Ohio. [1]

In 1880 John and Anna Maria Seaman lived with their daughter Emma and her husband John Kreiselmeyer. Their household in 1880: John [Seaman], 65; Anna Maria [Seaman], 61, John [Kreiselmeyer], 28; Emma [Kreiselmeyer], 21; and Fredric Rattach, 21. They were farmers and Rattach was their farm laborer. John and Anna Maria Seaman were born in Wuerttemberg and John and Emma Kreiselmeyer were born in Ohio. [2]

According to her tombstone, Anna M. Seaman died 12 January 1894, at the age of 75 years and 12 days. Her calculated birth date of 31 December 1818 agrees with the census records.

Her death is also recorded in Van Wert County Probate, which indicates that Anna M. Seaman, age 75 years and 12 days, died of lung fever on 12 January 1894. She was married, born in Germany and lived at Schumm, where she died. [3]

According to Zion Schumm’s records and the Van Wert County probate death records, Anna Maria’s husband John Seaman died 29 May 1897. [4] He shares a tombstone with his daughter Emma (Seaman) Kreiselmeyer in Zion Schumm’s cemetery.

Why is Anna Maria Seaman not buried in Zion Schumm’s cemetery? She was probably not a member of the church.

 

[1] 1870 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.437 [stamped], dwelling 105, family 106, John Seaman; Ancestry.com  ( https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7163&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 1 Oct 2018).

[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 154, p.449A [stamped], family 113, John Kreiselmyer; Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6742&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 1 Oct 2018).

[3] “Ohio County Death Records, 1840-2001,” database with images, FamilySearch ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6722-8J?i=532&cc=2128172 : viewed 8 Oct 2018), Anna M. Seaman, 12 Jan 1894; Van Wert Co. Deaths, Vol. 2, p.191, no. 8; FHL microfilm 1015858.

[4] “Ohio County Death Records, 1840-2001,” database with images, FamilySearch,( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-672L-S5?i=536&cc=2128172 : viewed 1 Oct 2018), John Seaman, 29 May 1897; Van Wert County Deaths, Vol. 2, p.195, no. 8; FHL microfilm 1015858.

 

Oct 19

Dear Mom & All–WWII Letters from Herb (part 29)

I have only a few more of my dad’s WWII letters to transcribe. The letters that my dad, Herbert Miller, wrote home while stationed in Germany during the war and during the occupation time afterward. My goal has been to transcribe them all and posting them here has been a good motivation for me to complete the project.

The war was over by the time my dad wrote these letters in 1946 and he was serving in the Occupation Force in Germany, serving until he had enough time and points to be honorably discharged from the U.S. Army. He was stationed and working at an Army post office in Heidelberg, Germany. [1]

Below are a couple photos of the Army Post Office in Heidelberg, which was one of the old university buildings.

Guard, Army Post Office, Heidelberg, Germany.

GI, Army Post Office, Heidelberg, Germany.

Today’s first letter, dated March 1946, was written to my dad’s parents. The second letter was written to my dad’s sister Em, her husband Norval “Jack,” and their little son Ron.

21 March 1946
Heidelberg, Germany

Dear Mom & All,
It’s Thursday eve. And I’m on C2 at the CP so have decided to write a couple of letters.

I took the cameo and silver to the shop and your ring will be finished April 1. It won’t be so long until I get it and send it home.

I received the letter of the 12th of March and you said that dad went to the Red Cross and got some forms. I sure hop it works. I hope that it doesn’t go through the Army Red Tape.

The last couple of days have really been warm around here. The sun has been shining, etc. It must be getting spring around Heidelberg.

I received the nice Easter card. Thanks a lot. It is really a swell card.

I took some pictures in Heidelberg, some are of a couple of girls. I’m getting them Saturday and will send them home as soon as I can.

Guess I’d better sign off for now.

Love,
Herbie

I have that cameo ring that my dad mentioned in the letter as well as another cameo ring he had made in Germany, probably at the same time. Evidently the ring (probably the smaller one) was for his mother, my grandma Gertrude. My dad told me the mountings were made from silver dollars. I used to wear them and I remember that the silver would tarnish easily. The cameos look like they may have been carved from tiger’s eye stones. The large one is a double image.

Cameo rings my dad had made in Germany shortly after the war.

Below are a couple photos that could be of the girls he mentioned photographing in Germany.

German girls, WWII.

GI, woman, child, Germany, WWII.

GI & child, Germany, WWII.

21 March 1946
Heidelberg, Germany

Dear Em, Jack, & Ronnie,
It’s Thursday evening and I went to a show early tonight and have quite a bit of time on my hands. So I decided to write a couple of letters.

I’ve got a couple more packages to send home, one to my folks and on to Johnnies.

The weather has finally broke here and is getting warmer. The sun has been shining and it has really been nice out.

I’m not planning on being out of the Army by the first of June. It will probably be some time in July.

I received your letter today, postmarked March 13, 1946. The mail is coming through a little better now but still not as good as it should be.

Guess I’d better sign off and go to bed. Am getting pretty sleepy.

Love,
Herbie

A few more photos my dad had:

My dad with some others, Germany, WWII.

GIs, Germany, WWII.

Two women, Germany, WWII.

I only have a couple more letters to transcribe and will post them here very soon.

 

[1] My dad, Herbert Miller, trained as a replacement troop during the fall of 1944, arrived in Europe in December of that same year, and was assigned to Company L, 333rd Regiment, 84th Infantry Division. The 84th was known as the Railsplitters. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and later in parts of Luxembourg, Germany, and France.

Oct 16

Tombstone Tuesday–Maria Seaman

Maria Seeman/Seaman, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 9photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Maria Seaman, located in row 1 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Maria
Tochter von
Johannes
Und
Maria A[?]
Seeman
Gestorben
Den 12 April
1862
Alter 6 Yahre
4 Monate, 4 Tage

Maria, daughter of Johannes Seeman, died on 12 April 1862, aged 6 years, 4 months, and 4 days. [1]

According to Zion Schumm’s records, Maria Seaman was born 17 December 1855 to John and Anna Maria Seemann. She was baptized 19 April 1862, with George Steeger and his wife serving as her sponsors.

Maria was probably born in Ohio. According to Zion Schumm’s records, Maria’s sister Emma Seaman was born in Warren County, Ohio, in 1857, and, since both girls were baptized at Zion Schumm in 1862, they apparently moved to the Schumm area by that time. I have not located the family in 1860.

Zion Schumm records that Maria Seemann died of a throat infection and/or croup on 22 April 1862, at the age of 6 years, 4 months, and 5 days.

You probably noticed right away that the death date inscribed on Mari’s tombstone is incorrect. She would not have been baptized 7 days after her death. Instead, she was baptized 4 days before her death, on 19 April, according to the church records. Her death occurred on the 22nd, but her tombstone is inscribed as the 12th. She may have been very sick when she was baptized.

Another error on her tombstone is her age. As calculated from her tombstone, Maria would have been born 8 December 1855. Zion Schumm records her birth specifically as 17 December 1855 in both her baptism record and her death/burial record. Her death/burial record there indicates she was 6 years, 4 months, and 5 days old, which calculates 17 December 1855 as her date of birth. The age on her tombstone is off by 1 day.

Maria’s mother Anna Maria Seaman died 12 January 1894 and she is buried in Greenbrier Cemetery, Van Wert County. Maria’s father John Seaman died 29 May 1897 and is buried in row 7 of Zion Schumm’s cemetery.

 

[1] Zion Schumm’s records spell the name Seemann. The name is spelled Seeman on Maria’s tombstone. In today’s text, I am using the spelling Seaman, as is spelled on Maria’s father’s tombstone.