Jul 06

Dear Mom & All–WWII Letters from Herb (part 24)

My dad, Herbert Miller, was 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.

I am continuing with the transcriptions of the letters my dad wrote home while he served his country during WWII. The war was over by this time and he served in the Occupation Force in Germany until he had enough time and points to be honorably discharged.

Herbert Miller, 84 Division, 333rd Company, WWII

As I transcribed today’s second letter I learned something very interesting, an event my dad attended that I had never heard about before. I found it very interesting and can’t believe my dad never mentioned it.

Envelope postmarked 13 July 1945, to Mr. & Mrs. Carl F. Miller, RR #1 Willshire, Ohio. Letter inside stamped Berne, Ind, 3 Aug 1945:

11 July 1945
Schriesheim, Germany

Dear Mom & All,

It’s noon, just came in from an 8 mile hike, and it is really raining. I hope we don’t have anything this afternoon, but I don’t imagine the rain will keep us in.

We don’t get much mail at all. I received 2 letters in the last five days and when we’re up in line I used to get four or five a day.

In your next letter would you send a plastic cigarette case and some flint and wick for cigarette lighter. One guy went back on pass and I asked him if he would get me one in France. When he came back he said they were only half as big as ours and they cost $50. Things are really high in France. That black leather one you got me when I was home, I lost it and that red and black cigarette lighter in a fox hole in Belgium. I also lost that trench knife I bought at Fort Meade. I lost it in the town of Haardt [Hardt]. A couple of machine guns had this platoon pinned down on a hillside and we made a dash for a tree but the knife blade caught on a fence and it stayed there.

How are the crops coming along? Have you cut any wheat yet? The company commander said that we would be in Germany till January. We usually have a show on Tuesday Friday, and Sunday. But we didn’t have any last night.

I traded 7 candy bars to a guy in the squad that doesn’t smoke for a carton of Lucky Strikes. We get 20 candy bars for a month, so I don’t need any cigarettes. There are 14 men in the squad here and two don’t smoke. Of these 14 men there are 6 men who have been wounded in action and these have all come into the outfit since I have.

We have night problems, 8 mile hikes and maneuvers here, just like Basic Training.

Can’t think of any more to write so I had better close. I am feeling fine and hope you are the same.

Love,
Herbie

P.S. Please send a package.

That is the last of the letters I have that my dad wrote to his parents in 1945. The next letter I have that he wrote to his parents is dated March 1946. However, I still have some letters he wrote in 1945, letters to his sister Em and her husband Norval “Jack” and I will continue with them.

President Truman drives by 84th Infantry Division, 26 July 1945. Herbert Miller is standing along the road. (Photo from Critical Past LLC, used with license.)

From Pfc Herbert Miller to Mr. & Mrs. Norval Weitz, Rockford, Ohio.

31 July 1945
Germany

Dear Em & Jack,

I received your letter yesterday and sure was glad to hear from you. I also received a box from [part of page missing]…thing coming [part of page missing]… very delicious.

So Norval is kept pretty busy.

Life over here is easier than farming. I mean now. All we do is training and the officers who give the classes are the same officers we had in combat. So they don’t think much of it and give us a break.

President Truman inspected the 84th Division the other day and they took a newsreel of it. If you ever see the newsreels you will find me standing along the road. We stood at a 4 yard interval on both sides of the road and the President drove between us. I’m the 8th man this side of the overhead railroad bridge.

Now we didn’t get to see very many movies. About two a week in all.

We had a [part of page missing]…the other day for [part of page missing]… One of the guys got [missing] bag of sugar and had it [part of page missing]… The whole Co. is allowed only 50 pounds of sugar a week and there are 165 in the Co.

It is raining out today and has been raining all morning. I was on guard from 03:00 to 04:00 and on barracks ordering today so that gives me a chance to write some letters.

I imagine the corn is too tall to plow now.

Must close for now. Am feeling fine and hope you are the same.

Love,
Herbie

P.S. I have plenty of razor blades. Can you get flints for the lighters? We can’t.

President Truman addresses 84th Division, 26 July 1945, Frankfurt, standing in front of an 84th Infantry Division truck with Railsplitter emblem. Critical Past LLC photo, used with license.

That certainly was some interesting information! He probably never thought that his daughter and others would be looking at that newsreel nearly 73 years later. I never knew that my dad saw President Truman or that he was filmed as the President drove by.

We Googled Truman Inspects the 84th and we actually found several websites that show the newsreel my dad mentioned! Below is a link to the newsreel. The portion my dad mentioned he is in is about 1:03 minutes into the film.

Harry Truman, WWII, Inspects 508th Inf Reg 26 Jul 1945, Criticalpast

Truman inspected the troops on 26 July 1945 and, although the film goes very fast, you can see the troops lined along both sides of the road and you can see the overhead railroad track my dad described. I wish I knew which side of the road and my dad was standing on, but I know he was there, along that road when President Truman drove by. Something pretty awesome to consider.

President Truman drives by 84th Infantry Division, Frankfurt, Germany, 26 July 1945. Herbert Miller standing along the road, near the bridge. (Photo from Critical Past LLC, used with license)

President Truman is in the convertible, the car in front of the sedan.

On that day, 26 July 1945, President Truman inspected the 84th Infantry Division, the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 3rd Armored Division, all at Frankfurt, Germany. Evidently General Eisenhower was also there, at least at the inspection of the 3rd AD between Frankfurt and Darmstadt. Maybe my dad saw him, too!

Jul 03

Tombstone Tuesday–Lina E. Weinmann

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

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

Lina E.
Weinmann
Gestorben
16 Aug 1901
Alter
2 J. 1 M. 9 T.

Lina E. Weinmann, died 16 August 1901, aged 2 years, 1 month, 9 days. [1]

Lina Elisabeth Weinmann was born 7 July 1899 to George and Maria (Gunsett) Weinmann. Lena was baptized at Zion Schumm on 23 July 1899 with Mrs. Anna Gunsett and Eva Sauer serving as her sponsors.

Lina was enumerated with her family in the 1900 census: George Weinman, 40; Mary E, 39; Carl H, 11; Minnie K, 9; Otto J, 4; Lena E, 4 months. Her father George was a day laborer. [2]

Lina Weinmann died in Decatur, Adams County, Indiana, [3] of dysentery on 16 August 1901, at the age of 2 years, 1 month, and 9 days. She was buried on the 18th and her funeral text was Romans 8:28.

She was survived by her parents and siblings:
Karl Hermann (1888-1971), married Esther Berdie Dull
Minna Katherine (1891-1979), married Philip Sauer
Otto Emanuel (1895- ), married Annie M. Stetler

George and Mary had another child a couple years later:
Edward Georg (1903-1971), never married

Two brothers preceded her in death— Walter T. (1885-1887) and Willie H. (1887-1887).

Her mother died in 1943 and her father died in 1958.

Below is a negative image of the tombstone, to read the inscription better.

Negative image of Lena Weinmann tombstone. (2012 photo by Karen)

 

[1] Years ago and in the church records this surname was spelled Weinmann.

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 98, p.11, dwelling 218, family 223, George Weimann; Ancestry.com.

[3] Indiana, WPA Death Index, 1882-1920, Lena E. Weinman, 16 Aug 1901; database on-line, Ancestry.com; from County Health Office, Decatur, Book H-22, p.11.

 

Jun 29

Holmes County–Just Passing Through

This past week we spent a few days in Holmes County. In addition to the beautiful eastern Ohio countryside in this Amish community there is an abundance of shopping opportunities, handcrafted Amish items, cheese, wine, delicious home-style food, and other attractions. It is also the area where several of my ancestors lived for awhile before moving westward.

We enjoy going to this area every year or two and after our 2014 visit I made a list of my ancestors who lived in this area before moving to western Ohio or eastern Indiana, where they made their permanent home. I was surprised by how many of my ancestors passed through here and I wrote the following blog post about them. I am re-posting this 2014 blog post today and adding a few updates from this week.

Ohio is often called the Gateway to the West because so many settlers traveled through Ohio, either overland or on one of Ohio’s waterways. When I sat down and thought about it I was surprised at how many of my ancestors not only traveled through Ohio, but actually lived in the Holmes County area for a few years. Below is a list of my ancestors that once resided in the Holmes County area.

Winesburg, Ohio. (2018 photo by Karen)

Both the Schumms and the Pfluegers lived in Holmes County in the early 1830s. Both families worshiped with the Evangelical United Zion Congregation in Winesburg, where several family members were married and where some of their children were baptized.

Zion Reformed Church, Winesburg, Ohio. (2018 photo by Karen)

Zion Reformed Church, Winesburg, Ohio. (2018 photo by Karen)

Christian Pflueger owned land in the area between Winesburg, Walnut Creek and Berlin. Both families moved to Van Wert County in about 1838. Johann Georg Schumm and Christian Pflueger are my third great-grandfathers.

The Schumms and Pfluegers lived in this area of Holmes County in the 1830s. (2014 photo by Karen)

 

Schumms and Pfluegers lived in this area in this area around Winesburg, Walnut Creek, and Berlin in the 1830s. (2018 photo by Karen)

My great-grandfather John Scaer was born in Baltic in 1864. This little village is actually located in three counties–Coshocton, Holmes, and Tuscarawas–but John’s obituary states that he was born in Tuscarawas County. John’s family later moved to Monroeville, Indiana.

Baltic, Ohio. (2014 photo by Karen)

The Baltic branch spelled their name “Scarr” and we found Scarr tombstones in West Lawn Cemetery in Baltic. The Monroeville branch probably changed the spelling to Scaer and some of them later went on to change the spelling to Scare. My mom recalls her mother Hilda and Hilda’s brother Oscar Scaer traveling to Baltic to visit their Scarr relatives. We visited the little village of Baltic and walked through West Lawn Cemetery there.

Cemetery, Tuscarawas County, Ohio. (2014 photo by Karen)

Nicholas and Ruth (Phillips) Headington left Maryland about 1820 and settled in Knox County for a few years before moving on to Jay County, Indiana. While in Knox County they lived near Mt. Vernon, where several of their children were born. Nicholas was my fifth great-grandfather and fought in the War of 1812.

Louis Breuninger, my second great-grandfather, was living in Canal Dover in 1840. The town is called Dover today and is in Tuscarawas County. By 1850 Louis had moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he married Maria Seckel in 1851. Louis moved his family to the Schumm area by 1870.

Canal Dover Park. (2018 photo by Karen)

Down the road from Dover is New Philadelphia, where Jackson Brewster and his family stayed for a short time on their way from Fayette County, Pennsylvania, to Adams County, Indiana, between 1860-1870. Jackson is my third great-grandfather.

Signs to New Philadelphia & Dover. (2018 photo by Karen)

Joe has at least one ancestor who lived in the area. His fourth great-grandfather Jonathan Grant came to what is now Holmes County in 1809 and is credited as being the first white settler in the county. A street in Wooster is named in his honor and he lived in the area the remainder of his life. He is buried in a private cemetery in Holmes County. McCulloch Cemetery, near Holmesville, is located on a back road, beyond a field, in a thicket, on an Amish farm. In 2005 we visited Jonathan Grant’s grave and I understand that his tombstone has been replaced with a new military marker, noting his Revolutionary War service.

We drove through Mt. Vernon and through Centerburg, the geographical center of Ohio, the real Heart of Ohio. We took our time and took the scenic route home and marveled at the beautiful countryside where our ancestors once lived.

This year [2018] was just a relaxing trip with some shopping and sight-seeing. Did I mention shopping? We stopped at Holmes County Pottery and saw Cary Hulin’s new kiln. He makes wonderful salt-glazed pottery and it is interesting to hear him explain how he fires the pottery.

Potter Cary Hulin by his new kiln. (2018 photo by Karen)

Holmes County Pottery. (2018 photo by Karen)

I love to stop at Holmes County Pottery and pick up a few Cary’s pieces but his shop is a little challenging to find. We were able to find it easier this year and only made two wrong turns. Same with The Pottery Niche, which sells that colorful Polish Pottery. These little shops on the township roads off the beaten path can be hard to find but the trip through the beautiful countryside is worth it.

We also visited the Warther Museum and Gardens in Dover. The Mooney Warther carvings, consisting mainly of steam engines hand-carved from wood, ivory, and ebony are awesome. He was unbelievably gifted and a visit to his museum is well worth the trip. The gardens around their home are beautiful, too.

Warther train carving. (2018 photo by Karen)

Warther train carving, ivory. (2018 photo by Karen)

Lincoln Funeral Train, by Warther, ebony & ivory. (2018 photo by Karen)

We finished off the day at Breitenbach Winery between Sugar Creek and Dover. They have very good wine and we got to sample dandelion wine. It is good but sweet. I prefer a dry white wine myself but wanted to try the dandelion wine because my grandpa Miller used to make it.

Breitenbach Winery, Dover, Ohio. (2018 photo by Karen)

It was another great trip to Holmes County and we look forward to passing through there again.

 

 

Jun 26

Tombstone Tuesday–Willie H. & Walter T. Weinmann

Willie & Walter Weinmann, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2018 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of brothers Willie H. and Walter T. Weinmann, located in row 2 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The brothers were the first two children born to George (Jr.) and Mary Elizabeth (Gunsett) Weinmann and they share this weathered marble tombstone. The “front” of the marker faces west and is illegible, if there was ever anything inscribed on the west side. Willie’s inscription is on the north side of the stone and Walter’s is on the south. The marker is inscribed:

Willie H.
Sohn von
G. & M.
Weinmann
Gest. 23 Dec.
1887
Alter
2 J. 4 M. 7 T.
Text Luke 2:10-11

Walter T.
Sohn von
G. & M.
Weinmann
Gest. 21 Nov.
1887
Alter
3 M. & 2 D.

Willie H., son of G. & M. Weinmann, died 23 December 1887, age 2 years, 4 months, 7 days.

Walter T., son of G. & M. Weinmann, died 21 November 1887, age 3 months, 2 days.

Wilhelm Heinrich “Willie” Weinmann was born 16 August 1885. He was baptized at home on 26 August 1885 and his sponsors were Joseph Gunsett (standing in for Jacob Gunsett), John Weinmann (standing in for G. Weinmann Sr.), and Johann Gunsett of Convoy.

Willie Weinmann was sick with malaria in November 1887, about for four weeks before he passed away. Willie died on 23 December 1887, at the age of 2 years, 4 months, and 7 days. He was buried on the 26th and his funeral text was Luke 2:10,11.

Willie H. Weinmann, north side of stone. (2018 photo by Karen)

William’s brother Walter was born about 4 months before Willie’s death.

Walter Theodore Weinmann was born 19 August 1887 and was baptized at the church on 4 September 1887.  His sponsors were Heinrich Gunsett and Heinrich Schinnerer II.

Walter Weinmann died on 21 November 1887, just about a month before his brother Willie. Walter was only 3 months and 2 days old. He has been sick with brain fever for 3 months, pretty much his whole life, and was buried on 23rd.  ­­­­­

Walter T. Weinmann, south side of stone. (2018 photo by Karen)

That must have been very hard for the Weinmanns, losing their two children within about a month of each other.

Tombstone (center) of Willie & Walter Weinmann. (2018 photo by Karen)

According to Zion Schumm’s records George Jr. and Mary (Gunsett) Weinmann went on to have five more children:
Karl Hermann (1888-1971), married Esther Berdie Dull
Minna Katherine (1891-1979), married Philip Sauer
Otto Emanuel (1895-bef 1971), married Annie M. Stetler
Lina Elisabeth (1899-1901)
Edward George (1903-1971), never married

Their parents, George Weinmann Jr. and Maria “Mary” Elizabeth Gunsett, married on 20 November 1884 at the house of the bride’s parents. Both were members of Zion Schumm’s parish. George was born in Germany and Mary was born in Ohio and George was a farmer. Mary (Gunsett) Weinmann died in 1943 and George Weinmann Jr. died in 1958. They are both buried near Willie and Walter in Zion Schumm’s cemetery.

Today the usual spelling for this surname is Weinman.

Jun 22

2018 Vacation Bible School at Zion Chatt

This week was Vacation Bible School for the Chatt community, held at Zion Chatt this year. The two churches in Chatt, Zion Lutheran and the Chattanooga United Methodist Church, take turns hosting the annual week-long event and this year was Zion’s turn. They have combined to host very successful and popular Bible School programs for many years and volunteers of all ages, from both churches, help out.

This year’s Bible School theme was “Shipwrecked—Rescued by Jesus” and those in charge are to be commended and thanked for putting together yet another successful Bible School. The church and basement were decorated with an island theme. Days were packed with Bible stories, upbeat songs, prayer, creative crafts, fun activities, snacks, and more.

2018 Bible School, Zion Chatt, “Shipwrecked”

Last year I took our granddaughter Chloe to our Chatt-area Bible School, her very first time attending Bible School. However, this year Chloe’s church had their Bible School the same week and she was not able to attend here. But I volunteered to help out this year at Zion for several days, assisting with the pre-K/Kindergarten class.

A lot of kids attended this year. There were over 70 there on Wednesday and we had 16 in our class that day. We kept them moving and I don’t think any of them were ever bored.

Bible School is a lot different today than when I attended nearly 60 years ago. My goodness, that was a long time ago!

I spent my summer days with my Miller grandparents. Their neighbor, Helen Jean White, would pick me up at the Miller farm and take me, along with her two children, Martha and Charles, to Zion Chatt’s Vacation Bible School. She would drive us in what I thought was the coolest car, a Pontiac Woody station wagon. For me it was like riding a small bus to Chatt. Back then Helen Jean taught both Sunday School and Bible School at Zion Chatt.

I don’t know if my memory is correct, since it has been a long time since I was little, but I think we had Bible School for two weeks one year. There were a few years that I recall it was a day-long event and we took our lunch each day.

Now we move each class from area to area, where specific persons tell a Bible story, teach the music, lead activities, or hand out the snacks. But back in my day we stayed in our room/area the whole time and had the same teacher for everything. The only time we left our table was for the opening session and for activities and play-time that was held outdoors.

Outdoor activities I remember consisted of games like Red Rover, The Farmer in the Dell, London Bridges Falling Down, Drop the Hankie, tag, and kick-ball. Now activities involve kiddie pools full of water and some ball games. The water felt really good for the kids this year since it was so hot.

Cooling off in the water.

It is sort of a joke around our church but you can count on Bible School week being the hottest week of the summer. Monday and Tuesday didn’t let us down this year. It was very hot and humid. Dreadfully hot, in fact, and downright uncomfortable. It helped that Bible School was held in the mornings, the cooler part of the day, if there was a cooler part of the day. There was a string of years some time ago when Bible School week was the week we got lots and lots of rain—usually so much rain that the basement would flood.

But that would never stop us from having Bible School. Rain or shine. Wet or dry. Hot and humid.

Bible School crafts have come a long way. Ruth, our crafty lady at church, comes up with some great craft ideas. This year the kids made terrariums, wind chimes, and necklaces, as well as stuffing bears to give away. Back in my day I remember gluing pop-sickle sticks together to make a cross, plastic canvas projects, and other crafts that involved cutting, pasting, and coloring. Pretty simple stuff compared to today’s crafts.

Craft time!

The music is much more upbeat today, too. The songs have a brisk tempo and the kids get to use motions and move around to the music. They really get into the music and have a great time. It is amazing how quickly they learn the songs.

Getting into the music!

But the most important thing about Bible School are the Bible stories and showing how they relate to the kids [and all of us] today. We never forget that part of Bible School and of our mission.

Bible Stories.

A big thank you to everyone who helped make Shipwrecked a very successful Bible School week.