Jul 31

Tombstone Tuesday–6 Schumm Immigrants

This weekend descendants of John George Schumm will gather in Schumm, Ohio, for the the 43rd biennial Schumm reunion. Many relatives, often over 200, gather for some or all of the day’s activities, which include the morning worship service at Schumm’s Zion Lutheran Church, a noon meal consisting of a variety of some the best home-made dishes you can imagine, followed by entertainment and a business meeting. There is also visiting, reminiscing, photo & item displays, and fun activities for people of all ages in the afternoon.

The first Schumm Reunion, 1924, at the Schumm homestead.

In honor of our ancestor John George Schumm and five of his children, who immigrated in 1833, and who went on to settle in Willshire Township and establish the little town of Schumm, and who were some of the original founders of Zion Lutheran Church there, today’s Tombstone Tuesday will feature the six tombstones of the six Schumm immigrants. All of their tombstones are located in Zion Schumm’s cemetery.

I have written a Tombstone Tuesday blog post about each of them and a link to each post is included in their individual footnote.

John George Schumm (1777-1846) was born in Ruppertshofen, Wuerttemberg, and married Anna Maria Fisher (1779-1822) on 28 April 1807. They had ten children and five of them died in Germany, some in infancy.

Johann Georg Schumm, with four of his sons and a daughter, left from the port of Hamburg in mid-April of 1833, bound for America. They sailed on the Brig Zelia and arrived at the Port of Philadelphia on 3 June 1833. The Johann Georg Schumm family, as listed on the ship’s passenger list: John G Schum, age 55; John F, 19; George M, 20; John J, 17; Georg L, 16, and Maria C, 23. [1]

John George Schumm (1777-1846) tombstone, row 5. [2]

Johann Georg Schumm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

Maria Catharina (Schumm) Schüler (1810-1838), row 5. She married Michael Schüler. [3]

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

George “Martin” Schumm (1812-1871), row 6. He married Maria Pflueger (1820-1903). [4]

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

George Martin Schumm (1812-1871)

John “Friederich” Schumm (1814-1902), row 6. He married Magdalena (Meyer) (1819-1897). [5]

Friederick & Magdalena Schumm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

Friederich & Magdalena (Meyer) Schumm, 1882.

John “Jacob” Schumm (1815-1853), row 5. He married Hannah Billmann (1822-1878). [6]

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

Ludwig Schumm (1817-1855), row 6. He married Barbara Pflueger (1822-1908).

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

I am a direct descendant of Ludwig and Barbara (Pflueger) Schumm. Ludwig was my second and third great-grandfather. Ludwig’s son Ludwig John “Louis” was my grandpa Cornelius Schumm’s father and Ludwig’s oldest daughter Elizabeth married Friedrich Schinnerer and was my grandma Hilda (Scaer) Schumm’s grandmother.

The Schumm Reunion is always a great event, thanks to the planners who do a wonderful job organizing it. I am looking forward to catching up on family news, renewing old friendships, meeting “new” relatives, and seeing some of you there.

Spoiler: A big surprise for this year is that I will have 100 USB/flash drives available that include the updated 2018 Schumm Descendant List (genealogy) along with the Schumm history!

Bye for now. I must get busy burning flash drives…

 

[1] Philadelphia, Passenger Lists, 1800-1850, on-line database and images by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/category.aspx?cat=40 : viewed 30 Jul 2018), John G Schum, 3 Jun 1833.

[2] Karen’s Chatt, Tombstone Tuesday—Johann Georg Schumm, 19 Nov 2013.

[3] Karen’s Chatt, Tombstone Tuesday—Catharina Schüler, 26 Nov 2013

[4] Karen’s Chatt, Tombstone Tuesday—George M Schumm, 3 Dec 2013.

[5] Karen’s Chatt, Tombstone Tuesday—Friederich & Magdalena Schumm, 10 Dec 2013.

[6] Karen’s Chatt, Tombstone Tuesday—JJ Schumm, 17 Dec 2013.

[7] Karen’s Chatt, Tombstone Tuesday—Ludwig Schumm, 7 Jan 2014.

 

Jul 27

Decatur Street, Willshire, 1910

Seeing and studying old picture postcards is always fun. They give us a glimpse of how things looked years ago; what and where the stores were and how people got around. Chattanooga picture postcards are hard to find but postcards from Willshire are a little more common.

Decatur Street, Willshire, Ohio, 1910

Above is a nice picture postcard of Decatur Street in Willshire, postmarked December 1910, sent to Mr. W.G. Kennedy, 380 Reed Ave, Marion, Ohio. No zip codes back then!

The 3-story brick building to the right was Fred Althoen’s shoe and boot store. Apparently he sold only shoes and boots. Fred had three signs to advertise his shoes–the large sign on the building: PETERS’ SHOES; the sign on the awning: FRED ALTHOEN, SELZ SHOES, Chicago; and the sign leaning under the ground-floor window, FRED ALTHOEN, BOOTS & SHOES. I assume Fred owned and operated this store. And I assume the spelling on the signs is correct, although I have also seen this name spelled Altheon.There is a nice-looking dog laying in front of sign under the window and some men standing in the shadows.

Looking on down the street I can make out a few more business, as written on the tattered awnings. Next door to Althoen Shoes is FURNISHINGS with what appears to be CARDS printed on top. The next awning appears to be CLOTHING. I can’t make out the words on the next 2 awnings but an awning displaying GROCERIES is folded up against the building.

Enlargement, Decatur Street, Willshire, 1910

I believe the final 2 awnings are UNDERTAKER and FURNITURE. I compared it to the photo below of Buchanan’s furniture and undertaking service. The frame house to the left looks the same on both photos, as does do the awnings.

Stephen S. Buchanan, undertaker in Willshire, Ohio.

I am not sure which side of the street we are looking at, but I am guessing the west side. The street looks unpaved and rough and there are a lot of telephone poles. The horses are moving, so the wagon is a little blurry.

Willshire had a big fire in June 1908, so depending where the fire was and what it destroyed, these may have been new brick buildings.

In 1910, Fred Althoen, age 24, was living in Willshire with his parents Henry and Anna E. Althoen. Henry and Anna had been married 44 years and three of their eight children were still living. Henry Althoen, age 70, was born in Germany and immigrated in 1856. Anna, age 67, and son Fred were born in Ohio. Fred was a shoe merchant and his father Henry’s occupation was own income. They owned their home on Wolcott Street in Willshire. [1] I also noticed that Henry Althoen (1839-1912) served in the Civil War.

Spitler Grocery, Willshire, Ohio, Huckster Truck

I have an update on another Willshire-area photo, the Spitler Grocery huckster truck photo that I posted a few weeks back. I heard from a very reliable source [a family member] that the man sitting behind the wheel in the huckster truck is Vernon Hoblet. She did not believe that Vernon ever worked at the Spitler Grocery but was just sitting in the truck. The huckster truck was parked in front of his parents’ home [William and Ada Hoblet], which was located on State Route 49, south of the Van Wert-Mercer County Line, just south of the curves. The house was destroyed in the Palm Sunday tornado. The woman standing in the back was likely his mother Ada Hoblet.

Thanks to everyone who helps identify these photos!

 

[1] 1910 U. S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.11A, dwelling/family 49, Henry Altheon; Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7884&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 25 Jul 2018).

Jul 24

Tombstone Tuesday–J. George & Katharine (Karcher) Weinmann

J. Georg & Katharine Weinmann, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Johann Georg Weinmann [Sr] and Katharine (Karcher) Weinmann, located in row 9 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Katharine
Weinmann
Gest. 13 Dez. 1907
Alter 75 J. 3 M. 10 T.
1Cor. 15, 25, 26

J. Georg
Weinmann
Gest. 4, Nov. 1907
Alter 78 J. 14 T.
Rom. 5, 8,9

WEINMANN

Ruhet, Eltern, sanft im Frieden
Hier in dukler Grabesnacht!
Vollendt habet ihr hienieden,
Des Lebens Muehr ist vollbracht.

Translation: Katharine Weinmann, died 13 December 1907, age 75 years, 3 months, 10 days. J. Georg Weinmann, died 4 November 1907, age 78 years, 14 days.  

Rest, parents, gentle in peace
Here in dark Grave Night!
You have finished here,
My life is done.

According to Zion Schumm’s records, Johann Georg Weinmann was born 21 October 1829 in Obermodern, Elsass. His wife Katharina (Karcher) was born 3 September 1832 in Schillersdorf, Elsass. Both places are in northeastern France.

According to the 1900 census they both immigrated in 1872. [1] Their son George most likely immigrated with them, because he also reported that he immigrated in 1872. [2]  

The family settled in the Chatt area by the end of 1872 and they attended church at Zion Chatt. Johann Georg Weinmann communed at Zion Chatt on Christmas Day 1872. His wife Katharine is mentioned by name in some of the communion records, so we know it is the same family. Their son George was confirmed at Zion Chatt in 1873. Born in 1859, he would have been the right age for confirmation. Johann Georg, wife Katharine, and son George communed at Zion Chatt regularly until 1882, when they probably moved to the Schumm area and transferred their membership to Zion Schumm

According to the 1876 Mercer County map, their 80 acres in Liberty Township was immediately north of Zion Chatt church. [3]

In 1880 the Johann Georg Weinmann family lived at the edge of Chatt and was enumerated near Peter Strabel. There was one child in the family, son George, and all three family members were born in Alsace. Johann Georg was a farmer. Their household in 1880: John George, 50; Katharine, 47; and George, 20. [4]

Sometime between 1880 and 1900 the Johann Georg Weinmann family moved to Willshire Township, Van Wert County, where Johann Georg continued to farm. They lived very close, if not next door, to my great-great-grandmother Maria (Sekel) Breuninger, widow of Louis Breuninger. The Johann Georg Weinmann family in 1900, enumerated as Wyman: John G, head, 70, born October 1829 in France; Kate, wife, 67, born September 1832 in France. The couple had been married 50 years and she had given birth to one child who was still living. They both immigrated in 1872 and Johann Georg was naturalized. They had a farm and owned their home, free of a mortgage. They both could speak English, Johann Georg could read and write, but Katharine could do neither. [1]

Johann Georg died 4 November 1907, at the age 78 years and 14 days. He was buried on the 6th. The church records note that he was buried after a Christian service. He was survived by his with Katharina and son George Weinmann.

His widow Katharine died of pneumonia in Schumm less than a month later, on 13 December 1907, at the age of 75 years, 3 months, and 10 days. She was buried on the 15th and was survived by her son George Weinmann.

 

[1] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 97, p.10, dwelling, 207, house, 222, John G Wyman; Ancestry.com  (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7602&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 2 Jul 2018).

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 98, p.11, dwelling 218, family 223, George Weimann; Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7602&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 16 Jul 2018).

[3] Note by kmb: One J. Wineman owned about 70 acres of land in Section 3, Liberty Township, located on the northeast corner of Tama and Wabash Road, with their house off Tama Road. This was a different family because this land was still owned by Wm. Weinman about 25 years later. This Weinman family attended Zion Chatt at one time and the wife’s name was Rosina (Weinman). I do not know if they were relatives of the Weinmanns who moved to Schumm.

[4] 1880 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 188, p.472C, dwelling 18, family 19, John G Weinman; Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6742&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 16 Jul 2018).

 

Jul 20

Stripping the Bed

I really like quilts. All quilts. But my particular favorites are antique quilts. And I am fortunate to have a few very special antique quilts that were made by my grandma Schumm, my great-grandma Miller, my mother, and a great-grandaunt.

Quilt made before 1882 by Christena (Rueck) Miller & Rosina (Schinnerer) Schumm.

Quilt made before 1882 by Christena (Rueck) Miller & Rosina (Schinnerer) Schumm.

A couple knowledgeable quilt people have told me one of the best ways to store quilts is to put them on a bed, preferably a spare bed that isn’t used too often. That way they don’t have to be folded or wrapped up in some special material. This method also has the advantage that the quilts are fairly easy to see. You just start pulling back the layers of quilts and you can see them one by one. Which also makes it easy to show your quilt collection to another quilt enthusiast.

Our spare bedroom is furnished with my grandpa Schumm’s old iron bed, a bed perfect for layering my quilts. In fact, I have nine quilts layered on that little bed, and they make the mattress appear quite thick. It seems to be the perfect place to store these family heirlooms.

That is, until we get company.

This weekend is our annual Miller reunion and my cousin will be staying with us over the weekend. I don’t think she would care to sleep under nine quilts, so yesterday I stripped the bed and moved all the quilts into my office.

Double wedding ring quilt made by Florence (Schumm) Miller.

Stripping the bed yesterday was not a bad job at all and I rather enjoyed it. It gave me a chance to look at and touch those beautiful quilts again. I enjoy studying all the different fabrics used to piece them together and looking at my grandma Schumm’s tiny stitches. I remember when my mom made the double wedding ring quilt. It was the first quilt she ever made and turned out to be quite a challenging project, but it turned out beautiful. My grandma Schumm stitched the small baby quilt for the birth of our son Jeff. What wonderful memories!

Bow-tie quilt made by Hilda (Scaer) Schumm.

Nine patch quilt made by Hilda (Scaer) Schumm.

Bow-tie quilt made by Hilda (Scaer) Schumm.

Baby quilt stitched by Hilda (Scaer) Schumm for Karen’s son Jeff.

The oldest family quilts I have were stitched by my great-grandmother Christena (Rueck) Miller and my great-grandaunt Rosina (Schinnerer) Schumm, before Christena married Jacob Miller in 1882. Christena was staying with the Schumm family at the time, decades before my parents married and the two families came together. Christena loved to quilt, a skill she learned from Rosina Schumm.

I love all of these old quilts. It probably comes as no surprise, but I have collected some other old quilts, too, not family heirlooms, but still beautiful works of art. I think about how these quilts were lovingly made. All the time it took to chose and cut the fabric, piece it together, and quilt it. It seems most women back then enjoyed quilting and sometimes several women worked together to make a quilt. They undoubtedly had some interesting and lively conversations during their quilting sessions. I think about how pretty these colorful quilts would have looked on a bed or hanging on a clothesline to air out in the spring. I think about who may have used these quilts to keep warm in the winter. Some of these quilts were never used but I can tell some of them were used a lot and are worn, tattered, and stained.

I actually don’t mind a worn, stained quilt. I like to think how it was lovingly used by some family many years ago.

Jul 17

Tombstone Tuesday–George & Mary E. (Gunsett) Weinmann

George & Mary E. (Gunsett) Weinmann, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of George and Mary Elizabeth (Gunsett) Weinmann, located in row 2 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

WEINMANN
George
1859-1958
Mary E.
1860-1947

John “George” Weinmann was born 18 September 1859 in Germany, the son of Johann George Sr (1829-1907) and Katharine (Karcher) (1832-1907) Weinmann. [1]

In 1880 George Weinmann, 20 years old and single, lived with his parents in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, just outside the village of Chatt, near Peter Strabel. His father was a farmer and all three of the family members were born in Alsace. According to the 1900 census they immigrated in 1872. Their household in 1880: John George, 50; Katherine, 47; and George, 20. [2]

George Weinmann married Mary Gunsett on 20 November 1884 in Van Wert County, Ohio, married by Rev. G.F.C Seemeyer. [3]

Maria “Mary” Elizabeth Gunsett was born 31 December 1860 in Tully Township, Van Wert County, Ohio, the daughter of Josiah (c1837-1894) and Hannah (Wyandt) (1839-1939) Gunsett. Josiah and Hannah were both born in Ohio. [4]

Mary’s family lived in Tully Township in 1870, where her father farmed. Everyone in the family was born in Ohio. Their family in 1870: Josiah Gunsett, 33; Hannah, 29; Mary, 10; Joseph, 7; Henry, 5; and Catherine, 2. [5]

By 1880 Mary’s parents had moved to Harrison Township but Mary was not enumerated with the rest of the family: Josiah Gunsett, 43; Hannah, 41; Joseph, 17; Henry, 14; Kathrine, 12; Charles, 9; Maggie M, 6; George, 4; and John L, 1. [6] I am not sure where Mary was living in 1880 but she married George Weinmann in 1884.

George and Mary Weinmann’s first two children, two sons, Walter T. and Willie H., died at a very young age in 1887.

By 1900 there were four children in the family. The George Weinmann family in 1900: George, 40; Mary E, 39; Carl H, 11; Minnie K, 9; Otto J, 4; Lina E, 4 months. This enumeration indicates that George immigrated in 1872 and that he was a day laborer. [7]

Their daughter Lilna died in 1901 and they had another son, Edward, born in 1903.

The George Weinmann family in 1910: George, 50; Mary, 45; Carl, 21; Minnie, 18; Otto, 14; and Edward, 6. George was born in Germany and was a general farmer. Mary was born in Ohio and had given birth to 7 children, 4 of whom were living. One of their neighbors was my great-great-grandmother Maria (Sekel) Breuninger. [8]

The George Weinmann family in 1920: George, 60; Mary, 59; Carl, 31; and Edward, 16. This enumeration indicates that George was born in Alsace Lorraine, that he immigrated in 1872 and was naturalized in 1880. George’s occupation was a merchant. [9]

In 1930 the George Weinmann family lived in the little village of Schumm in a home they rented next to their son Carl and his family. The George Weinmann family in 1930: George, 70; Mary, 69; and Edward, 26. This enumeration indicates that George and his parents were born in France, which could be Alsace Lorraine, as indicated in the 1920 census. No occupation was given for George and perhaps he was retired. Carl’s family consisted of wife Ester and daughter Betty J. [10]

In 1940 the George Weinmann family lived in same house as they had in 1935: George, 80; Mary, 79; and Edward, 36. No occupation was given for George or Edward. [11]

Maria (Gunsett) Weinmann died of cancer at the Adams County Memorial Hospital in in Decatur, Indiana, on 8 May 1943, at the age of 82 years, 4 months, and 8 days. She was buried on the 10th and Zion’s Rev. A. Moeller was in charge of the service. Zwick’s was in charge of the funeral arrangements. [4]

George Weinmann died of a stroke at the home of his daughter Katherine Sauer, on Nuttman Street in Decatur, Indiana, on 22 January 1958. He had been living with his daughter in Decatur for 5 months. George was born in Alsace Lorraine and was a widower. He was 98 years old and had been a postmaster and owner/operator of a general store in Schumm. George was buried on the 25th, with Zwick’s in charge of the funeral arrangements. [12]

George and Maria Weinmann had the following children:
Walter T. (1885-1887)
Willie H. (1887-1887)
Carl Hermann (1888-1971), married Esther Berdie Dull
Minna Katherine (1891-1979), married Philip Sauer
Otto Emanuel (1895-?)married Annis/Annie Stetler
Lina Elisabeth (1899-1901)
Edward George (1903-1971)

[1] In this blog post I am using the Weinmann spelling, as inscribed on their tombstone.

[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio, ED 188, p.472C, dwelling 18, family 19, John G Weinman; Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6742&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 16 Jul 2018.

[3] “Ohio Marriages, 1880-1958,” database, FamilySearch.org (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDL4-JBC : 8 Dec 2017) George Weinman & Mary E. Gunsett, 20 Nov 1884; FHL microfilm 1015861.

[4] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, 1943, Roll 6, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Mrs. Mary E. Weinman, 8 May 1943; Ancestry.com : viewed 16 July 2018.

[5] 1870 U.S. Census, Tully, Van Wert, Ohio, p.389B, dwelling & family 178, Josiah Gunsett; Ancestry.com  (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7163&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 16 Jul 2018).

[6] 1880 U.S. Census, Harrison, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 148, p.308D, dwelling 139, family 142, Josiah Gumsett; Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6742&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 16 Jul 2018). Note by kmb: Mary’s brother Joseph Gunsett (1865-1931) married my great-aunt Clara Schinnerer (1866-1942), daughter of Friedrich Schinnerer. Small world!

[7] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 98, p.11, dwelling 218, family 223, George Weimann; Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7602&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 16 Jul 2018).

[8] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.1B, dwelling/family 17, George Weinman; Ancestry.com  (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7884&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : accessed 9 Jul 2018).

[9] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.2B, dwelling & family 47, George Weinman;  Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6061&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : accessed 7 Jul 2018).

[10] 1930 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 24, p.5A, dwelling 101, family 103, George Wimman; Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6224&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : accessed 9 Jul 2018).

[11] 1940 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 81-28, p.5A, household 95, Geo Weinman; Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=2442&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : accessed 9 Jul 2018).

[12] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, 1958, Roll 1, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, John George Weinman, 22 Jan 1958; Ancestry.com : viewed 16 July 2018.