Happy New Year from Karen’s Chatt!
Dec 29
A Schumm Christmas Surprise
Merry Christmas to me!
Last week I received a Christmas gift that was quite a surprise. Bob, a friend of ours and someone who Joe worked with for many years, likes and collects antique and vintage items as well as local advertising memorabilia. He has given me some local items of interest in the past.
Blue Ribbon Baking Powder, for Wolf & Schumm, Schumm, O.
Bob said that he had had this old tin for some time and that it had been stored away. He took it out of storage and as he was looking it over he noticed the names on the back—Wolf & Schumm. He learned only a couple years ago that my mother was a Schumm and that I have a Schumm connection. He remembered that.
And Bob gave me is this amazing old tin–a Blue Ribbon “Surest Purest” Baking Powder tin as a Christmas present! The label is darkened with age but still very readable.
Blue Ribbon Baking Powder, for Wolf & Schumm, Schumm, O.
The reverse side of the tin tells that it was “manufactured for Wolf & Schumm, Schumm, Ohio.”
Blue Ribbon Baking Powder, for Wolf & Schumm, Schumm, O.
That information is printed right on the label! I wonder if it was common to have the store name on the product label?
The Wolf & Schumm General Store served the little village of Schumm in the early 1900s and was run by Logan Wolfe and Gustav Schumm. [1] [2] Gustavus “Gustav” Jacob Schumm was born 18 December 1881 to Henry and Rosina (Schinnerer) Schumm. He married Dorathea Elizabeth Bienz on 27 December 1908 and they had 5 children: Arthur William, Ora Katherine, Karl George, Ida Johanna, and Paul. Gustav’s son Karl George is still living and remembers his father’s general store, the brick building that once stood along the railroad tracks in Schumm.
By 1920 Logan Wolfe and his family had moved to Sprague Street in Willshire, where he managed a garage. His father-in-law John Acheson, an 86 year-old widower, lived with them. [3]
This tin would have been from that time period, likely sometime between 1908 and 1920.
The can is 4¾ inches tall and 3 inches in diameter and probably held a pound of baking soda.
I had never seen anything like this, bearing the name of a small store. There are a few Blue Ribbon Baking Powder tins on Ebay but they have a different label, a red label with a blue ribbon. They also look more recent.
Blue Ribbon Baking Powder, for Wolf & Schumm, Schumm, O.
There are directions on the back label of the tin: “Use one heaping or two rounded teaspoonsful only of this baking powder to one quart of sifted flour.”
“This baking powder is composed of the following ingredients and none other: bicarbonate of soda, phosphate, alum, starch. Manufactured by Wabash Baking Powder Co., Wabash, Ind. Guaranteed under serial number 5444.”
Very interesting that the baking powder company was not all that far from Schumm.
Actually, this is the second Wolf & Schumm item Bob has given me. A couple years ago he gave me a small wooden box with Wolf and Schumm, Schumm, Ohio, stamped on it. It was likely a mailing box.
Box to Wolf & Schumm, Schumm, Ohio.
What a wonderful Christmas surprise that I will always treasure.
Thank you, Bob and Sharon!
[1] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.2B, dwelling 39, family 39, Gustav Schumm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 1375251, NARA microfilm T624, roll 1238.
[2] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.2B, dwelling 43, family 43, JF Wolf; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 1375251, NARA microfilm T624, roll 1238.
[3] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.10A, dwelling 95, family 96, John Logan Wolfe; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T625, roll 1446.
Dec 22
Dear Mom & All–WWII Letters from Herb (part 11)
Below are some more letters that my dad, Herbert Miller, wrote home during his Army basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama’s IRTC [Infantry Replacement Training Center] and when he was waiting to be shipped out to Europe in WWII. After finishing his basic training he came home on furlough in November 1944.
Herb home on furlough, November 1944.
It seems that my dad wrote a lot of letters. In addition to the letters to his parents, some other relatives and his girlfriend, he wrote quite a few letters to his sister Em and her husband Norval “Jack.” My aunt Em also saved his letters and I am grateful that her family gave me those letters a couple years ago.
My dad had been home on furlough in November 1944 and by the end of November he was in Fort George Meade, Maryland, getting ready to ship out for Europe. From the letter below we learn that Em and Jack drove my dad to Lima when his furlough was over and from there he went to the east coast.
Envelope postmarked Fort George Meade, MD, 30 November 1944, to Mr. & Mrs. Norval Weitz, Rockford, Ohio:
29 November 1944
Dear Em & Jack,
I haven’t got very much time to write tonight. Thought I would write you a few lines to let you know that I got here OK.
I want to thank you and Norval for taking me to Lima. You know it didn’t cost me a cent to get out here. I used my G.I. ticket for train, bus, and everything.
We received a part of our equipment—jungle [?] packs, gas masks, new liners, and steel helmets. They are using the jungle [?] packs over in Europe, too, so it doesn’t mean a thing.
I’ll probably be here a week at least. They don’t tell us anything.
Guess I’d better close.
Love,
Herb
Letter from Herb to Em & Jack, Dec 1944.
By the end of December 1944 he was in Belgium fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.
The next letter he wrote to Em and Jack is dated 31 December 1944, from Somewhere in Belgium. He was not allowed to say where.
To be continued in another blog post…
Right now, for the rest of this blog post, I am going to backtrack a little and do some catching-up.
I have my dad’s letters to Em in a different folder and I wasn’t as organized as I should have been when I started transcribing the letters he wrote to his parents. As a result, I did not transcribe and include the letters to Em and Jack with the letters he sent to his parents.
So today I am including some of the more interesting parts of those letters he wrote to Em and Jack during basic training.
It seems that Fred Betzel, Donald Hoblet, my dad, and some other locals were together at Fort Harrison, Indianapolis, Indiana, on 4 July 1944 for processing. They must have left Mercer County as a group and were together for at least their first seven days at Fort Harrison. At that time my dad was finished with his processing, waiting to get shipped out to his next destination.
In a letter to Em and Jack, dated 6 August 1944 from Fort McClellan, he mentions that he read in the Standard that Vincent Jolly was killed in action and was concerned about “Red” Linn, who was dating his sister Helen.
In another letter to Em and Jack, dated only “Sunday” he mentions that he wrote 8 letters since dinner and was getting tired of writing! [I don’t know how he had the time for all that letter writing along with his basic training!]
In the same letter: …The Army isn’t quite what I thought it would be but it isn’t so bad. We have ice cream every noon and iced tea or orange aid to drink. Today we got two bars of ice cream, iced tea, mashed potatoes, peas, chicken, and biscuits. So it was a good dinner.
You ought to see me with my ammunition belt on, gas mask on, steel helmet, and rifle with bayonet. If I could I would have my picture taken with the rifle. The rifle I got is a Winchester M-1, 9 shot automatic gas operated rifle. It weighs about 8 pounds….Talking about hot, it was 98 degrees in the day room and there was an electric fan in the room…
My dad absolutely loved ice cream. He told me that he acquired his love of ice cream when he was in the Army–that he wasn’t old enough to go out and drink beer with the other guys, so he ate ice cream instead.
From a letter dated 15 August 1944, from Fort McClellan: …I was sorta afraid of the M-1 rifle but really like to shoot it now. It is only practice now but I qualified for marksman. A lot of the guys are going around with black eyes and bruised cheeks where the butt of the gun hit them.
This week is going awful fast. Only twelve more weeks then my training will be over with. We got paid last Saturday night. My check was $21.58. I had a $25 bond taken out, $6.58 for insurance, and $1.50 for laundry. We signed the payroll tonight again so will get paid in 18 days…
From a letter dated 10 September 1944, from Fort McClellan: …I read in the Standard they had German prisoners working in the tomato factories. Do they have many guards watching them? There are a lot of them here. The other day I saw a truck load of German prisoners and one of them was driving the truck. They don’t have any trouble with them around here…
We have a new set of sergeants coming in. I talked to the sergeant who will be in charge of our platoon. He is really nice. Where do you think he is from? You guessed it—OHIO. He was in the Ohio 37th Division and has seen a lot of action. He said on those islands there was about one Marine to every six Infantry man. Tarawa was the worst battle up until the battle of Saipan. That was the worst so far. There is a news broadcast now. The Yanks have started in the Siegfried Line. It shouldn’t take so very long now. But I still say Japan will give up or be licked before Germany. I don’t look for the war with Germany to be over before the first of the year….
In a letter dated 11 October 1944 he mentions to Em and Jack how tough the Infantry is. He also mentioned that he heard that Don Hoblet was having a hard time of it, too.
Camp McClellan church bulletin, 1944.
Here are a couple other items I overlooked and did not include during his basic training:
A bulletin from the Sunday worship service on 16 July 1944, at the Eighth Regiment Chapel, I.R.T.C., Fort McClellan, Alabama:
In the area of the bulletin designated “Message—use this space. Write a letter home,” my dad wrote:
16 July 1944,
Dear Mom & All,
Well had or am having today off so went to church this morning. As you will notice on the front is the picture of the 8th Regt Chapel. The I.R. T. C. means Infantry Replacement Training. I received your letters yesterday and it is about time for [?]
I got Vernie and Kenny a t-shirt apiece but forgot to get Ann anything yet. So will get Ann something tonight and mail them tomorrow evening.
We had a little practice with our rifles the other day (Saturday morning). One guy dropped his rifle. Now he has to carry the gun around and sleep with it for a week. Will close and write more on stationery.
Love,
Herb
Note Herb wrote in Camp McClellan church bulletin, 1944.
My dad wrote about a point system, a gig system, in one of his letters and the family also saved the paper that explained the system:
Six Point Hutment Gig System
Headquarters 12th Training Battalion, Infantry Replacement Training Center, Fort McClellan, Alabama
Effective immediately the “Six Point Gig” system will be used in area and hutment inspections. A total “Gig” of 6 points of more for any week will result in restriction to the company area for the week and, or that man may be given extra duty for three successive evenings at the discretion of the Company Commander. The following key and point values will be used in this plan.
a—Dirty floor: 1 pt/man in hut
b—Shoes dirty or disarranged: 1 pts
c—Shelves or ledges dirty or disorderly: 2 pts
d—Poor police outside hut: 1 pt/man in hut
e—Bed improperly made or arranged: 1 pt
f—Bed unmade: 2 pts
g—Trash cans not emptied: 1 pt/man
h—Windows dirty: 1 pt/man
i—Equipment disarranged: 2 pts
j—Clothing disarranged or unbuttoned: 2 pts
k—Rifle rack dirty: 1 pt/man
l—Rifle I unlocked rack: 6 pts
m—Lights or radio on: 1 pt/man
n—Beverage bottle in or around huts: 6 pts/man in hut
o—Mop or broom hot hung properly: 1 pt/man in hut
Six Point Gig System, IRTC, Fort McClellan, AL, 1944.
Lastly, here is a 1949 Christmas card from one of his Army buddies, Larry Broderick, of Medford, Massachusetts:
1949 Christmas card from Herb’s Army buddy Larry Broderick, Medford, Massachusetts.
While we spend this Christmas in comfort, with our freedoms, let us remember what soldiers past and present went through and still go through for us,our country, and future generations.
Dec 19
Tombstone Tuesday–Frank E. Swander
Frank Swander, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)
This is the tombstone of Frank Swander, located in row 10 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:
FRANK E
SWANDER
1889-1961
Franklin “Frank” Emil Swander was born in DeKalb County, Indiana, on 4 August 1889, the son of Emanuel and Frances (Strabie/Strabee) Swander. [1] The Swander family lived on a farm 2 ½ miles north of Garrett, Indiana. [2] This surname is spelled Swanders in many records.
In 1900 the Swander family lived in Richland Township, DeKalb County, and the family consisted of: Emanuel M, 39; Frances S, 37; Herman E, 13; Frank L, 10; Clyde M, 7; Arthur, 4; and Jonathan Swander, 87,who was Emanuel’s father. Emanuel was reportedly born in Indiana and Frances and Jonathan were both born in Pennsylvania. Emanuel and Frances had been married 14 years and Frances had given birth to 4 children, who were all living. Emanuel was a farmer. [3]
The Emanuel Swander family lived in Richland Township in 1910, likely on the same farm. Their household in 910: Emanuel, 49; Frances, 47; Herman, 23; Frank, 21; Clyde, 17; and Arthur, 14. This enumeration indicates that that Frank’s mother Frances had given birth to 5 children and that 4 were still living and that everyone in the household was born in Indiana. [4]
Frank married Laura Schott in Celina, Mercer County, Ohio, on 27 January 1914. Frank was 24 years of age and worked for the railroad. Laura was 25 years of age and was born in Chattanooga, Ohio. She was the daughter of Michael and Margaret (Kühm) Schott. Frank and Laura were married by Rev. F.G. Reitz, an Evangelical Lutheran pastor in Celina. [1]
In 1914 Frank worked as a brakeman for the Pennsylvania Co Railroad in Fort Wayne. He and Laura lived at 1215 Taylor in the city. [5]
Frank and Laura had a son a year later, Glen Franklin, who died of a cerebral hemorrhage injury at birth or shortly thereafter on 26 November 1915. He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is buried at Lindenwood Cemetery there. [6] This was the only child the couple had.
In February of 1917 Frank suffered a serious injury while at work on the railroad.
PENNSY BRAKEMAN INJURED
When he was thrown to the ground last evening, from the top of a freight car he was riding, Frank E. Swanders, 27 years of age, and a brakemen for the Pennsylvania, sustained a broken left leg, just above the knee and numerous bruises about the head and body. The string of cars he was standing upon was violently broken in two at the Lafayette street crossing, with the result that the jolt hurled Swanders from the top of the car. Although rendered unconscious by the fall, the unfortunate man regained his senses when removed to the Lutheran hospital. AT noon today he had shown marked signs of recovery. He lives at 2421 Winter Street. [7]
Newspaper accounts indicate that he had a lengthy hospital stay and he eventually lost his left leg.
Frank registered for WWI Draft in June 1917. He was Caucasian; married; born in Garrett, Indiana, on 4 August 1889; lived at 2421 Winter St, Fort Wayne; was slender, tall, not bald, and had brown hair and eyes. He worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad in Fort Wayne. It is also noted that he had lost his left leg. Hand-written on his draft card–Note: Frank E. Swander sick in hospital-card turned in by W.A.J. Schott. The draft card was signed by W.A.J. Schott. [8] This was likely Laura’s brother. Frank was rejected for military service. [9]
In 1920 Frank worked as farm laborer in Noble County, Indiana. He and Laura were the only two people in their household. Frank was 30 and Laura 31. [10]
In 1930 Frank, 41, and Laura, 43, lived in Fort Wayne, where Frank was a tool keeper for a steam railroad. They owned their own home on East Rudisill Blvd and they had a radio. There were no children in their household. [11]
Frank and Laura moved to DeKalb County, north of Fort Wayne sometime between 1930 and 1935. The Frank Swander household in 1940: Frank, 50; Laura, 51; and Walter Schott, 47, single. Walter was Laura’s brother. Frank was the manager and operator of a filling station and Walter was an attendant at the filling station. Frank and Laura had lived in same house 5 years before the census but Walter had lived in Cincinnati 5 years before. [12]
Frank’s wife Laura (Schott) Swander died of pancreatic cancer on 22 June 1943 in DeKalb County. [13]
Frank married Edith (Haifley) Keller in DeKalb County on 11 March 1946. This was the second marriage for both and Edith was divorced. Frank operated a grocery store and Edith worked in a factory. [14] They owned and operated the grocery store south of Auburn for years.
Frank Swander died on 18 June 1961 at Souder Hospital in Auburn, DeKalb County, Indiana. He died from a coronary occlusion which he had suffered two days before. He had suffered with atherosclerotic heart disease for 9 years. His death certificate notes that he lost his left leg in 1917. His wife Edith was the informant for information on his death certificate. He was 70 years of age and his occupation was retired grocer. He lived at 320 W. 18th Street in Auburn. [15]
Frank Swander, Native Of Near Garrett, Dies
Frank E. Swander, age 70, who operated the country grocery store at Hopewell for 27 years, died at 8:35 p.m. Sunday in the Dr. Bonnell M. Souder hospital in Auburn.
Mr. Swander and his wife moved to Auburn 18 months ago after selling the country grocery seven miles south of Auburn. The late residence is at 320 West Eighteenth Street, Auburn.
The body was removed to the Gerig Funeral Home in Auburn. Memorial services by the Loyal Order of the Moose of Auburn were conducted at the funeral home at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
The body remained at the funeral home until it was removed at 11 a.m. Wednesday to the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Auburn to lie in state until final rites were conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
The Rev. George Schuette, pastor of St. Mark’s Church, officiated at the services with burial in the Lutheran cemetery at Chattanooga, O., 15 miles southwest of Van Wert, O.
Mr. Swander died following an illness extending over the past six years. He had been admitted to the hospital June 10. His death was attributed to a complication of diseases.
A native of DeKalb County, he was born north of Garrett Aug. 4, 1890, son of the late Emanuel Swander and Frances Strebee Swander.
His first wife preceded him in death. In a ceremony performed March 9, 1946, at Fort Wayne, he married Edith Haifley.
She survives with two stepchildren, Harold Keller of Butler and Eloise Funk of Rt. 1, Grabill; two brothers, Clyde Swander of Rt. 1, Pleasant Lake, and Arthur Swander of Rt. 2, Wolcottville and three step-grand children.
Two brothers preceded him in death.
Mr. Swander was a member of the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Auburn, the Auburn Moose Lodge, and the Legion of the Moose. [16]
Frank is buried next to his first wife Laura. Frank’s second wife Edith (Haifley) died 7 February 2003 in Auburn, Indiana, and is buried in Riverside Cemetery, St. Joe, Indiana. [17]
Neither Frank nor Laura is listed in Zion Chatt’s death and burial records. The only time the couple is mentioned in Zion Chatt’s records (besides Laura’s baptism and confirmation) is when Laura’s niece Lorina Irene Schott was baptized in 1920. Both Frank and Lora were her baptismal sponsors.
[1] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” database with images, FamilySearch, Frank E. Swanders & Laura Schott, 27 Jan 1914; Mercer County Marriages, Vol. 10, p.709; FHL microfilm 914959.
[2] Garrett Clipper, Garrett, Indiana, “George J Clark and John Cain Impersonated Officers?” 31 May 1917, p.8; Newspapers.com.
[3] 1900 U.S. Census, Richland, DeKalb, Indiana, ED 62, p.8A, dwelling 173, family 182, Emanuel M Swander; Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 1240367, NARA microfilm T623, roll 367.
[4] 1910 U.S. Census, Richland, DeKalb, Indiana, Ed 82, p.13A, dwelling & family 267, Emanuel Swander; Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 1374358, NARA microfilm T624, roll 345.
[5] Fort Wayne, Indiana, City Directory, 1914, p.1200, Frank Swanders; Ancestry.com; U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995.
[6] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1910-1919, Roll 2, no.821, Glen Franklin Swanders, 26 Nov 1915; Ancestry.com; Indiana State Board of Health, Death Certificates, 1900-2011, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
[7] Fort Wayne Daily News, Fort Wayne, Indiana, “Pennsy Brakeman Injured,” 28 Feb 1917, p.7; Newspapers.com.
[8] World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Allen County, Indiana, Board 3, Frank E Swanders, 5 June 1917; Ancestry.com; WWI Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, NARA, Washington DC, M1509, roll 1503886.
[9] The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana, “Rejected,“14 Aug 1917, p.5; Newspapers.com.
[10] 1920 U.S. Census, Swan, Noble, Indiana, ED 146, p.1B, dwelling & family 20, Frank Swanders; Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T625, roll 459.
[11] 1930 U.S. Census, Fort Wayne, Allen, Indiana, ED 45, p.28A, dwelling 57, family 60, Frank E Swander; Ancestry.com; FHL microfilm 2340310, NARA microfilm T626, roll 575.
[12] 1940 U.S. Census, Jackson, DeKalb, Indiana, ED 17-8, p.11A, line 35, frank Swander; Ancestry.com; NARA microfilm T627, roll 1036.
[13] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1943, Roll 7, no.18142, Laura Swanders, 22 June 1943; Ancestry.com; Indiana State Board of Health, Death Certificates, 1900-2011, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
[14] “Indiana Marriage, 1811-2007,” FamilySearch.org, Frank E and Edith L Keller, 11 Mar 1946; DeKalb County Marriages, Vol. 38 , p.511, FHL microfilm 1863340.
[15] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, Year 1961, Roll 8, Frank E Swander, 18 Jun 1961; Ancestry.com; Indiana State Board of Health, Death Certificates, 1900-2011, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
[16] Garrett Clipper, Garrett, Indiana, “Frank Swander, Native of Near Garrett, Dies,” 22 Jun 1961, p.1; Newspapers.com.
[17] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, Year 2003, Roll 3, Edith L Swander, 7 Feb 2003; Ancestry.com; Indiana State Board of Health, Death Certificates, 1900-2011, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Karen Miller Bennett, CG®, Retired 2024
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