Oct 24

One That Got Away–Seeking Information about Schumm

I mentioned last week that I regularly follow Ebay auctions in search of old postcards from the area. Recently there was a very interesting postcard up for auction–a picture postcard of Schumm, Ohio, as it was about 100 years ago. It was a photo of a large brick building by the railroad tracks that were once on the north end of the village.

I tried to get the postcard, but sadly I was outbid. That was difficult for me because I usually get what I want. 😉

More than anything, I wanted the postcard so I could put the photo image here on Karen’s Chatt, with the hope of getting some information about that old brick building.

Schumm, Ohio. The area in the background is near the location of the brick building. (2014 photo by Karen)

Schumm, Ohio. The area in the background is near the location of the brick building. (2014 photo by Karen)

I never realized Schumm had a building like that in its downtown area. My mother does not ever remember such a building in Schumm, so it was probably gone by the late 1930s.

The railroad track ran right by the side of the building. On this side of the track was a sign with SCHUMM and on either side of the name SCHUMM was TOLEDO 96 and ST LOUIS 355, the distance both cities are from Schumm.

Schumm Road, which crossed the railroad tracks and went in front of the building, was not paved in the photo. There was a railroad crossing danger sign with LOOK & LISTEN painted on its post. Also in the area near the tracks was a friendly KEEP OFF sign.

I am fairly certain the brick building was south of the train tracks and on the west side of Schumm Road. There was a frame building on the far side of the brick building and a small building to the back. The small building may have been an outhouse or shed.

The building was a two-story brick structure that looks like it was occupied by two businesses. There were four tall windows on the front and probably two doors–what looks like two store-fronts. There were four long windows across the front on the second story. The side of the building was long, east and west, with a bay area in the middle. There were a couple side doors and about a few second story windows on the side.

Since I did not get the postcard I cannot post the image here. But I can direct you to the Ebay auction page and you can still view it by using the link below:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RPPC-REAL-PHOTO-POSTCARD-RAILROAD-CROSSING-SCHUMM-OHIO-VAN-WERT-COUNTY-WILLSHIRE-/371163562329?nma=true&si=AuHGDd8gKeFXtHBvCtX8tkdsqbg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

When you get to the Ebay page the postcard should be the first thing you see. If not, you may have scroll down a little to see it. You can even zoom in on it in order to see the details. I do not know how long the image will stay on Ebay since the auction is over. So I would advise you look at it now. ASAP.

What was this brick building used for? Were there stores in the building? Perhaps one was a hardware store or a general store. Who built and owned the building? What happened to it and when was it torn down?

Thanks to Wikipedia I found a brief history of the railroad that ran through Schumm years ago. This information gives me an idea of when the building stood in Schumm.

The TStL&W Railroad (Toledo, St. Louis & Western) likely ran through Schumm when the photo was taken. The TStL&W began as the Toledo, Cincinnati, and St. Louis Railroad in 1881 and connected the Ohio towns of Toledo and Cincinnati with St. Louis, Missouri. By 1886 the company dropped Cincinnati and became the Toledo, St. Louis, and Kansas City Railroad. In 1900 the company reorganized again to form the Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad, operating 450 miles of line between Toledo and St. Louis. The Clover Leaf, as the TStL&W was also called, became part of the Nickel Plate (New York, Chicago, and St. Louis RR) in 1922 and would eventually became part of the Norfolk Southern RR. [1]

Where the railroad tracks once ran east from Schumm. (2014 photo by Karen)

Where the railroad tracks once ran east from Schumm. (2014 photo by Karen)

The TStL&W Railroad ran east from St. Louis, through several states, through Willshire, Schumm, Dull, Ohio City, and other Ohio towns on its way to Toledo. This is shown on the map below, a portion of a 1914 Ohio railroad map.  [2]

1914 Railroad map of northwest Ohio.

1914 Railroad map of northwest Ohio.

Because the Schumm sign that was located by the railroad tracks indicated the distance Toledo and St. Louis were from the village, I believe the photo was taken during the time of the TStL&W Railroad. And likely taken between 1900 and 1922.

I would love to hear from anyone who knows anything about this brick building that once stood in Schumm.

Even though I did not get the photo postcard, it could still turn out to be a source of information about Schumm.

 

[1] Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad, Wikipedia.org, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledo,_St._Louis_and_Western_Railroad : accessed 22 October 2014).
[2] Ohio Public Utilities Commission 1914 Railroad Map of Ohio, Rails and Trails.com (http://www.railsandtrails.com/Maps/OhioRRCommission/1914/index.html : accessed 24 October 2014).

Oct 21

Tombstone Tuesday–Clarence Schott

Schott, ClarenceThis is the tombstone of Clarence Schott, located in row 9 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Clarence Schott
Son of
Frederick W. & Wilhelmina
1914-1962

Clarence was the fifth child born to Frederick W. and Wilhelmina “Minnie” Emerich, born 24 November 1914 near Chattanooga. He was baptized as Clarance Frederick Michael Schott by Rev. F.W. Gahre on 26 November 1914, with Michael and Margaretha Schott serving as his sponsors.

According to Zion Chatt’s records Clarence died 13 July 1962 of a hernia in his diaphragm and was buried on the 16th. The record indicates he was survived by his brothers and sisters.

Obituary:

Clarence Schott
Celina—Clarence Schott, 48, Mercer County Home, died at 6:40 p.m. Friday in St. Rita’s Hospital.

Born Nov. 24, 1914, in Chattanooga, he died following surgery.

Surviving are four sisters, Mrs. Harry Smith of Islamorada, Fla., Mrs. G.C. Edwards of Findlay, Mrs. James Herron of Ansonia and Mrs. Jerry Schlecte of Dallas, Tex.; six brothers, Luther of Celina, Ralph of Van Wert, Ray of Ft. Wayne, Ind., Paul of New Bremen, Dale of Ft. Wayne and Alfred.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the Vale and Stein Funeral Home in Celina, with Rev. Arnold Green officiating. Burial will be in the Lutheran Cemetery in Chattanooga.
Friends may call this afternoon. [1]

Clarence is buried three tombstones away from his parents.

 

[1] The Lima News, Lima, Ohio, Sunday, 15 July 1962, p.A-4; digital images by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 Oct 2014).

Oct 17

One Old Postcard

An address on an old postcard. A town I had never heard of. Sometimes it only takes one little clue. That’s what it took to help solve this mystery.

The past several weeks my Tombstone Tuesday posts have been about the Schotts, Ladermans, and Linns who are buried in Zion Chatt’s Cemetery.

Mary (Schott) Laderman (1886-1918) died young, leaving her husband and four children. After her death their children went to live with various relatives, but I wondered what happened to her husband William Laderman, who was not buried in Zion’s cemetery with her.

I wondered until last night, when I looked at this old postcard and did a little research.

Chattanooga, Ohio, postcard, from Maggie to Julia Laderman, c1913.

Chattanooga, Ohio, postcard, from Maggie to Julia Laderman, c1913.

I am always on the lookout for old Chattanooga postcards, but unfortunately there aren’t many out there. I signed up to receive notifications from Ebay when anything related to Chattanooga, Ohio, comes up for auction and I get notifications of Chattanooga postcards nearly every day from them. The Chattanooga, Tennessee, that is. Not really what I am looking for. Not even close.

However, I was excited when one of my patients kindly gave me an old Chattanooga, Ohio, postcard last winter after learning I was looking for some. It is not a picture postcard of Chatt, but instead a generic “Greetings from Chattanooga Ohio” card. When he gave it to me I glanced at the note on the back but the names didn’t mean anything to me at the time. The name Laderman did not ring a bell so I never really paid attention to the hand-written note.

Until the other night, when I picked up the old postcard and looked at the name and address again. It was addressed to Julia Laderman in Gibsonburg, Ohio, and it was from Maggie.

Hmmm. Laderman. Maggie. I just wrote about Maggie Laderman, who married Edward Linn. Maggie’s mother, Mary (Schott) Laderman, died young and Maggie was raised by her aunt and uncle. Did Maggie (Laderman) Linn write this?

Miss Julia Laderman
Gibsonburg Ohio
RR4

From Maggie
Hellow [sic] Julia, how are you we are all well and hope you are the same Mary was going to come out there and then the baby got sick.

 

Chattanooga, Ohio, postcard, from Maggie to Julia Laderman, c1913.

Chattanooga, Ohio, postcard, from Maggie to Julia Laderman, c1913.

Who was this Julia Laderman and where was Gibsonburg?

I learned that Gibsonburg is a small town in northern Ohio, in Sandusky County. I searched the 1900 census for Sandusky County and found William Lederman, born October 1880. In the same household was his younger sister Julia Lederman, born April 1895. Both were born in Ohio. [1] That gave me an approximate birth date for both, but I still wasn’t sure if this was the same William Laderman, husband of Mary Schott. But he looked very promising.

William Fredrick Laderman, born 15 October 1880, filled out draft registration cards for both WWI and WWII. William and his wife Marie [Mary] were living on Smith St. in Ft. Wayne in about 1917. William was a fireman at G.E. in Fort Wayne. [2] In 1942 William Laderman, same date of birth, was living in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. This record stated that he was born in Sandusky County, Ohio. [3]

Next I found a birth record for William F. Lederman, which indicated he was born 15 October 1879 to Reinhart and Elisabeth (Burk) Lederman, born in Sandusky County, Ohio. [4]

William married Mary Schott 18 June 1904 in Mercer County, Ohio. [5] They had at least 5 children-Paul, Margaret, Florence, Josephine, and Emma. Florence Estella died in 1910 and was only 1½ years old. She is buried at Zion Chatt.

In 1913-14 William F. and Marie [Mary] Laderman were living at 2016 Nelson St, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was a driller for Thrasher & Herman. [6]

Mary (Schott) Laderman died in 1918 and their children went to live with various relatives. The 1920 censuses shows where the children were living.

In 1920 daughter Margaret was living with her aunt and uncle, Otto and Maggie (Schott) Bollenbacher. Maggie (Schott) Bollenbacher and Margaret’s mother Mary were sisters. [7]

At the same time daughter Josephine was living with her maternal grandparents, Michael & Margaret (Kuehm) Schott. [8]

The two other children, Paul and Emma, were living with their widowed paternal grandfather Reinhart Laderman, in Sandusky, Ohio. [9]

It was in this 1920 census that I learned of their fifth child Emma, born 15 May 1912 in Allen County, Indiana. [10]
William remained in Fort Wayne for a few more years, living at 719 E. Jefferson in 1918 and at 1211 Taylor in 1919. He was a fireman at G.E. during those years. [6]

According to Find a Grave.com, William Laderman died in Mount Pleasant on 10 March 1957, at the age of 76 years, and is buried in Riverside Cemetery there. [11]

There is no postmark on the old postcard so I do not know when it was written. But I can make an educated guess.

I learned that Julia Laderman married Clarence J. Smith on 4 March 1914 in Sandusky. [12] She would have used her maiden of Laderman before 1914, so the card was probably written before then.

Which Maggie wrote the message? Julia’s niece Margaret “Maggie” Laderman, who married Edward Linn? Or Julia’s brother’s sister-in-law, Maggie (Schott) Bollenbacher?

In the message Mary is mentioned with a baby. I assume this may be Mary (Schott) Laderman. Would her daughter Maggie call her by her given name of Mary? Would Maggie Bollenbacher know Julia Laderman from Sandusky, her brother-in-law’s sister?

Or maybe an entirely different Maggie wrote the message…

We may never know who wrote the message, but the town’s name of Gibsonburg gave me a starting point to look for the Laderman family.

Mystery solved, thanks to one old postcard.

 

[1] 1900 U.S. Census, Madison Twp, Sandusky, Ohio, ED 82, p.173A, dwelling 91, family 91, R. Lederman; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Oct 2014); from FHL microfilm 1241318, from NARA microfilm T623, roll 1318.

[2] U.S. WWI Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, Draft Board 3, roll 1503885, William Fredrick Laderman; database on-line, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Oct 2014). William gave his date of birth as 15 October 1880.

[3] Selective Service Registration Cards, WWII: 4th Registration, Record Group No. 147, William Frederick Laderman; database on-line, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Oct 2014). William gave his date of birth as 15 October 1880; born in Sandusky Co., OH; current address as 303 N. Main, Mt. Pleasant, MI; employed by Turner Drilling Co, Mr. Pleasant; person who will always know your address: Timothy Fry.

[4] “Ohio Births & Christenings Index 1800-1962,” Wm F Lederman, b. 15 Oct 1879, Washington, Sandusky, Ohio, to Reinhart & Elisabeth Burk Lederman; FamilySearch.org (www.familysearch.org : accessed 15 October 2014); from FHL microfilm 511730.

[5] “Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958,” index, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 16 October 2014), William F. Ladermann and Marie C. Schott, 18 June 1904; citing Mercer County, Ohio, Marriages, Vol. 9, p.20, from FHL microfilm 0914958.

[6] U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989, from 1913 Fort Wayne, Indiana, City Directory, p. 712, 1914 p. 724, 1918, p.709, 1919, p.721; database on-line, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Oct 2014).

[7] 1920 U.S. Census, Jefferson Township, Adams County, Indiana, ED 4, p.7B, dwelling 144, family 154, Otto Bollenbacher; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Oct 2014); from NARA microfilm T625, roll 420. Maggie is shown as Margurite A. Latterman, 12, niece, born in Ohio.

[8] 1920 U.S. Census, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, ED 140, p.3A, dwelling 46, family 46, Michael Schott; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Oct 2014); from NARA microfilm T625, roll 1418. Josephine Ladderman, 9, granddaughter, born in Indiana.

[9] 1920 U.S. Census, Madison, Township, Sandusky County, Ohio, ED 86, p.9A, dwelling 189, family 189, Rinhart Leaderman; ; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Oct 2014); from NARA microfilm T625, roll 1429. Paul Leaderman, 14, grandson, born in Indiana. Emma Leaderman, 7, granddaughter, born in Indiana.

[10] “Indiana Births, 1880-1920,” database on-line, from Index to Birth Records, Indiana WPA, 1938-1940; Allen County, Vol. 3, Book CH-5, p. 99; Ancestry.com (www. Ancestry.com : accessed 15 October 2014).

[11] Find a Grave Memorial #75838601, created by Gravehound Club, added 1 September 2011, William Laderman; buried at Riverside Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant, Isabella Co., MI, Block B, Lot 90, Space 5, Spot ID 1920; Find A Grave.com (www.findagrave.com : accessed 15 October 2014).

[12] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997,” index and images, FamilySeach (www.familysearch.org : accessed 15 Oct 2014), Clarence J. Smith and Julia L. Laderman, 4 Mar 1914; citing Sandusky, Ohio, reference V-18, p.40, CN 3911; FHL microfilm 506649. Clarence was 22 and Julia was 18. Julia’s parents were given as Rheinhart & Elizabeth Burk Laderman.

 

Oct 14

Tombstone Tuesday–Frederick W. & Wilhelmina (Emerich) Schott

Frederick & Wilhelmina Schott, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

Frederick & Wilhelmina Schott, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. (2011 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Frederick W. and Wilhelmina (Emerich) Schott, located in row 9 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Chattanooga, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

SCHOTT
Frederick W.
1881-1936
Wilhelmina
1887-1942

Frederick Wilhelm “Fred” Schott was born 17 May 1881 in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, to Michael and Margaret (Kuehm) Schott. He was baptized at Zion Chatt on 26 May 1881 by Rev. AJ Feger and was confirmed at Zion on 10 May 1896 by Rev. Johannes Vollmar.

Fred married Wilhelmina “Minnie” Emerich on 14 May 1905 in Mercer County. [1]

Wilhelmina “Minnie” Emerich was born 15 February 1887 in Mercer County to Philip and Philipine (Fickert) Emerich. Her father Philip died when she was about eleven years old. Minnie was confirmed at Zion Chatt on 31 March 1901 by Rev. RV Schmitt.

Fred Schott died of blood poisoning on 16 March 1936. He was 54 years, 9 months, and 28 days old and was buried on the 19th. Zion’s records indicate he was survived by his parents, wife, 11 children, 2 brothers, 2 sisters, and 3 grandchildren.

Fred’s wife Minnie died a few years later of a cerebral hemorrhage, on 13 May 1942, at the age of 55 years, 2 months, and 28 days. She was buried on the 16th. Zion’s records indicate she was survived by 11 children, 10 grandchildren, 2 brothers, and 1 sister.

Fred and Minnie Schott had the following children. Most were baptized and confirmed at Zion Chatt.

Leah Lucille Clementine (1906-1992), married a Smith
Luther “Glenn” (1907-1990), married Hilda Schaadt
Ruth Margaret (1909-2007), married Gerald Edwards
Ralph August (1911-1966), married Idora Marceal Luttman
“Clarence” Frederick Michael Schott (1914-1962)
Ray Albert Schott (1919-1993), married Alice A. Cook
Lorina “Irene” (1920-2018 ), married James D. Herron
Paul Franklin (1922-2014), married Alberta June Nolan
Dale Frederick (1925- ), married Mary
Alfred William Schott (1927-2011), married Barbara L. Matthews
Anna Lee (1928-2001), married Gerald Rupert Schlechte

Fred Schott’s baptism and confirmation records at Zion show his parents were Michael and Margaretha (Kuehm) Schott. However, his Liberty Township birth record shows his parents as Jacob and Rosetta Cramer. The next entry in the Liberty Township birth book is Caroline Schott, born 22 April 1881, whose parents are shown as Michael and Margret (Kuhn) Schott. Apparently the parents’ names were reversed in the probate book. [2]

[1] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1997,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 12 October 2014), Fred W. Schott and Minnie Emerich, 14 May 1905; citing Mercer, Ohio Marriages, Vol. 9:120 ; FHL microfilm 914958.

[2] “Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 12 October 2014), Fred William Schott, 17 May 1881; citing Liberty Twp, Mercer County, Ohio, unpaginated; FHL microfilm 2367095.

Oct 10

One Lovely Blog Award

One Lovely Blog Award

One Lovely Blog Award

I want to thank Shelley Bishop for nominating Karen’s Chatt for the One Lovely Blog Award. It is an honor to be nominated by Shelley, a very talented writer and blogger, whose blog is A Sense of Family. Thank you Shelley!

One Lovely Blog Award nominees are chosen by fellow bloggers to recognize bloggers who share information, stories, thoughts, and ideas.

When nominated a blogger should do the following:

1. Thank the person who nominated them with a link to their blog
2. Add the One Lovely Blog Award logo to your blog post
3. List seven things about yourself
4. Nominate at least 7 other bloggers you follow and inform them by commenting on their blog.

Here we go. Seven things about myself:

1. I don’t like spiders but I have a very hard time killing them. I usually either avoid them or shove them outside.

2. I can’t swim.

3. I started out as a math major at Bowling Green State University before transferring to Indiana University for Dental Hygiene.

4. Back in the 1960s my best friend Karen and I were folk singers. We called ourselves the 2-Ks and I played guitar while Karen Westerberg played the tambourine. We provided entrainment for local organizations and we even won a few talent contests.

The 2-Ks!

The 2-Ks!

5. I once led a fluoride brush-in at an elementary school somewhere in Indiana while standing in the center of a football field, leading the group with a microphone.

6. I have been our church organist since I was 13 years old but I actually prefer to play the piano.

7. I have implants. (No, not that kind! DENTAL implants.)

103_7372

Below are several blogs that I regularly read and nominate for the award.

Pam Seavey Schaffner, Digging Down East

Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, Always Anxiously Engaged

Linda Woodward Geiger, Musings by Linda

Jana Sloan Broglin, Hookers, Crooks, Kooks, and More

Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist

Michael Lacopo, Hoosier Daddy

Lorine McGinnis Schulze, Olive Tree Genealogy Blog

Amy Johnson Crow, No Story Too Small

Amy Coffin, The We Tree Genealogy Blog

Thank you to all the genealogy bloggers who educate and inform us.