Jul 12

Finding a Spouse Close to Home

I have been working on a big project all year long and I finished it just this week. The project, an updated Schumm family genealogy and history book, is now at the printer and is probably being printed as I write this. I hope.

My great-great-great-grandfather, John George Schumm, immigrated with five of his children in 1833 and today there are thousands of his descendants in the U.S. Not all of them are mentioned in the book, but the book is still quite substantial, about 570 pages. That’s a big book!

As hubby Joe was proofreading some of the material, he noticed something about my branch of the family, the children of John George Schumm’s son George “Ludwig” (1817-1855).

Ludwig Schumm and his wife Maria Barbara Pflueger had nine children and seven of them lived to adulthood. Of those seven, four married Schinnerers, two married Breuningers, and one married a Germann. These four families all lived near Schumm.  

This is a perfect example showing that couples in the mid-late 1800s usually did not venture far from home to find a marriage partner. They usually found a mate within about three miles of their home. Plus, all but one of these families attended the same church, a very good place to meet a spouse.

Below are Ludwig and Maria Barbara (Pflueger) Schumm’s children and their marriage partners.

Elizabeth Schumm (1841-1917) married Frederick Schinnerer (1824-1905) in 1862.

Elizabeth (Schumm) Schinnerer (1841-1917)

Friedrich Schinnerer (1824-1905)

Henry Schumm, aka River Henry, (1844-1922) married Rosina Schinnerer (1854-1890) in 1872. Rosina was the daughter of the above Frederick Schinnerer, from his first marriage. I guess Elizabeth was Rosina’s step-mother and sister-in-law at the same time.

Schumm, Henry “River Henry” (1844-1922)

Rosina (Schinnerer) Schumm (1854-1890)

Mary Schumm (1842-1870) married Martin J. Schinnerer (1934-1930) in 1860. Martin J. and Frederick Schinnerer were brothers. Mary (Schumm) Schinnerer died in 1870 and:

Rosina Schumm (1848-1909) married widower Martin J. Schinnerer (1834-1930) in 1871. Rosina and the late Mary (Schumm) Schinnerer, Martin’s first wife, were sisters.

Breaking the family tradition of marrying a Schinnerer, Hannah Schumm (1853 -1926) married Carl “Charles” F. Germann (1849-1932) in 1872. Carl was from Harrison Township and attended St. Thomas Church there. Hannah was quite the rebel! 

Hannah (Schumm) Germann (1853-1926)

Charles Germann (1849-1932)

Then a new family settled in the area. The Louis Breuninger family, from Wisconsin. A family with 4 young daughters. After several Schumm-Schinnerer marriages, the two youngest Schumm brothers decided to get brides from a different family. Two of the Schumm brothers married two of the Breuninger sisters.

John Christian Schumm (1849-1926) married Wilhelmina “Minnie” Breuninger (1860-1899) in 1880.

John C. Schumm (1849-1926)

Minnie (Breuninger) Schumm (1860-1899)

Louis J. Schumm (1851-1938) married Sarah Breuninger (1861-1921) in 1883.

Louis J Schumm (1851-1938)

Sarah (Breuninger) Schumm (1861-1921)

Minnie and Sarah Breuninger were sisters.

I wonder if the Schumm-Breuninger couples knew they were second cousins? We call that Pedigree Collapse now.

It happened. Probably more than we think. Here is how that happened in the case:  

Maria Barbara Pflueger (1822-1908), Ludwig Schumm’s wife, and Maria A. Seckel (1827-1910), Louis Breuninger’s wife, were first cousins.  

Maria Barbara (Pflueger) Schumm’s mother, Anna Barbara (Seckel) Pflueger (1791-1846), was the sister of Maria A. (Seckel) Breuninger’s father, Georg Andreas Seckel (1798-1830).

Anna Barbara Seckel married Christian Pflueger (1781-1877) and they lived near Schumm. That could be the reason the Louis and Maria (Seckel) Breuninger moved from Wisconsin to Willshire Township. To be near Maria’s cousins, the Pfluegers.

How do I fit in? Louis J. Schumm and Sarah Breuninger were my great-grandparents. Their son Cornelius was my grandfather.

And as a side note, of the thousands of given names in our Schumm family, there is only one Cornelius Schumm.

Jul 04

Happy Independence Day!

Happy July 4th! America’s Independence Day. Today we celebrate the birthday of our great nation, the day the Continental Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring that the thirteen colonies were no longer part of Great Britain, but independent sovereign states that were part of a new nation.

Today, as we proudly fly our country’s flag, watch parades and fireworks, and have cookouts, it is also a time think about the principles of freedom and liberty upon which our country was founded and strive to preserve the type of government our forefathers envisioned, as set forth in the historic documents they created.

Independence Day

 

Jul 02

Tombstone Tuesday-Jacob & Katharine (Mueller) Linn

Jacob & Katharina (Mueller) Linn, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township,  Mercer County, Ohio. (2024 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Jacob and Katharina (Mueller) Linn, located in row 1 of St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

MUTTER
KATHARINA
1839-1913

VATER
YAKOB
1838-1919

LINN

Mother Katharina 1839-1913, Father Jacob 1838-1919, LINN.

Jacob Linn was born in Bavaria on 5 August 1838, the son of Philipp Daniel (1812-1886) and Gerturde (Fuchs) (1818-1871) Linn.

Katharina Mueller was born in Alschbach, Bavaria, on 14 November 1839, the daughter of Johann (1816-1870) and Marie (Kessler) (1811-1886) Mueller. Katharina Mueller was the older sister of my paternal great-grandfather Jacob Mueller/Miller. Their younger sister Margaret Mueller (1847-1924) married Philip Linn (1841-1920), who was the brother of Jacob Linn. Brothers married sisters.

Mueller was the German spelling of the surname, but it was Americanized as Miller.

Jacob Linn and Katharina Mueller married in Germany about 1866 and their first three children, Jacob, Philip, and Henry, were born in Germany.

Jacob & Katharina (Mueller) Linn, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2024 photo by Karen)

A few Miller and Kessler family members had already immigrated to America and settled in Mercer County, Ohio, by the early 1870s. Katharina and Margaret’s brother Jacob Miller, my great-grandfather, immigrated to America in June 1871 and settled in Black Creek Township, Mercer County, Ohio. Some Kesslers had also settled in Mercer County a few years before that. The Kesslers were close family members of Jacob, Katharina, and Margaret Miller’s mother Marie, who was born a Kessler.

The Jacob and Philip Linn families, with mother-in-law Marie (Kessler) Mueller, all came to America at the same time time, sailing from Bremen, Germany, on the ship Hanover, and arriving in New York on 28 May 1872. Sailing to America were Jacob Linn, 34, wife Katherina (Mueller), 32, their sons Jacob, 7, Philip, 4, Henry, 9 mo.; Jacob’s brother Philip Linn, 31, his wife Margaret (Mueller) Linn, 24, and their infant son Philip, 9 mo.; and Marie (Kessler) Mueller, 64, Katharina and Margaret’s widowed mother. [1]

By 1880 Jacob and Katharina Linn were living in Liberty Township, Mercer County, with two more sons added to their family. Their household in 1880: Jacob Linn, 41, farmer; Katharina, 40; Jacob, 15; Philip, 12; Henry, 9; Christian, 6; and John, 6 months. [2]

Jacob Linn owned 60 acres of land in Sec. 9, Liberty Twp. and 40 acres in Sec. 16. His land was on Oregon Road, between St. Rt. 49 and Wabash Road, on the north and south side of Oregon Road, across from each other. The 60-acre parcel, on the north side of Oregon Road, extended to Wabash Road.

The Jacob Linn family in 1900, where his wife Katharina was enumerated as Amelia: Jacob, 62; Amelia [sic], 61; John, 20; and Fredrick, 15. This enumeration indicates that Jacob and Katharina had been married for 28 years, that 6 of their 8 children were living, and that they immigrated in 1872. [3]

Six of Jacob and Katharina’s eight sons lived to adulthood and they had all left home by 1910. Jacob and Katharina, both 72, lived by themselves in 1910 and Jacob’s occupation was farming. Jacob was listed as Jr. in the 1910 enumeration, although he was actually Jacob Linn, Sr. [4] 

Katharina (Mueller) Linn died 17 May 1913 in Mercer County. Her obituary:

Mrs. Jacob Linn, aged 74 years, a pioneer resident of the west end of the county, died last Saturday afternoon at her home in Liberty township, as the result of a stroke of paralysis which she sustained last Thursday night.

Deceased was born in Germany, but came to this country when a young girl, and settled in this county about forty years ago. She is survived by her husband and six sons-Phillip, janitor at the court house in this city; Jacob, Christ, Henry, John and Fred, all residents of the west end of the county. Funeral services were held last Monday afternoon at the German Reform church, in Liberty township. [5]

 Widower Jacob Linn died 3 February 1919 in Mercer County. His obituary:

PIONEER DIES   
Jacob Linn, senior, died at his home in Liberty township, Monday morning at 2 o’clock. The end was not unexpected as his illness had been of so serious a nature as to preclude all hope. Mr. Linn was known and held in high esteem as one of the pioneer residents of Liberty township. He was born August 5, 1838, in Bavaria, and came to America in June 1872. He died at the age of 80 years. [6]

Jacob and Katharina (Mueller) Linn had the following children:
Jacob Linn Jr (1865-1927), married Elizabeth Garman
Philip Linn (1868-1935)
Henry Linn (1871-1934), married Margaret “Maggie” Deitsch
Christ Linn (1874-1953), married Anna K. Gehm
Wilhelm Linn (1877-1878)
John Linn (1880-1945), married Marie W. Klenz
Peter Linn (1883-1883)
Fredrick Linn (1886-1944), married Anna Brehm

[1] Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, NY, 1820-1897, Records of the U.S. Customs Service, RG: 36, National Archives, Washington DC, NAID: M237, Ship Hanover, 28 May 1872; Ancestry.com.

[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.477B, dwelling 114, family 121, Jacob Linn; Ancestry.com.

[3] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 85, p.8, dwelling 154, family 159, Jacob Sinn [sic]; Ancestry.com.  

[4] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.11A, dwelling 201, family 206, Jacob Linn Jr; Ancestry.com.

[5] Mrs. Jacob Linn obituary, Celina Democrat, Celina, Ohio, 23 May 1913; NewspaperArchive.com.

[6] Jacob Linn obituary, The Lima Times-Democrat, Lima, Ohio, 4 Feb 1919, p.5; Ancestry.com.

Jun 28

Who Do? 1916 Mount Carmel Bible Class

A few years ago I wrote about the Mount Carmel EUB Sunday School Class of 1914. My paternal grandmother Gertrude “Gertie” (Brewster) Miller (1896-1973) was a member of that class.

Mount Carmel church, a frame structure, was located in rural Jefferson Township, Adams County, Indiana. It had a Geneva address and was located about two miles from the Indiana-Ohio state line, about 4-5 miles southwest of Chatt. Google Maps indicates that the address of the church was E 900 S, S 450 E. In 1914 it was an Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) church. Philip Brewster, Gertie’s father and my great-grandfather, was a janitor at the church for many years.  

Here is a photo of the 1916 Charter Member organizational certificate of Mount Carmel church’s adult Bible class, with 25 signatures of the Bible class members.  

1916 Mount Carmel EUB Bible class certificate.

THE INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION, Adult Department
On recommendation of the Indiana Sunday School Association this certificate is issued to the
Who Do? Bible Class of the Mt. Carmel Evangelical Assoc. Church of Adams County.
ORGANIZED ADULT BIBLE CLASS according to the International Standard.
In Testimony Whereof, we have affixed our hand and seal this 11th day of February 1916.

Approved by the Evangelical Association Church.

Signed, W.C. Pearce, International Adult Department Superintendent.

For the Indiana Sunday School Association. B. Cornelius, Adult Department Superintendent.
CHARTER MEMBER

Who Do? That’s an interesting name for a Bible Class. There must be a story behind that name.

My grandma, Gertie Brewster, was one of the 25 young women who signed the certificate.

Signatures of 1916 Mount Carmel Bible class certificate.

Their signatures:
Edna Brewster, Claudia Buckmaster, Adda F. Ketcham, Cora Arn, Clara Fogle, Eloise Reef, Indianola Snyder, Nellie Kerr, Blanche Beerbower, Cleo Rumple, Arveda Rumple, Ella Arn, Isabel Zehr, Marie Sprunger, Ida L. Kerr, Mary Champer, Gertrude Snyder, Anna Durbin, Gertie Brewster, Halie Evans, Bessie Ketcham, Leona Fetters, Alice Gerber, Jeanette Charleston, Zola E. Charleston.

Here is a photo of the 1914 Mount Carmel Sunday School class. My grandma Gertrude and her sister Alpha (Brewster) Derickson (1898-1968) are among the class members.

1914 Mount Carmel Sunday School class.

Several of those in the 1914 photo were in the 1916 Bible class and signed the certificate. Those in the 1914 photo, with their maiden and married names:

Seated, left to right: Iva (Irwin) Charleston, Edna (Brewster) Abnet, Alpha (Brewster) Derickson, Clara (Fogle) Becher, Blanch (Beerbower) Foreman, and Janie (Irwin) Arnold.

Standing, left to right: Lola (Charleston) Taylor, Anna (Ketchum) Durbin, Cleo (Rumple) Pyle, Jannette (Charleston) Striker, Ethel (Evans) Houseman, Mary Champer, Gertrude (Brewster) Miller, Augusta (Brewster) Rockwood, Addie (Ketchum) Hisey, and Eathel (Evans) Dailey.

The Who Do? Bible class, consisting of young women. I wonder if the young men of the congregation also had a Bible class.

Jun 21

A WWII Paratrooper in the Family

This is a very patriotic time of year. In addition to Memorial Day and Independence Day, D-Day and Flag Day fall between those two well-known Federal Holidays. The entire month of May is designated to honor military members and their families, past and present. I wrote about those designated days in a few weeks ago.

June also has a number of Military Holidays, some I have not heard of:

  • Don’t Give Up the Ship Day (1 June)
  • D-Day (6 June)
  • Flag Day (14 June)
  • Pause for the Pledge Day (14 June)
  • US Army Birthday (14 June)
  • Bunker Hill Day (16 June)
  • US Coast Guard Auxiliary Birthday (23 June)
  • PTSD Awareness Day (27 June)
  • Operation Red Wings Observance (28 June)

Whole weeks in June are devoted to patriotic observances and honoring the military:

  • America the Beautiful Week (first full week of June)
  • Greencare for Troops Week (17-23 June)
  • Honor America Days (14 June-4 July)
  • National Flag Week (9-15 June)

I put up my patriotic decorations and U.S. flags before Memorial and leave them up until after Independence Day. The red, white, and blue colors are beautiful and uplifting, as well as patriotic!

I was going through some old Schumm family photos the other day and I found a couple interesting photos that my grandpa Schumm had saved.

My grandpa Cornelius Schumm had a sister Frieda (1893-1945), who married Richard Allmandinger (1898-1982). They had a son, Louis William Allmandinger (1925-2013), who was also my grandpa’s nephew.

Grandpa saved a couple photos of his nephew Louis Allmandinger in his WWII Army uniform, dated 1944, and a photo of Louis parachuting in Japan, dated 1947.

Louis Allmandinger (1925-2013), 11th Airborne, 1944.

Written on the back of the photo below: Jan 8, 1947. I made my first parachute landing. Yomoto [?], Honshu, Japan. Am wearing a pair of wings now. Louie.

Louis Allmandinger, 11th Airborne, parachuting in Japan, 1947.

 

Louis Allmandinger, 11th Airborne, 1947, back of above photo.

Louis was a U.S. Army paratrooper in the 11th Airborne. The 11th Airborne Division was activated on 25 February 1943, during WWII, and held in reserve in the U.S. until June 1944 when it was transferred to the Pacific Theater. They saw some combat in the Philippines.

The 11th Airborne was in Honshu, Japan, as part of the post-war occupation and that was where Louis made his first parachute landing in 1947.

Honshu is Japan’s largest and most populous island. Honshu contains Japan’s highest mountain, Mount Fuji, and Japan’s largest lake, Lake Biwa.

I know nothing more about Louis’ war service, but I appreciate that these photos were saved all these years.

During the war years Louis probably attended Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, where over a dozen of their young men served in WWII.

Again, Thank You to our veterans, past and present.