Jun 15

1940 Census Indexing Update

I am helping index Ohio in the 1940 Census.

Thousands of volunteers for the 1940 US Census Community Project continue to index at a phenomenal rate. Overall, the indexing is 63% complete and FamilySearch.org reports that indexing is one month ahead of schedule.

Over 75 million records have been indexed and 20 states are 100% indexed and searchable on FamilySearch.org. States that are searchable by an individual’s name are Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming. The following states are 100% indexed and will soon be searchable on-line: Alabama, Indiana, Maine, Nebraska and North Dakota.

You can see the 1940 Census Community Project progress map at https://familysearch.org/1940census/.

Searchable on Ancestry.com are Delaware, Maine, Nevada, New York and Washington DC. Rhode Island is searchable on MyHeritage.com.

Ohio is now 44% indexed. When I have a little extra time I try to index batches from Ohio. I just indexed my 50th batch yesterday. I have indexed batches from Allen, Auglaize, Lucas, Darke, Logan, Paulding, Lake, Licking, Defiance, Franklin and Cuyahoga counties. My Arbitration Results are 98% agreement. That isn’t too bad considering that some of the handwriting is difficult to read.

I indexed a couple batches from Kansas before Ohio was available. I enjoy indexing counties in the western part of our state because it is interesting to see surnames that I am familiar with. I hope to get some batches from Mercer County and I would probably be up all night indexing if that happens. I have heard of some indexers indexing their grandparents. Now that would be something!

I also indexed some Kansas batches.

There are also 1940 Census Indexing Contests for indexers and genealogical societies. Prizes are awarded from sponsoring partners Ancestors.com, Findmypast.com, ProQuest, FamilySearch and the National Archives. Congratulations to the Ohio Genealogical Society Indexing Group, May’s winning society with 16+ members. They won the top prize, a new lap top computer, for the most records indexed.

There is a lot of interesting information about Ohio on https://familysearch.org/1940census/1940-census-ohio/. This page tells that Ohio’s population in 1940 was 6,907,612 and 11,536,504 in 2012. It is interesting to see how the populations of Ohio’s cities have changes since 1940.

Since Oregon is one of the states that is now searchable in the 1940 Census I decided to try out the index and search for Ruecks in Oregon on FamilySearch.org. I immediately found my Rueck relatives.

L Jacob & Regina Rueck were living in Clackamas County, Oregon. Living with them were Claude A & Margaret Pullen, their son-in-law and daughter. Living next door to them was David Rueck. I know that David and Regina were brother and sister, siblings of my great-grandmother Christine (Rueck) Miller.

The Oregon Ruecks were all farmers and David had a poultry farm.  [source: “United States Census, 1940,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VRRX-PSV : accessed 14 June 2012), L Jacob Rueck, Barlow Election Precinct, Clackamas, Oregon, United States.]

We should all give a big thanks to the thousands of volunteers who are making the 1940 Census Index possible. If you think you would enjoy this type of project you can get more information at The 1940 US Census Community Project, https://the1940census.com. You are able download the Indexing Software there and get indexing instructions and tutorials.

I helped index the first half of the 1940 US Census.

I find indexing to be rather relaxing and I always have enjoyed entering data.Volunteering to help index the 1940 Census is a great way to help researchers today and in the future easily learn more about The Greatest Generation. It is a way of contributing and giving back.

Jun 12

Tombstone Tuesday—Jeanetta, Charles and Amalia Schumm

Tombstone of Jeanetta, Charles, Amalia Schumm, Riverside Cemetery, Rockford, Mercer County, Ohio.

This is the tombstone of Jeanetta A., Charles J. and Amalia  C. Schumm, located in row 3, old section J, Riverside Cemetery, Rockford, Dublin Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed SCHUMM, Jeanetta A, 1875-1916, Charles J, 1875-1954, Amalia C, 1884-1969.

Jeanetta was Charles’ first wife and he married Amalia after Jeanetta’s death.

According to her death certificate, Jeanetta Ann Schumm was born 23 October 1875 in Ohio to Joseph and Samantha (Wildermuth) Bury. She died 11 September 1916 in Dublin Township, Mercer County, of an accidental electrocution. She was married and was aged 40 years, 10 months and 18 days. She was a housekeeper on the farm. She was buried on 14 September. The informant was Charles Schumm. (Certificate of Death, State of Ohio Bureau of Vital Statistics, Registration District 850, File 57588, Primary Registration District 5301, Registered 70; Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953, index and images, FamilySearch.org, accessed 9 Jun 2012.)

Obituary:
Electric Shock Causes Untimely Death of Mrs. C.J. Schumm, While Washing Monday
The community was shocked Monday morning to learn that Mrs. C.J. Schumm had been electrocuted by a short circuit when attaching an extension cord to an electric washer in the yard. Mrs. Schumm was found lying on the ground. Medical aid was summoned but could give no help for the vital spark had fled. The blow to the husband and children and her parents and family was overwhelming, and the sympathy of all went to the bereaved family.

Just how the fatal accident occurred will never be known. Mr. Schumm had gone to the fields and other members of the family were absent. Mrs. Schumm had the water ready to do her washing and had the washer set out in the yard as she had always done in good weather. Power was transmitted through an extension cord from a socket in the house, the cord being run out through a window. Mrs. Schumm must have been just ready to attach the cord to the motor when she received the fatal shock. Mrs. Helen Karnes, on her way to school in town, stopped at the Schumm home and found Mrs. Schumm lying in the yard. She summoned aid and neighbors came at once to the home.

The Schumm home is two miles northwest of Rockford, and the electrical current to the home is furnished from the Willshire-Wren light line of the Rockford Electric Lighting plant. This is the first accident that has ever occurred in the history of electric light and power in this community.

Mrs. Schumm was well and favorably known in both town and country and her friends were many. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bury of Rockford. She is survived by the husband, daughter Miss Donna and two sons, one aged about three years and the other a baby seven weeks old. Three brothers, Homer of Rockford, Cleve of Mercer and John of Jackson, and sisters Mrs. Odus Street, Mrs. Jess Spry of Jackson, and Mrs. Tom Karnes of Chamberlain, S.D., are with the parents left to mourn the death of their favored sister.

The Schumm family have [sic] been brought to grief by two untimely deaths in their circle within the last few weeks. In each case the wife and mother was taken away leaving a small baby. Mrs. Wm. Schumm was taken away only a short time ago, from a neighboring home. Their friends far and wide extend their heartfelt sympathy to the family, in this their hour of double bereavement.

The funeral was held this Thursday afternoon from the Rockford Presbyterian church, of which the deceased was a member. Dr. A. Arthur Griffes preached the funeral service, and music was furnished by the Presbyterian Choir. Burial was made in Riverside Cemetery. (The Rockford Press, Rockford, Ohio, 15 Sep 1916, p.1)

Schumm, Jeanetta Ann, his wife, 1875-1916, Charles J 1875-1954. Marker behind granite marker. Riverside Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio.

Charles and Jeanetta had the following children: Donna Doris (1900-1950), Carl Arnold (1904-1912), Oral (1912-1912), Charles Robert (1914) and Joseph Frederick (1916).

Charles remarried to Amalia Germann, the daughter of Charles Friedrich and Hannah M. (Schumm) Germann. They had the following children: Lucile (1924), Virginia B. (1926) and Herbert (1928).

From the church records of Zion Lutheran, Schumm: Karl Johann Heinrich Schumm was born 14 March 1875, the child of Mr. Friedrich Jacob and Maria (Germann) Schumm. He was baptized 29 March 1875, with sponsors Karl Germann, Peter Germann and Heinrich Schumm II. “Charles“ John Henry Schumm died in the hospital at Findlay, Ohio, on 29 April 1854 at the age of 79 years, 1 month and 15 days. He was survived by his widow Amalie. He was buried on 1 May, services by Rev. Werner VonKulhburg.

The church records also show that Amalia (Germann) Schumm died 12 February 1969 and was buried 15 February.

A group of three grave markers are in the row behind the main stone. They are inscribed with the names of Charles and Jeanetta, their two sons Carl and Oral, and their daughter Donna Doris.

Group of Charles Schumm family markers. Riverside Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio.

 

 

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Jun 08

Albert G. Ellis–The Breuninger Connection

Oil portrait of Albert Gallatin Ellis by his daughter. Image no. WHi-2637, from the collection of the Wisconsin Historical Society. Used by permission from the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Who was Albert Gallatin Ellis and how does he fit into our family?

Albert Gallatin Ellis is one of the best known American pioneers of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the upper Wisconsin River valley. He was born in Verona, New York, in 1800, the son of Eleazer Ellis. During his lifetime he was a teacher, writer, newspaperman and politician.

At the age of sixteen he became a printer’s apprentice and three years later was employed by Eleazer Williams as a secretary and assistant. He visited Green Bay with Williams in 1821 and soon after was appointed catechist and lay-reader by the Episcopal Church. He returned to Green Bay in 1822 and started a colony and a school for a group of Oneida Indiana. He remained in Wisconsin the rest of his life.

In 1827 Ellis was appointed inspector of provisions and from 1828-33 he served as deputy surveyor of government lands. In 1830 Ellis accompanied an Indiana delegation to Washington and was again surveying from 1833-36. In 1837 he was made surveyor-general.

In 1833 he and his partner John V. Suydam published Wisconsin’s first newspaper. It was also the first newspaper to be published west of Lake Michigan. It was called the Green Bay Intelligencer. He published the paper alone from 1834-35 and with C. P. Arndt from 1835-36. He served in the territorial lower house as a Democrat in 1836 and from 1841-44. He was surveyor general of the Wisconsin and Iowa district from 1837-41. Ellis was appointed US Sub-Indian Agent in 1845 and was in charge of the Green Bay Agency.  In 1852 he moved to Stevens Point, Portage County, where he was the receiver of the land office from 1853-62.

Ellis published the first newspaper in Portage County, the Wisconsin Pinery, from 1853-59. He was mayor of Stevens Point for five terms. There he edited the Stevens Point Wisconsin Eagle from 1874-85 and wrote numerous biographical and historical essays on Wisconsin history. Ellis died in 1885 at Stevens Point.

Sources:  Wisconsin Historical Society, accessed 7 June 2012.
Midwest Pioneers: Collection of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Vol. 20:317. Ancestry.com, accessed 7 Jun 2012.

Ellis wrote, “In all my connections with the press, I never had any idea but the development of the frontier country and the support of old-fashioned Democratic principals [sic]. In both these I have spent large sums of money derived from other sources. I never made a dollar by publishing a newspaper, but I have spent thousands.” (Stevens Point Journal, “Newspapers and A.G. Ellis”, 19 May 1992, Portage County Historical Society of Wisconsin, accessed 7 Jun 2012.)

An image of Albert Ellis is painted on a mural on the side of a building in downtown Stevens Point. The mural depicts Stevens Point’s Ten Most Influential Citizens and was painted in 2008 by Kelly Meredith in honor of the town’s sesquicentennial. You can view a photo of the mural at http://stevenspoint.com/DocumentCenter/Home/View/903 .

Yes, Albert G. Ellis was a notable man. He was a General and was known as the Pioneer Editor of all the northwest. In addition to his accomplishments he wrote many articles as well as personal recollections of his life. But what is his connection to our family? In all of the writings by and about him there is very little written about his private family life.

I learned about our family connection from a couple of letters in “The Breuninger Collection”, the collection of items saved by my great-great-grandfather Louis Breuninger. I have at least two hand-written letters from Albert G. Ellis to Louis Breuninger.

From these letters I learned that Albert’s second wife was Louis Breuninger’s sister Eliza Charlotte Juliana Louisa, called “Eliza CJL”, who was my great-great-grandaunt.

The above portrait of Albert G. Ellis was painted by one of his daughters. It is image no. WHi-2637 ,in the collection of the Wisconsin Historical Society and used with their permission. I do not know which daughter painted the portrait, but perhaps she was a child of Albert and Eliza. You can also see the Ellis portrait on the Wisconsin Historical Society website.

More about Eliza the Ellis-Breuninger connection in upcoming blogs…

Jun 05

Tombstone Tuesday–Mary Breuninger Stamm Koehler

Mary Stamm Koehler, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio.

This is the tombstone of Mary (Breuninger) Stamm Koehler, located in row 11 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed: KOEHLER, Mary A. Stamm, 1858-1930.

Mary was the third child of my great-great-grandparents Louis and Maria (Seckel) Breuninger.

According to Mary Koehler’s death certificate she was born 10 October 1858 in Wisconsin to Lewis Breuninger and Mary Seckle. She died 16 June 1930 at age 71 years, 8 months and 6 days. (Certificate of Death, Ohio DOH, Van Wert County, District 1291, Primary Registration District 8525, Registered #71.)

According to the church records of Zion Lutheran, Schumm, Maria Breuninger married Peter Stamm on 30 October 1879 in the house of the bride’s parents.  Peter was from Harrison Township, Van Wert County, and Maria was from of Zion’s parish. Peter died 7 October 1895.

Mary and Peter had the following children: Richard (b. 1880); Martin (b. 1882, married Clara Kessler); Alvina/Alverna (b. 1883, m. William Muntzinger); Ida (b. 1885, m. Martin Hollenberg); and Anna Bertha (b. 1887, m. John Smith).

Mary married Oscar Koehler 18 November 1919 in Van Wert County, Ohio. They were married by Rev. Osterhouse. Her occupation was housekeeper and he was a retired farmer. (Van Wert County Marriages, Vol. 15:378, digital image, film #1015865, FamilySearch.org, accessed 3 June 2012.)

Obituary:
Highly Esteemed Resident of Boyd Avenue, Long a Resident of County, Passes Away.
Mrs. Oscar Koehler, highly esteemed resident of Boyd Avenue, died Monday afternoon at the Van Wert County Hospital, after being in ill health the past five years.  Mrs. Koehler was aged 71 years and was a native of Green Bay, Wisconsin.  She had resided in this county practically her entire lifetime.  Her direct survivors are her husband, a brother, Peter Breuninger, three daughters, Mrs. William Muntzinger, Mrs. Martin Hollenberg and Mrs. John Smith, two sons, R.L. Stamm and Martin Stamm and thirteen grandchildren.  Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon, at 1:30 o’clock, at the Emanuel Lutheran Church.  Interment will be made at the Schumm cemetery, at Schumm. (The Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, 17 June 1930.)

Obituary:
Mrs. Mary (Stamm) Koehler of Van Wert died at the Van Wert County Hospital Monday, June 16, 1930, where she had been a patient since nine weeks ago, because of complications setting in from a fractured hip.

Mrs. Koehler is survived by these children: Martin Stamm of Willshire Township, Richard Stamm and Mrs. Martin Hollenberg of Fort Wayne, Mrs. Wm. Muntzinger of near Convoy and Mrs. John Smith of Van Wert.

Funeral services were held at 1 o’clock Wednesday afternoon at the Lutheran church in Van Wert and burial was made in the Lutheran Cemetery at Schumm.

Mrs. Koehler was a resident of Willshire Township for many years, residing on the Stamm farm, four miles east of Willshire, before removing to Van Wert.  (The Willshire Herald, Willshire, Ohio, 19 June 1930)

 

 

 

Jun 01

The Porch Swing

Ah, the good ol’ summertime. For me, summertime brings back childhood memories of long summer days spent at the Miller farm. I still remember that feeling of freedom when school was out and the whole summer was ahead of me.

Karen, Grandma Miller, Jackie on THE Porch Swing.

I spent nearly every summer on the farm with my Miller grandparents. I stayed with them during the day while my parents were at work.

Many of those summer days were spent relaxing on the porch swing. Their porch spanned the entire front of the Miller house and the wooden swing was the main attraction. The house faced north so the porch was always in the shade. The swing was like a magnet that drew family members and friends to it. It was an inviting and relaxing place to gather and sit.

You could see a lot from that swing. Grandma’s garden and the few neighbors’ homes were to the left. The Miller barn and barnyard were to the right. In front was the long lane that led to the seldom-traveled township road.

Grandma & Grandpa Miller.

We spent many hours on that swing doing some very important things: Waiting for the mail to come. Keeping cool in the days before air conditioning. Watching it rain and staying dry at the same time. Reading the Daily Standard. Talking and gossiping. Waiting for the milk man and the bread man to come with their goodies. Drinking a cool drink on a hot day. Watching the farmers work the fields. Whistling back and forth with the Bob-Whites. Shelling peas and snapping green beans. Napping. Pretending the swing was an aircraft. Watching the humming birds visit Aunt Ann’s gladiolas. Watching the few cars go by on the road. Getting a picture taken on the porch swing.

The porch swing was good for napping.

Our Miller family has an unusual number of photos that were taken on the porch swing. In fact, more photos were taken on that swing than anywhere else on the farm or in the house.

Relatives crowded onto the porch swing for a photo.

Uncle Kenny with his dogs.

One reason for the swing’s photographic appeal could be that a flash was not necessary. But I think the main reason was that it was such a comfortable and relaxing place to sit and gather and visit. Everyone was happy on the porch swing.

The Miller farm house now belongs to another family, but a porch swing is still a part of the front porch. I hope they will enjoy their swing as much as we enjoyed the old one.

The current porch swing.