Happy Easter!

Today is Good Friday, the day Christians observe when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins.

But on the third day,  our Easter Sunday, He rose from the dead and we celebrate His resurrection.

He is risen. He is risen indeed.

Easter Blessings to all!

Zion Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, Ohio

Tombstone Tuesday-Carl H. & Vilenna M. (Bienz) Krueckeberg

Carl H. & Vilenna M. (Bienz) Krueckeberg, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Carl H. and Vilenna M. (Bienz) Krueckeberg, located in row 2 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

KRUECKEBERG
Carl H.
1877-1943
Vilenna M.
1879-1964

Charles “Carl” H. Krueckeberg was born in Van Wert County, Ohio, on 27 Mar 1877, the son of Charles/Carl Henrich W. (1835-1915) and Caroline Wilhelmine (Kleinschmidt) Krueckeberg (1834-1913).

The Charles Krueckeberg family in 1880: Charles [Sr], 45, born in Germany; Caroline, 45, Germany; Fredrick, 19; Sophia, 17; Louisa, 17; Minnie, 12; Ernst, 8; and Carl [Jr], 3. All the children were born in Indiana and their father was a farmer. [1] In 1900 Carl Krueckeberg [Jr] lived with his parents and extended family in Union Township, Adams County, Indiana.

Carl Krueckeberg [Jr] married Mary “Vilenna” Bienz at her grandparents’ home in Van Wert County on 22 August 1901. Carl was from Adams County, Indiana, and Vilenna was from Zion Schumm’s parish.

Vilenna Bienz was born in Van Wert County on 19 Jul 1879, the daughter of John Lewis (1852-1940) and Mary (Chilcoat) Bienz (c1859-c1881).

Vilenna Bienz, with her family, in 1880, residing in Willshire: JL [John Lewis] Bienz, 28, born in Ohio; Anna, 22, wife, Ohio; Mary V [Vilenna], 11 months, Ohio, born in July. John Bienz’s occupation was a house carpenter. [2]

Zion Schumm’s records indicate that Vilenna’s mother Ann Mary (Chilcoat) Bienz died before Vilenna’s baptism at Zion Schumm on 3 December 1882. Maria Bienz and Mrs. Katharina Roehm [?] served as Vilenna’s baptismal sponsors. The church records indicate that Vilenna’s grandparents Jacob and Elizabeth (Pflueger) Bienz had taken in Vilenna to raise.

In 1900 Vilenna Bienz lived with her grandparents, Jacob and Elizabeth (Pflueger) Bienz: Jacob, 75; Elisabeth, 64; and Mary V [Vilenna], 20. [3]

Meanwhile, Vilenna’s widowed father John L. Bienz had remarried in 1890, to Elizabeth Hixon. In 1900 John Lewis Bienz and wife “Lizzie” lived in Indianapolis, Indiana: John, 47, born June 1852 in Ohio; and Lizzie, wife, 38, born April 1862 in Indiana. They had been married 10 years and had no children. John reportedly worked as a machinist. [4]

Seven years after Carl and Vilenna married, Vilenna’s grandfather Jacob Bienz died in 1908. In 1910 Vilenna’s widowed grandmother Elizabeth (Pflueger) Bienz resided with Vilenna and Carl Krueckeberg and their children: Carl H Krueckeberg, 33; Vilenna, 30; Leo Krueckeberg, 7; Hugo Krueckeberg, 6; Elvira Krueckeberg, 4; Henoch Krueckeberg, 1; Elizabeth Bienz, 75, grandmother; Earl Roehm, 17, hired hand; and Della Roehm, 23, servant. Carl Krueckeberg was a farmer. [5]

Vilenna’s grandmother Elizabeth (Pflueger) Bienz died in 1913.

Carl and Vilenna continued to reside in Willshire Township, in 1920 with their 6 children, and by 1930 only their two youngest children resided with them. Son Hugo Krueckeberg, age 36 and single, was their only child living with them in 1940. It appears that Carl had retired from farming by that time and that Hugo had taken over the farming. [6]   

Carl Krueckeberg died from colon cancer in Decatur, Indiana, on 5 January 1943, aged 65. He was buried on the 7th. [7]

Vilenna Krueckeberg died at a long-term care facility in Alllen County, Ohio, on 2 November 1964, at the age of 85. [8]

Carl and Vilenna (Bienz) Krueckeberg had the following children:
Leo Charles Krueckeberg (1902-1970), married Helen Henrietta Miller
Hugo Friedrich Krueckeberg (1903-1985)
Elvira Carolina Krueckeberg (1906-1989), married Maurice Malcom Markle
Henoch Ernst Krueckeberg (1908-1996), married Ruth Schultz
Walter Friedrich Kreuckeberg (1910-2000), married Helen G. Backus
[male] Krueckeberg (1917-1917)
Anna Luetta Krueckeberg (1917-1942), married Edwin Herman Reinking

[1] 1880 U.S. Census, Union, Adams, Indiana, ED 131, p.26B, dwelling 41, family 42, Charles Krikeberg [sic]; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 2 Apr 2023.

[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 154, p.460A, family 48, JL Bieny [sic]; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 2 Apr 2023.

[3] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 98, p.310A (stamped), dwelling 208, family 214, Jacob Bienz; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 8 Apr 2019.

[4] 1900 U.S. Census, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, ED 62, p.2, dwelling 32, family 38, John L Bienz; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 2 Apr 2023.   

[5] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 113, p.9A (penned), dwelling 114, family 116, Charles H Kruckeberg [sic]; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 8 Apr 2019.

[6] 1940 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 81-28, p.5B, household 106, Chas H Kruckenberg [sic]; Ancestry.com, viewed 3 Apr 2023.

[7] Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2017, Charles H. Krueckeberg, 5 Jan 1943; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 3 Apr 2023.

[8] Ohio Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, 1958-2007, Vilenna Krueckeberg, 2 Nov 1964; Ancestry.com, viewed 2 Apr 2023.

Two Schumm Soldiers in WWI

Last week I posted a photo of 139 young men from Van Wert County, in front of the Van Wert County Courthouse, just before they departed for Camp Sherman on 22 July 1918, where they would receive basic training before entering WWI.

At that same time my grandfather Cornelius Schumm (1896-1986) was of draft age, age 21. He was born 15 September 1896 and turned 21 in September 1917. That put him in the Second Registration, which was for those who attained age 21 after 5 June 1917. The men in last week’s photo would have been from the First Registration, on 5 June 1917, for all men between the ages of 21 and 31 on that day. My grandfather Schumm was too young for the First Registration by about 3 months.

This was Cornelius Schumm’s WWI Draft Registration Card, dated 5 June 1918:

Cornelius Schumm Draft Registration, 5 June 1918

About five weeks later my grandfather was classified as One A:

CONSCRIPTION CALL
Final Listing Classes of Registrants of the Year 1918
The County Conscription Board has concluded the work of classifying the members of the Class of 1918. The final addition to the main list follows:

Class One A, Cornelius Schumm, Clyde Schaffer, Otto Dolt, Beryl Ashbaugh, Millard Graham, Earl Chambers, Edwin Geissler, Francis Jenkins, Elmer Croghan, Leland Couts, Walter Schaffner, Roy Clem, Webster Stewart, Harold DeLong, Thomas Brown, Harry Shoop, Frederick Smith, Ralph Clouse, Otto Hertz, William Rauch, Paul Vincent, Ellis Duprey, Frederick Grill.

Class Two 1: Clement Counsellor.
Class Four 1: Clifford Summersett, Ada Pritchard, Frederick Rathert, Estell Sperry.
[1]

My grandfather, classified as One A, turned draft age during the last stages of the war and did not serve in the military. He likely would have been drafted had the war continued. The war ended 11 November 1918, before he was sent to serve.

However, two of my grandfather Cornelius Schumm’s older second cousins, brothers Emanuel Schumm (1892-1973) and Emil Schumm (1893-1960), both served in WWI.  

Emanuel Schumm was conscripted on 14 February 1918. Men accepted for service from the Willshire area:
Willshire Township: Carl G. Roehm, Theodore A. Reidenbach, Emanuel H. Schumm, Oliver Reese.
Liberty Township: Arthur W. Merkle, Henry Hoffman.
Certified to the District Board: Henry Reichard, Willshire. [2]

Emanuel Schumm enlisted 24 May 1918, and left for Camp Taylor 25 May 1918:

…a special train of ten coaches and a baggage car for 561 soldiers, squads from Van Wert, Williams, Defiance, Henry, Paulding, Mercer, and Darke Counties. …to arrive at Louisville at 7:45 p.m. and then escort them to Camp Taylor…

Members of the squad from the Willshire area:
Homer Hudson, Wren
Fred F. Roop, Willshire
Harry E. Roll, Willshire
George W. Price, Willshire
Carl Roehm, Willshire Twp
Emanuel Schumm, Willshire Twp
Oliver Reese, Willshire
Carl Weinman, Willshire Twp
Don Watkins, Willshire
Alfred Stettler, Willshire
Charles R. Reichard, Willshire
[3]

During WWI Emanuel Schumm served as a Private and a Corporal and was among the American Expeditionary Forces. He was honorably discharged 27 August 1919. [4]

I believe Emanuel Schumm is the soldier in the two photos below, photos which came from his daughter. It looks like Emanuel, but I don’t know what his brother Emil looked like, so it could be Emil.

Emanuel Schumm WWI

Emanuel (or Emil) may have been visiting his family, who lived in Colorado at the time:

Emanuel Schumm WWI

In 1929 Emanuel Schumm became Cornelius’ brother-in-law when he married Edna Scaer (1899-1985), the sister of Cornelius’ wife Hilda Scaer (1895-1997). Emanuel Schumm managed the grain elevator in Schumm for many years. On 16 April 1940 Emanuel replaced George Weinman as Schumm’s postmaster and Schumm served as postmaster there until 6 January 1953. He was the last postmaster at Schumm before the office was abandoned.

Emanuel Schumm’s brother Emil Schumm was conscripted on 10 June 1918 with several others from Willshire Township: Lee Ross, Orley Walters, Walter Harman, Henry Roll, Emil Schumm, Reed Knight, Theodore Reidenbach, and Arthur Merkle. Alternatives from the area included Isaac Case, Willshire Township, and John Lotter, Willshire. 96 registrants made up the squad going to Camp Sherman and were ordered to report the week of the 24th. [5]

Emil Schumm enlisted 24 June 1918. On 25 June 1918 those 96 soldiers departed from Van Wert and Emil Schumm was among them. [6]

By the end of September 1918 Emil Schumm was overseas:

Mr. and Mrs. Louis Nofer, of Willshire township are in receipt of a card from Emil Schumm, a neighbor, announcing his safe arrival overseas. [7]

Emil and Emanuel’s father Henry M. Schumm, who had homesteaded in Colorado some years before, was living with his family in Colorado at the time. Emil and Emanuel had remained in Ohio and that is probably why Emil wrote home to his neighbor in the Schumm area.

Emil Schumm served as private and was honorably discharged 29 October 1919. [4]

I find it interesting to read these newspaper accounts and to see the timeline and how quickly things progressed.

[1] Conscription Call, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, 13 Jul 1918; NewspaperArchive.com, viewed 28 Mar 2023.

[2] Conscription Call, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, 14 Feb 1918; NewspaperArchive.com, viewed 28 Mar 2023.

[3] Soldiers Leave, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, 25 May 1918; NewspaperArchive.com, viewed 28 Mar 2023.

[4] Ohio Soldiers in WWI, 1917-1918, database on-line by subscription; Ancestry.com, accessed 20 April 2014.

[5] Conscription Call, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, 10 Jun 1918; NewspaperArchive.com, viewed 28 Mar 2023.

[6] Soldiers Depart, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, 25 Jun 1918; NewspaperArchive.com, viewed 28 Mar 2023.

[7] Soldier Letters, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, 30 Sep 1918; NewspaperArchive.com, viewed 28 Mar 2023.

Tombstone Tuesday-Occupation Symbols

A variety of symbols and images can be carved or etched on tombstones. The photos below show examples of carvings and etchings and show the difference between the two techniques.  

Religious symbols are the most popular tombstone inscriptions but other symbols tell us a little about the life of the deceased. Today, some local tombstones that indicate a person’s occupation.

Modern etching techniques create realistic-looking images on grave markers. Among my favorites are the photo-like farm images. It is obvious these are the grave markers of farmers.

St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Preble County, Indiana

Swamp College Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio

West Lawn Cemetery, Baltic, Ohio

Below are some carved images and you can see how they differ from etchings.

This person was a medical doctor.

North Grove Cemetery, Celina, Ohio

This person was an Ohio State Highway Patrolman.

Catholic Cemetery, Celina, Ohio

A barber pole indicates the person was a barber.

West Lawn Cemetery, Baltic, Ohio

This person was a truck driver.

Decatur Cemetery, Adams County, Indiana

This person evidently had several trades.

Woodlawn Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio

An emblem is sometimes attached to the monument. These emblems indicate a fireman and a volunteer fireman.

North Grove Cemetery, Celina, Ohio

St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery, Preble County, Indiana

Soldiers Depart Van Wert, 22 July 1918

This photo belonged to my grandfather Cornelius Schumm. The photo was taken by D.E. Agler on the west side of the Van Wert Courthouse on 22 July 1918. In the photo are 139 young Van Wert County men before leaving for basic training at Camp Sherman, to ultimately serve with the Allied Forces in Europe during WWI.

22 Jul 1918, Van Wert men to depart for Camp Sherman.

Several thousand people were assembled in Van Wert that day to honor these soldiers and in recognition of the soldiers who had gone before. According to newspaper accounts, the Van Wert County Service Flag was dedicated during this ceremony. The young service men were given comfort kits prepared by the Daughters of the American Revolution, white ribbon badges and carnations from the Womens’ Christian Temperance Union, and small flags and shoe laces from the James Clark Shoe Co.

If you look closely you can see the men are wearing the white ribbons.

22 Jul 1918, Van Wert men to depart for Camp Sherman.

The squad of young men was under the charge of Guy Simpson, assisted by Donald H. Smith, Lewis Walborn, W. McBride, and George Huffine. Rev. George Arthur Frantz, of the Presbyterian Church, gave the address.

22 Jul 1918, Van Wert men to depart for Camp Sherman.

Afterward the Van Wert squad was escorted to the Cincinnati Northern depot, the procession lead by the Scott Band, under the leadership of Prof. L.E. Needler. Public officials, Boy Scouts, and a long line of citizens accompanied the procession. The young men occupied three coaches that were attached to a special train that transported other squads from area counties. The train stopped at Greenville and the men were served a noon meal. The train was scheduled to reach Camp Sherman early in the evening.

22 Jul 1918, Van Wert men to depart for Camp Sherman.

There were eleven changes in the original list of registrants called to report for duty. Lewis Euler, Harold German, Jesse Johnson, Donald Holland, Nathan Lifshitz, Hoer Smith, Leon Talboon, Noble Thomas, Pryse Tumbers, Julius Verbauch and Carl Kreischer were removed from the original list and the vacancies were filled by Geo A. Adams, Noble Noell, James Johnson, Humbert Da Prato, Wm. R. Evans, Carl Reidenbach, Wm. Dunlap, Wm. Kidney, John Hey, Harry Roberts, Delbert Runnion.

Van Wert Daily Bulletin, 22 Jul 1918.

The newspaper has an alphabetical list of the young men in the photo who left for service that day. I transcribed the list of men the best I could, but the newspaper copy is difficult to read and I probably misspelled some names. Plus, the end of the list is illegible. Having said all that, the squad was made up as follows.

William Agler, John Adam, William August.

Ora Bair, Herman Becker, Titus Bell, Paul Becker, Logan Baer, Glenn Brubaker, Joseph Beekman, Oscar Bauer, George Bollenbaugh, Edson Beckwith, John Butcher, Harold Burnett, Edwin Bauer, Perry Bruckhart, Henry Bell, Virgil Baker.

John Clay, Glenn Crawford, Lawrence, Custer, John Coil, Wm. Campbell, Zeda Coombs, Chauncey Crogan, Hiram Cooper, Albert Case, Arnold Carmean, Frank Carder.

William Douglas, Wm. Dunlap, Humbert DaPrato.

Ernest Etzler, Wm. R. Evans, James Eady.

Arthur Frericks, Martin Feldner, Homer Ferris, Robert Fugate, Benjamin Feasby.

Howard Goodwin, Emil Germann, Fred Gerdeman, Walter Gehres, Lawrence Gehres.

Russel Hudman, Adolph Hotman, Floyd Hoaglin, Harry Hansell, Henry Hofman, Roland Hensel, Herbert Hagerman, Gale Hullinger, Evan Hughes, Oscar Harmon, Geo. Hofman, James Heath, John Hey.

Evan Jones, Bryse Johnson, Edward Jones, James Johnson.

Benjamin Kundert, Charles Knoll, Richard Klein, Elmer Kreischer, Lawrence Kreischer, Wm. Konkle, John Klausing, John Klein, Carey Kruch, Wm. Kidney.

Karl Leathers, Perry Levick, Edward Lybarger, John Letter.

Homer McClure, Harry McCarty, Woodie McBride, Lawrence McCarty, Price McClure.

Dall Miller, Russel Miller, Robert Morris, Hobart Mark, Lewis Merkle, Allen Mohler, Frank Mohr.

Jacob Neal, Noble Noell, Orley Neely.

Thomas Owens.

Unfortunately, the rest of the list is illegible.

A little about the WWI draft registration: During World War I there were three registrations. The first, on 5 June 1917, was for all men between the ages of 21 and 31. The second, on 5 June 1918, registered those who attained age 21 after 5 June 1917. (A supplemental registration, included in the second registration, was held 24 August 1918, for those becoming 21 after 5 June 1918.) The third registration was held 12 September 1918, for men age 18 through 45. So this group of men was probably from the second registration.

I am not sure why my grandfather Cornelius Schumm had this photo. Did he know some men in the photo? Was he a relative or close friend of someone in the photo? Since the surnames after the Os are not legible, I can’t know for sure.

However, while looking through newspapers for information about this photo, I read some information about my grandfather Cornelius Schumm, information that I did not know about. More about that next week.

Source: Soldiers Depart, Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Van Wert, Ohio, Newspaperarchive.com.