Tombstone Tuesday–Barbara A. Schinnerer

Tombstone of Barbara A. Schinnerer, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio.

This is the tombstone of Barbara A. Schinnerer, located in row 3 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The tombstone is inscribed Hier Ruhe Barbara A. Tochter von F. und E. Schinnerer, Gest. Den 14 Marz 1897, Alter 33 y, 11m, 20t. The translation: Here rests Barbara A., Daughter of F. and E. Schinnerer, Died on 14 March 1897, age 33 years, 11 months, 20 days. Schinnerer is inscribed in large letters at the base of the monument.

Catharina Elisabeth “Barbara” Schinnerer was the first child born to Frederick and Elisabeth (Schumm) Schinnerer. According to the church records she was born 24 March 1863 in Dublin Township, Mercer County, Ohio. She was baptized at home on 29 March 1863. Sponsors at her baptism were Catharina Schumm, Mrs. Elisabeth Bienz, and Mrs. Barbara Büchner. (source: Church records, Zion Lutheran Schumm, Book 1:61) “Barbara Anna” Schinnerer died of epilepsy on 14 March 1897 and was buried on the 16th, aged about 34 years. Her burial text was Psalm 16:6. (source: Church records, Zion Lutheran Schumm, Book 3:238) Barbara never married.

The death notice of Barbara Schinnerer was combined with that of Magdalena (Meier) Schumm :

Mrs. Fred Schinnerer [sic; should be Schumm] an aged and most estimable lady was interred in the Schumm cemetery Thursday. She leaves a large circle of friends, relatives and a devoted family of grown children to mourn her absence from the fireside. Especially is this true in the case of Miss Barbara, who has been her constant attendant.

Died, March 14, 1897, Miss Barbara, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Shinnerer (sic) aged 34 years.  She had been an invalid from her second year and while the ever loving, patient mother, the kind father and the sisters and brother sorely miss her, they should rejoice that the frail body is at rest.

“It must be true that far away
The spirit into new life springs,
That somewhere in a boundless clime,
Beyond the misty shores of time
We’ll reach the golden gates of peace,
And weary hand will somewhere rest.” 

Mrs. Lizzie Scaer, Mr.[sic] Hoffman and Mrs. Hannah Scaer, of Monroeville, Ind., were here this week attending the funeral of their sister, Barbara, and visiting with their father, Fred Shinnerer, who is very sick.    (source: Van Wert Times Bulletin, 19 March 1897)

Magdalena Schumm died the day after Barbara passed away and their death records are on the same page in the Schumm church records. Magdalena was the wife of Frederick Schumm, who was the son of John Georg Schumm. Frederick Schumm immigrated to America in 1833 with his father and four siblings.

Barbara Schinnerer was enumerated in only two censuses. In 1870 the Frederick Schinnerer family was still living in Dublin Township, Mercer County, Ohio, with a Shane’s Crossing address. Their name was spelled “Shiner” in that census. The family consisted of 8 children and Lewis Schumm, 19, my great-grandfather! Lewis was my grandpa Schumm’s father and his occupation in that census was “farm laborer”. He was probably working for Fred Schinnerer. Frederick and Elizabeth Schinnerer’s youngest child at that time was Elizabeth, aged 1 month. Elizabeth was my grandma Schumm’s mother. Interesting.

By 1880 the Frederick Schinnerer family had moved his family and they were living in Willshire Township, Van Wert County, Ohio. His daughter Barbara was 17 years old and she and her mother were both listed as maimed, crippled, bedridden or otherwise disabled.

Barbara Anna Schinnerer (1863-1897) d/o Frederick & Elizabeth (Schumm) Schinnerer.

I received this photo of Barbara Schinnerer from the late Mildred (Schumm) Franz. My mother and I visited Mildred at her home in Decatur, Indiana, in 1999 and Mildred copied a number of photos from an old photo album that she had. Mildred was my second cousin once and twice removed and my third cousin once removed. Barbara was my great-grand aunt and my first cousin twice removed.

 

 

 

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