Wilhelm A. Scaer (23 Jul 1897-26 Nov 1906) Schumm Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio
This is the tombstone of Wilhelm A. Scaer. It is located in row 3 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The inscription on the stone is Wilhelm A. Scaer, Geb. den 23 Juli 1897, Gest. den 26 Nov 1906. Geb. [geboren] is German for born and Gest. [gestorben] is German for died. Den is German for “on the”. “Gone Home” is inscribed on the very top of the stone.
Wilhelm “Willie” Scaer was born near Monroeville in Allen County, Indiana, the son of John and Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Schinnerer) Scaer. His grandparents were Johann and Katherine (Emrick) Scaer and Friedrich and Elizabeth (Schumm) Schinnerer. Willie was a younger brother of my grandmother, Hilda (Scaer) Schumm.
The John Scaer family was still living in Allen County in 1900 but moved east of Willshire, Van Wert County, Ohio, sometime before 1906. The family was enumerated as “Scar” in the 1900 census. (source: 1900 US census, Monroe, Allen, Indiana; Roll T623_358:2A)
Obituary: YOUNG BOY DIES– Willie Scare [sic], a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Scare, who live two miles east of Willshire, died between 11 and 12 o’clock Monday night. The disease that caused the demise of the young boy was strangulation of the bowels and began to develop two weeks ago. The funeral will be held this afternoon, the services being conducted by Rev. C.W. Geise in the German Lutheran church at Schumm. Willie Scare was nine years old last July, and is survived by the parents, three sisters and a baby brother. (source: The Willshire Herald, 29 November 1906, page 1)
Willie’s sisters were Hilda (1895-1997; m. Cornelius Schumm), Edna (1899-1985; m. Emanuel Schumm), Elsie (1904-1998; m. Paul Roehm). His younger brother was Oscar Scaer (1906-1992; never married).
Willie and Hilda Scaer (photo c1899)
The Scaer family has spelled their surname several ways over the years. It has been spelled Skahr, Scarr, Scar, Skaer, Scaer, and Scare, to name the more common variations. The name was spelled “Skahr” in the records of Zion Evangelical Church of Winesburg, Ohio, before 1848. After 1848 the name was spelled “Scar” or “Scarr”. Willie’s grandfather Johann spelled his name “Scaer” but his son Peter later changed the spelling of his name to “Scare”. Johann’s other son John (Willie’s father and my great-grandfather) kept the spelling as “Scaer”. Peter “Scare” married Hannah Schinnerer and his brother John “Scaer” married Elizabeth Schinnerer. The brothers married sisters, who were daughters of Friedrich & Elizabeth (Schumm) Schinnerer.
