Tombstone Tuesday-Edna A. & Clara M. Schumm

Edna A & Clara M Schumm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Edna A. and Clara M. Schumm, located in row 9 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Edna A.
1895-1990

Clara M.
1898-1984

Sisters Edna and Clara Schumm were the fifth and sixth of eight children born to Henry M. (1861-1941) and Minnie (Hoppe) (1860-1937) Schumm.

Edna Alwine Magdalena Schumm was born in Willshire Township 16 October 1895. She was baptized at Zion Lutheran, Schumm, on 27 October 1895 with Wilhelmine Schumm, Leone Schumm, and Alwine Seemeyer serving as her sponsors.

Clara Anna Marie Schumm was born in Willshire Township on 16 April 1898 and was baptized at Zion Schumm on 8 May 1898, with Maria Schumm and Anna Seemeyer serving as her sponsors.

In 1900 Edna, 4, and Clara, 3, lived with their family in Willshire Township. Family members included their father Henry M, 39; mother, Minnie, 40; siblings Agnes, 12; Alma, 10; Emanuel, 9; Emil, 6; Alfred, 2 months; and their maternal grandparents, Henry Freese, 63, and Abalonia Freese, 61. [1]

The eighth child, Oswald, was born to the family in 1902. Their mother Minnie Schumm was enumerated with her 8 children in Van Wert County in 1910, although some of the names of those in the household are difficult to read and somewhat confusing. One daughter’s name is repeated, another name is nearly illegible and indicates the daughter is a male. After comparing birth dates, ages, and gender with known family information, I believe the members of the household in 1910 were: Minnie, 50, married, had 8 children, all living: Agnes, 22; Alma, 20; Emanuel, 18; Emil, 17; Edna, 15; Clara, 12; Alfred, 10; and Oswald, 8. [2]

Their father Henry M. Schumm was not enumerated with them in Van Wert County in 1910 but was probably living in Colorado, although I have not found him in the 1910 census. Henry homesteaded in Cheyenne County, Colorado, in about 1907 and remained in Colorado for 15-20 years. It appears his wife Minnie and some of their children went back and forth between Colorado and Van Wert County during that time, but by 1930 Henry and Minnie were back in Willshire Township, where they resided for the remainder of their lives.

Clara Schumm:

In 1920 Clara Schumm, 21, resided with her mother Minnie, grandmother Abalonia Freese, and siblings Alma, Emanuel, Alfred, and Oswald in Willshire Township. [3] And just to make things interesting, Minnie, Clara, Alfred, and Oswald, were enumerated again, about a month later in Cheyenne County, Colorado, with the father Henry Schumm. [4]

In 1930 Clara, 30, single, rented a home or apartment at 407½ Race Street, Troy, Ohio, and shared it with roommate Annabel Powell, 29. Clara worked as a public health nurse. [5]  

Their mother Minnie (Hoppe) Schumm died 19 November 1937 and their father Henry M. Schumm died 1 February 1941.

In 1950 Clara, 51, single, resided in Mansfield, Ohio, where she was the supervisor of city and county nurses. [6]

Clara Schumm, 86, died at her home in Van Wert on 29 April 1984. Clara Schumm’s obituary:

Van Wert–Former Mansfielder Clara Schumm 86, of 314 N. Jefferson St., Van Wert, died at her home Sunday after a long illness.

She is survived by a sister, Edna Schumm of Van Wert and a brother, Oswald Schumm of Van Wert.

She came to Mansfield from Troy, Ohio, with Dr. Harry Wain as a nursing director of the combined city-county health department and the visiting nurses association. She served in that position until retiring.

She was an active member of various health associations, locally and statewide. She received special recognition for her organization of the polio immunization program in Mansfield. Miss Schumm was a Case-Western Reserve University and Columbia University graduate with a degree in public health nursing. She was a charter member of the Altrusa Club of Mansfield.

Friends may call from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Cowan Funeral Home, Van Wert. Services will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Van Wert. Burial will be in the Schumm Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Van Wert Visiting-Nurses Association. [7]

Clara’s sister Edna Schumm:

In 1930 Edna Schumm, 34, and her brother Oswald Schumm, 28, rented a home at 2428 Wayne Avenue in Dayton, Ohio. Edna worked as a saleswoman and Oswald worked as a machinist in an electric shop. [8]

In 1940 Edna, 44, single, resided in Mechanicsburg where she taught at a public school. She was a lodger in the home of Della Kimball, 73, on 115 N Main Street, and had lived there in 1935 as well. Edna was a college graduate and reported her income as $1425. [9]

In 1950 Edna Schumm, 54, single, lived on Market Street in Bellville, Richland County, Ohio, where she was a business education teacher at a public high school. [10]

Edna Schumm, 95, died of respiratory arrest and heart failure at Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne, Indiana, on 21 December 1990. She donated her remains to the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Athens. Edna was a high school teacher and never married. She lived on South Anthony, Fort Wayne, at the time of her death. [11]

Edna and Clara had the following siblings:
“Agnes” Wilhelmine Barbara Schumm (1888-1921)
Alma Abalonia Schumm (1889-1972)
“Emanuel” Henry John Schumm (1892-1973), married Edna Scaer
“Emil” Fredrick Schumm (1893-1960), married Louise Stock
Alfred Oswald Ferdinand Schumm, Rev. (1900-1981), married Irma S. Wambsganss
Oswald Hugo Otto Schumm (1902-1987) 

[1] 1900 U. S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 97, dwelling 182, family 195, p.9, Henry M Schumm; Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Dec 2021.

[2] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.2B, dwelling & family 37, Minnie Schumm; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 18 Dec 2021. [How the family looks on the census: Minnie, 50; Edna, 22; Samuel, 20, daughter (M); Emanuel, 18; Emil, 17; Edna, 15; Clara, 12; Alfred, 10; Oswald, 8.]

[3] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.3A, dwelling & family 48, Wilhelmina H Schumm; Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Dec 2021.

[4] 1920 U.S. Census, Cheyenne Wells, Cheyenne, Colorado, ED 56, p.7B, dwelling 84, house 89, Henry M Schumm; Ancestry.com, viewed 6 Dec 2021.

[5] 1930 U.S. Census, Troy, Miami, Ohio, ED 7, p.6A, dwelling & house 141, Clara Schumm; Ancestry.com, viewed 29 Aug 2022.

[6] 1950 U.S. Census, Mansfield, Richland, Ohio, ED 70-41, p.79, dwelling 226, Clara M Schumm; Ancestry.com, viewed 29 Aug 2022.

[7] News-Journal, Mansfield, Ohio, 1 May 1984, p.7, Clara Schumm; Newspapers.com, viewed 29 Aug 2022.

[8] 1930 U.S. Census, Dayton, Montgomery Ohio, ED 112, p.3A, dwelling 46, family 48, Oswald H Schum [sic]; Ancestry.com, viewed 1 May 2022.

[9] 1940 U.S. Census, Mechanicsburg, Champaign, Ohio, ED 11-3, p.2A, house no. 115, household 42, Della Kimball; Ancestry.com, viewed 29 Aug 2022.

[10] 1950 U.S. Census, Belleville, Richland, Ohio, ED 70-18, p.4, dwelling 40, Edna H Schumm; Ancestry.com, viewed 29 Aug 2022.

[11] Indiana Death Certificates, Year 1900, Roll 20, Edna Alwina Magdelina [sic] Schumm, 21 Dec 1990; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 29 Aug 2022.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.