Tombstone Tuesday-Elizabeth (Boroff) Smith Schumm

Elizabeth (Boroff) Smith Schumm, Tomlinson Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. (2013 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Elizabeth (Boroff) Smith Schumm, located in Tomlinson Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Mother
Elizabeth Smith
Schumm
1886-1962

Hester “Elizabeth” Boroff was born in Dublin Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on 20 September 1886, the daughter of William I. and Mary Catherine (Coil) Boroff. [1] Her mother died in 1889 and her father married Effie Hale in 1891.

The William Boroff family in 1900: William, 43; Effie J, 41; Ida B, 16; Hester E, 13; Adam G, 12; and Basil Franklin, 4 months. William Boroff was a farmer. [2]  

Elizabeth Boroff married Edwin Augustus Smith in Van Wert County on 16 January 1907. Edwin was the son of W.L. and Elizabeth (Sprain) Smith. [3]

Elizabeth and Edwin had one daughter, Leone “Ida” Smith, born in York Township, Van Wert County 18 October 1907. [4]

Elizabeth’s husband Edwin Smith died of pneumonia in Liberty Township, Van Wert County, on 10 January 1909. [5] He is buried in Tomlinson Cemetery.

John Martin Schumm married widow Elizabeth (Boroff) Smith at the parsonage of Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, on 9 February 1911.

In 1920 the John Martin Schumm family lived on Hogan Street in Willshire, where John Martin worked as a house carpenter. The John Martin Schumm family in 1920: John Schumm, 46; Elizabeth Schumm, 34; Dolores Schumm, 2; and Leone I Smith, 12. [6]

The John Martin Schumm family in 1930: John Schumm, 55, head; Elizabeth Schumm, 43, wife; Leone Smith, 23, stepdaughter; Dolores Schumm, 12, daughter; and Donald Schumm, 7, son. John Martin Schumm worked at a grain elevator in 1930. [7]

The John Martin Schumm family in 1940: John, 66; Elizabeth, 55; and Donald, 17. [8] No occupation is given here for John but at some point he was a marshal and constable in Willshire.

John Martin Schumm died at his home in Willshire on 28 April 1954 and he is buried in Zion Lutheran Cemetery at Schumm. His widow resided in Willshire after his death.

Hester (Boroff) Smith Schumm died of heart disease at the Van Wert County Hospital, on 31 March 1962, at the age of 76. She was buried on 1 April. [9]

Elizabeth’s obituary:

Willshire-Mrs. H. Elizabeth Schum [sic], 76, Willshire, died Saturday in Van Wert Hospital. She was a member of the Methodist Church and Pythian Sisters.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Leone Passwater [sic] Willshire, and Mrs. Delores Shady, Fort Wayne; a son Donald E., Fort Wayne; a sister, Mrs. Ida DeVere, Continental; nine grand-children, and two great grandchildren.

Services will be at :30 [sic] p.m. Monday in the Willshire Methodist Church. Burial will be in Tomlinson cemetery, Mercer County. The body is in the Cowan and Son funeral home. [9]

Elizabeth is buried next to her first husband Edwin Smith.

Edwin and Elizabeth (Boroff) Smith had one child:
Ida L Smith (1907-1999), married Thomas Passwaters

John Martin and Elizabeth (Boroff) Smith Schumm had two children:
Dolores Louise Schumm (1917-1976), married Doyle C. Shady
Donald Wayne Schumm (1922-2009), married Barbara Baker

Last week I wrote about Elizabeth’s second husband John Martin Schumm (1873-1954), who is buried in Zion Lutheran Cemetery at Schumm. A few years ago we walked through Tomlinson Cemetery and I noticed Elizabeth Schumm’s marker and photographed it at that time. I usually take note and photograph a Schumm marker when I see one in a cemetery where I am not expecting to see the Schumm name. This was the case for Elizabeth’s marker and we did not have to travel back to Tomkinson Cemetery to get the photo for this blog post.

[1] “Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003,” Vol. 2, p.41, Ester Elizabeth Boroff, 20 Sep 1886; database with images, FamiySearch.org  (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RYW-S6DY?i=87&cc=1932106&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AVN7V-MXY : viewed 8 Nov 2021). [Elizabeth’s marriage and death certificate give her date of birth as 23 August 1886]

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Dublin, Mercer, Ohio, ED 77, p.3, dwelling & family 58, William Boroff; digital image, Ancestry.com (viewed 1 Nov 2021).

[3] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016,” Van Wert, Vol. 12, p.390, Edwin A Smith & Elizabeth Boroff, 1907; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-S5Q4-59?i=227&cc=1614804 : viewed 8 Nov 2021). [This record indicates Elizabeth was born 23 Aug 1886.]

[4] “Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003,” York Twp, Van Wert, Leone Smith, 18 Oct 1907; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RYH-SXK4?cc=1932106&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AVNW6-VF5 : viewed 8 Nov 2021).

[5] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” Liberty, Van Wert, Edwin Augustus Smith, 10 Jan 1909; database with images, FamilySearch.org  (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PKG-WNM?i=2444&cc=1307272&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXZ2B-66P : viewed 8 Nov 2021).

[6] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.7A, dwelling & family 2, John M Schumm; digital image, Ancestry.com (viewed 1 Nov 2021).

[7] 1930 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 22, p.1A, dwelling & family 14, John Schumm; digital image, Ancestry.com (viewed 1 Nov 2021). 

[8] 1940 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 81-26, p.2A, house 34, John Schman; digital image, Ancestry.com (viewed 1 Nov 2021).

[9] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” Pleasant Township, Van Wert, Hester Elizabeth Schumm, 31 Mar 1962; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89ZY-T6WX?i=667&cc=2128172&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AF6C6-K2T : viewed 8 Nov 2021). [This record indicates she was born 23 Aug 1885.]

[10] Elizabeth Boroff Smith Schumm Find a Grave memorial no. 49050058, Tomlinson Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio, viewed 1 Nov 2021.

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