Tombstone Tuesday–Henry Sauer

Henry Sauer, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Henry Sauer, located in row 3 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Henry Sauer
1884-1948

Henry Sauer was born in Germany on 2 March 1884 [1], the son of John and Anna C. (Meisinger) Sauer.

According to the 1900 census the Sauer family immigrated in 1895. In 1900 Henry lived with his parents and his siblings in Willshire Township: John Sauer, 47; Anna C, 45; Leonard, 24; Eva, 22; Anna C, 20; John Jr, 18; Henry, 16; Mary, 14; Aaron, 13; Phillip, 9; and Ludwig, 6. According to that enumeration, 9 of the 10 Sauer children were living. [2]

Henry Sauer married “Justine” Rosine Magdalene Pflueger in Zion Schumm’s parsonage on 26 Dec 1907, married by Rev. C.W. Giese. The church records indicate both the bride and groom were from Zion Schumm’s parish. Justine (1889-1918) was the daughter of Abraham and Elisabeth (Hofmann) Pflueger.

In 1910 the Henry Sauer family lived in Monroe, Allen County, Indiana: Henry, 26; Justine R M, 20; Esther A E, 2; and Paul E J, 8 months. This enumeration indicates that Henry was born in Germany and immigrated in 1890. [3] 

Henry’s wife Justine died from lagrippe on 12 March 1918 in Van Wert County, Ohio. She was only 28 years old and left 5 underage children behind. She was buried on the 14th in Zion Schumm’s cemetery. Henry never remarried.

In 1920 widower Henry Sauer lived in Willshire Township with his 5 children: Henry, 35; Esther A E, 11; Paul A J, 10; Reinhold F, 8; Herman E, 6; and Lena N, 3. [4]

In 1930 Henry Sauer farmed and lived in Adams County with his two daughters: Henry, 46; Esther, 22; and Lina 13. [5]

Henry Sauer, age 56, lived by himself at 229 First Street in Decatur in 1940. He rented his home and worked as a laborer. [6]

Henry Sauer died of cerebral arteriosclerosis on 3 June 1948 at the Richmond State Hospital, Wayne County, Indiana. He was 64 years old. [7] Neither his death nor burial are recorded in Zion Schumm’s records. He was brought back to Zion Schumm’s cemetery and laid to rest near his wife Justine.  

Henry and Justina (Pflueger) Sauer had the following children:
Esther (1908-1994), never married
Paul A. John (1909-1988), married Clara Alena Stump
Reinhold Ferdinand (1911-1993), married Helen M. Fritzinger
Herman Edgar (1913-1986), married Dorothy Alice Featherer
Lena Paula Emelia (1916-2013), married Russell E. Fleming

To make this research just a little more challenging, there was another Henry Sauer, the son of Adam and Magdalena (Dietrich) Sauer, born near Schumm in 1889, who was baptized at Zion Schumm that same year. He and his wife Erna lived in Fort Wayne and they are both buried in Concordia Cemetery there.

[1] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” Van Wert Marriages, Vol. 12:540, Henry Sauer & Justina Pflueger, 26 Dec 1907; database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-S5QH-DL?i=302&cc=1614804&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXD2K-N64 : viewed 2 Sep 2019).

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, Ed 98, p.13, dwelling 246, family 252, John Sauer; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1900usfedcen/ : viewed 2 Sep 2019).

[3] 1910 U.S. Census, Monroe Allen, Indiana, ED 17, p.2B, dwelling & family 21, Henry Sauer; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1910uscenindex/ : viewed 2 Sep 2019). 

[4] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.3B, dwelling 63, family 64, Henry Souer; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1920usfedcen/ : viewed 2 Sep 2019).

[5] 1930 U.S. Census, Root, Adams, Indiana, ED 14, p.9B, dwelling & family 212, Henry Sauer; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1930usfedcen/ : viewed 2 Sep 2019).

[6] 1940 U.S. Census, Decatur, Adams, Indiana, ED 1-12, p.2B, line 41, Henry Sauers; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1940usfedcen/ : viewed 2 Sep 2019).

[7] Indiana Death Certificates, 1948, roll 7, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Henry Sauer, 3 Jun 1948; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com.

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