Tombstone Tuesday–Michael G. Pflueger (revisited)

Michael G. Pflueger, Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2018 photo by Karen)

In 2013 I wrote a Tombstone Tuesday post featuring the tombstone of Michael G. Pflueger, located in row 6 of Greenbriar Cemetery, Willshire Township, Van Wert County, Ohio. [1] At that time, five years ago, Michael’s grave marker had fallen over.

We stopped by Greenbriar Cemetery a few weeks ago and the first thing I noticed was that Michael Pflueger’s tombstone had been reset and restored to its upright position. His tombstone was one of several that had been reset with a new bases and we were impressed with the restorations that had been done since we were at the cemetery five years ago. These tombstones are very heavy and resetting them can be quite a task. Kudos to those who did the restoration work.

In addition to being reset, a very nice plaque had been placed in front of Michael Pflueger’s marker.

George “Michael” Pflueger was my second great-granduncle, the brother of my great-great-grandmother, Maria Barbara Pflueger, who was the wife of my great-great-grandfather Johann “Ludwig” Schumm.

Here are some photos showing how Michael’s tombstone looks today:

Michael G. Pflueger, Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2018 photo by Karen)

Michael G. Pflueger, Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2018 photo by Karen)

Michael G. Pflueger, Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2018 photo by Karen)

Michael G. Pflueger’s marker is inscribed:

Michael G. Pflueger
Died 1 Jul 1903
Aged 79 y, 1 m, 13 d
Gone but not forgotten
PFLUEGER

Georg “Michael” Pflueger was born in Schrozberg, Württemberg, the son of Johann Christian and Anna Barbara (Sekel) Pflueger. [2]

Michael Pflueger married Maria Catharine Brant on 28 May 1846 in Holmes County, Ohio. [3] According to the records of Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, they were probably living in the Schumm area by 1848 when their daughter Maria Rosina was born and baptized. Michael and Maria Catharine had at least eleven children and at least six of them died young.

Michael Pflueger was a private during the Civil War, in Company C of the 41st Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served from 4 September 1864-13 June 1865, for 9 months and 12 days. During the war he suffered from camp diarrhea and rheumatism. [4] [5]

Michael G. Pflueger, Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2018 photo by Karen)

According to the 1872 map of Van Wert County “M. Pflueger” owned land in the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 26 and the southeast half of the southeast quarter of Section 29 in Willshire Township. Both farms were on Willshire Eastern Road. The 80 acres in Section 26 was east of Zion Lutheran Church. The 55 acres in Section 29 was closer to Willshire and what is now State Route 81 ran through the farm.

Maria Catharine (Brant) Pflueger died in 1882 and is buried in row 9 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, where some of their children are also buried. The names of five of their children are inscribed on Catharine’s tombstone.

In 1900 widower Michael Pflueger was living with his son Adam in Willshire Township. [6]  

Michael and Maria Catherine Pflueger had at least eleven children, according to Zion Schumm records. At least six of them died young and four of them lived to adulthood. Their youngest child, Maria Hanna, lived to be at least nine years old. The following are the children of Michael and Catherine (Brant) Pflueger, from the church records:

Maria Katharina (1848-1848)
Margretha (1849-1849)
Rosina/Rose Ann (1850-1869)
Abraham (1853-1936), married Elizabeth Hoffman
Maria Barbara (1855-1935), married Jacob/GW Clouse
Georg Martin (1857-1859)
Martin Friedrich (1860-1943), married Sarah M. Burk
Adam Jakob (1862-1919), married Anna Regina Pifer
Johann Heinrich (1863-1864)
Andreas Jacob (1866-1867)
Maria Hanna (1871-?)

 

[1] Greenbriar Cemetery is located about 3½ miles west of Ohio City, at the intersection of Willshire-Ohio City Road and Glenmore Road, Section 13 of Willshire Township.

[2] Evangelische Church at Schrozberg, Württemberg, entry 5 (1824 Baptisms), unpaginated, Family History Library microfilm #1528613, birth and baptism of Georg Michael Pflüger.

[3]Ohio , County Marriages, 1789-1994,” index and images, FamilySearch.org (www.familysearch.org : accessed 12 May 2013), citing Holmes County Marriages, Vol. 2:298, Michael “Pfleger” and Catharine Brant, 1846.

[4] 1890 Veterans Schedules, Van Wert County, Ohio, Willshire Township, p. 3, line 34, Home 121, Family 126, Michael Pflueger, database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 Apr 2013), from National Archives Microfilm, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Publication M123, Record Group 15.

[5] U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865, on-line database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 May 2013), from National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/.

[6] 1900 U.S. Census, Van Wert County, Ohio, Willshire Township, ED 0097, p. 9B, line 77, dwelling 185, family 199, Adam Pfluegar; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com, (www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 May 2013).

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