Tombstone Tuesday–Charles & Clara (Schumm) Dietrich Markle

Charles & Clara (Schumm) Dietrich Merkle, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Charles and Clara Rosina (Schumm) Dietrich Merkle, located in row 5 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

MERKLE
Charles
Jan. 8, 1869
Sept. 4, 1968

Clara
July 24, 1875
Jan. 14, 1936
PS. 37.5

My last Tombstone Tuesday featured George “Ernest” Dietrich (1864-1905), who is buried in row 9 of Zion Schumm’s cemetery. Ernest was married to Clara (Schumm) and after his death his widow Clara married Charles Merkle. Clara is buried beside her second husband Charles Merkle and they share the same tombstone. Today’s Tombstone Tuesday:

“Clara” Rosina Elisabeth Schumm was born 24 July 1875, the daughter of “River Henry” Schumm and his first wife, Rosina (Schinnerer). Clara was baptized at Zion Schumm on 1 August 1875 and Mrs. Elisabeth Schinnerer and Rosina Geier served as her sponsors.

The Henry Schumm household in 1880: Henry, 35, head; Rosina A, 26, wife; and their children John C, 6; Clara R E, 4; William M M, 3; Hannah M, 2; and Edward L, 4 months. [1]

Clara Schumm married Ernest Dietrich at Zion Lutheran, Schumm, on 14 August 1898. [2]

In 1900 Ernest and Clara Dietrich lived near the Dietrich family farm north of Schumm. Ernest was a farmer. Their household in 1900: Ernest, 35; Clara, 24; and daughter Rosa A, 1. [3]

Ernest Dietrich died of on 20 July 1905, [4] leaving behind his widow Clara and four daughters–Rosine, Edna, Leah, and Louise.

Ernest Dietrich and Clara (Schumm) Dietrich had the following children:
Rosine Marie Dietrich (1899-1987), married Walter Baker
Edna Magdalena Dietrich (1901-1986), married George Jacob Hofmann
Leah Juliana Dietrich (1902-1996), married Oscar Boenker; married Richard Merkle
Louise Wilhelmine Dietrich (1905-1992), married Ervin Peters

Ernest Dietrich’s widow Clara (Schumm) Dietrich married Charles Merkle on 26 November 1908. They were married at Zion Schumm by Rev. Holle. Charles Merkle, age 39, was from the Germann settlement and the widow Clara, age 33 years, was from the Schumm parish.  Witnesses to their marriage were William Merkle and Henry Schumm.

Charles Merkle was born in Willshire Township on 8 January 1869, the son of William and Elizabeth (Muntzinger) Merkle. [5] Charles sometimes went by the name of Carl. 

The William Merkle household in 1870: William, 40, Baden; Elizabeth, 26, Baden; Elizabeth, 5, Baden; William, 3, Ohio; and Charles, 1, Ohio. William was a farmer. [6]

The William Merkle family was a little challenging to locate in the 1870 census. Merkle is spelled and indexed as Merica on Ancestry.com. The Merkle family was living next to some Muntzingers, who were living with the Jacob “Drollinger” family. The Muntzingers: Ernest, 24; William, 22; George, 19; John, 17; and Catharine, 11, all born in Baden. They may have been related to Elizabeth (Muntzinger) Merkle, William Merkle’s wife.  

The William Merkle household in 1880: William, 50, head; Elizabeth, 36, wife; and children Elizabeth, 15; William, 13; Charles, 11; John 9; and George, 7. The parents and the oldest child Elizabeth were reportedly born in Baden and the rest of the children born in Ohio. This would indicate the family immigrated sometime between 1865-1867. [7]   

The William Merkle household in 1900: William, 70; Elizabeth, 56; Charles, 31; John H, 29; George, 27; and Ernest T, 19. The parents were born in Germany and this enumeration indicates that both immigrated in 1864. The children were all born in Ohio and the father William was a farmer. [8]

Charles Merkle married widow Clara (Schumm) Dietrich in 1908.

The Charles Merkle household in 1910: Charles, 38, head; Clara, 34, wife; their son Hugo Merkle, 6 months; and Charles step-daughters Rosina Dietrich, 10; Edna Dietrich, 8; Leah Dietrich, 7; and Louise Dietrich, 5. Charles was a farmer. Clara had given birth to five children and they were reportedly all living. [9] 

The Charles Merkle household in 1920: Charles, 51, head; Clara RE, 33; Edna M Dietrich, 18, daughter; Leah J, 17, daughter; Louise W, 14, daughter; Hugo H Merkle, son, 10; and Wilma M Merkle, 4, daughter. [10]

The Charles Merkle household in 1930: Charles, 61, head; Clara, 57, wife; Leah, 28, step-daughter, widow; Hugo, 20, son; and Velma, 15, daughter. [11]

Clara (Schumm) Dietrich Merkle died of heart irregularities in Willshire Township on 14 January 1936, at the age of 60 years, 5 months, and 20 days. She was buried on the 17th. [12] 

The household of widower Charles Merkle in 1940: Charles, 71, head, widow; Henry F Etzler, 28, son-in-law; Velma Etzler, 25, daughter. Charles was a farmer, living with his daughter Velma and her husband. [13]

Charles Merkle died of a stroke at the Van Rue Geriatric Center, Van Wert, on 4 September 1963. He was 94 years of age. He was buried on the 7th. His son Hugo Merkle had died earlier that same year. [5]

Charles Merkle obituary:

Charles Merkle
Van Wert—Charles Merkle, 94, a retired farmer and life resident of Willshire Township, Van Wert County, died Wednesday in Van Rue
Geriatric Center.

Mr. Merkle, who died from a cerebral hemorrhage, and been seriously ill for the past 10 days.

He was born Jan. 8, 1869, the son of William and Elesa Merkle. On Nov. 26, 1906, he married the former Mrs. Clara Dietrich. She died in 1936.

Mr. Merkle was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church in nearby Schumm.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Henry (Velma) Etzler of Willshire Township, four step-daughters, Mrs. Walter (Rosa) Baker, and Mrs. Ervin (Louise) Peters, Route 1, Willshire, and Mrs. George (Edna) Hofmann, Mrs. Leah Merkle, Rt. 2, Ohio City; two brothers, George and Ernest, both of Rt. 2, Ohio City, 17 grandchildren, and 28 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, with Rev. Elmer W. Braun officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call this evening at the Cowan and Son Funeral home. [14]

Charles Merkle and Clara (Schumm) Dietrich Merkle had the following children:
Hugo Henry Merkle (1909-1963), Erna Sophia Schroeder; married Myrtle (Butters) Custer
Velma Merkle (1915-1999), married Henry Etzler

 

[1] 1880 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 154, p: 443A (stamped), p.1 (penned) family 4, Henry Schumm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6742&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 17 Feb 2019).

[2] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-S57T-P2?i=103&cc=1614804 : viewed 4 Feb 2019), Ernest G. Detrick and Clara Schumm, 14 Aug 1898; Van Wert Marriages, Vol. 9:143. And Zion Schumm’s marriage records.

[3] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 98, p.310A (stamped), dwelling 211, family, 216, Ernest Dietrich; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1900usfedcen/?name=adam_dietrich&birth=1828_germany_3253&birth_x=1-0-0&residence=_van+wert-ohio-usa_2983 : viewed 14 Jan 2019).

[4] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,“ database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6725-BD?i=611&cc=2128172 : accessed 4 Feb 2019) Ernest G. Dietrich, 25 Jul 1905, Van Wert County, p.52.

[5] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” database with images, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9ZY-TZDF?i=1109&cc=2128172 : viewed 17 Feb 2019), Charles Merkle, 4 Sep 1963; Deaths, Van Wert, Pleasant Township. And, Charles Merkle’s brother John H. Merkle‘s 1936 death certificate shows his mother as Elizabeth Muntzinger; FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-G574-9V37?i=2378&cc=1307272 : viewed 18 Feb 2019).

[6] 1870 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p:22, dwelling 148, family 149, William Merica; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7163&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 18 Feb 2019).

[7] 1880 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 154, p:26B, family 232, line 20, William Marcaly; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6742&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 17 Feb 2019).

[8] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 98, p.6, dwelling 115, family 119, , William Merkle; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7602&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 17 Feb 2019).

[9] 1910 U. S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.258 (stamped), p.126A (penned), dwelling 114, family 115, Charles Merkle; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7884&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 17 Feb 2019). 

[10] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.2B, dwelling & family 41, Charles Merkle; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6061&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 17 Feb 2019).   

[11] 1930 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 24, p.5B, dwelling 112, family 115, Charley Merkle; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6224&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 17 Feb 2019).

[12] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1908-1953,“ database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-G574-9V37?i=2378&cc=1307272 : accessed 18 Feb 2019) Clara R E Merkle, 14 Jan 1936; Willshire, Van Wert County.

[13] 1940 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 81-28, p.5B, household 108, line 72, Chs Merckle; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=2442&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 17 Feb 2019).

[14] Charles Merkle obituary, The Lima News, 6 Sep 1963; digital image, Ancestry.com.  

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