Tombstone Tuesday–Emilie (Schumm) Koch

Emilie (Schumm) Koch, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

Emilie (Schumm) Koch, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Emilie (Schumm) Koch, located in row 4 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Emilie Schumm Koch
1874-1952

Maria Emilie Schumm was born 27 December 1874 in Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, Ohio, the daughter of Wilhelm “William” and Anna Maria (Heffner) Schumm. She was baptized at Zion Chatt on 19 January 1875 with Friedrich Herzog and his wife as sponsors.

Not long after Emilie was born her family moved to near Schumm in Van Wert County, where she grew up.

Emilie Schumm married Wilhelm “William” A. Koch on 13 September 1896 at Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm. William was from Wapakoneta, Ohio, the son of Johann J. and Christina Wilhelmina (Hoehammer) Koch. [1]

By 1900 William and Emilie had one child, a daughter Clara, who was born in May 1898. The family lived on Benton Street in Wapakoneta, Duchouquet Township, Auglaize County, Ohio, where William worked as a railroad section manager. The record indicates that Emilie had given birth to one child who was living. [2]

Emilie gave birth to a second daughter a few months after the 1900 census was taken. Paula L. Koch was born in October 1900.

Emilie’s husband William died 2 April 1906 and was buried near Wapakoneta. He was only 37 years old and he and Emilie had been married less than ten years. Later that same year, in November of 1906, Emilie gave birth to a son Walter Theodor.

Not long after William’s death Emilie moved back to the Schumm area to be closer to her family. Her son Walter was baptized at Zion Schumm in December 1906, so they may have been living there at that time.

In 1910 Emilie and her three children lived a few houses from my great-grandparents, Louis and Sarah (Breuninger) Schumm. Emilie was 35, Clara, 11; Paula, 9; and Walter, 3 years of age. Emilie owned her own home and worked as a laundress to support her family. She had given birth to four children but only three were living, [3] but I could find no record of a fourth child’s birth or death between 1901-1906.

In 1920 Emilie, age 46, and Walter, age 13, lived in or near Schumm. They lived next door to Gustus Schumm and close to George Weinman so they may have actually lived in the village of Schumm. [4] By 1940 Emilie was living with her daughter Paula Reidenbach and her family on Franklin Street in Convoy. [5]

Emilie died of a stroke at her daughter Paula’s home in Convoy on 6 June 1952. Emilie was 77 years of age and was buried on the 8th. [6]

William and Emilie had the following children:
Clara Maria, (1898-1983), married Carl Reidenbach
Paula L. (1900-1991), married Harold E. Reidenbach
“Walter” Theodor (1906-1970), married Blanche Wickliffe

 

[1] Samuel Wilhelm August Koch entry, Find a Grave memorial no.90605956, FindAGrave.com (www.findagrave.com : accessed 29 March 2015). [10 Oct 1868-2 Apr 1906]

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Wapakoneta, Auglaize County, Ohio, ED 32, p.12A, dwelling 232, family 243, William A. Koch; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 March 2015); from FHL microfilm 1241240, from NARA microfilm T623, roll 1240.

[3] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert County, Ohio, ED 114, p.2B, dwelling 44, family 44, Amelia Koch; digital image, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : assessed 28 March 2015); from FHL microfilm 1375251, from NARA microfilm T624, roll 1238.

[4] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.2B, dwelling 44, family 44, Emilia M. Kock; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 March 2015); from NARA microfilm T625, roll 1446.

[5] 1940 U.S. Census, Convoy, Van Wert County, Ohio, ED 81-18, p.6A, dwelling, family, Emilie Koch; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 29 March 2015); from NARA microfilm T627, roll 3163.

[6] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 29 March 2015), Emilie Koch, 6 Jun 1952; citing Tully Twp, Van Wert County; from FHL microfilm 1952882.

4 comments

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    • Marilyn Miranda on November 14, 2019 at 10:06 pm
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    Emelie is my great grandmother. If you have any further information on her and my great grandfather i would appreciate hearing from you

    1. No, I am sorry, I do not have any additional information about her.

    • Marilyn Miranda on November 15, 2019 at 9:00 pm
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    Thank you Karen for giving this information to me. I learned a few new things about my great grandparents. I enjoy your site and go on it every little bit. Love learning about my extended family and see names of people my grandma Clara used to mention in conversations.

    1. You are welcome! So happy to hear that you find the information interesting an useful. It is fun reminiscing. Thanks for writing!

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