Tombstone Tuesday–J. J. Schumm

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

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

This is the tombstone of Johann Jacob Schumm, located in row 5 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. All that is legible on the marker is J. J. Schumm.

Johann “Jacob” was the sixth child born to Johann Georg and Ann Maria (Fisher) Schumm. Jacob was born 26 Sep 1815 in Rupppertshofen, Württemberg, and as a young man he came to America with his father, sister, and three brothers in 1833. The Schumms lived in Holmes County, Ohio, for about five years before moving to Willshire Township in Van Wert County, on 7 June 1838. Jacob married Hannah Boyer on 15 February 1839 Van Wert County. [1]

There is some conflicting information concerning the maiden name of Jacob’s wife Hannah. According Zion Schumm’s records, Jacob married Hannah Herzog on 15 February 1839. In a later entry, for the baptism of their son George, the church records give Hannah’s maiden name as Billman. Van Wert’s marriage record indicates her name was Boyer. Perhaps this was a second marriage for Hannah?

Jacob was among the white make inhabitants enumerated in Willshire Township in 1839. [2] He was enumerated in the 1840 census of Willshire Township and his household consisted of a female 15-20 years of age and a male child under five. [3] Johann Jacob was naturalized 2 October 1843 in Van Wert County. Henry Reichard and Thomas R. Kear witnessed the event. [4]

Jacob Schumm owned the southwest quarter of Section 23 in Willshire Township. This parcel of land, which consisted of 160 acres, was originally purchased by his father, Johann Georg Schumm in 1837. I have not found the deed transferring this land to Jacob but Jacob had possession of the land in 1845 and 1849 when he sold acreage to Martin Geisler and Michael Billman. [5]

Jacob Schumm died of consumption on 31 August 1853 near Schumm and was buried on 1 September, according to Zion’s records. He was only 37 years 11 months and 5 days old, as calculated from the church records.

According to Zion’s records Jacob’s widow Hannah married widower Georg Steger on 25 July 1854. Hannah was born on 5 October 1822 in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania and died 21 March 1878. I do not know where she is buried.

Jacob and Hannah had five children:

Daniel (1840-1863; died in the Civil War)

Katherina (1846-1929), married John Henry Lankenau

George Christian (1848-1848)

Ludwig (1849-1849)

Isabella (1851-1903), married Ferdinand Meyer

I originally featured this tombstone in a post on 11 March 2011, explaining why I believe this is the marker of Johann Jacob Schumm, the immigrant. In that post I explained how I came to that conclusion after studying Zion Schumm’s records and the other Schumm tombstones that are inscribed with “J” or “JJ” or Jacob.

 

[1] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-1004,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VN31-9SL : accessed 24 Nov 2013), Jacob Schom and Hannah Boyer, 15 Feb 1839; citing Vol. 1937-1840, Van Wert, Ohio, United States, reference; FHL microfilm 1016002.

[2] History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio (1882; reprint, Mt. Vernon, Indiana : Windmill Publications, Inc. , 1991), 141.

[3] 1840 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p. 69, line 28, Jacob Schumm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 December 2013); from FHL microfilm 0020178, from National Archives microfilm M704, roll 431.

[4] Van Wert County Common Pleas Court, Journal A: 160.

[5] Van Wert County Deeds, Recorder’s Office, courthouse, Van Wert, Ohio, Vol. F: 448 & Vol. E: 183.

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.