Wolfe & Schumm, Schumm, Ohio

Here is an old wooden box that I recently acquired, likely a mailing box destined for Wolfe & Schumm, Schumm, Ohio. If that was the actual shipping information I have to wonder how the box ever got to its intended destination, the little village of Schumm.

Box to Wolf & Schumm, Schumm, Ohio.

Box to Wolf & Schumm, Schumm, Ohio.

Just who was Wolfe & Schumm? I had to know…

I learned that in 1910 John “Logan” Wolfe and Gustav Schumm were both merchants in a general store that was most likely located in Schumm. Although the 1910 census did not specify it was the village of Schumm, neighboring names and occupations lead me to believe it was Schumm: Joseph Johnson, overseer at the sawmill; Nicholas Pfeifer, laborer at the sawmill; Fred Whiting, engineer at the sawmill; Abraham Pflueger, carpenter; and Zion Schumm’s minister, indexed as Henoch Haooe, likely an incorrect transcription. Note that the sawmill seemed to be the largest employer in the village.

According to the 1910 census Gustav Schumm, 28, was a merchant at a general store. He had been married to Dora, age 25, for a year and they had a son Arthur, 7 months. Gustav lived next door to Abraham Pflueger, who was a house and barn carpenter. [1]

Gustavus “Gustav” Jacob Schumm was born 18 December 1881 to Henry and Rosina (Schinnerer) Schumm. He married Dorathea Elizabeth Bienz on 27 December 1908 and they had 5 children: Arthur William, Ora Katherine, Karl George, Ida Johanna, and Paul G.

This makes perfect sense because Gustav’s son Karl George is still living and remembers his father’s store. In January 2015 I talked to Karl about his father’s general store, the brick building that once stood along the railroad tracks in Schumm. Regular readers of Karen’s Chatt will remember the photo of the mysterious brick building that once stood south of the tracks on the north edge of town. [2]  

Karl Schumm was born in Schumm in 1913, born in a house near the brick building that housed Schumm’s general store, owned by Karl’s father Gustav. The train used to stop there to drop off mail and supplies for the store. Gustav sold the building and store to George Weinman about 1916 or 1917 and Karl’s family moved from Schumm in 1923.

In 1910, just a few houses down the street from Gustav Schumm, was J.L. Wolfe, 38, also a merchant at a general store. [3] Additional research indicates his name was actually John “Logan” Wolfe. Logan Wolfe was born 28 April 1871 in Mercer County, Ohio, to Jacob B. & Emaline Wolfe. They were Quakers and lived across the state line in Indiana for a few years. [4] Logan Wolfe married Della Acheson about 1908 and they had two children, Elmo and Mildred M. Wolfe. Logan later became a business man and merchant in Willshire.

By 1920 Logan Wolfe and his family had moved to Sprague Street in Willshire, where he managed a garage. His father-in-law John Acheson, an 86 year-old widower, lived with them. [5]

In 1930 Logan was a merchant in a grocery store, likely in Willshire. The family consisted of Logan, Della, Elmo, and Mildred and they lived on Simpson Street in Willshire. [6]

Logan, Della, and Elmo still resided in Willshire in 1940. No occupations were given for any of them. [7]

Logan died in 1948 and he is buried in Willshire Cemetery. His wife is buried in Van Wert.

Gustav Schumm died 18 June 1951 and he and his wife are buried in the Evangelical Protestant Cemetery, Convoy.

Box to Wolf & Schumm, Schumm, Ohio.

Box to Wolf & Schumm, Schumm, Ohio.

Thank you Bob for parting with this nice piece of Schumm history. And thanks to husband Joe for figuring out the name was Wolfe.

 

[1] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.2B, dwelling 39, family 39, Gustav Schumm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 May 2016); from FHL microfilm 1375251, from NARA microfilm T624, roll 1238.

[2]Update on Schumm’s Old Brick Building,” Karen’s Chatt, 9 Jan 2015.

[3] 1910 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 114, p.2B, dwelling 43, family 43, JF Wolf; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 May 2016); from FHL microfilm 1375251, from NARA microfilm T624, roll 1238.

[4] Membership Records, 1902-1935, Indiana Yearly Meeting Minutes, Earlham College, Richmond, IN; database on-line, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 May 2016); from U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935.

[5] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.10A, dwelling 95, family 96, John Logan Wolfe; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 May 2016); from NARA microfilm T625, roll 1446.

[6] 1930 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 22, p.3B, dwelling 76, family 76, Logan Wolfe; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 May 2016); from FHL microfilm 2341624, from NARA microfilm T626, roll 1890.

[7] 1940 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 81-26, p.7A, line 4, JL Walfe; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 May 2016); from NARA microfilm T627, roll 3163.

4 comments

Skip to comment form

    • Brian Brewster on May 20, 2016 at 6:32 pm
    • Reply

    I thought you had a house full already. Lol.

    1. We do, but there is always room for another nice family item!

    • Joshua D Wolfe on September 17, 2018 at 7:09 am
    • Reply

    Hello, Elmo Wolfe was my grandfather. I actually have records of Logan’s general store, as well the house you speak of in Willshire is still in our family. The only corrections I need to make for you is the house you speak of resides on South street, and Logan’s wife, Della is buried in Van Wert but Logan is buried here in Willshire.

    1. So nice to hear from you and thank you for the additional information about your grandparents. I will correct that information in the post. Those old store records and ledgers are certainly interesting and you are luck they were saved. Thank you for writing!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.