2011 archive

Recollections of Chattanooga, Ohio

The following narrative was written by Rev. Reuben Valentine Smith in 1955. It is his personal account of his experiences as a pastor at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, Ohio, from 1899-1905. How I Came to Chattanooga It is my belief that Providence directs our lives and that God rules His Church, although the human factors by which His Will …

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Tombstone Tuesday–M. Margaretha Schinnerer

This is the tombstone of M. Margaretha Schinnerer, located in row 4 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The gravestone is inscribed: M Margaretha, daughter of Friedrich and Maria Schinnerer, died 27 September 1861, age 5 years, 11 months, 18 days. This tombstone is weathered and very difficult to read. I relied …

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Bierbach–Jacob Müller’s Hometown

A couple weeks ago I wrote about the immigration of my great-grandfather Jacob Müller/Miller. He was born and lived in Bierbach, Kingdom of Bavaria (now Germany). What was the little village of Bierbach like during the time Jacob lived there? Bierbach was part of the Bavarian Pfalz, also called the Palatinate. It is located in …

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Tombstone Tuesday–Anna Rosina Geisler

This is the tombstone of Anna Rosina Geisler, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The gravestone is inscribed: Hier ruht in Gott Anna Rosina, ehefrau von Georg Geisler, Geb. den 18 Feb. 1829, Gest. den 25 Nov. 1899. Alter 70 Jahr, 9 Mo, 7 Ta. When translated the …

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Family Quilts

This week I have an interesting story that connects both sides of my family, the Millers and the Schumms, long before my parents were ever married. This story involves my great-grandmother Christina Rueck, before she and Jacob Miller married. It also involves my mom’s side of the family, the Schumms. The Schumms were from Ruppertshofen, …

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