Anna M. Seaman, Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2018) photo by Karen)
This is the tombstone of Anna M. Seaman, located in row 7 of Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:
Anna M.
Wife of
John Seaman
Died
Jan. 12, 1894
Aged
75 Y. 12 D.
SEAMAN
I recently wrote several Tombstone Tuesday posts about the Seamans buried in Zion Lutheran Schumm’s cemetery. The Seamans attended Zion Lutheran, Schumm, in the second half of the 19th century even though Anna M. [Maria], the wife and mother, is buried in Greenbriar Cemetery.
I could find very little information about Anna Maria Seaman. According to census records she was born in Wuerttemberg. Her date of birth would have been 31 December 1818, as calculated from her tombstone. She died 12 January 1894.
I do not know Anna Maria’s maiden name. According to Zion Schumm’s records, her husband John Seaman was born in Wuertemburg in 1814. The couple likely married in Wuertemberg and had at least one son, Jacob, before immigrating to America. They settled in Ohio, where they had at least two daughters—Maria Seaman (1855-1862) and Emma Seaman (1857-1896), who married John Kreiselmeyer (1854-1887).
I do not know when the John and Anna Maria Seaman immigrated to America but the church records indicate that their daughter Emma was born in Warren County, Ohio, in 1857. The family moved to the Schumm area by 1862, where daughters Maria and Emma were both baptized.
The Seaman household in 1870, living in Willshire Township: John, 56; Mary, 51; Jacob, 23; and Emma, 13. The father John was a farmer and son Jacob was a carpenter. All were born in Wuerttemberg except Emma, who was born in Ohio. [1]
In 1880 John and Anna Maria Seaman lived with their daughter Emma and her husband John Kreiselmeyer. Their household in 1880: John [Seaman], 65; Anna Maria [Seaman], 61, John [Kreiselmeyer], 28; Emma [Kreiselmeyer], 21; and Fredric Rattach, 21. They were farmers and Rattach was their farm laborer. John and Anna Maria Seaman were born in Wuerttemberg and John and Emma Kreiselmeyer were born in Ohio. [2]
According to her tombstone, Anna M. Seaman died 12 January 1894, at the age of 75 years and 12 days. Her calculated birth date of 31 December 1818 agrees with the census records.
Her death is also recorded in Van Wert County Probate, which indicates that Anna M. Seaman, age 75 years and 12 days, died of lung fever on 12 January 1894. She was married, born in Germany and lived at Schumm, where she died. [3]
According to Zion Schumm’s records and the Van Wert County probate death records, Anna Maria’s husband John Seaman died 29 May 1897. [4] He shares a tombstone with his daughter Emma (Seaman) Kreiselmeyer in Zion Schumm’s cemetery.
Why is Anna Maria Seaman not buried in Zion Schumm’s cemetery? She was probably not a member of the church.
[1] 1870 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.437 [stamped], dwelling 105, family 106, John Seaman; Ancestry.com ( https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=7163&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 1 Oct 2018).
[2] 1880 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 154, p.449A [stamped], family 113, John Kreiselmyer; Ancestry.com (https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?htx=List&dbid=6742&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0 : viewed 1 Oct 2018).
[3] “Ohio County Death Records, 1840-2001,” database with images, FamilySearch ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6722-8J?i=532&cc=2128172 : viewed 8 Oct 2018), Anna M. Seaman, 12 Jan 1894; Van Wert Co. Deaths, Vol. 2, p.191, no. 8; FHL microfilm 1015858.
[4] “Ohio County Death Records, 1840-2001,” database with images, FamilySearch,( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-672L-S5?i=536&cc=2128172 : viewed 1 Oct 2018), John Seaman, 29 May 1897; Van Wert County Deaths, Vol. 2, p.195, no. 8; FHL microfilm 1015858.
