Tombstone Tuesday-Margaretha B. Schumm

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

This is the tombstone of Margaretha B. Schumm, located in row 5 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Hier ruhet in Gott
Margaretha
B. Tochter d.
Georg u. Maria
Schumm
Gest. 21 Sep 1851
Sie brachte ihr
Gebon auf 3 Jahr
8 Mo. u. 25 Tage

Here rests in God Margaretha B, daughter of Georg and Maria Schumm, died 21 September 1851, [literally: she brought her, born on?] [aged] 3 years, 8 months, and 25 days.

“Margaretha” Barbara Schumm was born near Schumm in Van Wert County on 2 December 1847, the sixth of thirteen children born to George Martin and Maria (Pflueger) Schumm. Margaretha was baptized 1 January 1848 with Rev. George Streckfuss and wife and Ludwig Schumm and wife serving as her sponsors. Her parents were both German immigrants.

Margaretha was enumerated with her family in just one census, the 1850 census: George Schumm, 38; Mary, 30; Fred, 11; Louis, 9; George, 8; John, 6; Rosina, 5; Margaret, 2; Mary, 1; Elisabeth Pflueger, 14; and Jacob Bienz, 24. The parents and Jacob Bienz were born in Germany, while the rest were born in Ohio. The father George was a farmer. Elisabeth Pflueger, Mary (Pflueger) Schumm’s sister, married Jacob Bienz the next year. [1] 

Margaretha Schumm died from brain fever at 8:30 in the morning of 21 September 1851, according to Zion Schumm’s records. She was 3 years, 8 months, and 25 days old and was buried on the 22nd.

[1] 1850 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.166B, dwelling 114, family 131, George Shuman; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8054/ : viewed 15 Nov 2020).

2 comments

    • ilona on November 17, 2020 at 4:32 pm
    • Reply

    You are a bit off on reading the German tombstone.. It reads Georg u (for und) Maria Schumm. I’ll try to decipher the rest. The tombstone is a bit worn and it is old German script. Doesn’t make a material difference to your translation at any rate.

    1. Yes, this tombstone is difficult to read and the German really doesn’t make sense. The inscriptions usually follow a more consistent format. I looked at it again and you are correct about the u for und. I tried to translate it literally and if you can translate it so it makes sense, please let me know. Can you read the old German script in letters? Thanks for writing!

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