Tombstone Tuesday–William J, Mary (Sauer), Elsie Schumm

William J, Mary (Sauer), & Elsie Schumm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of William J. Schumm, Mary (Sauer) Schumm, and Elsie A Schumm, located in row 6 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

SCHUMM
William J.
Dec. 6, 1883
Feb. 26, 1967

Mary S.
Apr. 5, 1886
Aug. 23, 1975

Elsie A.
Sept. 1, 1918
Oct. 5, 1995

Albert Wilhelm Jacob “William J” Schumm was born 6 December 1883, the son of “River” Henry and Anna “Rosina” (Schinnerer) Schumm. He was baptized at home on 16 December 1883, with Jacob Rueck and William Buechner serving as his sponsors. Interesting that my paternal great-great-grandfather Jacob Rueck was his sponsor. The Reucks lived next door to the River Henry Schumm family for a couple years before they moved to Oregon.

William Schumm’s mother Rosina died in 1890 and his father Henry then married Magdalena Geisler.

The Henry Schumm household in 1900: Henry, 55; Lena, 32; John, 26; Minnie, 23; Hannah, 22; Gustavus, 18; William, 16; Tillie, 14; Joseph, 12; Louis, 8; Herman, 6; and Theodore, 2. His father Henry was a farmer. [1]

William J. Schumm married Marie S. “Mary” Sauer on 9 Apr 1917 at Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm. Zion’s records indicate that both were members of their parish.

Mary Sauer was born in Germany 5 April 1886 the daughter of John and Anna (Meisinger) Sauer. She immigrated with her family in 1895.

The John Sauer family in 1900: John 47; Anna C, 45; Leonard, 24; Eva, 22; Anna C, 20; John Jr, 18; Henry, 16; Mary, 14; Aaron, 13; Phillip, 9; and Ludwig, 6. Everyone in the household was born in Germany. Both John and his wife were naturalized and John was a farmer. [2]

By 1920 William J and Mary (Sauer) Schumm had a daughter, Elsie. The William J. Schumm household in 1920: William J, 36; Mary, 32; and Elise A, 1. William was a farmer. [3]

By 1930 William J. and Mary Schumm had three children. The William J. Schumm family in 1930: William, 46; Mary, 44; Elise, 11; Irma, 10; and Milton, 8. Also living with them Anna K. Sauer, Mary’s mother, age 74. [4]

In 1940 there were only four people in the William Schumm household: William, 56; Mary, 54; Elsie, 21; and Milton, 18. William was a farmer. [5]

William J. Schumm died in Decatur, Adams County, Indiana, on 26 February 1967. He was 83 years old. The cause of death was a blood clot in his brain, caused by injuries from an auto accident he had on 16 February 1967. He was buried on 1 March. [6]

William J. Schumm’s obituary:

Van Wert Lists 2nd Auto Death
Van Wert—Death of William J. Schumm, 81, of Rt. 1, Willshire, in Adams County Hospital, Decatur, Ind., Sunday, has been listed as Van Wert County’s second traffic fatality of the year by Sheriff Wilmer L. Clay.

Schumm died from injuries sustained in an auto-train collision near his home Feb. 16, according to hospital officials. His wife, Mary, was injured, and has been released from the hospital.

Clay said records show the Schumm auto collided with the diesel unit of Norfolk and Western freight train 4.9 miles southwest of Ohio City.

Mr. Schumm is survived by his wife; two daughters, Mrs. Walter Kuehlinger [sic] of Fort Wayne and Elizabeth, at home; one son, Milton of Rt. 4, Van Wert; seven grandchildren; three brothers, and one sister.

Services will be 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, in Zion Lutheran Church near Willshire, Rev. Elmer Braun officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call at Zwick Funeral Home, Decatur, until noon Wednesday, when the body will be taken to the church to lie in state. [7]

William’s widow Mary (Sauer) Schumm died of a stroke at Crows Haven Nursing Home, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, on 23 August 1975. She was 89 years old and was buried on the 26th.  [8]   

Mary S. (Sauer) Schumm’s obituary:

Mary S. Schumm, 89, widow of William J. Schumm and sister of Phil Sauer, Decatur, died Saturday at 10:10 a.m. at Crows Haven Nursing Home, Fort Wayne. She had been a patient there the past four months and had been in ill health four years.

Mrs. Schumm came to the United States in 1895 and resided on the same route 1, Willshire, farm for 73 years until moving to Fort Wayne seven years ago, she has resided with her daughter, Mrs. Walter Koehlinger of Fort Wayne, for the past four years. A housewife, Mrs. Schumm was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church at Schumm, O., and a member of the Ladies Aid.

She was born on April 5, 1886 in Germany to John and Anna Meisinger-Sauer, and was married on April 9, 1917 to William J. Schumm, who died in 1967.

Survivors include two daughters, Elsie Schumm, Fort Wayne, and Mrs. Walter (Irma) Koehlinger, Fort Wayne, and one son, Milton, Van Wert, O.; two brothers, Phil Sauer, Decatur, and Louis Sauer, Fort Wayne; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Two sisters and four brothers preceded her in death.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 9:15 a.m. at the Zwick Funeral Home and at 10 a.m. (Indiana time) at the Zion Lutheran Church in Schumm, O. with Rev. Robert Schuler officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home until time of services.
[9]

Their daughter Elsie Agnes Schumm died of pneumonia at Riverbend Health Care Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana, on 5 October 1995, at the age of 77. She was buried on the 7th.  [10]

William J. & Mary (Sauer) Schumm had the following children:
Elsie Agnes (1918-1995), never married
Irma Anna Magdalena (1920-2010), married Walter H. A. J. Koehlinger
Milton M. (1921-2009), married Betty Ross

One last note about this family, a connection to my husband Joe’s side of the family. Their son Milton Schumm married Betty Ross and Betty was Joe’s mother’s first cousin, on the Roesner branch. That makes Joe and Betty first cousins once removed. Milton is my second cousin once and twice removed, due to that pedigree collapse thing again on the Schumm side…

[1] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 97, p.8 dwelling 170, family 183, Henry Schumm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1900usfedcen/  : viewed 7 Oct 2019).

[2] 1900 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 98, p.13, dwelling 246, family 252, John Sauer; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1900usfedcen/ : viewed 2 Sep 2019).

[3] 1920 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 146, p.2B, dwelling & family 43, William J Schumm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1920usfedcen/ : viewed 7 Oct 2019).

[4] 1930 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 24, p.4A, dwelling 74, family 76, William Schumm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1930usfedcen/ : viewed 7 Oct 2019).

[5] 1940 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, ED 81-28, p.3A, house no.24, visited no.50, Wm J Schumm; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1940usfedcen/ : viewed 7 Oct 2019).

[6] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1967, roll 2, Adams County, William J Schumm, 26 Feb 1967; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 7 Oct 2019.

[7] The Lima News, Lima, Ohio, 28 Feb 1967, p.4; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com.

[8] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1975, roll 11, Allen County, Mary S Schumm, 23 Aug 1975; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 7 Oct 2019.

[9] Decatur Daily Democrat, Decatur, Indiana, 25 Aug 1975; Find a Grave.com, Mary S. (Sauer) Schumm memorial no. 34047005.

[10] Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011, Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1995, roll 16, Allen County, Elsie A Schumm, 5 Oct 1995; digital image, Ancestry.com, viewed 7 Oct 2019.

 

2 comments

    • Carol Piper on October 8, 2019 at 9:07 am
    • Reply

    A nice tribute to my Great Uncle Willie and Aunt Mary. I remember visiting their farm and meeting both, as a child. Thank you!

    Carol Schumm Piper

    1. You are welcome!

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