Person talk:Katherine Sundheimer (1)

Katherine Sundheimer [7 June 2019]

"Suecard",

I noticed on WeRelate.org, there are 30 Sundheimers listed. You have one, and I have the other 29. I think all of the 29 I have are associated with Wabash, Indiana. However, many of the other people I have associated with the Wabash Sundheimers, have roots back to Ragersville. I would think there would be a connection. Ragersville (I have been there a few times) is a very small place. You may know it was founded in 1830, and in 1860 had a population of only 170. In 1880 the population was up to 212. I would think it is less now?

I have books on Ragersville, and in one of them there are some Sundheimers listed, who are not "linked" to any of the people I am researching. One is Adam Sundheimer, who goes back to 1854. The most recent I have found is Ralph Sundheimer, who owned lot 43 in Ragersville in 1973. There are also Hochstetlers listed in the 1st German-Reformed Congregation in Ragersville. You may know the Ragersville history better than I do, but I find the church connections in Ragersville very complicated! It seems most of the churches in Ragersville (and the surrounding Auburn Twp.) were German Reformed or Lutheran. In several situations in Tuscarawas Co. these were joint congregations.

Before I added anything to your postings, I thought that I would contact you first.

--White Creek 16:44, 5 June 2019 (UTC) (Jim Lower)

"White Creek" Thanks for contacting me about the Hochstetler/Sundheimer listing. I didn't have much about her before you contacted me so please feel free to add anything you are aware of. I did locate her on Findagrave.com and she is linked to parents, Adam and Catherine Scheu Sundheimer. I've added that information to her as well as an update on her marriage to Gideon. If incorrect, please do correct it. I don't know anything about Ragersville itself. Sue--Suepcard 17:46, 5 June 2019 (UTC)

Jim, Thanks. I love the Pershing information. I just pulled up the OH gravestones site...I like how they five the history of the person right next to the stone. Sue (suepcard@charter.net)--Suepcard 18:19, 7 June 2019 (UTC)

Katherine Sundheimer [5 June 2019]

Sue,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I haven't had time for a complete check of the data I have, but I wanted to make some comments about Ragersville now. I was hoping you knew more than I about the area! I do know a little bit about it. Auburn Township, and the surrounding townships of Jefferson, Bucks, York, and Salem are full of recent (then) pioneers from largely the Palatinate (and Switzerland). They are almost all members of the German Reformed Church, and related to each other. Also there are a large number of Lutherans from Pennsylvania, who had lived in the US for generations (such as the Pershings). They settled in mostly northern Auburn Twp., and into Sugarcreek Twp.

Ragersville is very historic. The Historical Society used to have a website, but I haven't visited for years. I used to order church books from them. They put out a book on Ragersville (1830-1980). The area is very hilly, and there is no industry, except for the coal mining in the area. Ragersville is the only town in the whole township, which is mostly the case with the other nearby townships - one small town. The whole area is lightly populated.

I found an entry in one of the Tus. Co. genealogy books on Katherine Sundheimer. In one of the "Kirchenbuchs" of 1857 and 1858 Confirmation Classes, they show "Katharina Sundheimer" and "Adam Sundheimer", who are a little old then for Confirmation, but still likely the children of Adam and Catherine.

The surnames of Wherley and Dotts are prominent old names in the area. I am related to Wherley.

In one of the books on Ragersville, it gives lists of lot owners in the village. Lot #44 (Old Lot #2) was shown as owned by Adam Sundheimer from 1854-1857. Before reading your message, I had not looked at the next entry. It was: "Henry SCHEU, Hotel and Saloon, 1857-1899"! Maybe Adam's brother-in-law? A "Louisa Scheu" owned the lot from 1899 to 1900.

Another of your postings I had missed earlier was Mary Hochstetler who died in 1907. It says she died in "BLACKBAND". Do you know where that is? It is on the county road (21) between Stone Creek and New Philadelphia (about 7 miles). My ancestor, Daniel Lower (1792-1876) lived along the highway, maybe 3 miles away! As I remember now, the "town" was just a cluster of a few houses! If you have a copy of the: History of Tuscarawas County (1884), Daniel Lower is mentioned as moving to Indiana in circa 1848. More later!

--White Creek 22:12, 5 June 2019 (UTC) (Jim Lower)

Jim, Interesting, I love the history of the areas. My direct Hochstetler line was in Somerset County, PA and went to IL for one a bit before landing in Waterloo, Iowa. Gideon is not of the my direct line so I didn't do any research for him in the OH area just added him from the Hochstetler book. I pulled up Gideon and Katherine's children and added them along with their wives this evening. My grandmother was the Hosteter (spelling change) that I go back to Jacob Hochstetler and Barbara Miller who would be our common ancestor. Peter and Jacob were sons of Jacob and Barbara Hochstetler. So the next generation would be cousins, John Peter and my Adam Hostetler. Sue--Suepcard 23:30, 5 June 2019 (UTC)

History [7 June 2019]

Sue,

Interesting about Somerset, PA. I remember traveling through it! Regarding Waterloo, Iowa; I have been near it, but I don't think I have gone through the town.

Glad you like history, as most people would not know that Ragersville links to lots of history! One of the leading citizens was Christian Pershing, Jr. (see WeRelate.org page), who actually lived outside the town, but still in Auburn Twp. He was a township official. His grandfather, Frederick (has a WeRelate.org page too) lived in Greensburg, PA. Frederick was probably the ancestor of all the Pershings living in America, since 1923. This includes Gen. John J. Pershing (WeRelate.org page), the Allied commander in WWI, who was the only US general to ever be promoted to "General of the Armies", while still living.

Christian Pershing (had 20 kids!), including a daughter, Margaret, who married a Francis Putt (from just near Stone Creek - of course a WeRelate.org page). Their descendant was Lt. Gen. Donald Putt of Sugarcreek, who graduated from the Carnegie Institute of Technology, in Pittsburgh. Then Putt joined the USAF, where he became the head of development of large bombers. Not so famous was Christian's daughter, Lydia, who married my grandfather's uncle, Jacob Lawer (no mistake - that's how he spelled it). Of course they all have WeRelate.org pages! Lydia and Jacob are buried in the Urbana Cemetery (in Indiana). Most of the Lower relatives in the cemetery, spell the surname "LAUER". Dr. Benjamin Pershing of Ragersville, became President of Thiel College in Greenville, PA.

The world famous singer, Jenny Lind (1820-1887), known around the world as the "Swedish Nightingale", has dozens of cousins in Auburn Twp. today. They spell the surname: LINT.

In the Ohio county adjacent to Auburn Twp., on the west, is where the largest concentration of Amish live today (and you thought it was in Pennslyvania?). And so the history goes! Lots more!

I have discovered another Schue surname among the burials in Ragersville (on findagrave.com), and he goes back to 1787! He is linked to two of the most prominent names in the township (Zimmerman and Renner). Oh, by the way, if you want to view a better website than "Find A Grave", try "ohiogravestones.org". Unfortunately, they don't have many names, but I like how they do things. For a view of the Ragersville Cemetery, I posted a couple of MAURER stone pictures years ago.

If you ever want to contact me directly, my e-mail address is: HSAbroker9@aol.com

Jim--White Creek 04:08, 7 June 2019 (UTC)