I thought I had one of those stories for today that would celebrate a 150th birthday, but there is also a definite possibility that the birthday girl would be celebrating her 151st birthday. In the course of telling this story, I will give evidence why our German Family Tree includes the possibility that today would be her 150th birthday. And I will give additional evidence of the possibility that today would be her 151st birthday. I quite honestly do not know which one I would choose.

Rose Zella Ross was certainly born on March 17th, but the year of her birth is up for debate. She was born in either 1874 or 1875. She was the daughter of James and Mary Jane (Brown) Ross. Rose was born in Cape Girardeau County, likely in the Shawnee Township. I know when and where she was baptized, but I will share that information later in this article. Rose was often called Rosie, and that is the name engraved on her gravestone, so that will be the name I use in this post. Rosie’s family is found in the 1880 census, but there is a bit of a mystery here. The entry below lists just 3 Ross’s, James, Mary, and a daughter named Nora, who was 5 years old. Rosie did indeed have an older sister named Nora, but Rosie is not listed in this entry.

Nora Ross was born on November 24, 1873, and her later death certificate verifies that date and also lists James and Mary Jane Ross as her parents. Meanwhile, Rosie’s death certificate states that she was born on March 17, 1874 and lists the same parents. I think you will agree that there is no way that Mary Jane Ross could have given birth to two daughters on those two dates that are only 4 months apart. Although I found no facts to back this up, let me just suggest that perhaps Rosie was adopted. Or, perhaps Rosie was indeed born in 1875, not 1874.

Rosie is found in the 1900 census, and we do see both Nora and Rosie, but there is a problem here, too. Nora is listed as being 24 years old, and Rosie is called 22. Neither of those ages coincide with their dates of birth. It even says Nora was born in 1875 and Rosie in 1878. However, there are a lot of boxes in this entry that appear to be rewritten, so I think there was some confusion going on between the Ross’s and the census taker. Rosie’s father was a farmer in the Shawnee Township.

Rosie would get married not long after the above census, so we will now turn our attention to the man she would marry. Henry Charles Schrumpf was born on March 27, 1874, so if Rosie was born in 1874, these two were born just 10 days apart. Henry was the son of George and Elizabeth (Schaefer) Schrumpf. Henry’s parents were married at Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown, and two of their children were baptized at that church prior to Henry’s birth. However, we do not find Henry’s baptism record in that congregation’s books. When Henry is found in the 1880 census, his family is found living in the Apple Creek Township. He was 6 years old, and his father was a farmer.

In the 1900 census, Henry was still living with his parents at the age of 26. He was helping his father on his farm. It was a very large household that included Henry’s sister, Rose, who had married John Schlueter.

Henry Schrumpf married Rosie Ross on July 6, 1902. The Missouri marriage license below states that they were married by a justice of the peace. Both Henry and Rosie were said to be from New Wells.

A marriage certificate for this couple can also be viewed.

A later obituary would say that Henry and Rosie had 11 children. The Schrumpf’s were living in the Apple Creek Township when the 1910 census was taken. They had 4 children in their household, and Henry was a farmer.

Not long after the above census was taken, the Schrumpf’s moved closer to Perryville. The plat map below that was made in 1915 shows where the Schrumpf farm was located.

In the 1920 census, there were 9 children in the Schrumpf household. Henry was still farming near Perryville.

The year, 1921, was a special year for Rosie. Actually, it was special for both Rosie and her older sister, Nora, who by this time was Nora Hintmann. On April 19, 1921, these two sisters were baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. This document is the only place where I located Rosie’s birthday as being March 17, 1875, and this record is why this date of birth is found in our German Family Tree. Nora’s birthday is given as November 24, 1874, and neither one of those dates agrees with the dates on their gravestones.

Then, a month later, these two sister were confirmed at Immanuel. Both of them were in their 40’s when they were baptized and confirmed as Lutherans.

The Schumpf’s are found in the 1930 census with 8 remaining children living with them. Two of their children were working at the shoe factory in Perryville.

The 1940 census shows the Schrumpf family living in Perryville. Henry, at the age of 65, no longer had an occupation. Three children were still living with their parents.

I located a photo for Henry and one for Rosie that were taken later in their lives.

Henry Schrumpf died in 1941 at the age of 67. His death certificate below says he died of pneumonia at the St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

An obituary for Henry was published in the Perry County Republican. This obit mentions that he was in failing health for 6 years, which may explain why he was no longer farming. It also says his funeral was held at a Methodist church.

Rosie was still alive in 1950, but I failed to find her in that year’s census. Rosie Schrumpf died in 1952 at the age of 78. Her death certificate says she was a lifelong resident of Perryville, but based on the facts in this story, that is incorrect.

Rosie’s death record is found in the books of Immanuel, Perryville. This death record says Rosie was 74 years, 6 months, and 1 day old when she died. This does not help at all in determining Rosie’s birthday. Those numbers are nowhere close to the age of 78 as is indicated on her death certificate.

I located these two obituaries for Rosie. One is from the Perry County Republican, and the other is from the Perry County Sun. Both of these articles mention that Rosie was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville. The one from the Sun says she had 11 children. You may have to click these thumbnails to enlarge them.

Henry Schrumpf is buried in the Home Cemetery. His Methodist church does not have a cemetery, so that is likely why he was buried there. Rosie Schumpf is buried in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Perryville.

I find it interesting that Henry Schrumpf’s family had some connection to the Lutheran Church, but he would later become a Methodist. On the other hand, Rosie’s family did not seem to have a connection to any church. Otherwise, I think they would have had Rosie baptized. Yet, much later in her life, after not much indication of being involved in any church, she was baptized, confirmed, and later buried as a Lutheran.

One more thing. Based on facts that I have located for stories on this blog, I can now say that Rev. Lohmann was a pastor who baptized and confirmed many members who were adults at the time of those occasions. I now think that if it would be possible to make a list of pastors and how many adult baptisms and confirmations they conducted, Pastor Lohmann would be the champion.