Area you a Schumacher? The  2013 Schumacher family reunion, which includes the descendants of Christian and Barbara Schumacher, takes place on Sunday, Aug. 4. 

The family reunion is held at the Swiss Homestead, 8350 Bixel Road, Bluffton, from 1 to 5 p.m. on Aug. 4. It is could be the largest family reunion in the Bluffton-Pandora community, and represents one of the oldest families who settled here. It is also one of the oldest family  reunions that takes place here.

Persons wanting additional information may rsvp or contact Judith Hilty Kingsley at [email protected] or call 419-236-5678.

A Schumacher family history capsule

Christian Schumacher was born Oct. 7, 1782 and died on Nov. 8, 1858, in Richland Township. 

In 1835 he and his wife, Barbara Elisabeth Luginbuhl, came to Putnam County. He and Barbara were married on June 14, 1810,  by Ulrich Rothlisberger. She was the daughter of Hans and Barbara Luginbuhl. 

Barbara was born March 11, 1781, and died on Oct. 19,1855. Their children were:

• Barbara who married Peter Steiner,
• Christian,
• Katharina,
• Johannes who married Barbara Steiner,
• Peter who married Elisabeth Suter, and
• Hans Jacob.

In the early 1900s, the family began to meet for reunions. Notices about the Schumacher reunion were published in newspapers as early as the 1930s.

“Ripley's Believe it or Not,” published a piece about the family in which Elizabeth Schumacher appeared for having 163 grandchildren on Sept. 20, 1931. That cartoon is attached to this story.