BAPTISM: Ernst Christoph was born at 5 o'clock on the morning of 8 May 1816 according to his baptismal record. Johann Christoph Hoppe, son of the Vollmeier at Bakede, acted as his sponsor at the baptism held 11 May 1816.

IMMIGRATION: Per Stumme newsletter Vol. 3 # 2 "it is still unclear exactly when Ernst Christoph left for America and if both of his brothers accompanied him. But it is known that he eventually made his way to Schaumberg, Illinois, just west of Chicago." The Stumme Family Newsletter, 259 Scotts Manor Drive, Glen Burnie, MD 21061-6207 Phone 410 768-8179 E Mail festumme@worldnet.att.net

BIOGRAPHY: From Bremer County book - Chris came to this country as a young man and worked in New York on the railroad and in the shipyards. Soon after the Chicago fire; Great Chicago fire was in 1871, see census records below, was in Iowa by 1860; he migrated there and married a widow.

In 1860 a large number of families left the area and moved in mass to Bremer county, IA, settling in Maxfield township. The Stumme family also included Christoph's and Caroline's children Charles(Conrad), Caroline, Henry(Christopher) and Sophie. They bought a quarter section of land from Christopher Beech along Crane Creek in Maxfield township, 3 1/2 miles east of Denver then known as Jefferson City, Iowa. The farm was in the northwest corner of section 21. They cleared the land, tilled the soil and built two houses, one of which became the home of their son and his family. Chris and Sophie born near Elgin, possible Hanover township. Sophie was 4 when they moved by covered wagon in 1859 to Maxfield township. The first year they had to take their wheat crop to Dubugue to be ground into flour but in the 2nd year they could take the crop to Cedar Falls.

Bremer county population in 1850 was 4336 and had been inhabited since 1852 when there were 309 people. Christ Stumme was asthmatic and sickly. People said he wouldn't live to be 30 years old, however he made it to 87. Could have bought all of Maxfield township for $6 an acre but didn't want it. Chris Stumme gave some land to son Christopher and some to daughter Sophie Stumme Schutte and possibly some to Milius stepchildren. His son-in-law Heinrich Schutte would not build anything on his wife's land until his name was put on the title to the land. Ernst Christoph, who preferred his middle name, apparently immigrated to America in the mid to late 1840s, possibly with his two brothers. After working in the railroad and shipyards in New York, he traveled to Schaumburg, Illinois, just west of Chicago, where he met and married the widow Caroline Milius (nee Koelling). Caroline's first marriage while still in Germany bore four children: Dorothea, Henry, Augustine and William. These children (all born in Germany except for William who was born in Illinois) are listed in the family of Christoph and Caroline in the 1850 Illinois Census for Schaumburg, Cook County. Christoph's surname was spelled Stomer by the census enumerator. Caroline immigrated to America along with her husband and 3 of her children in 1845. Sometime in the late 1850s Christoph and his family moved to Maxfield Township, Bremer County, Iowa, where on June 5, 1860 he purchased property from Christian Beech and began farming.

CENSUS: 1850 Cook county IL census - Schaumburg township...9-25-1850 Family is listed as #950 Stomer Christoph 34 farmer, Caroline 36, Dorothea (Milius)14, Henry (Milius)9, Augusta (Milius) 7, and William (Milius)2. There is no indication in spot designated for marriage within the year, could be oversight or they may have been married earlier than William's obit states.

CENSUS: 1860 Iowa Census for Maxfield Township lists Christoph and Caroline, both born in Hanover (Germany), with real estate value of $650 and the value of personal estate at $200. Also listed were Henry, age 19, and William, 12, both born in Hanover; and Charles (probably Conrad), 9, Caroline, (9), Christopher, 7 and Sophia, 5, all born in Illinois. William, Charles and Caroline attended school during the year. (Henry and William are of Caroline's first marriage).

CENSUS: 1870 Iowa Census for Maxfield Township taken on August 8, Christoph and Caroline and the following children were listed: (William) Milius, 21 years old, Conrad, 19, Christoph, 17, and Sophia, 15, all born in Illinois. Christoph was reported owning real estate valued at $7,000 and personal estate valued at $1,600.

CENSUS: 1880 daughter Sophie in Bennington, Black Hawk cnty, Ia census lists father, Henry, as born in Hannover (town of Bakede) and mother, Caroline, born in Hesse (town of Pohle).

CENSUS: Christopher is listed in the Iowa 1860 Census for Bremer County, Maxfield Twp.as 7 yrs old, born in Illinois. 1925 Iowa state, Bremer, Readlyn v.64 FHC Film#1429230. HC age 71, Mina age 65, Arnold 24.

CONFIRMATION:record for 14 April 1867 lists name as Christoph Heinrich Stumme.

BIOGRAPHY:
The following is an excerpt from an article appearing in the Waverly (Iowa)
Democrat the week after Christopher's death:

Henry Christoph Stumme, whose very sudden death we chronicled last week, was born near Addison, in Cook County, Ill., on June 8, 1853. When an infant he was baptized in the Lutheran Church at that place. With his parents he came to Iowa in 1860, and ever since that time he has resided in Maxfield Township. Forty-three years of that time were spent on the old homestead farm, and the last thirteen years in Readlyn, to which place he moved when he gave up active farming. On May 23, 1878, he was united in marriage with Miss Wilhelmina Matthias, and their union was blessed with nine children, six sons and three daughters. Since becoming a member of St. Paul's Church in Readlyn, in 1913, he was ever interested in the progress of the church and active in whatever tended to its welfare. For three years he served as a deacon of the church. In all his dealings with his fellow men he was rigidly honest and dependable, and he won the respect and esteem of all who knew him, besides enjoying their affectionate regard because of his whole-hearted friendliness. He was a man of the highest type of Christian character, devoted to his home and family and loyal to his friends. He died very suddenly and without warning on Sunday morning, Jan. 16, 1927, at the age of 73 years, 7 months and 8 days. He will be deeply mourned. Funeral services were held at the home on Thursday, Jan. 20, at one o'clock and at St. Paul's Lutheran Church at two o'clock. Interment was made in St. Paul's Cemetery. Rev. Theo Frese, pastor of the church, officiated. The funeral was one of the largest ever held from the Confirmation 1867 St. John Maxfield Twp., Bremer Co., IA.

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