On Common Ground in Ohio
The Schwab family emigrated in 1842, made their way and settled in Ohio by 1844. Mary was the only child and just 2 years old when her parents, Michael and Catherine (Bihn) Schwab brought her to America. According to the source "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database on FamilySearch.org, Mary was christened Catholic on January 5, 1840 at Katholish, Dirmstein, Pfalz, Bavaria. In America Mary became one of six children; her younger siblings all born here. Her younger sisters, Barbara and Caroline were born in Ohio, which is why we know the Schwab family first settled there. The exact town in Ohio has not been identified. Barbara was born in 1844 and Caroline in 1847. By the 1850 Federal Census however, the Schwab’s were living in Hamilton County, Indiana indicating the family made their move to Indiana sometime between 1847 and 1850. Mary’s youngest siblings, Rosanna, Margaret, and Frank M Schwab, were all born in Cicero, Indiana about 1851, 1856, and 1858 respectively. Information about the nature of the Schwabs’ lives in Ohio or earlier has not been found.
William and Philip settled in Chillicothe, Ohio sometime between 1854 and 1860. Chillicothe at that time had a population of approx. 7,300. By 1860, however, William is found in Hamilton County, Indiana according to the Federal Census. We know William spent time in Chillicothe by the account documented in the newspaper clipping of his death announcement (Figure XX Coming). This fact is corroborated by the link to his brother, who lived in Chillicothe for 40 years. At the time of this writing, no record or other documentation has been found that places William in Ohio. Information about the nature of his life in Chillicothe has not been found. He stayed there just a few years.
It is probable William and Philip sustained themselves early on as boarders and laborers in Chillicothe. But it is not known how long William lived in Chillicothe, nor is it known why he moved and left his brother, the only family he had in America. In those days it was common for new immigrants to move often in search of better and cheaper land or for better economic opportunities. Perhaps it was as simple as that. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing there have been no documented contact, communication, or records of interaction found between William and Philip other than the immigration ship passengers’ list. Alice Burgess’ account mentions letters from the brothers sent from Chillicothe back to Germany. Hopefully, those letters still exist and will become available to us to read in the future.
Chillicothe is the birthplace of Ohio. Located about 45 miles south of Columbus, it was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located along the Scioto River.
The town’s name comes from the Shawnee Chala-ka-tha, named after one of the five major divisions of the Shawnee people, as it was the chief settlement of that tribal division. The Shawnee and their ancestor inhabited the territory for thousands of years prior to European contact. At the time of European-American settlement, General Nathaniel Massie plotted the community on his land grant.
It was after the American Revolution that most European settlement came to this area. (Chillicothe.com)