Sensitive Subject - Insanity in Williams County, Ohio - Schnurr

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 16 May 2011)


A day after I posted this, I found more information plus a correction to the online death record of Ursula Schnur, so look for add-ons in bold.

Thank goodness for old newspapers being available for public research.  Here is an example of an insanity hearing that was mentioned in a Williams Co, OH newspaper, printed close to 106 years ago; however upon closer research one finds an error in the account.

Bryan Democrat, 1 June 1905

“An inquest as to the sanity of Ursula Schnurr, a daughter of John Schnurr who lives one mile south of Stryker, was held before Judge Schrider last Monday.  After hearing the testimony of three witnesses – Geo Buehrer, Charles F Mignin, and John Schnurr, she was found to be a fit subject to be sent to the hospital to undergo treatment.  She was taken to the Toledo state hospital for insane on Wednesday by Sheriff Ames.”

Tie this in with the following information:

Ursula Schnur - Williams Co, OH Probate case number 4698 misc – 18 May 1905 (i.e. one will be unable to see the case until a change, if ever, in judicial personnel takes place in Williams County, OH)

Tie this to the Ohio Death Records online:

Ursula Schnurr died on 26 July 1915 in Toledo, Lucas Co, OH.  According to her online death certificate she was married, 58 years old (born 1857), and buried in the Evansport Cemetery.

Note is appears that Ursula remained as inmate of the Toledo State Hospital for Insanity for ten years before her death. Note that according to the Springfield Twp Cemeteries, WCGS, both Ursula A Schnur (1856-1915) and husband John Schnur (1854-1924) are buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery.  Ursula's father, Martin Buehrer, a cooper from Luzern, Switzerland, is also buried in that cemetery with the dates of 12 Apr 1823 - 3 July 1891.  There is also more data on the Buehrer family in The Ancestry and History of the Buehrer Families, James D. Buehrer, 1916, p37.

John Schnur  (20 Jan 1854, Williams Co, OH – 25 June 1924, Springfield Twp, Williams Co, OH) @70Y 5M 5D, buried in Reformed Cemetery, widower, spouse – Ursula, father Henry Schnur; both parents natives of Germany)

Now we have a better picture of who Ursula Schnurr really was – NOT the daughter of John Schnurr, but his wife.

From other sources I have been able to piece together a little bit of information regarding the husband, John, and his wife, Ursula Buehrer Schnurr.

1860 Springfield, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M653_1052; Page: 72; Image: 148; Family History Library Film: 805052.

h/h /1092 Snoren, Henry 42 Alsace farmer

Lucy 43 Wurt

George 9 OH

John 6 OH

Laura 2 OH

1870 Springfield, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M593_1282; Page: 206B; Image: 418; Family History Library Film: 552781.

h/h 211/211 Shiner, Henry 50 FR farmer

Louisa 53 Wurtem

George 17 OH

John 15 OH

Lena 12 OH

1880 Bryan, Williams, Ohio; Roll: 1078; Family History Film: 1255078; Page: 678A; Enumeration District: 13; Image: 0217.

h/h 282/302 Shnur, Henry 60 Germ-Germ-Germ farmer

Lucy wife 63 Germ-Germ-Germ

John son 25 single OH-Germ-Germ

1883; Arrival: New York, United States; Microfilm Serial: M237; Microfilm Roll: M237_461; Line: 43; List Number: 166

On 12 Feb 1883 aboard the Labrador a family arrived in NY from port of departure, LeHavre, FR; their birthplace was recorded as Switzerland; their destination was Ohio.  Family members arriving in the US were:

Burrer, Martin (1824) 59

Verena (1855) 28 (Mrs. Seiler in Fulton Co, OH)

Ursula (1857) 26

Jean (male – 1859) 24 (in 1892 went to CA seeking gold and died 1897)

Martin (1859) 24 (married M Miller in Williams Co, OH)

Guillane (1862) 21 (known as William, b1861, 1882 graduate of military academy in Zurich; became a mail carrier in US, married Wilhelmina Fuchs)

Maria (1865) 18 (Mrs Schlatter of Defiance Co, OH)

Jacob (1859) 24

Jean (1862) 21

John Schnur married Ursula Buehrer in Williams Co, OH on 7 May 1891 (Marriage V6 #442)

1900 Springfield, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T623_1332; Page: 15A; Enumeration District: 115.

h/h 208/209 Shnur, John (Jan 1854) 46 mar 9Y OH-Germ-Germ farmer

Ursula wife (June 1858) 4/2 ch Switz-Switz-Switz

Albert son (Sept 1893) 6 OH-OH-Switz (died 2 July 1958 - buried by his parents in Mt. Zion Cem)

Samuel son (July 1897) 2 OH-OH-Switz

Williams Co, OH Probate case number 4698 misc – 18 May 1905

1910 Springfield, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T624_1241; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 0133; Image: 1020; FHL Number: 1375254.

h/h 219/224 Shnur, John 56 mar 1x mar 19Y OH-Germ-Germ farmer

Albert S son 16 OH-OH-Switz/Germ

Samuel F son 12 OH-OH-Switz-Germ

1910 Toledo Ward 10, Lucas, Ohio; Roll: T624_1209; Page: 17B; Enumeration District: 0131; Image: 1164; FHL Number: 1375222.

Mosula Schmier 58 married, 2ch, Germ-Germ-Germ, inmate of Toledo State Hospital for Insane, can read and write, speaks English

Note the real name of the inmate was Ursula Schnurr.

1920 Springfield, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T625_1450; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 167; Image: 420.

h/h 156/165 Schnur, John 65 widower OH-FR-Germ farmer

Albert S (Sigmund) son 26 OH-OH-OH single, farm laborer

Samuel (Fred) son 22 OH-OH-OH single, farm laborer