Henry W's Brother William M. Schuermann married Louisa Freitag
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(Henrich Wilhelm) Henry William Schuermann, son of Wilhelm Moritz and Gertrude Bloombach Schuermann was born in 1863, Bachum, Westfalen Preussen. Grandson of Wilhelm and Gertrude Schneider Schuermann of Bachum, Westfalen, Preussen.
Father Wilhelm Schuermann was killed while in the forest cutting a tree which fell on him. Henry W. immigrated to America in 1863 and obtained his Citizenship in 1885, in Dickinson, Kansas.
Married, 1st in 1885, Lydia Freitag of Ohio, in Lyons, Kansas. Gertrude, Edgar and Henry were born in Kansas. Lydia gave birth to their third child Henry while Henry W. was away participating in the Oklahoma Run of 1893 (Cherokee Strip).
Henry W. obtained 1/4 section of land near Garber, OK, but sickness called him back to Kansas and his claim was taken. He moved to a school quarter five miles east of Jefferson, Oklahoma in 1893, where they lived when Wilhelmina (Minnie) and William were born. Lydia died during the birth of son William in 1900.
Henry married his second wife Carolina Augusta Dahlem, born 1875 in Niederwurzbah, Saarland Germany, daughter of Friedrich Wilhelm and Catharina Kunckel Dahlem. They married March 13, 1902 in Medford, Oklahoma.
They resided on the farm where he grew wheat for many years. Children born to Henry and Carolina Schuermann were: Fritz Conrad, Millicent Louise and Laverne Lynn. Carolina died in Jefferson in 1934 and Henry died in 1954 in Medford Oklahoma. Both are buried in Liberty Cemetery, Jefferson Grant County Oklahoma.
A few years after moving to Jefferson, the young people desired to become musicians, and asked Henry to be their leader. He said his old cornet was worn out, so friends chipped in and bought him a brand new cornet. It took six weeks for the instrument to reach Jefferson on February 1, 1900. The next day, February 2, Lydia Freitag Schuermann gave birth to William (Bill) Clark Schuermann, and death came to her. After her sudden death there was no mention of the band.
Then two months later Henry decided to have a meeting. They called the band The Fairview Cornet Band. Later on they changed their name to the Jefferson Schuermann Band. Each member looked forward to the band practice nights. In those days they had to either walk, ride a horse, or go in a wagon or buggy. On more than one occasion several who lived across a creek were forced to wade the stream, holding their instruments above their heads.
After weeks of rehearsals, they played in public on the last day of school in the Old Library School House in District No. 79. From that time on, this group of musicians were in demand for all occasions: Fourth of July celebrations, Old Settlers reunions, political rallies, horse races. Anywhere there was a crowd, Henry Schuermann's band was there.
The original members were Henry Schuermann, leader, the Smith brothers Bill, John, Pete, Henry, and Wes, George and Clarence Beckman, Ula Canfield, Sam Whitman, Otto and Marion Boster, Ross and Elza Henkle, C. H. and Will Schuermann, Jr., and Charlie McCartney.
The problem of transportation was a big one in the early days. When engagements came from towns far off, the trains didn't always run to suit the players. Often it meant a day and a half away from home. Then Charles Sprague, Sr. began asking for donations to have a large band wagon made. This work was done by Messrs. Schweitzer and Kalbfleisch. With four horses, the band was able to travel miles and return home, and had a platform to perform on.
More young people joined the band. At one time there were five lady members: Helen McMahan, Bessie Noel, Gertrude Smith, Grace Ratcliff and Lulu Moran.
Thirty eight years later, in 1938, his band members were Henry Schuermann, Loren Fretz, Henry Peacock, Helen McMahan, Don Beck, August Schmitz, Edgar Bouten, Will Schuermann, Jr., Bill Fuss, Henry A. Schuermann, W. J. Fretz, Edgar Schuermann, S. 0. Lynn, Guy Taylor, Bill Schuermann, Lee Boyer, Roy Enfield, Jim Murray, Frank Aldrich, Paul Jenicek and Sam Whitman. Four members composed the Odd Fellow Quartet. They were W. J. Fretz, Henry Peacock, Ted Schuermann, and Will Schuermann, Jr.
Henry did much for the enjoyment and uplift of Grant County's social life, and the one thing dearest to his heart was his band. At times the players would make from 2 to 7 dollars a day during an engagement. Then there were times when Henry was left "holding the sack," but he kept right on going.
by: Phyllis Schuermann Scouten, daughter of William (Bill) C. Schuermann, and others.
{ These siblings are quite different. Not sure where this came from, but it should be checked: "Siblings of Henry W. were: Anna Gertrude (who remained in Germany) Wilhelm Moritz, Lisette (remained in Germany), Christina Carolina (remained in Germany), Wilhelm August, Maria, Aguste Elizabeth and Wilhelm Moritz. I suspect the first Wilhelm Moritz died and they named their last child the same." }
Henry William Schuermann 
