On April 10, 1857, in Bochum, Westphalen Germany, a son was born to William and Gertrude (Blumbach) Schurmann. They named him William M. His wife, Gertrude, was later married to Conrad Kircher.
William M. worked in a coal mine when he was a young man. He fell in love with a girl. He asked her father for permission to marry her and was refused, because the father said William M. did not have enough money to support a wife and until he had more they couldn't get married. William realized that he needed to go somewhere else to find a new job and also because of the army situation in Germany; he decided to go to America.
When he entered the United States, he became confused because of all the legal business and paper work, and spelled his name Schuermann instead of Schurmann. Because of this the whole family had to use this spelling of Schuermann.
He settled near Woodbine, Dickinson County, Kansas. Soon his three brothers, August W., Henry W., and Morris joined him. They were followed by a sister and husband (Joseph and Gertrude Schmitz) and by his mother Mrs. Conrad Kircher and husband. Two other sisters, Mrs. Lena Miller and Mrs. Lesette Hillman, stayed in Bochum.
William M. married Louisa Freitag, born April 9, 1863, in Ohio. While they were in Woodbine they had the following children: William (Will), Theodore (Ted), Carl Henry (C. H.), George, Alma, Leota and Clarence. One other daughter, Myrtle, was born later in Oklahoma.
In 1897, driving a herd of cattle, the family migrated to Oklahoma in a covered wagon. They settled on a farm (SW 15-26-5) three miles east of Jefferson, and William M. also leased the school land (SE 16-26-5). This quarter he later let C. H. lease, and C. H. finally bought it.
Besides being a farmer, William M. was township assessor for many years and also a dealer in real estate. He advertised his land in the German Methodist Advocate. Carl Zeidler in Howard Lake, Minnesota, saw the ad and brought his family to Oklahoma and bought a farm 1 1/2 miles east of Jefferson. Lydia Zeidler, Carl's daughter, married C. H. Schuermann several years later, even though they had to elope because Lydia's parents thought they had reasons to oppose the marriage.
William M., who was called Uncle Billy by his friends after he got older, loved his new country. He thought that it could do no wrong. Even though he enjoyed his drink, when the prohibition amendment was passed, he said, "It's against the law to drink, so I won't drink anymore." He did stop and did not touch the stuff anymore until he was in his 70's and 80's, when his so-called friends would bring Uncle Billy a drink. C. H. had his dad bring the bottle to him and each day you would see Grandpa come down the road for his one drink of the day.
Louisa Schuermann was always a very busy lady even after she got older. She milked cows so she could sell the cream, also raised chickens so she would have eggs to sell and she always had a big garden. She quilted quilts and crocheted scarves, etc., to give to her children and grandchildren for Christmas. Grandma loved basketball games which she attended until she was quite old. Grandma was also a good swimmer. Everyone went swimming in the Salt Fork River in the early days.
Louisa and William M. belonged to the German Methodist Church four miles east of Jefferson. They both lived to a ripe old age. William M. was 90 when he died in 1947 and Louisa was 88 when she died in 1950.
William Moritz Schuermann 
