By: Mark Holtsberry
Andrew Schilb- Jemina Margaret (Gray) Schilb
This story cannot be told without talking about both the husband and wife. I always wanted to know a little history behind the Schilb Funeral home. Stan and I, never really got to talk about this subject, so here I am, again, on my own.
Andrew Schilb, was born in 1841 in Bavaria, the son of George Jacob and Maria Schilb (as a note, German records list Andrew as being born March 25, 1844). Andrew married a gal named Christina Barnhart on February 28, 1867 in Henry County, Ohio. Christina was born, March 20, 1848 in France. With this marriage, Andrew and Christina had four children: Georgie, Christina P., Andrew J., and Elizabeth. In 1870, Andrew, Christina and Georgia were living in Antwerp, Ohio and Andrew was a retail grocer. Something happened to Georgie, and he died at the age of 7 years 3 months old around 1873. Christina P. was born July 15, 1873. I also found where she was born in 1870. Andrew J. listed as born June 30, 1873. Big question is how these dates could be? But their tombstones indicate the year of birth, but I have seen stranger things than this before. Finally, Elizabeth was born June 5, 1874. Andrew’s wife, Christina passed away giving birth to Elizabeth. Elizabeth was raised by Andrew’s brother and sister in law, Johann W. and Anna Schilb. Andrew remarried, a gal by the name of Jemina Margaret Dolan, August 15, 1874 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana who was born in Canada, June 27, 1851 and her parents were, Alvin (from New York) and Eliza (from Canada), Dolan.
On August 16, 1878, Andrew committed suicide by drinking strychnine. It was the third or fourth time he tried to end his life. Andrew’s father was summoned to see his dying son. Andrew, with only a few moments to live, would write his last words. Placing the note in his fathers hand, the note read, “My wife is the reason of what I have done.” It was thought by many, that he grew insane. Folks could not figure out how a well to do citizen would take poison and end his own life. He was buried in Antwerp Riverside Cemetery, Antwerp, Ohio. On August 20, 1878, Probate Court document specified that all Andrew’s belongings went to his brother Johann W. Schilb and C. Alex Grethouse.
Jemina gave birth to a daughter Nettia Dell Schilb, November 3, 1878, in Antwerp. Yes, this was Andrew’s child, Jemina was about seven months along when Andrew died. By 1880 Jemina was a furniture dealer in Antwerp. Step children, Christina P. and Andrew J., also lived with Jemina. In 1884, Jemina became an American citizen and took over as an undertaker for the Schilb Funeral Home. Jemina went to school, The Egyptian School of Embalming, in Boston, Massachuetts. On April 30, 1902, she graduated, and practiced embalming for five years. The Ohio State Board of Embalming signed her license, October 17, 1902. Jemine became the first female to be a licensed Embalmer in the whole United States.
By 1910, Jemina, along with her daughter, Nettia, her husband, John and their three children, and a step daughter Christina, all lived on Wilhelm Street in Antwerp, still running the Funeral Home as the Director. By 1920, Jemina, was living in Paulding on North Williams Street, with her daughter Nettia and her family. She was still an undertaker and sold burial supplies. Jemina Margaret (Dolan) Schilb passed away, April 17, 1920 in Paulding, and was buried in Maumee Cemetery, Antwerp, Ohio.
