Thomas & Barbara (Miller) Worm

Thomas Worm and children - Taken on the occassion of Thomas' 90th birthday

Thomas Worm, son of John Christian and Hellena (Becker) Wurm, was born 7 April 1841 in Seneca County, Ohio and died 1 Feb 1939 in Mayfield Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan.  Later records give Thomas's year of birth at 1842, however his baptism was recorded by St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tiffin, Ohio in April of 1841.  Thomas married Barbara Miller 23 Nov 1866 in Crawford County, Ohio.  Barbara was born 4 Dec 1849 at New Washington, Craword County, Ohio to Paul and Margaret (Theis) Miller and died 29 Nov 1911 in Mayfield Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan. 

Sometime in the 1880s, Thomas and Barbara moved to the small community of Hannah in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.  Although later written accounts state the family moved in either 1882 or 1883, I suspect a more accurate date may be a few years later, since the birth record of Thomas and Barbara's son Lawrence (born 19 Sept 1886) was recorded by the Probate Court in Crawford County, Ohio. 

The following is taken from History of St. Mary's Church at Hannah and Immediate Area, 1885-1985
"In the year of 1881 the Rev. L. Heiland, who was pastor of St. Bernards in New Washington, Ohio, and an acquaintance of Father Zeigler, who was pastor of St. Francis parish in Traverse City, came to visit this region.  After making several visits to this immediate area, he bought some property from the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad (where our church now stands) and also some west of the church corners.  He then went back to his parish and persuaded some of his most active family members to move here to this fast and thriving community.  So on March 4, 1882, a very cold and stormy day, Thomas and his wife, Barbara, Worm, with their family of 12 children (two more children were born later), arrived here by train.  They were met by the Joseph Weber family, whose hospitality they shared in the log cabin where Charles Rodes now lives - one mile north and 1/2 mile east of the church corner.  Visiting with their friends that evening, they learned there was a vacant houe across the road from them to which they moved the next day with the household necessities they brought with them.  Besides their meager home furnishings, they brought a few farm tools and two dairy cows.  Soon after, they began constructing their own log house on 80 acres of land they got from Father Heiland, 1/2 mile north of the church and later owned by their son, Adam.  Soon after their home was completed, Father Heiland came up from Ohio with his housekeeper and moved in with the Thomas Worm family.  He then made a deal with them that to pay for their land he wished for them to build a General Store on his property west of the church corner on the south side of M-113, approximately 80 rods from S. Hannah Rd.  After the building was completed by Thomas Worm and sons Paul, Theodore, Peter and Ben, and the costs assessed, a serious disagreement arose between them as the Thomas Worm family felt that Father Heiland was demanding too much in labor in exchange for the price of the property he sold them.  A law suit was threatened by Mr. Worm against Fr. Heiland.  In the interval, their argument was brought to the attention of Father Bauer who was an assistant at St. Francis parish in Traverse City and a settlement was reached, thereby avoiding a law suit.

It should be stated here that while Father Heiland stayed at the Thomas Worm residence he did not conduct religious sevices of any kind.  Soon after this he and his housekeeper returned to Ohio where he was reinstated by the Bishop and given a new assignment."

Gravestones of Thomas & Barbara (Miller) Worm - St. Mary's Catholic Cemtery, Hannah, Grand Traverse County, Michigan

Obituary of Thomas Worm - Record Eagle, Traverse City, Michigan, 2 Feb 1939
"EARLY PIONEER DIED AT HANNAH - Thomas Worm, oldest pioneer resident of the community of Hannah, died Wednesday at 1:15 p.m. at the home of his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Umlor, where he has made his home for the past 15 years.

Born in Ohio on April 8, 1842, Mr. Worm was united in marriage to Barbara Miller October 20, 1866, and with his family moved to Michigan and settled at Hannah 55 years ago, the region at that time being a wilderness.  Mr. Worm was one of the oldest members of St. Mary's church, Hannah, which he helped to build.

Left to mourn their loss are eight sons, Theodore, Frank and Adam of Hannah, Paul, Peter, Bernard, Cornelius and Lawrence of Traverse City, four daughters, Katherine Fasel and Josephine Umlor of Hannah, Cecilia DeFer of Traverse City, Rose Cronin of Ludington, 44 grandchildren, and 80 great grandchildren.  His wife and two daughters, Margaret and Mary, preceded him in death several years ago.

Funeral services will be conducted from St. Mary's church, Hannah, Saturday morning at 9:30, and interment will be made in St. Mary's cemetery."

Obituary of Barbara (Miller) Worm - Record Eagle, Traverse City, Michigan, Friday, 1 Dec 1911, p. 7
"Mrs. Thomas Worm of Hannah died Wednesday morning at 9:10 a.m.

Barbara Miller was born Dec. 4, 1849 in New Washington, Ohio, married Oct 24 1866 to Thomas Worm, 14 children were born all of whom are living but Mrs. Frank Clouse who died March 30, 1905.

She is survived by a husband and thirteen children: Paul, Theodore, Frank, Adam, Ben, Mrs. Joseph Fasel, Josephine and Margaret all of Hannah; Peter, Lawrence and Mrs. John Deper, Traverse City; Cornelius of Garfield Township and Mrs. John Cronin of Ludington, Mich.  Two brothers, Frank Miller of Toledo, Ohio, Adam of St. Charles, and a sister, Mrs. Horman Thithop of Chesaning also survive.

In 1883 they came to Hannah where they have since resided.  The funeral will be held Saturday morning at 9:30 from St. Mary's Church of Hannah, buried in St. Mary's cemetery."



Thomas & Barbara (Miller) Worm had fourteen children:

1 - Paul Worm (1867-1944)

Gravestone of Margaret H. Worm -
St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Hannah,
Grand Traverse County, Michigan

2 - Theodore John Worm (1868-1947)

3 - Peter Christian Worm (1870-1953)

4 - Katherine Helen Worm (1872-1956)

5 - Benjamin Worm (1874-1958)

6 - Margaret Helen "Maggie" Worm was born 4 April 1875 in Crawford County, Ohio and died of pneumonia 15 Aug 1915 in Mayfield Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan.

7 - Frank Joseph Worm (1876-1949)
8 - Adam Michael Worm (1878-1969)
9 - Mary Worm (1879-1905)
10 - Cornelius Peter "Neil" Worm (1881-1970)
11 - Rose Frances Worm (1882-1949)
12 - Cecelia Worm (1884-1974)
13 - Lawrence Worm (1886-1976)
14 - Josephine Elizabeth Worm was born 24 Oct 1888 at Hannah, Grand Traverse County, Michigan and died 21 Sept 1981.  She married Ivan Charles Umlor 8 April 1913 at Hannah, Michigan.  He was born 17 Oct 1893 in Grand Traverse County, Michigan to Frederick Joseph and Effie Clara Lillian (Avery) Umlor and died 15 April 1954 at Hannah, Michigan.  Ivan and Josephine did not have any children.

Gravestone of Ivan & Josephine (Worm) Umlor - St. Mary's Catholic Cemtery, Hannah, Grand Traverse County, Michigan

Obituary of Josephine (Worm) Umlor - Record Eagle, Traverse City, Michigan, Tuesday, 22 Sept 1981, page 15
"Kingsley - Josephine Umlor, 92, died Monday at Grand Traverse Medical Care Facility, Traverse City.

She was born Octo. 24, 1886 at Hannah, the daughter of Thomas and Barbara (Miller) Worm.

On April 8, 1912, in Hannah she was married to Ivan Umlor who preceded her in death in 1954.

Eight brothers and five sisters also preceded her in death.

She is survived by 24 nieces and nephews.

She was a lifelong resident of the area and her family was one of its founders.

She was an active member of St. Mary's of Hannah Catholic Church and the Altar Society.

The funeral Mass will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. in St. Mary of Hannah Catholic Church with Fr. Terry Raymond officiating.  Burial will be in St.Mary's Cemetery.  A rosary will be said at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Covell Smith Funeral Home in Kingsley.  Mass cards are available at the funeral home."

Obituary of Ivan C. Umlor - Record Eagle, Traverse City, Michigan, 16 April 1954, page 5
"Mr. Ivan C. Umlor, 60, of Hannah passed away suddenly Thursday night at his farm north of Hannah.

Mr. Umlor was born Oct. 17, 1893 at Traverse City, the son of Fred and Effie Umlor, and attended St. Francis school in this city.  On April 8, 1913, he was united in marriage to Josephine Worm of Hannah.  Mr. Umlor was Mayfield township treasurer for two years and a potato buyer for years and a lifelong farmer.  He was a member of the St. Mary's church of Hannah and of the Holy Name Society of that church.

Surviving, besides the widow, are four sisters, Mrs. Charles Hammas of Plymouth, Indiana, Mrs. Alva Long of California, Mrs. Richard Gordinier of Dexter, Michigan, and Mrs. Mildred Channan of Mississippi; four brothers, Clarence of Detroit, T/Sgt. Melvin and T/Sgt. Harold, both of California, and M/Sgt. Kenneth of Biloxi, Mississippi, and many other relatives and friends.

Mr. Umlor was returned from the Smith Funeral Home of Kingsley to the farm north of Hannah, where the rosary will be recited at 8:30 Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Funeral services will be held Monday morning at 9 o'clock from the St. Mary's church of Hannah, with burial in the church cemetery.  Rev. Fr. Clement Sigmund will officiate."