Nummer
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The Fred and Jennie (Young) Nummer farm sat just inside Ionia county, east of Lowell. At one time Fred owned most of section 6 in Boston Township, Ionia county. Fred was a hard worker, only giving up farming three years before his death.
Fred’s Great Grandfather George A. Number lived in Saxe-Gotha Germany before bringing his family to the United States in 1843 on a ship named the Bremen. His voyage was 57 days and he landed in New York. The family then came through the Erie Canal to Buffalo and on to Detroit. George’s son George C., was 20 years old when he came to this country with his parents. He fought in the Civil War, suffering health issues for the rest of his life. George C. moved his family to Easton Township, Ionia county. His son Leroy was Fred’s father. The Fred and Jennie Nummer farm was on the south side of M-21, on the ‘flats’ as they called that land. On the north side of M-21 were the barns and fields of grain. There was a cement tunnel that ran under the road so that the cows could get down to the flats to graze. In 1944 Harold Englehardt bought oil leases to drill on the land. It was here that Fred and Jennie raised their children and launched them into life. Fred and Jennie Nummer endured much heartache. They had eight children, but experienced the loss of some of those children. Their daughter Ellen died at 10 days old. Their son Raymond died at age thirteen of a rare cancer. Three sons, Erwin, Oscar, and Leroy J (LJ) went off to fight in World War II, only one returned alive. Erwin J. Nummer was the first brother to go off to war, enlisting in October of 1940 in the National Guard as a Sergeant. On May 6, 1941 Erwin and Elaine Eaves were married in Shreveport Louisiana. Erwin was stationed at Camp Livingston Louisiana at the time and had been promoted to Lieutenant. The couple moved to Lowell, living at 414 N. Monroe. While her husband was away at war, Elaine boarded teachers in her home. Erwin served with the 32nd Red Arrow Division in Australia. Heavy fighting in the fall of 1942 in New Guinea included Erwin in the casualties. He led Company F of the 126th infantry. He was hospitalized for over two months before being reunited with his unit. He would later receive the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry on the field of battle and a Purple Heart. In February of 1943 he was promoted to the rank of captain. Elaine received a letter written on January 6, 1945, from a friend of her husband, informing her of the Erwin’s death. He had been given full military honors at his burial in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. Captain Nummer had been on the front lines with the Red Arrow Division in every battle the division fought in. Elaine was not a typical military widow. In May of 1945 she enlisted in the army in the nurse corps. She was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant. She served for six months and was discharged in November, 1945. LJ Nummer enlisted in the army in March of 1941. He was a Technician, Third Grade. This was used in the 1940’s to recognize enlisted soldiers with special technical skills. LJ was killed in an airplane crash over Austria on July 18, 1945. Oscar enlisted in July of 1942 and served until November of 1945. During this time he suffered and was hospitalized for disease and acute gastritis. He went on in life to work for and retire from the railroad industry. He served other veterans in the V.F.W. Flat River Post as service officer and patriotic instructor. Oscar, Nelson, Freida and Bernard all survived their parents. The farm stayed in the family, with descendants on the land until 2007. Images: Fred Nummer Erwin Nummer LJ Nummer LJ Nummer #3 414 N. Monroe Home of Erwin and Elaine Nummer |
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