HOMEreturn to the Coffman family home page SURNAME LISTList of all surnames (last names) in my Coffman family NAME INDEXComplete list of people on my Coffman family tree EMAIL USSend me email about this web site and genealogy
Genealogy HomeReturn to this genealogy site home page Site HomeReturn to this web site's home page

2. Viola Ella COFFMAN was born on 21 Aug 1894 in Kansas, Edgar Co., Illinois, USA. She died on 9 Nov 1980 in Newbury, Geauga Co., Ohio, USA. She was buried on 12 Nov 1980 in Mayfield Village, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, USA. Eye Color: brown
Hair Color: Brown/white
Special Talent: needle work

She was active with the quilters at Church.

She was married to Carl SUTTER (son of Karl SUTTER and Marie LOUIS) on 10 Jun 1915 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, USA. Carl SUTTER was born on 14 Nov 1894 in Gries, Alsace-Lorraine, Bas-Rhin, Germany. As a young child in Germany his family farmed potatos for food and hops for the breweries for cash. Once in the potato field he was playing with a broken piece of glass (bottle). When mother called to Carl, he turned and fell on the glass cutting his lip through. His mother had to carry Carl a long distance to see a doctor. Carl carried the scar his whole life.

The family lived in a house upstairs, the cow was stabled downstairs.

[There was a hole in the floor for them to put the hops into a wagon?]

There was a shortcut through the Black Forest to get to school. Once when going to school, Carl rounded a bend in the trail and saw a poacher hanging from a tree. He was so scared he never stop running until he got to school, and never took that shortcut again.

Carl and his siblings would pick berries in the Black Forest. Picking the berries was illegal because the Forest was owned by the Kaiser.

Carl's mother told him to go to the tavern and get a quart of beer for some cooking she was doing. The barkeep refused to sell any to so young a boy, about 8-10 years. Carl was so mad he slammed the door open on his way out and broke it. He was so suprised and frightened he ran home. He immigrated on 14 Feb 1906 to Ellis Island, New York, USA. Immigrated from Gries, Alsace Lorraine, Germany in 1906
He saw the Statue of Liberty for the first time on Feburary 14, Saint Valentines Day on his way to Ellis Island.

Here in America Carl changed his name from Karl (with a 'K') to Carl. He wanted to leave his German/French heritage behind "I am an American Now".

When leaving Alsace-Lorrain the family sang a song on the way to the port city to get the boat: Mub i denn, mub i denn

The Family traveled to Antwerp, Belgium, where they boarded the vessel Kroonland. He was naturalized on 17 Apr 1936 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, USA. He retired on 31 Dec 1964 in Lyndhurst, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, USA. He died in Jul 1986 in Middlefield, Geauga Co., Ohio, USA. He was buried in Jul 1986 in Mayfield Village, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, USA. The Lyndhurst Fire department provided men to be palllbearers.

The American Flags in Lyndhurst & Mayfield Hts. city halls were at half mast on the day of the funeral. The fireman on duty at Mayfield Hts. were outside in the driveway standing at attention and saluting as the funeral procession passed. Eye Color: Hazel
Hair Color: Brown/grey
Special Talent: Gardening, Bee keeping, Fruit trees. Carpentry

Immigrated from Gries, Alsace Lorraine, Germany in 1906. He saw the Statue of Liberty on Feburary 14 on his way to Ellis Island. Here in America Carl changed his name from Karl (with a 'K') to Carl. He wanted to leave his German/Frence heritage behind "I am an American Now".
Some of the various jobs he held here, Union Glazer, Fireman, Feed Mill, Florist Shop Driver (He had a Chouffer's License). As a young man (child) he couldn't (wouldn't) hold a job that kept him inside a building. He lost one job for climbing on top of a factory roof and throwing snow balls at the workers.
Each time Carl lost another job he would get home early to have his mother say "Lost another job" as if she came to expect it..
As a child Carl ran away from home several times, rather than work in a factory. He ended up at a farm of a family friend. Carl's mother decided to let him live on the farm, at least she knew where Carl was and that he was safe. He would only run away again if she brought him home.
While living on the farm Carl, one time, saw a skunk on the road. He kicked it and the skunk sprayed him. He had been wearing his favorite leather jacket at that time. He hung the jacket on a fence near some horses to air it out. The horses stayed far away from Carl and his coat for a while.

He lost most of his hearing in one ear listening for a leak in a tire, it exploded.

His last Job was grounds keeping for Joseph Schulti, a mortition, at his private residence in Chesterland, Ohio. He worked 5 half days each week. He finally quit working at age 88 when he lost his sight. Viola Ella COFFMAN and Carl SUTTER had the following children:

+12 i. Robert Carl SUTTER.
+13 ii. Viola Ruth SUTTER.
+14 iii. Alice Marie SUTTER.
+15 iv. Alma Jean SUTTER.