Joseph Thume
was a miller in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. (On the 1870 US census, Joseph Thum was recorded to be 38 years old, from Germany. In the N Whitehall Twp. Roll 1368, pg 738, a mark is beside his name indicating a question on name and information).
A millstone once fell and injured him. After that he and Ernestene came to Hambleton (near Trappe) Maryland to buy a farm. On November 3, 1877, Joseph and Ernestene Thume settled on a fifty acre(more or less) farm from Silas A. Simpson and his wife. Silas A. Simpson held the mortgage. The cost of theland was $2500. Joseph Thume must have paid a down payment of $500 towards the land. The terms of the mortgage was: a payment of $400 plus interest was to be paid on November 3, 1878, another payment of $400 plus interest was to be paid on November 3 1879, and a final payment of $1200 plus interest was to be paid on November 3, 1880. On November 3, 1878 the land went back to Silas A. Simpson in a forclosure. Joseph Thume died 1878?
On the 1880 US census, Ernestene Thume, age 32 and her three sons: Otto, age 6 Leo, age 4, and Joseph, age 2 were boarding with a Foltz family. (She is actually listed as Anna S. Thum)
A good friend recently found the information below about Joseph's estate in the Talbot Library. This contradicts some of the information above since it indicates that Joseph Thume had died before 7/22/1881. It also indicates that the land and property was valued much less that what they paid for it :
Dated 7/22/1881, it states "Valuation of the estate of Otho, Leo & Joseph Thum, orphan children of Joseph Thum, Dec'd, under the care a guardianship of Ernestine Thum of Talbot County. The estate consists of a small farm in Trappe District containing about 55 acres of land, about 50 of which are arable and the remainder in wood. The farm is divided into 3 fields of equal size all enclosed by a fence in ordinary repair. Farm buildings include a small 2 story frame dwelling house with a one story kitchen attached in good order, a small smokehouse in fair condition and a small tenant house in good repair. Outbuildings include one small granary in good condition and an old bar, stables and carriage house built principally of slabs of little value. Value of farm is estimated at $150 to the one third of which Ernestine Thum, widow, is entitled.