Shuman, Schumann

September 5, 2023

Early in my research I ran across an article that suggested that John Franklin Schumann had changed the spelling of his last name, and that it had originally been spelled Shuman. Multiple artlices after that, including one of his wedding to Blanche Marie Jackman, left no doubt. 

Just why he did so remains a bit of a mystery. While our first thought when we hear that someone has changed their name is that they are evading something or hiding something, John Franklin made multiple trips back and forth from Orlando to his home territory in Indiana, so that hardly seems the case. 

My brother, Johnny, had told me a story a very long time ago, and I asked him about it again recently, about his penmanship in the signing of his name. He was in Granddad's office, most likely regarding some business related to the grove, and Johnny had either signed or endorsed a check, and had done so hastily. Granddad showed it to him, mentioned to him that "Schumann" was a very nice-looking name, and that he should write it with care.

When I told Daddy this story yesterday, he said that he was at meeting of the Board of Directors of the Beach Bank, after Granddad had retired from the board, and they were passing around papers that required their signature. Daddy signed his and passed it to Mr. Graves who remarked that he certainly hadn't signed it as well as his father. (Daddy also mentioned that Granddad always signed "J. J. Schumann.")

John Franklin Shuman came up in so many Newspaper.com articles that I finally quit saving them all, thinking it impossible for it all to have been done by one man. Law, Real Estate, a new train line, farming, and newspapers --- and that was all before he went to Florida. He may have changed the spelling when he got to Florida as a way to distinguish himself from someone who was already there, but I think it is more likely, based on what Granddad said, that he changed the spelling because he thought it looked better. He was active in church and community affairs, and was clearly a businessman with a vision. I told Daddy the last name was almost like a logo. 

But that's my guess. You may have your own. Just know that I'll be sharing articles with you that appear to the wrong last name, but it is just a different spelling.