Notes:
Data source is Douglas Mumma, 2123 Farmington Place, Livermore, CA 94550, email = doug@mumma.org
Victor attended Wittenberg College the year before his death. He was a theology major as was his brother, Aaron, who later followed him to Wittenberg
The following obituary was written by four of Victor's brothers, Aaron, Levi, Noah and Albert. It was presented to the the family at a Christmas, 1982 party held Oliver Mumma's house, one of their brothers.
This is an extraction from a piece entitled "In Memoriam" which was a tribute to their brother Victor and only sister,
"...The next of our honored dead is Victor; born at Pleasant Hill, March 2nd 1859 and died at Green Cottage, December 17, 1890. Age 31 years, 9 months, 15 days.
A boy like rest of boys, following the wagon makers trade on Sundays, and on other days doing just what had to be done, on farm or cider press, in market or where ever duty called.
As a frequenter of the "Old Vinegar Cellar", no one had more of a claim on it than he with spelling book in hand and seated on barrel or box, he poured over it for hours with a delight. Dougherty, who was a fair champion in the time of our boy, was a target at which to five the words of the "old McGuffey's" spelling book with Vic as his rival. He would go for miles to a spelling school even on dark and rainy nights, so eager was he to spell.
At one time there was a vibrating chord for music in his brain and two violins were the product by the aid of a Frenchman's kit of wood shoe tools and other such as the "Old Carpenter's Shop" possessed.
The first was flat and tin pan in tone when sawed by the horse tail bow made by the same had. For a paper of pins and a pot of glue, stuck it together as good as new. The second with more skilled had, there was wrought a good second violin, whose vibration filled the air of many a wintery night.
The Remington rifle followed the trail of the violin and with the same energy & zeal that the fingers touched the strings the pressed the trigger. The most brilliant shot ever made was a distance of 200 yards at a crow that answered to the summons and bowed respect to the worthy marksman.
Next telegraphy caught his attention and soon a company of three was formed and the wire was stretched on lightening rod insulators from tree to tree & post, shed or house. And the messages, slow at first, soon flew with wings of speed and thus over come the prejudice of curious people who said it "can't be done."
Photography awoke in him a zeal for the beauties in nature and the "Jumbo Gallery" was the result. It is a wonder the price of pictures did not fall. "Which will you have, a tin type on egg plate, or the other" was the talk.
The fair sex took a prominent part in his thoughts later on and result of this was a severe case of the blues.
Florida was visited in the year of 1882-3 and with his trusty rifle he brought home to the eyes of his Buckeye friends the skull of the Florida Aligator - which may bee seen in the museum of Otterbein University at Westerville, Ohio.
Teaching was once his occupation, but not by choice. The long eared jacks of Florida, which ate old wood fence posts, pine nots and dead weeds were the motive power.
Through the influence of Rev & Mrs. Homer he was lead to Christ that taketh away the sins of the world which was the means of causing a change in the entire family, as well as in other families which organized prayer meetings - took hold of Sunday School and resulted in the building of the Fair View Church.
He went to O.U. and burned midnight oil, with little exercise, which has told the story of many an ambitious person. Once in weak lungs, he purchased a corset to strengthen them, but ot no avail. That summer he fell sick with hemoranghage of lungs and rallied just enough to go to Florida for his health whee he taught select school. On his return he canvassed the county for funds to carry on the prohibition cause - paigue??? for govenor - Dr. Helwig being candidate and for their purpose he purchased one of the worst of horses that I ever saw or heard of. One day he tumbled summersault over the manger into the feeding room and tied to the manger all the while. He would apparently get fits - or stubborn spells & was incorrigible.
The friendship of a Westerville lady - known in college as the most beautiful and charming of all the lassies, ripened into matrimoney and in the fall of '89, he was married to Miss Orpha Shisler. After 3 months at Wittenberg Seminary and a few weeks at Hiram's home he closed his eyes upon things temporal for things eternal.
May we remember him if or no other - As the "starter", the "Ice Breaker". The first in a good cause, the first of the boys to be led to christ and the first to lead the way to the city of our God.
