Notes:
Data source is "The Mumma Family" by Samuel H. Mumma 1962 & Moomaw book 1990
[Notes by Doug Mumma doug@mumma.org]
Little is known about John Mumma. He is listed in his father's Will in 1847 at which time he was alive. A John Mumma is listed in the 1840 census of East Donegal township, Lancaster county, the same township where this John was born. An unidentified Mumah fellow was added to the database and known as U71-1. Based on information derived from Richland county, Ohio, I am convinced that John Mumah, U71-1 was the same person as John Mumma born in East Donegal twp. Lancaster County, PA. The children listed for the 1840 census of East Donegal twp. closely match the family which was found living in Richland County in the 1850 census.
The following facts are known:
1) The 1st reformed church of Lancaster county, the following marriage is listed, suggesting births probably between 1800-1810 for both of them.
Mumma, John m: Hostetter, Mary on 30 Dec 1825.
2) The Milton Snavelly Hershey book records information about a Maria Hostetter who married John Mumma. Her birth date is listed as 3 May 1807, but no death data. Birth/death dates are listed for her parents. Nothing more was listed about John Mumma, other than his name.
3) A John Mumma appears in the 1840 census of East Donegal twp of Lancaster county, PA with a wife and 6 children whose ages closely match the reconstructed Mumah family living in Richland Co., OH in 1840-1850s.
4) Joseph Hostetter, Maria eldest brother, migrated with his family to Richland Co., OH between 1836 and 1838. It is likely that John Mumma and Maria followed her brother to Richland County. He and his wife are buried in the Mifflin Cemetery, Ashland Co., OH. see findagrave for tombstone photograph.
5) A John Mumma matching the 1840 census information is not found in the 1850 census of Lancaster County or elsewhere, suggesting possilby that he is deceased.
6) A widow by the name of Mary Mumah is found in the 1850 census of Richland County with three living children. She was born about 1807 in Pennsylvania
7) The 1850 mortality census lists a boy, named Amos Mumah aged 10 born in Pennsylvania, who died in Richland Co., OH in July 1850 of the fever.
8) A Mary Mumah is identified in the early marriage records of Richland county as marrying George Pepple (Spelled as Pegple). She appeared in the 1850 Census living with her mother, also named Mary. This Mary Mumah Pepple died prior to the 1860 census. The marriage records record that George Pepple married another woman in March of 1858. The 1850 cenus list George with his new bride and a son, named Gaylord Pepple, who was born in 1851. This would have been Mary's child.
9) The 1850 census records an Ann Mumah, age 13 living with the family of Wilson and Eliza Enos and their two year old daughter. Wilson's father, Francis Enos age 71, is also living with the family. It has been since determined trom other researchers that the maiden name of Wilson's wife, Eliza, was "Mumah", so this would mean Ann Mumah was the younger sister of Eliza.
Merging all of this data together reveals that John Mumah/Mumma and Maria Hostetter had at least 6 children, 5 of them born in Pennsylvania on or before 1840. Since the 1850 census lists a John Mumah, age 6, born in Ohio, the family must have migrated to Ohio some time between 1841-1844.
Few records exist for this branch after 1850, suggesting that most of them died young.
1840 Census, PA, Lancaster Co., East Donegal
Name: John Mumma
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5: - 2
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: - 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: - 1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: - 2
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14: - 1
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39: - 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: - 6
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: - 2
Total Free White Persons: - 8
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: - 8
John does not appear in the 1850 of Richland Co., OH where his wife and several children are living.
Another interesting connection is with the spelling of the surname as MUMAH in Richland County. John Mumma's sister, Anna Nancy Mumma, married Jacob Kauffman. Their daughter married a man named Elias MUMAH and that branch consistently used the Mumah spelling. The spelling of the surname as "MUMAUGH" by later descendants of this branch is probably because Eli Mumah was single and living in Van Wert Co., OH with his aunt in the 1870 census. Several MUMAUGH families were living in Van Wert County and it is likely Eli was not literate and adopted the "Mumaugh" spelling of his surname.