Wilhelm (Henry) Heinrich Friedrich Mumme was born October 6, 1833, in Oldenburg, Germany to Johann Christop Mumme and Anna Margarete Sannemann.

      Henry emigrated from Germany to the United States about 1862. The U.S. was in the midst of the Civil War. He joined the 131st New York infantry regiment as a Private on July 22, 1862 in New York City.

      His mustering-in papers describe Henry Mumme as 28 years old, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, light complexion, blue eyes, light hair, born in Oldenburg, Germany and a shoemaker by occupation. He was promoted to Corporal in September, 1862.

      Henry came to New Orleans with his regiment as part of the Banks expedition in November, 1862. Once in New Orleans, his regiment participated in various skirmishes and battles in the bayou country west of New Orleans. The most notable engagement in which he participated was the Siege of Port Hudson (May-July, 1863), north of Baton Rouge. This included two major assaults on the Confederate works -- on May 27 and June 14, 1863. After the Siege of Port Hudson had ended, he participated in a battle at Donaldsonville, La. on July 13, 1863. He was listed as missing in action and then showed up in the records as sick in the hospital at New Orleans (whether he was wounded or just sick we do not know). In November he returned to active duty.

      In the summer of 1864, at about the time his regiment was being transferred to Virginia to fight under General Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, he deserted the army from camp at Carrollton, La. (near New Orleans). The story passed down in the family was that he was tired of the war and felt that it was not his fight.

      Henry Mumme stayed in New Orleans and plied his trade as a cobbler operating a successful shoestore for many years.

      He married Barbara Brendel on January 1, 1868. She was from Freckenfeld, Bavaria, Germany. They had 8 children. Henry died on May 31, 1899 and Barbara died on October 15, 1927. Their youngest son was Theodore Christian Mumme, born 1884, New Orleans. Theodore's youngest son was Thaddeus (Tad) Joseph Mummme, born 1927, New Orleans.

      Tad Mumme married Katherine and they have at least two sons, Stephen T. Mumme and Paul Mumme.

      Stephen T. Mumme was born 1954 in Havre de Grace, Maryland. He has lived in New Orleans most of his life.

      Paul Mumme has two children, Raymond Mumme and Sarah Mumme.