Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Who's Who in Jefferson County, 1931 John Suffix Rumer

"The Fairfield Daily Ledger"
Thursday, July 23, 1931
Front Page

Who's Who In Jefferson County
By Herbert F. McDougal

J. S. RUMER

When John Rumer was a boy, he went to Prof. Rowland's writing school, had a little difficulty with another pupil, threw an ink bottle at him, and departed. Then he started in to learn the cigar trade of W. F. Bevering. Finally he went to work for his father Isaac Rumer, who came to Fairfield just after the close of the Civil War, in which he was a soldier, and set up as a painter.

In those days painters bought their materials and mixed their own paints--white lead, linseed oil and color. There wasn't much amateur art in kitchens, sun porches and on lawns. Chinese red was not a fad, and kitchens were painted a good earnest color and no foolishness.

But, la, la, now a good deal of the Rumer business depends upon women who have ideas in colors and who make the landscape dazzle with rainbow hues. All the quick-drying enamels, the craze for color, the household art, has come as a development of the business, and interior decorating is rampant. One needs more than a barrel of linseed oil and a keg of white lead these days; it takes shelves and shelves full of cans to hold the varied products of manufacturers who bid for the feminine paint trade.

Back in the Elder Rumer's heyday, the real artist was the painter who could grain a plain door so naturally "that the knot would drop out".

Mr. Rumer was born January 2, 1876 in Fairfield. He attended Old Franklin and Logan schools--and then that writing school. For fourteen years he went every summer to the lakes in Northern Iowa and plied his trade at the summer resorts. In 1909 he went into business for himself, taking over his father's business which then was on East Burlington street. In 1928 he moved to his present location from West Broadway where he had been located for many years.

Mr. Rumer married Miss Bernice Brandall May 3, 1905. They have two children--Raymond and Sue.

He is a member of the Elks and Knights of Pythias.