Draft:Frank Schweinfurth

• Comment: Incorrect citation style. Please read the citation and notability guidelines before any resubmission. Timothytyy (talk) 07:55, 30 December 2023 (UTC)

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FRANK SCHWEINFURTH, SENIOR. to This veteran of the war of the Rebellion , who has been identified with the history of Chicago since 1852, was born at Wiesloch, Baden, Germany, May 29, 1837. His father, who was the proprietor of a noted bakery, was named John, and his mother, Mary. Both died in Germany, but six of their children emigrated to America. Mary, the first born, arrived in 1846. She was the wife of Victor Jones, and both she and her husband are now deceased. In 1852 came Barbara, who died of cholera shortly after her arrival. Clara, the youngest daughter, married Frederick Edler, and died in 1863. George was a flour merchant, doing business at Nos. 377 and 379 West Lake street, and Philip is deceased. Mr. Frank Schweinfurth, after receiving an elementary education in the public schools was a baker for several years When President Lincoln issued his first call for volunteers. In April, 1861, young Schweinfurth joined the ranks of the ninety-day recruits, in the Turners' Union Cadets. He re- enlisted for three years in the Twenty-Fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served with such gallantry that January 1, 1862, he was promoted to a second lieutenancy in Company K, and in the following June was commissioned first lieutenant of Company E. He commanded his company at Chickamauga, in which battle he was made a prisoner. For ten months he was confined in Libby Prison, and was then taken to Macon, Georgia, and later to Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina, and to Raleigh and Wilmington, North Carolina, spending eighteen months in rebel prisons. At Wilmington he was exchanged, and in March, 1865, was mustered out of the service by general order of the War Department, at Annapolis, and was paid off at Washington. Returning to Chicago he engaged in business, purchasing an interest in his brother's bakery at No. 413 South Clark Street in Chicago. Soon afterward he sold the bakery and became a flour wholesaler, in partnership with his brothers, George and Philip. For a year the firm was located on West Erie Street and was then dissolved. The second year Philip and Frank reopened business at No. 28 Market Street in Chicago. They later moved the business to Nos. 250 and 252 South Water Street, and just before the great fire of 1871 they moved the business to No. 403 South Clark Street, where they opened a bakery in connection with their flour store. Here business was not as good as Mr. Schweinfurth wished, leading to retirement. Mr. Schweinfurth cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and until within recent years has been an active worker in the Republican party, standing high in its councils, but never seeking reward in the shape of political preferment. In his earlier years he was fond of social pleasures and a member of numerous organizations, among them being Hose Company No. 3, of the old Volunteer Fire Department, which he joined in 1855; the Masonic fraternity, the order of Odd Fellows and various singing societies. He was also a charter member of Lyon Post No. 9, Grand Army of the Republic. He was a member of the Chicago TurnGemeinde, which he joined in 1855. When this society built its present hall he was treasurer and a member of the building committee. December 5, 1865, he was united in marriage to Eva Margaret Walter, who has borne him seven children, six of survived: Anna, Katharine, George J., Frank, Junior, Clara (who died May 1, 1897), Julia and Philip. Mr. and Mrs. Schweinfurth, with their children, are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the family is well-respected in the community in which they have lived so long. (1)

Source: ALBUM OF GENEALOGY AND BIOGRAPHY COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS WITH PORTRAITS THIRTEENTH EDITION, REVISED AND IMPROVED. CHICAGO LA SALLE BOOK COMPANY 1900

with some grammatical edits for modern language clarity

Now owned by the University of Illinois Library

Descendants:

Anna Clara Scweinfurth married August Willich Schafer in Chicago on 3 July 1900. Cook County Clerk Phillip Knopf officially released the marriage license and "Jacob Meier, Baptist Clergyman" officiated. (Source: Marriage license for August and Anna)

The marriage resulted in two living children, G. Walter Schafer and Alice Schafer. Three sisters, all named "Katherine" died in childhood and are buried at Arlington Cemetery in Elmhurst, Illinois. G. Walter first married Dora E. Linder (buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in North Riverside, Illinois, near the Circus Memorial), whom he divorced. They had two children, A. William and Paul Walter Schafer. Dora Linder's father was Alfred Linder, a homebuilder who "built every brand new single-family home" (according to Paul Schafer) in what was then Austinville, Illinois, but is today (2024) the Austin section of Chicago. A Linder St. exists in Austin, but the Chicago directory of streets states that Linder Street was named for the tree. (2)

A. William Schafer was born in 1934. He became an Air Force pilot in the 1950s. He later became an obstetrician/gynecologist, practicing in Hinsdale, Illinois. He once appeared on "A. M. Chicago" on WLS-TV to introduce the "birthing chair" (source ibid and WLS-TV). Dr. Schafer died in 2011. (2)

Paul Walter Schafer earned a business degree and worked for several corporations with offices located in the Chicago area during his career. He was born in 1939 and still lives as of 2024. (2)

G. Walter Schafer Second Marriage

Walter married Lucinda Skoglund (nee Davies) on July 15, 1960 in Oak Park, Illinois. They each worked at the now-defunct William Y. Gillmore and Son Department Store at the corner of Lake Street and Oak Park Ave. They got married on their lunch break, joining Lucinda's mother (Delphia H. Davies) and Walter's sister and brother-in-law, Alice and Eddie Kennedy (not related to the President). (2)

Lucinda lost the baby she was carrying at the time of the wedding. Walter and Lucinda would have two more children to add to the family of William (Bill) Schafer, Paul Schafer and Lucinda's two boys from her first marriage to John Calvin Skoglund of Harrisburg, Illinois, who abandoned Lucinda and the children. The boys were John Paul and Phillip Lee, both of whom were adopted and raised by Walter. (2)

John Paul achieved a Forestry degree at Southern Illinois University and moved to Mobile, Alabama, where he is buried near the Confederate War Memorial in a Mobile cemetery. (2)

Phillip Lee Schafer became Deputy Fire Chief in Alsip, Illinois before retiring. (2)

Katherine Ann Schafer, named for Kathryn Grayson and Walter's three deceased sisters, all named Katherine, was born on November 28, 1961 at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park. She was educated at Leslie Lewis Elementary in Chicago, Karel Havlicek Elementary and Lincoln Jr. High in Berwyn, Illinois as well as J. Sterling Morton East in Cicero, Illinois. Katherine achieved her nursing degree in Iowa, where she resides with her husband, Mark Durst and family. (2)

Ira Warren Schafer achieved a BBA from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois and currently teaches. Ira was educated at Leslie Lewis Elementary in Chicago as well as Karel Havlicek Elementary and Lincoln Jr. High in Berwyn as well as J. Sterling Morton High School East in Cicero, Illinois. Ira hosted, produced and wrote Morton East's school radio show ("Morton in Motion"), broadcast over WCEV-AM from 1979-1982. Donna Jean briefly produced the show in 1979. (2)

1. Source: ALBUM OF GENEALOGY AND BIOGRAPHY COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS WITH PORTRAITS THIRTEENTH EDITION, REVISED AND IMPROVED. CHICAGO LA SALLE BOOK COMPANY 1900

2. ibid