Schoen, Charles F. Sr.

Also Known As Schoen, Charles F. Sr.
Birth Name Schoen, Carl Friedrich
Gramps ID I1471
Gender male
Age at Death 90 years, 11 months, 7 days

Events

Event Date Place Description
Sources Notes
Birth 1841-08-04 Germany  
1a
Occupation     Machinist
2a
Occupation     Business owner, farm equipment sales
1a
Immigration 1844-09-09 New York, USA  
1b 1a 3a
Census 1850 Ixonia, Jefferson Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
4a
Census 1860 Ixonia, Jefferson Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
5a
Military Service   La Porte, LaPorte Cty, Indiana, USA Civil War, Union Soldier, Company G, 5th Indiana Regiment
1a
Census 1870 Ixonia, Jefferson Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
6a
Occupation 1880   Farmer
7a
Census 1880 Ixonia, Jefferson Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
7a
Census 1900 Oconomowoc, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
2a
Census 1905 Oconomowoc, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
8a
Census 1910 Oconomowoc, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
9a
Census 1920 Oconomowoc, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
10a
Census 1930 Oconomowoc, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
11a
Death 1932-07-11 Oconomowoc, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
1a
Burial   La Belle Cemetery, Oconomowoc, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
 

Parents

Relation to main person Name Birth date Death date Relation within this family (if not by birth)
Father Schoen, Carl Friedrich [I1469]1810-06-011889-11-04
Mother Kretke, Charlotte Louise [I1470]1808-05-251899-02-17
    Sister     Schoen, Wilhelmina [I3450] 1834
    Sister     Schoen, Augusta D. [I0183] 1836-04-06 1913-10-09
         Schoen, Charles F. Sr. [I1471] 1841-08-04 1932-07-11
    Brother     Schoen, John [I1472] 1844-09-09 1919-05-01
    Sister     Schoen, Marie [I3933] 1847-06-30 1858-02-26

Families

    Family of Schoen, Charles F. Sr. and Backhaus, Louise [F0505]
Married Wife Backhaus, Louise [I1728] ( * 1840-03-09 + 1923-10-06 )
   
Event Date Place Description
Sources Notes
Marriage 1864-07-16    
1a 1c
  Children
Name Birth Date Death Date
Schoen, William [I1733]18651954
Schoen, Louie [I1738]1866-10-121871-05-05
Schoen, Charles F. Jr. [I1756]1868-02-271926-11-27
Schoen, Gustav [I1737]1869-06-141898-11-17
Schoen, Edward [I2998]1871-04-141927-12-09
Schoen, Amanda [I1729]1872-06-231943-09-13
Schoen, Louis Phillip [I1730]1874-03-281940-03-02
Schoen, Laura L. [I1732]1875-12-131964-07-15
Schoen, Otto Frederick [I1735]1877-10-101935-11-11
Schoen, Leonard A. [I1734]1878-11-201923-07-14
Schoen, Emma [I1731]1882-01-211958-11-10
Schoen, George Joseph C. [I1736]1890-02-071963-08-23

Media

Narrative

Charles F. Schoen Sr. Family History

The obituary for Carl Friedrich Schön (anglicized as "Schoen") in the Oconomowoc Enterprise reported his birthplace as "Oackendorf, Germany," and his parents were known to be Prussian. It is believed that this city name was mis-typed, and that he was born on 4th Aug 1841 in the Lackendorf district of the city of Elbing, East Prussia - a city now known as Elbląg on the northern coast of modern-day Poland. Sometime in late 1843 or early 1844, the toddler Carl boarded the ship Mary Phillips in Hamburg and departed with his two older sisters Wilhelmina (age 10) and Augusta (age 8), his father Carl Friedrich, and his pregnant mother Charlotte Louise. They arrived in the Port of New York on 9th Sep 1844 with one more addition to their family - his younger brother Johann (later called "John") was born on the ship during the voyage.

The family settled in the Buffalo, Erie Cty, New York area for a handful of years, surrounded by many other immigrant families, including other Prussians. By 1849, the family had relocated to Ixonia, Jefferson Cty, Wisconsin, where father Carl purchased land for a farm that would pass down through youngest son John's family line for four generations and 140 years.

Charles, as he came to be called, was quite clearly the most "Americanized" of his siblings; he adopted and used English names sooner and more consistently than the rest of his family. As a young man, he traveled to La Porte, La Porte Cty, Indiana to enlist in the 5th Indiana Infantry and serve with the Union Army during the course of the Civil War. Upon his return, he was married in 1864 to another Prussian-born child of an immigrant family, Louise Backhaus, and they proceeded to raise a very large family on the land that Charles purchased for his farm. Twelve children were born to them, all but one surviving to adulthood:

William (b. 1865)
Louie (b. 1866, d. 1871)
Charles Jr. (b. 1868)
Gustav (b. 1869)
Edward (b. 1871)
Amanda (b. 1872)
Louis Phillip (b. 1874)
Laura (b. 1875)
Otto (b. 1877)
Leonard (b. 1878)
Emma (b. 1882)
George Joseph (b. 1890)

Like the rest of his family, Charles Sr. was Lutheran, and the family associated first with Saint Matthew's German Lutheran Church in Dodge Cty, prior to the founding of the church and school that came to be called Cross Lutheran in Ixonia in the summer of 1877. His parents Carl and Charlotte Schoen were amongst the founders of Cross Lutheran, and Charles' sons William and Charles Jr. were each confirmed there (in 1879 and 1881, respectively).

At some point, Charles Sr. and his family relocated from the rural area around the small town of Ixonia to the nearby city of Oconomowoc, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin; when this occurred has been somewhat challenging to determine, as the most accurate reports of when the family moved are in the obituaries for daughters Laura and Emma. Emma's obituary reports that she had lived in Oconomowoc for sixty-five years, putting the move about 1893, while Laura's obituary puts the move in 1883. It would seem that Emma's is more likely correct, as youngest brother George Joseph was born in Ixonia in 1890. Daughter Amanda's wedding was held in the spring of 1894 at the "German Lutheran Church" in Oconomowoc, which refers to St. Paul's Lutheran Church situated on Fowler Lake in downtown Oconomowoc; the family almost must have moved to the city prior to that event.

The move was made primarily because of the environment offered by the city for the business enterprises of both Charles Sr. and some of his adult children. Charles Sr. had transitioned from farming to selling farm implements, equipment, and supplies, and over the years his business shifted further toward a car dealership and service garage. His son Louis Phillip owned a barbershop for over twenty years, and afterwards owned a Nash car dealership, while his son Leonard joined him in the farm equipment and car dealership business, forming Chas. Schoen & Son. Otto became a master tradesman, doing business as a plumber in Oconomowoc before relocating to Illinois.

All of the family came to be quite well-known in Oconomowoc, with several of them prominent in local business and all of them active in the local Lutheran churches (including some as founding members of local churches that splintered from St. Paul's, including St. Matthew's Lutheran and Dr. Martin Luther churches.) Most of the children married, and the family was associated either socially or by marriage to many other families prominent in local business and society, including several of Prussian or German descent.

Young child Louie's death was the first to come to Charles Sr.'s household, and the family saw mostly peace and growth for the next few decades. The elder children began marrying, some prior to the family's move to Oconomowoc, and the grandchildren began to arrive. Several of the siblings began to go their own way, moving elsewhere within Wisconsin or occasionally out-of-state. Some of them had less than idyllic family lives - notably Charles Jr. and George Joseph - while others settled down to married life just fine and a few - Laura, Emma, and Gustav - never married.

The next death was twenty-nine-year-old Gustav, who died of typhoid in 1898, not many years after the family's move to the city. In 1923, in the space of less than three months, Charles Sr. lost both his son Leonard and his wife Louise. In 1926 the family lost son Charles Jr., and in 1927 son Edward passed away.

Charles Sr. continued to live with his two unmarried daughters Laura and Emma at the family home on east Wisconsin Avenue in Oconomowoc for nearly another nine years after the death of his wife. At the time of his death in 1932, Charles Sr. was survived by seven of his twelve children. His obituary stated he was survived by fourteen grandchildren; my count, as of the same date, is sixteen, but the two born to son George Joseph and his ex-wife Julia (Stern) may have been estranged from the rest of the family at that time. Additionally, his obituary also gave six great-grandchildren as survivors - three of them grandchildren of daughter Amanda (Schoen) Hoeft, and the other three grandsons of Edward Schoen.

Charles Sr. and his wife are buried in La Belle Cemetery in Oconomowoc, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin, under a tree in a large section of family plots likely purchased by Charles. Surrounding him are some of his children and some of their spouses, and a few grandchildren who died young.

Of his surviving children, eldest son William moved to Milwaukee sometime after the death of his first wife, and had remarried, living later with his youngest daughter and her family. Amanda lived down the street from the family home on Wisconsin Avenue until her death in 1943, a grandmother of five. Daughters Laura and Emma would continue to live in the family home until their deaths many years later (Emma in 1958, Laura in 1964). Louis owned the Nash Auto dealership and garage, and died in 1940 at his home on Lake Street in Oconomowoc; he and his wife had raised her niece Gertrude Notbohm, but had no children of their own. Otto died in 1935 in Rockford, Illinois, where he had a plumbing business and was survived by at least one of his two children. Youngest son George Joseph died in 1963 in California, survived only by his second wife, at least one of his two children, and his older sister Laura.

Narrative

[Obituary for Charles Schoen, from the Oconomowoc Enterprise, 15 Jul 1932.]

The death of Charles Schoen, veteran of the Civil War, one of the city's well known and respected citizens, and former business men, occurred shortly before midnight Monday night at his home on Wisconsin avenue east, his demise following a long period of declining health. Had he lived until Aug. 4 of this year, he would have reached the age of 91 years and in spite of this advanced age his mental faculties were as keen as in earlier years.

Charles Schoen was born August 4, 1841, at Oackendorf, Germany, and came to this country with his parents when he was about a year and a half old, the family locating at Buffalo, N.Y., and when he was nine years of age they came to Wisconsin to reside, the town of Ixonia being the family home for many years.

Charles Schoen enlisted at La Porte, Ind., with Co. G, 15th Indiana regiment this company being organized in Indianapolis, and served throughout the Civil War.

He was married on July 16, 68 years ago, to Miss Louise Backus, member of a pioneer family of this community.

Mr. and Mrs. Schoen resided on a farm in the town of Ixonia for a number of years, later coming to this city to make their home, he being in the implement business here for 40 years and retired from active business cares and duties seven years ago. Mrs. Schoen's death occurred in this city on Oct. 6, 1923, and he is survived by four sons and three daughters: William of Milwaukee; Otto of Rockford; Joseph of Kansas City; Louis Schoen, Mrs. Frank Hoeft, and the Misses Laura and Emma Schoen of Oconomowoc.

He also leaves 14 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the residence on Wisconsin avenue east, thence to St. Matthew's chapel, Prof. John Meyer of Thiensville, formerly of this city, officiating. Burial will be in La Belle cemetery and Rev. Mr. Lorenz of Watertown will conduct the service

Pedigree

  1. Schoen, Carl Friedrich [I1469]
    1. Kretke, Charlotte Louise [I1470]
      1. Schoen, Wilhelmina [I3450]
      2. Schoen, Augusta D. [I0183]
      3. Schoen, Charles F. Sr.
        1. Backhaus, Louise [I1728]
          1. Schoen, William [I1733]
          2. Schoen, Louie [I1738]
          3. Schoen, Charles F. Jr. [I1756]
          4. Schoen, Gustav [I1737]
          5. Schoen, Edward [I2998]
          6. Schoen, Amanda [I1729]
          7. Schoen, Louis Phillip [I1730]
          8. Schoen, Laura L. [I1732]
          9. Schoen, Otto Frederick [I1735]
          10. Schoen, Leonard A. [I1734]
          11. Schoen, Emma [I1731]
          12. Schoen, George Joseph C. [I1736]
      4. Schoen, John [I1472]
      5. Schoen, Marie [I3933]

Ancestors

Source References

  1. Oconomowoc Enterprise (Wisconsin) [S0063]
      • Date: 1932-07-15
      • Confidence: High
      • Date: 1913-10-13
      • Confidence: High
      • Date: 1923-10-12
      • Confidence: High
  2. US Census of 1900 [S0039]
      • Date: 1900
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MM2L-17T : accessed 14 Oct 2014), Louisa Schöen in household of Charles Schöen, Oconomowoc city Ward 1 & 3, Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States; citing sheet 5A, family 110, NARA microfilm publication T623, FHL microfilm 1241822.

        Event Year: 1900
        Event Place: Oconomowoc city Ward 1 & 3, Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States
        Charles Schöen Head M 58 Germany
        Louisa Schöen Wife F 60 Germany
        Otto Schöen Son M 23 Wisconsin
        Laura Schöen Daughter F 24 Wisconsin
        Emma Schöen Daughter F 18 Wisconsin
        Leonard Schöen Son M 21 Wisconsin
        Jessie Schöen Daughter F 10 Wisconsin

  3. Immigrant Ship Transcribers Guild (immigrantships.net): Passenger manifest for ship _Mary Phillips_ [S0237]
      • Page: Vol. 5
      • Confidence: High
      • Citation:

        http://immigrantships.net/v5/1800v5/maryphillips18440909.html

  4. US Census of 1850 [S0046]
      • Date: 1850
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1850," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M4DV-T5Y : accessed 30 December 2014), Charles Schane in household of Frederick Schane, Ixonia, Jefferson, Wisconsin, United States; citing family 1225, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

        Event Year: 1850
        Event Place: Ixonia, Jefferson, Wisconsin, United States
        Frederick Schane M 40 Germany
        Charlotte Schane F 41 Germany
        Augusta Schane F 16 Germany
        Charles Schane M 14 Germany
        John Schane M 9 Germany
        Mary Schane F 6 Wisconsin

  5. US Census of 1860 [S0044]
      • Date: 1860
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MW9M-3DZ : accessed 30 December 2014), Charles Schoen, Ixonia, Jefferson, Wisconsin, United States; from "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," Fold3.com; citing p. 100, household ID 717, NARA microfilm publication M653, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 805,413.

        Event Year: 1860
        Event Place: Ixonia, Jefferson, Wisconsin, United States
        Charles Schoen M 46 Prussia
        Charlotte Schoen F 47 Prussia
        John Schoen M 16 Prussia
        Charles Schoen M 14 Prussia
        Henry Knop M 26 Prussia

  6. US Census of 1870 [S0020]
      • Date: 1870
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1870," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11826-36054-20?cc=1438024 : accessed 18 Jun 2014), Wisconsin > Jefferson > Ixonia > image 17 of 48; citing NARA microfilm publication M593.

        Event Year: 1870
        Event Place: Ixonia, Jefferson, Wisconsin, United States
        Charles Schoen M 28 Prussia
        Louise Schoen F 29 Prussia
        William Schoen M 5 Wisconsin
        Louis Schoen M 3 Wisconsin
        Carl Schoen M 2 Wisconsin
        Gustav Schoen M 1 Wisconsin
        Minna Ramthum F 19 Prussia

  7. US Census of 1880 [S0045]
      • Date: 1880
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MN4G-YQZ : accessed 30 December 2014), Carl Schan, Ixonia, Jefferson, Wisconsin, United States, 167; citing sheet 75A, film number 1430, NARA microfilm publication T9, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 1,255,430.

        Event Year: 1880
        Event Place: Ixonia, Jefferson, Wisconsin, United States
        Carl Schan Self M 39 Germany
        Louisa Schan Wife F 39 Germany
        William Schan Son M 15 Wisconsin, United States
        Gustavus Schan Son M 11 Wisconsin, United States
        Edward Schan Son M 9 Wisconsin, United States
        Amanda Schan Daughter F 7 Wisconsin, United States
        Lewis Schan Son M 6 Wisconsin, United States
        Lora Schan Daughter F 4 Wisconsin, United States
        Otto Schan Son M 3 Wisconsin, United States
        Lynard Schan Son M 1 Wisconsin, United States
        Charles Schan Son M 13 Wisconsin, United States

  8. Wisconsin State Census of 1905 [S0087]
      • Date: 1905
      • Citation:

        "Wisconsin, State Census, 1905," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MMQF-XFH : accessed 15 Jul 2014), Louie Schoen in household of Charles Schoen, Oconomowoc city, Waukesha, Wisconsin; citing p. 406, line 85, State Historical Society, Madison; FHL microfilm 1020988.

        Wisconsin, State Census, 1905
        Residence Place: Oconomowoc city, Waukesha, Wisconsin
        Charles Schoen Head M 63y Germany
        Louisa L Schoen Wife F 65y Wisconsin
        Louie Schoen Son M 30y Wisconsin
        Otto Schoen Son M 28y Wisconsin
        Leonard Schoen Son M 26y Wisconsin
        Laura Schoen Daughter F 29y Wisconsin
        Emma Schoen Daughter F 23y Wisconsin
        Joseph Schoen Son M 15y Wisconsin

  9. US Census of 1910 [S0040]
      • Date: 1910
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MPVQ-M65 : accessed 14 Oct 2014), Louisa Schoen in household of Chas Schoen, Oconomowoc Ward 1, Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 169, sheet 3A, family 50, NARA microfilm publication T624, FHL microfilm 1375754.

        Event Year: 1910
        Event Place: Oconomowoc Ward 1, Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States
        Chas Schoen Head M 69 Germany
        Louisa Schoen Wife F 70 Germany
        Laura Schoen Daughter F 33 Wisconsin
        Otto Schoen Son M 32 Wisconsin
        Leonard Schoen Son M 30 Wisconsin
        Emma Schoen Daughter F 28 Wisconsin
        George Schoen Son M 20 Wisconsin

  10. US Census of 1920 [S0041]
      • Date: 1920
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1920," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MF2D-K8M : accessed 14 Oct 2014), Laura Schoen in household of Charles Schoen, Oconomowoc Ward 1, Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States; citing sheet 1B, family 22, NARA microfilm publication T625, FHL microfilm 1822020.

        Event Year: 1920
        Event Place: Oconomowoc Ward 1, Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States
        Charles Schoen Head M 78 Germany
        Louisa Schoen Wife F 79 Germany
        Laura Schoen Daughter F 44 Wisconsin
        Emma Schoen Daughter F 36 Wisconsin

  11. US Census of 1930 [S0042]
      • Date: 1930
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X93W-TPK : accessed 14 Oct 2014), Emma F Schoen in household of Charles Schoen, Oconomowoc, Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0027, sheet 3B, family 74, NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 2616.

        Event Year: 1930
        Event Place: Oconomowoc, Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States
        Charles Schoen Head M 88 Germany
        Laura L Schoen Daughter F 54 Wisconsin
        Emma F Schoen Daughter F 48 Wisconsin