The Hyphen Family Lineage

Note: Researching Leonard Schoen.

His gravestone bears a birthdate of 1878; on his WWI draft registration card, Leonard gives a birthdate of 20 Nov 1879.

I've found no record of marriage for Leonard, nor birth records for what appear to be his five children, and I do not know his wife's maiden name. The earliest indication of any children of his would be the "infant [child] of Leonard" buried in La Belle Cemetery in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, with a death date of 8 Jun 1914. The next finding is the WWII draft registration card (mentioned above) where he names his closest living relative as his wife, Mary Schoen. Mary appears in the 1920 US Census listing for Leonard's household (in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin) as his 35-year-old wife, and presumably the mother of the two living children in the household (son Hayden, age 4, and daughter Evelyn, age 1). Leonard died in 1923, and I've found no further record of his wife or children until the 1940 US Census, where Mary is the 55-year-old head of the household now residing in Waukesha, Waukesha Cty, Wisconsin. With her are son Hayden (age 24), daughter Evelyn (age 22), and daughter Daris (age 17), who I assume was either just born or about to be when her father passed away. Also living with them is an uncle, William Roberts; he is presumably an uncle of Mary's, but on which side of her family he falls (father's or mother's) is unknown at this time. It is possible that Roberts was Mary's maiden name.

I've found no trace of Evelyn or Daris after 1940; Hayden appears to be buried in Prairie Home Cemetery in Waukesha, Wisconsin, though I am unsure if he was ever married.

ADDENDUM: Buried beside Leonard in La Belle Cemetery is a Mary King, and to the right of them is a shared plot and stone for Vincent and Osborn, "infant children of" the two. King would appear to be her maiden name, and census records indicate that she and uncle William Roberts were each born in Wales. This would also suggest that Roberts is an uncle from her mother's side of the family, though it is also possible he is not a blood relative of hers (perhaps married to a sister of her father's).

SECOND ADDENDUM: In Leonard's obituary his wife is named Mary King Sarah, a well-known singer dubbed "the Welsh nightingale." His youngest daughter is named Doris May, so Daris was obviously a mispelling. Mary was well-enough known that in 1963 a biography was published; I've since located a copy and am waiting for its arrival.

Leonard is named in his obituary as his father's business partner of over twenty-five years, and is described as a very prominent and well-known businessman in the area.

[Obituary for Leonard A. Schoen, from the Oconomowoc Enterprise, 20 Jul 1923.]

[headline] Leonard A. Schoen Victim of Stroke

[second line] Prominent Young Business Man of Oconomowoc, Succumbs Late Saturday Evening

Leonard A. Schoen, prominent and respected young business man of Oconomowoc, passed away late Saturday evening, July 14, at his home on Silver Lake street, his death occurring after an illness of but a short time. Mr. Schoen having been stricken Saturday morning about six thirty and death ensued that evening as a result of a stroke. His sudden and untimely demise was as a great shock and sorrow to his family and also to his many friends in the city and community.

Leonard A. Schoen, who was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schoen of this city, was born Nov. 20, 1878, in the town of Ixonia, the family residing on a farm there for several years. Later they removed to Oconomowoc where Charles Schoen entered the farm implement and automobile dealership business, Leonard Schoen having been associated with his father in this business for the past twenty five years. The firm of Charles Schoen & Son is one of the city's most successful business enterprises.

On Oct. 8, 1913, at the First Congregational church, Waukesha, Leonard Schoen married Miss Mary King Sarah, well known Welsh singer, whose splendid vocal talents have won her the title of the "Welsh nightingale." Mr. and Mrs. Schoen have since made this city their home. He is survived by his wife and three children: Haydn, Evelyn and little Doris May Schoen. He also leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schoen of this city, and three sisters and six brothers: William Schoen of Milwaukee; Edward Schoen of Fort Atkinson; Charles Schoen Jr. of Madison; Otto and Joseph Schoen of Rockford, Ill.; Louis Schoen, Mrs. Frank Hoeft and Misses Laura and Emma Schoen of Oconomowoc.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the residence on Silver Lake street, with burial in La Belle cemetery.

The large number present at the funeral services and the wealth of the beautiful floral tributes testified to the esteem and friendship in which Mr. Schoen had been held by the community and by all with whom he had been associated. Rev. W.P. Powell, pastor of the Congregational church, officiated at the services and William E. Wegener, Emil Wegener, Mrs. George Moore, and Harry Baum sang. Brothers of Mr. Schoen acted as pallbearers.

Among those from out of town who came for the obsequies were Mr. and Mrs. William Schoen, Misses Vera and Henrietta Schoen, Mrs. William Wallchlager, Miss Hannah Stern, Mrs. H. Kitzrow, Milwaukee; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schoen, Mr. and Mrs. Winn, Mrs. L. Rowe, Edward and Erwin Backus, of Madison; Mr. and Mrs. Otto Schoen and family, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Schoen and family of Rockford, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Schoen and family, Louis Backus, Robert Roberts, Mrs. Jacob Leonard of Fort Atkinson; Mrs. E. Enders of Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Betts, Charles Betts of Huilsburg; Mrs. Schott of Winona, Minn.; Mrs. Metzger, Mrs. Buelke of Juneau; Mr. and Mrs. M. Reynolds of Beloit; Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien and family; Mrs. C. Behl, Mr. and Mrs. William Will, Mr. and Mrs. Lettow, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Krueger of Watertown; Mr. and Mrs. Albert Gennerman of Hartford; Mr. and Mrs. Jack Evans and family, Mrs. Thomas Sarah, Mr. and Mrs. William Sarah and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Lawrence, Mrs. John Williams, Mr. Phillips, superintendent of the State Industrial School, Judge D.W. Agnew, Mrs. Olwen Williams of Waukesha; Mr. and Mrs. William Roberts, Mrs. Williams Roberts Jr., Frank Roberts of Dousman; Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Roberts of Wales; Mr. Larkin of Madison; Mr. and Mrs. M.L. Coyle and family, Milwaukee; Mr. and Mrs. George Sennhenn of Columbus; Mr. and Mrs. William Schoen and family, Frank and Herman Schoen, Mr. and Mrs. William Lehrmanof Ixonia; Rev. and Mrs. Matthews of Waterville; A.C. Tuttle of Johnson Creek and many others.

Note: Out-of-town attendants to Leonard Schoen's funeral

The obituary for Leonard, published in the Oconomowoc Enterprise on 20 Jul 1923, devoted a significant amount of its column space to listing many of the visiting attendants to Leonard's funeral. A large portion of these were extended family of his, blood relations or relatives to spouses of the extended family. What follows here is an annotated list of those named in the last paragraph of his obituary, with their relation or relevance to Leonard noted in red parenthetical text after their names. The list will be presented in the order named in the obituary, with their city or area of residence as the leader for each group. (Note that some areas were repeated, presumably because of relative comparisons of reknown or closeness of relation of the named attendant to Leonard.)

Of Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. William Schoen (Leonard's oldest brother)
Misses Vera and Henrietta Schoen (daughters of above)
Mrs. William Wallchlager
Miss Hannah Stern
Mrs. H. Kitzrow (Helen Stargard Kitzrow, first cousin of Leonard)

Of Madison, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schoen (Older brother of Leonard)
Mr. and Mrs. Winn
Mrs. L. Rowe
Edward and Erwin Backus

Of Rockford, Illinois:
Mr. and Mrs. Otto Schoen (Next older brother of Leonard, with
and family his wife and children)
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Schoen (Youngest brother of Leonard, with
and family his wife and children)

Of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Schoen (Older brother of Leonard, with
and family his wife and children)
Louis Backus
Robert Roberts
Mrs. Jacob Leonard

Of Chicago, Illinois:
Mrs. E. Enders

Of Huilsburg, Dodge Cty, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Betts
Charles Betts

Of Winona, Minnesota:
Mrs. Schott

Of Juneau, Wisconsin:
Mrs. Metzger
Mrs. Buelke

Of Beloit, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. M. Reynolds (Gertrude Schoen Reynolds, Leonard's niece)

Of Watertown, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien and family
Mrs. C. Behl
Mr. and Mrs. William Will
Mr. and Mrs. Lettow
Mr. and Mrs. Alex Krueger

Of Hartford, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Gennerman

Of Waukesha, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Evans
and family
Mrs. Thomas Sarah
Mr. and Mrs. William Sarah
and daughter
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Lawrence
Mrs. John Williams
Mr. Phillips, superintendent of the State Industrial School
Judge D.W. Agnew
Mrs. Olwen Williams

Of Dousman, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. William Roberts
Mrs. William Roberts Jr.
Frank Roberts

Of Wales:
Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Roberts

Of Madison, Wisconsin:
Mr. Larkin

Of Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. M.L Coyle
and family

Of Columbus, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. George Sennhenn (Wilhelmina Stargard Sennhenn, first cousin of Leonard)

Of Ixonia, Wisconsin:
Mr. and Mrs. William Schoen (first cousin of Leonard)
and family
Frank Schoen (first cousin of Leonard)
Herman Schoen (first cousin of Leonard)
Mr. and Mrs. William Lehrman

Of Waterville, Wisconsin:
Rev. and Mrs. Matthews

Of Johnson Creek, Wisconsin:
A.C. Tuttle