Adam Schoenewald and Otillie Kujawski - Life Story in America

 

Adam Schoenewald and Otillie Kujawski

Life Story in America

1899 – 1953

 

The parents of Johann Herman Schoenewald (1900-1988), my Grandfather

By Bobbie Jean Kurtz - My Great Grandparents (September 2020)

 

Married: May 1899

Children:

Tillman (1894-1981)

Carl (1897-1965)

Johann (1900-1988) *

Mary (1902-1994)

Ida (1904-2002)

Emma Margrete (1908-2001)

Fred (1910-1988)

 

Both Adam and Otillie were born in Prussia, now known as Germany.  Otillie’s birth year is 1873 and Adam’s birth year is 1869 according to their death certificates.

Otillie was 18 when she immigrated to America with her sister, Emelie, in 1897. Otillie was engaged to Robert Gehrke and came to America to start a new life.  Otillie’s sister was the chaperon on the trip since a young woman engaged should not travel alone. You can read more about her journey to America and her deceased husband, Robert Gehrke here: LINK  Otillie's Journey

Adam came to the states with his five-year-old son, Tillman, in 1899.  At this time, I do not know the story behind Tillman’s mother, Adam’s first wife, but the theory is she either died sometime before their trip or on the way over to America.  That theory needs to be researched.  You can read more about his journey to America here:  LINK  Adam's Journey

Adam and Otille were married in 1899, not long after Adam arrived. “My” theory is that his first wife had died while they were still living in Prussia.  His brother, Johann, was living in Minnesota and knew Otillie needed a husband to help take care of her and her little boy, Carl.  Adam needed a wife to help him and Tillman.  A matchmaker.  This theory may never be proven but it makes for a good story.

The Records show that Adam arrived in Maryland from Prussia/German in March 1899. The passenger list states his destination was his brother’s location. The Church Records located in Sibley Minnesota provides the date they got their marriage license as 29 May 1899 and they were married on the 31^st of May, 1899 as indicated on the marriage license. The witnesses on the marriage license is Johann Schoenewald and Emelie Hartung.

The start of a new life for both Adam and Otillie.  They settled in New Aubrun, Minnesota where Adam’s brother, Johann, and Otillie’s sister, Emelia, both lived.

Between the two of them, they had 7 children by the end of 1911. Tillman, the oldest, was born in Prussia by Adam’s first wife in 1894. Carl was Otillie’s son by her first husband born in 1897. The year after the marriage of Otillie and Adam, John Herman (my Grandfather) was born in 1900.  Three girls followed, Mary in 1902, Ida in 1904, Emma Margrete in 1908 and then three years later, Fred was born in 1911. All the children were born in Sibley, Minnesota except Tillman.

In February 1900, Adam bought some land from Herman Hunscull (not sure of the spelling).  This information is documented in a Deed Record Book that only has one line item with no address indicated. More research on this will be done.

On the 1900 census dated in June, Adam and Otillie were living next door to Adam’s brother, Johann and Amelia Schoenewald.  Not far away was Otillie’s sister, Emilie (Kujawski) Hartung and family. Otillie’s parents (John and Mary Kujawski) were living with Emilie Hartung at this time. The census recorder did not supply the address for the locations that were being documented.

Adam started his naturalization paperwork in October 1901 and received the final approval on 14 November 1904. I do not have the naturalization date for Otillie but the 1930 census indicated that she was.

Minnesota was a state that created a 1905 census, this gave us additional information to Adam and Otillie’s address at that time of R #2 Arlington in New Aubrun, Sibley County in Minnesota. A starting point to research where their farm may have been located.  This census also shows Otillie’s parents were living with them. They are John and Mary Kujawski, both age 57. I have a picture dated 1978 of the farm my Grandfather, John, took when he went back for a visit. However, he did say it looked different.

By 1910, several members of Otillie’s family had moved out west to Idaho and Washington as well as Adam’s brother, Johann. So, when Otillie’s father (John Kujawski) passed away while living in Idaho in 1913, Adam and Otillie decided to make the move to be closer to family. They settled in Sandpoint, Idaho where her mother lived with one of Otillie’s sisters, Ida Willi. Her mother, Mary Kujawski, passed away three years later in 1916.

The 1930 Census shows Fred as the only child still living at home at the age of 18.  My Grandfather, John (Adam and Otillie’s son), was living only a few farms away and had been married since 1928 to Emmeline Hollingsworth. The parents of Emmeline were living on a farm not far from them.

In 1931 my mother, Patricia Schoenewald, was born to John and Emmeline Schoenewald in Sandpoint. A granddaughter to Adam and Otillie Schoenewald. Patricia has a vague memory of her grandparents; she was 5 when she moved from Sandpoint but remembers them as being a little scary since they did not speak English and the German language can sound gruff to a young girl.  She does remember sitting on her grandfather’s lap. And later when she was still pretty young, she made the trip back to Sandpoint with her parents to help Adam and Otillie move their stuff out of the house on Fourth Ave because of a flood from the Lake nearby.

By 1940, Adam was 71 years old and Otillie was 66 years old.  The census is showing them living at 504 S. Fourth Ave in Sandpoint, Idaho which they owned. When did they sell the farm and buy this house?

Adam passed away on 9 November 1945 in the hospital at 514 N 2^nd with Myocarditis, basically a heart attack. This cardiovascular disease is caused by inflammation of the heart muscle, which weakens the organ. This causes scar tissue and forces the heart to work even harder to circulate blood and oxygen through the body. He is buried in Pinecrest Memorial Park in Sandpoint, Idaho. His death certificate shows his home address as 405 S. 4^th Ave, however; based on this location, my guess is that the number was transposed from 504 S. 4^th Ave. Of course, the deed of the house needs to be researched to know exactly which address is the correct one.

At some point after the death of her husband, Otillie moved in with her daughter, Mary, and son-in-law, Merton Moran on 602 S. Ella Street in Sandpoint. On the 28^th of February in 1953, Otillie passed away at home from Cerebral Thrombosis which is a type of stroke.  She had been diagnosed with Arteriosclerosis for the last 15 years. Arteriosclerosis is a build up of plaque in the artery walls. Otillie is also buried in the Pinecrest Memorial Park alongside her husband, Adam.

Stay tuned for a brief history on each of their Children in future stories.

 

  

Sources:

·       1899 Passenger List

·       1899 Church Records

·       1899 Marriage License

·       1900 Deed Record

·       1900 Census - Minnesota

·       1904 Naturalization Paperwork for Adam

·       1905 Census - Minnesota

·       1910 Census – Minnesota

·       1920 Census – Idaho

·       1930 Census – Idaho

·       1940 Census – Idaho

·       1945 Death Certificate for Adam

·       1953 Death Certificate for Otillie

·       Headstone in the Pinecrest Memorial Cemetery from findagrave.com

 

 Pictures

 

Marriage License

1900 Minnesota Census showing Adam living next door to brother Johann

1904 Naturalization Paperwork

Map showing their migration from Minnesota to Idaho.

 

House at 405 S. Ave showing how close to the lake they were

Front of 405 S. Ave House

Pinecrest Memorial Park, Sandpoint Idaho

 

Things to Research:

Life in Prussia / Germany prior to 1899

1900 Deed Record – where was this land located, get copy of actual deed paperwork

1905 Census address – is it the same one as the 1900 Deed Record

1930 Farm locations

Map of all the locations in Sandpoint

Flood that occurred when Pat helped move stuff

Research all the Children for their own story

Who are the witnesses on the Marriage License?

The Address on the census and on the death certificate vary

 

The Bonner Meat Company in Sandpoint Idaho - owned by Phil and Ida (Kujawski) Willi

The last article was about my Great Grand Aunt Ida and her husband Philip's life.  They owned a business named "The Bonner Meat Company" which was an important business in Sandpoint and the building they built is on the historical register. So I thought I would highlight on this post today some of the articles I found.

The Company was owned by Henry Arnold and Philip Willi. (Philip’s wife was Ida Kujawski, she was the daughter of John and Mary Kujawski, my Great Great Grandparents).  Philip and Henry were former owners of the Cash Market before opening the Bonner Meat Company on July 1, 1908.

Since the Bonner Meat Company was a prominent business, I was able to find several newspaper articles and other interesting tidbits about the company.  The building is now on the Sandpoint City Tour as a historical site.

 

Bonner Historical Society and City of Sandpoint

The Bonner Meat Company built a building at 101 N. First Ave in Sandpoint, Idaho in 1908.  This was a central location for local farmers to supply bountiful amounts of beef, pork, sheep and lamb.  Providing meat both locally and regionally, the company prided itself on being an upscale meat market.  The two-story brick building cost $75,000 and was equipped with an elevator, modern refrigeration, huge marble counters and tiled floors and walls.  Canvas awnings shelter the door and two large storefront windows on the east side.  

The Village of Sandpoint was incorporated in February of 1901 where the farms, forests, and ranch lands as well as the rich mineral deposits in the Lake Pend Oreille region attracted settlers to this small community and surrounding areas.  Timber became the main industry in Sandpoint. In 1910 the first two-mile bridge connecting Sandpoint with Sagle was completed and a theater was built in the late 1920s. A ski area opened in 1963 and more recreational opportunities began to attract a different type of people. Now in present day, the Sandpoint area has transitioned from a resource-based economy of logging, mining, farming, and ranching to a more diversified economy. 

 

The Bonner County Daily Bee dated April/June 2020 wrote a couple of articles about what was happening 100 years ago:

1920 - $50,000 packing plant for the city: After visiting the northwest’s most modern packing plants, Phil Willi of the Bonner Meat Company has plans to give Sandpoint and Bonner county a $50.000 packing plant, starting construction as soon as weather permits.  The plant will be one of the most up to date in the region with a building 60x100 foot, two stories with a basement, built of brick or concrete. Only up-to-date equipment will be installed including the latest improved ammonia refrigerating system and ice plant.

1920 - The Bonner Meat Company has posted the blue prints for the new packing plant in the window of the market on First and Pine. The start of construction will take place as soon as possible.

Butchers’ Advocate, dated 22 December 1920

1920 – The packing plant of the Bonner Meat Company Sandpoint Idaho which has been under construction for the last four months is now fully enclosed. The installation of machinery will be made at once. The cost of the refrigerating machinery will be about $20,000 and the cost of the entire plant $100,000. The building is concrete with steel reinforcement.

The Spokane Daily Chronicle dated 8 January 1936 had this article printed:

1936 - Idaho Whitefish Go To President: Lake Pend Oreille whitefish, recognized as a toothsome delicacy, may grace the White House table. The Bonner Meat company, local dealers in whitefish, today sent the president a carton of selected smoked whitefish with the best wishes of the fisherman of this region.  R. A. Leaf, manager of the company's whitefish department, said he believed the president should be acquainted with the whitefish of northern Idaho.

The Packers’ Encyclopedia – The National Provisioner

This book has several articles written about the Bonner Meat Company.  It was a reference that was published by the National Provisioner for the meat industry throughout the United States.

1907 – Meat market firm of Phil Willi and Henry Arnold. Henry’s brother, Albert, was shot accidently with his own gun and died on 20 Aug 1907.

1909 – Henry Arnold has succeeded Frank Arnold in the meat business in Sandpoint, Idaho.

1909 – Philip Willi has succeeded to the entire ownership of the Bonner Meat Company in Sandpoint, Idaho.

1920 – A carload of sewer pipe arrived for Phil Willi for laying the sewer for the packing plant he will erect NW of the city, in the vicinity of the Humbird (Lincoln) school.

1922 -The Sandpoint Bonner Meat Company on First Ave and Pine St, Phil Willi proprietor, Wholesale butchers and packers Government inspection.

1923 – Phil Willi manager and principal owner of the Bonner Meat Co, Sandpoint Idaho, has completed a large freezer in the basement of the new plant. They are having a prosperous summer.

The house they owned in Sandpoint, Idaho

Philip and Ida Willi lived at 115 Lake Street.  This address is currently the Hydra Steakhouse according to Google Maps.

 

 

Things to research:

·       The ownership after Philip Willi died in 1930.  It looked like according to the information on the 1930 census that his wife, Ida, had taken over the business. Their son, Phil Jr., was nineteen at the time. On the 1940 census, it states that Ida is not working but Philip Jr owns a Butcher Business.  Philip Jr’s Registration Card for WWII, dated 1940, states his place of employment is at Dick’s Market that he owns at First and Pine Street in Sandpoint, Idaho. One of the articles above states that the Bonner Meat Company was located on First and Pine Street. Did he rename the Business?

·       In researching the family, they all moved to Seattle.  Was the business sold?

·       In the article dated 1936, the manager R.A. Leaf is the same name that one of the daughter’s married in 1929. Is it one and same person?

Thanks for stopping by!