History of Schaumburg Township

NAMES ON THE PERSONAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENT OF SCHAUMBURG TOWNSHIP, 1901

Without phone books in the early years of the 1900s, it can be tough to find a list of residents of Schaumburg Township. It is, of course, always possible to find them in the decennial census or on plat maps or even in a list of property owners who are assessed taxes on their property.

Fortunately, in the library’s files, there are two such lists of property owners and their tax assessments from the year 1901 and an unidentified year that, due to a bit of research, could be narrowed down to a five-year period of 1918-1921.

This week we will provide the list of names from 1901. Both lists, interestingly enough, are categorized by School District. At that time, Schaumburg Township had five school districts. In 1901, they were simply labeled 1-5. By the later assessment, they were labeled 51-55.

Hand drawn map of the boundaries of the Schaumburg Township school districts from 1872-1925. From the Local History files of the Schaumburg Township District Library.

The curious thing with this list is that some of the property owners that fall under each school district did not necessarily live in their district. For instance, Fred Steinmeyer who is listed under District 2, lived on Barrington Road, in the far northwest corner of the township. He was much closer to District 1 and the school on West Higgins Road.

Or, William Pfingsten is listed under District 5. His farm was between Plum Grove and Meacham, south of Salt Creek. He was much closer to the District 3 school on the east side of Meacham.

The 1901 names from the list follow, along with the “full cash value” of the property:

The District 1 or, later, the District 51 School. Photo credit to Marion (Gerschefske) Ravagnie.

School District 1. (The district was located in the northwest corner of the township. The school was on the south side of Higgins Road between Roselle and Barrington Roads. There were 21 property holders in the district.)

Baumgarten, Fred….. 573
Baumgarten, Carl….. 441
Freise, H.C. ….. 3233
Fasse, G. ….. 2713
Freise, Wm. ….. 9170
Freise, H.W. ….. 11,135
Goede, Carl….. 585
Huenerberg, Wm. F. ….. 945
Huenerberg, Mrs. Mary….. 6000
Jacobs, Mrs. H. ….. 2547
Krueger, Wm. ….. 415
Kublank, Wm. ….. 1115
Menching, H. ….. 552
Muller, H. ….. 1000
Mess, H. ….. 1315
Quindel, C ….. 479
Redeker, F.W. ….. 1645
Schrage, H. ….. 729
Schrage, F. ….. 535
Schrage, W. ….. 615
Wilkening, Wm. ….. 645

The District 2 or, later, the District 52 School. Photo credit to the Schaumburg Township District Library.

School District 2. (The district was located in the northeast corner of the township. The school was located on the west side of Plum Grove Road, south of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. There were 34 property holders in the district.)

Biermann, Aug. ….. 715
Boehmer & Lagershulz ….. 2565
Bentrodt, George ….. 2580
Dammerman, Ed. ….. 975
Dammerman, H. ….. 500
Geiscke, Fred ….. 2040
Greve, J.D. ….. 3978
Greve, August ….. 1080
Geiseke, Henry ….. 1600
Hattendorf, C. ….. 840
Hausing, Herman ….. 745
Heide, Fred ….. 2063
Heine, August ….. 1778
Jahns Bros. ….. 3590
Kuhl, Fred …..463
Knake, Carl ….. 741
Kasening, H. ….. 1980
Lichthardt, Henry ….. 1010
Meyer, J.D. …..8500
Meyer, J.D. ….. 5855
Nebel, Fred ….. 970
Othmer, Chas. ….. 495
Steinmeyer, Her. …..1380
Sunderlage, W. ….. 1125
Sunderlage, Catherine ….. 3000
Toppel, W. ….. 400
Volkening, F. ….. 6170
Withaeger, Chas. ….. 920
Wilharm, W. ….. 713
Wille, Wm. ….. 595
Wille, C. Jr. ….. 526

The District 3 or, later, the District 53 School. Photo credit to LaVonne (Thies) Presley.

School District 3. (The District was located in the southeast corner of the township. The school was located on the east side of Meacham Road, north of Salt Creek and south of old East Schaumburg Road. There were 32 property holders in the district.)

Ackman, Mrs. Sophia ….. 100
Beisner, Louis ….. 1155
Benhart, Wm. ….. 640
Feuerhake, F. ….. 1508
Fraas, Chris ….. 1195
Gehrls, John ….. 345
Hitzemann, H. ….. 685
Hartmann, F. ….. 800
Huske, Julius ….. 723
Hecht, F.C. …..3960
Haseman, Aug. ….. 1725
Kneueke, F. ….. 100
Kruse, W. ….. 990
Kruse, Henry ….. 2757
Katz, Fred ….. 1350
Liepitz, Wm. ….. 495
Lichthardt, Fred ….. 8838
Lichthardt, W. estate, Lichthardt, Fred admr. …..8500
Liseberg, Carl …..690
Meyer, Mrs. Mary …..100
Meyer, John ….. 1840
Mensching, John ….. 855
Meyer, Fred …..465
Ney, Henry ….. 310
Nerge, August ….. 975
Niemeyer, H. ….. 590
Pfortmuller, Aug. …..750
Springinsguth, F. …..7650
Thiemann, F. ….. 476
Wiese, Henry ….. 683
Wille, Her. …..600
Western Union Tel. Co. ….. 490

The District 4 or, later, the District 54 School. Photo credit to Schaumburg Township District Library

School District 4. (The district was located in the center of the township. The school was located on the north side of Schaumburg Road, just west of Roselle Road. There were 54 property holders in the district.)

Boeger, Her. ….. 800
Busche, Mrs. Henry ….. 3315
Boehmer & Deirking …..1300
Becker, Henry ….. 6107
Becker, Herman ….. 500
Chicago Telephone Co. ….. 125
Dohl, Henry ….. 600
Dierking, Henry ….. 690
Embke, Fred ….. 840
Einecke, Henry ….. 325
Engelking, John …..775
Fenz, John ….. 11,585
Fasse, Chris ….. 740
Gieseke, John ….. 6030
Grere, J.G. ….. 845
Hattendorf, Fred ….. 595
Hartmann, Henry ….. 3516
Haberkamp, Henry ….. 165
Haberkamp, Aug. ….. 550
Homeyer, John ….. 1030
Joens, H. ….. 945
Japp, John ….. 417
Japp, Andreas ….. 2000
Japp, W. ….. 2145
Krog, Theo ….. 717
Kastning, Chris ….. 1946
Lichthardt, Her. …..5440
Licthardt, W. estate, Lichthardt, Her. exr. ….. 1200
Meirs, Aug. ….. 730
Manke, Louis ….. 100
Meyer, W. ….. 4000
Menke, H. ….. 655
Nerge, H.C. ….. 1235
Nerge, H.F. ….. 6076
Nerge, Her. ….. 1335
Nerge, F.W. ….. 500
Peck, H. ….. 100
Pelletier, G. ….. 100
Panzer, Fer. ….. 1556
Quindel, H.E. ….. 305
Salge, H. ….. 590
Schween, Aug. ….. 1715
Sporleder, W. ….. 3050
Sporleder, F. ….. 805
Schonbeck, Louis ….. 4090
Trost, Carl. ….. 710
Thies, H. ….. 5585
Vogt, Gottlieb ….. 100
Wille, Henry ….. 700
Wilkening, C. ….. 3055
Wilkening, H. ….. 1565
Winkelhake, H.C. ….. 550
Winkelhake, Henry ….. 1495

The District 5 or, later, the District 55 School. Photo credit to Schaumburg Township District Library

School District 5. (The district was located in the southern part of the township. The school was located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Rodenburg Road and Wiese (Wise) Road. There were 27 property holders in the district.)

Botterman, Her. ….. 526
Boeger, Her. ….. 860
Bolme, Fred ….. 1630
Bartels, C. ….. 3015
Bartels, C. agent for Bartels, Fred ….. 2600
Esau, Wm. ….. 340
Fasse, John ….. 15,130
Fasse, Henry ….. 9643
Gathman, H. ….. 545
Gathman, Louis ….. 475
Harke, Henry ….. 2750
Hattendorf, W. ….. 965
Harke, Frederick, est. Harke, Henry, exr. ….. 7000
Kastning, John ….. 1380
Kruse, H. ….. 688
Lichthardt, John ….. 4360
Lange, Edward ….. 725
Moller, H. ….. 575
Pfingsten, Wm. ….. 1960
Redeker, H. ….. 100
Redeker, H.C. ….. 1420
Tutter, Frank ….. 530
Theis, Her. ….. 580
Theis, Henry ….. 1398
Wede, Louis ….. 543
Wilkening, Louis ….. 11,845

There are some interesting conclusions to be drawn from this assessment list.

First, the largest district, by far, was District 4 in the center of the township. This is not surprising as this was where the population was most dense. It is also unsurprising that the District 4 or District 54 school was one of the last two one-room schools to close before the districts were consolidated into one District 54. (The District 1 or 51 school was the other that remained until consolidation.)

It is also interesting to note the top ten property holders by Full Cash Value:

Fasse, John ….. 15,130
Wilkening, Louis ….. 11,845
Fenz, John ….. 11,585
Freise, H.W. ….. 11,135
Fasse, Henry ….. 9643
Freise, Wm. ….. 9170
Lichthardt, Fred ….. 8838
Lichthardt, W. est, Lichthardt, Fred admr. ….. 8500
Meyer, J.D. ….. 8500 & 5855 *
Springinsguth, F. ….. 7650

John and Henry Fasse, two of the largest landowners were father and son and they owned two large, contiguous parcels on the east side of Meacham Road, south of Old Schaumburg Road. The parcels straddled Salt Creek and the Schweikher House and the Fox Run Driving Range can be found there today.

John’s daughter, Pauline, married H.W. Freise who owned the property where the District 2 school was located. His father, William Freise, owned three contiguous parcels near today’s location of Woodfield Mall.

Wilkening Creamery in the background. The bridge crosses Salt Creek. Photo credit to Schaumburg Township District Library.

Louis Wilkening, the second largest landowner in the township, owned property where he opened this creamery on the north side of Schaumburg Road, across from today’s Spring Valley.

John Fenz & Son Gen. Merchandise store. Photo credit to the Schaumburg Township District Library.

John Fenz owned this store on the southwest corner of the intersection of Roselle and Schaumburg Roads where the clock tower stands today.

The Fred and William Licthardt properties bordered today’s Weathersfield Way and ran between Schaumburg and Plum Grove Road.

J.D. Meyer owned a large parcel that straddled Higgins Road, west of its intersection with Golf Road. The District 1 school was on his property.

Lastly, F. Springinsguth, owned a large piece of property south of Schaumburg Road that did NOT border Springinsguth Road. His father, Henry, is the one who owned the parcel that DID border Springinsguth Road, thereby giving their name to the road.

It is also interesting to note that two of the taxpayers were companies: Western Union Telegraph Company in District 3 and Chicago Telephone Company in District 4. The latter is referenced in the Encyclopedia of Chicago, where it is stated, “By the beginning of the twentieth century, Chicago Telephone was associated with the Bell network of American Telephone & Telegraph Co. (AT&T), the largest phone company in the United States. The number of Chicago-area telephones served by this company grew from 34,000 in 1900 to roughly one million by 1930.”

This 1913 postcard looking south from the intersection of Schaumburg and Roselle Roads, shows the telephone poles lining the west side of Roselle Road. Photo credit to the Schaumburg Township District Library.

In fact, in her book Genesis Of A Township, Marilyn Lind says that, in the year 1903, “The Chicago Telephone Company announced that it would build three branch lines east, west and north of the Center. The east branch was ready for customers in November as a Roselle exchange.” Clearly telephone service was rapidly moving into Schaumburg Township and, in 1901, the Chicago Telephone Company was ready to take advantage of the interest.

In regards to the mystery surrounding the Western Union property assessment, I contacted the Antique Wireless Association and later heard from J. Chris Hausler of the Morse Telegraph Club. He said that “it was not uncommon back then that the wires along a railroad were actually owned and operated by Western Union which would provide some of the wires on the line solely for railroad use and, in turn, the railroad provided the right of way for the wires. The railroad station agent would act as a Western Union telegraph operator providing “commercial” service to the community.”

The Western Union parcel on this tax assessment list was in School District 3 whose southern boundary ran near the Milwaukee Road tracks. Mr. Hausler further speculated that the parcel of land was purchased by Western Union as “a maintenance and supply depot for the company.” It is possible, then, that the land might have included a house, barn and/or outbuildings that would have made Western Union’s operations easier.

Next week, an undated list of property owners that was issued between the years of 1918 and 1921 will be our focus. It will be interesting to note the 20-year differences between the two lists.

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

OLDE SCHAUMBURG CENTRE PARK

The site at the northwest corner of Schaumburg Road and Pleasant Drive has long been a small wetland. Even on this 1953 topographic map you can see, prior to development, where the wetland can be found. It runs on the north side of Schaumburg Road, just west of the intersection of Schaumburg and Roselle Roads.

A portion of the 1953 Palatine Quadrangle. Photo credit to U.S. Geological Survey.

This wetland actually begins behind the Schaumburg Post Office and Schaumburg Township building and continues its run through the back of the Encore [Friendship] Village property. It eventually makes its way under Schaumburg Road, flowing through Town Square where it becomes a small tributary of Salt Creek.

It had long been a focus of the Village of Schaumburg to preserve these parcels, as stated by Village President Al Larson in a September 15, 1987 article in the Daily Herald. He said, “…a number of sites in the Sarah’s Grove area intentionally have been preserved, including forests near the Timbercrest subdivision, Friendship Village and a marsh behind the U.S. Post Office.”

When the Olde Schaumburg Centre Overlay District was created by the village in 1978, the small, three-acre wetland at Schaumburg Road and Pleasant Drive was folded into the District.

It sat dormant until 1987 when the village began investigating the possibility of creating the wetland as an historic park. It was expected to include “benches, picnic tables and playground equipment” with a portion of the wetland remaining as a retention pond. Naturally, this would have entailed grading the site so that the usual park elements could be incorporated.

Local residents stepped into the discussion and began encouraging a more modest use of the area that would preserve the naturally occurring wetland. Their success was manifested in 1989 when the village made the decision to develop a wetland park. The intention was to include a winding pathway and observation areas to view wildlife.

This is one of the two wildlife observation areas and is on the north side of the pond. On this day, the wildlife was observing the observation area! Photo credit to Jane Rozek.

To encourage community involvement, the village held a contest to name the park. Per a July 25, 1989 Daily Herald article, “18 merchants in Olde Schaumburg Centre rallied behind the contest, offering up an array of prizes for the winner…” (Keep in mind that this occurred before Town Square itself was redeveloped in 1996.)

Members of the Olde Schaumburg Centre Commission chose the winning entry from several dozen entries. With a decision made, the park officially became known as the Olde Schaumburg Centre Park.

Less than a year later, in May of 1990, the park was opened to the public. It took some work on the part of the village because, according to Village President Al Larson in the May 8 issue of the Daily Herald, “It was turning into a dumping ground and we turned it into a park.” In fact, village planner Paul Evans stated, “We found a dead horse out there. Someone was raising horses [in the area] and must have buried it out there.”

The gazebo, checkers/chess table, bridge and light fixtures are all visible in this photo. Photo credit to Jane Rozek

The article continues, “From the old-time benches and lights, to the gazebo, picnic tables and observation area, the park is one village officials hope will become a gathering point for visitors to the downtown historic district.”

The bonus was that the park also served a more practical purpose, “with the pond serving as a retention area, providing relief from flooding” for the areas north and west of the park.

Fast forward to 2013, and the village won an Excellence in Landscape Silver Award from the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association for an enhancement project that occurred at the park. This was reported in a press release published in the January 8, 2013 issue of the Daily Herald.

Enhancements included: sidewalk replacement; updating bridge ramps and railings to meet code requirements; replacing the overlook support posts; replacing decking on the boardwalk, overlook and bridge; new decking, new furnishings and a new gazebo. Retaining walls were also replaced.

The updated bridge crosses over this small branch of Salt Creek that is contained by the retaining walls that have also been updated. Photo credit to Jane Rozek

As a result, the park yields natural beauty, fishing possibilities and amazing birdwatching, despite its incredibly close proximity to Schaumburg Road. Stop by and take advantage of this small pocket park. The bird viewing is especially incredible.

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

AN ACCOUNT OF THE SCHWEENS AND SCHIERDINGS OF SCHAUMBURG TOWNSHIP (PART TWO)

If we go back to the very earliest days of the township, two names that pop up time and again are Schierding and Schween. These families were some of our earliest residents and were interconnected through a marriage that occurred around 1840 in Chicago.

The tale of how the families met is told in this marvelous account by Clara (Schween) Kaste. She was the granddaughter of Ernest Philip and Mary (Schierding) Schween. (We see the Schween name often popping up as “Swain” in many documents.

The second half of the account will focus on how German weddings were celebrated around the turn of the twentieth century. It continues here:

–The following account was written by our Mother, Clara (Schween) Kaste, wife of William Kaste, before her death in 1956.

AS TOLD TO ME BY GRANDMOTHER SCHWEEN – Mrs. Ernest Schween (Mary Schierding)

A Wedding

A wedding was something to be looked forward to. The people of Hessian descent brot (brought) some of their old country customs along and, although unusual to an American born person, they took it for granted that their way was the only way.

About three or four weeks before the wedding, a near relative of the bride, preferably a brother or single cousin, was dressed up in his best clothes and, with a horse all decked up in different colored ribbons attached to the bridle, also riding crop decorated with ribbons and, sometimes an additional tissue paper head piece on the horses head, the young man set out to do the inviting to the wedding feast.

With a “You Hu” coming up to the place, then doffing his hat would resite (recite) a poem [saying] where and when the important event would take place and asking them to attend. This invitation would be for the family, including hired help.

Then it was up to the head of the family to give him some money, preferably a dollar, and offer the “Hochzeit’s bitter” a drink (Hochzeit’s bitter means the man that is giving you a bid to the wedding). After the young man had been out all day going from place to place, by the time it got to the late afternoon, he’d be hardly able to recite his poem! But people knew what he came for anyway.

As to the number that were asked, [it] generally depended on the size of the relationship on both sides but, two hundred families wasn’t considered unusual.

The next step was to see the town “cook” and make out a list of food required. About a week before, long tables would be made in the orchard or some shady place [and] also a large platform built to be used for dancing, and then the baking and cooking began.

Near relatives were asked to help as all bread, cakes and pies were homemade. Two days before, the chickens, calves or pigs were slaughtered and, the day before, the young beef and, also, sausage was made of beef.

The night before [the wedding] the young men from the neighborhood would gather at the bride’s home and “shiv-a-ri” her and they would make noise. All the old kettles and washboilers, milk cans, etc. would be beaten with sticks [and] also boards slapped together–in fact, anything that would make noise. And this noise would be kept up until some small coins were thrown at them and light refreshments or cake, and a glass of beer or wine was given.

The next morning or, rather the Wedding Day, you could see the wagons begin loading with people driven up to the place for lunch, which was served from nine to eleven o’clock. This consisted of hot beef sausage called “rinder-wurst,” bread, hot coffee and coffee cake.

In the meantime, the bride and her attendants would be dressing and the wedding procession would begin to form in line. Most of the people at that time had two or three-seated spring wagons or open buggies. The horses and wagons of the bridal couple and attendants were especially decorated with colored crepe paper and ribbons, but the other wagons had some kind of decoration–either the whip in the whip pocket had a colored ribbon tied on or the horses had a ribbon on the bridle.

Horses and buggies decorated for the wedding of William and Martha (Kruse) Lichthardt sit in the barnyard of William Lichthardt’s father’s house before riding to the church.

The line of procession was something like this: a three-seated spring wagon with the driver (a special honor) and one couple on the front seat, the bridal couple on the second seat and the second couple that attended them on the last seat.

If more than two couples “stood up” with the bridal couple, these would ride on the next wagon but usually there were only two couples, [who were] near relatives of the bride and groom. The driver of this wagon would be a married brother or brother-in-law.

The next two wagons would have the flower girls or near, unmarried friends of the bride. They would be wearing flowers or wreaths on their heads, [and] then would follow the wagons of the parents, and after them would come other relatives, and then friends.

The wedding procession of Emma Rohlwing and Fred Pfingsten on their way to the church or the Pfingsten farm. Photo courtesy of the Pfingsten family

There would be quite a line up and then to church they went. As soon as the caretaker at church would see them coming, he’d begin to ring the church bell up to the time the bride was off the wagon. Then the organist would play the wedding march and he would keep on playing until everyone was in church and seated. Then they would sing an appropriate hymn followed by a real sermon by the minister and then the actual marriage ceremony took place.

Then another short hymn and the blessing, and the bridal couple would start the procession out of church and back home they’d go. But, they would be stopped somewhere on the road with a rope drawn across the road and the rope would be let down after they received some small coin from the bridal couple.

Now, before we get back to the house, let me describe their clothes. The groom would get a new suit with white shirt and tie while his attendants wore nearly the same, only the suit would not necessarily have to be new as long as they were clean and pressed. The only difference was the groom wore artificial orange blossoms in his lapel while the [bride’s] attendants had real flowers. The attendants were called “Brautmaedchen” or “bride’s maids.”

1897 wedding photo of Carl and Amanda (Meyer) Volkening. Photo credit to Daniel Orton.

The bride’s dress would be usually black or blue silk, (a dress that could be used for all special occasions afterwards) with black shoes and stockings although, in later years, if possible to procure, they would have white shoes and stockings with a colored silk dress, although I’ve seen pretty woolen dresses too. Of course, they would have an artificial orange blossom head piece and a lace or tulle veil – mostly tulle – reaching to the bottom of the dress. [The] length of [the] dress was that it almost touched the floor.

So, back at the house they went for a big meal. But now the minister and family would be there too and he would be seated at the bridal table and would be asked to say Grace and, even the waiters at the table and anybody near, would stand still and bow their heads.

One of the dining tents at the wedding of Fred Pfingsten and Emma Rohlwing. Photo credit to the Pfingsten family.

Of course, after this, everybody helped themselves to the eats. If there were not enough places set for the number of people there, you just had to wait to get the second sitting of the tables and, sometimes, if it was a very large wedding you’d have to wait for the third setting of tables and, would a person be hungry by that time.

I remember at one of my cousin’s wedding I was so hungry that my mother found me upstairs crying! And I had been too bashful to push myself in when the tables were set the second time. It was taken for granted that everybody ate when they would find a seat at the table, except the bridal table and there the seats were reserved for the bridal party, minister and family and nearest relative!

Doing dishes at the William and Martha (Kruse) Lichthardt wedding on November 4, 1909. This is a reminder of what it took to put a large event together at the turn of the 20th century. Photo owned by the Schaumburg Township District Library.

You, no doubt, will wonder who washed dishes, waited at tables, etc. The bride would ask some of her girl friends several weeks before the wedding to wait on tables [as] this was considered an honor. The neighbors’ wives would help wash and dry dishes and reset the tables under the direction of the cook who had helpers to dish out the vegetables, cut meat, bread, etc.

After the main meal, called the dinner, was over, the musicians would begin to play dance music and whoever wanted to dance could do so. The older men would play cards or just stand around and talk. About five o’clock, another meal would be served and before tables would be cleared it would be about 8 o’clock.

Raising a toast after the wedding of Emma Rohlwing and Fred Pfingsten. Photo courtesy of the Pfingsten family.

In between times, beer or wine would be served although, sometimes a bar would be there, and anybody could go there and be served, although the bartender and helper would be “considerate” of those who came too often and, with tact, would see to it that they wouldn’t drink so much.

About eleven o’clock p.m. tables would be reset and anybody that cared to eat could do so. This meal would consist of bread and butter, cold meats, cheese, pickles, etc. Also cakes [would be served] and, of these, there was a large variety of pound cake, marble cake, and different kinds of layer cakes.

At about one o’clock the older people would start for home and slowly the crowd would dwindle down so at about daybreak the last ones would be leaving.

As to the gifts for the young couple, each family was supposed to bring something for the new household – from rocking chairs, knives and forks, bed linen, down to tin pie plates. At that time there were no bridal “showers” [and] these gifts would be brought the day of the wedding and an extra room was in readiness for these presents. And such a variety, although I have seen four living room clocks at one place. What happened to all four I don’t know but it was considered rude to exchange a wedding gift, as a wedding gift was a wedding gift!

We can thank Clara for taking the time to record the account of the Schweens and Schierdings in Schaumburg Township. This description of the German Lutheran wedding process is a bonus. It is a priceless document of our local history.

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

AN ACCOUNT OF THE SCHWEENS AND SCHIERDINGS OF SCHAUMBURG TOWNSHIP (PART ONE)

Ernest came to this country with his brothers, William and Augustus. They all purchased land patents in Schaumburg Township from the federal government. Ernest purchased his four parcels in Section 22 in 1845 and 1848. Augustus also purchased two parcels in Section 22 in 1846. William purchased two parcels in Section 5 in 1848, and one parcel in Section 8 in 1849.

There is an excellent account of William Schween–and his brothers–on Find A Grave that is taken from History of Cook County, Illinois: From the earliest period to the present time by A. T. Andreas, Publisher, Chicago 1884.

Ernest and Mary had five children who were all born in either Chicago or Schaumburg Township, per their family tree in Family Search, the 1850 U.S. Federal Census and the Chicago Tribune: Catherine b. 1841, Helene b. 1847, William b. 1849, Henry b. 1850, August b. 1854.

Photo of Clara (Schween) Kaste that appeared in the June 4, 1953 *Chicago Tribun*e on the 50th anniversary celebration of her marriage to William Kaste.

Clara (Schween) Kaste, who wrote this account, was one of two children of August, the youngest son, and his wife, Dorothea (Koelle.) Clara was born on June 17, 1884. Her brother, Walter was born in 1887.

We have to assume that they were born in Schaumburg Township because, according to the 1886 Cook County plat map created by L.M. Snyder & Co., August owned the same E.P. Swain property on the southwest corner of Schaumburg and Roselle Road, as noted in the earlier map below.

Ernest Phillip or E.P. Swain (Schween) owned property on both the north and south sides of Schaumburg Road, just west of Roselle Road. Henry Schierding owned a parcel on the southwest corner of the intersection. Photo credit to the 1861 S. H. Burnhans and J. Van Vechten plat map.

The following account was written by our Mother, Clara (Schween) Kaste, wife of William Kaste, before her death in 1956.

AS TOLD TO ME BY GRANDMOTHER SCHWEEN – Mrs. Ernest Schween (Mary Schierding)

On the 16^th of October 1810 in Fursternau, Hanover, a little boy opened his eyes to this world. (Ernest Phillip Schween). Just ten years after this date a little girl was born at Osnabruck, Hanover. (Mrs. Ernest Schween, nee Mary Schierding).

This map of northern Germany shows Furstenau in the center, very close to the port of Bremerhaven, where most Germans left for their trip to the United States.

The little girl grew up in this community, her father following his profession or whatever you call it – a tailor. This was considered the ordinary working class, but below land owner. A little brother joined the family group, who afterward was known as Henry Schierding, Esq of Palatine.

In 1838 this little family joined other relatives and came to Chicago, Illinois which, at that time, wasn’t much more than a good-sized village, and swampy at that. They bought two acres of land on Clark Street, north of the Chicago River.

In the meantime, the little boy that had seen the light of day (Ernest Schween) at Furstenau Hanover, grew up to be a young man taking the trade up as a coppersmith and as the future looked brighter in America he, with two brothers, came to Buffalo, New York, either in the year 1835 or 36.

After staying in Buffalo two years, he decided to go to Chicago and, looking up some people of German descent, he met a girl on Clark Street and, after a short courtship, married her. And that was Ernest Phillip Schween and Mary Schierding who, afterwards, were called grandparents to this writer.

Wildcat Grove is in the upper left on this 1851 James Reese map of Cook County. Sarah’s Grove is in the lower center.

After this wedding, the young couple, with the Schierding family, decided to sell their two acres, being too swampy in Chicago, and join relatives that had settled at Schaumburg, Illinois. But at that time [it] was known as Wildcat’s Grove but when they got there no more land was available.

So they went a few miles further south and located at Sarah’s Grove and took up two hundred and fourteen acres of land–part of this was wooded. This was afterwards known as the Schween place (pronounced Swain). (Note: transcriber suspects that this was 160 acres, first purchased in January 4, 1843)

This is one of four land patents that Ernest Schween purchased from the federal government. Source is the Bureau of Land Management.

For this land they had to pay the government $1.25 an acre but, not having this much money, my grandfather and his brother-in-law came back to Chicago and procured work helping dig the new Ottawa-Michigan Canal, earning $1.25 each day (man and team).

In the meantime, my grandmother, with her father, Phillip Schierding and her mother, Katrina nee Ottman, stayed at the farm trying to get a start at farming the Illinois prairie.

But, while the young men were away at their work, the mother suddenly took sick with severe cramps and after three days of suffering without doctor there, had went to sleep to wake no more. So, with the help of relatives from Wildcat’s Grove, they selected a high spot on the south side of the woods and there they laid her to rest (Mrs. Philip Schierding, nee Katrina Ottman).

So, when the young men got word what had happened – it took three days to make the trip with an ox team – they hastened home, but no mother anymore. This was one of the hardships of the early settlers.

But it was not all hardships. One day Grandpa Schierding found some little kittens, pretty black and white, [in the] back of a hay shed and putting them in his cap, took them to the house in a happy mood, but soon a peculiar odor was noticed and as you can guess they were little skunks. These little kittens lost their happy home.

Another time a deer came along with the cow to the hay shed.

Gradually, a few more settlers came and a minister from Addison – then called Dunkley’s Grove – began to look up the German speaking people and tried to have church services. The most suitable place selected was Grandfather’s barn – so services were held in the barn and the rooster crowing outside. And, thru God’s grace, this was the beginning of the Schaumburg Congregation (St. Peter Lutheran Church).

Pastor Francis Hoffman of St. Peter Lutheran Church. Ca. 1865 after he had left the area. [Photo credit to the Francis Hoffmann Collection of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum]

The missionary that started this work was Francis Hoffman–afterwards quitting this work–he went to Milwaukee, going under the pen name of Hans Buschbauer, writing for the Deutsch Wort and Erholungsunden.

Here I cannot help to add that when the weather was nice in spring, that a rattlesnake would hang itself on the edge of the roof trying to sun itself. Although these snakes weren’t plentiful, still, a Mrs. Gieseke, while chasing a pig in the prairie grass, was bitten and died there [from the bite.] She was buried in the Schween Woods cemetery.

Gradually, more settlers began to come in and it was at this time my mother’s parents, Henry Koelle and Christina, nee Senne, first came to Schaumburg township near Elk Grove and this must have been about in the early 50’s (1850’s). But, before going further, I must add the story of their romance.

On account of Grandpa [Koelle] being the only son, he was to inherit the family estate. Although burdened with debt, [he] was supposed to marry a wealthy girl, but he fell in love with Christina Senne, also of a well to do family but, as was customary at that time in that part of Germany, [she] would only get a dowry as she was not the eldest one in the family.

As soon as Christine found out she was not considered welcome in the Koelle family, she secretly made plans to go along with a sister and half-brother, Henry von Harz (the von name was dropped by the children but the father would not give up the “von” name under any consideration) to America. But, just as soon as Grandpa found out she had left, he dropped everything and followed his sweetheart to America.

They were married soon afterward and settled in Palatine Township where Grandpa, with several relatives and friends, built the Plum Grove Evangelical Church. He always tried to help maintain this church as much as he was able to, and sometimes more. As Grandpa was a religious man, grace was said before each meal and, whenever possible, he read his Bible daily.

My mother was a third child of this union, born April 8^th, 1860, christened soon afterward and given the name of Dorothea but, generally, called Doretta. She had two sisters, Caroline and Fredericka, older than herself. Fredericka died when she was twelve years old and, as Caroline grew up a cripple, my mother was considered more as the oldest child; hence, burdens and confidences fell on her young shoulders more than on her two older sisters.

Starting school, as we lived in a community of German speaking people, the English School was looked on as a necessary thing to be allowed, but the children were mostly sent to the German Lutheran Parochial school. Although I do not like to write this about my old hometown still, it really happened, and when the English school enrollment got so low, there were rumors of closing it.

Schaumburg Center School that was eventually built on land supplied by Ernest Schween. This property today is known as Schoolhouse Square. This school can be found on the St. Peter Lutheran Church property.

My father’s father (Ernest Schween) had given the piece of ground the school was on. [The] land [was] to be used only for school purposes [and seeing the wisdom of having a public school], my father did not want the school closed.

Two other neighbors, Mr. Fenz and Mr. Sporleder did not want it closed either so, as to keep the school open, I was sent to school [as a] four and a half year old, with Mr. Fenz’s oldest son, Herman, and Mr. Sporleder’s youngest daughter, Emily, and Emily Pelletier and myself. The school stayed and is still there on the same spot after all these years and much more appreciated.

The Result of Being Disobedient

Our nearest neighbor had a girl by the name of Martha (?) who used to give rides in a little express wagon. On this occasion I had asked my mother if I could go over to Martha’s house and she said “No” but I couldn’t see the reason why I couldn’t go so I just slowly left the house and wandered over to Martha’s.

All at once I realized it was time to go home and, with a guilty conscience, looked for Grandma. I found her home alone and my prettiest blue lawn dress laid out for me to wear. I asked Grandma why my dress was there and where was my mother? She answered me saying “Why did you run away? Your father and mother went to Grandpa and Grandma Koelle’s (and how I loved these two people) and they wanted to take you along but you ran away. That’s why your mother said you couldn’t or shouldn’t go to Martha’s.”

I went out of that house and had a good cry but this was not the end yet. When mother came home she asked if I’d come along with her to do a little chore and I thought everything is alright now. But, I was mistaken as what I did get was a spanking and had to promise my mother never to run away again. And, that cured me from running away from home to Martha’s without permission.

First Recollections

Opening my eyes wondering where I was, I found myself in the old cradle which was [un]usually large – parked in the living room. Before I realized what woke me, I heard my father coming in the door and, after speaking a few words to my mother, also to Grandma – my father’s mother (Mary Schierding), he came over to me and said “And what do you think I brought for you?” And there he had a picture book with a big white and tan cat on the front cover. The cat had a red ribbon with a big red bow around its neck. On the inside of the book was the alphabet–first the capital letters and then the small letters. Each letter was in a square by itself and alternating in the colors of black and red.

My father gave me this book and showed me the letters and that was the start of my learning ABC’s. Father had been on jury duty in Chicago and he had brought me this book as a Christmas gift. [To be continued]

Next week this account, written by Clara (Schween) Kaste, will focus on how German weddings were celebrated around the turn of the twentieth century.

In the meantime, let’s wrap up the history of Clara’s family in Schaumburg Township.

Plaque at the base of the cemetery on Cedarcrest Drive in Schaumburg.

Ernest Schween died on January 2, 1875 in Schaumburg Township. Mary followed him on June 17, 1909. To the best of our knowledge, they were buried in the cemetery on their property, a remnant that can now be found on Cedarcrest Drive in Schaumburg. It is in the Timbercrest subdivision. This area, along with The Woods subdivision, was frequently referred to as Schween’s Grove.

This is the tombstone of August and Dorothea (Koelle) Schween that can be found in St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery. Photo credit to Nancy Lyons on Find A Grave.

August, the father of Clara (Schween) Kaste died on August 1, 1911. His wife, Dorothea, predeceased him on July 4, 1900. It is likely they both died in Schaumburg Township given the fact that both of them are buried in St. Peter Lutheran Church cemetery in Schaumburg Township.

Clara, the author of this document, died on September 16, 1956, having lived in Lockport, Illinois with her husband, William Kaste. He died one year later on November 2, 1957. They are both buried in Bethania Cemetery in Justice, Illinois.

We can thank Clara for taking the time to record the account of the Schweens and Schierdings in Schaumburg Township. It is a priceless document of our local history.

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

THE ONTARIOVILLE CHURCH IN HANOVER TOWNSHIP

Our guest contributor this week is Lisa Mueller, the Local History Librarian of the Poplar Creek Public Library. This column originally appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of the Hanover Park Hi-Lighter, the village’s newsletter. The column appears here, courtesy of the Village of Hanover Park and the Poplar Creek Public Library.

Community of Hope Church in Hanover Park. Photo taken in 2023 by Lisa Mueller. Photo credit to the Poplar Creek Public Library District.

The building currently called Community of Hope Church (at 7N728 Church Road) is one of the oldest buildings in Hanover Park. This building–and the parsonage next to it–were constructed circa 1871.

The church’s Gothic Revival façade has largely remained the same for many years, but the church has had several names. These include the Ontarioville Lutheran Church, Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the Smyrna Free Will Baptist Church.

The Smyrna Free Will Baptist Church and parsonage in 1986. It is currently known as the Community of Hope Church. Photo credit to the Poplar Creek Public Library District.

The church and parsonage were not always in their present-day location. In 1876 a team of horses moved the buildings from what is now Greenbrook Boulevard (near the present site of Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church) to Church Road. The building was moved again around 1895 to move it closer to the street and to line it up with the parsonage and the parochial school.

Old tombstone at the Old Ontarioville Church. Photo taken in 2023 by Hanover Park Historic Committee member Erika Griesemer. Photo credit to the Poplar Creek Public Library District.

There is a cemetery next to this church on Church Road, but a few headstones also remain in the church’s old location on Greenbrook Boulevard. These graves belong to many of the people who came to the area in the 19th century.

The Harmening headstone at the Old Ontarioville Church. Photo taken in 2023 by Hanover Park Historic Committee member Erika Griesemer. Photo credit to the Poplar Creek Public Library District.

Most of the headstones at Greenbrook Boulevard are difficult to read or so eroded by time that they became illegible. The larger, more expensive headstones, such as those for Heinrich (born in 1826) and Dorothea Harmening (born in 1841), can still be read. During the late 19th century and early 20th century, the Harmenings lived in the large house that was located on Lake Street and Greenbrook Boulevard. This building was torn down in 2021.

The parsonage was used to house the ministry and their families. Children attended the parochial school that stood next to the church. In the church’s early years, church services and parochial school services were held in German. This school was closed in 1940 and no longer stands.

In the early days of the church, pastors were paid $20 a month for preaching and teaching at the parochial school. They were also paid $1 for a marriage ceremony and $5 for a funeral service.

Reverend Kowert and the 1910 confirmation class of the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church. Photo credit to the Poplar Creek Public Library District.

The original bell from the church steeple (built around 1895 by Emil Scholer) moved along with the congregation to their new location in Bartlett in 1964. This Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran congregation first moved into a partitioned-off part of the Set Screw & Manufacturing Company in Bartlett before moving into the new church.

The church has changed hands and names several times over its 150 years of history. You can view photographs of the church and parsonage throughout the years, along with more historic Hanover Park photos, by visiting Poplar Creek Public Library’s Digital History Collection (pclib.org/localhistory).

You can email Lisa Mueller at history@pclib.org or call (331) 808-3535 if you want help with researching Hanover Park (and Streamwood) topics.

Information for this blog post was taken from:

The Dedication: Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, July 5, 1964
Ontarioville: Its Past and Its People by Marilyn Gallagher
Hanover Harvesters by Nancy Gher and Jennifer Leo

Lisa Mueller
Local History Librarian
Poplar Creek Public Library

SCHAUMBURG TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY OPEN HOUSES

The Schaumburg Township Historical Society will sponsor a series of open houses and events at the Schaumburg Center School on the dates below from 12-3 p.m. The schoolhouse is located on the St. Peter Lutheran Church property at 202 E. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg.

May 27
June 9
July 14
August 11 (Ice Cream Social in honor of deceased, longtime member Sharon Kimble!)
August 18
September 8 (Schaumburg Township Teacher Anne Fox day!)

Constructed in 1872 and first called Sarah’s Grove School, it is believed to have been the first of five public schools in Schaumburg Township. It was later renamed Schween’s Grove School and then became Schaumburg Centre Public School until 1954. For 82 years, the building served as a one-room schoolhouse, and was the last active one room schoolhouse in District 54.

With the widening of Schaumburg Road, the building was saved from demolition and temporarily placed on the grounds of the Town Square Shopping Center in 1979. It was permanently relocated to the St. Peter Lutheran Church property in September, 1981. It has been fully restored as a museum and is under the auspices of the Schaumburg Township Historical Society.

You can also find the Historical Society at the Schaumburg Farmer’s Market on the following Fridays in 2024:

June 14, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
August 9, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Come explore and share the history of Schaumburg Township with Historical Society members!

TWO BUILDING SITES ON HIGGINS ROAD

Our guest contributor this week is Pat Barch, the Hoffman Estates Historian. This column originally appeared in the March/April 2024 issue of the Hoffman Estates Citizen, the village’s newsletter. The column appears here, courtesy of the Village of Hoffman Estates.

Hoffman Lanes bowling alley. Photo credit to Jane Rozek

There are two things I want to share with you that you may be wondering about. One is the completed work at the Hoffman Lanes teardown, and the other is the teardown of the tall building on the north side of Higgins that was once Damen Savings and, recently, a travel agency building. It would have been at Grand Canyon and Higgins.

Damen Savings at 200 W. Higgins Road in Schaumburg. Photo credit to the former Profile Publications, Inc. of Crystal Lake, IL. The photo was used in the 1976 *Northwest Suburban Association of Commerce and Industry (NSACI) annual yearbook*.

The completion of work on the bowling alley site involves water. I learned that what was reconstructed there was failing pipes that were put in when F & S Construction began building Hoffman Estates in 1955. It wasn’t orangeburg pipe–it was just normal failure due to age.

The area is crisscrossed with creeks and branches of both Salt Creek and Poplar Creek. Where they are has been a question I can’t always answer. I did confirm with the village that the work at the bowling alley property concerned [the branch of] Salt Creek that comes across Higgins Road from Parcel C and travels along the north side of Higgins under Roselle Road into Parcel A.

That was the first area to be developed by F & S Construction when they began to build the village in 1955. Salt Creek was redirected to flow along the south side of Parcel A close to Higgins Road. It always gave the residents there flooding problems as the creek tried to return to its original creek bed.

Salt Creek meanders east with a bend here and there, becoming quite large until the water eventually makes its way into the Des Plaines River.

As builders work to develop an area for construction, the creeks can cause big problems. Some of the creek is put under ground; other parts of it are left to flow freely. I don’t know how they decide on what stays above ground.

We have a lot of creek streams in our village. Salt Creek flows south from up north of Palatine Road and so does Poplar Creek. There are areas where they come very close together as they head southwest and southeast. Salt Creek goes to the Des Plaines River and Poplar Creek to the Fox River.

The beginnings of the Highlands subdivision is delineated in the upper left corner of the map. There is no sign of a stream meandering through the subdivision.
USGS Topographic map. Palatine Quadrangle. 1961.

When I purchased my home in the Highlands in 1965 I was told that I was at the highest point in Cook County. Now I believe that the Highlands West holds that distinction. I was also told by the real estate agent that he believed a creek was under the ground in my back yard. I’ve never found evidence of that but I’ve always wondered why he told me that.

Now for all of you who were surprised to see the demolition of the 200 W. Higgins building or were surprised to see it gone, I made a call to the Village of Schaumburg to see what the story was with the teardown. Schaumburg told me that it was going to be a new Subaru dealership………..Personally that was the last business I wanted for Higgins Road. Maybe you’ll be happy to see it there. It’s in the Village of Schaumburg and we haven’t any say over their decisions.

That’s the latest on the work that’s been going on on Higgins Road.

Pat Barch
Hoffman Estates Village Historian
Eagle2064@comcast.net

THE LANCER STEAK HOUSE ON ALGONQUIN ROAD

The calendar of celebrities appearing at The Lancer Steak House at 50 E. Algonquin Road in Schaumburg from April 11, 1972 through June 16, 1972 was both local and national in scope–and definitely big on the Big Band sound.

Guy Lombardo, April 11. [It wasn’t even New Year’s Eve and Mr. Lombardo’s orchestra was scheduled to perform.]
Wayne King, May 21. [The Waltz King owned property in Schaumburg Township at one time, had multiple studio albums and often performed with his orchestra at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.]
Frankie Masters, May 26 and 27. [He and his orchestra performed at many Chicago area locations. Many enjoyed dancing to their music.]
Sammy Kaye, June 2. [“Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye” was the tag line of Sammy Kaye’s orchestra.]
Dick Jurgens, June 16. [With his newer band, he toured and recorded throughout the country.]

As Will Leonard in his April 9, 1972 “On The Town” column in the Chicago Tribune said about Lancer’s, “This spacious and sprawling complex of dining and drinking rooms in Schaumburg includes, among other things, a ballroom slightly smaller than the Houston Astrodome.” Judging by the photo below, it’s no wonder they were able to attract so many of the big name orchestras when they toured in the area.

Postcard showing the ballroom of The Lancer Steak House.

Originally built on an unincorporated parcel on Algonquin Road that was owned by Manke Realty Co. of Arlington Heights, the restaurant was annexed to Schaumburg shortly before it opened in April 1968 according to Daily Herald articles from April 12, 1968 and October 13, 1969. The address would later change from 50 E. Algonquin to 1450 E. Algonquin Road.

An ad taken from *1976 Northwest Suburban Association of Commerce and Industry (NSACI) Annual Yearbook*. Photo credit to the former Profile Publications, Inc. of Crystal Lake, IL.

The co-owners were Nick Tselos and Perry Kapos, and the steak house featured not only the ballroom, but also a main dining room with a big, open-hearth fireplace, a cocktail lounge and a piano bar. Leon Pavlos was the chef, per a June 2, 1971 issue of the Daily Herald.

While most of the menu was devoted to steak and seafood, their Lancer Specialties expanded beyond surf and turf. Taken from a menu in the library’s collection, the specialties were:

By 1976, according to a Daily Herald article of March 29, Mr. Tselos had sold his half-interest in the restaurant to Marshall Brodien, a local magician who also played Wizzo the Wizard on WGN’s Bozo’s Circus. Mr. Brodien lived nearby in Medinah and, in the book, The Magical Life of Marshall Brodien by John Moehring, he states, “I went there practically every night for dinner.”

Ad appearing in an April 1976 issue of the *Daily Herald,* shortly after the partnership of Perry Kapos and Marshall Brodien began.

Under their partnership, the banquet business at the restaurant flourished. According to an article by Sally McCormick in the May 23, 1981 Chicago Tribune, “There are two huge banquet rooms, one upstairs and one downstairs that can accommodate 1600 people in all!”

At this time, the restaurant served lunch Monday thru Friday, and dinner Monday thru Saturday. Ms. McCormick stated “American and continental cuisine is served with a flair here… Specialties of the house feature Peppercorn Steak seasoned with freshly chopped peppercorns, London Broil with asparagus and Bearnaise sauce, medallions of pork tenderloin, Mediterranean style chicken with a hint of oregano and lemon, flaming beef tenderloin brochette on a bed of saffron rice and many more.”

After a 17-year run, The Lancer Steak House closed its doors four years later in 1985. But who could forget days such as March 3, 1974 when Bill George, an ex-Bear was honored at Lancer’s for his recent entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

In a mention in David Condon’s column in the Chicago Tribune on that same day, he wrote that the following former players would be on hand to help Mr. George celebrate: Dick Butkus, Wally Chambers, Bobby Douglass, Doug Buffone, Joe Stydahar, Bill and Joe Osmanski, Sid Luckman, Larry Morris, Mike Ditka, J.C. Caroline, Doug Atkins, Ed O’Bradovich, Mike Pyle and Bob Wetoska. Four other hall-of-famers! What a night that would have been!

If you remember dining at The Lancer Steak House or worked there or remember seeing other luminaries pass through their doors, please let us know in the Comments. It’s always nice to add more details to our local history!

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

SCHOOL TEACHERS IN EARLY SCHAUMBURG TOWNSHIP

When the settlement of Schaumburg Township began in the late 1840s, it became necessary to provide schools for the young people who were born here or moved here with their parents. Legislation at the state level approved a free public school system in 1855 according to a timeline from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Because of the sparse population in Schaumburg Township, it is likely that most educational instruction, random as it may have been, was held in the homes of local residents for a number of years.

The first St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church that still resides on the church’s property today. It was dedicated in 1848 and is likely the oldest Lutheran church in the Chicago area.

Most students eventually attended school at St. Peter Lutheran Church–whether they were Lutheran or not. Classes were held in this building that served as the first church in the township.

That changed in 1870 when a new state constitution was passed that said, “The General Assembly shall provide a thorough and efficient system of free schools, whereby all the children of this state may receive a good common school education.” This required the building of one-room schools and/or the development of school districts scattered throughout all areas of the state.

Schaumburg Township subsequently existed of District 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55. This map shows the locations of the schools and their districts.

You can see some of the schools below.

The District 52 School was located on the west side of Plum Grove Road, south of the Jane Addams Toll Road. It was locally known as the Maple Hill School or the Kublank School.

The District 53 School was located on the east side of Meacham Road, north of Salt Creek and south of the old East Schaumburg Road. It was locally known as the Fasse School.

The District 54 School was located in Schaumburg Center on the north side of Schaumburg Road, just west of Roselle Road. Over the years, the school was called Sarah’s Grove School, Schween’s Grove School and, lastly, Schaumburg Center School.

By 1872, Cook County had issued their First Annual Report of the County Superintendent of Schools. They would continue to issue such reports into the first half of the 1900s. (They later became biennial reports.)

These reports listed the teachers for each of the districts in Schaumburg Township. An example for the 1872 report is shown below.

List of Schaumburg Township school teachers taken from the *First Annual Report of the County Superintendent of Schools for the Year Ending October 1st, 1872*.

This, then, is a random list of teachers who taught at various times in the one-room schools of Schaumburg Township.

1872 First Annual Report of the County Superintendent of Schools for the Year Ending October 1st, 1872
District 51… Eva Williams
District 52… Carrie G. Williams
District 53… Henry M. Kennedy
District 54… Wesley M. Stover
District 55… Hannah Quirk

1878-79 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1878, to June 30, 1880
District 51… Mary Little
District 52… Mary L. Bour
District 53… Louis Selig
District 54… Kittie J. Brown
District 55… Kittie M. Quirk

1879-80 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1878, to June 30, 1880
District 51… Hattie Keith
District 52… Addie Sullivan
District 52… Anna Allard
District 53… Henry Wulf
District 54… Henry O. Cameron
District 55… Nettie G. White

1894-95 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1894, to June 30, 1896
District 51… Theresa Delaney
District 52… Flora J. Schmol
District 53… Christine Strand
District 54… Wm. Zoethout
District 55… Elizabeth Stompe

1895-96 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1894, to June 30, 1896
District 51… Florence Higgins
District 52… Flora J. Schmol
District 53… Laura Buffum
District 54… F.L. Brown
District 55… Florence Sayres

1896-1897 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1896, to June 30, 1898
District 51… Lillian Doty
District 52… E.G. Jenkins
District 53… Nellie Barrett
District 54… Louis Pringle
District 55… Beatrice Steffan

1897-98 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1897, to June 30, 1898
District 51… May E. Gallup
District 52… Edward G. Jenkins
District 53… Sarah Terbush
District 54… Rosa M. Willment
District 55… Mary L. Bockius

1904-05 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1904, to June 30, 1906
District 51… Nellie P. Barrett
District 52… Rose M. Kublank
District 53… Edith Ballenger
District 54… H.G. Sawyer
District 55… Elsie M. Johnson

1905-06 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1904, to June 30, 1906
District 51… Eleanor C. Randolph
District 52… Rose M. Kublank
District 53… Amelia Blix
District 54… Thos. Scholes
District 55… Mamie M. McLeod

1906-07 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1906, to June 30, 1908
District 51… Sarah Niederman
District 52… Rose M. Kublank
District 53… Amelie Blix
District 54… Lucile Paddock
District 55… Caroline Baylie

1907-08 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1906, to June 30, 1908
District 51… Marion Perkins
District 52… Rose M. Kublank
District 53… Mary Oneska
District 54… Cora Bergman
District 55… Lottie E. Ehrlich

1910-11 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1910, to June 30, 1912
District 51… Elizabeth Forbes
District 52… Beatrice Musin
District 53… Hazel Pettee
District 54… Elizabeth G. Howland
District 55… Lydia Miller

1911-12 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1910, to June 30, 1912
District 51… Sadie G. Riordan
District 52… No School
District 53… C.L. Terbush
District 54… C.M. Parker
District 55… Ethel Mae Hunter

1912-13 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1912, to June 30, 1914
District 51… Honore Lyons
District 52… No School
District 53… Hellen Ellicott
District 54… Irene M. Upton
District 55… Norine Burke

1913-14 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1912, to June 30, 1914
District 51… Frederick Martin
District 52… No School
District 53… Ella A. Toenjes
District 54… Irene M. Upton
District 55… No School

1915-1916 Article in the October 22, 1915 issue of the Daily Herald
District 54… Catherine L. McCarry [sic] McCorry

1916-17 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1916, to June 30, 1918
District 51… Vera Goswiller
District 52… Rosa M. Kublank
District 53… R.K. Rosie
District 54… Helen R. Sullivan
District 55… Emma Tierney

1917-18 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1916, to June 30, 1918
District 51… Mollie Sugerman
District 52… Rosa M. Kublank
District 53… August E. Steare
District 54… Mary Mulvaney
District 55… Elizabeth Hughes

1920-21 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1920, to June 30, 1922
District 51… Laura Williamson
District 52… Rosa M. Kublank
District 53… No School
District 54… Anna Clark
District 55… No School

1921-22 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1920, to June 30, 1922
District 51… Laura Williamson
District 52… Rosa Kublank
District 53… No School
District 54… H.J. Byrd
District 55… Mary Hammond

1922-23 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1922, to June 30, 1924
District 51… John Pon
District 52… Rosa Kublank
District 53… No School
District 54… H.J. Byrd
District 55… Mary Hammond

1923-24 Biennial Report of the County Superintendent of Schools from July 1, 1922, to June 30, 1924
District 51… Martin Corderlack
District 52… Rose Kublank
District 53… Not listed
District 54… Idaline Burrows
District 55… Mary Hammond

1925-26 Reported in the September 25, 1925 Daily Herald
District 51… Marie Fox
District 52… Rose Kublank
District 54… Mary Dwyer
District 55… Elvina Ness

1926-27 Reported in the September 17, 1926 Daily Herald
District 51… Anne Fox
District 52… Rosa Kublank
District 53… Closed
District 54… Marie Fox
District 55… Leota Phelps

1927-28 Reported in the June 14, 1927 Daily Herald
District 52… Anne Fox

1928-29 Reported in the September 18, 1928 Daily Herald
District 51… Mrs. Naomi Rapp
District 52… Anne Fox
District 53… Closed
District 54… Marie Fox
District 54… Leota Phelps

1937-38 Reported in the July 9, 1937 Daily Herald
District 51… Mae Healy
District 52… Frances Pepin
District 53… Closed
District 54… Mabel Fowler
District 55… Sylveria Graff

1938-39 Reported in the August 26, 1938 Daily Herald
District 51… Mae Healy
District 54… Mabel Fowler
District 55… Sylveria Graff

Some of the takeaways from this list:

The teachers are a mix of male and female with the majority being women. And, it is not until 1928-29 that we see a married teacher.

There appears to be very little continuity in teachers until the turn of the century. At that point, some teachers began to stay more than one year. Rosa Kublank in District 52 was an exception because she was able to live nearby on her family’s farm. The Kublank farm can be seen on the map below as both the “Wm. Rublank” and “Wm. Koblank” farm. The school is listed further south on Plum Grove Road on the Henry Freise farm.

Rosa Kublank. Photo credit to Schaumburg Township Historical Society

The other teachers in Schaumburg Township who quickly adapted to the area were sisters Marie and Anne Fox. They both spent a number of years in the area but Anne Fox was the one with lasting impact. District 54 eventually named a school in Hanover Park for her because of the many students she taught and influenced over the years.

Miss Anne Fox teaching a primary grade in a District 54 school in the 1960s

The schools that opened and closed were victims of the varying levels of population of the district. District 52 and 53 were frequently the schools that did not open for the year because there weren’t enough students to make it worthwhile to hire a teacher. Districts often saw an ebb and flow in the student population as families moved in and out of the districts, and/or as children either grew old enough to attend school or graduated from the 8th grade.

Many teachers came and went in the one-room school period of 1871-1951. Unfortunately, we do not have a complete list of these men and women, but these teachers are representative of an 80-year period of education for the many public school students who passed through the doors of those schools.

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

If you are aware of other teachers who taught in the one-room schools who aren’t named here, please send an email to me at the address above. I would like to be able to add them to the blog and alert the Schaumburg Township Historical Society about their tenure. Thank you!

WEATHERSFIELD AND THE MODERN DAIRY COMPANY MAP

Modern Dairy company information on their Weathersfield map. Photo credit to Schaumburg Township District Library

If you lived in Schaumburg Township in the 1950s and 60s, you probably took advantage of the milk man who dropped milk, cheese, butter and other dairy products off at your home.

When the push towards subdivision development began in Schaumburg Township, the dairies of Elgin and Kane County made the easy decision to take advantage of the influx of people. Modern Dairy Company of Elgin was one of those dairies.

The former Modern Dairy building in Elgin. Photo credit to Jane Rozek

Located at 1002 N. Liberty in Elgin, Modern Dairy routinely published maps of their service areas. Recently uncovered in some our local history materials was their map of the Weathersfield subdivision in Schaumburg. Let’s take a look at it and see what we can uncover.

View 2 of the Modern Dairy Weathersfield map.

This first view of the map shows what is commonly referred to as the “W” section of the subdivision–so named because all of the streets begin with a “w.” It is bordered by Schaumburg Road to the north, Springinsguth Road to the east, Walnut Lane to the west and Weathersfield Way on the south.

It is interesting to note that, in the upper right corner of the map, they refer to lots 1-11 as “Weathersfield Unit One.” These were the first homes built and were used as the model homes. Notice that their lots are larger, and certainly deeper, than any of the other lots on the map–including the lots that continued along Schaumburg Road up to Walnut.

According to former resident, Rolland Fitch, when the Unit 1-11 homes were built “there was a frontage road for Schaumburg Road where home shoppers were able to park. The models were set back further. Those were the first models my parents looked at. By the time we made our second visit, those models were closed and new ones had opened just off Spring South on Fairlane Drive. As Schaumburg Road was widened between Springinsguth and Walnut Lane, part of the frontage road was subsumed into Schaumburg Road.”

Taking a broader view of the map, it is obvious that Campanelli, the developer of the subdivision, made the decision to use a grid format along the perpendicular streets. But, inside that perpendicular grid, they used a more curvilinear approach to the streets and lots; hence, the need for the courts.

The most interesting observation on this portion of the map is the “School Site” that can be seen along Springinsguth. This eventually became the first elementary school in the village of Schaumburg and was built as Frances Campanelli school, so named for the father of Alfred Campanelli, the developer. The school opened in 1961 which helps pinpoint the age of the map.

View 4. Upper portion of the reverse side of the map.

This side of the map is interesting. Note the Shopping Center Site in the upper left corner of the map. This was the future Weathersfield Commons Shopping Center, location of Schaumburg’s first Jewel that opened in 1963.

To the east of the shopping center was a proposed site for a future high school. Obviously that did not come to fruition, but it also implies that Campanelli was willing to donate and/or preserve the site for, what would be, a very necessary school. It just happened much later, further east, on the north side of Schaumburg Road.

And, speaking of schools, it is curious that, on this side of the map, Frances Campanelli Grade School is actually named.

View 5. Lower portion of reverse side of the map.

If you zoom in on the map you can also see that local landmarks have been written in on the lower portion of the map. This portion has a major inconsistency in that most of the area bordered by Sharon Lane, Carver Lane, Fairfield Lane and Braintree Drive was not built up with homes. It became known as Civic Park in 1963.

That is where you could find the Great Hall and the Police Department which are written in at the bottom of the map along Fairfield Lane. They were located in, what is known today, as The Barn.

Above and to the left, the Jennings House is written in and it backs up to Carver Lane. To the right of the Jennings House is the Village Hall and Offices.

The word “Pool” is also written in. This was originally known as Civic Pool but it was renamed Bock Pool, along with the park where it was located, in 1979 after Robert Bock, one of the first founders and board members of the Schaumburg Park District.

“Tennis courts” are also written in, further east at Fairfield Court. They were also part of Civic Park and still exist today.

View 6. Continuation of the lower portion of the reverse side of the map.

Most interesting on this portion of the map is the indication that this was as far east as the subdivision had been developed. Of course, we know today that the development of Weathersfield had just begun!

If you see anything else of note on this map, please note it in the comments or send me an email. Maps have a wealth of information and it’s easy to miss a detail!

Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org

This map was graciously donated by Adeline O. Lint.