In this third posting on the Schlicks and Schneiders of Burlington we will get a glimpse at the families as reported and covered in the Hampshire Illinois Register newspaper.

One great source of information for family historians are newspapers printed and distributed when our ancestors lived. Our relatives lived at a time prior to the invention of the internet, cell phones, Instagram, Facebook, excetera there were printed newspapers.

In Hampshire Illinois the Hampshire Register was an important communication tool for residents of the area, including the people of Burlington, Illinois located four miles to the south of Hampshire Illinois in rural Kane County.

The first issue of the Register was dated Mar. 5, 1885 (Volume 1 Number 1) and continued in publication in one form or another until 1988. In my research which I began back in 1988 I reviewed the “Burlington News” section of each issue starting with the year 1885 through to the end of 1910. In 1988 I used a microfilm reel copy of the Register. I recently visited the Hampshire Public Library (The Ella Johnson Memorial Public Library) online during the past two years of the COVID -19 Pandemic and noticed the Library has now digitized issues of the Register for the years 1884 through 2009. Via this format and platform one can now perform a keyword search for people and access the paper online.

What follows are key Burlington News notes that allowed me to follow my relatives during their daily lives. Each excerpt begins with the date of publication followed by the text of the news item. I have added in brackets some notes and other dates to provide context of the entry.

1 July 1904: Tax assessment list: Jos. Schlick Burlington Township – $533

19 August 1904: The marriage of Wm. Umbdenstock and Miss Emma Schlick, both well known of Burlington Young people, was solemnized at the Catholic Church [St. Charles Borromeo in Hampshire] Wednesday morning [17 August 1904] at 9 am. Rev. Fr. Huth performed the ceremony.

16 September 1904: Mr. & Mrs. P. Schneider and son Henry, Mrs. Mary Schneider and son Carl, Mr. & Mrs. K.W. Schneider and son George, Mrs. C Schultz and daughter Misses Carrie, Mary, and Rosa, Lizzie, and Delia spent Sunday wiht Mr. & Mrs. Adam Schneider of Glen Ellyn.

23 September 1904: Joseph Schlick will represent Burlington on the Grand Jury for the November term of the Circuit Court [located in Geneva Illinois].

27 January 1905: Mrs. Mary Schneider had been down to see her daughter Mrs. August Rudinger, who has been stuggling with the grip [the flu]. All her children have been sick.

21 April 1905: Frank Schneider had his blacksmith shop completed and went to work at his trade Saturday.

10 November 1905: The 55th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Schneider was celebrated Sunday October 29th at Wheaton and was attended by relatives from this vicinity. This annual affair is looked forward to with inceasing interest by the relatives as well it should 55 years of life together is deserving of all recognition.

8 December 1905: Jos. Schlick this week purchased the Maurier property in the Village [Burlington]. He will build a new home in the spring [1906] and move in next fall.

18 September 1907: Joseph Schlick had been choosen to represent Burlington at the November term of the Grand Jury.

17 January 1908: Miss Anna Schlick entertained the young ladies club at her home Tuesday afternoon.

7 February 1908: [There is a front page story regarding the building of the new St. Charles Borromeo Church in Hampshire]

13 March 1908: Several car loads of Chicago Brick and Joliet Stone have arrived for the new Catholic Church.

12 June 1908: [Front page contained news of the laying of the cornerstone for St. Charles Borromeo Church in Hampshire. Cost for the Church is listed as $25,000.]

9 October 1908: Mrs. Joseph Schlick and father [Martin Armbrust] are visiting in Wheaton this week.

16 October 1908: Mrs. August Rudinger and sisters Misses Margaret and Laura Schneider entertained 25 guests last Thursday in honor of the birthday anniversary of their mother Mrs. Mary (Schlick) Schneider. A very fine 6:00 o’clock dinner was the featured event.

11 September 1908: A new trolley line will tap the region north of Wheaton, Illinois and will connect the Aurora, Elgin, and Chicago electric road with West Chicago has just been incorporated under the Chicago, Wheaton and Western R.R.. The new line, on which work already has started, will bring rural residents in DuPage County into more intimate relations with Chicago. The co. is capitalized at $10,000 and the general offices will be located in Chicago. [This news note proves to me that you never know what you will find about other cities (Wheaton and West Chicago) in a newspaper in another town in another county (Kane). The Schlick family would have been interested in this new transporation development. Another way perhaps to visit their extended families in (Winfield and Wheaton)].

9 October 1908: Mrs. Joseph Schlick and Father [Martin Armbrust] are visiting in Wheaton this week.

16 October 1908: Mrs. August Rudinger and sisters Misses Margaret and Laura Schneider entertained 25 guests last Thursday in honor of the birthday anniversary of their mother Mr. Mary [Schlick] Schneider. A very fine 6:00 o’clock dinner was the feature.

4 December 1908: Mrs. Joseph Schlick and daughter Anna were Elgin shoppers Friday.

2 April 1909: Ralph Schneider was home to spend Sunday.

2 April 1909: C.P. Schneider has an ad in another column that solicits patronage in his line of busi-ness that of a restaurant and confectionary store, etc. Ad text from newspaper:

C.P. SCHNEIDER RESTAURANT AND CONFECTIONARY. Baked goods, candies, fruits, cigars and tobacco, soft drinks, ice cream in season. Shortorder meals a specialty and served at all hours. Give me a call I will be pleased to serve you. C.P. Schneider, Successor to D.W. Sholes.

14 May 1909: Mr. & Mrs. Jos. Schlick entertained relatives from Minnesota last week.

28 May 1909: Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Umbdenstocks infant child is ill.

25 June 1909: Messrs. Jos. Schlick and Elvan Godfrey have the contract for building a new cement sidewalk in the Village [Burlington].

23 July1909: Misses Minnie Pingston, Anna Schlick and Sophia Peterson spent Monday in Elgin and attended “The Texas Ranger” in Hampshire in the evening.

23 July 1909. Frank Schneider who purchased the house of Mrs. Nina Hood has moved it to the Village [Burlington] on his lot and is having its interior rearranged more conveniently and is nearly completed.

30 July 1909: Mrs. Jos. Schlick had been very ill. Dr. John Nesbitt of Sycamore was called on the case.

24 September 1909: On account of the bad weather the Barn Dance which was to have been given in Joseph Schlick’s Barn 1.5 miles west of Burlington Wednesday evening Sept. 22 was postponed and will be held this week, Saturday evening, Sept. 25. Everybody is cordially invited to attend. Music by Pfingsten’s four piece orchestra. This is a fine large barn with a good floor and dancing space of 120′ by 36′. Dance tickets are 50 cents. Schlick and Anderson, managers.

24 September 1909: A son was born to Mr. & Mrs. M. Umbdenstock last week Tuesday [September 20th].

1 October 1909: Another dance will be given Wednesday evening October 6th in Jos. Schlick’s barn 1.5 miles west of Burlington and everybody is cordially invited music by Pfingstein’s orchestra. This is a fine large barn with a good floor and dancing space 120′ x 36 feet. Dance tickets, 50 cents, Schlick and Anderson, Managers.

1 October 1909. Two of our popular yonng people to the marriage vow Thursday Morning at a wedding at the Catholic Church in Hampshire [St. Charles Borromeo]. The contracting parties being Miss Marie Victoria Haderer and Frank J. Schneider. The Groom is a son of Mrs. Mary Schneider and is an enterprising young man engaged in blacksmith business here. The young couple will soon commence housekeeping in the home prepared by the Groom. Their many friends extend congratulations.

CASPER AND SUSAN SCHLICK: The Family Saga Continues . . .

The next three entries below (***) document the movement of my Great Grandparents Casper and Susan (nee Daleiden) Schlick from the Joseph Schlick, Sr. farm near Burlington in Kane County to their new farm on Mack Road in Winfield Township DuPage County Illinois. This property was originally purchased by Michael Daleiden and later became Christopher Daleiden’s farmstead. Christopher had moved into his in town home in the Village of Winfield Illinois. Christopher was Casper’s father-in-law and Susan’s father.

Susan and Casper Schlick had been married in Winfield on 10 October 1906. On 20 February 1909 Casper and Susan gave birth at 12:10 a.m. on their Burlington Farm to a daughter named Mary Schlick. Unforunately the infant died and lived only thirty minutes and was buried at St. Charles Borromeo Church Cemetery in Hampshire. The Register briefly mentions Mary’s death in the 12 March 1909 issue: “Mr and Mrs. Casper Schlick lost an infant child last week.”

*** 15 October 1909. About fifty of Mr. & Mrs. Casper Schlick’s friends gave then a farewell surprise party Tuesday evening at the Schlick farm. The evening was very pleasantly spent dancing in the barn. A fine supper, provided by the guests, was served at midnight.

*** 15 October 1909. The Schlick brothers, who have been carrying on their father’s farm, will quit farming and have an auction sale next Tuesday. Casper will move to the farm which he purchased in Wheaton [Mack Road Farm in Winfield Township]. While Martin expects to go west in teh spring. Louis Sester will move to the Schlick farm in the spring [1910].

*** 29 October 1909: Mr. and Mrs. Casper Schlick moved Wednesday to their farm in Wheaton [Mack Road farmstead in Winfield Township Dupage County Illinois the former farm of Michael and Christopher Daleiden orginally purchased circa 1865-1866].

To fast forward one year on what happened next for Casper and Susan Schlick: The 1910 U.S. Census records Casper (age 40) and Susan (age 41) were living on Mack Road on 1 May 1910 the date the Census Enumerator recorded their names on the Census. Joseph L. Schlick, Jr. (age 23), Casper’s younger brother was also living in their household most likely helping with the farm chores. On 4 May 1910 mortgage deed note was signed by Casper and Susan with Christopher and Margaret Daleiden for purchase of the Daleiden farm on Mack Road in Winfield Township DuPage County Illinois. The amount recorded in Margaret’s DuPage County Probate file is $8,000 (6 years 4% interest rate). On July 22, 1910 Susan’s father Christopher Daleiden died and was buried at St. Johns Cemetery in Winfield Illinois.

22 October 1909: Mr. & Mrs. Schneider returned from their wedding trip last Friday [ 15 October ].

10 December 1909: Ralph Schneider [son of Mary Schneider] is making his mark as a traveling salesman for the International Harvester Company. Having recently been offered a five year contract by that concern to go to Europe as a salesman. He has decided to accept and will leave soon after Janaury 1st.

Historical side bar or note: In 1902 the McCormick Reaper Manufactory Co. and Deering Harvester Company and three smaller manufactures: Milwaukee; Plano; and Warder, Bushnell, and Glessner (manufacturers of Champion brand) merged to form the International Harvester Co.

Ralph Schneider is an example of the upward mobility of the middle class at this time and the movement of people to cities. Between 1880 and 1900, cities in the United States grew at a dramatic rate. Owing most of their population growth to the expansion of industry, U.S. cities grew by about 15 million people in the two decades before 1900. Many of those who helped account for the population growth of cities were immigrants arriving from around the world. A steady stream of people from rural America also migrated to the cities during this period. Between 1880 and 1890, almost 40 percent of the townships in the United States lost population because of migration. Many were moving off farms and or other manual occupations (such as blacksmithing) and taking white collar jobs in Cities like Chicago and in this case Europe. In historical perspective within three generations of Schlick family members 1852 (Casper Schlick, Sr. the first generation German immigrant) to 1909 (Maria (Schlick) Schneider) had seen great progress in their personal achievements and in their upward mobility.

24 December 1909: R.[Ralph]F. Schneider will leave here Sunday evening on his way to Europe where he will put in a year traveling for the International Harvester Company. He will visit several of the companies eastern branches in this country and will sail from New York in about 2 weeks. Hamburg Germany will be his headquarters and he will visit most of the principle countries of Europe.

31 December 1909: Miss Margaret Schneider had been very ill with pneumonia.

31 December 1909: Martin and Miss Emma Schlick left here this week to spend the week wiht relatives in Wisconsin.

25 February 1910: Louis Sester will move to the Joseph Schlick Farm

25 February 1910: Miss Anna Schlick who has been spending the winter with relatives in Wisconsin came home last week.

25 March 1910: Joseph Schlick is building an addition to his home. [This is most likely his home in downtown Burlington at the corner of Main and Water Street.

22 April 1910: Joseph Umbdenstock elected School District for thw Walker District.

29 April 1910: Martin Schlick and Tony Seyller left here Tuesday evening for a trip through South Dakota.

29 April 1910: Vernon Wood and Joseph Seyller left Tuesday evening for Montana where they expect to remain indefinitely.

15 July 1910: Ralph Schneider who is a traveling salesman for International Harvester Co. in Germany has been in a hospital there for three weeks on account of blood poisoning but has recovered.