Marie Sittler sitting on the lap of her Uncle Joseph Schlick circa 1910 in Burlington, Illinois.
We Genealogist people love a mystery. We love to dig into the stories of our family members who appear in old family photos. One intriguing story my wife and I unraveled was the story of Mary Anne Armbrust Schlick’s niece Marie Sittler.
Mary Anne’s sister was Caroline Armbrust Sittler. Little Marie Sittler is shown in the above photo taken near the porch of Joseph and Mary Anne Schlick’s home at Main and Water Street in downtown Burlington Illinois. Marie is adorable little girl in a white dress with a large bow in her hair sitting on her Uncle, Joseph Schlick’s, lap. Why is Marie in this photo with all of her older extended family members? Where and why isn’t her mother in the photo? Why is she at her Aunt Mary Anne’s home?
The Joseph and Mary Anne Schlick Family of Burlington Illinois (Circa 1910). Here are the names of everyone shown in this photo: Front row: Martin Armbrust (father of Mary Anne Armbrust Schlick; Mary Anne Schlick, Emma (Schlick) Umbdenstock holding William Umbdenstock, Jr.; Rose (Schlick) Weberpal, Marie Sittler on the lap of her Uncle Joseph Schlick (Marie Sittler is the daughter of Caroline Armbrust); Marie (Schlick) Schneider sister of Joseph Schlick, Sr.; Martin Schlick (standing behind Marie Schneider his aunt; left of Martin and continuing to the left of the second row is John Rieser (Husband of Odelia Schlick); Lorena Umbdenstock, Tillie Schlick (Sister of Anthony Seyller); William Umbdenstock, Sr. (Husband of Emma Schlick); Anthony Seyller (Husband of Anna Schlick); Joseph Schlick, Jr., Anna (Schlick) Seyller, Caroline Umbdenstock, Susan (Daleiden) Schlick wife of Casper Schlick, Casper Schlick and Odelia (Schlick) Reiser.
Caroline Armbrust Sittler is the first person in tbe above photo to the far right. She is shown with her Father and Mother Martin Armrbust (second from the left) and Anna Mary (Munsinger) Armbrust (Second from right). Her sister Mary Anne Armbrust Schlick (first person front row on far left), wife of Joseph Schlick. Caroline’s four brothers are in the second row (left to right) Joseph, Anthony, Louis and Frank.
The Martin and Caroline (Armbrust) Sittler Family as recorded in the 1900 Census Wheaton Illinois Milton Township DuPage County Illinois.
The Oswald Sittler property (243.78 acres) is shown as being located in the Milton Township plat map dated 1904. What is today known as Naperville Road runs along the east side of the property. In all probability this is the property that the Sittler family (including Marie Sittler) was living on and farming.
Caroline Armbrust Sittler died on the fourth of July in 1906 after giving birth to her daughter Marie Sittler. The Sittler’s lived in Wheaton Illinois. She had been in a very delicate state of health for several months during the pregnancy. It is uncertain what affliction Caroline was suffering. I have not yet seen a death certificate. The birth was being viewed with “grave apprehension” by her family. The Armbrusts attended St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Wheaton. Her father Martin was one of the founders of the church. Caroline was buried at St. Michaels Cemetery in Wheaton. Her funeral services resulted in a large turnout of mourners. Caroline and her husband were the parents of ten children.
The July 13, 1906 issue of the Wheaton Illinoian contains the obituary for Caroline Armbrust Sittler. Caroline was the only sister to Mary Anne Armbrust Schlick.
Following the death of her mother and per several oral history interviews with family members Marie lived for a period of time with her Aunt and Uncle Joseph and Mary Anne (Annie) (Armbrust) Schlick in Burlington, Illinois in their home located at Main and Water Street. This explains the young toddler on the lap of Joseph Schlick in the above Schlick family photo.
The Sittler Family of Wheaton Illinois as recorded on the 1920 U.S. Census. They live along Naperville Road in Wheaton Illinois Milton Township DuPage County Illinois. The father Martin Sittler name does not appear on the 1920 Census. Martin was born 21 Nov 1853 and died on 23 Jan 1919 one year prior to the census being taken. The second eldest son Peter or “Pete” is carrying on as “head of the family”. Frank, the eldest brother is listed as a ” partner” to the “head” of the household. Frank and Peter were both assisting to oversee their younger brothers and sisters (Helen (28), Lucy (17) and Edward (15). Marie is the youngest (13) is living (in 1920) with her brothers and sisters.
The 1928-1929 Directory for Geneva lists Marie Sittler Living at 132 Nebraska Street in Geneva, Kane County Illinois. She was employed at the Community Laundry. Marie’s name is listed within the above Directory shown below. This source is located at the Geneva Public Library reference section.
City Directories are another rich source of information on family members. They can be used to located where family members were living between U.S. Census years. For instance in the Geneva City Diretory for 1928/1929, “Miss Caroline Sittler” is listed as “emp” (employed) at the “Community Laundry” and her ‘h” (home) is located at 132 Nebraska.
The home where Miss Marie Sittler once lived in 1928 – 1929 (132 Nebraka Street, Geneva, Kane County Illinois) is still standing.
Marie Sittler in the 1930 U.S. Census is shown living on her own with the LaPlant family owners of the Community Laundry in Geneva Illinois on State Street (now Illinois Route 38 Roosevelt Road / Lincoln National Highway Route). Marie is now 23 years old and living as a “boarder” working as a “mangler” for a “laundry” shop. A “mangler” is a person that wrings our the laundry after it has been washed.
Marie Sittler Lycke Obituary died July 15, 1996. She was living in Wheatland Missouri at the time of her death.
Marie Sittler Lycke is buried with her second hushand Lee Lycke at the Hermitage Cemetery in Hickory, Missouri
Marie married (Morace)Lee Lycke. Lee’s first wife Clarabelle Kramer died in 1953 in Batavia Illinois and is buried at the Batavia River Hill Memorial Cemetery in Kane County Batavia Illinois. Lee and Clarabelle were married ( per FamilySearch.com) in Boone County Iowa on 18 February 1922.
(Morace) Lee Lycke’s obituary. Lee was Marie Sittler’s second husband. Marie met Lee while she was living in the Fox River Valley towns of Geneva and St. Charles Illinois.
Marie Sittler’s parents, Martin and Caroline Sittler’s grave headstone at St. Michael’s Cemetery in Wheaton Milton Township DuPage County Illinois. (Photo Source: Find a Grave.).
About Schlick Daleiden Families - DuPage and Kane Counties of Illinois
Kevin Davis is a retired Public Library Director. He is a Board member of the Winfield (IL) Historical Society. Davis has over 35 years experience working in public libraries. He is deeply interested in local Chicagoland, Dupage, and Kane County History. Davis earned a BA in History and an MA in Library Science from Dominican University. He is a volunteer researcher for the St. James Farm Forest Preserve part of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County in Illinois. His work includes extensive writing and research on the McCormick family line who were former owners of St. James Farm. He is an avid family historian / genealogist and has done extensive research on the Schlicks and Daleidens of DuPage and Kane County Illinois.
Schlick Daleiden Family DuPage/Kane Co. Blog 