Christina Daleiden was the daughter of William T. and Susan Daleiden. She was born 10 June 1897.
This photo was taken of Christina Daleiden in 1906 at the Casper and Susan Schlick Daleiden wedding held in Winfield. Christina is the girl with the white bow in her hair.William T and Susan Daleiden are behind her. (Photo: Frank J. and Mae C. Schlick Photo Archive).
Christina at the age of 12 held a job working in the household of Judge Richard Prendergast. The Prendergast home and farm were located on the southeast corner of what is now the corner of Roosevelt Road (Illinois Route 38) and Winfield Road outside of Winfield Illinois. Today she would be considered a juvenile under Illinois Department of Labor rules, however back in the early 1900s it was not unusual for parents to lend out their children to work in order to bring money into the household.
Christina Daleiden, the daughter of William T. Daleiden, in a photo taken in memory of her First Communion in the Catholic Church at St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Winfield Illinois. (Photo: Frank J. and Mae C. Schlick Estate Photo Archive).
Christina was cleaning and polishing a stove at the Prendergast home at the time of her tragic death. Here is a newspaper account of the incident published in the Wheaton (Illinois) Illinoian on 5 November 1909. She was only twelve years old at the time of the accident. The headline read: GIRL MEETS DEATH CLEANING STOVE.
The weather-worn headstone and grave of Christina Daleiden ( Born 10 June 1897 and Died 3 November 1909). Location of grave is at the St Johns the Baptist Roman Catholic Cemetery at Gary’s Mill Road in Winfield, Winfield Township of DuPage County, Illinois.
Christina’s father filed a petition in probate court on behalf of Christina’s estate on 16 May 1910. John Prendergast was the Attorney representing the family in court. “One chose an action consisting of a claim for damages against the Solarine Co. a corporation by reason of our explosion a combination a ignition of a metal polishing compound prepared by said corporation and which resulted in the death of the said restitution. Said claim being for the sum of $10,000.00“. A settlement of $2,500 was negotiated and paid by the Solarine Co. to the family and heirs. The case was settled 5 June 1911.
William T. Daleiden was the only son of Christopher and Margaret Daleiden of Winfield Township, DuPage County, Illinois. As I researched William’s life several tragedies occurred within his lifetime emerged from my research.
William T. Daleiden ( Born 17 November 1872 – Died 7 March 1916)
1880 U.S. Census Winfield Township DuPage County Illinois
William was born on the 17 November 1872 and died 7 March 1916. He was the second born of four children. His three sisters were: (A Catholic nun) “Sister Mary Philippina” Daleiden (Born 1870 – Died 1930), Susan (Nee Daleiden) Schlick (Born 1877– Died 1945) and Katherine (Nee Daleiden)Armbrust (Born 1880– Died 1953). William is first listed on a U.S. Census at the age of seven in 1880.
Per the Probate file from the DuPage County Clerks Office for Christopher Daleiden on a Proof of Heirship document within the Probate File and dated 1 August 1910 there is listed two other children born of Christopher and Margaret: “Two children, Annie and Peter, died before the death of their father – both in childhood“. Anna appears on the 1880 U.S. Census at the age of 5 years. There is no trace of Peter as being recorded on the 1880 Census, it is assumed that Peter may have been born some time between the years 1868 and prior to 1880 Census being taken. There is no mention of either Annie nor of Peter in Margaret’s Probate File when she died in 1916.
Winfield Public School class photo 1902. In the front row left to right: John Daleiden, Mary Daleiden next to Jacke Zeier, Emma Enders and Lil Heinz. Other people in this photo include: Back row: Alice Kennedy, teacher; George Higgins [Higgins Store and the Coal and Material Co. family], Mike Elsen, Theodore Heinz, Lena Schmidt (Higgins), and Clara Heinz. (Photo: Winfield Glimpses: Special 1968 issue for the Illinois Sesquicentennial Year and Winfield Good Old Days Celebration fall 1968.).
William married Susan Elsen on 24 September 1895. They had seven children: Charles, William B. [Seea separate blog on his life asWinfield Postmaster and Store merchant], Catherine, Tony (Anthony), Edward, Mary, and George.
William T. Daleiden and Susan (nee Elsen) on their wedding day.
The Matthias Elsen family of Winfield Illnois Winfield Township DuPage County Illinois (c. 1912). Left to right front row: Anna (Bolleg), Christina (Ewen) Elsen, and Catherine. Back row: Michael, Susan (Daleiden) Elsen, (Sr. Freida) Helena, and Matthias.
Christina Daleiden is shown in this photo in October 1906 with her father and mother William T. and Susan Daleiden. Christina is the girl in the front row with the straps. Her parents are directly behind Christina. (Photo: Frank J. and Mae C. Schlick Estate Photo Archives).
Christina Daleiden’s headstone at St. Johns Cemetery in Winfield, Winfield Township, DuPage County, Illinois.
In 1910 the first of two tragedies would occur. The first was reported on 5 November 1909 in the Wheaton Illinoian newspaper:
One can only imagine the scene at the Prendergast home when this tragic accident occurred. A valant attempt by a father to save his young daughter’s life. As a father when first reading this I was emotionally drained as I attempted to put myself into his place attempting to rescue one of my own daughters from a simliar fate. I would image that this event shook the family and William to the core.
I will be doing a separate posting on what the Probate File for Christina reveals about this tragedy in the future that will add some details to this incident.
On 10 March 1916 the following headline and article appeared on the front page of the Wheaton Illinoian newspaper:
In the same year on 15 February 1916 William’s uncle Michael died. Michael was the first Daleiden family member to settle in Winfield Township. 1916 was not a good year for the family.
William considered himself a “Woodman” one who cuts down trees and sells lumber or planks. This photo is one example of an apparatus that he may have been using at the time of his death. Photo Courtesy Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator of Image: McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, Men Cutting Wood with Engine Powered Saw, Image ID: 9572. Viewed online at https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM9572.
Grave of William and Susan Daleiden. St. Johns Catholic Cemetery Winfield Illinois Winfield Township DuPage County Illinois.
Casper Schlick settled in America in 1852. He began the family line in America, in Illinois and in DuPage County. At the age of thirty-two he traveled on the sailing ship the Bessel from the port of Bremen, Germany to New York’s Castle Island on 19 May 1852. He was accompanied by his wife “Margaretha Wendinger” who was 32. They traveled together aboard the ship.
Casper was from Bavaria from a town called Eckersbach. Eckersbach is 225 miles southwest of Berlin and northwest of the City of Bamburg.
One property deed document shows Casper owning property in 1858 near Bloomingdale, Illinois in Bloomingdale Township. Bloomingdale happens to be the town where a branch of the Armbrust family had settled when they emigrated from Ohio to Illinois. Casper’s son Joseph Schlick would later marry Mary Armbrust (1 October 1878). Mary or Mary Anne was the daughter of Martin Armbrust.
Casper and his wife married. I am still researching their marriage record and date. In a review of Casper’s Probate File from the Kane County Clerk’s Office we find the following information recorded on the “Proof of Heirship” document dated 26 October 1897: “ the following children were born of the marriage: Joseph Schlick and Maria Schlick now the wife of G. M. Schneider [G or George was the Blacksmith for Burlington]. Also 4 (four) other children who died in infancy and whose names, with the exception of George Schlick affiant [i.e. Joseph Schlick] does not remember“.
Casper and his wife settled in the town of Danby, Illinois. Danby is today known as the Village of Glen Ellyn. Casper was a farmer. He also worked as a laborer for the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. The Schlick’s purchased property along the rail line in Danby. The property today is used as an athletic practice field by the Glenbard West High School near Lake Ellyn.
1874 Map showing Casper Schlick’s property along the railroad line in Propect Park Illinois. The name of the town had several name changes previously called Danby it is now known as Glen Ellyn, Illinois in Milton Township DuPage County.
Casper’s name appears in the Civil War Draft Registration Rolls dated June 1860. Casper is now forty-four years old. He is listed as a “laborer”.
Casper’s name appears on the 1865 Illinois Agricultural and Manufacturers Census roll as living in Danby in Milton Township in DuPage County Illinois.
Casper appears next in the public record with his family on the 1870 U.S. Census for Danby Illinois (Glen Ellyn) recorded on 27 June 1870. His surname is spelled “Slite” and was challenging to find on the Census due to the varient spelling. When searching for your ancestors it is good to keep a list of all of the various spellings the name could be recorded as on records. When I intially was working with Census records (1987) they were all on microfilm rolls and there were no computer logarithms nor was there the Internet or Ancestry to search for varients of names outside of a soundex code developed by the U.S. Census Bureau during the Great Depression.
On the 1870 Census Casper is listed as being 51 years or age. His wife Margaret is 49. There are two other people in their houshold their children: Joseph 14 and Maria age 8. They own $1,500 worth of real estate. The family personal wealth is listed as $1,711. Casper is working as a “RR track hand”. Their property and the Schlick name appears on the 1874 DuPage County Atlas.
St Michaels Catholic Church in Wheaton Illinois. Photo: DuPage County Historical Museum photo collection image number
In 1879 Casper joined a group of fourteen other families within the Wheaton area to get together and start a new church for Catholics in Wheaton. The church was begun in 1879. Four lots in Wheaton were purchased for $250 on the area within Willow Avenue, West Street, and Wheaton Avenue on the south west side of Wheaton. Construction on the basement was completed and the construction was halted for several years. Casper Schlick is shown as donating $600 for the establishment of the new church on a ledger kept by Earl Sauer, the Treasurer of the Church. Casper would become one of the first Trustees for St. Michaels Church of Wheaton. The new building was finally completed and dedicated in 1882.
St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Wheaton Milton Township DuPage County Illinois in 1888 shown in a “bird’s eye” view engraving. The church is shown on the east corner of West Street a block or so south of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad tracks. (Source: DuPage County Illinois Historical Museum, Wheaton Park District, Wheaton Illinois).
When he died and upon the reading of his Will (dated and signed on 2 July 1891) it was revealed: “. . . I [Casper Schlick] second, bequest to the Catholic Church of St. Michael at Wheaton, DuPage Co., Illinois the sum of $150 one hundred and fifty dollars with the condition that a Requiem High Mass be annualled celebrated for the repose of my soul in said Catholic Church at Wheaton Illinois“. Caspers faith was important and a central part of his and other German immigrants settling in DuPage County of their faith and social lives.
The 1880 U.S. Cenus for Danby lists the following: Casper is now 61. Margaret is 60. They had a border a laborer George Fiedler living with them in their household. Casper lists is occupation as the of a laborer. The Census date now frozen in time was 3 June 1880.
Casper’s wife would die on 26 March 1887. Margaret died at the age of 77. She is buried along with Casper at the St. Michael’s Catholic Church Cemetery located in Wheaton Illinois Milton Township in DuPage County Illinois.
In reviewing Casper’s Death Certificate from the Kane County Illinois Clerk we find he died at the age of 75 on the 13 August 1895 from complications dealing with his heart. We also learn that he was born in 1819. Casper’s name is spelled with a “K” for Kasper on the Certificate. I have also seen his first name spelled “CaspAr” on Census and other records.
Downers Grove (Illinois) Reporter newspaper 23 August 1895. Casper Schlick Obituary.
The Wheaton Illinoian newspaper on Friday, 24 August1895 reported the following information concerning Casper: “Casper Schlick, and old resident of this township, died at the home of his son in Hampshire [sic Burlington] on Monday [20 August 1895] and the remains were brought here for interment Wednesday [22 August 1895], the funeral being from the Catholic church [St Michael’s Church in Wheaton]”.
Casper Schlick spent the last eight years of his life in Burlington, Illinois Burlington Township in Kane County. Casper first spend time at the home of his daughter Maria Schneider up to a few months prior to his death. He then lived with his son Joseph Schlick and daughter in-law Mary Ann ( Nee Armbrust) Schlick in their home on Main and Water Streets in downtown Burlington Illinois in Burlington Township of Kane County. His son Joseph had owned a farm strattling the northwest corner of Burlington Township and the southwest portion of Hampshire Township. I will write more on the Schlicks of Burlington and of Winfield Township in future blog postings.
Grave of Casper Schlick. St. Michaels Cemetery Wheaton Illinois Milton Township DuPage County Illinois
One item that will need further investigation is the discrepancy of Casper’s acutal death date. Per one newspaper account it is reported as 20th of August 1895. Another account records his death as the 11th of August. An account written by a relative (Loretta Hermann the daughter of Joseph L. Schlick, Jr.) provides a date of 13 August 1895. The Kane County Death Certificate lists the date of 12 August 1895. His headstone has the date of 2 October 1895. I will have to investigate further why this may have occurred. For the current blog posting I am going by the Death Certificate date of 12 August 1895.
Casper is remembered as ” a kind noble-hearted old gentleman and was most highly respected by all who knew him” (See the Biographical Record of Kane County Illinois, 1898). I do not own any photographs of Casper Schlick.
The wedding party of Frank J. and Mae C. Schlick on 8 October 1932. Wedding took place at St. Irene’s Catholic Church in Warrenville Illinois, Winfield Township DuPage County, Illinois. In photo above is from left to right: Lucille Schlick (Maid of Honor), Mae Catherine Hodous (The Bride), Francis (Frank) J. Schlick (The Groom), and Robert Hodous (Best Man, Mae the bride’s oldest brother),
One of the most cherished items that was passed down in our family was a small diary type booklet that on the cover is titled: The Bride’s Book.
Inside this booklet are the hand written remarks and notes of Mae (Nee Hodous) Schlick written at the time of her wedding. Each page of this preprinted blank dairy/notebook contain a heading with space for the bride to write her memories of the wedding. My grandmother used a fountain pen with black ink to write her comments. The quotations that appear at the beginning each transcription of my grandmothers comments was the topic for each page.
“Our First Meeting“: “Was at Frank’s farm about eight years ago, 1925“
“Happy Hours of Courtship“: Franks spent three years courting. We spent the hours, days, and years. Hiking, fishing, and riding together in the summer and in winter ice skating and other sports.
“The Momentous Proposal“: Happened March 20th 1932.
“Announcing Our Engagement”: We announced our engagement to the world March 21 1932.
“Joyous Entertainment”: We spent our date nights at the theatre or visiting. Sometimes riding. Once we made a trip to Starved Rock [A state park in central Illinois] during the summer of 7 August 1931.
“Surprise Showers”: I didn’t not have any showers made. One reason being the depression [sic The Great Depression of 1930s] second, I have more things that I would even find place to put. One year was spent in making or buying things for our home.
“Come to Our Wedding . . . Trousseau Tales”: Not many people were invited. Those that were invited were: Grandma Schlick[This is Mary Anne Schlick the wife of Joseph Schlick Casper’s father and Franks Grandfather], Berner Family, Blazek Family, I Hodous Family, Charvat Family, A.C. Cox [Manager of St. James Farm and Frank’s boss/supervisor on the farm where he worked.], Boys of St. James Farm, Mr and Mrs Ross [St James Farm Employee], and Martin [Casper Schlick’s brother/Frank’s Uncle] Schlick Family.
My gown was white satin and the veil of silk illusion trimmed with lace. White hose and white maray sandals. The nightgown of white crepe and lace and the underwear of white crepe and lace. Something Old= My mother’s hanky, Something New: My gown and veil, Something Borrowed: Cousin’s pearls, Something Blue = Rosettas as trimming.
“Gifts for Remembrance“: Chest of silver from McCormick Boys, Silver vase from Mr and Mrs Chauncey McCormick [Owner of St. James Farm in Warrenville IL where farm worked in the fields and in their Guernsey Dairy Barns], Card table from Mr. and Mrs. Hermann, Blanket from Lucy and Lucille [Martin Schlick’s twin daughters], Picture from Many and Stanley, Toaster from Grandma Schlick, Goblets from Mr and Mrs Edward Cox [of St. James Farm], Clock from Rev. Father Harnishchmacher [St Irene’s Church in Warrenvill IL.], Silverware from Aunt Armbrust, Salt & Pepper shakers from Mr. and Mrs. Ross [St James Farm Worker may have been the cook/keeper of the St. James Farm Boarding House for Dairy and Field workers?], Casserole from Mr and Mrs. Christ Armbrust, Carpet from John Schlick (Frank’s brother), Carpet from Albert Schlick [Frank’s oldest brother], Utility cabinet from Aunt and Uncle Hodous, Floor lamp from Aunt Blazek, $5.00 from Brother Bob [Robert Hodous], $5.00 from Uncle and Aunt Hodous, $3.00 from Uncle and Aunt Schlick, $5.00 from Aunt and Uncle Charvat, Curtains from Mrs. Kristan, and Rocking Chair from father and mother in law [Casper and Susan Schlick].
The anove brief article is taken from the Hampshire (Illinois) Register from October 1932. Mary Schlick is the Grandmother of Frank Schlick. Mary was a widower in 1932, her husband Joseph Schlick was Mayor of the Village of Burlington, Illinois.
“The Day of Days“: A bright sunny fall day October 8 1932.
“The Tie That Binds“: At high mass at St. Irene’s Churchat 8:00 o’clock mass. The organ playedas Lucille and Frank started down the aisle with Bob and I following. I was then met at the alter by Frank. Everything went along just fine. No mistakes of any kind.”
“Wedding Decorations“: The church was pretlily decorated with flowers. The home was decorated in white and pink. The table was very pretlily decorated with flowers.
“Among Those Present“: Martin Schlick Family, Grandma Schlick, Fred Berner and Family, Ella and Aunt Blazek, Mr and Mrs. Armbrust, Mr. and Mrs. George Hermann, Mr. and Mrs Joseph Schlick, Mrs. William Umbdenstock, Mr. Michael anke, Mr. John Rollins and girl friend, Mr. Ross, Mr. William Anderson, Mr. Mack [The Mack Family had a large farm just to the east of the Schlick Farm on Mack Road], and Miss Weiland.
“Bouquet Blossoms“: Brides bouquet of white tea roses and lily of the valley. The maid of honor bouquet pink tea roses. Grooms boutonniere white roses. Best man pink roses. White carnations for quests.
“Happy Honeymoon” Our honeymoon was spent at home, that is at the in-laws home. Monday after our wedding it rained also Tuesday. Frank and I made it to Burlington, also shopping in Aurora [Illinois]. We had made plans to go to Michigan and Wisconsin, but those dreams on that trip may be made later on.
Downtown Aurora Illinois. A major business and industrial town west of Chicago along the Fox River Illinois.
“Home Again“: Getting settled in a home of our own. We are now living in a seven room house. We call it our: “House of Dreams”. People say it is indeed.
The first home of Frank J. and Mae C. Schlick was located just down the road (Mack Road) from the Schlick Farm. I am in the process of verifying the fact that they rented this home from Casper Schlick prior to building their own home on property once owned by Christopher Daleiden on the east end of Beecher Street in Winfield Illinois.
The last page the booklet is called: “Children’s Birthdays”. Here Grandma Schlick has the following entered on the page: Louise Eleanor 9 October 1934, Mary “Born and died 14 June 1942, and Joseph Francis 11 October 1947.
The baby Mary was born and then died at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Aurora Illinois.
St Joseph Mercy Hospital in Aurora illinois. The old facility is now an assisted living center. This is were my mom and my uncle Joseph or Joey was born. It is amazing to see this building still standing.
The grave of the infant Mary Schlick. The head stone reads: Baby F.J, & M.C. Schlick. The grave is located at the St. John’s Roman Catholic Cemetery on Gary Road and East Street in Winfield, Winfield Township DuPage County Illinois.
Time to take a break during the waning months of winter and cook some real old fashion comfort food. I always like to start with dessert! This recipe is from my Great Grandfather Casper Schlick’s mother Mary Anne (nee Armbrust) Schlick. Mary Anne is the wife of Joseph Schlick. Joseph and Mary lived in Burlington Illinois.
Here is a picture of Mary Anne at a young age:
Mary Anne (Nee Armbrust) Schlick. was born in Bloomingdale Illinois Bloomingdale Township Dupage County Illinois on the 6 April 1860 and died in Burlington, Illinois Burlington Townhship Kane County, Illinois on 23 November 1941.
Here is her obituary published in the Hampshire (Illinois) Register on 27 November 1941;
Mrs. Mary A. Schlick, widow of Joseph Schlick, and for many years a resident of Burlington community, died Sunday morning after a period of several years of failing health. She was born on April 6, 1860 at Bloomingdale snd during her girlhood lived in Wheaton. On October 1, 1878 she was married to Mr. Schlick at Milton, Ill. They began farming near Burlington later that year and moved into the village in 1906. Mr. Schlick died seventeen years ago.
Mrs. Schlick was a charter member of Women’s Catholic Order of Hampshire Court 545. She was a great lover of flowers and her gardens attracted much attention because of their beauty. Survivors include four daughters, Mrs. Frank Wallace of Genoa, Mrs. Wm. Umbdenstock, Mrs. Anthony Seyller and Mrs. Adam Weberpal, of Burlington; three sons, Casper and Martin, of West Chicago and Joseph of Gilberts. There also are thirty-two grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren.
Rosary was recited Tuesday evening at the home in Burlington where the funeral was held Wednesday morning at nine and then from St. Charles Catholic church at nine thirty. Burial was in Hampshire Catholic cemetery.
An online source happened to run across several years ago is a blog titled Glimpses of Winfield. Here is the link for this Blog. The Blog ran from November 2008 to July 2016. Here is the author, Kevin F. Schramer’s, explaination concerning the Blog taken from the Blog’s “About” tab:
This blog features articles from the pages of “The Winfield Glimpses” newspaper. I have been reading a collection of the papers that span from the 1950’s to the 1970’s (and now the 40’s thanks to the microfilm at the Winfield Library). I’m constantly finding interesting articles that reveal the history and personality of our village. I post items that I think are worth sharing, including articles, photos and advertising. New articles are up on this site three times each week (Mon, Wed, Fri). Thanks for stopping by, Kevin F Schramer
Genealogy Research Tip: People reading my blog and new new to family history/genealogy research, need to know the Winfield Glimpses is a secondary source of information. A primary source would be any legal, governmental or church records or a letter or diary written by our relatives. In all your research you need to read secondary sources carefully. Many many contain factual errors or unintentional or sometimes intentional misinformation. You need to verify your facts by finding a primary source for any of the information you decide to record or report in your research.
The Glimpses was published and the newspaper’s first issue was dated July 1, 1947. Louise Spanke, Winfield Historian and Librarian notes that the Glimpses was “Winfield’s first newspaper”.
I will be sharing with any reader of this blog some of the sources I utilized in my research. I own a small pocket sized booklet.
The Nancy Hendrickson’s book was published by Family Tree Books. They also publish a magazine that I can highly recommend: Family Tree. It is published and mailed out six time per year. Family Tree is also available in a digital edition.
Hendrickson’s book is divided up into six chapters: Chapter 1: Colonial American to 1763; Chapter 2 Revolutionary American 1763 to 1783; Chapter 3: An Expanding Nation 1783 to 1830; Chapter 4: Growth, War & Reconstruction 1830 – 1870; Chapter 5: Industrial Revolution 1870 to 1933; and Chapter 5: New Deal and World War II 1933 to 1945.
Each chapter contains historical information, maps, timelines, recipes, and other misc. information within the chapter time frame. I concentrated on Chapter 5 titled Industrial Revolution 1870 to 1933. This Chapter provided me with a capsule overview of the time period I am primarily focusing upon with this blog for my family history research.
The Daleiden and Schicks family lived through some facinating times. Many events took place while the family was living during the 1870 to 1933 time period. Here are some amazing facts I gleamed from this book:
The era began in 1870, the majority of Americans were still working on farms; by 1910 (the year my grandfather was born (Frank Schlick), the workforce had shifted to industry. This era is termed the “Second Industrial Revolution“. I remember my grandmother telling me that Frank was thinking of moving to Gary Indiana to work in the steel mills rather than being a farmer. However, per my grandmother Frank did not want to move far away from his family. He picked farming and working in the outdoors as his live long work and profession.
There was a population shift from rural to urban. A massive number of people were moving from the farm to city.
At the turn of the century, new territories were opening to settlement, new states joined the Union. Skyscrapers, like the Empire State Building towered over cities.
The great Chicago Fire occurred in 1871. Hundreds of people died and thousands were left homeless. The light from the fire could be seen in the western suburbs in DuPage County.
Montgomery Ward and Sears Roebuck and Co. were founded. Sears was known for it catalogs. The catalogs filled the R.F.D. mail boxes of many farm families. One could order just about anything from Sears: clothing, furniture, books, tools and one could even mail order your home. My grandfather also remembers that once the catalogs had expired they were used in outhouses as toilet paper.
There were several fairs or expositions held in the U.S. during this time period: the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Convention, the 1893 Worlds Columbian Exposition (held in Chicago), and the 1932/33 Chicago World’s Fair. I am uncertain if any of my relatives traveled to the 1876 or the 1893 fairs. I do know for a fact that my father was only four weeks old when he attended the 1933 World’s Fair in his mother’s arms. My Grandmother Florence Davis saved the ticket stub:
A Ticket stub from the Chicago Worlds Fair. George S. Davis or “George Davis, Jr.” attended this fair in the arms of his mother.
George S. Davis as toddler. Just learning to walk.
Other information and facts:
Inventions of the era 1870 to 1933:
Steam shovel
Mason jar
Grain elevator
Postcards
Combine harvester
Morse code
Vulcanized rubber
Barbed wire
Lever-action repeating rifle
Cloths pins
As we read and scan the list of inventions one can tell this a transformative era for agriculture and farming in America. Many of the inventions such as the combine harvester were laboring saving machines. Fewer farm people were needed to tend to the farm due to the inventions.
Diseasesin America 1870 to 1933:
Diseases, illnesses, and infections may have interrupted the lives of many of our relatives. Thinking about our current COVID 19 pandemic we can only wonder how some of our relatives coped through the following outbreaks with few medical advancements:
Our Daleiden and Schlick family German immigrants came into the country through Castle Island. Between the years 1855 and 1890 most immigrants entering the port of New York came through Castle Garden, the U.S. first immigrant receiving center and the forerunner of Ellis Island. Castle Garden was located at the tip of Manhattan Island, near Battery Park. The Garden witnessed more than 8 million immigrants during its thirty-five when it was operating.
Hendrickson, in her book records the following statistics regarding German immigration time periods and the number of people immigrating:
1841 -1850 – 434,626
1851 – 1860 – 951,667*
1861 – 1870 – 787,468
The one time period in Bold* (1851 – 1860) was the time frame when both our Schlick (1852) and our Daleiden (1856) relatives immigrated to America. This was considered the highest period of German immigration to America.
In Winfield Illinois on the east end of Beecher street at 27W359 is the former location of the Winfield Cooperative Creamery. This site was once the location of a major company that operated in Winfield.
The former site of the Winfield Cooperative Creamery (27W359 Beecher) in Winfield Illinois Winfield Township DuPage County Illinois.
Here is a brief history of the Creamery written by Louise Spanke in her book: Winfield Good Old Days: A History of Winfield Illinois (1978), (pps 37 – 38):
The biggest local enterprise was the Winfield Cooperative Creamery east of town . . . . In it first year of operation, 1882, Rufus Blanchard recorded that it “consumes 6,000 pounds of milk, manufacturers 120 pounds of butter and 425 pound of cheese daily on an average.” Two years later it was outbidding the Warrenville creamery by 5 cents, to pay dairy farmers $1.55 per hundred pounds.
Jacob Mueller was the treasurer of the creamery and Mathias Elsen [father of Susan Elsen who married William Daleiden the son of Christopher and Margaret Daleiden of Mack Road ] served some years as secretary. In 1887, when Gilbert Higgins and A. G. Ransom did the engineering for a new boiler, “D.A. Rinehart, Superintendent, and John Kline, President, managed the job” according to the Wheaton Illinoian.
Production jumped in 1889 when West Chicago creamery was destroyed by fire. Then in February 1895 the Winfield plant, including the second-floor living quarters of managers Maurice A. Dooley and J.H. Wilcox, met the same fate. It was quickly rebuilt and remained in operation until early in the 1900s. After 1899 it was the property of Jacob Mueller’s son Mathias, who later served the village as clerk and police magistrate.
The creamery was eventually dismantled, and the materials were used in the building on Winfield Road now [1978] occupied by Circle America WinView Realtors.
The Winfield Cooperative Creamery. On the right is Maurice A. Dooley who managed the plant in 1895. The other man is probably John F. Wilcox. (Photo: Winfield Historical Society Photo Archive.)
The property, following the death of Mathias Miller, was purchased by Casper Schlick my great grandfather. Christoper Daleiden his Grandfather owned over 10 acres open farm land west of the Creamery that was used as his hay field according to my grandfather Frank Schlick. Albert Schlick my mother’s uncle lived in the house for a period of time in the 1940s. Albert worked for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad and eventually became a train engineer. The former garage (no longer on the property) was made from a Chicago and Northwestern Railroad boxcar. I can still remember seeing a number with “CNW” printed with a stencil in white paint on the interior walls of the garage. I also remember when I was young finding many remnants (glass, bricks, foundations, butter and cheese crock shards, etc.) buried or under the grass on the property. I grew up in the home at 27w359 Beecher from about the age of 4 until I went away to college in 1986.
Here is a copy of the deed for the Winfield Creamery:
The original deed selling and turning over the property to Matthias “Matt” Mueller from the Winfield Cooperative Creamery Company Board and owners on 28 January 1899. Note: ‘S.M. Higgins” was the owner of Higgins General Store that was at teh corner of what is now Church and Chicago Ave near the former side of the Winfield Train Depot. Matthias Elsen is the father of Susan Elsen. Susan married William T. Daleiden. William was the son of Christopher Daleiden.
The Winfield Creamery was a major business. It served many people who lived and farmed in the Village of Winfield and the surrounding region. The cooperative business model allowed the dairy farmers who produced the milk to control the business and hire a cheesemaker to make and market the cheese produced from their milk. Butter was another dairy product produced by the cooperative. There are still a few cooperatives located near dairy farms and rural areas today.
My grandparents Frank J. and Mae C. Schlick build a home at 27w356 Beecher in Winfield Illinois Winfield Township Winfield Illinois.
1940 U.S. Census Village of Winfield Illinois in Winfield Township DuPage County Illinois. Lines 30 – 32 show Frank, Mae and Louise Schlick living in their new home at 27w356 Beecher.
My mother Louise (nee Schlick) Davis was only three years old when the U.S. Census was recorded on 6 April 1940. The family had just completed building their new home in 1940. World War II has not yet begun. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, an action that would propell the United States into the World War II was still over a year away – December 7, 1941. Many families were emerging from teh economically devasting effects on their family wrought by the Great Depression that began in October 1929.
The Schlick at 27w356 Beecher Street was built by Frank’s Uncle John Armbrust. John lived on what is now Church street and built many homes that are still to this day standing and occupied by families. John Armbrust married Katherine Daleiden. Katherine was the daughter of Chistopher and Margaret Daleiden.
The Frank and Mae Schlick family in the back yard of their home (the garage is behind them) at 27W356 Beecher Street in Winfield Illinois. In this photo (Left to right): Louise, Frank, Mae and Joseph Schlick. Louise is my mother.
Frank and Mae prior to building their own home on Beecher had rented and lived on Mack Road in a home owned by Casper Schlick. I believe that the home and the barn are now part of the DuPage County Forest Preserve District’s McKee Marsh Forest Preserve. This Forest Preserve is near the former Daleiden and Schlick farmstead site.
The Schlicks lived in the home on Beecher from circa 1940 to 1956. My parents George S and Louise Davis occupied the home when my sister and I were very young ( 1959 to mid 1960s). My Grandfather rented the Beecher Street home to Anna Marie Besch (Born 1923 – Died 1987) from the late 1960s until just prior to her death in 1987.
My Grandfather was the Farming Operations Manager for the Brooks McCormick St James Farm equesstrian estate property in Warrenville Illinois. Brooks built a home for Frank and Mae around the mid 1950s on the farm. It was at this point that he began renting the Beecher Street home to my parents and then Anne Besch.
Frank J. Schlick washing the siding on his new home at 27W356 Beecher Street in Winfield Illinois. The home that can be seen across the street at 27W359 Beecher is on the former site of the old Winfield Cooperative Creamery. That house would become the Davis families new home by the mid 1960s.
The Schlick / Davis Home at 27w356 Beecher in 2021.
Mae and Frank returned to live in their home for a short period of time (1985 to 1988) following Frank’s retirement from working on St. James Farm. Following their move off of St. James Farm, their health began to rapidly decline. My personal thought is that once my Grandparents moved off of the farm a part of them died. They both were briefly taken care of at what was then known as Windsor Park Manor Assisted Living Care Center on Norht Avenue near Carol Stream.
Mae died in 1989 and her husband, my grandfather, died in 1993. My mother Louise Davis died in November 1994. My uncle Joseph Schlick was killed in 1968 while serving in the Vietnam War. The Schlicks are all together now side by side at Assumption Cemetery located in Winfield Township Dupage County Illinois. The Cemetery is about a quarter mile south of Illinois Route 38 (Roosevelt Road) on Winfield Road.
The flag pole was donated to the Assumption Cemetery by Frank and Mae Schlick in Memory of their son Joseph Schlick and all veterans buried at the Cemetery.
Willam B. Daleiden was the son of William T. Daleiden. William B.’s grandfather was Christopher Daleiden.
In 1930 per the U.S. Census William was 28 years of age and married to Mary Charlotte ( nee Gudgel). They were living in a house on the corner of what is now known as Liberty and Church Streets in Winfield a few blocks from the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad embankment and depot. This was his grandmother Margaret and Christopher Daleiden’s home. His grandfather Christopher Daleiden had died on 10 July 1910.
According to the Census William was paying his grandmother $25 per month rent to live in the house with his family. The house was located directly north and next door to the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. This house would later be moved and relocated to the corner of Sunnyside and East Street in Winfield. The home is still standing and occupied. I will write more about the house in a future post.
The 1930 U.S. Census also records that William and his wife Mary Charlotte now had a daughter Barbara May born 14 May 1929. Mary and William B. would have two more children: William R. who would be born later in 1930 on 24 November 1930 after the census had been recorded.
Photo of Bluebird Confectionay and Billard Hall – Photo records this as being the Baum Store prior to becoming the Bluebird Winfield Historical Society photo.
This is a photo of Chicago Avenue in Winfield Illinois. This Street runs east and west and runs parallel and just south of the Chicago and Northwestern (now Metra Union Pacific) RR tracks. The store just to the left of the depot and on the opposite side of what was once called Main Street (now Winfield Road)is the Bluebird Confectionary and Billards Parlor. The Store was owned by William B. Daleiden. Winfield Historical Society Photo
William B. was known as being the proprietor of the Bluebird Confectionary Store and Billards Parlor in Winfield. He was one of several merchants serving the residents of Winfield. The store was located initially just south of the railroad tracks on the west side of Main Street (now Winfield Road).
William also served for a term of office on the Winfield Village Board of Trustees from 1928 to 1929 showing his willingness to serve his community and be a leader. Winfield incorporated as a Village in May 1921.
In March 1928 two years prior to the Census being recorded his store experienced a fire. The destruction of his store must have been a devasting blow financially and psychologically to the family. The following item appeared on the front page of the West Chicago Press newspaper dated 15 March 1928:
$ 10,000 LOSS IN FIRE AT WINFIELD TUESDAY MORNING. Bluebird Confectionary Sote and Billard Parlor Completely Demolished by Blaze With Heavy Loss
Winfield was the scene of the most disasterous fire in it history early Tuesday morning when the Bluebird Confectionary Store and Billards Parlor was burned to the ground with a total loss of building and contents estimated at $10,000 [$ 164,000 in 2022]. The store was owned by Wm B. Daleiden of this city.
The cause of the fire, which was discovered at 3:30 Tuesday morning, is unknown. It started in the portion of the building occupied by the billard tables and when discovered was blazing so terrifically that is was impossible to enter the building to save anything.
Winfield has no fire fighting equipment and a call was sent to Wheaton for their fire truck. For some reason Wheaton could not or would not answer the call so a summons was sent to West Chicago. A few of the firemen were gotten together as quickly as possible and hurried to Winfield but the fire had gained such headway . . .
West Chicago Press 15 March 1928. A front page article on the fire that destroyed William B.’s store The Bluebird Confectionary and Billard Parlor. [Note: This is a microfilm copy of the article and due to the microfilming process the later part of the article was rendered un-readable. The Press is available for viewing at the West Chicago Public District Library in West Chicago Illinois ]
William B. Daleiden, was not only a member of the Winfield Board of Trustees and a store merchant but he was also Postmaster for the Village of Winfield Illinois. The Postmaster was a well known member of the community. People had to pickup their mail in person. This was prior to door to door mail delivery was established. Mr. Daleiden would get to know each member of the community due to his role as the postmaster. This is a post that he held from August 1931 through the nineteen forties. William B., per the U.S. Appointments of U.S. Postmasters, 1932-1971 records available from the National Archives and Records Administration and accessed on Ancestry.com, reveal he was confirmed on 5 August 1931, commissioned 24 August 1931, and accepted the “assumed charge” on the 31 August 1931. He was renominated to the post on 10 January 1940, confirmed 19 January 1940, and his commission was signed and mailed on 11 March 1940. He “assumed charge” 1 April 1940.
This photo captures the Bluebird Confectionary Store after it was relocated north of the railroad tracks on the southeast corner of Winfield and Jewell Road in Winfield Illinois. At the time this photo was taken (Circa 1910-1920) the store had been taken over by the Karwoski family. (Photo: Winfield Historical Society Photo Collection).
The store was located across from the Winfield Illinois train depot. What this meant is that many people visiting Winfield may of had time to visit the store to pickup reading material, some snacks and a cigar prior to boarding the train. Also, the Winfield Tuberculosis Sanitarium attracted many people visiting their friends or family members in Winfield. Later, when the Elsen building contained Karwoski’s Bar and Dining Room many of the people would stop by for light snack, lunch or dinner made by Mary Karwoski. This anecdotal story was provided by one of the Karwoski family members during a Winfield Historical Society History Walk during Winfield Good Old Days celebration during the late or mid 2000s.
In Librarian and Winfield Historian Louise Spanke’s book on Winfield History titled Winfield’s Good Old Days: A History (1978), Marguerite Roth who worked with William Daleiden ( See her in the photo below) reminisces about “Bill Daleiden” during an interview with Spanke in the late nineteen seventies (page 185):
“In the early 1930s “Bills Store and Post Office” in the Elsen Building [better known as John’s Buffet] was the gathering place for the young people of the 350 villagers of Winfield. The man who greeted each customer was Bill Daleiden, a man who wore many hats: Postmaster, Storekeeper, most of all Friend.
The store was where they could get 5 and 10 cent ice cream cones, 5 and 10 cent Cokes, 15 cent malts or sundaes and 15 cent ham sandwiches. It had two tables where they could spend . . . time with their friends. Also the busiest part of the store was the “penny candy” counter where for a few pennies the kids walked out with a sack full.
Bill was for the adults too, [with] papers, magazines, tobacco, cigars, bread, rolls and some canned goods. And don’t forget the 10 cent fruit pies.”
Schlick Daleiden Family DuPage/Kane Co. Blog 