Wilhelm Schömbs (James) of Galena, Illinois

William Schoembs (James) of Galena, Illinois

CLICK to trace the ancestors of Wilhelm Schömbs (James)

Who was William Schoembs James?

Johann Wilhelm Schömbs was the birthname of William Schoembs, the immigrant who settled first in Galena, Illinois. He was the first born child of Johann Schömbs (*1780 Walheim) and Anna Maria Neumer (*Friesenheim). Joh. Wilhelm was born 05 November 1810 in Hahnheim, a small village one kilometer from Wahlheim/Wahlheimerhof and three km north of Undenheim.

His Marriage

On 21 September 1835 Wilhelm and Francisca Wettig (*~1811 Framersheim, +~1852) were married in Sulzheim. They were both about 25 years old at the time. Sulzheim is 10 km to the west of Hahnheim. Their marriage was prior to the emigration of any known family members to Amerika and to the beginning of the first major wave of emigration from Germany to the United States.

Their Early Children

Wilhelm and Francisca began their family in 1836 with the birth of Elisabeth "Elisa" Schömbs. Their second, Apollonia, was born a year later, and Maria (*1839) and Michael (*1841). The family lived in Sulzheim, where Wilhelm was a baker by trade.

Their Emigration and Settling in Galena, Illinois

In January, 1842, Johann Wilhelm, Francisca, and their three children emigrated to Amerika. Johann followed his cousin Heinrich Schömbs (also from Hahnheim and born in 1810) who had emigrated in 1840. Their passage was on the ship "Plato", arriving in Philadelphia on 7 July. Their two year old daughter Maria had died on 18 June at sea. This can be seen in a small note on the passenger list at the far right. Their son Michael had apparently died prior to their emigration. In addition to the passenger list shown above, a card was made out for each of the immigrants, probably upon their arrival in Philadelphia. There are cards for their children Elisabeth, Apollonia and Maria. Two things are worthy of comment here. First, there were actually two slightly different cards made out for each of the emigrants, e.g. Apollonia's first and then her second. Notice the spelling of her given name is quite different on the second card. The first agrees with the passenger list. The second was closer to the correct spelling. Also two cards were made for Maria even though she was deceased. The cards were probably made from the passenger list and the transcriber did not notice the note about her death at sea. Their journey took them fairly directly to Galena, Illinois. Galena is a small town on the Mississippi River in the very northwest corner of Illinois. Here their fifth and sixth children, Mary (*1843) and Frances (*1850) respectively, were born. In Amerika Johann Wilhelm Schömbs became William Schoembs. William is known to have been a laborer in Galena.

As an interesting aside, Galena gained fame, but after William Schoembs had moved to Hokah. From the Website of U.S. Grant: "In May, 1860, Ulysses S. Grant moves to Galena and accepts a clerkship at his father's leather store at $800 a year. He lives in a comfortable, snug house on a hill, fronting a cemetery." Then after the Civil War Grant returned to Galena. "May 21, 1868, Nominated as a candidate for President by the Republican National Convention in Chicago. Grant does no campaigning and lolls about his Galena, Illinois home." He was elected President of the United States that Fall. After his presidency, Grant wrote much of his memoires in Galena.

The Death of Frances Wettig Schoembs

About a year after the birth of their daughter Frances in 1850, Frances (1811-1852), the mother, passed away. We know nothing about the cause of death. At that time William, age 42, was a single parent with four daughters, ages 2-15.

The Move to Hokah, Minnesota

In about 1852 William and his daughters moved from Galena to Hokah, Minnesota. Hokah is located in the far southeast corner of Minnesota, also on the Mississippi, and 100 miles upriver from Galena. In Hokah, William was a farmer.

The Schoenhards

In October, 1855, William sold his 80 acre property in Galena to Valentine Schoenhard. The sale price was $215, or $2.70 per acre.

Naturalization of William Schoembs

On 18 May 1857 William returned to Galena to appear in court to declare his intention to become a citizen of the United States. His witnesses were Mr. J. Meaupin and Mr. Redfearn, both of Jodaviess County in which Galena is located. His Naturalization was finalized on 17 August 1859.

The Name Change to "James"

Letter from the U.S. Treasury Department, dated 1884, "...in the case of William Schoembs or James..."

Sometime around 1860 William decided to change his family name. William Schoembs became "William James". While other Schömbs emigrants followed his example, William was the one of the first. The others were cousins, and must have been in contact with William. Otherwise they would not have known of this event, and would not have also chosen "James". Interestingly, some of the Schoenhards also decided to change their name. They chose "Shanard".

The Will and the Civil War

The beginning of the will of William James

The end of the will, executed by William Schoembs

William James enlisted in the Union Army to fight in the Civil War. In 1861 he enlisted with the Wisconsin Cavalry Volunteers, 2nd Regiment, Company H. In recognition of the risks of war, William executed a last will and testiment on 28 February 1862. In his will he distributes his various real estate and other assets to his four daughters. The will begins "The last will and testament of William James (underline added) ....." Yet William signs as William Schoembs. Near the bottom of the will he adds "..., provided further that if I survive the present war and come home all the above property shall be mine to dispose of as I see fit."

The Death of William Schoembs James

William's premonition about the War was somewhat correct. He died, but before he went into combat. However, there is conflicting information about exactly when he died. Some documentation claims that William died on 1 February 1862 by "falling between two (rail)cars" as he was on a train from Chicago to St. Louis. The Declaration of Minor Children for Pension form states William James died "on or about the First day of February AD 1862"; Another paper for Proof that there are no other Heirs states that "he died on or about the First day of February, 1862 near Chicago, Illinois." On 16 February 1862 General U.S. Grant and the Union Army took Fort Donelson, Tennessee - "the first Union victory of strategic importance in the war." Perhaps William and his Company were on their way to Fort Donelson. Yet the last will and testiment clearly indicates that it was executed on 28 February 1862. A letter from the Adjutant General's office says "But on the Muster Roll of Co. H of that Regiment for the months of Mar and Apr, 1862, there is the following evidence of service: He is reported 'Deceased on Rail Road on the journey from Chicago to Illinois town March 23, 1862.'" Only this last document allows for the execution of the will on 28 February. An article in the local paper serving Hokah dated April 15, 1862 announces the death of William. It does not give the date of his death, but given that the news did not reach home until early April, a date in late March is more likely. The distance from where he died back to Hokah was less than 300 miles.

The Daughters of William and Frances

Couples, from left: Apollonia (James) and Hiram Griffin; Elisa (James) and Jacob Becker;
Mary (James) and William Thoman; and Frances (James) and John Schulz. Circa 1878.

Of the six children born to William and Frances, four survived to become adults. They were all daughters and they all married. We have the photograph to the left of the four sisters with their husbands seated in front of them.

Life on the Frontier

Life was not easy as people began settling on the frontier. But then it had not been in Germany either. As mentioned, two of William and Frances' six children died at very young ages. But with the next generations, it was no different. Three of Elisa's nine died before their eighth birthdays. Two of Frances' children drowned. James Becker, son of Elisa, and his wife lost four of their ten children before they were two years old.

Descendants of William Schoembs James

Note: The towns of Hokah, Houston, and Caledonia, as well as the townships of Brownsville, Union, and Blackhammer, are all located in Houston County, Minnesota. The town of Shakopee is in Scott County. These towns and townships are cited frequently in the family history which follows.

Children: (6)

6.1.....Elisabeth "Elisa" Schoembs (James) (*10.03.1836 Dutsheim, Germany, +25.09.1914 Rushford, MN)

The Jacob Becker farmhouse, circa 1871
From left: Elisa, Jacob, a boarder (older woman sitting),
and possibly two farmhands

Elisa was about 15 at the time her mother died, and 16 when William and his four daughters moved from Galena, Ilinois, to Hokah, Minnesota. The family was one of the first settlers in the area and there were only one or two other women there. Elisa's responsibilitiess included, among other things, caring for their newly built log home, as well as for her three younger sisters, the youngest being 2 years old.

Elisa married Jacob Becker (*25.09.1832 Obermiesau, Pfalz, Bavaria, +07.05.1908 Hokah, MN) on October 23, 1858, in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. The wedding took place in the Catholic Church in LaCrosse, as there was no Church in Hokah. The Church was quite new. Travel to LaCrosse, which undoubtedly was done regularly, involved crossing the Mississippi River.

Elisa and Jacob had nine children, although three died before they were 8 years old.

Standing: Abbie, Ella, Anna, and Harriet Sitting: William, Jacob, Elisa, and James D.
Family Photo circa 1895-1900

Children: (9)

9.1.....Frances E. Becker (*05.12.1859 in Union Twp, +22.04.1866 in Union Twp, MN)

Frances was the first child baptized in the new Catholic Church in LaCrosse. She died as a six year old.

9.2.....James D. Becker (*11.07.1861 Union Twp, MN, +15.04.1939 Hokah, MN)

James Becker married Lucinda Walter (*15.07.1864 Freeburg MN, +07.01.1930 Brownsville MN). They were married on June 18, 1889 in Brownsville. James worked at Hokah Mill, was in the hardware business, a carpenter, insurance agent, and mailman during his career.

Children: (10)

10.1.....George W. Becker (*11.03.1890 Hokah MN, +10.11.1977 Portland OR)

George married Bess. He was a carpenter by trade.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Marvin Becker

3.2.....Bill Becker

3.3.....George Becker

10.2.....Irene Becker (*04.08.1891 Hokah MN, +18.02.1972 Portland, OR)

Irene married twice. Irene first married Roy (RO) Sabin (*1890, +03.06.1945 Aberdeen SD) on April 28, 1920 in Mobridge, SD. She later married George Jacques. Irene was a teacher.

10.3.....Jacob Becker (*18.01.1893 Hokah MN, +05.1965 MN)

Jacob married Mary Flavin (*16.04.1901, +28.12.1927 Austin MN) on July 10, 1920, in Austin, Minnesota.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Betty Jane Becker (*1922)

10.4.....Ralph E "Smokey" Becker (*07.11.1894 Hokah MN, +1947 Livingston, NJ)

Smokey married Agnes Orr Cross on December 11, 1928, in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He was an investigator in the claims department at Public Service.

10.5.....William W. "Squirtz" Becker (*20.02.1897 Hokah MN, +30.07.1973 Tomah WI)

Squirtz married Esther Gstalder (*04.02.1901, +06.1975). Squirtz was a printer by trade.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Marilyn Becker

Marilyn married Dennis Stillings.

2.2.....Rita Ann Becker (*10.07.1935, +11.07.1935)

10.6.....Catherine E Becker (*21.01.1899 Hokah MN +17.04.1900 Hokah MN)

10.7.....Harriet Becker (*28.08.1900 Hokah MN, +19.03.1901 Hokah MN)

10.8.....Eugene Ward Becker (*03.02.1902 Hokah MN, +06.07.1903 Hokah MN)

10.9.....Walter Becker (*21.06.1903 Hokah MN)

Walter married Betty.

10.10.....Henrietta Becker (*06.09.1909 Hokah MN, +08.09.1909 Hokah MN)

The Four Becker Daughters
Left: Anna; Top: Abbie; Right: Ella; Bottom: Harriet

9.3.....Mary A. Becker (*14.03.1863, +02.04.1863)

9.4.....Abulonia "Abbie" Becker (*30.08.1864 Union Twp MN, +18.10.1956 La Crosse, WI)

Abbie was a music teacher in La Crosse.

9.5.....Elizabeth F. Becker (*16.08.1867 Union Twp MN, +03.11.1874 Hokah Twp MN)

Elizabeth died at the age of seven.

9.6.....William E. Becker (*27.05.1869 Hokah MN, +09.03.1925 in Spirit Lake IA)

On July 9, 1901 William Becker married Meta F. Wittenberg (*01.10.1875, +08.02.1974 Spirit Lake IA). William was in the grain business, working for Rippe Grain.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Elizabeth Becker

Elizabeth married Carl Olhs in October, 1925, in Spirit Lake, Iowa.

2.2.....Frances Becker (*~1908)

Frances was a school teacher. She married a man with the name Leonard.

9.7.....Ella Mae Becker (*10.02.1871 Union Twp MN, +29.08.1932 La Crosse WI)

Ella Mae married John J. Conniff (*14.02.1874 Union Twp MN, +07.05.1955 La Crosse WI). Ella was a dressmaker by trade. The wedding took place on January 17, 1906, in La Crescent, Minnesota.


Wedding Picture (1906) of John Conniff and Ella Mae Becker	The Conniff Farmhouse. John bought the farm in about 1906, so it would have looked like this. On the left was a summer kitchen. The living quarters were on the ground floor with bedrooms on the second floor.

Both John and Ella had invalid parents that they were taking care of at the time of their courtship and marriage. Perhaps this is why they waited to get married. At the time of the wedding, John was 31 years old and Ella was 34.

The Conniff home had had quite a history, and was well known in the area in the last half of the 19th Century.

The Caledonia Argus, a local newspaper in an article dated July 9, 1981 wrote about the old home:

The history books say that the Halfway House was the first home in the area, built sometime between 1850 and 1855. (built of stone) The three tiered building was called the Halfway House because of its location midway between La Crosse (WI) and Portland Prairie, near Eitzen (MN). Early settlers traveling in covered wagons through Houston County rarely could travel more that a few miles per day due to the frequently muddy or impassable roads. The hospitality of the Halfway House became well known for the comforts of having five bedrooms, warm food in the kitchen, and a bar room in the basement. Local settlers used the 15'X25' front room for dances and as a meeting place. Trappers bartered with fur buyers over the price of their pelts. Farmers hauled grain, and waited for farm supplies."

The three Conniff sons were raised in the home, with one son inheriting it when John and Ella passed away. The home is still in the Conniff family.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Cecil J. Conniff (*11.06.1907 Union Twp MN, +06.02.1980 Lynwood CA)

Cecil married Shirlee Marcroft (*1920 Salt Lake City UT) on November 27, 1943, in Arizona.

Children: (2)

2.1.....John Conniff (*1944 CA)

John married Mary.

2.2.....Rex Carl Conniff (*07.05.1953 Compton CA, +07.05.1953 Compton CA)

3.2.....Lloyd M. Conniff (*13.04.1909 Union Twp MN, +10.05.1983 La Crosse WI)

Lloyd was married June 11, 1934, in St. Peters's Catholic Church in Hokah to Mona M. Corcoran (*29.01.1912 Brownsville Twp MN, +18.01.2001 La Crosse WI).

Children: (5)

5.1.....Duane J. Conniff (*1937 La Crosse WI)

Duane and Joan M. Reining (*1941 Rochester MN) were married in St. Pius X Catholic Church, Rochester MN, on August 3, 1963.

Children: (5)

5.1.....Ann M Conniff (*1965 La Crosse WI)

Ann married James "Jami" Menden (*1964 Shakopee MN) on August 1, 1987, in Hokah.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Timothy J Menden (*1989 Shakopee MN)

3.2.....Ryan T Menden (*1992 Shakopee MN)

3.3.....Jessica R Menden (*1995 Shakopee MN)

5.2.....Rose M Conniff (*1967)

Rose and Louis Nash (*1956 Greenville, MS) were married June 4, 1994, in Hokah.

Children: (3)

3.1.....John Henry Nash (*1996 Greenville MS, +06.11.1996 Greenville MS)

3.2.....Sarah A Nash (*1998 Greenville MS)

3.3.....Bo T Nash (*2000 Oxford MS)

5.3.....Mark D Conniff (*1968 La Crosse WI)

Mark married Shannon Lynch (*1977) on 17.07.1999 in Caledonia.

Children: (4)

4.1.....Amber R Conniff (*1999 La Crosse WI)

4.2.....Kaitlin M Conniff (*2001 La Crosse WI)

4.3.....Tanner J Conniff (*2002 La Crosse WI)

4.4.....Caleb W Conniff (*2005 LaCrosse WI)

5.4.....Kevin J Conniff (*1969 La Crosse WI)

Kevin and Amy Mike (*1969 St. Paul MN) were married 02.10.1993 in White Bear Lake, MN.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Jill M Conniff (*1995 Moorhead MN)

2.2.....Eric J Conniff (*1997 Shakopee MN)

5.5.....Alan Conniff (*1975 La Crosse WI)

Alan married Kathryn Kadlec (*1975 Farmington MN) 06 Jun 1998 in Winona, MN.

5.2.....Dennis L Conniff (*1943 La Crosse WI)

Dennis was married 16 Apr 1966 to JoAnn Killelea (*1942 La Crosse WI). The wedding was at St. Joseph's the Workman Cathedral, La Crosse WI.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Jeffrey D Conniff (*1967 La Crosse WI)

2.2.....Douglas M Conniff (*1969 La Crosse WI)

Doug married Laurie Page (*1963) on 04.08.1989.

Children: (4)

4.1.....David Conniff (*1990)

4.2.....Keith Conniff (*1992)

4.3.....Broaderick Conniff (*1996)

4.4.....Audrey Conniff (*1998)

5.3.....Daniel R Conniff (*1946 La Crosse WI)

Daniel and Jamie Evans (*1946) were married 08.09.1973 in St. Joseph's the Workman Cathedral, La Crosse WI)

Children: (3)

3.1.....Peter Conniff (*1973 La Crosse WI)

3.2.....Richard Conniff (*1977 La Crosse WI)

3.3.....Jennifer Conniff (*1979 La Crosse WI)

Children: (1)

1.1.....Cameron Williams (*1997 La Crosse WI)

5.4.....James M Conniff (*1948 La Crosse WI)

Jim married Nancy Scott (*1951 Cuyahoga Falls OH) in Winona on 20.10.1979.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Alison Conniff (*1981 La Crosse WI)

3.2.....Catherine (Katy) Conniff (*1988 La Crosse WI)

3.3.....April Conniff (*1992 La Crosse WI)

5.5.....Kay E Conniff (*1953 La Crosse WI)

Kay and Vern S Yolton (*1951) were married 15.11.1975 in St. Peter's Catholic Church, Hokah.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Rebecca Yolton (*1982 La Crosse WI)

2.2.....Melissa Yolton (*1983)

3.3.....Jerome Conniff (*05.07.1911 Union Twp MN, +03.04.1988 La Crosse WI)

Jerome has been married twice. On 12.10.1940 in Winona he married Melba Jesmer (*09.12.1910 Winona MN, +02.05.1964 La Crosse WI). They had one child. Jerome later married Marie (Reinhart) Roraff.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Joyce Conniff (*05.08.1941 La Crosse WI, +24.06.1995 Houston MN)

Joyce married Roland "Rolly" Jones (*1939) on 14.07.1962.

Children: (4)

4.1.....Sandra Jones (*1962)

4.2.....Thomas Jones (*1964)

Thomas married Constance Hall.

4.3.....Patricia Jones (*1966)

4.4.....Timothy Jones (*1968)

Timothy married Jennifer.

Picture of Hokah,
circa 1930s

9.8.....Anna D Becker (*19.09.1872 Hokah Twp MN, +10.08.1961 La Crosse, WI)

Anna married William A. (Bill) Conniff (*16.08.1877 Brownsville Twp MN, +16.04.1962 Mabel MN). The wedding was on 07 Mar 1916 at St. Peter's Catholic Church, Hokah, MN.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Ramona Conniff (*18.01.1917 Iona Lake MN, +06.06.1995 Hokah MN)

Ramona married Charles (Red) Janca (*21.07.1912 Chicago IL, +28.01.1982 Hokah MN) on 16 May 1946 at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Hokah.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Mary Janca

Mary married Paul Mahlum.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Paul Mahlum

Paul married a woman by the name of Dawn.

3.2.....Kathy Mahlum

Kathy married John Clauson.

3.3.....Charles Mahlum

Charles married Lisa.

2.2.....Jane Janca

Jane married Steve McCartney in her first marriage. They had three children.

Children: (6)

6.1.....Cassie McCartney

6.2.....Chris McCartney

6.3.....Chad McCartney

In her second marriage Jane was wed to Terri Padrnos and they too had three children.

6.4.....Donald Padrnos

6.5.....Eric Padrnos

6.6.....Colin Padrnos

2.2.....Madonna A Conniff (*03.02.1919 Houston County MN, +30.03.2005 La Crosse WI)

On 29.08.1964 in Winona, Madonna married Peter Loomis (*15.12.1913 Middle Ridge WI, +05.01.2003 La Crosse WI).

9.9.....Harriet Becker (*30.06.1876 Hokah Twp MN, +14.05.1947 Minneapolis MN)

Harriet married Samuel N. Ristey (*25.07.1870 Blackhammer Twp MN, +24.09.1941 Minneapolis MN) on 02.10.1901 in Hokah.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Jerome N Ristey (*05.07.1902, +08.1976)

Jerome and Dorothy Hess (*19.03.1902, +03.1982) were married.

Children: (2)

2.1.....William J "Bill" Ristey

Bill married a woman with the first name Betty.

Children: (4)

4.1.....Cathy Ristey (*Abt 1967)

4.2.....John Ristey (*Abt 1969)

4.3.....Sara Ristey (*Abt 1971)

4.4.....Michael Ristey (*Abt 1980)

2.2.....Barbara Ann Ristey

Barbara married Bill Aherns.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Billy Aherns (*Abt 1964)

3.2.....Jerry Aherns (*Abt 1968)

3.3.....Kurt Aherns (*Abt 1973)

2.2.....Bethona Ristey (*13.06.1907, +02.01.1989 Minneapolis MN)

6.2.....Apollonia "Abbie" Schoembs (James) (*1837 Germany, +03.07.1913 Bailey, IA)

Abbie was married on 21.11.1854 in Houson County, Minnesota to Hiram Griffin (*Abt 1830 Canada, +06.11.1911 Bailey IA).

Children: (7)

7.1.....Eliza Jane Griffin (*Abt 1855 MN, +09.11.1934 Minneapolis MN)

Eliza married JW Arms. Arms passed away prior to 1900. At that time Eliza was living in Burlington, Vermont. They had no children, per the Census. By 1930 she had moved back to Minnesota and was living in Minneapolis.

7.2.....Charles F Griffin (*Abt 1858 Mitchell Co, IA)

Charles married Elsie (*Abt 1868).

Children: (5)

5.1.....Orville Griffin (*Abt 1884)

5.2.....Mirribelle Griffin (*Abt 1887)

5.3.....Myrtle Griffin (*Abt 1891)

5.4.....William S Griffin (*Abt 1893)

5.5.....Lola E Griffin (*Abt 1895)

7.3.....William H Griffin (*Abt 1859 Mitchell Co, IA)

Bill Griffin married Jessie (*Abt 1866).

Children: (4)

4.1.....Lloyd Griffin (*Abt 1891)

4.2.....Linn Griffin (*Abt 1891)

4.3.....Harry J Griffin (*Abt 1892)

Harry married, but we do not know his wife's name.

4.4.....Howard Griffin (*Abt 1893)

7.4.....Walter (GW) Griffin (*Abt 1861 Mitchell Co, IA)

Walter married Estella "Stella" (*Abt 1874) on 14.05.1889 in LeRoy, MN.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Griffin

Griffin married J. Parker.

7.5.....Arthur Griffin (*Abt 1864 Mitchell Co, IA)

7.6.....Cora Griffin (*Abt 1866 Mitchell Co, IA)

Cora married Carl B Stringer (*Abt 1862 IL).

Children: (1)

1.1.....Arthur C Stringer (*Abt 1890)

7.7.....Frank Griffin (*Abt 1872 Mitchell Co, IA)

Frank married Daisy P. (*Abt 1876 OH).

Children: (1)

1.1.....Griffin

6.3.....Maria Schoembs (*Abt 1840, +18.06.1842 at sea)

6.4.....Michael Schoembs (*Abt 1842, +prior to the family's emigration)

6.5.....Anna "Mary" Schoembs (James) (*11.08.1843 Galena, IL, +07.08.1904 Hokah MN)

Mary, the first of two daughters of Wilhelm born in Amerika, was married 30.06.1866 in Caledonia, MN to William Thoman (*13.12.1844 Esne, Wurtenberg, Germany). William was another German immigrant. Mary suffered from epilepsy the last thirty years of her life.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Edith "Eda" Thoman (*4.30.1869 Brownsville MN, +9.6.1948 Tacoma WA)

Eda was married on 01.05.1895 to Charles C. Snure (*8/17/1870 Hokah MN, +10/22/1940 Tacoma WA). Charles was the son of John Clark Snure (*1834) and Adelaide Hostacher Snure. Charles worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad as a switchman. In about 1900 Charles and Eda and their son Norman moved from Minnnesota to Tacoma, Washington, where he probably continued working for the railroad.

During their first 16 years in Tacoma the family lived in several different locations and moving almost every year. Then they settled into one address for seventeen years until 1935. In 1935 Eda and Charles broke up and lived separately for the rest of their lives. Many of these years were spent living with their children.

1904	1410 E. 26th	AFTER 1935:
1905	S. 19th & Washington	Eda:
1906	1905 S. Adams	1935-1941	8237 S. E (Fawcett)
1907	15th & S. Pine	1941-1948	With her son Clark at Surprise Lake
1908	E. 33rd	Charles:
1909-1910	1623 Wright Avenue	1935-1936	With his son Norman at 2836 Union
1911-1914	306 E. 29th	1937-1938	With his daughter Erma at 4315 S. Sheridan
1915	2611 E. E Street	1939-1940	1316 Market
1916	505 E. 29th
1917-1934	8237 S. E Street

Children: (3)

3.1.....Norman C. Snure (*1898 Hokah WI)

3.2.....Clark W. Snure (*1903 Tacoma WA)

Clark and Clara Sievert were married and had one child.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Clark B. Snure (*1930 Tacoma WA)

Edith Thoman Snure (*1869)
and her grandson Clark B. Snure (*1930)

Clark married Marilyn Krekow.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Kraig C. Snure (*1960)

3.2.....Kirk A. Snure (*1962)

Kirk married Donna Johnson. They have two children.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Axl Dean Snure (*1993)

2.2.....Colton Clark Snure (*1996)

3.3.....Brian K. Snure (*1964)

Brian married Leslie Westgard.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Erika Claire Snure (*1993)

2.2.....Emily Jean Snure (*1996)

3.3.....Erma Snure (*1908)

Erma married but the name of her husband is not known at this time.

Eda and Charles were members of the Presbyterian Church. Eda died of cardiac failure. Charles died of aesophagal cancer. Both were interred by the C.C.Mellinger company in Tacoma.

3.2.....Mary Thoman (*Abt 1871)

Mary and Will Williams (*05.05.1871 Hokah Twp MN, +02.08.1923 Tacoma, WA) were married 01.05.1895.

Children: (4)

4.1.....Pearl Williams (*26.12.1893 Hokah MN)

Pearl married a gentleman by the name of Thorpe.

4.2....."Margie" Genevieve Williams (*27.07.1898 Brownsville MN)

Margie married a man by the name of Pirie.

4.3.....George Williams (*Abt 1899)

4.4.....Emma Williams (*01.06.1901 Hokah MN)

3.3.....William Thoman (*23.06.1877 Brownsville MN, +23.03.1881 Brownsville Twp MN)

6.6.....Frances Schoembs (James) (*30.11.1850 Galena, IL, +07.06.1921 Sioux Falls, SD)

Frances also married a German emigrant. His name was John Schulz (*27.04. 1851 Kreis, W. Prussia, +07.06.1902 Hokah MN). They were married in 1876, the year of the nation's first centennial. Frances and John had seven children. The first two were sons. Both died by drowning at early ages.

Children: (7)

7.1.....John J. Schulz (*10.09.1877 Hokah MN , +09.05.1880 Hokah MN

John, the first child of Frances and John drowned from falling into a cistern at the age of two years.

7.2.....August "Willie" Schulz (*09.09.1878, +06.05.1889 Hokah MN)

Willie fell off a bridge as a 10 year old. He drowned.

7.3.....Frances E Schulz (*Abt 1881)

Frances married a Charles Bladl on 12.02.1900.

Children: (4)

4.1.....Josie Bladl

4.2.....Carl Bladl

4.3.....Kathryn Bladl

4.4.....John Bladl (*12.12.1900)

John Bladl married Katharine Martens in Chili, Wisconsin.

7.4.....Apollonia "Leona" Schulz (*20.09.1882 Hokah Twp MN, +06.11.1968 Caledonia MN)

Leona married Walter D. Becker (*05.03.1877 Union Twp MN, +22.01.1951 Caledonia MN) in La Crescent, Minnesota, on 27.11.1906. As noted below, Walter's younger brother William married Leona's younger sister Ella Mae.

Children: (2)

2.1.....Raphael Becker (*19.03.1911 Union Twp MN, +14.02.1963 Caledonia MN)

Raphael married Cora Thorson (*27.07.1917) on 26.12.1938 in Caledonia.

Children: (5)

5.1.....Gerald Becker (*25.02.1942 Spring Grove MN, +03.11.1989 La Crescent MN)

Gerald was married 27.02.1972 to Cheryl Lacheki.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Anne Becker

5.2.....Charles Becker (*27.03.1944)

5.3.....James Becker (*15.12.1945)

James Becker married Peggy Morrison.

Children: (3)

3.1.....Scott Becker

3.2.....Tanya Becker

3.3.....Katherine Becker

5.4.....Judith Becker (*04.12.1950)

5.5.....Eric Becker (*23.09.1956)

Eric married Sandra Reymus.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Jason Becker

1.1.....Wylon Becker

2.2.....Celestine Becker (*19.06.1919, +07.07.1978 Salt Lake City UT)

Celestine Becker married Clara Fischer.

Children: (1)

1.1.....Joan Becker

7.5.....Ella Mae Schulz (*27.04.1885 Union Twp MN, +25.01.1967 Caledonia MN)

Ella Mae and William C. Becker (*06.07.1883 Caledonia MN, +26.05.1958 Caledonia MN) were married in Caledonia on 28.11.1922. This was the second marriage between the James and Becker families, as Ella Mae's older sister Leona had married Walter Becker in 1906. Sometime after the marriage of her sister Leona to Walter Becker in 1906, Ella Mae and her mother Frances moved in with Leona and Walter. At the time of her marriage, Ella Mae was 37 years and William was 39.

7.6.....Ann Eva Schulz (*21.10.1886, +20.10.1975 Dakota Co, MN)

Ann and Thomas E Sheehan (*in MN, +27.10.1968 Hennepin Co, MN) were married 27.06.1912.

7.7.....Rosabel "Belle" Schulz (*Jan 1891)

Belle married Rhine Dryer (Dreher).

FOOTNOTES:

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