William Leontes Curry:
History of the Union County, Ohio;
its people, industries and institutions
Puplisher: Indianapolis , Ind. B. F. Bowen & Co. 1915
OH page 914 (E-book page 91)
EDWARD ANDREW SCHAMBS.
One of the leading citizens of Richwood, Ohio, is Edward Andrew
Schambs, who is the proprietor of the Richwood Light, Heat and Power Com-
pany. He comes from sterling German ancestry, and those characteristics
which have made the Germans such excellent citizens of the United States
have contributed in no small measure to the success which has attended his
efforts. He is a man who is deeply interested in the welfare of Richwood
and gives his hearty support to all measures of public welfare.
Edward A. Schambs, the son of Mathias P. and Mary C. (Barkdoll)
Schambs, was born in Wauseon, Fulton county, Ohio, September 6, 1869.
His father was a native of Germany and came to America with his parents
when he was a young lad. He was blind until four years of age, when his
eyesight was restored. Mathias P. Schambs located with his parents first in
Cincinnati, and later moved to Mansfield, Ohio, and there permanently settled.
In that city Mathias Schambs grew to manhood and after his marriage moved
to Wauseon, where he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business for
several years. He then enlisted in the cavalry branch of the Union army
and served for three months, after which he re-enlisted and served three years
longer, being discharged from the service on account of wounds received in
battle. After leaving the service Mathias C. Schambs went to Huntington,
West Virginia, and engaged in the furniture business there for several years,
after which he removed to Mansfield, Ohio, and lived until 1908. Since that
year he has lived in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma, where he looks after his
extensive real estate interests. He was reared a Catholic, but he and his wife
are now members of the English Lutheran curch. Six children have been
born to Mathias C. Schambs and wife: George M., of Cardington, Ohio;
Edward A., of Richwood, Ohio ; Bertha, single, of Portland, Oregon ; Mary,
the wife of Clayton Hildun, of New York city: Beulah, the wife of George
Tobias, of Portland, Oregon, and one, the first born, who died in infancy.
The paternal grandparents of Edward A. Schambs were natives of
Worms, Germany, who came to America and located in Mansfield, Ohio,
where they died at an advanced age. They reared a large family of children,
among them being Mathias, George, John, Magdalena and Christina. The
maternal grandparents of Mr. Schambs, Barkdoll by name, were of English
descent,' and early settlers in Maryland. Later they came to Ohio and located
at Mansfield, where he lived to an extremely old age and his wife until the
age of seventy. Mr. and Mrs. Barkdoll reared a family of seven children,
George, Peter, Daniel. Joseph, Magdalena, Susanna and Mary C.
Edward A. Schambs was reared in Wauseon, Ohio, Hunting, West Vir-
ginia, and Mansfield, Ohio. He graduated from the high school at Mansfield,
Ohio, and then secured a position in the ticket office of the Erie railroad at
Mansfield, but remained there only a short time. He then went with the
Hicks-Brown Milling Company as bookkeeper, and two years later was made
cashier of this company, holding this position for two years. Wishing to
engage in business for himself, he became interested in the manufacture of
furniture at Mansfield, Ohio, and later engaged in the electrical business,
building the electric light plant at New Lexington, Perry county, Ohio. In
1899 he went to Richwood, Ohio, and built the electric light plant in that place.
The Richwood Light, Heat & Power Company is capitalized at twenty thou-
sand dollars and is giving excellent service to the village of Richwood. In
addition his interest in the light, heat and power plant. Mr. Schambs is Vice-
president and a director in the First National Bank, of Richwood. and also
operates a farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres through C. W. Fisher.
Mr. Schambs was married May 2, 1890, to Jennie Grace Cummins, the
daughter of Capt. A. C. and (Newman) Cummins, of Mansfield, Ohio.
His wife died in January of the following year. Later Mr. Schambs was
married to Mary [Margaret Beer, of Bucyrus, Ohio), the daughter of William
C. and Mary (Swingley) Beer, and to this union six children have been born,
Edward A., Marion Paul, Dorothy, George, Margaret and Cyrus. Edward
A. is attending the military-academy at Staunton. Virginia and the other
children are attending the public schools of Richwood.
Mrs. Schambs was born in Bucyrus, Ohio, and her parents are both
natives of this state, her mother's birth also occurring in Bucyrus. Her father
died and her mother is still living in Bucyrus. Three children were born to
Mr and Mrs. Beer: Frederick T., deceased: William C. and Mary Margaret,
the wife of Mr. Schambs.
Mr. Schambs is a member of the Lutheran church, while his wife holds
her membership in the Presbyterian church. Fraternally, Mr. Schambs is a
member of the Free and Accepted Masons and has attained to all the degrees
in the York Rite, including the Knights Templar degree. Politically, he is a
Republican with progressive tendencies, but owing to his extensive business
interests, he has never been active in political matters. The family residence
is on South Franklin street, Richwood, Ohio, where they have a beautiful
home and where they entertain their many friends.
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