- Otto Schembs of New Jersey
CLICK to trace the ancestors of Otto Schembs - Otto Schembs (*1901, +1973)
- Otto Schembs emigrated in 1926 from Darmstadt. Few Schömbs emigrated from Germany during the early part of the Twentieth Century. Otto began a small flurry of activity in the late 1920's. His story is told in the following parts:
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- Otto, son of Otto
- Otto's Early Life in Germany
- Emigration
- Marriage to Louise Euler
- The War Years
- Descendants of Otto Schembs
- Otto Schembs, son of Otto Schembs
The family of Otto Schembs (*1872, +1951) and Marie Haack, circa 1920
Standing: Otto Schembs (*1901), Karl Schembs (*1900) and Marie
Sitting: Tina, Karola and Otto (*1872)- Otto Schembs was was born in (the city of) Darmstadt and lived his early years there. He was the son of Otto Schembs (*1872, +1951)and Marie Haack (*1871, +1947). They lived at 23 Muehlstrasse, Darmstadt. Otto (*1872) was a designer and maker of hand crafted coffins. In addition to son Otto, they had three other children; Karl (*1900, +1966), Karola and Tina.
- Otto's Early Life in Germany
- After high school Otto worked in an office but was not happy with that line of work. He and his prospective wife Louise started a small business in Darmstadt making and selling sweaters.
- Emigration
- In 1921, Otto asked his aunt Tina to get in touch with their relatives in Buffalo, New York (the family of Adam J. Schembs). After a long time they received a letter from his aunt Susie in Buffalo. She and her husband (Vrooman) made it possible for Otto to emigrate to the United States. He waited three years for a visa.
Otto and Louise Schembs' sweater store in Darmstadt
Prior to their emigration in 1926- On January 15, 1926, Otto arrived in New York after a stormy crossing on a small ship out of Copenhagen, Denmark. Soon after his arrival he made arrangements for Louise to follow him. Louise received her visa in just five months. When she arrived in New York harbor, she said she was moved to tears upon seeing the Statue of Liberty.[1]
- Marriage to Louise Euler
- Otto and Louise Euler (*1906, +1974) were married in June 1926, the same day she arrived in New York. A condition of her visa required them to be married immediately. They traveled to Buffalo where they lived with Aunt Susie and her husband at 222 West Tupper Street. They started their own small shop selling food to tourists along the boardwalk next to Niagara Falls.
- On October 23, 1928, Otto mailed a letter to his father in Germany. The letter traveled on the maiden voyage of the dirigible Graf Zeppelin from the U.S. to Germany. It is interesting to notice the cost of the postage in 1928 --- $1.05. This was the early days of international air service. In 2005 the postage would be $.80. Not many things cost less today than 77 years ago.
The front and back of Otto's letter home to Darmstadt
aboard the maiden flight of the dirigible Graf Zeppelin across the Atlantic- On March 26, 1930, Otto and Louise had their only child, Roger Otto Schembs (*1930). In 1931 they moved to New Jersey where they purchased a delicatessen in South Orange. After a few years they sold the business and purchased another deli in Kearny. In 1940, they settled down, buying a delicatessen in Millburn, New Jersey, which they owned until they retired in 1965. They resided at 897 Ridgewood Road, Millburn.
- The War Years
One of the favorite family photographs of Otto (*1930),
it is believed to be of his Grandfather Peter Josef Schembs (*1845) in the center
perhaps with sons "Karl" Friederich (*1871) and Otto (*1872- During the Second World War, Otto and Louise felt the antagonism that some of their customers had against Germans. Some even stopped shopping because of their strong feelings. At the same time, Otto and Louise grieved for their loved ones living in Darmstadt. The day the newspapers announced an Allied firebombing of Darmstadt was very sad for them.[1]
- Surprisingly, after the War they learned that all of their relatives had survived, but they had little to eat and conditions were desperate. Otto and Louise sent numerous "care" packages containing clothes, coffee, lard, can goods and cigarettes, to their German family which they could trade for other things they needed. Over the next five years hundreds and hundreds of these care packages helped their relatives to get back on their feet.[1]
- Otto and Louise were Lutherans. They are buried at the Hollywood Cemetery, Union, New Jersey.
- Descendants of Otto Schembs
- Children: (1)
- 1.1.....Roger Otto Schembs (*1930, +08.2020 Coral Springs FL)
- On a trip to Germany with his parents in 1937, Roger met his grandfather and grandmother (Otto Schembs (*1872, +1951) and Marie Haack Schembs (*1871, +1947) for the first and only time. Germany was preparing for war; parades and swastikas were everywhere. On a bus ride through the Alps, German troops were on maneuvers and practiced shooting blanks at the bus. It was a game then; something more serious later.[1]
While staying with his grandparents, Roger played football with his cousin, Karl, who later lost a leg in the War. He was several years older than Roger but still very young to go to war. 
Gloria and Roger Schembs - In 1948, Roger graduated from Millburn High School and went to the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School in Philadelphia. He graduated in 1952 during the Korean War. While in School, Roger joined the ROTC program and after graduation served two years as an officer in the U.S. Army Infantry.
After leaving the service, Roger joined General Motors Acceptance Corporation in Newark and later New York City. He met his wife-to-be, Gloria Palmer (*1935, +2000) and they were married in August, 1955.
In 1961, Roger joined the competition, Ford Motor Credit in Dearborn, Michigan, where he worked for 27 years. He retired in 1988.
Roger and Gloria retired to southern Florida in the late 1990s. They were in a serious auto accident in 2000. Gloria died from her injuries. Roger was seriously injured but has slowly recovered in the ten years since. Roger lives in a retirement home in Tamarac, Florida. - Children: (3)
- 3.1.....Roger Alan Schembs (*1956, +2005)
- Roger Alan met Florence Elizabeth Sweeney (*1954) during the 1970's in San Francisco. They knew each other casually, then did not see each other for twenty-some years. They met again in 1998. This time the relationship matured, and they were married in 2002. They lived in Clear Lake, CA, where they enjoyed a peaceful and quiet life. They liked to walk in the parks and fish in Clear Lake for relaxation. But they still loved San Francisco and went back to visit on a regular basis, just two hours away. Roger passed away in May, 2005, after a long illness.
From left: Flo and Roger Schembs, Sandy, Lauren, and Mark Majewski - 3.2.....Sandra Lynn Schembs (*1958)
- Sandra married Mark Majewski (*1959). They moved from Michigan to Florida in 1987 to enjoy the nice Florida weather. Their daughter Lauren was born in 1994. Mark is employed by Bell South and enjoys playing golf. Sandy works with a dental company in Ft. Lauderdale and both she and Lauren enjoy going to the beach as often as possible.
- Children: (1)
- 1.1.....Lauren Elizabeth Majewski (*1994)
- 3.3.....Paul David Schembs (*1961, +2015)
- Paul married Kecia Ann Odom (*1964)
- Children: (1)
- 1.1.....Paul Jerrod Schembs (*1989)
Paul David Schembs Paul Jerrod Schembs