SECOND GENERATION

7. Louis Walter SCHUMACHER ^{(4)(5) (6)} was born on 3 Mar 1888 in Altamont, IL. He died on 8 Jun 1972 in Rockford, IL. There are many notes about "Uncle Walter" and several articles that were written by him. I have included a couple that I have in my files. (T. C. Lively)

March 1991
Walter and his brother and sisters grew up on the "Blue Mound Farm" of a quarter section (160 acres) bought for $4,000 in 1884 by their parents, John and Bertha. They attended the Blue Mound one room country school-H. H. Bailey was one of the teachers.

Thanksgiving Day father John announced they would move their house across the road to one acre he had bought from a neighbor so they would be in the Altamont High School district--he paid $100 for the acre. All the children received a high school education.

Walter enjoyed nature and never tired of telling about watching the prairie chickens at courtship time in the spring, etc. He taught at Prairie Cottage country school, then went to Elwood where he helped a cousin William in an elevator. He met and married Julia who was from a pioneer family near Elwood--she had a brother Elton. Walter and Julia lived in Chicago when Walter began as a Railway Mail Clerk for the Chicago and Alton Railroad between Chicago and St. Louis. Then they built a brick home in Elwood. He was dedicated to Altamont, Elwood, the Methodist Church, his home--he enjoyed gardening, flowers, travel, nature, and family. Julia suffered a stroke and was in a nursing home and very well cared for the last months of her life. During this time they observed their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

Walter sold the Elwood home and moved to Wesley Willows Methodist Retirement home in Rockford. Mary Lou Huck, a retired Methodist Deaconess was social director at Wesley Willows and on Walter's eightieth birthday he announced their engagement. They were married in Newton by Mary Lou's brother-in-law, Rev. Hines in the Hines home. Mary Lou still lives at Wesley Willows as does her brother, a retired college professor, her sister Anna, a retired Home advisor; and her sister Rev. Mrs. Hines. Mary Lou continued the small garden on the Wesley Willows grounds she and Walter started until the last couple of years.

Walter had written for the Schumacher Family History in July 23, 1969. An excerpt of this has been included in the Schumacher Family Cookbook published in 1992 and I have also included it here.

John Schumacher, our father, was born December 12, 1850, in Bessendorf, Germany. When he was a boy he came with his parents to America on a sailing ship, 49 days enroute.

Mother Schumacher, Bertha Klitzing, was born March 19, 1854, in Grosz Below, Kreis Demmin Vor Pommern, Germany. She came to America in 1857.

(The Schumachers and Klitzings) settle first in Cook County (then) came to Effingham County.

My (our) parents, John and Bertha, first lived Northeast of Altamont near the old Ehlers home, then move to the Blue Mound farm until 1918, when they moved to town.

Nine children were born. The first two died young from black diphtheria. We grew up as a family of five boys and two girls. We always ate well and were clothed warmly in the winter, with mittens and socks knitted by our mother and grandmother Klitzing.

Father's and mother's education was limited. They read their German Bile, the church paper, Apologete, and the Milwaukee Abenpost. They were interested in education, however, and insisted on our attending school every day. He )our father) move our house across the road so we could all graduate from the Altamont High School.

We may not have been left much of the world's goods, but what is far more important, we have as a heritage a sincere love for our country, a devotion to our family and a Christian background that sustains us to this very day.

I think the seed was sown in that daring voyage of 49 days and the desire of FREEDOM and DIGNITY. I hope the succeeding generations will make a sincere effort to live by the principles of their forebears.

The following is from Robert Marvin Schumacher, Sr.,
"I compiled this life history and ideas from various sources."--Bob

Louis Walter Schumacher was born March 3, 1888. He was the sixth child born to John and Bertha.

He grew up on the Blue Mound Farm in the prairie grass area near Altamont, Illinois. He recalled many memories of his pioneer family.

As he writes, "When I was a boy of 8 or 10, I remember the prairie grass still growing in the fence rows and along the roads. Prairie grass fires were early hazards."

He remembers the Prairie Chickens. "One morning early as I started out to the pasture to fetch the cows for milking. I heard them. I crawled on my belly along a picket fence. . . to within 50 feet of them." He goes on to describe the courting activities of the Prairie Chickens.

Walter attended the Blue Mound one room country school until the fifth grade. As he writes, "In 1895, I started to school. H. H. Bailey was the teacher." He remembers his father telling H. H. Bailey, "I got four boys going to school to you and I want you to learn 'em something."

Walter recalls the family house being moved across the road onto one acre of land purchase for $100 so the children could go to Altamont High School. "It took several days to move the house on rollers with a windlass, horse drawn." He calls this "pioneer initiative."

"When the electric lights were first installed in Altamont, they penetrated the darkness even as far out as our house. The party telephones after the turn of the century were greatly enjoyed. Our ring was one long and three shorts on a line of nine (parties). What fun we had eavesdropping. Automobile, radio, TV, space exploration. . . . What an era in to which to have spent a lifetime."

"I can look back on our home life with a lot of cherished memories. Of course, there were many lean years, yet, we always ate well and were clothed warmly in the winter."

In his writings, Walter emphasizes the family heritage. As he writes, "We. . . have been left. . . a heritage, a sincere love for our country, a devotion to our family and a Christian background. When I survey the education evident in. . . generations of the Schumachers, I think the seed was sown in the daring voyage of 49 days (in 1863)."

Starting school at age seven in 1895, Walter graduated from Altamont High School in 1908. He attended Eastern Illinois State Normal School at Charleston, Illinois.

After two years of teaching in the Prairie Cottage one room country school, Walter served as teacher and principal of the Elwood Public Schools for three years. He is pictured with Miss Fanny Bruce, teacher and community woman in 1911. There is also a picture of Walter with his students in 1912.

It is speculated that both Walter and Arthur were recruited to Elwood by Margarettt Redden (school trustee and farmer's wife) and by their Cousin William who ran the local grain elevator.

It is speculated that Walter left teaching about the time he married Julia Hemphill on February 2, 1914.

Walter entered the Railway Mail Service (formerly called the Railway Post Office). His assigned run was on the Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio railroad between Chicago and St. Louis. He sorted mail, picked up mail, and delivered mail at rail stops. He worked on the train for six days (stopping only in Chicago and St. Louis long enough to sleep) and then was off for six days. He retired in 1951.

Through the years, Walter devoted much attention toward the Elwood Methodist Church. He taught a Sunday School Class for over thirty years, served on the board of trustees, and was church treasurer. He and Brother Arthur contributed time and money toward the rebuilding of the church which burned in 1920. Again Walter and Arthur teamed up to purchase a parsonage for the church pastor.

Walter was a 50 year member of the Elwood Masonic Lodge and is a Past Master. He was also a member of the Eastern Star.

Among his hobbies were woodworking--We all remember his bird houses and the martin hotel - swings and yard decorations. He loved to fish and spent his summer times at Hunky Dory. Walter was an avid gardener - raising vegetables and flowers in Elwood as well as at Wesley Willows. When Cameras first came into use, Walter took black and white still and moving pictures. He wrote many poems and short stories. Walter made frequent trips to visit with his relatives. He traveled extensively in the United States.

Walter and Julia enjoyed 51 years of devotion to each other. Julia passed away September 24, 1965.

As Walter wrote in his 1967 Christmas letter, the "decision to dispose of my home and property was not easy." He moved into Wesley Willow, a Methodist Retirement Home, in Rockford, Illinois, August 1, 1967.

Walter found the folks at Wesley Willows friendly, congenial, and concerned for each other. Since he had a broad background of experiences to draw from and because he was a friendly, likeable person, he became quickly adjusted and loved by the folks at Wesley Willows.

On May 25, 1968, Walter married Mary Lou Huck, a retired Methodist Deaconess, who was social director at Wesley Willows. They were married in Newton, Illinois by Reverend Hines in the Hines home.

The next four years were happy times for Walter and Mary Lou. They traveled extensively and shared experience of life together. (Updated 1999)

He was married to Julia HEMPHILL on 2 Feb 1914. Julia HEMPHILL was born on 3 Aug 1882. She died on 24 Sep 1965.

He was married to Mary Lou HUCK on 25 May 1968 in Newton, IL.