Brother & Sister: Ludwig "Louis" Spohr & Amalia "Molly" Spohr Shaefer

Recently I got an email from Lauren Partida, a descendant of my great, great grandfather's sister, and we have been sharing information and photographs about our Spohr and Shaefer families.   I went through my genealogy file and wrote out all the info I currently have about these families to send to her, and I thought I'd share it here too:

My mom's father was Carl John Spohr Jr., and his father was Carl John Spohr, and his father was Ludwig Spohr (who went by Louis after he came to the United States).  Ludwig and his family spoke German and were born in Böhmen (Bohemia), which was then part of the Austrian Empire.  Now these towns are currently located in the Czech Republic, and many of the town names have been changed from their original German names to Czech names.

Ludwig Spohr was the 7th and youngest child of Karl Spor and Ludmilla Breinl.  This is what we've learned about their family so far:

Karl Spor was born 16 Jan 1825 in a Bohemian town called Salesel, the son of Jannes Franziskus Spor & Johanna Katharina Pannowitz.  On 10 January 1860 in a town called Graslitz, Karl Spor married Ludmilla Breinl.  Ludmilla was born 14 Dec 1839 in Graslitz, the daughter of Friedrich Breinl and Amalia Dotzauer.  Karl & Ludmilla had 7 children, all born in the town of Eger:

1. Karl Christof Spohr, born 26 Apr 1860.

2. Anna Elisabetha Spohr, born 9 Jun 1861.

3. Johanna Spohr, born 18 Jun 1863.

4. Rosa Francisca Spohr, born 3 Dec 1865.

5. Mathilda Amalia Spohr, born 14 Mar 1867.  (Her birth record lists her name as Mathilda Amalia, but all other records we have found for her refer to her only as Amalia, or some form of that name, including Molly after she went to the US).

6. Lumila Spohr, born 24 Feb 1870.

7. Ludwig Spohr, born 6 Aug 1871.

Even with the higher  mortality rate of the past, it seems that this family had it especially hard:  In 1863 little Johanna died before her third birthday, then two years later baby Rosa Francisca died before she was 2 weeks old, then 5 years later in 1870 baby Ludmila died at just 3 hours after her birth.  In 1873, when their youngest child, Ludwig, was 1 1/2 years old, Ludmilla Breinl Spor died, leaving their surviving children without a mother.  Then in 1878 when Ludwig was 6 years old, Karl Spor also passed away, leaving the children orphans.  Two years later, the eldest daughter, Anna Elisabetha, died at age 18.  (And although we have done significant research to learn about the fate of the eldest son, Karl Christof, we have not yet been able to find any mention of him other than his birth record -- so we do not yet know if he survived to adulthood or not).  So by the time that the two remaining children, Amalia and Ludwig, were ages 13 and 8 respectively, they did not have any surviving parents or siblings (except possibly the brother, Karl Christof).

In Aug 1883, at age 16, Amalia arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, having departed from a port in Bremen, Germany, on a ship named "Nurnberg."  

Mathilda Amalia "Molly" Spohr Schaefer, my 2nd great aunt 

(I was so excited when Lauren sent me a copy of this photo of Amalia since I had never seen a picture of her before).

And 3 years later on 13 Sep 1886 her younger brother Ludwig arrived in Baltimore, also traveling through Bremen, on a ship named "Rhein."  The ship's passenger list listed 15 year old Ludwig as a citizen of Bohemia, carrying 1 piece of baggage, and "intending protracted sojourn." 

Ludwig, "Louis" Spohr, my 2nd great grandfather

In 1890 Amalia Spohr was naturalized a US citizen, in 1896 or 1897 (around age 29) she was married to William Albert Schaefer, and by 1900 she and her family were living in Venice, Madison County, Illinois.  Amalia, who also went by”Amalie,” "Amelia," or "Molly" in the United States, was the second wife of William Albert Schaefer, who was born 2 Feb 1862 in Germany, the son of Ferdinand Schäfer.  William's first wife was Mary Strobel, born about 1861 in Germany, and they were married about 1888 in St. Louis, Missouri.  Mary and William had 3 children before William re-married to Amalia Spohr in 1896 or 1897: William Albert Jr., Wilhelmina "Minnie" C., & George A. Schaefer.  William and Amalia went on to have 5 more children together: Annie "Nonnie," Agnes, Louis Christopher, a child that did not survive, and Lydia "Liddie" Shaefer.  And we can see from some US Census records that William's three children from his first marriage were raised with their younger half siblings by William & Amalia.  In a few different Illinois towns, William Albert Schaefer worked at a General Hauling Company, as a Sand Pit Operator, a Foreman at a Steel Works company, a Teamster, a Merchant for a Coal Company, and a Blacksmith.  Amalia Schaefer died at age 65 on 15 March 1932 in Granite City, Madison, Illinois.  On 28 Oct 1945 in Granite City her husband passed away at age 83.  They were both buried in Edwardsville, Madison, Illinois. 

On 31 Aug 1898 at age 27, Ludwig Spohr married Anna Marie Ott in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Anna Marie Ott was also from Bohemia, the eldest daughter of Josef Ott & Maria Anna Strunz, and she was born on 10 Aug 1874 in a town called Putschirn.  Anna Ott and her siblings were all born in Putschirn, except her youngest brother, Louis Christopher Ott, who was born in Ohio after the family immigrated to the United States together (they arrived in the US between 1881 and 1884).  After Ludwig & Anna’s marriage in 1898, they moved to Madison County, Illinois where Ludwig (“Louis”) worked several different jobs for the next few years, including Carpenter, Banker, & Confectionery.  Between 1899 and 1903, Anna had 4 sons, 2 of which did not survive past childhood.

In 1912 the Spohr family was living in Madison, Madison, Illinois -- their home was upstairs on the second story, above the downstairs confectionery shop.  On 23 Dec 1912 at age 41, Ludwig didn't come upstairs for lunch as was his usual habit and Anna went downstairs to find that he had fallen, and hit his head and died in the store.  The boys, Louis & Carl, were ages 13 and 9 at the time their father died.  Anna Marie Ott Spohr lived until 21 Jan 1961 when she passed away at age 86 in Edwardsville, IL.  Ludwig & Anna were both buried in St. John Cemetery in Granite City, Madison, Illinois.  Ludwig & Anna's youngest son, Carl John Spohr, was my great grandpa.

Ludwig "Louis" Spohr and Anna Marie Ott Spohr, my 2nd great grandparents

Ludwig's family:

Children of Ludwig "Louis" Spohr & Anna Marie Ott:

1. Louis Christopher Spohr, born 23 Oct 1899 in Madison, Madison, Illinois.  (On 2 May 1925 in Carlinville, Macoupin, IL Louis married Florence Frances Graham, daughter of John George Graham & Susie, born 1903 in St. Louis & died 1988 in Maryville, Madison, IL.  Louis & Florence has 3 children: 1. Louis John Spohr born 21 Jun 1928 in Granite City, 2. Dolores Anne Spohr born 7 May 1931 in Madison & died May 2001, & 3. Frank K. Spohr, born 14 Sep 1932 in Granite City).  Louis Christopher Spohr died 19 Sep 1949 in Stookey, St. Clair, Illinois.

2. Twin boy (1), born and died sometime between 1900 and 1910 in either Madison County, IL or St. Louis, MO.

3. Twin boy (2), born and died sometime between 1900 and 1910 in either Madison County, IL or St. Louis, MO.

4. Carl John Spohr, born 21 Sep 1903 in St. Louis, MO.  (On 14 Aug 1929 in Granite City Carl married Nettie Dorothy Graham, daughter of John George Graham & Susie Florence Dobbins, born 1907 in Granite City, and died 1980 in Kansas City, MO.  Carl & Nettie has one child: Carl John Spohr Jr., born 28 Jun 1930 in Madison, IL and died 31 May 2003 in Lee's Summit, MO).  Carl John Spohr (Sr.) died 20 Jun 1979 in Granite City, IL.

Amalia's family:

Children of William Albert Schaefer & Mary Strobel:

1. William Albert Schaefer Jr., born 27 Jul 1889 in St. Louis, Missouri.  (William Jr. later married Gladys Jane Golden, and they had 3 daughters, the youngest named Virginia E. Schaefer born 24 Mar 1918 in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, and died 31 May 2007 in Coraopolis, PA.  I have no information about their first two daughters).  William Jr. died Oct 1967 in Georgetown, PA.

2. Wilhelmina "Minnie" C. Schaefer, born 7 Sept 1890 in Missouri.  (On 18 Nov 1908 in St. Louis, Minnie married Fredrich William Hilker, son of Gustav Hilcker and Elizabeth Hahn, born in 1886 in St. Louis, MO, died 1968 in Sacramento, CA.  Minnie and Fredrich had two children: 1. Fred A. Hilker, born about Mar 1910 in Illinois, & 2. Marie Elizabeth Hilker, born 2 Dec 1911 in Illinois, died 17 Jan 2004 in Arcadia, CA).  Minnie died 13 Nov 1987 in Orroyo Grande, CA. 

3. George A. Schaefer, born 24 Apr 1893 in Madison, Illinois.  (On 30 Aug 1917 in St. Louis Geroge married Bertha Elizabeth Keiderling, daughter of Henry Keiderling & Elizabeth S. Spree-Lorenz, born 1898 in Nameoki, Illinois, died 1975 in Sacramento, CA.  George and Bertha had 3 children: 1. Dorothy Elizabeth Schaefer 19 May 1991 in IL, died 22 Sep 1987 in Sacramento, 2. Albert Schaefer, born 1922 in IL, & 3. George Schaefer born 1924 in IL).  George A. Schaefer died Mar 1987 in Rancho Cardova, CA.

Amalia Spohr Schaefer and William Albert Schaefer, my 2nd great aunt & uncle

Children of William Albert Schaefer & Amalia "Molly" Spohr:

1. Annie "Nonnie" Shaefer, born Aug 1897 in Illinois.  (Married in 1924 to Kenneth C. Ross.  Kenneth was the son of William S. Ross and Emma D. McNeill, born about 1894 or 1898 in Minnesotta, and died in the 1970s in Florida.  Nonnie & Kenneth had no children).  Nonnie died between 1974 and 1979 in Florida.

2. Agnes Schaefer, born 21 May 1900 in Illinois.  (Married Raymond Beck in 1922.  Raymond Beck was born in 1900 in Illinois.  Agnes and Ray were divorced and had no children).  Agnes died in the 1950s.

3. Louis Christopher Schaefer, born 21 May 1900 in Illinois.  (Married Sara May Frazier, born 4 Aug 1902 in IL or MO, died 25 Mar 1976 in Bakersfield, CA.  Louis and Sara had 2 children: 1. Mary Lois Schaefer, born 18 Jan 1925, died 16 Jun 2008 in Bakersfield, CA, & 2. Louis William Schaefer, born 20 May 1928 in Madison, IL).  Louis Christopher Shaefer died 25 Aug 1990 in Oceano, CA.

4. Child born and died between 1896 and 1910.  (According to the 1910 census, Amalia Schaefer was the mother of 5 children, and 4 of her children were living as of 1910.  Assuming that the child that died was born during her marriage to William, we can suppose that this child was born sometime between 1896 and 1910). 

5. Lydia Schaefer, born 1905 in Illinois.  (In 1925 or 1926 Lydia married Oliver Scott , born 1904 in Michigan, died in Florida in the 1970s.  Lydia and Oliver had two children: 1. Robert Oliver Scott, born Oct 1928 or 1929 in Illinois, and 2. Suzanne Scott born 1936).  Lydia passed away in Florida in the 1970s.

I am excited to go through photos I have, and as Lauren continues to send copies of photos she has I hope to be able to identify some of the people in our previously unidentified family photographs.  I'll post the photos she sends me, and more of our findings soon.