Dorothea Schochenmaier (1858-1944)

 After I presented to you Charlotta Schochenmaier (1868-1911), sister of Jacob and Michael, we are moving on to the next lady - Dorothea Schochenmaier, their cousin. 

As you may conclude, if she was a cousin of Michael (1859-1937), Jacob (1861-1924) and Charlotta (1868-1911), Dorothea does belong to my bloodline! And you are absolutely right. But, the most interesting is the fact that she had emigrated to the United States, too. That is why, we got a picture of her family. Besides that, I would even claim that Dorothy might be "migration influencer" or "relocation trend-setter". Just have a look and compare: 

3) Michael Schochenmaier immigrated to US in October 1887. 

2) Jacob Schochenmaier came over to the New World in May 1886.

1) But Dorothea Schochenmaier reached America in June 1885.  At this time, she was officially not Schochenmaier anymore, but Ellwanger, because in 1876 she got married to Wilhelm Ellwanger (1848-1934). 

What if she came first over and then she gave a sign to others that it was OK. Of course, we do not know precisely, maybe the time gaps can be explained by various family conditions and depends on how fast they could get ready for relocation, sell their houses and farms, collect money, etc. I am sure they all kept in touch because after a couple of years in Nebraska (1885-1894), just like Jacob Schochenmaier, her family settled down in Burke (South Dakota), relatively close to the farm of Michael Schochenmaier in Bonesteel. So, she stayed in Gregory County up to 1944. 

When Dora was born on 18 July 1858, in Rohrbach (but it belonged to the Parish of Worms (!), Beresan Colony, Odessa area, South Russia), her father, Gottlieb Schochenmaier (1828), was about 30 years old and her mother, Elisabeth Korb (1834), was 23. She married Wilhelm Ellwanger in 1876e. They were the parents of at least 7 sons and 2 daughters. She lived in Rosebud Indian Reservation, Gregory, South Dakota, United States in 1900. She died on 15 August 1944, in Gregory, Gregory, South Dakota, United States, at the age of 86, and was buried in Gregory, Gregory, South Dakota, United States (see newspaper).

On the Ancestry website, she is noticed as Dora Dorathea Schackenmeyl and in the Obituary as Shouckmier what is absolutely WRONG!

As for her husband, Wilhelm Ellawanger was born in Worms (village next to Rohrbach, Beresan Colony, Odessa area, South Russia) on 17 Dec 1848 to Johannes Georg Ellwanger (1804-1876) and Elisabetha Englehardt (1814-1903). 

Wilhelm Ellwanger married Dora and had 3 children. He passed away on 10 Aug 1934 in Gregory County, South Dakota, USA. 

His grandfather Andreas Ellwanger (1763-1820) emigrated to Russia from Grossheppach, literally "big Heppach", that is today a district within the town of Weinstadt ("Wine City") in Baden-Württemberg. It is located in the Rems Valley approximately 15 km east of Stuttgart, where the Schochenmaiers did a military service in the 18th century. 

Enjoy some pictures of Großheppach: 

   

Even today, the Ellwangers are producing wine in Germany (see the photo to the right). 

I am not sure if the Schochenmaiers are keeping in touch with the Ellwangers, that is why I decided to introduce some of the Dora's descendants: 

1. Wilhelmina "Minnie" Ellwanger (1880-1960), married Fred Hoffer (1876), they lived in Gregory County. No children. 

2.  Wilhelm Jacob Ellwanger (1882-1974), married Lydia Hartmann, moved to Lodi (California). Their children are: 

    a) Edna Elma (1910-2009), elementary school teacher, married Bernard L. Harris.

    b) Herbert Erdman (1911-1996), not married. 

    c) Leona Freda (1913-2011, see the photo), married Edwin Hanson.  

    d) Olga Sarah (1915-2008), married Archie Theisen (1920-1993), relocated to Minnesota. 

    e) Viola A. (1917-2009), married Albert Smith.

    f) Martha B. (1918-2017), Lieutenant (Junior Grade) of the United States Navy.

    g) John Elmer (1927), still alive in Shasta Lake, he is 94, married Carmen Randazzo.

    h) Juanita Naida (1927), married a person named Green. 

 3. Christian Ellwanger (1885-1934), born in Nebraska, died in South Dakota.

 4.  Andreas Ellwanger (1890-1918), called Andrew

 5.  Jacob Ellwanger (1892-1973), married Christina Gall (1904-1993), stayed in NE. 

   a) Henry Jacob (1924-1993, see the photo), married Dorothy Voorhies (1927-2014), moved to Utah. His daughter Frances Ellwanger (1954) helped me in filling in some gaps in my research.

  b) Harold Reinhold (1930-2011), stayed in Nebraska. He graduated from Bible School in Ottumwa, Iowa as an ordained minister. He later graduated from Scottsbluff Junior College with a degree in elementary education. Harold taught in several rural Nebraska schools.

 c) Cora Bernetta (1932-2019, see the photo). She worked as a clerk and assistant manager at Hested’s Five and Dime in Gering and at the Business Farmer Printing Company in Scottsbluff. She returned to her parents’ home in Morrill to care for them.

 d) George Edward (1934), living in Des Moines, married Rosemarie Stapp (1937). 

 e) Marvin Bernard (1936-2017, see the photo), married Ellen Jane Prickett (1940). He graduated from the Platte Valley Bible College. In 1961, they moved to Litchfield, Nebraska to begin a fulltime ministry that lasted for the next 45 years; serving twelve congregations in Nebraska, Montana and Iowa.

 f) Dora Christina (1937), married James Sinner (1940).

 g) Bill John (1944), married Reatha White (1944). 

6. Edward Ellwanger (1893-1950), military veteran.

7. Frederick Ellwanger (1897-1948), married Freda Schamber (1897-1975).

  a) Hilda Pauline (1917-2008, see the photo), moved to Idaho. 

  b) Fredrick Robert (1920-1993), married Ethel Blanchard (1922) 

  c) William (1920-2015, see the photo), married Isabella Stickler. They made their home in Pierre where he worked as a carpenter for several different people eventually starting his own construction company. Bill was a member of the VFW and American Legion. 

 d) Rudy (1922-2013), married LaVern Schroeder, no children, stayed in South Dakota. 

 e) Esther (1926-2012), finished high school and enough college to teach in a country school until she was married to Ted (Theodore A.) Witt. Relocated to Idaho. Esther was a member of The Grace Lutheran Church. Some of her favorite memories are of teaching the children's Bible studies during the summers.

 f) Arthur (1933-2005), served in the Army from 1951 to 1954. He was a part of the atomic tests in Nevada and the Korean War. United in marriage to Ella L. Roush at the Methodist Church in Draper. Art went to work for Francis Plumbing before starting his own business, Art's Ditching, in the 1960s.

Working tools of Michael Schochenmaier (1859-1937)

 It was interesting to get to know that descendants of Michael Schochenmaier do still possess some things that he had brought from the Russian Empire with him to the New World in 1887. 

For example, the wood working tools of Michael. They were given to Michael's grandson Albert Schochenmaier (1913-2007). After the passing of Albert's oldest son Jerald Schochenmaier (1939-1999), the 4 pieces (plain, draw knife, square, level) are in possession of his brother Allen Schochenmaier (1947).

Do your children know what those tools are for?)))

Charlotta Schochenmaier (1868-1911/13)

Very often in the context of the emigrated Schochenmaiers, I limit my research by two brothers: Michael and Jacob Schochenmaier. However, we should not forget that they had sisters and cousins who had reached the New World as well. Today I'd like to introduce Charlotta Schochenmaier, their sister (see the picture, taken in Odessa in 1890s). 

Due to some info on the Internet, I thought she had emigrated to the U.S. with her husband Daniel Klein (1867-1922). 

In 2019, I was contacted by Donald Hendrix (Friday Harbor, Washington, USA) who made a family research for his cousin that descended from Emilia Klein (born 1898), daughter of Charlotta Schochenmaier. In his research, he is convinced that Charlotta probably died in the Russian Empire shortly before the family had left. Don wrote: 

"I have concluded from reading the obituaries of this family that Charlotte must have died in Odessa shortly after (or during) the birth of William Klein 18 Mar 1911.  Her husband seemingly then married Katherina Bollinger and they had a child named Heinrich (Henry in the US) Klein, b. 2 Apr 1912.  The younger Klein children, Katharina and their father then came to the US by ship, entering New York harbor in December of 1913.

One possible problem with this is the two entries in the Ellis Island record for Adam Klein and Lamuch Klein whose dob correspond to Samuel T. Klen and William Klein, both of whose obituaries state were born near Odessa.  The authorities might have made a spelling mistake but these names are pretty far from those used by these children in the US."

If you know anything about that, please let us know! Is anybody in contact with the Kleins?

Here is his lists of their children: 

Children of Charlotte Schochenmaier (1868 - 1911) and Daniel Klein (12 Dec 1867 - 18 Jun 1922):

Daniel

Daniel Klein, b. Odessa, South Russia 24 Oct 1891; d. 31 May 1945 Wilton, North Dakota, m. 1912 Catherine Bauer, Odessa, South Russia

Jacob D. Klein, 26 Feb 1893, Odessa, South Russia, d. 11 Apr 1971, Bismarck, Burleigh, North Dakota, m. 13 Mar 1917 Margaret Hein, Bismark, Burleigh, North Dakota

Elizabeth Klein, 2 Sep 1895 Odessa, South Russia, d. 24 Apr 1985 Bismarck, Burleigh, North Dakota, m. Rudolph Klein

Charlotte Klein, b. 5 Jun 1896, Odessa, d. 19 Nov 1966, Lodi, California m. Jacob Wagner 19 Jul 1915

Charlotte, Elizabeth and Emilia/Amelia

Emilia (Emily) Klein, b. 23 Jun 1898 Odessa, Russia; d. 10 Dec 1969 Snohomish, Washington; m. 14 Oct 1916 Gottlieb (George) Keck, 21 Dec 1892, Güldendorf, South Russia, d. Oct 1979 Kirkland, King, Washington 

Katherine (Katie) Klein, b. 20 Mar 1900 Neu-Schampoly, Russia; d. 16 Dec 2000 Bismarck, North Dakota, m. 23 Mar 1919 Christ Neumiller

Minnie Klein, b. 6 Feb 1902, Odessa, Russia; d. 14 May 1991 Bismarck, Burleigh, North Dakota, m. Henry Ollenburger 18 Oct 1922 Bismarck, Burleigh, North Dakota

Rose Klein, b. 10 Jul 1905 Odessa, South Russia; d. 5 May 2003, Bismarck, Burleigh, North Dakota, m. 1950 Walter Stacey

Robertha (Bertha) Klein, b. 2 Apr 1907, Odessa, South Russia, d. 26 Oct 2006, Portland, Multnomah,Oregon, m. James Mahnkey.

Samuel T. Klein, b. Russia 27 Feb, 1909, d. 22 Jul 1984, Puyallup, Pierce, Washington, William Klein, b. 18 Mar 1911, Neu-Schampoly, Russia d. 28 Jul 1979 Bismarck, North Dakota, m. Helen Siebel, b. 1911, d. 2000. 

Jeryle Klein

Children of Katherine Bollinger (b. 1881 - 1942) and Daniel Klein (12 Dec 1867 – 18 Jun 1922 Mercer, McLean, North Dakota):

Heinrich (Henry) Klein, b. 12 Apr 1912, Odessa, South Russia, d. 17 Oct 1987 Bismarck, Burleigh, North Dakota. I could even find his son Jeryle Klein (1949-2016). 

Ludwig (Louie) J. Klein, b. 30 Dec 1913, d. 17 May 2002, m. Hilda (Tillie) Weber 23 Sep 1941, Glendive, Dawson, Montana. Louie was b. just after the family entered New York Harbor

Ted Klein

Theodore (Ted) Klein, b. 27 Apr 1915, d. 8 Jan 2011, Bismarck, Burleigh, North Dakota m. Olga Brose, 19 Mar 1939 in Bismarck, Burleigh, North Dakota. Olga was b. 18 Oct 1919, d. 16 Feb 2011

Herman Klein, b. 27 Jun 1917, d. 24 Jul 2000 Bismarck, Burleigh, North Dakota, m. Tillie Weber 5 Jun 1943 Linton, North Dakota, she was b. 18 Jun 1921, d. 19 Mar 1997

Hildagard (Hilda) May Klein, b. 1919 m. Raymond J. Mraz, b. 1923 d. 1955

Rudolph (Ralph) Klein, b. 19 Feb 1922, d. 1 Dec 1955 Bismarck, Raleigh, North Dakota

Adeline (Lena) May Klein, b. Wilson twp., Burleigh, North Dakota 20 May 1922, d. 23 Dec 2009 Portland, Oregon, m. Arthur M. Bitterman, b. 1919 McLean, North Dakota, d. 2000

_________________________________________________________________________

The 1930 Federal Census of Boyd, North Dakota shows that Katherine Bollinger had remarried John Schlepp after Daniel Klein died and Henry, Louis, Ted, Herman, Hilda, Ralph and Adaline Klein were all listed as step-children in the John Schlepp household. All of these children were born in North Dakota except Henry who was born in Odessa. William’s obituary states his parents were Charlotte Schochenmaier and Daniel Klein. Henry’s obituary states that his parents were Katherine Bollander and Daniel Klein.