The Frederick Schroeder Family

Oliver Wendell Holmes has said, "Every man is an omnibus in which all his ancestors are seated." We are a Swiss-German, Prussian, English combination.

My great-grandfather, John Thomas Holmes, was the seventh child of Peter and Elizabeth Holmes who had migrated from England. He was born in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia on Feb. 15, 1815. When he was 9 months old, the family came to Muskingum County, Ohio. Here he grew to manhood and married Jane Hill at Mt. Sterling on March 11, 1838.

In 1862, they settled on a farm near Ridgeville. They were buried in the Locust Grove Cemetery at Ridgeville, she in 1898 and he in 1906.

My grandmother was the third of 12 children born in Mt. Sterling on July 29, 1845. She (Mahala Holmes) married Frederick E. Schroeder on Nov. 27, 1873. They were the parents of three sons: William, Frederick, and Edward. William had been known as the first white boy born in Holgate. He spent most of his life in Toledo, working as a hotel clerk. Edward also considered Toledo his home, having worked as a barber and a salesman. In his later years he married Bessie Smith Stuber, a Holgate native, who survives.

1874 - William, born in Holgate - Buried in Ridgeville 1953.

1876 - Fred, born in Ridgeville - Buried in Ridgeville - 1939.

1882 - Edward, born near Ridgeville - Buried in Toledo - 1956.

Grandfather Schroeder died in 1884 in Colorado while prospecting for gold. His final resting place is unknown since his body never arrived in Holgate for burial as a telegram had stated it would. Grandmother passed away in 1909 and was buried in Ridgeville Corners, Locust Grove Cemetery.

Grandfather Schroeder was born in Germany in 1847. He was the third of six children born to Christian Schroeder and Dorothea Becker Schroeder. They migrated to the United States in the early 1850's and lived in Defiance County then in Henry County. The Schroeder family is the proud possessor of a Coat of Arms awarded to this "Old Thuringer Family whose forefathers showed special bravery in the Thirty Years War." It had been preserved intact by the Charles Schroeder family with the complete explanation of its meaning on the reverse side of the original award.

My father, Frederick Austin, was the second child of Frederick E. and Mahala (Holmes) Schroeder. He was born at Ridgeville Corners on Oct. 31, 1876. He married Anna Maud Steinman on Dec. 28, 1902. They were married by Rev. J. W. Dempster in Napoleon, Ohio. Their six children were born in Ridgeville Corners, where they spent their entire married life. He was a member of Napoleon Lodge #260 I.O.O.F., a member of the board of education, and of the Congregational Church. His occupation as the "Village Blacksmith" at times required two helpers to serve the needs of the community in horse-shoeing and work on farm machinery. My mother, of Swiss-German descent, was a skilled dressmaker, having completed many dresses for graduation and other occasions. My father passed away May 11, 1939, and mother died Feb. 18, 1953. They are buried in the Locust Grove Cemetery at Ridgeville Corners.

Fred Schroeder and Anna Steinman's wedding picture

Mr. and Mrs. Karl Detter

Left to right: Fred A., Edward C., and William S. Schroeder.

Mildred Viola, their first child, was born July 17, 1905; died Nov. 25, 1905.

Clarence Steinman, second child, was born on Dec. 4, 1906, attended Bowling Green University and was co- owner of the Fish-Schroeder Variety Store in Archbold, Ohio. He and his wife, Lesta Fish Schroeder, adopted five children: Bonnie, James, Mary Ann, David, and Paul. Clarence passed away on Nov. 1, 1952. He was buried in the Archbold Cemetery.

I, Thelma Mahala Barbara, was born May 14, 1908. I earned a B.S. in education from Bowling Green University and retired after teaching a total of forty-six years. These years included two years in a "Little Red Schoolhouse" in Defiance County, service in Waterville, and at Ridgeville, retiring in 1973. My marriage to Karl Detter took place in Augusta, Georgia, in 1942 while Karl was in the service. We are members of St. John's United Church of Christ in Archbold, Ohio. Sandra Jaynes came to live with us at the age of fifteeen. She is now Mrs. Robert Jackson and the mother of our three grandchildren: Natalie, Patrick, and Angela. They reside in Napoleon, Ohio, in the Jackson homestead on Welsted Street in Napoleon, Ohio. Robert is co-owner of Honeck's DeLuxe Cleaner in Napoleon.

Victor Frederick was born on August 2, 1911. His first wife, Lucille Walter, passed away in 1939. He now resides in Maumee with his second wife, Isabel. They are parents of three children.

Richard of San Jose, Calif., a pharmacist and system's analyst for Data Pathing in California. Kay married Jack Hoefflin, of Toledo. They have four children: Karey, Jeff, Wendy, and Michael. Jack is a teacher in the Oregon, Ohio, High School. Garry, also a teacher, resides in Birmingham, Michigan, with his wife, Sue and son Steven.

Victor has retired from Drigg's Dairy in Toledo. They are enjoying traveling in this country and abroad.

Marion Elizabeth was born Aug. 6, 1 91 7. She, with her husband Allen Wrightsman, have recently sold their Chinchilla Ranch near Sonora, California, after nearly twenty years of ranching. Marion is a R.N. at Sonora General Hospital. They have built a new home near Sonora.

Mr. and Mrs. Allen Wrightsman

Clarence S. Schroeder

S/Sgt. Paul E. Schroeder

Mr. and Mrs. Victor Schroeder

Paul Edward was born on July 11, 1922. He served as flight engineer during World War II and lost his life while flying "The Hump" carrying provisions and cargo from India to China on Jan. 15, 1944. His body was returned to the United States and interred in the Locust Grove Cemetery, Ridgeville Corners.

Karl and I live in the home which was built by my parents in 1912-1913 in Ridgeville Corners, Ohio.

Submitted by Mrs. Karl Detter