Karl Wilhelm Schoelzel^[1]

1877 - 1958  (81 years)

• Name	Karl Wilhelm Schoelzel
  Birth	30 Jan 1877	Schneidemühl, Posen, Prussia   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
  Gender	Male
  Also Known As	Carl William, Charles William, Charlie  [5, 6]
  Census	1900	Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA   [3]
  Census	1910	Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA   [7]
  Residence	1918	Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA   [2]
  Census	1920	Denver, Colorado, USA   [8]
  Census	1930	Denver, Colorado, USA   [9]
  Census	1950	Denver, Colorado, USA   [6]
  Occupation	Checker, cold storage  [6]
  Occupation	Clerk  [10]
  Occupation	Produce salesman, manager (Armour & Co.), poultry salesman.  [2, 4, 7, 9]
  Medical Notes	In February, 1956 he was hospitalized and diagnosed as having an intestinal obstruction due to colon cancer. Died of a massive stroke before surgery could be performed.  [4]
  Research Notes	Elaine Schoelzel gives date of death as February 5, 1956. Elaine Schoelzel gives birthplace as Oschowitz, Bromberg, Posen. Bromberg, Posen is now Bydgoszcz, Poland. Oschowitz may be Ossowitz, now Osowiec, which is only about 6km from Grünberg. A note in the papers of Grace Shoelzel lists his birthplace as Grünberg, Provinz Pozen, Germany (the same as his older siblings). Birth certificate lists last name as “Scholzel.” Social Security Death index lists a different Social Security Number than the Social Security Application and Claims index.  [1, 4, 5, 11, 12]
  Burial	Feb 1958	Fairmount Cemetery Mausoleum, Denver, Colorado, USA   [1, 4]
  Death	5 Feb 1958	Denver, Colorado, USA   [1, 4]
  Association	Grace Lillian Anna Schoelzel
  Person ID	I28	Mohr-Whalen
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2025

  
  

  Father	Ernst Wilhelm Schoelzel           b. 3 May 1837, Peilau, Reichenbach, Schlesien, Prussia           d. 19 Feb 1910, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA (Age 72 years)
  Mother	Emilie Marie Peitscher           b. 5 Nov 1845, Campani, Westpreußen, Prussia           d. 29 Aug 1896, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA (Age 50 years)
  Family ID	F59	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Emma Sophia Knuth           b. 27 Mar 1882, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA           d. 2 Dec 1979, Iliff Care Center, Denver, Colorado, USA (Age 97 years)
  Marriage	25 May 1901	Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA   [7, 13, 14, 15]
  Research Notes	Charles and Emma were married at the German St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church by Pastor Gotthilf G. Lambrecht. Lambrecht’s grave in Montrose Cemetery in Chicago is marked by an elaborate statue.  [13]
  Notes	Family lived at 173 Crystal St., Chicago in 1902, 951 N. Hoyne Ave, Chicago in 1909, with Emma’s parents at time of 1910 census (2500 Monticello Ave., Chicago) and at 2709 Monticello in Chicago in 1918. Rented a house at 1462 South Clarkson, Denver in 1920 and 1808 S. Pennsylvania, Denver in 1930. [2, 7, 8, 9, 17, 18]
  Children	+ 1. Charles William Frank Schoelzel           b. 17 Apr 1902, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA           d. 31 Mar 2000, Meridian Nursing Home, Denver, Colorado, USA (Age 97 years) + 2. Grace Lillian Anna Schoelzel           b. 15 May 1909, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA           d. 24 Feb 2003, Aurora, Arapahoe County, Colorado, USA (Age 93 years)
  Family ID	F19	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	1 Apr 2022

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 30 Jan 1877 - Schneidemühl, Posen, Prussia Census - 1900 - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA Marriage - 25 May 1901 - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA Census - 1910 - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA Residence - 1918 - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA Census - 1920 - Denver, Colorado, USA Census - 1930 - Denver, Colorado, USA Census - 1950 - Denver, Colorado, USA Burial - Feb 1958 - Fairmount Cemetery Mausoleum, Denver, Colorado, USA Death - 5 Feb 1958 - Denver, Colorado, USA
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos

  The Charles Schoelzel Family

  
  

• Notes

  Emigrated to US with parents in 1887 (1900 census lists 1888). Family moved to Denver on July 4, 1919 (the day Jack Dempsey knocked out Jesse Willard to become the World Heavyweight Champion). Never naturalized, and generally lied about his birthplace. In the 1920 census, 1950 census, and in his Social Security Life Claim, his place of birth is listed as Wisconsin. Worked in produce, initially for his brother, Rudolph, and then for himself (1920 census lists occupation as “Produce Salesman”). Suffered financial disaster in 1917 when the market for eggs collapsed, leaving him with large volumes unsold. He lost everything, including money earmarked for a house (his wife Sophie never forgave him for that loss). Found work with Armour and Company in Chicago, then transferred to Denver. Living at 1462 S. Clarkson St. in Denver in January of 1920. Later took a job with Greene Brothers Produce Company in Sterling, Colorado. Sophie chose to stay in Denver with the children. Lost his job in Sterling and drank heavily (perhaps - disputed by Grace Schoelzel) Lived with family of son Charles for a while during the 40s. During WWII, he served as a translator for German soldiers incarcerated near Camp Hale, Colorado. Wendell Mohr believes that was at Kremmling, where he cut ice for Denver Ice and Cold Storage. After the war, he moved back to Denver and worked as a night watchman. He lived in a room on Larimer Street. Enjoyed playing baseball as a young man, and was first baseman for his team. [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 19]

  
  

• Sources

  [S9] Research notes of Wendell C. Mohr. [S786] Ancestry.com (National Archives & Records Administration), WWI Draft Registration Card of Charles William Schoelzel. [S260] 1900 US Census - Household of William Schoelzel. [S2] Elaine Schoelzel, Letter to Bradley Mohr. [S5] Ancestry.com, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007. [S7838] 1950 US Census - Household of Charles W. Schoelzel. [S96] 1910 US Census - Household of Charles Knuth. [S21] 1920 US Census - Household of Charles N. [W.] Schoelzel. [S107] 1930 US Census - Household of Charles Schoelzel. [S2496] Birth Register Entry for Grace Lillian A. Schoelzel. [S63] Personal papers of Grace Mohr (née Schoelzel). [S6] U.S., Social Security Death Index. [S531] Marriage License of Charles Schoelzel and Emma Knuth. [S118] author unknown, Pages removed from a family Bible (Schoelzel?). [S52] Illinois State Archives & Illinois State Genealogical Society, Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900. [S7837] 1950 US Census - Household of William E. Hughes, Jr. [S865] Birth Certificate of Charles William Frank Schoelzel. [S86] Birth Certificate of Grace Lillian Anna Schoelzel. [S227] Wendell Mohr, Genealogy.