My Corner Online

 

Schnell, Douglas, and Harbison Genealogy

Lucille Jane Schnell (Wright) (Treadway): "Granny" | My Great Grandma

Gilbert Lulden Schnell Jr. and Rubein Jenevery "Gennie" "Jenny" Douglas (Lucille's parents)

Gilbert Lulden Schnell Sr. and Charlotte L. Wright | Joseph Sharp Schnell and Caroline A Sweet | James Sharp Schnell and Elizabeth Hickernell

William Bevin Douglas and Margaret Denice Harbison (Rubein Jenevery Douglas's parents)

John Jefferson Harbison and Harriet A. Day (Margaret Harbison's Parents) | John Harbison and Elizabeth Bybee | Moses Harbison and Anne Barlow | Matthew Harbison and Margaret Griffith

James H. Day and Denicia Clarinda Colvin (Harriet Day's Parents)

John Bybee, III and Elizabeth Kelly (Elizabeth Bybee's Parents), John Bybee, Jr. and Elizabeth Betsy McCann (Revolutionary War), John (Long John) Bybee I and Sarah Giles, Thomas Byee and Mary Elizabeth Thomas

THIS IS MY WORKING GENEALOGY BIOGRAPHIES, PLEASE DO NOT COPY AS FACT. Some photos are personal and should not be copied and republished; other images are okay. Documentation I collected as proof to support facts (i.e. dates, relationships, etc.) are available for your use. I share freely, but please do not abuse copyright or perpetuate any information without supporting facts that may or may not be in error. I try to mark in red my questions or documents I need to look for, so your assistance in making this a complete collection is always appreciated.

 

Gilbert Lulden Schnell (Shnell) Jr. and

Rubein Jenevery "Ginevie" "Jenny" "Gennie" Douglas

Gilbert Lulden Schnell, Jr. was born July 25, 1877, in Wayne County, Illinois., to Gilbert Lulden Schnell, Sr., and Charlotte L. Wright. Gilbert als went by the nickname of "Bert."

 

In the 1880 census, Illinois, Jersey County, Jersey Township, District 096, Gilbert is 2 years old, born in Illinois, and living with his parents, Gilbert (25) and Lottie (24), a sister, Mabel (2 months), and his Grandma (Lottie's Mom), Mary Wright (64), widowed. His father is a farmer.

 

Jersey Township, Jersey County, Illinois is not too far from St. Louis

 

Rubein Jenevery Douglas was born February 12, 1884, to Margaret Harbison Douglas in Belleview, Iron County Missouri (see death certificate). 2 Years, 5 Months, 2 Weeks, 6 Days later, Margaret married William Bevin Douglas on August 3, 1886. Her death certificate lists William as her father. The 1900 census lists her name as Ginevie. The 1910 census lists here name as "Jennie R." Her son, Maurice, placed a marker at her gravesite years after her death and spelled it "Jenny." This may have been just a phonetic spelling. Her death certificate lists here name as "Jennie." Her daughter, Mae Brunson, has her listed as Genevieve Douglas. But Mae's daughter acknowledged that this may have been in error.

This photo was labeled "Gennie."

This is a transcription found in my Granny's (Lucille Schnell Wright Treadway) documents. It is transcribed on August 31, 1961. This is the source of the name Rubein Jenevery Douglas.

In the June 5, 1900 Census, Illinois, St Clair County, East St Louis, Part of Ward 03, District 0095, Gilbert is 22 years old, born July 1877, living with his parents, Gilbert (45) and Lottie (43), and a brother, Joseph (9). His occupation is listed as "Teamster" and he has been unemployed zero months. The address is 28 1/2 South Fourth Street. The surname is misspelled as "Snell." A few doors down is a Wilber B. Schnell (41) as a boarder (what is his relation?)

28 North 4th Street in East St. Louis is not far from where the arch now stands in Missouri.

From Google maps, this is the building in May 2013, but the street has been renamed Barack Obama Avenue.

 

In the June 7, 1900 Census, Missouri, Iron County, Union Township, District 0047, Des Arc Village, Ginevie Duglas (16) born Feb 1884, is living with her parents William B (35), Margaret (35), and her siblings, Joseph C (also age 16), William H (14), Margaret E (11), John H (6), Sidney O. (5), Quentin A. (4), and Elizabeth (1). Ginevie is single, born in Missouri, her Dad born in Arkansas, and her mother born in Missouri. She can read and write, but has not attended school this year. Her father is a "day laborer."

 

Gilbert and Ginevie were married about 1900 based off the 1910 census. Gilbert would have been about 23 years old. Ginevie would have been 16 years old. Since Gilbert is living with his parents in the 1900 census dated June 5, it would seem they were married the second half of the year. Were they married in Illinois or Missouri?

 

On July 28, 1900, Gilbert and Ginevie have a daughter, Lucille Jane Schnell, in Des Arc, Missouri. It would seem that the couple married because their daughter was born. It appears that Ginevie was living with her parents in the Des Arc, Iron County when Lucille was born. I wonder if Gilbert knew about the pregnancy before the birth? I wonder how they met because Ginevie was in Iron County and Gilbert was in East St. Louis when they met. (Her mother's sister, Lucy was living around there and St Louis; Stacy Bell Harbison marries US Grant Hartzell in Madison Co Ill in 1916.)

 

In the 1903 St. Louis, Missouri, City Directory, Bert Schnell is living at Rear 3309 Manchester Avenue, and his occupation is "driver."

The 1904 St. Louis, Missouri, City Directory lists the same information.

 

On December 27, 1904, Gilbert and Ginevie have a daughter, Nora M. (Mae Belle) Schnell. She would marry Visscher Vere Brunson and have 1 child. She resided in El Cajon, San Diago, California and the couple were the owner-operator of Brunson Sanitarium. Nora died on May 28, 1993 , in El Cajon, San Diego, California at the age of 88 years.

 

In about 1907, Gilbert and Ginevie had a son, Maurice E. Schnell.

In about 1909, Gilbert and Ginevie had a son, Joseph L. Schnell.

 

In the 1910 Census, Missouri, Saint Louis City, St Louis Ward 17, District 0271, Gilbert (32) and Jennie R (25) have been married 10 years. Also in the home are children, Lucy J. (9), Nora M. (5), Maurice E. (3), and Joseph L. (11 months), and Margaret Belcher (20), Gilbert's sister-in-law, and Mabel Belcher (9 months), Gilbert's niece-in-law. Gilbert's occupation is a "wagon driver" for the "transfer company" occupation. He is not currently out of work, but had been out of work for a period of 8 weeks in 1909. He rents a home at 2819 Olive Street, along with 3 other households (on the previous page of the census). Gilbert's father is born in Illinois and his mother in New Jersey. Both Gilbert and Jennie can read and write.

This is the location of 2819 Olive Street in St. Louis.

This is the Google street map view of the building taken in May of 2017.

 

In the Perry County Republican - 19 Feb 1914 - Page 8, we find the family in Perryville possibly suffering from diphtheria. This is from the court section of the paper. (Note: Look to see if there is a court case with more information.) Dr. Blaylock also signs Ginevie's death certificate.

I wonder if the diphtheria contributed to Ginevie's early death. Complications from diphtheria may include damage to the heart muscle, inflammation of nerves (which may contribute to nerve damage, paralysis, respiratory failure, and pneumonia), airway obstruction, and ear infection. The first vaccine for diphtheria did not come until the 1920's and was not widely used until the 1930's. The classic symptom of diphtheria is a thick, gray membrane (pseudo-membrane) forming over the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity and if it moves into the larynx and trachea, it can obstruct the airway and cause suffocation and death.

In the Perry County Republican (Perryville, Missouri)19 Feb 1914, Thurusday, Page 2, the same issue as the above, we read that the Perry County Public Schools issued a policy regarding diphtheria and other diseases. This is an eye-opener for the difficulties with diseases in the 1910's. I am writing this paragraph in 2020 when we are navigating through Covid-19, practicing isolation and face-masks, and experience quarantines, for the first time in my life, and it brings together reality that our ancestors have also gone through much worse. History does repeat itself.

To better understand life in the 1910's, I searched for other articles regarding diptheria to bring life to the times.

I wonder why the family had moved to Perry County (west side of Highway 55 today) because they had no family in the area. I was surprised to find my ancestor from my mom's side of the family (John F. Geile) running for County Collector in the same newspaper as Ginevie's death announcement. He may have been familiar with the family, if only by name, because of his community-minded beliefs.

Ginevie died on July 29, 1914, at the age of 29 years and is buried in Cedar Fork Cemetery, Perryville, Missouri. After her death, the oldest daughter, Lucy (my Great Grandma), moved in with Ginevie's parents, Margaret and William. The other children lived with Bert's parents.

[On Dec 30, 2020, the Perry County newspapers were finally online and, although assistance in Perry County had previously told me there was no obituary, I was delighted to find that Ginevie's death was in the paper. However, it is listed with less important news of travels as if it was not significant and that makes me sad for her.]

Why did Ginevie die so young at the age of 30, with no cause listed? I believe the clue above that the court had to appoint a doctor to visit in February for possible diphtheria in the family, and the below that the family had financial assistance from Mr. Lorenz for the burial, indicates that the family was poor. If there were no attending doctor before the death to diagnose Ginevie, then it was likely that they did not do an autopsy after death and merely listed the cause as unknown. She may have died from a horrible disease such as diphtheria or tuberculosis.

In reading the newspaper the day after Ginevie died and the next issue a week later, I found three other deaths of people "to young to die." It would seem to me from these other deaths in Perry County that there was a sickness going around which may have also caused Ginevie's death. On death lists "consumption" as the cause. Tuberculosis was also known as consumption and is a disease caused by bacteria that usually attacks the lungs, and at the turn of the 20th century, the leading cause of death in the United States. It was historically called consumption due to the weight loss. Having been invented earlier, it took 13 years until the TB vaccine was used in 1921.

 

Jennie Schnell's death certificate indicates she died in St. Mary's Township of Perry County, Missouri. Why were they in Perry County, Missouri? The cause is unknown and no contributory is listed. Her birthplace is listed as Bellview, Missouri. Her father is William Douglas born in Bellview, Missouri. Her mother is Maggie Harbison born in Bruel, Missouri. The informant is her husband, Gilbert Schnell.

 

Jennie Schnell's Record of Funeral indicates that her burial was charged to Perry County by order given by John Lorenz. The coffin and shroud cast $10 and the box cost $4. By County Warrant 264, Perry County paid $10. John Laurence (is that what it reads?) paid $4. [Who is John Laurence? Is he related? Is he a member of the church helping out his community? Is it John Lorenz spelled incorrectly] This indicates to me that the family was poor and unable to pay for the funeral.

Ginevie Schnell is buried at Cedar Fork Cemetery next to Cedar Fork Methodist Church, which is no longer an active church. To get to the Cemetery, get off Interstate 55 at the Perryville exit. Travel down the Outer Road (which is west of the I-55), traveling North. Turn left onto T. Travel about one mile when the road turns left, go straight on N. Go about 5 miles on N until it turns into 818 (Do not turn left onto 852). Go about a mile until you come to 848 where you will see the church on the right.

To our surprise, the church was open. There are two rooms, the sanctuary and a kitchen and eating area.

You enter the cemetery to the right side of the church through this gate. I love the old outhouse.

Ginevie's stone is near the tree in the middle of this photo. This photo was taken after entering the gate.

In the middle of this photo you can see her small red stone in relation to its distance from the tree.

Her small red stone from the back, with a view to the back of the church.

The scenery in the area is wonderful and reminds me of Iron County. The left photo is a looking off as you drive toward the Church. The right photo is standing at her stone and looking to the right.

 

INSERT BILL FOR BURIAL HERE

 

In May and July 1917, there were riots in East St. Louis. East St. Louis Race War

One September 12, 1918, Gilbert signed the WWI Draft Card as Gilbert Lulden Shnell, Jr. (leaving off the "c" in Shnell). He is living at 614 N 28, East St. Louis, St. Clair County, Illinois. He lists his mother as his nearest relative at the same address. He is stout, tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. His occupation is Riggin Foreman with W.A. Zinnecker Supply Company at 24th Southern Rhone, E. St. Louis, St. Clair, Illinois.

 

On October 4, 1919, Gilbert marries Lena O. Burklow. He is from St. Louis and she is from Goreville, Illinois. He is 42 years old and the marriage place is Clayton, Missouri. (marriage record)

 

In 1919, Gilbert and Lena have a son, Hubert Schnell.

 

In the 1920 Census, Missouri St Louis (Independent City), St Louis Ward 20, District 0399, Gilbert (42) rents a home at 3717 1/2 Garfield Avenue, can read and write, and is a chauffeur at a Packing Company. Also in the home are his wife Lena (24), his two sons from his first marriage, Morris (12) and Joseph (10), and his son with Lena, Hubert (1 and 11 months).

 

Gilbert and Lena have a son, Warren Schnell.

 

Gilbert and Lena have a son, Kenneth Schnell.

Gilbert Lulden Schnell died October 15, 1927, at the age of 50 years. His death certificate lists his address as 2309 Howard in the 20th ward of St. Louis. His occupation is Teamsters. His father's name is Gilbert Schnell born in Illinois. His mother's name is Lottie Wright born in Missouri. I cannot read the informant's name. The cause of death is diabetes mellitus.

Gilbert is buried at St. Matthew Cemetery in St. Louis, where is mother is also buried. Gilbert died before both of his parents.

His obituary in the St. Louis Post Dispatch has his name spelled differently than his tombstone.