Account written in Eda Schumacher's handwriting
on old yellowed piece of paper found among her writings.

My father, George Michael Schumacher, was born August 22, 1869 to Christoph Schumacher and Barbara Remespe Schumacher, the second of six children: William, George, Anna, Bertha, Elizabeth and Karl. 

When the children were small their mother died. The father placed them in an orphanage, paying for their keep.

Father was always interested in painting and drawing pictures so was always busy doing so between chores at the home. He was never given any special training, but was a student of Arts and Languages. His education was received at Grade School, High School, and Institute.

When he became of age he decided to leave Germany and see what the rest of the world was like, so he became a traveling painter. He carried a box with palette and paints and his mal stick, and a change of clothes. His object was to walk across country drawing pictures of scenery, cathedrals etc. and selling them to obtain money.

He visited many of the large cities in Europe and saw most of the fine churches. He had the good fortune to do some of the interior decorating on ceiling and chancel in two cathedrals. One of these cathedrals was in France.

After several years of this, he left for America, arriving in New York in the year _______. 

From New York he went to Chicago where he met my mother, Mina. She, too, was German-born. Her parents were Christian P. (only a "P" to designate name
Pallakowski) and Wilhelmina Rodikopf. *(see notes at end)

Mother was bom in West Preisen, Germany, June 21, 1872. When she was five years old her parents left for America, settling in Chicago. Mother has _____ brothers and ____ sisters. Her father was in the House-Moving Business and did very well. Her mother passed away when I was a year or two old.* (see notes)

Mina's father soon married again to a woman with one daughter. I don't know their names. Grandfather owned a ranch in Dunning, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, but
sold it after his first wife died.

Soon after I was born my parents bought a couple of lots at 2579 North Kimball Avenue, Chicago. My father did all his own work, and that summer dug out a full basement in which he and mother planned to live while completing their home. The first winter was a bitter cold one and the heavy snows and ice caused the basement to be very
cold and damp. Mother said they even put their potatoes in their bed to try to keep them from freezing -- to no avail.

(A side-note written here says, "remember the year 1893. No work, cold, no money for food etc.) *This date would coincide with the story as Grandma and Grandpa
were married April 04, 1891.

*This account has the tone of an actual interview between Eda and Grandma and Grandpa Schumacher. It has not been dated, but the paper on which it is written
has ail the earmarks of being very old — yellowed and dog-eared — indicating that it was probably written early in Eda's life. Such a shame that it didn't give more
detail ... particularly, names of brothers and sisters or Grandma and Grandpa Schumacher and dates of their births and names of places.

*West Preisen, Germany, {West Preussen - Prussia} is such a large territory that without the name of a town or province it is impossible to find out exactly where
Grandma Schumacher was born. Without that information, too, it is impossible to do further research on the family line. During WWII the boundaries between
Germany and Poland that existed when Grandma was born were changed. Many records cannot be found because of moving them or the places where they were
stored being destroyed.

*This account mentions "Barbara Remespe" as Grandfather Schumacher's mother's maiden name. Eda always remembered it as such, but when she hired a
Genealogist to do Research on the Schumacher line, he determined that the name was "Barbara Riemensberger" and that is the name we have used in documenting
Pedigree line. Also, the Genealogist  said there was another child named "Adam." Eda had no recollection of her father mentioning that child.

*Two words in this document seeined unfamiliar: "mal stick" perhaps it is familiar to some of the men in the family who have followed Grandpa's trade. "Chancel" - the dictionary defines it as: the part of a church around the altar, usually at the east end, reserved for the use of the clergy and the choir, it is sometimes set off by a railing or screen.

*The name "Pallakowski" has various spellings in family accounts. Aunt Elsie's Birth Certificate shows it with one 'I'. Eda's baptism certificate records it as it stands here.

On the family Pedigree Charts, the spelling of''Rodikoph" is used. Also, the given name of the Grandmother is "Otelia." Perhaps, she had both given names because
two of the daughters were given these names.

*Looking in the Death Records in the Family History Library in Salt Lake, it records the death of Otelia Pallakowski as December 1897. That would have been
when Eda was 4-1/2 months old. Eda told how Grandma Schumacher would wrap her in a big gray shawl and carry her to where the Pallakowski's home was in
Dunning. So it is likely that Eda was younger than this account giving her age as a year or two old.
** Fiche 6016533 - #48
Film 015590
Pallakofske, Minnie Dec. 23, 1897 52 years

***See Following notes taken from Eda's Biography. Eda was born August 18, 1897, so the account of the winter of 1893 would pertain to a time before Eda's birth. Possibly the birth of an older (the first) child, Anna.

Everything written in italics was written by Eda's daughter, Mary Alice Slade as she typed the written note. The 2nd page is a repeat.