1. Hermann R. Schmerse born 18 Oct 1878, Schönow, Kr. Pyritz (Pom.),1) Farmer, married 24 Dec 1902, in Monroe, Wisconsin 53566, Palma Marie Schmid, born 10 Apr 1881, New Glarus, Wisconsin,1) died 13 Dec 1959, Monroe, Wisconsin 53566. Hermann died 27 Dec 1965, Monroe, Wisconsin 53566. The evening before their marriage, a terrific snow storm came up - a real blizzard. The witnesses were his sister, Hulda Haberman, and mother's brother, Fred Schmid. He had real nice dark hair, which, later, turned to white. He had blue eyes, but his temperament was just the opposite from Palma's. He was short with his words, and he only said things once and we knew what he meant. But he was a good jolly person. He played Santa Claus more than once.
Palma was born on Palm Sunday and that is why she was given the name Palma. She was one of the nicest persons that ever lived. She had a talent for cooking and she had a very mild temperament. She never drove a car, because Grandpa said: "Cars are for men." But one sunday, he had us all in the car and said: "If you want to drive, get behind the wheel." So mom did. But when she backed out of the garage, there was a turn to make, so he said: "Turn the wheel." She didn't know what he meant, so we all ended up in the garden patch. That was the last time she touched the car. She was a good homemaker.
Children:
i Lee Schmerse born 28 Jun 1904,1) married 28 Jun 1929, Marthy Shakey, died 20 Oct 1955. Lee died 3 Nov 1968. I'll always remember him as very, very intelligent. He graduated from 8th grade, went on to Brown's Business College and then to Moody Bible Institute at Chicago. We all thought he would be a minister. We called him "Preacher Lee". But all at once he changed to an undertaker. Dad had to go to Chicago to make a payment, so he could go to school.
2. ii Florence Schmerse born 13 Dec 1905.
3. iii Harris Schmerse born 7 Nov 1907.
iv Frieda Schmerse born 17 Nov 1911,1) married 1 Dec 1934, Paul Forster, died 4 Sep 1958. Frieda died 28 Jun 1979. She is the twin sister of Frances: We were supposed to be identical, but, I often thought she was just the opposite. She was something like Harris. Maybe that came from her marriage.
4. v Frances Louise Schmerse born 17 Nov 1911.
Second Generation
2. Florence Schmerse born 13 Dec 1905,1) married 15 May 1930, Royal Otterstein. Florence died 20 Oct 1955. She was a wonderful person. She had talent. She could play the piano and was very religious. Dad said she couldn't go to high school. The requirements then, to become a nurse, were only 8th grade schooling. So she went to Waterloo, Iowa, for a 3 year nurses training and graduated as a nurse.
Children:
5. i Robert Otterstein born 1934.
ii Russel Otterstein born about 1936.
3. Harris Schmerse born 7 Nov 1907,1) married 7 Nov 1929, separated, Rose Neuenschwander, born about 1910, died prior to 1996.2) Harris died prior to 1996.2) That was something else! He was the rowdy of the family. He never even got thru 8th grade. He took the exam and failed. You couldn't tell him anything. He went the ways of the world. He started drinking and running around. He was really my folks problem child, that he was. He got married before he should have, had 4 children and has been divorced - I don't know how many times. I know he broke his parents heart.
Children:
i Phoebe Schmerse born about 1930, married (Son) Pratt, born about 1927.3) Phoebe lives 1997, Canoga Park, California.3)
ii Francis Schmerse born about 1932, lives 1996, Rockford, Illinois 61024.
7313 Harrison Avenue, Rockford, IL 61108-8011, USA
6. iii Frank Schmerse born about 1933.
7. iv Howard R Schmerse born 23 Jun 1934.
8. v Herman Schmerse born about 1935.
4. Frances Louise Schmerse born 17 Nov 1911, Monroe, Wisconsin 53566,1) married 21 Sep 1933, Harold Bear, born 23 Dec 1904. She has a twin sister, Frieda. The evening they were born a terrible blizzard and ice storm came. My father called the doctor, and his wife said: "Yes, he'll come, he'll come". But come to find out, he was at the Junction House, which was about a mile from our home. Finally Dad got ahold of Dr. Gnagi and he said "Call Dr. Bear, I can't come tonite." So he called Dr. Bear, who drove out with a team of horses on a buggy. My grandmother Schmerse was there. She was a midwife, as they called them in those days. She had already delivered us twins. Dr. Bear said: "Well Herman, give me $5.00."
The language spoken in our home was mostly German, Dad came from Germany, and later when we children started to school - Lee, Florence and Harris couldn't speak a word of English. They had to learn the English, so Frieda and I didn't learn the German language. We went to the Illif grade school. We walked about three quarters of a mile. The only time Dad took us was when there was a big storm. He would take the team and sled and take us to school. I always lived in the same house until I was married. We always had the same close neighbors, the John Hasse and Charles Benkert families. I went into Monroe to High School for 4 years and our transportation was, walking. At school we would play Fox and Goose, PomPom Pullaway, Ante-I Over the schoolhouse and we played dolls. We had a radio in our home. It was run by batteries. We weren't allowed to go to movies. No cards were played in our home. We could never go to dances. Our father was very strict. That was a sin, in their eyes. As for earning money, we didn't get much, but every summer, before school started, we got the job to clean the schoolhouse. Maybe we would get $10.00 for that. And another thing we would do to earn money, was to pick up walnuts in the fall. Then we would take them over to the County Farm, which was nearby. There was a man over there who would buy them from us. That was our biggest way of earning money.
Children:
9. i Mary Jane Bear born 12 Oct 1940.
10. ii Frieda Bear born 30 Jun 1944.
iii Frances Bear born 30 Jun 1944, married 15 Jun 1970, Herbert Beide, born 1 Jan 1929.
11. iv Wilson Bear born 13 May 1946.
Third Generation
5. Robert Otterstein born 1934, married 25 Aug 1956, Alice Heinen. Robert lives 1995, Rock City, Illinois.
Children:
12. i Michelle Otterstein born 1960.
ii Jeffery Otterstein born 1963, married Kelly Pont.
iii Monica Otterstein born 1965, School teacher, married Rey Cruz.
iv James Otterstein born 1970.
6. Frank Schmerse born about 1933, lives 1996, Rockford, Illinois 61024. drives a bus, and brings people down to the gambling boats on the Mississippi River in Rock Island and Davenport. He is also a fireman in Rockford.
7313 Harrison Avenue, Rockford, IL 61108-8011, USA
Children:
i (Daughter) Schmerse born about 1965.4)
ii (Daughter) Schmerse born about 1967.4)
7. Howard R Schmerse born 23 Jun 1934, lives 1996, Canoga Park, California.
7853 Vicky Avenue, Canoga Park, CA 91304-4637, USA
Children:
i Wendy Schmerse born about 1964,3) married (Son) Reuben, born about 1960.3) Wendy lives 1997, California.3)
ii Tina Schmerse born about 1966,3) lives 1997, Virginia.3)
8. Herman Schmerse born about 1935, married (1) separated, Beverly J. ?, born about 1938,2) lives 1996, Rockford, Illinois 61024, married (2) Cheri L. ?, born about 1950,2) lives 1997, Roscoe, Illinois.5) Herman lives 1997, Roscoe, Illinois.3) In 1997, Herman has no contact with any of his children. He looked like a man out of a history book. He had a very long beard, and was bald. If you put bib overalls on him, and took a picture of him in a hay field with a pitch fork, you would think the picture was taken in the 1800's!
Beverly:
3116 Green Dale Dr, Rockford, IL 61109-1534, USA
Cheri:
12731 Stamford Ln, Roscoe, Illinois 61073, USA
Children by Beverly J. ?:
i Mike Schmerse born Aug 1957,3) married 10 May 1986, in Rockford, Illinois 61024,6) separated 1988, Traci Jo Hutmacher, born 24 Jan 1959, Rockford, Illinois 61024,6) (daughter of Paul Eugene Hutmacher and Barbara Jean Nelson) financial svcs comp exec,6) lives 1994, Rockford, Illinois 61024.6)
Traci: EDUCATION: AS, Rock Valley Coll., Rockford, 1982, BS in Biology, Rock ford Coll., 1985 CAREER: mktg. asst., Pioneer Fin. Svcs., Rockford, 1989-90, mktg. analyst, Pioneer Fin. Svcs., Rockford, 1990-91, exec. adminstrv. asst., Pioneer Fin. Svcs., Rockford, 1991-1994, asst. corp. sec., Pioneer Fin. Svcs., Rockford, 1994-
ii Marc Schmerse born about 1965,3) married Brenda ?, born about 1970.3) Marc lives 1997, Davis Junction, IL.3) No children.
iii Matthew Schmerse born about 1970,3) died about 1970.3)
iv Michael A. Schmerse born about 1970,3) married separated, Gail L. ?, born about 1970, lives 1997, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601, USA.5) Michael lives 1997, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601, USA.5) Adopted.
910 New Holland Ave, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601, USA
Gail:
1673 Leona Ave, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601, USA
9. Mary Jane Bear born 12 Oct 1940, married 21 Dec 1958, separated, James Beach, born 5 Apr 1940.
Children:
i Kenneth Beach born 6 Feb 1960.
ii Keith Beach born 29 Jul 1962.
iii Keven Beach born 16 Mar 1967.
10. Frieda Bear born 30 Jun 1944, married 30 Jul 1962, Dennis Rowley.
Children:
i Bradley Rowley born 22 Nov 1963.
ii Jolene Rowley born 17 Feb 1965.
iii Eryn Rowley born 31 Dec 1976.
iv Rebecca Rowley born 11 Jan 1979.
11. Wilson Bear born 13 May 1946, married 11 Jun 1966, Mary Sue Wilborn, born 11 Sep 1948.
Children:
i Wilson Bear Jr. born 14 Nov 1967.
ii Tracy Bear born 2 Dec 1968.
iii Carmen Bear born 14 Dec 1972.
Fourth Generation
12. Michelle Otterstein born 1960, Nurse, married 19 Jul 1986, in Virginia, William D. Lindsey.
Children:
i Courtney Lindsey born 27 Mar 1988.
ii Christina Lindsey born 7 Feb 1990.
iii Cameron Lindsey born 22 Sep 1991.
Sources:
