Found note: A Widow's Sorrow

My husband's grandmother, Marion Inez Widger Schaal, passed away at the age of 91 on 11 January 2020.  My inlaw's had been cleaning out her house because she had been moved into a nursing facility prior to her death.  My mother-in-law picked up photos and anything that might be family history related for me.  Among the things she brought to me was a tiny little notebook with birth and death dates written in.  I don't know who it belonged to as it pre-dates Grandma Marion. 

I should add that the house Grandma Marion lived in has been in the Schaal family as far back as 1860!

Here is a photo of the front of the notebook.

There are several pages filled with writing.  I will be going through the pages and making posts with information for each page that I can document.

Some of the most interesting things in the notebook are 3 pages written by a grieving wife.  They are dated 1923-1924.  Below are the photos and transcriptions of each page.

2-1-23
Belleville IL

My Dear One-
All day my thoughts have been of you but oh I feel so sad, would love to live one week of the time when we were both cheerful & glad.  But those days may never be again.

2-12-23
At the house alone with my thoughts. Oh why should our lives be so shattered why couldn't you always be near.  So we could love forever, oh why should anyone interfere.  One who knows.




12.23.23
Time brings changes.
The time goes by like a dream, Dear, yet the thoughts of you always stay, but oh I get so discouraged & heartsick. It seems like I never can pray.

Your own
  True wife.

To my Loved One.
The days what once were joyful and glad ar enow dreary, lonely, and sad.

Mar 28.24

Oh I am so blue I don't know what to do. I only wish I was far away or resting in the silent clay.


I do not know who wrote these words.  I surmise that she lost her husband prior to 1923.  In looking at the family tree, I see that George Schaal, SR my husband's great-great-grandfather died of influenza in 1920.  He lived in the house that Grandma Marion lived in.  Could this be his wife, Elizabeth?  It's possible. 

#18 of 52...Samuel Groom SR...

Samuel Groom SR,
(1874-1942)
copy of photo sent to me by Marion Schaal

This is my husband's Great Great Grandfather.  My husband's grandma sent me this photo last month and I was very happy to receive it.  He looks quite dapper, doesn't he?

Samuel Groom SR was born 9 April 1874 in Belleville, Illinois to James Groom and Hannah Tate.  James and Hannah had the following known children.

1). William Groom (1865-1939)

2). John Groom (abt 1871-1935)

3). Richard Groom (1872-unknown)

4). Samuel Groom (1874-1942) **my husband's great great grandfather

5). Isaac Groom (abt 1876-1952)

6). Rachel Groom (abt 1877-1933)

7). Alexander Groom (1880-1946)

8). Thomas Groom (1883-1951)

9). Elizabeth Groom (abt 1886-1940)

10). Ann Groom (1887-1925)

Samuel Groom SR married Katherine "Katie" Haas 6 June 1896 in Belleville, St. Clair County, Illinois. They had the following known children.

1). Viola Groom (1899-1956) **my husbands great grandmother

2). Leona Groom (abt 1902-unknown)

3). Samuel Groom JR. (1903-1956)

4). May Groom (1909-2002)

Samuel Groom followed in his family's footsteps and was a coal miner.

#10 of 52...James Groom

I've recently discovered this interesting ancestor of my husband.  His name is James Groom and he is a third great grandfather, from his paternal side.

James Groom was born 14 November 1843 in Bilston, Staffordshire, England to Robert and Mary Groom. He was baptized 26 Nov 1843 at St. Leonard's Bilston, Stafford, England.

The Groom Family listed in the 1851 England Census for Bilston.
Ancestry.com. 1851 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.HO107; Piece: 2021; Folio: 130; Page: 13; GSU roll: 87425-87426

Above you can locate James and his parents a well as a brother Samuel.  Of course it would be my luck that we cannot see what James's father Robert's occupation is.  Of the entire page, it is my luck that a big ole ink mark completely covers that information.

The Groom family immigrated from England to St. Clair County, Illinois sometime after the 1851 England Census and before 1863 when James was counted in the Civil War Draft Register. I've not located the family in the 1860 census as of yet.  I've searched both England and Illinois.  I will have to do a more thorough search in Illinois.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Consolidated Lists of Civil War Draft Registration Records (Provost Marshal General's Bureau; Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865); Record Group: 110, Records of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau (Civil War); Collection Name: Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); ARC Identifier: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 1 of 6

As we can see from the above register from St. Clair County, Illinois, he is listed as James Groom, age 20, white, occupation is Engineer, single and born in England.

James marries Hannah Tate 10 Dec 1864 in Belleville, St. Clair County, Illinois.  He is 21 years old and she is 19 years old.   Together they have the following known children:

1). William Groom (1865-1939)
2). John Groom (1871-1835)
3). Richard Groom (1872-    )
4). Samuel Groom (1874-1942) **my husband's 2nd Great Grandfather
5). Issac Groom (1876-1952)
6). Rachel Groom (1877-1933)
7). Alexander Groom (1880-1946)
8). Thomas Groom (1883-1951)
9). Elizabeth Groom (1886-1940)
10.) Ann Groom (1887-1925)

I am missing the census record for James and Hannah for 1870, but I have located them in 1880 still in St Clair County, IL.

Year: 1880; Census Place: West Belleville, St Clair, Illinois; Roll: 247; Family History Film: 1254247; Page:305C; Enumeration District: 045; Image: 0280

James and Hannah (often listed as just Anna) are enumerated.  Above James is Mary A...this is his mother and his father is on the page prior.  Next door, below James and Anna is a Robert Tate.  I'm surmising that this could possibly be Anna's father, but I have not delved into that research as of yet.  It is a great clue though that I can further investigate.  James is listed as being a Coal Miner.

I was unaware of coal mining in St. Clair County until I started doing the research into this side of my husband's family.  I discovered that the Groom family were all involved in Coal mining.  It is my understanding that the Groom family started out as miners and engineers operating the elevators into the mines and ended up in the early 20th century owning a mine! In fact James's brother John become president of the Groom Mine Company in the 1920's.

By 1910, James's wife Anna has passed away.  James is still working as a hoisting engineer at the coal mine.
James passes away 14 January 1915

Here is a transcription of his obituary from the Belleville News Democrat, January 14, 1915.
                         James Groom, 71 years old, a pioneer resident of St. Clair County, died at his 
                    home, 2021 West Main street, at 12:40 o'clock Thursday afternoon.  He was 
                    born in England, November 14, 1843, and came to St. Clair County and settled
                    in Belleville when 12 years of age. 
                         He leaves three daughters, Mrs. James White, Mrs Dominick Kempf and Mrs.
                    Sedley Phillips; seven sons, William, John, Isaac, Alexander, Thomas and Samuel, in
                    Belleville; Richard, in California; twenty seven grandchildren and three great-grand-
                    children.  He also leaves one brother, John Groom, in Belleville. 

According to this account, his family immigrated around 1855, I will need to investigate further.   

#9 of 52...Two for One Special! Conrad Flach and Barbara Nieder

This past week I have been looking at a set of my husband's 3rd Great Grandparents.  Today I'm looking at Conrad Flach and Barbara Nieder.

Conrad Flach was born about 1826 in Prussia (according to Census records).  I have not pinned down his death date.

Barbara Nieder was born about 1825, also in Prussia (again according to Census records). Her date of death has not been located either.

We don't know much about Conrad and Barbara before they arrived in the United States from Prussia, but I did manage to locate when and where they arrived.

Conrad arrived 13 Nov 1854 aboard the ship Moses Taylor.  The ship arrived at the port of New Orleans, LA.  It had departed from Le Havre, France.  Below is the top portion of the ship manifest as well as Conrad's listing.

Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1820-1902; Series: M259; Roll #: 40

Here's Conrad on the list.

Conrad Flach, age 28, male;
 Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1820-1902; Series: M259; Roll #: 40

There isn't much juicy information on this document so far.  We have Conrad's name and his age on 13 Nov 1854, giving us the approximate birth year of 1826.  But as I looked at all the names on the list guess what I found!

Barbara Nieder, age 27 and Christine Nieder age 13
Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1820-1902; Series: M259; Roll #: 40

Looky there!  Barbara Nieder is on the same ship!  But who is this Christine listed with her?  And what is that written on that column?  Dos that say helped?  Or something else?  It appears that Barbara Nieder was on the same ship as Conrad Flach leaving from Le Hever, France and arriving in New Orleans! But again, who is Christine?  Is she Barbara's sister? Cousin? Daughter? It is possible as there is 16 years between their ages and having a child at 16 is not unheard of.

Conrad Flach and Barbara Nieder get married in Belleville, St. Clair County, Illinois 22 Aug 1856; just under two years from their arrival to the US.

The couple have the following known children:

1). Henry Flach (1859-1926)
2). Adam Flach (1862-1906)
3). Elizabeth Flach (1865-1942) **This is Cody's 2nd Great Grandmother.  She married George Schaal.

I have searched for the couple (Conrad and Barbara) in 1860 but have not located them.  I was hoping to find Christine with them and try to determine her relationship to Barbara, but have not had any luck with it.

I located Conrad on a list of Civil War Draft Registrations dated 1 July 1863.  He was living in Belleville, IL his age was 39 and his occupation was Mason.

1870 Federal Census finds the couple still living in Belleville, IL with the three children listed and Conrad is listed as being a Stone Mason.

1880 Federal Census they are still in Belleville, IL and only Elizabeth (Lizzie) is at home.  Again Conrad's occupation is Stone Mason.

1891 City Directory lists only Conrad Flach with no mention of Barbara so may be able to surmise that she has passed.  However you can see two Adam Flachs (so not sure which one is Conrad's son), Miss Elizabeth Flach, housekeeper and living on S. Charles, and Henry Flach, heater.  The very interesting thing is that Conrad is listed as living at 411 S. Church; Cody's family has been living on Church Street since at least this date.  His grandmother is living on Church Street today.  It's not the same number, but very close.  That home has been in their family for decades.

Ancestry.com. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

This family is fascinating to me.  I wonder if Conrad and Barbara knew each other in Prussia or did they meet on that ship?  What was each ones motivation to move to the United States?  Who was Christine?  I have many questions about this family.  I wish we had photos or drawings of them.  I wish I had photos for all of our ancestors that had any taken.

I'll continue to search for their death records.  I have found a Conrad Flach listed in a City Directory for 1906, but I am not sure if it's the same Conrad Flach.  It has him listed as working for the Stoveworks and he'd be 80 years old.  So I'm not quite sure that would be right.

I'll also keep searching to see if I can find out who Christine was and anything possible about their life in Prussia; such as parents and such.