Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Schirra, Charles 1817 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 4, 2007, 5:58 pm

Author: Portrait & Biographical Album, 1890

CHARLES SCHIRRA. 

This gentleman is numbered among the practical and and successful farmers of 
Crete Township, in which he has resided since 1865. He now owns two hundred 
and thirty-five acres of land on section 7, it being well improved, well 
stocked, and well cultivated. Farming has been the life work of Mr. Schirra 
and in its pursuit he has brought to bear a marked degree of determination, 
intelligence, and keenness of observation. As a reliable citizen, an 
affectionate husband and parent, and an individual interested in the world's 
progress, he receives the respect of those about him and fills a worthy place 
in the list of foreign-born citizens. The parents of our subject were Nicholas 
and Mary (Loufe) Schirra, both of whom were natives of Prussia, the former 
being of French ancestry and the latter of German blood. Both lived to a good 
old age, spending their entire lives in their native land. Mr. Schirra was 
usually employed at farm labor. He and his wife belonged to the German 
Catholic Church. They were the parents of seven sons and three daughters, the 
subject of this sketch being the third child. In one of the Rhine Provinces, 
Charles Schirra was born April 17, 1817. He obtained a good German education 
and becoming a farmer worked as a tiller of the soil in his native land until 
thirty years old. He then, in the spring of 1847, started to America, taking 
passage at Antwerp on a sailing vessel and spending forty-two days on the 
Atlantic. He was followed to this country in later years by two brothers and a 
sister, all of whom are yet living. He landed in New York City without means 
to continue his journey, and he therefore worked his way to Chicago, which he 
reached sometime in the fall. He worked in various parts of Cook County until 
1853, when he purchased one hundred and fifteen acres of land in Bloom 
Township, upon which he remained until he became a resident of Will County. 
His first purchase here was of two hundred acres, to which he afterward added. 
In Rich Township, Cook County, he of whom we write was united in marriage with 
Miss Mary E. Ladoux, with whom he lived happily until June 14, 1876, when she 
was called hence by the angel of death. She was then forty-eight years of age, 
having been born in Switzerland, December 25, 1827. Her parents Joseph and 
Lizzie Ladoux were natives of Switzerland, who upon coming to the United 
States in 1845, settled at once in Rich Township, Cook County, where they 
began to improve a farm. After some years the mother died at the home of her 
daughter, Mrs. Mary Goodseid, being then in her seventy-second year. The 
father afterward came to Crete Township, Will County, and died at the home of 
his son, Joseph, he also being seventy-two years old. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ladoux 
belonged to the Catholic Church. To Mr. Schirra and his good wife, fourteen 
children were born. John and Charles died young and they also lost an infant. 
Of the living children we note the following: Eliza married Peter Wehren, a 
furniture dealer who lives in Madison, Cook County; Matilda is the wife of 
Peter Schmidt, their home being in Chicago; Carrie became the wife of 
Sebastain J. Lux, who is now deceased and she lives on her father's farm; 
Joseph is operating a farm in this township; Phillip C. lives in Monee 
Township; Ida M. is the wife of Metz Miller, a carpenter in Chicago; Charles 
C. and Anna A. are at home; George is now associated with his brother, Joseph, 
in operating a farm; Walter P. and Jacob O. are at home. All the children were 
educated in both German and English and are intelligent, well informed, and 
manifesting energy and thrift. Mr. Schirra is a sound Democrat. 

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/schirra1272nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 4.5 Kb