Oklahoma Family Tree Stories
This beautiful sculpture of three redbud trees is located just outside the Eleanor and John Kirkpatrick Research Center in the Oklahoma History Center. Each leaf of the Oklahoma Family Tree memorializes an Oklahoma family with the family surname, first name(s), and the town or county where they lived. In addition, a short family history is preserved in the digital family history book at the base of the tree. Sponsoring a leaf is a special way to recognize your family history and benefit future generations at the same time. To find out how to honor your own family with a leaf visit the Oklahoma Family Tree Project page.
Schroeder Family
Family Tree Leaf
Schroeder, Herman and Anna
Stillwater, Payne County
(Family information provided by donor)
Herman Bernard Schroeder was born on a farm about ten miles east of Mulhall, Oklahoma Territory, on March 23, 1890. His parents, Anton and Christine (Lampe) Schroeder married in Piqua, Kansas, on March 5, 1889, and moved to Payne County, Oklahoma, in the fall of 1889. Anton and Christine were both born in Suedmerzen, Germany. Christine was only ten years old when Anton came to the United States with his brother, Fred Schroeder in 1879. In Germany, Anton and Christine's older sister, Marie Wilhelmine, had an understanding that Anton would send for her after he had saved enough to support a family. However, Marie married Anton's oldest brother during this time. Christine had grown up and wanted to come to America, so she traveled to Anton in Kansas, married him, and together they started their life in Oklahoma. By 1900, they owned a half-section of land, and the family had grown with five more children: Fred, Tony (Anton), Maria Elisabeth (Sister Octavia), Frank and Anna.
Herman told the story how his father wanted better farmland and finally found it on land a few miles southeast of Stillwater. There he was able to push a sharpshooter shovel all the way down into the mellow soil. Herman also remembered that he was around ten or eleven years old when he was given the responsibility to drive their cattle herd, a distance of over twelve miles, which took him two days. Anton and Christine's family thrived at this new farm, with three more children born: George, Minnie (Wilhelmine) and John. The family spoke German in the home. Living closer to Stillwater, they were able to become more active in the Catholic Church. Anton served as parish director in 1915. Sadly, Anton died from a stroke on September 1, 1919. Christine continued to live with her family. Her sons cared for and supported her through the years. She died on June 13, 1960.
Herman married Anna Victoria Walker on November 24, 1915, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Stillwater. They met at a house dance near Glencoe, where Anna's father, Sebastian Walker owned land. At the dance, Anna noticed Herman as he walked through the door wearing a white Stetson hat. He literally swept her off her feet as they danced. They began their married life on a farm that Anton had bought in 1910. Herman continued to farm with his dad and brothers. This farm had a four-room house on it that Herman referred to as the box, and five of their children were born there: Mary, Frank, Ione, Thelma, and Herman (Buddy).
About ten years after their marriage, Herman and Anna Schroeder bought their own farm just west of Stillwater along Stillwater Creek. There were many struggles for the young family as they worked on their new farm with illnesses, the death of their young son, Buddy, and a fire that burned down their barn. They persevered through these sad times. Another daughter, Kathryn (Kay) was born on this farm.
Herman and Anna were both active members of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Herman served on the church board of trustees, and Anna served as president of the Altar Society. Herman drove their children to the Catholic school in the mornings. The children walked about two miles back home in the afternoons.
Around 1938, Herman helped bring electricity to the farms in his area by signing his neighbors up for electrical service and working on the Central Rural Electric Cooperative board for 32 years. He was president of the Cooperative for seven years.
Herman's farm adjoined the agricultural farms of Oklahoma A & M College, and he enjoyed watching the practices they used in farming over the years. In 1957, Herman sold 320 acres of his farm in a lease-purchase agreement to OSU, covering a 10-year period. As he slowed down his farming operation, he started to harvest his native pecan trees that grew along Stillwater Creek. Picking up pecans under the trees was an activity the whole family enjoyed every fall.
Herman and Anna Schroeder both continued to live in the two-story farmhouse where they had raised their family. In later years, Anna started to become forgetful. Herman worried about what she might do while at home alone, so her last year of life was at Stillwater Nursing Center. During this time, Herman continued to live on the farm. Anna died January 17, 1972, at the center. She was buried at Fairlawn Cemetery at Stillwater. Two weeks later, on February 3, 1972, Herman was found dead in his home. Herman Schroeder was buried next to Anna at Fairlawn Cemetery.
Of interest: after Herman and Anna died, the old, two-story farmhouse was rented to college students by family heirs. The students were the first members of a musical community who created a new kind of country music called Red Dirt, with members of the Red Dirt Rangers, and others like Garth Brooks, who would gather in the rooms of the farmhouse to sing and play with their instruments all night. Unfortunately, the house burned down in 2003 but the barn, rebuilt after the fire of 1926, and a few other outbuildings are still standing.
