William J Schweim 1835 - about 1870
Ancestry records report William was born in Germany in about 1835. He may have married Anna Stark before 1853 in Germany since daughter Catherine is listed as being born in 1853.
Immigrating to America
A passenger list from 27 October, 1854 shows a Wlliam Schweim aboard the ship Herschel, departing Hamburg and bound for New York. Interestingly, the people above and below his listing are Margarette Stark, Catharina Stark and Leonard Stark. (Anna's family? Note the list is not alphabetical.) William's occupation is listed as Shuster (a cobbler).
Property Purchase
A 12/08/1860 Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds document records the purchase of property by William J. Schweim from Henry and Elizaa Langley on 09/19/1859 (Document: 18600037727 Liber: 00037 Page: 0727). The land is in northeastern Sterling Township near Utica.
Saloon Keeper
The 1863 Charles F Clark's Michigan State Gazetteer listings for "Saloons" in Detroit lists "Schweim Wilhem, corner of Croghan and Russell." He is listed also in the "Groceries and Provisions" category. The 1863 Clark's Detroit City Directory lists "Schweim William, billiard saloon, 218 and 210 Croghan, h same."
Where is Croghan street today? It became Monroe in 1891, according to this forum thread. How Russell reached Monroe is unknown.
A monthly (July, 1864) list of excise taxes due to the IRS shows William Schweim, Retail Liquor Dealer and Ball Alley, at the corner of Russell and Coghan streets, as owing $4.17 for the retail liquor and $4.17 for the ball alley, for a total of $8.34.
The 1868 Clark's Detroit City Directory shows a "Schweim William, shoemaker, h. 220 Croghan."
William does not appear in 1870 or later census records and no death certificate has been found.
Anna Schweim (nee Stark) 24 April 1835 - 6 September 1916
Anna Stark was born on 24 April 1835 in Bavaria.
The 1870 census (July 15th) lists Anna (age 35) and three children (Caroline, Herman and Anna) living in The Township of Hamtramck. This census does not list house and street numbers and does not record marital status.
Anna's occupation is listed as Keeping House. Caroline, at age 17, Peddles Milk. Herman is 7 years old and Anna is 3 years old.
An 1875 Detroit City Directory shows Anna as the widow of William.
The 1877 Detroit City Directory lists Annie Schweim in the "Notions, Retail" section, at 203 Mullett.
Ancestry.com states that the 1880 census reports she is living at 207 Ducett Street in Detroit with three children: Julia, Herman and Adam (likely this "Adam" is Anna L. as the child's age is the same). (Ancestry incorrectly reads the handwriting for the street name as Doucett or Mallet on adjacent pages also. The correct address is 203 Mullett.)
Anna works in the Yankee Notions Store in Detroit. Her daughter Julia, 23, is Sewing. Son Herman, 17, is a Machinist. Anna ("Adam" in this record), is 13 and In School. Caroline would have been 27 in 1880 but she has not been found at another address and no marriage or death records have been found. Why Julia is not listed in the previous 1870 census is not known.
The 1900 census reports that Anna lives at 203 Mullett Street in Detroit with daughters Julia and Anna L. No occupation is given for Anna, but daughters Julia (43) and Anna (23 (should be 33)) both have occupations listed as "Clerk Dry Goods." Anna is listed as widowed, with 3 children living and 4 children born. In 1900, Herman is married and living at 30 Maybury Grand Avenue, Detroit.
The 1910 census shows Anna living at 420 Pennsylvania Avenue in Detroit with Julia and Anna L. She is listed as widowed, with 4 children living and 4 children born.
The A. L. Schweim Company
An important development is that the 1910 census reveals a business enterprise: at 75 years of age, Anna is listed as having her own income. Daughter Julia's occupation is listed as "Fancy Store" and industry as "Own Store." Daughter Anna L (43 years old) also has an occupation of "Fancy Store" and industry as "Clerk."
The fancy store is the A L Schweim Company, Ladies Furnishings, 89 Gratiot, Detroit. The 1910 Detroit City Directory lists "Anna L. (A L Schweim Co, bds 420 Pennsylvania av." The next listing is "A L Co (Anna L Herman and Julia E Schweim), ladies' furngs, 89 Gratiot av." See more about the store in this article >
Anna died on September 6, 1916. According to her death record, Anna apparently suffered a fall, broke her left femur and died of shock at 960 Beaconsfield, Grosse Pointe Park, MI. She was 81 years of age and is buried at Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit.
William and Anna's Children:
- Caroline, b 1853 - d possibly before 1880 (Caroline appears in the 1870 census but none thereafter)
- Julia, b 28 May 1861 - d 4 September 1917 at 960 Beaconsfield, Grosse Pointe Park. Buried at Elmood Cemetery, Detroit.
- Herman, b 10 December 1863 - d 18 January 1945. Buried at Woodmere Cemetery, Detroit.
- Anna L, b 1867 - d possibly after 1946 (Anna is recorded in the 1870, 1900, 1920 and 1930 census, but none thereafter. In the 1880 census, a child named Adam is listed. "Adam" does not appear in any further records. Anna L. signed a property deed on 17 July 1946 but no further records have been found.)