Shep's Place Family Tree

On the 14th of June when the 1900 federal census was taken in Gallipolis, Ohio, John G. Schreck at 42 years was a widower, who was born in Pennsylvania. His occupation was butcher.

There were four sons at home: Harold, John, Fred, and Clarence. John G.'s mother Frederica 63 yrs was living with them to help with the children. Clarence was only three years old and Fred five. Frederica was born in Germany, married for 43 years and had had nine children, all of whom were living. She emigrated to the United States in 1856.

By the 1910 census, life was happier for John Schreck because he had remarried Lettie Rife three years previously. They had had two babies, one of whom survived, who was Olive, who grew up to be a very lovely person. John's children John Jr. and Clarence, aged 17 and 15, were also living at home. Freddie had died in June 1900. John's occupation was retail merchant - meat.

The Schrecks lived on Second Avenue in Gallipolis next door to a lodging house which was owned by Ellen Poole who was 51 years and a widow. Her son Arthur Poole worked as a pharmacist in a drug store. Among the lodgers were three bookkeepers: Elmer Scarberry with a wholesale grocery plus Columbus Scarberry and Roy Rothgeb for the N & V Railway office. Julius M. Kauffman aged 49 was manager of the opera house. Yes!

On the other side of the Schrecks was another widow, Marie D. Blanc. Marie, like John Schreck, was born in Pennsylvania with parents who were born in Germany. I wonder if people in Gallipolis were made to feel self-conscious about their German ancestry during and after World War One.

By 1930 John at 72 years was manager of a meat market. Lettie was 45 years old and had one daughter at home, Della, who was 18 at that time. John had been 32 years of age at his first marriage, and Lettie had been 22. The family lived on Locust Street in Gallipolis.