Sunday, January 9, 2011

Mrs. Adelaide Lessenthien













Adelaide Schmid was born in 1879 to Mrs. and Mrs. Jacob Schmid. Mr. and Mrs. Schmid were both natives of Germany, and Mr. Schmid was an engineer who worked for many years in a local brewery. In the 1900 U.S. Census for Erie County, Adelaide stated that her occupation was dressmaker. According to records at Erie County Probate Court, Adelaide Schmid married Ferdinand F. Lessenthien on September 27, 1900. Between 1902 and 1914, Ferdinand (sometimes called Fred) had a large family of five children: daughters Wilma and Ruth, and sons Lionel, Russell and Bretell. Ferdinand Lessenthien reported on his draft registration card for World War One that he worked as a marine fireman.

Listings in the 1928 Sandusky City Directory indicate that Ferdinand and Adelaide were living at separate addresses. In the 1930 U.S. Census, Adelaide Lessenthien was living in Sandusky with her daughter Wilma, sons Russell and Bretell, as well as her married daughter Ruth Spinello. Ruth's young children Evelyn and Harold Spinello also lived in the household.

Mrs. Adelaide Lessenthien passed away at the Fisher-Titus Hospital in Norwalk on January 9, 1969, at the age of 90, following a brief illness. She had been a lifelong member of St. Stephen's United Church of Christ. She was survived by a daughter, Mrs. Lloyd Beck, three sons, Lionel, Russell, and Bretell, five grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. She had been preceded in death by her parents, her daughter Ruth, three sisters and a brother. Frey Funeral Home was in charge of funeral arrangements, and burial was in Oakland Cemetery. Adelaide was a strong woman who kept her faith strong, even when she faced life as a single parent and enduring the economic challenges presented by the Great Depression.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing this post about Adelaide Mary Schmid. She was my mother's great aunt. Aunt Addie did indeed have a difficult time raising all those children - alone - during the Great Depression.

My mother never knew what happened to Aunt Addie's husband, Ferdinand Frederick Lessenthien. If anyone knows, I wish they would comment here or on the Lessenthien board at ancestry.com.