The early life of today’s main character is a bit confusing. Eventually, he lives almost all of his life in Illinois, but before that happens, his baptism takes place in Perry County, thus getting him a place in our German Family Tree.

Before I get too far, let me say that I have previously written stories about men who were named Rudolph Schade. One was a Rudolph who was adopted and took the name, Schade, later in life. Another was born as Rudolph August Schade and spent much of his life in Wittenberg, Missouri. Now, you will read about another Rudolph Schade. This one was born with the name Rudolph Ferdinand Schade. He was born on April 24, 1894, thus making today his 130th birthday. Rudolph was the son of Anton and Mathilda (Oehlert) Schade and was born in Murphysboro. Here is the confusing part. Rudolph’s father and all his siblings were baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Frohna. Then, when Rudolph’s parents were married, the wedding took place at Trinity Lutheran Church in Altenburg. Not long after that marriage, Anton and Mathilda moved to Murphysboro, where Rudolph was born. When it came time for him to be baptized, his parents chose to bring their 2 month-old baby back across the river to Perry County for that sacrament. I find it surprising that they had Rudolph baptized at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altenburg, not the church at which his father had been a member (Concordia, Frohna), or his mother had been a member(Trinity, Altenburg). Two more children would later be born in Murphysboro and probably baptized there. So, in the case of Rudolph, he never lived in Missouri, was not raised there, and lived almost all of his life in Illinois, but he was baptized in Perry County.

Rudolph is found in his first census in 1900 at the age of 6. You can see that his older brother, Theodore, had been born in Missouri. Rudolph’s father was a railroad fireman in Murphysboro.

Rudolph was a teenager when the 1910 census was taken. I think his father was still working with the railroad, and Rudolph was doing cutting work at a shoe factory.

Rudolph had his World War I draft registration completed in 1917. This form says that Rudolph was a machinist at the Egyptian Iron Works in Murphysboro.

The above form says Rudolph was still single, but I figure that he got married shortly thereafter. His wife’s later obituary states that she was married in 1917. So, let’s take a look at the woman who would become his first wife. Her name was Edna Anna Louise Ziegler, who was born on January 10, 1896. Edna was the daughter of Henry and Josephine (Weber) Ziegler. She was baptized at Christ Lutheran Church in Jacob, Illinois. We can take a look at an image of her baptism record below. Her first name is spelled Aetna on this document.

Edna is found in the 1900 census at the age of 4. Her father was a farmer in the Fountain Bluff Township.

Prior to the 1910 census, the Ziegler family relocated to the Murphysboro Township where Edna’s father was still farming. Edna was the only child in the household at the age of 14.

I was unable to locate any documentation for the marriage of Rudolph Schade and Edna Ziegler, other than the fact that the wedding took place in 1917, but I figure that the wedding likely took place at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Murphysboro. We find this young couple in the 1920 census with their first child, a daughter named Ruth. Rudolph is called a machinist for the iron works.

I think this couple eventually had 7 children. When the 1930 census was taken, the Schade’s had 4 children listed in their household. Right above their entry in this census, you find Rudolph’s parents, Anton and Mathilda Schade. Rudolph still had the same occupation.

The 1940 census lists all 7 of the Schade children. The Schade family had relocated to Hutsonville, Illinois. Rudolph was a machinist working for the C.I.P.S. (Central Illinois Public Service Company). Hutsonville is located near Effingham, Illinois.

The final census entry we can view is the one taken in 1950. Once again, the Schade’s were found in a different location. They were living in Lockport, Illinois near Chicago where Rudolph was a machinist for an oil refinery.

It appears that Edna Schade died in 1959 at the age of 63. Although I could not look at it, her obituary says she died in Murphysboro, so I figure this couple had moved back to Murphysboro later in their lives. After his wife’s death, Rudolph got married again. He found his second wife back in Perry County, Missouri. Her name was Flora (Ochs) Lyle, a widow who was living in Longtown. A previous story, Wirth While in Longtown, told the story of Flora, so I will not go into detail about her life in this post. Rudolph Schade married Flora Lyle on April 15, 1961 at Zion Lutheran Church in Longtown. The Missouri marriage license for this pair is pictured here.

Rudolph Schade died in 1971 at the age of 77. Since he died in Perryville at the Perry County Memorial Hospital, we can view his Missouri death certificate.

Rudolph Schade and his first wife, Edna, are buried in the Tower Grove Cemetery in Murphysboro.

Flora Schade died in 1982 and is buried with her first husband in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery in Longtown using his surname, Wirth.

Today’s birthday boy spent just a short portion of his life in Missouri. He manages to make his way into our German Family Tree by being baptized at Immanuel, Altenburg. Both of his wives are also found in our German Family Tree, but neither one of them is connected to Rudolph. The closest he comes is a note that Flora Ochs was married to a Mr. Schade, but does not identify him as Rudolph. Perhaps some changes can be made to our GFT as a result of the information found in this post.