The Zender name developed in the 1500's as the use of Courts developed in Germany. The need for independent thinking on the part of jurors became a needed attribute to sit on a jury. Thus jury members, with professional standing, grew in importance and a jury person was called a "Zender".
John Zender (1813-1877) erected the "Oldest Saloon in Chicago"
Here is the story
Information from the Rogers Park Historical Society from a book entitled
Muno House and story
1840's German Log Cabin
Johann Peter Schmitt, aka Schmidt aka Smith, Johann Zender, Rev. Henry Fortmann, and Peter Schmitt of Winnetkka (this is his house, he is the brother of Anna Maria Schmidt and brother-inlaw of John Zender) built these log cabins along "the Ridge" and north for their families between 1835 and 1845.
This log cabin was very common with the early Ridgeville residents on the sandy bluffs of Ridge Trail
Note: Move your mouse pointer over the image to show names. Click to see a page for each name.
Adam Zender's sister's wedding photo (1874)
According to Ginny Zender
"Adam Zender is the young man all the way on our left. The
bride is his sister Maria." Maria would be 20, and Adam 18.
According to John Zender: "the groom is the skinny guy with the mustache John Keil, and the other husky guy in the middle,
is groom's brother Jacob Keil." Also: "the heavy guy Jacob
Keil, (groom's brother) are listed as witnesses, not relatives to bride."
The associated wedding document
Also from Ginny: "The file name on the
document mentions the name of the groom. But as stated, he's not a relative."
Adam Zender and wife Helen Reinberg
Wedding May 2, 1882
1940 Census
Among other things, it shows that my Juel Donahoe and Bill Zender and Dorothy Donahoe and her husband Joseph Clesen,
and Mary Donahoe AND
Patricia) all lived together in the house on Bowmanville for a short
time
Adam and Lena Zender home on the corner of Pratt and Ridge.Known to the family as "Ma's" house.
(Donahoe boys spent a lot of time here)
Helena's brother Peter Reinberg started the Cook County Forest Preserve
Helena Reinberg (with her 4 sisters)
...or so we believe. Oldest sister Margaret Weiland, Mary
Zender (Lawrence),
Katherine( Smith Peter III) so noted on right, Anna Berkel,
Helena
Zender (adam) # 2 from left. Middle gal is also pictured in Amy's
wedding photo.
So not all accounted for but a pretty good assumption. 2
are positive Id and one in wedding pic so that's a start.
Adam Zender's Aunt and Uncle Peter Smith Jr. and Elizabeth Phillips
(i.e. his Mothers brother )
Adam Zender's sister Anna and her family
Her husband Henry Muno was murdered, as reported in the
November 2 1886 New York Times and also in the Chicago papers.
This photo was taken shortly after that time, supposedly
Adam Zender's brother John L Zender
Adam Zender's daughter Amy (B. 1885) wedding to Robert Windler in 1911
Also pictured: Amy's parents Adam and Helen are behind the bride
Also Amy's siblings: Ann, Lu, and Ceal are up front, standing to the right of
Ceal and Lu is Lone (Helen)
Another picture shortly after the one above. Bill Zender, also a brother to Amy, is now seen.
Adam Zender's son Lambert drowned in Lake Zurich in 1919
A few of Adam Zender's children when young: Ed, Lu, and Bill
Adam Zender's wife Helen, holding her son Bill's child Gael, 1941
(note the picture of Adam on the table)
A few of Adam Zender's children: Top is: Bill, Lu, Ed. Bottom is: Lone, Ann, Ceal
A few of Adam Zender's children: Top is: Bill, Ed(?). Bottom is: Ceal, Lou, Lone
This was at Lou's 70th (?) birthday party in 1971?
Adam Zender's daughter Ann
Adam Zender's daughter Rene
Adam Zender's daughter Lu (1st communion)
Lu in water
Lu with son Dick
Lu, husband John Donahoe and son Bert in 1945
Lu and husband John Donahoe
Adam Zender's daughter Ceal
Adam Zender's daughter Loanie
Adam Zender's son Bill (and wife Juel Donahoe)
Helen Reinberg
Peter Reinberg was Helen Reinberg's brother
He started the Cook County forest preserve and also has a school named after him
Adam Zender's greenhouses. He was quite an established florist.
An odd find. From Ginny Zender:
"The woman is in no way connected to us. she happened to notice my name on Facebook and was going through her mom's mementos trying to find this item she remembered. she said her mom loved going there and besides plants would buy little glass animals.there's also a slight Donahoe coincidence. you might recall a picture of my mother's siblings standing on the steps of their pretty Rogers Park stone 2 story house. It's very near where this lady's mom lived. My mother loved that home and spoke of it often."
Various newspaper clips of various Zender woman
Adam Zender obituary
Jan 1, 1810 Marriage Certificate of Anna Maria Bruck and Johann Peter Schmidt(Sr)
Although the marriage took place in Maria's Village of Roderback, Germany this certificate resides in the Catholic Parish records of Zuesch, Germany.
It is written in Latin by the German Catholic priest performing the ceremony.
Johann Peter and Maria Bruck are the parents of Peter Schmidt(Jr)
They immigrated to America in late May, 1840
Their Passport, issued May 2, 1840 in Trier, Germany is written in Gothic German and was issued 30 years after their marriage.
1840, May 2nd Issued in Trier, Germany
Prussian German Passport
Johann Peter Schmidt(Sr), age: 52
Maria Bruck (wife), age: 48 married 30 years
Anna (Maria Anna), age: 21
during passage discovers she is pregnant, unmarried, and Johannn Zender, Father of future Baby Jacob Zender is in Germany. Johann at 26 cannot leave Germany since Prussian Military regulations do not allow men 17 to 26 to leave without paying a punative tax.
Four children are left in Damflos, Germany
Elizabeth Barbara age: 28 married?
Anna Maria, age: 23 married?
Johannes, age: 13 deceased
Johannes Peter, age: 3 deceased
Departure is from LeHavre, France in late May or early June 1840 aboard the US Clipper Ship "France", landing 27 July 1840 at Castle Garden, New York (southwestern tip of Manhatten)


John (Johann) Zender Monument, St Boniface Cemetery Chicago
1St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery, Chicago (Clark St. & Irving Park), Cook, Illinois, US
Notes: St Boniface Cemetery was opened in 1863 on Chicago's north side at Clark and Lawrence. It was dedicated to serve the German Catholic Community and named after the Saint who died in Germany in 754 A.D., after 36 years as a missionary.

Johann Peter Schmidt (Smith) Monument Plate, including his wife Anna Maria Bruck
St. Henry's Catholic Cemetery, Ridgeville, then Evanston, now Chicago, Cook, Illinois, US
Notes: St. Henry's Catholic Cemetery was opened in 1863 at the corner of Ridge & Devon Avenues. The picture shown is of the 1st St Henry Church [Formed 1851] adjacent the Cemetery. Its lands was contributed by German farmers and was the primary German burial ground of its time. It resides just to the west of today's German Gothic Catholic Church (number 3), whose lofty spire dominates the skyline for miles around Rogers Park. Burials previous to 1863 were in the City Cemetery at North Avenue. 147 years of citizens rest here.
at St Henry’s in a row
and this same row south of Smith Monument…inches apart
Henry Zender and Louisa….Henrietta and Wm Terwilliger…. Lorenz children: Henry and Henrietta
Johann Zender d.1877…no headstone Maria Anna Zender d. 1891 no headstone
Lorenz(Lawrence) Zender and Mary Reinberg Zender dark gray stone
Harry Zender and Marie flat hdstn… left of grandfather Lawrence
Lorenz on left.... blank is John and Maria Anna..... Lorenz' son Henry to right
Lorenz
Zender
born 1852 d.1883 married to Mary Reinberg (Helena’s sister)
left of above is Harry Zender son of Henry above
Adam Zender and Helen Reinberg Zender
(in St. Henry's at the Reinberg Monument)