Notification: there were prior but now-forgotten reasons that this was thought to be somewhat less reliable than other sources in a few instances when there was a conflict with other sources. This is not a certainty. It's just that there were some conflicts, and it "seemed" like this was the weaker source in a few cases. Barbara is not with us to shed light, so please just take it under advisement.
ZENDER FAMILY
(as investigated by Barbara Plate; Tim Donahoe’s mother inlaw)
John Zender and his wife Anna Maria Schmidt, daughter of Peter Schmidt and Mary Brueck. John (joannes) parents were Mathew (Mathiae) Zender and Catharine (Catharinae Zerfas, and John was christened at-the local Catholic Church, 22 Dec. 1813, in Hunolstein, Rheinland (Rhineland) Pruessen (Prussia).
DATA
By one account, the Zenders were married in May 1842- celebrating their silver wedding at the same time as Peter and Mary Schmidt celebrated their golden anniversary - may 1817. Since their daughter Anna Maria was born 15 July 1843 in Cook County and an older brother Jacob, 15 Feb. 1841 also in Cook County, we can deduce that they must have immigrated before 1840, John age 27 Mary Schmidt age 20.
But another account by Maria (Mary) Zender Karthaeuser had John Zender opening a saloon and beer garden at 6648 Ridge Boulevard in 1836 and she was born in the log cabin next-door. But this doesn't fit because she wasn't born until 1854.
Some ancestors believe that John Zender came over in the same ship with the Schmidt family. After searching through all the Passenger List Books, the Peter Schmidt came to North America the Birkenfeld region of Germany with his with and three children in 1837. Birkenfeld is south-east of Trier, Germany. But there was no listing of John Zender in the 1985 Passenger Supplement List.
Conflict -- with above story by Karthaeuser taken from Tribune account of Adam Zender when he was running for Park Commissioner of the Ridge Avenue Park District.
"The name of Zender is intimately connected with the early history of Rogers Park. Adam Zender's parents (John Zender and Anna Maria Schmidt) located in Chicago in 1840 on the present site of the Chicago Avenue pumping station, Chicago Avenue and Lake Shore Drive. In 1845 they moved to 6638 Ridge Avenue, Rogers Park. IN this homestead Adam Zender was born and lived there ever since, until a few months ago, when he erected a new home at Ridge and Pratt". Since I assume that the home or log cabin was at 6638 Ridge, next to the saloon 6648 Ridge, I feel that the oldest saloon wasn't founded until 1845.
John and Anna farmed on the rented land for five years until they had sufficient funds to buy property on Ridge Road, and raised their family there. one account has their child Peter baptized at St. Joseph's Church in Wilmette, but I find this not in keeping with their other children being baptized at St. Henry's Catholic Church, 6404 Ridge Avenue in Chicago. (Check Church records.)
John Zender died 27 Mar. 1876 or 1877 in Cook Co.,with his wife Anna Maria living till 1892. She lived with her son until her death at the old homestead. In the 1880 census she stated that she was 63 (born in Prussia, which agrees with her birth date of Aug. 1817.) Adam was listed as a teamster, age 23, having been born in Illinois. He was not married. His age is right and his father had already died.
CENSUS RECORDS
A puzzlement -- since we believe that John Zender did not arrive in this country until 1840, we probably wouldn't find him in the 1840 census --which was true.
But he also was not listed in the 1850 census, by that time he had his home/saloon on Ridge Road, Rogers Park, with his wife Anna Maria and 4 of his seven children.
The Census of 1860 list John Zender in the 10th Ward, Cook Co., age 47, with his wife Anna Maria, age 43, along with their seven children Jacob, 21 Anna, 16 -- Peter, 14 -- John,12 -- Lorenz, 10 -- Maria, 6 Adam 4. He stated he was a farmer and saloonkeeper.
There is a copy of a liquor license to Peter Zender's Saloon in the Village of West Ridge, Cook Co., Ill., as of the day may 1871 until 30th of April 1872, five years before John Zender died. Peter would have been 25 years old. Did he take over the saloon from his father John?? Also signing this document was Adam Zender -- age 15.
And when did Mary Zender Keil Karthaeuser inherit the saloon and become the "finest German cook" for miles around.
Peter die until 1891. By an ad run by Nic. Karthaeuser, it looks if the name from Zender's Saloon was changed to Karthaeuser in 1911. Since Mary was first married to J. Keil and had two children by him, she may have run the saloon for a time by herself -- possibly between 1892 - 1911. She would have been 38 to 57 years old.
Could not find Zender in 1870 census of Cook Co., but we find his children in the 1880 census, John, Lorenz, Peter. Anna Maria should be listed with Henry Muno, before his violent death I Nov. 1886. As before listed Adam was living with his mother. John Zender, age 31, listed himself as a carpenter, married to Kate (26) with four children Annis, Leonard, Lizzie, and Barbara (Bertha) as well as Charles Muno, painter born in Ill. and his wife Lucy, born in France.
In the 1905 Chicago Directory we find Adam Zender as a florist at 3529 Ridge - age 48, and again in the 1908 Chicago Directory Adam Zender is still at 3529 Ridge Road.
In an assessor book of the Town of Evanston, 28 Oct. 1857, we find acreage of 5 acres to John Zender as well as two plots to Peter Smith (Schmidt), Sr. (45 ac. and 10 ac.butting Zender's property as well as 2 plots to Peter Smith, Jr. (45 ac. - 35 ac.). Need to research further.
John Zender and Anna Maria Schmidt children:
Jacob b. 15 Feb. 1841
Anna Maria b. 15 July 1843 m. Henry muno
d. 31 July 1900 29 Nov. 1865
Peter b. 24 Mar. 1846 Margaret Wilhelm
d. 14 Nov. 1891 22 Apr. 1869
John L. b. 19 Nov. 1872 Catherine Mehr
d. 11 Mar. 1927 19 Nov. 1872
Lorenz b. 16 Oct. 1851 Mary Reinberg
d. 16 Feb. 1883 3 Feb. 1874
Maria b. 10 May 1854 Keil/Karthaeuser
d. 8 June 1932
Adam b. 27 Aug. 1856 Helen Reinberg
d. 20 Nov. 1923 2 May 1881
Since all of the children were married in St. Henry's Catholic Church the church records should be researched as well as the cemetery.
Adam Zender, born 27 Aug. 1856, married 2 May 1881 Helena (Helena or Lena) Reinberg in St. Henry's Church, Chicago. They had 10 children:
Amelia
Annie
Katherine
Lambert
Celia
Edward
Lucy
Anita
William
Helen Mary
Lambert Zender drowned while on a fishing trip at Lake Zurich, I June 1919, at 23 years.
PETER SCHMIDT (SMITH)
Peter Schmidt (b. 1756 d. 7 June 1875, Chicago, Cook Co.) married May 1817 Anna Maria Brueck (b. 1795 d. 5 Nov. 1879, Chicago, Cook Co.). Both were born in Prussia.
Their passport, dated 2 Mar. 1840, listed that Peter was 52 and Anna Maria Brueck was 44 which agrees with the above. Also listed were their children:
Anna Maria 20
Jacob 15
Peter 15 were the boys twins?
The passport is extremely hard to read, but has been translated that Peter was born in Damfloss, Prussia. He was 5’3”, dark brown hair, blue eyes, a wide chin, and a long face. His wife was 5’2”, with brown hair, brown eyes, pointed chin, and healthy. Anna was 20, with brown hair, grey eyes, round chin, and healthy. Jacob was 4’10”, brown hair, blue eyes, round and healthy face, but Peter was only 3’11”, with brown eyes and hair, with a pointed chin. Both boys were listed as 15.
HENRY AND KATHERINE REINBERG
From a cook county Bio (??) we find Henry and Katherine Reinberg, natives of Germany, were married there and soon after their marriage left for America in 1847. Remaining in New York for a year, they received 5 acres of land in Lake View Township, Rosehill Community " from the government. (search land grants) in 1881 Henry died at 59 years of age, making him born in 1821. We also find a Henry Reinberg, age 49, in the 1870 census in the 8th ward. His wife survived him by 14 years, 1895, living to be 71 years old, which would put her birth 1824. If this is true they were 26 and 23 years old when they arrived in New York. The Reinberg's children were:
Peter m. Mary Kronenberger
b. 5 Mar 1858 1883
George I don't think he married
b. Mar 1862
Margaret m. Mathias Weiland
Mary M. Lawrence (Lorenz) Zender
Katherine m. Peter Smith (Schmidt)
Anna m. Mr. Hoffman
Lena (Helena) m. Adam Zender
b. 17 Sept. 1853 2 May 1881
Henry's two sons, Peter and George were listed as florist at 51 Wabash in the 1905 Chicago Directory. By 1908 George had his own wholesale florist shop at 33 Randolph. George lived at 301 Balmoral (now Damen Ave.) A Miss Mamie M. -- cashier was living at George's house.
Peter Reinberg was a brother of Helena Reinberg Zender. In 1900 the two brothers dissolved their partnership. Peter had greenhouses which covered 2,500,000 square feet of land, said to be the largest greenhouses in the world for cut flowers.
In 1884 he built a home next to the greenhouses at 5444 North Robey. In 1914 he built a lovely mansion that covers 78 feet of a 100 feet frontage on Lake Michigan. Built of brick and trimmed with Kentucky white stone, the porches reach across the entire street and lake fronts. it is at 5643 Sheridan Road and cost $80,000.
List accomplishments.
• 1st President of the County Forest Preserve Dept. 1914
• City Council 1894 for 12 years
• President of Board of Education 1912
• Reinberg school named for him in 1928 Located at 3425 North major Avenue
• Member of the Chicago Horticultural Society North Shore Commandery Catholic order of Foresters
Since I believe that George Reinberg didn't marry and his brother Peter was not known to have had children, the Reinberg family name died with the two brothers. Further research needed.