Sheboygan County, Wisconsin Genealogy & History
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This Anniversary was contributed by: Kay Reitberger


Sheboygan Press - February 6, 1913
{There is a photo of Mr. and Mrs. Schorer}

Mr. And Mrs. Schorer Oldest Couple In State

Observe Wedding Anniversary at Their Home in This City Today - Pioneers of Sheboygan County - - History of These Old Settlers.


Today marks the sixty-seventh anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Urs Schorer, 710 North Fifth street, the oldest couple in the state of Wisconsin and one of the oldest couples in the country, Mrs. Schorer being 92 years and Mr. Schorer 90 years old.

In spite of their old age both Mr. and Mrs. Schorer are in splendid health. Mr. Schorer still continues to work at his tailoring trade which he has carried on since he was sixteen years old.

Mr. and Mrs. Schorer were born in Wangen, Canton Beren, Switzerland. Mr. Schorer was born September 15, 1822 and Mrs. Schorer was born on April 23, 1820. They were married on January 6, 1846, Mrs. Schorer never changed her name, as her maiden name was Elizabeth Schorer, both distantly related.

Mr. Schorer when a lad had a hard time of it. His parents died when he was twelve years old, leaving him to fight his own way through the world. He was ambitious and wanted to learn a trade but without funds had many difficulties to overcome. Finally he was able to borrow enough money to aid him in learning the tailor's trade. When sixteen years old he had mastered the trade and started a shop of his own in Wangen and met with success. He continued the shop and when twenty-two years old was married. Nine children were born to them three of whom are dead. Their oldest son William, wanted to become a minister and from information received learned that missionaries were wanted in this country and made up his mind to come over here and take up ministry work. He entered the Mission House at Franklin when the school was in its infancy and had but nine students. He liked his work and the surrounding country and wrote to his parents asking them to move here.

Sheboygan at that time was very small but was rapidly growing and looked prosperous. The family decided to leave their home in Switzerland and take up a new location and decided upon Sheboygan. Mr. Schorer sold out his interests in the tailoring shop and they prepared to sail for America. When they had packed up their belongings and were about ready for the start they encountered a number of difficulties and had a narrow escape from the dreaded disease cholera.

The Schorer family were to sail for America with six other families from Wangen. Their tickets had arrived and read from Switzerland to Milwaukee and the passage called for a certain ship. When ready to leave and all their belongings were at the wharf it was learned that the steamer was overdue and the steam ship company ran a substitute boat in her place. Mr. Schorer decided that he and his family would take passage on the substitute steamer as he could not afford to wait for the other ship. The six families waiting for the other ship died of cholera.

The SchorerS landed in New York and came by water to Sheboygan which took a number of weeks. Mr. Schorer with the money still left when they reached Sheboygan, purchased the property at 710 North Fifth street where they still reside and opened a tailor shop. Mr. Schorer was considered one of the best tailors in the city and had always done the fancy work for the stores, such as altering etc. His first work here was for the TRESTER clothing company and he worked for this company as long as they were in business. Later he made the fancy vests for the IMIGS who had started in business. He worked for him for awhile and later did the fancy tailoring for BODENSTEIN Bros. and tailored for this company until just recently.

Mr. Schorer is still working at his trade. Mr. Schorer has in his possession an old iron which he had used thousands of times during his career as a tailor. He purchased the iron when he learned the trade and prized it so highly he brought it with him to this country. The iron has been in use for 84 years. Another relic which Mr. and Mrs. Schorer have in their possession is an old footstool which was presented to them for a wedding present.

A number of the children and relatives were present to celebrate the anniversary today. It was impossible for all the children to be present. Mr. and Mrs. Schorer have six children, forty-nine grand children and twenty-three great grand children. The children are: William Schorer, California; Robert Schorer, Plymouth; Emil Schorer, Kansas City; Mrs. E. E. Greenstein, North Dakota; Mrs. Albert Lange, Sheboygan; Dr. Samuel Schorer, Milwaukee.


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