from Erma Smith MacIntire

Grandpop [Frederick Christian Schwartz] was a shoemaker and worked for a firm who made custom shoes. The salary was not sufficient enough to support such a large family, and Grandmom had to take in washing to help out.

The Swartz’s were a musical group and had an exceptional organ which had an 88 key manual. My mother Maggie was fortunate enough to be able to take lessons on it. On Sunday evenings she would play hymns, and the entire family stood around and sang.

The Schwarz Family Patriarch

John Matthew Schwarz, 1804-1895, emigrated to America from Bavaria. His son Frederick C, our progenitor, lived with his wife Caroline on Orianna Street in Philadelphia. They had 9 children and in his old age, they kept the father.

Memories my Mother Margaret (Maggie) Swartz Smith Lutz shard with me about her grandfather, John M. Schwarz -

1. She remembered him at 90 years of age and said that he had every tooth in his mouth. (True or not, I do not know.)
2. He must have been an aristocrat, for he always wore a frock coat and a high hat.
3. He became very senile; and one day walked down the street with his frock coat and high hat, but no pants on. He was carrying his chamber, looking for a place to empty it. It was a very humiliating experience for all.
4. He maintained a private rented pew in a German Lutheran Church on Columbia Avenue. It had a little swinging door with the name Schwarz on it.
5. He became more and more of a task to care for, but Grandmom was faithful to the end. She gave him loving treatment. As a result, he willed his entire estate to her. It was not a great amount, but it created a furor among the other Swartz's. On of Grandpop's brothers who lived in Tacony, came down and threatened to cut Grandpop's heart out. Fred and Matt promptly threw him out the front door and down the steps. I don't think they heard from him again.
6. Great Grandpop was a very stubborn individual, and even though he adopted America as his country, he would never learn or speak the English language.

The whole family up to Margaret were confirmed there. Margaret was confirmed in an English Lutheran Church at 7th & Montgomery Ave. Harry & Charles were confirmed in the Emmanuel Church by Dr. Forrest Ed. Dager.

My [Erma’s] memories of Grandmom and Grandpop Swartz

They retired to a new house at 3559 N. Warwick St. (Tioga) Phila. At that time the 2 youngest children were living at home, - Harry & Charles. We lived right around the corner from them at 3634 N. Mervine St. (Tioga.) Grandpop used to come around to see us. He often played with me. I can remember him sitting with me at m play table drinking the wildest concoctions I mixed up! He was the sweetest person. He died in 1908 and the GAR, of which he was a member, had some kind of funeral parade. The band played "Nearer My God to Thee" and my Mother said she could never bear to hear that hymn again.

In 1919, my father, George M. Smith, died at the age of 29. It then became necessary for my mother to go back to work to earn the living for us. I was 5. So since Charles wanted to marry Anna Schoenfelt, Grandmom sold her home on Warnock St., and she and Uncle Harry moved in with us. She was our housekeeper until she died in 1912. She was one of the dearest people you could ever meet.

At that time Uncle Harry desired to marry Edith Lappin, but said he would forego that and keep up our house if my Mother so cared. (What a Christian). My Mother would not hear tell of such a thing, and she and S. moved in with Aunt Kate at 3928 N. 7th St. Uncle Charlie lived right around the corner in the 3800 block of Franklin St. and Uncle Bill lived in the 3900 block. We lived back to back from he and Aunt Florence.

Uncle Harry married Edith Lappin and moved to Lansdowne. At that time he worked for the American Sunday School Union and was a great churchman. NOTE - Grandmom and Grandpop both died of cancer of the stomach at 64.

Caroline Wunsch Swartz, 1848-1912

Grandmom and her 3 brothers were raised Catholic, but all turned Protestant in adulthood:

1. Dominick & Grandmom - Lutheran
2. John- Baptist
3. Leo - Episcopalian (Roxborough)

Apparently Grandmom never forgot her Catholic upbringing. My Mother said that on her death bed she was praying to the Virgin Mary.

BJ Swartz
kelta@keltaskavern.com
Updated June 16, 2007