Frank Erasmus Schweizer, 1871–1946

Frank was born on 2 June 1871 to Caroline Rapp and Franz E. Schweizer in Kupprichausen, Baden, Germany. Nothing is known about his family or life in Germany.

The Ellis Island website reveals that Franz Schweizer of Germany arrived in New York City on 28 July 1896 at the age of twenty-five. He is listed on the manifest of the ship Friesland, departing from Antwerp, Belgium. He worked as a farmer in Germany. Frank occupied a place on the ship called “the forward lower space II” with just one piece of baggage, even though this was a permanent move.

The St. Louis city directories for 1898, 1899, and 1900 list Charles Schweizer and Frank Schweizer (cousins) as butchers living at 2308 Lemp Avenue unrelated to the other fourteen Schweizers in the directories. The directories also listed the George Kessler family with John, an engineer, Julius, a laborer, and Martin, a trimmer, living at 2308 Lemp Avenue. Frank made his living as a butcher for Swift Company at the National Stockyards in East St. Louis, Illinois.

On 14 October 1903, Frank and Magdalena Kessler were married in Sts. Peter & Paul Church. They had nine children: Cecelia (1904), Rosalia (1905), Joseph (1907), Hildegard (1909), Frank (1911), Henry (1912), Regina (1913), Bernard (1916), and Marie (1917).

On 15 December 1904, Frank was naturalized in St. Louis according to the naturalization record held by the Missouri State Archives.

A building permit available at City Hall tells us about their new home. Building permit #E-2916, dated 10 March 1905, was issued to Frank Schweitzer for a two-story brick flat at 2007-07a Ann Avenue. The architect was H. Beetz and the cost was $4,500. At the same time, a one-story frame shed was built on the property for $60.

The 1940 census showed Frank, age 68, and Magdalena, age 59, with Regina, age 26, Ben, age 24, and Marie, age 23, living at 2007 Ann Avenue. According to the census, Ben was a shirt designer working in a shirt factory making about $1,050 per year, working forty-eight weeks out of the past fifty-two. Frank must have retired because Ben was the only wage earner listed.

On 23 April 1946, Frank was rushed to Alexian Brothers Hospital and died just forty-five minutes after he arrived. Frank had lymphatic leukemia and chronic myocarditis.

At the time of his death Frank still lived at 2007 Ann Ave. He was the husband of Magdalena (Kessler) Schweizer, and father of Sister Mary Lioba, S.S.N.D.; Rose Bierling; Hilda Welling; Regina Becker; plus Joseph, Henry, Bernard and Marie Schweizer. He was also a father-in-law, grandfather, brother, brother-in-law and uncle.

The family held the funeral on Saturday, 27 April from Gebken Chapel, 2603 Gravois, to Sts. Peter & Paul Church. Burial occurred at Old Sts. Peter & Paul’s Cemetery. Frank was a member of C. K. of A., Branch No. 248; St. Vincent de Paul, German St. Vincent Orphan’s and St. Paul’s Benevolent Societies and the Married Men’s Sodality.

Written by Judy Broleman
May 2020

© 2020 St. Louis Genealogical Society