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M. Theresa Schulte
MISS M. THERESA SCHULTE is one of the most accomplished teachers of
Kittanning, where her rare mental gifts and attainments, and thorough
intellectual training, are highly appreciated.Miss Schulte is of distinguished German ancestry. Henry Schulte,
great-great-grandfather, owned eight hundred acres of land in Blesnohl, on the
river Wenne, three miles from Kreis (township)Meschede, Regierungsbezirk
(county seat) Arnsberg, Prussia. This estate was left to his eldest son,
Michael, her great-grandfather, as was the law and custom of the land; his
several other sons and daughters having become Benedictine monks and nuns, and
being appointed superiors and superioresses in their various cloisters.Michael Schulte married a Miss Kersting, and seven children were the issue
of the union, of whom only three survived, Miss Schulte’s grandfather, John
Everhardt, being the youngest child of the family; his two sisters had also
entered the Benedictine Convent with their aunts. Upon Napoleon’s invasion of
Germany these monks and nuns were obliged to leave their cloisters, and they
took with them such articles of devotion, etc., as would be necessary to them
in their life in the world. Among these was an iron used in the making of the
altar bread. This same is now in the possession of Mr. Schulte’s sister (an
aunt of Miss Schulte), Mrs. Josephine Stratman, of Detroit, Mich. It bears the
inscription I.H.S. and the date 1730 on the one side, and the Roman characters
MDCCXXX on the opposite side. Mrs. Stratmann also has a crucifix which
evidently came from one of these monasteries or convents, for it has been in
the Schulte family for generations, and was the property of the daughter of
each succeeding generation until it was presented to John Everhardt Schulte by
his mother (his sisters, as said before, having entered the convent). He, in
turn, presented it to his daughter Josephine, on the eve of her departure for
this country.John Everhardt Schulte was a boniteur for the German government, which
position he held up to the time of his death. He received his early education
from his mother’s brother, as did also the other children of the family, for
owing to the state of affairs resultant to Napoleon’s invasion of Germany,
school and similar institutions were closed and the children at that time were
dependent for their education upon their parents and the priests, who, having
no home, wandered from place to place. Notwithstanding all the disadvantages
with which he had to contend—for he was only twelve years old at the time of
the invasion, he became conversant with all the topics of the day, was a ready
writer and a fluent talker. He is described as being a man of calm and rather
reserved manner. He married Florentina Vornweg, of Calle, a member of a fine
old German Catholic family, the several members of which were highly esteemed
for their learning, etc., and much revered for their true Christian character.
Her mother belonged to the good old family Stuernberg. There were eight
children born to John Everhardt and Florentina (Vornweg) Schulte, four
daughters and four sons, the second youngest of whom, Charles, is the father
of M. Theresa Schulte. As John Everhardt died intestate his estate was sold,
and a village with its manufacturing and mining interests now occupies the
site of the old homestead with its adjoining lands.Charles Schulte came to this country in 1857, when a youth of seventeen
years, with his sister, previously mentioned, and her husband and a cousin,
Miss Amanda Molitor. The latter became a Sister of Charity of Mother Seton’s
order, and has been a member of that religious community for the last
fifty-five years. She is known in religion as Sr. M. Francis and is now
enjoying a well deserved rest at St. Vincent’s Hospital, West Brighton, Staten
Island, N.Y. She rendered valuable aid at the time of the smallpox epidemic in
New York City, when she received honorable mention therefor.Charles Schulte attended a select school in Detroit, where he gave special
attention to the study of English, French and Latin, until he entered the dry
goods business there, living in Detroit ten years. He married Miss Theresa
Wenks (Wiengs), of Oberberg, on the river Ruhr, in Prussia, who had also come
to this country with her parents when a child of but twelve years, and was
then living near Saginaw. After their marriage they remained about two years
in Detroit, moving in 1867 to East Saginaw, where the family has since resided
and is well known and highly respected. Mrs. Schulte’s parents were both
orphans of prominent and wealthy family. Her father, Anthony Wenks (Wiengs),
was born in Wallen. His mother died when he was but an infant and left him to
the care of a brother by marriage, who took possession of the home. His mother
having been an only child, the estate was rightfully hers and should in turn
have fallen to her son. The old Hof is still standing and bears the family
name. Anthony Wenks had been married twice. His son, Charles, Mrs. Schulte’s
half-brother was treasurer of the city of Saginaw about thirty-five years ago.
The second wife of Anthony Wenks, Josephine Gierse (grandmother of Miss M.
Theresa Schulte), was also an orphan, her mother having died when she and her
brother Albert were ten and twelve years old, respectively. Their mother was
of noble birth and an only daughter, and the children were left in the care of
her brother, with whom they made their home and who took possession of her
share of the estate. Albert Gierse never married.M. Theresa Schulte was born in Saginaw, Mich. She attended St. Mary’s
Academy at that place, which was at that time conducted by the Sisters of
Province of St. Mary of the Woods, in Vigo county, Ind., and later entered the
East Saginaw High School, from which institution she graduated with honors.
Miss Schulte has specialized in German and English later studying French and
continuing work in music. She also attended the East Saginaw training school
for teachers, and after spending the required time in that institution
received an appointment as teacher of German and English in the primary and
grammar grades of the East Saginaw Public Schools. This position she held
until failing health compelled her to seek a change of scene and climate,
which she found among the hills of Pennsylvania, in Kittanning. There, she is
now continuing her professional duties in the home of Dr. C.J. Jessop, where
she has been tutoring his daughter for the past eleven years. Miss Schulte has
had exceptional educational opportunities, of which she has taken full
advantage. Her gift for languages-she has studied four-she undoubtedly
inherited from her father.Source: pages 654-656, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 1998 by P. Godesky for the Armstrong County Beers
Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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