Diedens & Schoentgens

Read more about The Dieden and Herting families

John, Nicholaus, Anthony, and Catherine Dieden were born to Stephen Dieden and Agnes Schmitt in Ebernburg, Rhineland-Palatinate between 1835 and 1843. Their father Stephan passed away after Catherine was born and their mother Agnes married John Herting. The family emigrated to Chicago and John Herting started a successful dry goods business. Anthony's children continued in the business into the 20th century.

Dieden & Co.

John Dieden's first wife, Catherine Vogt, and he had four children: Agnes, Catherine Genevieve, Anna Franceska, and William. Catherine died in a tragic accident in1874 when William was still an infant and the widower married Anna Krone which was anglicized to Crone.

Anna was born in Lauschied, Germany in 1849 and emigrated in 1850, with her parents, Frank and Catherine.

John and Anna Dieden's first child, Frank, was born in 1876 and two sons soon after, Walter and Gerard.  

In the 1880 census, John's occupation is listed as Saloon Keeper but his brother lived next door and continued in the family Hay & Feed business.

Clara M. Dieden was born the next year in March 1881. Anna was 31 and John was 46. Four more children followed: Helen, Arthur, Esther, and Rudolph in 1887. 

John Dieden died a mere few months after Rudolph was born. He was 51 years old and his occupation was listed as Insurance Agent. 

By 1900, Anna Dieden was a widow and Clara was 18 years old. There were 5 brothers and 2 sisters and they all still lived at 362 Wells St.  

Schoentgen Family

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Ancestry.com, I was able to locate Jean Schoentgen's birth information. Jean was born November 7, 1842 in Beaufort, Luxembourg. Here is the 12th century castle located there.  

Catherine Merens was born April 29, 1840 in Beaufort as well. They married in Clervaux, Luxembourg, home to the famous abbey.

Jean and Catherine's first son, Nicholas, was born March 16, 1868 in Clervaux, in a small hamlet called Reuler. His sister Catherine was born in 1871, Jacques in 1875, Susanne in 1877 and Elisabeth in 1879. 

Nicholas emigrated from Luxembourg in 1899 and found his way to Chicago. In the first decade of the 20th century, Nicholas met and married Clara Dieden.

In 1908, Chicago renumbered the houses  so 362 Wells St. became 1111 N. Wells St. 

By 1910, Clara's mother Anna still had six of her children living with her. The eldest brother, Frank, was a druggist. Clara and Nicholas Schoentgen rented their home from her mother at 1111 N. Wells Street  and lived their with their son, Gustine who was two and their infant daughter, Helen. Nicholas's occupation was in Sales for a Tailor. 

Virginia Dorothy was born in 1911 and Esther Anna Schoentgen was baptised at St. Mattias Church, Ainslie Street, on 26 April 1914. 

In the 1920 census, Clara was 38 years old and was working as a waitress in a restaurant. Nicholas was a furniture salesman. They lived at 232 Beethoven Street. By this time, Anna no longer lived on Wells but the widow was working as a chamber maid at St. Francis Hospital where she boarded. Her daughter, Helen, boarded and worked there, too, as a bookkeeper. 

In 1930, Clara and Nicholas Schoentgen lived with their children, Gus, Helen, Virginia, and Esther at 1042 N. Franklin St.  Nicholas was 63 years old and was not employed. Clara was working as a Sales Lady in a retail store. Gus, 22, and Helen, 20 were also working as sales clerks. The younger girls were in school. 

Nicholas died on April 29, 1935 at the age of 67. His funeral was held at St. Joseph's and his occupation was listed as Oliver Typewriter Salesman. Shortly afterward, Clara moved back to 1111 N. Wells Street and rented along with Maude Dieden, her eldest brother Frank's widow. 


In 1937, Helen met the dashing Jim O'Malley and they were married. Jim got a job with the Detroit Free Press working as a Rotogravure printer and the young couple moved to Detroit. They lived at 13158 Appoline Way and their son, Dennis, was born in 1938. The family is still living on Appoline in  the summer of 1940 but shortly thereafter, the young family moved back to Chicago and Michael was born on October 31, 1941. Sweet Maureen was born a few years after.