Clara Dieden Schoentgen

Clara Martha Dieden was born in 1881 in Chicago to John Dieden (46 yo) and Anna Maria Crone (32 yo). John's first wife passed away in 1874 from a tragic accident so Clara had four older step-siblings. Clara was John's 9th child and Anna's fifth. They lived at 43 Chicago Ave and John's occupation is listed as Saloon Keeper. They lived down the street from John's brothers and the Dry Goods Store his stepfather, John Herting, owned. Two of Clara's elder sisters worked as dress makers. 

In 1906, 25 year old Clara married Nicholas Schoentgen who was 36 years old. 

In 1908, their first child Augustine "Gus" was born. Helen was born a year later in 1909.

In 1910, the Schoentgens lived at 1111 N. Wells in Chicago. They lived next door to Clara's mother, Anna, and several of Clara's siblings, including a younger sister, Helen. 

By 1920, two more children had been born, Virginia in 1911 and Esther in 1913. The family lived at 222 Beethoven Place. Nicholas, 50 yo, was a furniture salesman and Clara was working as a waitress. 

In 1930, Clara is 50 and they live at 1044 Franklin Street. Nicholas, 63 yo, is unemployed and Clara is a sales lady in a retail store. Gus is 22 yo and works a clerk in a retail store and Helen is 20, also working as a clerk. 

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. He is buried in St. Boniface Cemetery near the Diedens.

Helen married Jim O'Malley in 1938 and they moved to Detroit where Jim worked in the Rotogravure business. 

In 1940, Clara is 59 and lives at 1111 N. Wells in the same building as Maude Dieden who was the widow of Clara's older brother, Frank. Gus, 32 yo, still lived with Clara and worked as a butcher and then enlisted in the Army that same year. Esther, 25, worked as a mail clerk. Also living in that building were several of Maude's children: Eugene, Donald, Grace, Richard, and daughter-in-law Mildred. 

In the next few years, Gus would marry and move to St. Louis but he passed away in 1952. Esther lived her life a single woman and passed away in 2003. 

In 1950, Clara is 69 and lives at 4106 Barry Ave with her daughter Ginny and her new husband Lee Colsant and their eight children: Richard, Louise, Lee, Raymond, Joseph, Virginia, Rosemary, Loretta

Clara passed away in July 1953 and is buried in St. Boniface with her husband, parents, and her daughter, Helen.