SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

Captain Fred Schnellen, Page 216

FRED SCHNELLEN, of Sheboygan, is a well-known citizen, and is a veteran of the War of the Rebellion.  He is a native of Prussia, Germany, where he was born November 27, 1827.  His father was Conrad Schnellen, who was born in the same place as his son.  The latter grew to manhood in his native city of Medebach, and at the age of twenty years entered the army and took part in the famous which began on the 18th of March, 1848.  He served in the city of Berlin, and in the corps commanded, before the reign of that monarch began.

    The parents of the subject of this sketch continued in their native city until death.  The father died in 1853, at the age of fifty-three years; the wife and mother survived her husband for a number of years, passing away at the age of seventy-three years.

    Capt. Schnellen was one of a family of ten children, but only he and two sisters, who were the eldest of the family, lived to mature years.  The sisters, Maggie, still single, and Elizabeth, who is married, live in their native country.  Capt Schnellen is therefore the only male descendant of his parents, and the only one of the family who has come to America.

    In April 1851, occurred the marriage of Capt. Schnellen and Miss Wilhelmine Freinatis, who was also born in the city of Medebach, in 1831.  In the spring of 1852 they came to the United States, landing in New Orleans in May of that year.  Thence they proceeded up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, where they remained two years, the husband working at his trade, that of shoe-making.  In 1854 they came to Sheboygan, and removed thence to Howard's Grove, in the town of Herman.  There Capt. Schnellen resided when the War of the Rebellion came on.  His service in the army of Prussia had given him a knowledge of military tactics which was possessed by few in the early days of the war.

    His services were now in demand, and he resolved to enter the service of his adopted country.  In 1862 he raised a company, which became known as Company C, of the Twenty-seventh Regiment Wisconsin Infantry, of which he was commissioned Captain, and entered the service in command of the company.  The regiment went from Camp Milwaukee to Ft. Halleck, Columbus, Ky., and thence followed the Confederate general, Price, up the Mississippi River to Cape Girardeau, Mo.  After discontinuing the pursuit of Price, the command returned to Ft. Halleck, and, proceeding to Vickburg, was stationed on the Yazoo River, during the siege of that Confederate stronghold.  On the close of the Vicksburg campaign, the regiment went to Helena, Ark., home.  The cause of his resignation was general disability, which incapacitated him from further active service. However, he served during the remainder of the war in Hancock's Veteran Reserve Corps, filling the position of Sergeant.  He has never fully recovered his former condition of health, his constitution having been more or less permanently affected by his misfortune in the service.  During the war the family of Capt. Schnellen remained in Milwaukee.  After the war he removed to Menasha, Wis., where he resided ten years.  During his residence there he filled the office of President of the Village for two terms.  In 1875 he again removed his family to Sheboygan, where he has since resided.

    Since the war Capt. Schnellen has spent many years in official life, and has been Assessor of the city of Sheboygan for ten years.  In his political affiliations our subject is a Democrat, though he supported Lincoln and Grant for the Presidency.  He is a member of Gustav Wintermeyer Post, G. A. R., of Sheboygan.

    Capt. and Mrs. Schnellen are the parents of two children, a son and a daughter.  The latter, Annie, is the wife of Charles Kemmer, of Sheboygan; Fred, the son, is at home, and is a tanner by trade.  In their religious relations, he and family are Catholics.  Capt. Schnellen is a man of culture, and is esteemed as a progressive, enterprising citizen.