This is the house that Franz Xaver Schillinger bought in 1900 in on Jerome Street in New Lots, Brooklyn. For the next 20 years 10 – 11 members of his family would live there with him, including his daughter Mary, her husband and 3 children, and his son Charles, his sister-in-law and his three children. It is a 2000 square foot house, located a block off Atlantic Avenue. Within blocks of this home, his son Louis and his family lived on Schenck Avenue and his daughter Catherine lived on Logan Street. St. Michael and St. Malachy Catholic Church is located across the street.

Jerome Street – Schillinger Home

The house was purchased new, and according to the 1900 census was mortgaged. At the time, Xaver lived in the home with his wife, Catherine.  With them lived their daughter Catherine, who was 25 years old at the time.  Xaver was retired, but his daughter Catherine was working in a shoe factory.  By 1900, Xaver and his wife Catherine had been married for 41 years, and she had given birth to seven children, only four of who were still living.

Also living in the home, and listed as renters, were his daughter Mary and her husband, Henry Altenberg, along with their two sons Henry and Charles (ages 11 and 7, respectively).  Henry was a boot polisher, while Mary had no occupation listed and both boys were in school.

1900 Federal Census

In the 1910 Census, Xaver had moved more of his family into the home. He was widowed by this point and both the families of his daughter Mary and his son Charles are living in the house. Henry Altenberg was now listed as the owner of the house, and lives there with Mary and his three sons, Louis, Henry and Charles (ages 23, 21 and 17, respectively).  Henry and his son Henry were both listed as painters, while Louis was listed as a mason.  Charles was listed as a musician in an orchestra.

Charles was a widower at this point as well, and was living in the home with his single sister-in-law, Mary McCarthy.  He was a carpenter, while Mary had no occupation listed and presumably helped to keep house.  Three children lived in the home with him, Emma, Mary and Carl (ages 16, 10 and 8, respectively).  All three children were listed as attending school.

1910 Federal Census

By 1920, Xaver was no longer living in the Jerome Street home, but had moved down a short ways away in the home of his daughter Catherine on Logan Street. By 1920 Catherine was a widow, raising her two children, Joseph and Cornelia (ages 15 and 11, respectively), on her own.  Catherine was working as an operator, but the industry listed is illegible.  At 15, Joseph was already working as an errand boy for a pipe manufacturer.  Cornelia was in school.

1920 Federal Census