Fred Schimelpfenig and Louise Ernestine Rammers

The Shimmelpfennig family is of German heritage. Mr. Frederic Shimmelpfennig Sr. was born on 28 June 1821 in Heringen, Hesse, Kassel, Germany. He emigrated to America.

On 24 April 1848, Rev. Frederick Shimmelpfennig married Miss Margaret Barhenburg, born in 1827 in Germany. The marriage took place in Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio.

One of their sons was Frederick Shimelpfenig born on 9 Sept. 1852 in Newton, Kentucky.

Campbell County Courthouse, Newport, Kentucky

At the age of 24, Fred Jr. married five years-younger Miss Louise Ernestine Rammers, born 4 March 1857 in Kentucky as well. Two years later, the newlyweds moved to Plano in Collin County, Texas.

Soon Fred Jr. opened a dry goods store at 510 Mechanic Street.

In 1880 Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of Plano was founded at a meeting held at Fred and Louise's house.

In 1882, Fred Schimelpfenig became manager of Cotton Compress Company.

1882 -1907, Mrs. L. E. R. Schimelpfenig organized and taught the Young Ladies' Sunday School Class.  She also supported prohibition and was the president of the Plano County Women's Christian Temperance Union.

1884 - Mrs. Schimelpfening started a library - she lent her own books to the citizens of Plano. The lady founded Juvenile Missionary and Aid Society for girls whose main Aid Society activities were reading, reciting and singing.

1902, he was elected director of Plano Cotton Seed Oil Company.

Clipping source: Thompson, F. C. The Democrat. (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 3, 1902, newspaper, April 3, 1902; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth192114/: accessed October 10, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

Fred Shimelpfenig was elected Mayor of Plano in 1902.

His other function (since 1904) was the Plano school board member. Frederick Shimelpfenig gave a school a small building in which art, music and diction were taught. It was the beginning of the Plano Music Academy.

1904 - a burglary of the Schimelpfenig's house was reported in a local newspaper.

Clipping source: Thompson, F. C. The Democrat (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 21, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 10, 1904, newspaper, March 10, 1904; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth291828/: accessed October 10, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

 1914 - Mr. Schimelpfenig became the manager of J.T. Elliot Lumber Company.

 Bagwill, Arthur A. The Plano Star-Courier (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 44, No. 41, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 22, 1923, newspaper, November 22, 1923; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth570418/: accessed October 10, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

1915 - new dwellers in the Shimelpfenig's house.

Clippings Source: Wankan, Fred E. The Plano Star-Courier. (Plano, Tex.), Vol. 26, No. 36, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 28, 1915, newspaper, January 28, 1915; Plano, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601579/: accessed October 10, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society. 

E. C. Graves was Edward Clarence Graves born 10 Jan 1857 in Alabama to Ira Graves and Susannah Mathis. Edward's wife was Cynthia Balzora Ramsey (b. 1855).

Both Fred and Louise Schimelpfenig were active members of the Plano Methodist church. Fred was its board member and the director of the Sunday school for a few decades.

In 1907, Mrs. Schimelpfenig passed away.

Clipping source: Perkins, Tom W. & Wilson, Walter B. The Weekly Democrat-Gazette (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 40, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 14, 1907, newspaper, November 14, 1907; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth292020/: accessed October 10, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

Fred lived about 35 years longer, till 15 August 1942. Both him and his wife are buried at Plano Mutual Cemetery Plano, Collin County, Texas.

Fred Schimelpfenigwas related to Harrington family. His sister Minnie Catherine was married to Silas marion Harrington, and his younger brother Wesley Benjamin was the husband of Ida Harrington.

Here is the line which connects us to Fred.
⇒ his sister Minnie Catherine Schimelpfenig Harrington (born 1865/d. 8 Dec. 1935)
⇒ her husband Silas Marion Harrington (b. 1863/d. 1937)
⇒ his father Silas Harrington (b. 1814/d. 23 June 1871)
⇒ his brother Alfred Harrington (b. 1812/d. 1862)
⇒ his son Silas Liter Harrington (b. 29 April 1851, Plano, Collin, TX/ d. 21 March 1932, Collin, TX)
⇒ his son Joseph Alfred Harrington (b. 31 March1874, Collin, TX/d. 9 April 1957, Plano)
⇒ his son Silas Liter Harrington (b. 1896/d. 1942, Texas)
⇒ his wife Vera Virginia Andrews Harrington (b. 26 Dec. 1897, Collin, TX/d. 3 March 1955, TX)
⇒ her mother Ora Susan Forman Andrews (b. 23 Feb. 1869, Plano, Collin, Texas/d. 1932, TX)
⇒ her mother Lucettie Abigail Thomas (b. 16 Aug. 1823, Bowling Green, Warren, Kentucky/d. 20 Jan. 1897, Plano, Collin, TX)
⇒ her husband Jarrot Howard - our great-great-grandfather

Credits:

Photo by Rdikeman at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12469679

Resources:

• http://www.34events.com/building-history;
• Haunted Plano, Texas. Haunted America, Mary Jacobs, Haunted America a Division of The History Press, Charleston, SC.;
• Plano City Timeline, Plano Public Library System;
• findagrave.com;
• my MyHeritage research

Lyndon Baines Johnson

President Lyndon Baines Johnson, born in the heart of Texas, was related to the Harrington family (via the Baines and the Huffmans)*.

Rear View of President Johnson birthplace

Mr. Lyndon was Silas Liter Harrington's third cousin. Who was Silas? I have already written about him and his wife Vera Virginia Andrews, our fourth cousin twice removed, in another post.

Silas was born in Texas, in 1896.

Here is the relation line between Mr. Lyndon and Silas:

Silas' father Joseph Alfred Harrington (b. 31 March 1784, Collin Co., TX/d. 9 April 1957, Plano, Collin, TX)
⇒ his father Silas Liter Harrington (b. 29 April 1851, Plano, Collin, TX/d. 21 March 1932, Collin Co., TX)
⇒ his mother Martha Harrington nee Huffman (b. 1830/d.1864)
⇒ her brother John Smith Huffman III (b. 7 May 1825, Bourbon Co., Kentucky/d. 22 June 1865, Plano, Collin, TX)
⇒ his daughter Ruth Ament Baines nee Huffman (b. 10 Dec. 1854, Rowlett, Collin, TX/d. 13 Feb. 1936, San Antonio, Bexar County, TX)
⇒ her daughter Rebekah Johnson nee Baines (b. 26 June 1881, McKinney, Collin, TX/d. 12 Sept. 1958, Austin, Travis County, Texas)
⇒ her son Lyndon Baines Johnson (b. 27 August 1908, Stonewall, Gillespie County, TX/d. 22 Jan. 1973)

The place where President Lyndon B Johnson was born

Here is our relation to Vera Virginia Andrews Harrington

⇒ her mother Ora Susan Andrews nee Forman (b. 23 Feb. 1869, Plano, Collin, TX/d. 1932, TX)
⇒ her mother Lucettie Abigail Forman nee Thomas (b. 16 August 1823, Warren County, Kentucky/d. 20 Jan. 1897, Plano, Collin, TX)
⇒ her husband Jarrot Howard (our great-great-grandfather)



*All the information based on my own MyHeritage research

Photos:
1. By Billy Hathorn - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32361537
2. By Larry D. Moore, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49669589

Harrington Family, Harrington Chapel and Epworth League

Some of our female ancestors were active members of the Fannie Harrington Chapel congregation so it is time to write about the Harrington family in Texas.

Jonathan Harrington was born in 1786 in Virginia. His two sons, Alfred (b.1812) and Silas (b. 1814) came with their families to Collin County, Texas in 1848. It was three years after Texas became a state and about two years after Collin County was formed. In the year 1848, the town of McKinney was established as the Collin County seat.

Alfred and Silas Harrington were some of the earliest settlers in the area of Plano.

Silas' son Silas Marion Harrington (b.1883) graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and after that, in 1881, he opened a pharmacy in Plano, Texas.

In 1982, the Harrington family bought the carpentry (furniture shop) and undertaking business from Mr. Andrew Wetzel. Silas Harrington's son, Edwin Omar became the manager of the Harrington Furniture and Undertaker Store (which was opened from 1893 to 1980s).

On 9 October 1903, Mrs. Mary Franklin (Fannie) Harrington nee Mathews organized a chapel which was called after her name.

Fannie Harrington was the wife of John Huffman Harrington, Alfred's son. She was born on 18 February 1859 in Collin Co., TX to Mr. Benjamin Franklin Mathews and Mary Yeager.

The chapel organized by Fannie Harrington was a Methodist church which served the rural community of Collin County. The lady leader and the congregation members visited people who lived in the area and helped those who were in need.

Our aunt Victoria belonged to the Epworth League of the Harrington Chapel. The league was a youth section of the church (for persons at the age 18-35) which met on Sunday nights. The programme of the meetings was published in a local weekly newspaper. I have come across such an announcement while browsing The Portal to Texas History archives.

Harrington Chapel  

Epworth League

The following program will be rendered Sunday, April 9, 7 o'clock:

Leader - Miss Victoria Gant,

Scripture reading.

Roll call - answer with verse of scripture.

Song.

Reading - Miss Ethel Cothes.

Song.

Talk - Mrs. John Harrington.

Solo - Mrs. Clint Kennedy.

Song.

Prayer.

Reading - Miss Ruby Mathews.

Song.

Bible characters.

Song.

Reading - James Bryan.

Song.

Announcements.

Benediction.

Clipping source: The Plano Star-Courier (Plano,Tex), Vol. 27, No. 44, Ed. 1 Friday, April 7, 1916 Page: 7 of 10, accessed 05/18, University of North Texas Libraries,  The Portal to Texas History, crediting Collin County Genealogical Society

Miss Victoria Gant was our aunt, I am going to write a post about her soon. Mrs. John Harrington was, of course, Fannie, the church leader of course.

The Harrington Chapel was also a social circle - the congregation members spent time together at weekends. The information about such activities was included in the "social column" of a local newspaper as well.

Harrington Chapel

Miss Victoria Gant spent time with Miss Ethel Howard.
Miss Erickson spent Saturday and Sunday with Miss Leona Mathews.
Mrs. Green Bishop spent Sunday afternoon with her aunt, Mrs. Barcus.
Mrs. Gofforth of Renner was the guest of Miss Powell Saturday and Sunday.
Clint Haggard visited relatives and friends in this community over Sunday.
Ernest Bishop and Fred Lunsford were in our community Sunday afternoon.
Several from this community attended Trades Day at Plano last Monday.
Miss Cassie Dillehay and little sister Myrtle, spent a few days last week with Harry Dillehay and wife.
The little son of Mr. and Mrs. Gibbons died Friday and was buried at Rowlett Saturday. We extend sympathy to the bereaved ones.
The conference which was held at the Chapel Saturday and Sunday proved to be a great success in every way. Rev. Spragins preached three very fine sermons. Each church of the district was represented by one or more of the stewarts.

Harrington Chapel, April 15

Clipping Source:  Perkins, Tom W. & Wilson, Walter B. The Weekly Democrat-Gazette (McKinney, Tex.), Vol. 30, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 18, 1912, newspaper, April 18, 1912; McKinney, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth292093/: accessed May 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting Collin County Genealogical Society.

According to my finds, many Plano families, including the Gants, Haggards, Harringtons, Lunsfords, the Mathews family, and the Bishops were related to each other in one way or another.
Miss Ethel Howard was Victoria Gant's first cousin. Clinton Shepard Haggard, mentioned above, was born circa 1878 and was married to Miss Nancy Catherine Lunsford. He was the uncle of Fred Lunsford.

Anyway, the Fannie Harrington Chapel was dissolved in 1962.

What was our relation to John Huffmann Harrington and Miss Fannie, his wife?

Via Miss Vera Virginia Andrews* (born 26 Dec. 1897, Collin, TX), our fourth cousin twice removed. Vera's husband was Silas Liter Harrington (born 1896). John Huffman was a brother of a grandfather of Silas'.

Silas Liter Harrington 
⇒ his father Joseph Alfred Harrington (b. 31 March 1874, Collin Co., TX/ d. 9 April 1957, Plano, Collin, TX)
⇒ his father Silas Liter Harrington (b. 29 April 1851, Plano, Collin, Texas/ d. 21 March 1932, Collin, TX)
⇒ his brother John Huffman Harrington ( 11 August 1858, Shelbyville, Kentucky / d. 8 Dec. 1942, Collin, TX).


*based on my MyHeritage research


Credits:

• Information: "Images of America. Historict Downtown Plano" by Janice Craze Cline
• Picture: By NYC Wanderer (Kevin Eng) - originally posted to Flickr as Gutenberg Bible, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9914015