The Ford Family

Born	December 5, 1887 Jefferson, WI
Died	April 1, 1933 Rockford, IL
Father	Wenceslaus Wenzel Schrom
Mother	Thekla Schrom
Siblings	Henry Schrom Minnie Weldon Bertha Schrom Albert James Schrom Tillie Marie Schrom George Gottlieb Schrom Edward Schrom Arthur Otto Schrom Fred John Schrom Theodore James Schrom

Spouse	Fannie Bort Schrom
Married	December 5, 1906 Rockford, IL
Children	Gladys Margaret Ford Dorothy Frances Oakley Frank Joseph Schrom, Jr.

Bio
Frank Joseph Schrom was born in 1887 in Jefferson Wisconsin to German immigrant parents Wenceslaus and Thekla Schrom. He was the seventh child born to them, but the sixth to survive childhood as his older brother Albert died at three, long before Frank was even born. Frank's mom gave birth to two more boys, twins Arthur and Edward in 1890. One more child - Fred - was born before the family packed up and moved to Rockford.

Here in Rockford the final child, Theodore, was born in 1893, bringing the number of children to 10 (9 surviving at this point). It was a tough time in America. The Panic of 1893, resulting from overbuilding in the railroads and bank failures, causes the worst economic depression that the US had ever seen. Farms failed all over and 15,000 businesses closed. Frank is only 6 years old. Soup kitchens were established, and we can only wonder if this great big family visited them now and again. There are no records to tell us how they got along during these years and until the recovery began in 1897.

We do know that the oldest daughter - and second born child, Minnie - gets married to George Weldon in 1898. She goes on to have five children of her own. Two of her boys, George and Earl, became very successful businessmen and started the Weldon Electric Company. Exhausted from living through the depression and birthing 12 children in 18 years, Thekla dies from TB in 1900. She is only 46 years old and leaves poor Frank, age 12 with his 5 other brothers, in the hands of their father and two older sisters. Hard as that must have been on the family, just two years later the youngest daughter Matilda (nicknamed Tillie) dies at 18 and Bertha dies two years after that! (Very likely they died from the highly-contagious ?consumption? their mother had) Their hearts are likely broken but they stick together and the boys and their father get different jobs - many of them are as cooks in different restaurants.

Frank then meets Fannie Henderson, who is three years his junior (perhaps she walked into the restaurant where he was a cook) and before you know it, right on his 19th birthday, they are married. This was a good thing, too, since only one month later their daughter Glady Margaret was born. The newlyweds and the baby all move in with Frank's father and brothers. Soon the hard-working Frank opens his very first restaurant in 1915. Of course, tragedy is never far from Frank, and his youngest brother Teddy dies in 1917 - he is only 24 years old! Frank is driven to work even harder, and saves his money to enlarge his restaurant two years later. Then yes, you guessed it, another tragedy: little brother Eddie dies in 1919! That year Frank opens the Schrom Cafe and tucks the remaining twin Arthur under his arm, and together with big brother George Godfrey, these Schrom brothers worked happily together for another 14 years.

Frank is very busy, industrious, and giving of himself to his family and the community. He is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and becomes a Knight of Columbus, eventually earning his 4th degree in the organization. He is also a member of the Elks Club and is on the board of the local country club. He is said to be one of the best golfers in Rockford! In true Schrom form, however, his life is cut short with death at 45. After a long illness, Frank dies at home on April 1, 1933. Brother George and Arthur vow to continue with their planned dream to open another new restaurant, at 112 South Main Street. Frank leaves his widow Fannie in her early 40s with Frank Jr and Dorothy still at home. Unlike her mother who was widowed three times, Fannie never marries again. Frank is honored at his funeral with a large Escort by the Knights of Columbus.