Schunemannf
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin Counties", published by Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1904.
FRANK SCHUNEMANN is one of the
wealthy pioneers of the Big Bend country. For many years previous
to coming here, he traveled and wrought in various places in the east,
being well acquainted with all the leading mining camps on the coast as
well as in the states. He is a veteran in life's battles, having
seen nearly fourscore years on the pilgrim way. At the present time
Mr. Schunemann resides in Pasco, being more retired from active business
of life He owns a farm of about one hundred acres, four miles up
the Columbia from Pasco, which is well improved and given to general crops.
About six acres of land are planted to orchard which is very productive.
Frank Schunemann was born on the shores of
the Baltic sea in Prussia, on December 16, 1829, being the son of Christen
F. and Mary Schunemann. The father died when our subject was very
young and the mother then married Frederick Kleinschmidt. They came
to Illinois in 1857 and there remained until their death. Frank came
to Canada in 1852 and for two years worked at blacksmithing, which he had
learned in Germany. In 1854, he settled in Chicago and followed blacksmithing
for a decade. Then he came to the Pacific coast by way of the Isthmus,
landing in California and locating at Oakland. He labored at blacksmithing
there and in other cities for some time then gave himself to mining and
blacksmithing all through the west until 1873. In that year, he went
to Arizona and did gold mining until 1878 being favored with good success.
At one time, he was lost on the great desert near Prescott and wandered
three days on the burning sands with neither food nor drink. In 1879,
he came to Washington on horseback, and the family joined him next year.
For five years thereafter, Mr. Schunemann was engaged as blacksmith for
the Northern Pacific and then took a ranch where he now resides.
In addition to attending to the farm, he has prospected more or less since
and now has some very promising claims in the Leavenworth district, Chelan
county. Mr. Schunemann has removed to Pasco where they may enjoy
the competence that they have gained. He has also erected a residence
there. For six years, Mr. Schunemann served as commissioner of Franklin
county, with credit to himself and his constituency. On February
24, 1904, Mrs. Schunemann died. She was a good woman and sincerely
mourned.
At Elgin, Illinois, in 1859, Mr. Schunemann
married Miss Caroline, the daughter of John and Mary Kraft, natives of
Hanover, Germany, now deceased. To this union seven children have
been born, named as follows: Frank, farming in California; William and
Henry, engineers on a steamboat on the Columbia: Julia, wife of James Clemens,
living in Yakima county; Albert, an engineer on the Northern Pacific; Fred,
operating a livery and dray line, in Pasco; and Lewis, a farmer.
BACK