Bloodlines
Ernst Ludwig Franz Schwarze (9/20/1850-11/13/1930) was born in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is said he left Germany in 1880 to avoid the military draft. He probably sailed from Hamburg to Glasgow where he boarded the Devonia that arrived in New York Harbor on July 20th, 1880. Although he may have joined the Brockmans in their migration to California, all that is certain is that he was located in Palmdale, California in July of 1889. There is a mythology that the German farmers who were determined to journey to California were instructed to travel West until they discovered palm trees. Since these trees were out of their experience, when they arrived in the area now called Palmdale, they mistook Joshua trees for Palm trees, thus the name, Palmenthal (German for palm tree.) Where Ernst lived during those nine years is unknown. On July 2nd, 1889, he married Teresa Pauline Brockman (3/17/1864-6/2/1899) in a Lutheran Ceremony in Los Angeles. August Schwarze (8/23/1891-12/4/1961), Conrad Henry Schwarze (5/24/1893-4/8/1952,) Marie Louise Schwarze (1/15/1895-1/31/1941) and Helena Teresa Schwarze (6/28/1897-1/6/1956) were all born in Palmdale, California. From the marriage until Teresa’s death from Bright’s Disease, he probably farmed in the Palmdale area. In 1900, census records show him living adjacent to the Brockman farm in the community of Florence, California, just south of downtown Los Angles. He remarries in 1904 in Los Angeles to Sophia Fredericks (8/2/1865-12/10/1921.) In 1910, he is growing walnut trees on a farm in “Rowland” California (actually a land grant designation describing present West Covina and Baldwin Park California. 1920 Voter Registration show him in the Palmdale District. In the April, 1930 Census, he is living on Willow Avenue in West Covina. He dies on November 30, 1930 at County Farms, Hondo, California.
In his registration for Military Induction in 1917, Conrad Henry Schwarze shows he is living on Willow Avenue, in Baldwin Park, California. He is married to Lydia Aleen Schlitzkus (7/2/1898-11/17/1986) on October 23, 1918 in Los Angeles. In the 1922 Voter Registration, Conrad Henry Schwarze was listed as living in the West Covina Precinct as a “rancher.” Conrad Elwin Schwarze (10/27/1918-4/25/2005,) Ralph William Schwarze (10/3/1920-2/23/2005,) Jack Wilbur Schwarze (1/19/1920-6/23/1989,) Betty Louise Schwarze (9/7/1923-7/22/2014) Lois Jean Schwarze (1/13/1928-10/20/2019) were born in Covina, California. After this point in time, it is understood that he and his family worked and lived in Ventura, Dos Palos, Ripon, Acampo and Banta. Mary Ann Schwarze (1/19/1934-5/21/2011) was born in Acampo, California. In the 1930 Voter Registration, Conrad in listed as a Republican living in Tracy, California. Later in another Voter Registration, he is shown with Lydia living in Acampo in the Liberty Precinct, now as a Democrat. In the 1940 Census, he is shown as living in the Liberty Precinct in San Joaquin County with his family. He is described as doing “shop maintenance” and has a 5th grade education. In the 1945 and 1947 City Directories of Stockton, California, Conrad is shown with Lydia living in Acampo. His death is listed in Santa Clara, California.
In his WWII draft Registration on June 30th, 1942 Jack is listed as living in Acampo and is a student. He graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1945 and served at sea between 1945 and 1947. He graduated from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks in 1949. Jack married Wanda Marie Moleskey (10/21/1916-9/11/2006) in Alaska in 195?. Joan Teresa Schwarze (1/3/1951) was born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. James Stephen Schwarze (5/29/1957) was born in Costa Mesa, California. In 1952 Jack and Wanda are living at 2950 Calderwood Lane in Sacramento. He is listed as a civil engineer. In 1958, the Voter Registration of Orange County shows him living at 413 E 20th Street in Costa Mesa, California.
In 1974, Joan discovered the light of her life and bane of her existence while working for A-Advance Mail in Robert Thomas Faulkner in Torrance. California.
