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From: ".... valentine53179" <>
Subject: SCHWEEN SUNDERLAGE BUSCHE
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 13:39:20 -0500


Subject: SCHWEEN SUNDERLAGE BUSCHE


from History of Cook County, Illinois
pg 874/875 A T Andreas 1884


William Schween, farmer, P O Elgin, is a native of Hanover, Germany;
came to the United States and to Illinois,
settling in Cook County in 1857.
During the first three years, he worked on the old Hennepin Canal,
making claims in Hanover and Schaumburg Townships.
In 1840 he located at Highland Grove
and his brother Ernest, at Sarah's Grove.
They were the first German settlers in Schaumburg
and both kept "bachelors' hall" for some years.

William Schween landed in Chicago $14 in debt,
but went at his work with true Teutonic pluck and energy,
the result of which is that he is looked upon as one of the wealthiest
as well as earliest of Cook County's German settlers.
His Schaumburg land was sold to other settlers
and in 1847 he located in Hanover (township) on the farm now run by his son,
Herman P Schween.
In June 1843, William Schween married Sophia Busche, who was born in Germany
and reared in America.
They have five living Children (this in 1884 apx).
Mr Schween is a Republican
and was four years a Supervisor of Hanover (township)
As an illustration of the primitive times of Chicago, he gives the following
prices of produce:
Live hogs under 200 pounds sold at $1 per cwt., over 200 pounds $1.25;
winter wheat weighing 63 pounds per bushel sold at forty cents,
and much was sold for 25 cents - "in trade at that," says Mr Schween.
Potatoes sold at eight cents, oats at ten cents per bushel, butter at five
cents per pound, and eggs at four cents per dozen.
About everything the settler bought was almost as expensive in those days as
they are now; but notwithstanding the many inconveniences and extortionate
prices they prospered and grew wealthy.


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