My name is Andrew H. Schubert. I am the son of Margaret Fisher Schubert and Andrew - and was born in Geuser, near Wallenfels, county seat Kronach. [This is in northeast Bavaria about 50 miles west of the Czech border] My home Geuser has nine families living in it, and no other family was allowed to come into the village to live, but the descendants of the families already there. We lived together in a village and had to go to the surrounding country to til our land. We used oxen. So, I am the middle one in the family. There was John, now dead - after the bombing of Nuremberg where he lost all of his possessions and fled back to the old homestead; George, Margaret, Henry and another Andrew, the baby of the family. In Germany you took the name of your Tauf-pate [godfather] - so there were two Andrews - I was the oldest, but smallest so I was "Little Andrew", the other "Big Andrew". I can remember my father dressed up in his Sunday clothes, velvet suit with blue pants - big silver buckles on his black shoes. We had a spring in front of the house that ran into a hollowed log and the water was wonderful.
My cousin, another Andrew Schubert, was anxious to get away from military conscription, and so was I, so we paid an agent money to register us under false passports and left home in a hurry. It took us some time to cross, I just can't remember, tho I can remember there being a fire on the boat and all steerage passengers being locked down below, so we couldn't get underway and start a panic. That boat later sank.
My cousin was coming west to Sauk County, and I went along and found work after a week. Later I worked for Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, a young married couple. They had no children and she was very good to me and let me go to country school. That is all the American education I ever had. They treated me like one of the family, and I saw Mrs. Johnson some time ago. She was good to the 'little Dutchman", and I always ate with the family when they had company. I didn't get any pay, just food and lodging so I decided to go to Madison. At the west Madison station, I met a man who had a boarding house near the Fess Hotel - the building is still there (there's a parking place there now) - His name was Kittleson. I couldn't speak English very good, but he was nice and took me home with him and got me a job and [at] Baker's Grocery and Crockery Store, where the Emporium is now. I used to roast the green coffee - keep turning it all day long. After awhile he let me go out on the delivery, and I delivered all over, especially on Langdon, Gilman and Gorham St., (they used to call that "The Hell"). At first when they'd give me the orders for the next day, I'd write it down and then couldn't make it out, so Mr. Baker told them, and they'd have their orders ready written for me. They were good to me. I delivered to Governor Rusk, Judge Cassidy, J.D. Gurney, the Brown's, Col. Vilas Bashford, Col. Knight, Col. Stacey, Judge Treadway, Judge Bunn, Major Oakley, Van Slyke, Professor Kerr, C.B. Chapman, the Hanks - C.W. Jones, Professors Parkinson, Sterling, Dean, Owen. Mrs. Witton, Ladies Hall had me pack her crockery - gave me a dozen silver spoons. [some of these names are uncertain].
My boss wanted me to go to night school. I tried it, but I was out delivering all day until dark and I couldn't do it. Then Mr. Baker took me inside as clerk. I met your mother Magdalene Schubert, daughter of Franz Schubert - of the University in the store and delivered groceries. We were married in 1888 and Mr. Baker paid for the little white house on West Washington, which still stands. He helped me furnish the house and gave me a set of dishes, some of which I still have. He sold out, and for awhile I worked up at Marshfield in my brother in law's hotel. Then I went in business, Andy Bede on the marketplace - and then the Pipers bought in and in [it] was Piper and Schubert. My first child Aimella [Armella?] died. Then we moved to University Avenue and I bought my father in law and ran the saloon. I could tell you many stories of the games at Camp Randall - Pat O'Dea, John Martin. We had an old wooden pump on the corner, and the entire Brooks' addition, as it was called, got its drinking water there. Then I built a red saloon and apartment, and had a place until the half mile limit was passed. [A law was passed forbidding saloons within a half mile of the university.] Then I rented a drug [store] to Rennebohn, who is now Governor of the state. The property now belongs to the University, the building is used for crippled children.
Then I moved to Mifflin and started the Silver Dollar - I was the one who put in red lights for Homecoming. Professor Prokash of the German faculty was a particular friend of mine. His dog could be seen any day outside the door.
I'd like to tell we took two trips to Europe, first in 1901 when my mother was still alive. We made a pilgrimage to Maria Weier and Veus Uhu Heilegen [?] as I had promised to do if I ever came back. We helped get the hay; they were still using oxen.
The second time was in 1910 - my mother had died.
Return to Barnett Family Page or visit Historic Madison for a look at the city where Andrew Schubert lived.