Laura Scholl was born Dec 26, 1883 in Arago, NB to Frederick and Fannie Scholl. Laura grew up on a working farm near a small river in a rural part of Nebraska. Her father raised wheat, barley, corn and oats. He also had two orchards and a rental home on his property. For this reason Laura learned how to work. I'm sure she had many difficult chores. She must have gathered the eggs when she was five, churned the milk into butter at 8 and hitched up the horses at 15. In her teenage years she helped harvest in the fall. She climbed up a tall ladder to get the upper-most apples and carry them back to the house to bake into hot apple pies for the family. There are unending tasks on a farm. She fed and groomed horses and she must have driven the wagon to town and church. When she was 27 in 1910 Laura left farm life and followed other Scholl and Weinert family members to Portland, Oregon. Laura's uncle August Weinert Jr was the first to move there in 1899.
1911 Emma B. Scholl Journal:(Emma is Laura's brother George's wife)
"I boarded at Small's, 349 7th Street until mother came to Portland. There I met Laura Scholl, who was a clerk in Meier and Frank's. It was a long ride to work, so in December 1911, we moved to an apartment at 431 East Taylor. I could walk to work and it was a nice walk over the Willamette River Bridge. I often saw the drawbridge open for boats to pass through. Portland is a beautiful city. Every summer they had a rose festival with a parade of floats made of the most beautiful roses I have ever seen. I could see it well from the windows of Meier and Frank's store upstairs."
"I boarded at Small's, 349 7th Street until mother came to Portland. There I met Laura Scholl, who was a clerk in Meier and Frank's. It was a long ride to work, so in December 1911, we moved to an apartment at 431 East Taylor. I could walk to work and it was a nice walk over the Willamette River Bridge. I often saw the drawbridge open for boats to pass through. Portland is a beautiful city. Every summer they had a rose festival with a parade of floats made of the most beautiful roses I have ever seen. I could see it well from the windows of Meier and Frank's store upstairs."
1911 Emma B. Scholl:
"Laura Scholl, who was employed at Meier and Frank's asked me to drop her a card when I got settled in Los Angeles. I never had any idea that by doing so, I would meet my future husband. She gave her brother George my address and soon after mother came to L.A., he came on a trip and called on us. He and his friend, Gust Oberst, later got a room not far from our apartment. He kept calling and we went on trips to parks, beaches, etc. He never returned to Portland."
"Laura Scholl, who was employed at Meier and Frank's asked me to drop her a card when I got settled in Los Angeles. I never had any idea that by doing so, I would meet my future husband. She gave her brother George my address and soon after mother came to L.A., he came on a trip and called on us. He and his friend, Gust Oberst, later got a room not far from our apartment. He kept calling and we went on trips to parks, beaches, etc. He never returned to Portland."
1915 San Diego, Emma B. Scholl:(Emma is married living in San Diego) "George's sister Laura and Nell Smith came to see us and go to the Fair. Charlotte came at the same time. She stayed with us and we rented a room downstairs for Laura and Nell. We went on trips to Tia Juana, Mexico, Ramona's Home, Old Town, Ocean Beach, La Jolla, Coronado and Mission Cliff Gardens. The climate was very nice." (see photos below)
In Portland between 1910 and 1916 Laura is found in the Portland City Directory as a bookkeeper, Clerk at Meier and Frank Co (a prominent department store in Portland), stenographer and bookkeeper again. She lives with her Aunt Minnie Weinert Voegelein until 1913 when she moves in with her parents who have retired to Portland. In 1918 Laura meets, falls in love and marries John William Zinser in Multnomah, OR. Laura was 36 and a half and John was 45. John is a chicken farmer in Portland. On November 9, 1920 Emma gives birth to a stillborn child who is referred to as infant Zinser.
In the 1920 census it says John Zinser worked at a car manufacturer. Here is a possibility of where he worked:
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| Portland, Oregon - Ford Model T plant: 2505 SE 11th Avenue; built 1914, assembly started February 1914, assembly ended 1932; redeveloped into mixed-use commercial. |
Construction of the assembly plants for the Model T began in 1912 and lasted only until
1915 or so, when the assembly line made the multi-story format
impractical. But in that period, annual Model T production skyrocketed:
Year-over-year production increased by about 80 percent during the Model
T's first few years, then jumped to 125 percent in 1912 and 140 percent
in 1913. By comparison, the rate of production increases for Ford
slowed to 46 percent in 1914 and seven percent in 1915 (the first two
years of Model T assembly line production), indicating that widescale
distribution perhaps had more of an impact on Ford's ability to meet
demand and thus on the Model T's popularity than the moving assembly
line.
1928 Portland, Emma B. Scholl: (Trip from LA to Portland)
"Wild berries grew all around there. We stayed with Gus (George's brother) and Emma few days. We visited Laura (George's sister) and John Zinser. We went out in the country and picked berries and they were very cheap. I canned 125 quarts of berries and fruit and shipped it to L.A. on a boat."
1928 Portland, Emma B. Scholl:
"We started home in September, stopped at Emma's (Hornschuch) and enjoyed the prunes and peaches. We attended Laura's funeral in the Evangelical Church in Portland just before we left. She died August 27th, 1928, giving birth to her second baby, Lawrence Zinser. Her first baby had died at birth. Emma Hornschuch raised Lawrence."
Laura and Emma
It is interesting how close Laura Scholl and Emma Bachman Scholl were. Emma is a bookkeeper at Meier and Frank's and Emma is a clerk. Laura thinks enough of Emma to line her up with Laura's brother. After George and Emma marry Laura visits them during their first year of marriage. While George is doing carpenter work on some San Diego radio towers Laura and Emma travel to Mexico and enjoy the beach and sightsee around San Diego with their friend Nell Smith. Thirteen years later in 1928 George decides he wants to visit his family and piles Emma and his two daughters into his Model T Ford Touring car and drives a thousand miles to Portland. On the way they visit Laura and find her pregnant and doing fine. But just as George and Emma are about to return, Laura dies giving birth and they attend the funeral. Laura and Emma are best friends.
What was John Zinser like?
John was of medium build, medium hight, grey eyes and brown hair. He had an 8th grade education which resulted in a wide variety of jobs. In 1940 he is living with his brother Charles and a servant in a rental and "farming" in Clackamas, OR. Vince Becker says John was a "chicken farmer." John's 1917 draft registration says he was a "soap" cutter for Huckel, Kuig & Oake Co in Portland. The 1920 census (with his wife Laura,) says he was a "Builder" for a Car Mfg. and he owns his own home. In 1930 he is a "scrap sorter" on the Union Pacific Railroad in Portland. The 1940 census says he is a Farmer in Rural Marion, OR.
Lawrence Zinser
Emil Hornschuch and Emma Scholl, Laura's sister, raised Laurence. He served in the Navy. Laurence had two daughters, one who is older and not married, and the other is a teacher. Lawrence passed away 26 March 2017.
Laura and Emma
It is interesting how close Laura Scholl and Emma Bachman Scholl were. Emma is a bookkeeper at Meier and Frank's and Emma is a clerk. Laura thinks enough of Emma to line her up with Laura's brother. After George and Emma marry Laura visits them during their first year of marriage. While George is doing carpenter work on some San Diego radio towers Laura and Emma travel to Mexico and enjoy the beach and sightsee around San Diego with their friend Nell Smith. Thirteen years later in 1928 George decides he wants to visit his family and piles Emma and his two daughters into his Model T Ford Touring car and drives a thousand miles to Portland. On the way they visit Laura and find her pregnant and doing fine. But just as George and Emma are about to return, Laura dies giving birth and they attend the funeral. Laura and Emma are best friends.
What was John Zinser like?
John was of medium build, medium hight, grey eyes and brown hair. He had an 8th grade education which resulted in a wide variety of jobs. In 1940 he is living with his brother Charles and a servant in a rental and "farming" in Clackamas, OR. Vince Becker says John was a "chicken farmer." John's 1917 draft registration says he was a "soap" cutter for Huckel, Kuig & Oake Co in Portland. The 1920 census (with his wife Laura,) says he was a "Builder" for a Car Mfg. and he owns his own home. In 1930 he is a "scrap sorter" on the Union Pacific Railroad in Portland. The 1940 census says he is a Farmer in Rural Marion, OR.
Lawrence Zinser
Emil Hornschuch and Emma Scholl, Laura's sister, raised Laurence. He served in the Navy. Laurence had two daughters, one who is older and not married, and the other is a teacher. Lawrence passed away 26 March 2017.
What happened during their lives?
1882 Birth of Laura Scholl 26 December
1893 Serious economic depression in USA, Age 1
1893 Serious economic depression in USA, Age 1
1885 Birth of Brother Philip Frederick Scholl who dies at 5 months, Age 3
1886 Birth of Brother George Fred Scholl, Age 4
1888 Birth of Brother Augustus Phillip Scholl, Age 6
1891 Birth of Sister Clara Lydia Scholl, Age 9
1895 Birth of Twins Edna Fannie Scholl and Edgar Fred, Age 13
1897 Birth of Brother Fred C Scholl Age, 15
1900 Laura is 17 and no longer at school, see 1900 census, Age 18
1901 Marriage of Sister Elizabeth Scholl to Ben Apel 6 March in NM
1903 Laura sends a postcard to her sister Elizabeth in NM
1900 Laura is 17 and no longer at school, see 1900 census, Age 18
1901 Marriage of Sister Elizabeth Scholl to Ben Apel 6 March in NM
1903 Laura sends a postcard to her sister Elizabeth in NM
1905 Laura's Sister Anna Scholl dies 8 October, Arago, NE
1906 Laura attends Peru Normal Scholl in Peru, NB
1906 Laura attends Peru Normal Scholl in Peru, NB
1908 August Jr marries Marie Fosberg, 25 Dec
1908 Emma and Emil Hornschuch marry 25 Dec
1910 Laura is a bookkeeper who boards at 408 Yamhill St with aunt
Minnie Voegelein, Portland, OR
Minnie Voegelein, Portland, OR
1911 Laura Scholl boards with Minnie at 408 East Yamhill
1912
Co 446 E Lincoln, Portland OR
Co 446 E Lincoln, Portland OR
1913 Frederick, Fannie, George, Edna, Laura at 446 East Lincoln,
Portland, OR
Portland, OR
1914 Frederick, Fannie, August, Laura stenographer, George, Fred Jr. at
446 East Lincoln, Portland, Or
1915 Laura visits her newly married brother George in San Diego, CA
Laura and Emma visited Mexico/Beach on this trip
446 East Lincoln, Portland, Or
1915 Laura visits her newly married brother George in San Diego, CA
Laura and Emma visited Mexico/Beach on this trip
1916 Frederick, Fannie, August, Edna, Laura bookkeeper, 446 East
Lincoln, Portland, OR
Lincoln, Portland, OR
1914 Elizabeth Scholl died 9 March in Alamogordo, NM
1914-1918 WWI
1914-1918 WWI
1918 Laura marries John William Zinser 5 June in Multnomah, OR, Age 37
1919 Infant Zinser deceased at birth
1919 Infant Zinser deceased at birth
1922 Laura's mother Fannie Weinert died 1 June
1928 Laura died August 27, 1928 during childbirth, as her second
child Laurence was born, Age 44. According to her death certificate'
she was buried in the Rose City Cemetery, Multnomah, Portland, OR
1944 John Zinser died 3 January, Clackamas, OR. John lived 70 years, 8
months 15 days
child Laurence was born, Age 44. According to her death certificate'
she was buried in the Rose City Cemetery, Multnomah, Portland, OR
1944 John Zinser died 3 January, Clackamas, OR. John lived 70 years, 8
months 15 days
Documents related to Laura Scholl:
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| Johann George Zinser birth 10 April 1847 in Ettenheim, Baden Germany, Johann's father is Johannes Zinser, and his mother is Kathrina Meyer Ettenheim is 1 hour 16 minutes south of Graben Germany where Laura's family immigrated from. Ettenheim is about 8 miles from the Rhine River which marks the border with France. |
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| Kansas State Census 1875 Osborne This census links John William Zinser with his parents- John George Zinser (1847-1930) age 28 and Christina Bernadine (1854-1920) Zinser age 22. John was the second of 12 children. The first five children were born in Kansas. |
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| 1885, The Scholl girls: Emma, Laura, Anna, Elizabeth |
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| 1898 February1, Scholl/Weinert Grandchildren, Arago, NE |
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| 1898 about February 1 Scholl/Weinert Grandchildren, Arago, NE |
LtR back row
Lizzy 1879 Nov 22 Frederick/ Fannie Scholl 18 years 2 mo
George 1886 Aug 6 Frederick/Fannie Scholl 11 years 7 mo
Henry 1889 March 19 John Weinert/Anna Kaiser 9 years 0 mo
Fred 1886 Jan 30 Minnie Weinert/ Edward Julius Voegelein 3 years 2 mo
Gus 1888 Dec 6 Frederick/ Fannie Scholl 9 years 3 mo
Edwin 1883 July 31 Jane Weinert /Christian Hofer 14 years 8 mo
Charlie 1885 Oct 16 Jane Weinert/ Christian 12 years 5 mo
Clara 1887 Apr 27 Charles Weinert/ Mary Voegelein 10 years 11m
Ida 1881 Sep 9 Jane Weinert /Christian Hofer 16 years 6 mo
Laura 1881 Aug 27 Frederick/ Fannie Scholl 16 years 7 mo
Second row
Anna 1880 Oct 8 Frederick/ Fannie Scholl 17 years 5 mo
Melinda Edna 1891 Mar 5 John Weinert/Anna Kaiser 7 years
Carl 1888 Sep 27 Charles Weinert /Mary Voegelein 10 years
Lula 1887 July 3 Jane Weinert/Christian Hofer 10 years 8 mo
Alma 1890 May 10 Charles Weinert/ Mary Voegelin 7 years 10 mo
Eddie 1888 Sep 19 Minnie/ Edward Voegelein 9 years 6 mo
Front row
Edna 1895 July 9 to Frederick/ Fannie Scholl 2 years 8 mo
Clara 1891 Aug 16 Frederick/ Fannie Scholl 6 years 7 mo
Luella 1895 Oct 10 John Weinert/Anna Kaiser 2 years 5 mo
Arthur 1893 May 13 to John Weinert/Anna Kaiser 4 years 10 mo
Elmer 1896 Dec 24 August Weinert /Amelia C. 1 year 3 mo
Kate 1889 Nov 3 to Minnie/ Edward Voegelein 8 years 4 mo
Elmer 1889 June 9 Jane Weinert/Christian Hofer 9 years
Walter 1895 Jan 12 August Weinert/Amelia C.Ernst 3 years 2 mo
Fritz 1897 Oct 9 Frederick/ Fannie Scholl 5 mo 23 days
Emma 1877 March 22 Frederick/ Fannie Scholl 21 years
Rosa 1886 March 30 John Weinert/Anna Kaiser 12 years 2 mo
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| 1898 LtoR back Lizzy, Emma, front Laura and Anna |
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| 1900 Census Frederick Family. George Scholl's birth year is wrong, and Laura is listed as Louisa, not Laura. |
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| 1885 Nebraska State Census |
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| 1898 Laura Scholl, 3rd from right 2nd row. Most young women wore white. |
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| 1899 Laura, front row, fourth from right, with school class. Girls in white, boys suits. |
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| 1899 Laura graduates from school. The 1900 census she is no longer at school. Age 16 |
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| 1900 John Zinser in the Oregon Census |
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| 1903 Falls City, NE, LtR back, Augustus, Anna, Elizabeth, Emma, Laura, George, front, Edna, Frederick, Clara, Fannie, Fred Scholl. |
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| 1904 Portland Directory |
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| 1904 Oct 28 Falls City Tribune Laura Scholl |
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| 1905 Sep 8 Falls City Tribune Laura Scholl |
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| 1905 Sep 22 Falls City Tribune Laura Scholl |
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| 1906 Mar 13, Falls City Tribune Laura Scholl |
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| 1906 Oct 6 Falls City Tribune Laura Scholl Bingaman |
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| 1906 Sep 7 Falls City Tribune Laura Scholl |
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| 1907 May 31 Falls City Tribune Laura Scholl |
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Northwestern Business College, NB - undated. Students at the business college pose for a group photo. Laura's classes may have looked something like this when she was attending the Peru Normal School, Peru, NB. (Source)
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| 1910 United States Census, Oregon Multnomah Portland Ward 8 |
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| 1910 Oct 28, Postcard from Laura Scholl to her sister Elizabeth Scholl Apel. A garret is an attic. Laura's humor. See back of card below. |
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| 1910 Laura Scholl, flip side of card above |
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| 1910 Oregon City courier, July 22 |
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| 1910 The Sunday Oregonian., July 17, |
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1911 Arthur G. Churchley was a photographer in Portland from
1900-1911 at this address: 145 1/2 3rd. Since Laura arrived
in 1910 this photo must have been taken in 1910 or 1911.
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1911 Arthur G. Churchley was a photographer in Portland from
1900-1911 at this address: 145 1/2 3rd. Since Laura arrived
in 1910 this photo must have been taken in 1910 or 1911.
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| 1912 The Sunday Oregonian., August 18 |
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In 1913, the five-story building built in 1898 at 5th & Morrison came down and work began on an addition to the 10-story Annex. The new building covered three-fourths of the block and it was completed in 1915.
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| 1912 Portland: Standing: August Weinert, Cora Fisher, Kate Voeglein, Fred Voeglein, Hester Fisher, George Scholl, laura Scholl, Gus Scholl, ?, ?, August Weinert’s wife Marie, Aunt Minnie Voeglein. Seated; Walter Weinert, Edgar Volusen, Fulton Smalz, Franklin Weinert, Wingelal, Elmer Weinert |
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| 1913 Portland, Scholl family and cousins, can't be Edna in pic. |
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| 1914 The Oregon daily Journal., November 29 |
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| 1915 George, Emma and Laura Scholl Zinser This is George and Emma honeymoon photo in San Diego, CA |
1915 San Diego, Emma B. Scholl:(Emma is married living in San Diego) "George's sister Laura and Nell Smith came to see us and go to the Fair. Charlotte came at the same time. She stayed with us and we rented a room downstairs for Laura and Nell. We went on trips to Tia Juana, Mexico, Ramona's Home, Old Town, Ocean Beach, La Jolla, Coronado and Mission Cliff Gardens. The climate was very nice."
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| 1915 Mission Beach, San Diego, LtR Emma B. Scholl, Laura Scholl (Zinser) and Nell Smith |
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| 1915 Old Town San Diego, CA, LtR Laura (Zinser), Nell Smith, Emma Bachman Scholl |
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| 1915 "Two Oregonians in Tijauna" Laura Scholl (Zinser) Scholl, Nell Smith |
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| 1915 Ocean Beach, CA, Nell Smith, Laura (Zinser) |
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| 1915 Laura Scholl (Zinser), "On the Mexico border line". |
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| 1915 Ramona's home, San Diego, CA, LtR, Laura Scholl (Zinser), Emma B. Scholl and Nell Smith |
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| 1915 La Jolla, CA, Laura Scholl (Zinser), and Nell Smith |
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| 1920 Portland Directory copy |
John Zinser registers for the draft
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| 1920 United States Census, 1920 Oregon Multnomah Portland |
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| John and Laura (Scholl) Zinser Home 345 East 42nd Street, Portland |
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| 1920 Frederick & Fannie (Weinert) Scholl, Edna Scholl, Erma Hornschuch, Laura Scholl & John Zinser |
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| 1922 LtR Frederick, Fannie, Edna, Erma Hornschuch, Laura Scholl Zinser and John Zinser, home at 315 42 nd Portland, OR, enhanced. It is interesting in this photo Fannie looks considerable taller than Frederick and she has a very small waist. This was probably taken the same year Fannie died. |
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| 1920 LtR, Augustus and Emma Lou Schultz Scholl, Laura Scholl and John Zinser |
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| 1920 John Zinser, Emma Lou Schultz, Laura Scholl Zinser and Augustus Scholl |
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| 1920s Zinser family with Laura and John |
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| 1920s Zinser family with Laura and John on the left |
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| 1928 Laura Scholl death certificate |
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| 1928, RtL George, Elaine, Emma and Audrey Scholl on their trip to Portland. This is the trip they see Laura alive on the way up and go to her funeral on their way back to Los Angeles. The car is a Model T Touring Car. Only sold in black. |
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| 1929 Erma Hornschuch with Lawrence Zinser, Lavish Center, Portland, OR |
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| 1930 Portland Directory Scrap metal sorter at Union Pacific Yards |
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| 1930 United States Census, Multnomah, Oregon |
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| 1940 United States Census, Clackamas, Oregon |
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| 1948 Lawrence Zinser, Navy |
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Golden Gate National Cemetery, Section 2B Site 5371, Died
26 Mar 2017, Lawrence Zinser lived to be 88 Lawrence
lost a son in 1961 stillborn: Lawrence and Mark are interred
together, they share the headstone - Lawrence on the front, Mark
on the back. Mark lived 7 days. (FindAGrave)
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| Family notes on John Zinser, note occupation and final resting place |
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| 9 Nov 1920 Infant Zinser death certificate |
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| 1928 Laura Scholl death certificate, 46 years 8 mo 1 day |
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| 1944 John W Zinser death certificate, 70 years 8 mo, 14 days |