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F. J. Senge store; formerly Senge & Pape, at 885-889 (today's 3056-3060) W. Armitage, Chicago, between 1904 and 1909. Used with permission from David Schardt |
The photo above is just another example of why I blog. Just this past Sunday, I got an e-mail from the grandson of my great-grandfather's former business partner (and the godfather of my great uncle Walter Pape, 1900-1975). He had some questions for me, and he also shared the photo above and below. The photo above is significant because my great-grandfather, John Pape (1851-1945), was part of this business from at least 1900 through about May 1904, when it was located at 883/885/889 W. Armitage (3058/3060 after the 1909 street renumbering) in Chicago. The May 1904 issue of The Clothier and Furnisher (volume 64, page 91) indicates "F. J. Senge has succeeded Senge & Pape, dry goods merchants, at 883-885 Armitage ave." We believe at this point John Pape opened his own store at 6949 N. Clark St. in Chicago.
The photo above was taken sometime between 1904 and October 1, 1909, when the May 19, 1909 Men's Wear (volume 27, issue 2, page 84), in an article called "Store Improvement and Enlargement," said, "F. J. Senge to Erect Own Building - Frank J. Senge, department store, 887-9 Armitage avenue, will erect and occupy on October 1 a double store building at 918-20 Armitage avenue. His old store will then be discontinued." The address 918-20 after the renumbering is 3111-3113 Armitage.
Franz Joseph Senge was born May 18, 1871, in Germany.1 His parents were Franz Senge and Wilhelmine Schulte, and he was baptized on May 22 of that year in Saint Servatius Catholic Church in Brunskappel in Westphalia.2 He arrived in New York September 24, 1893,1 and was naturalized June 2, 1903.3
Frank's grandson tells me that Frank married a clerk in his store, Marie Holm, and they had his mother, Gloria Senge, in 1926. Gloria "married my father George Schardt in 1946. They had six children....Frank died in 1951, Marie in 1974, Gloria in 1986, and George in 2010."
Below is a photo of what 3058 (to the right) and 3060 (to the left) W. Armitage in Chicago looked like in August 2013. The 3058 building (The Neighborhood Chapel) is virtually identical to the short building to the right in the photo at the top of this post. The three-story brick building to the left in the photo below (address 3060) appears to be new; the original two-story building with "1888" at the top in the old photo appears to be wooden and was probably torn down. However, the building to the far right in both photos appears to be identical.
The photo above was taken sometime between 1904 and October 1, 1909, when the May 19, 1909 Men's Wear (volume 27, issue 2, page 84), in an article called "Store Improvement and Enlargement," said, "F. J. Senge to Erect Own Building - Frank J. Senge, department store, 887-9 Armitage avenue, will erect and occupy on October 1 a double store building at 918-20 Armitage avenue. His old store will then be discontinued." The address 918-20 after the renumbering is 3111-3113 Armitage.
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| Frank J. Senge, 1871-1951, around 1900. Photo courtesy David Schardt |
Frank's grandson tells me that Frank married a clerk in his store, Marie Holm, and they had his mother, Gloria Senge, in 1926. Gloria "married my father George Schardt in 1946. They had six children....Frank died in 1951, Marie in 1974, Gloria in 1986, and George in 2010."
Below is a photo of what 3058 (to the right) and 3060 (to the left) W. Armitage in Chicago looked like in August 2013. The 3058 building (The Neighborhood Chapel) is virtually identical to the short building to the right in the photo at the top of this post. The three-story brick building to the left in the photo below (address 3060) appears to be new; the original two-story building with "1888" at the top in the old photo appears to be wooden and was probably torn down. However, the building to the far right in both photos appears to be identical.
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Same view on Armitage as in the photo at the beginning of this post, August 2013 |
1 "Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index, 1840-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-20824-116877-99?cc=1838804 : accessed 13 Jun 2014), S-465 to S-525 Amon, Part B > image 704 of 5365; citing Federal Archives and Records Center, Chicago.
2 "Deutschland, Geburten und Taufen 1558-1898," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/M1DW-JQQ : accessed 13 Jun 2014), Franz Joseph Senge, 22 May 1871; citing ; FHL microfilm 1051955.
3 "Illinois, Northern District Naturalization Index, 1840-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-20824-116957-1?cc=1838804 : accessed 13 Jun 2014), S-465 to S-525 Amon, Part B > image 703 of 5365; citing Federal Archives and Records Center, Chicago.
ETA 20 September 2026: I'm adding the actual baptism record for Frank J. Senge, with the source below it. Note that the image is altered - I clipped the record (#44) from further down the actual page, and pasted it just below the headings. Click on the image to make it larger.
From parish Brunskappel, St. Servatius | Paderborn, rk Erzbistum | Deutschland, Taufen [Baptisms], Jan. 1, 1865 - Dec. 31, 1883, https://data.matricula-online.eu/en/deutschland/paderborn/DE_EBAP_60809/KB009-01-T/?pg=67
© Amanda Pape - 2014 and 2026 - click here to e-mail me.
I stumbled upon your blog today while I was searching for the artwork of my great uncle, Frank C Senge, son of Franz and Marie (Keller) Senge. I've often come across Frank J Senge and his family in my research and tried (unsuccessfully) to find a connection between the 2 families. Franz and his son Louis are tailors in several census; his son, William Chester Senge, my great grandfather, is listed as a Clothier and a Salesman of woolen goods. So, it would appear that they are all in the clothing business!! I'm sure I will find the connection someday...but today, I enjoyed reading the blog and looking at the photos. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteNickolette, thank you so much for commenting! Frank J. and Frank C. might be connected, but pretty far back - you might have to research more in the Catholic church records from Germany. I found Frank J.'s baptism indexed on FamilySearch (footnote 2), and just today I found the original record at Matricula Online. I will edit this post to add it with a link in just a little bit - your Franz might be the godfather in Frank J.'s record! Back in 2021 I learned how to use Matricula Online, and wrote about it here: https://abt-unk.blogspot.com/2021/10/john-papes-1851-baptism-record-from.html.
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