THE VOLGA GERMANS IN PORTLAND
  • Home
    • About This Website
    • Reviews
  • History
    • Historical Timeline
    • Migration to Russia
    • Emigration from Russia
    • Settlement in America
    • Migration to Portland
    • Little Russia
    • A Short History of Albina
    • World War I
    • The Volga Relief Society >
      • Portland Volga Relief Society Subscribers 1921
    • World War II
    • Assimilation and Dispersion
  • Beliefs
    • Churches >
      • Albina Seventh-day Adventist Church
      • First United Mennonite Baptist Church
      • Ebenezer German Congregational Church
      • Free Evangelical Brethren Church >
        • German Evangelical Congregational Brethren Church
      • Second German Baptist Church
      • St. Pauls Evangelical and Reformed Church
      • Second German Congregational Church >
        • Evangelical Congregational Church
      • Zion German Congregational Church >
        • Rivercrest Community Church
    • Pastors
    • The Brethren
    • Denominations >
      • German Reformed Church
      • German Evangelical Synod of North America
      • Evangelical and Reformed Church
      • German Congregational Church
      • Seventh-day Adventists
      • United Church of Christ
  • People
    • Our People
    • Notables
    • Pioneers 1881-1892
    • Stories
    • Photographs
    • Help Identify These People
  • Community
    • Characteristics
    • Businesses >
      • Bakeries Retailers and Services
      • Garbage Haulers
      • Grocery and Meat Markets
      • Restaurants >
        • Helsers on Alberta
        • McCormick & Schmicks
        • Wildwood
      • Saloons and Taverns
      • Suppliers and Manufacturers
    • Employers
    • Education
    • Sports
    • Maps
    • Documentary
  • Traditions
    • Foods
    • Folk Medicine
    • Expressions
    • Weddings
    • Holidays
    • Folk Music
    • Funerals and Burial Sites
  • Resources
    • Family Research
    • Books and Video
    • Works Cited
People > Our People > Nicklous and Matilda Schnell

Nicklous and Matilda Schnell

Nicklous Schnell was born on January 18, 1877 in Norka, Russia, the son of Conrad Schnell (born 1836) and Catharina Spahn (born 1838).

Nicklous decided to migrate to the United States. He arrived in New York on February 17, 1901 aboard the steamship Pretoria which had sailed from Hamburg, Germany.

Shortly after his arrival Nicklous settled in Culbertson, Nebraska. There he married Elisabeth (Lizzie) Hohnstein on May 26, 1901. Lizzie is the daughter of Peter Hohnstein (born 1851) and Amalia Müller (born 1853). 

Nicklous and Lizzie adopted Marie Caroline Wacker after her mother died in childbirth. Nicklous was a friend of Marie's father, Georg Conrad Wacker, and agreed to help his friend who could not raise a daughter alone.

In 1910, Nicklous. Lizzie and Marie are living in Culbertson and operating a farm. Sadly, Lizzie died on April 12, 1914 in McCook, Nebraska. 

Nicklous sold the farm and he and Marie moved to Portland by 1914.

Nicklous married Matilda Netsch on August 5, 1914 in Magnolia Township, Harrison County, Iowa. Mathilda's family was from the German settlements in Volhynia (then part of the Russian Empire, now part of Poland).  The wedding record shows that Nicklous was in the liquor business. The 1915 Portland City Directory shows that Nick and Matilda operated a saloon at 700 Union Avenue (now 3256 NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard) and resided at 679 Union Avenue (now 3233 NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard). 

Nicklous and Matilda and  purchased a farm in east Gresham. The 1920 shows the Schnell family and two laborers (Henry Yeager and George Reisbich) living on the property. 

By 1930, Nicklous and Matilda owned and operated the U.S. Sanitary Market at 745 Union Avenue (n0w 3513 NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard). At the time the Schnell's were living with Mathilda's mother, Amalia Netsch, at E 22nd St. N. in Portland. 
Nicolaus and Mathilda Schnell pose with their delivery truck.
Nicolaus and Mathilda Schnell pose with their delivery truck.
In 1940, Nicklous and Matilda are operating a "Home for the Aged" at 823 NE 82nd Avenue. There are about 50 residents at this facility, including Amalia Hohnstein (née Müller) the 88 year old mother of Nicolaus' first wife, Elizabeth. Several other Volga German residents are living at this facility.

Matilda died on November 12, 1884 in Tillamook County. She was interred at the Rose City Cemetery in Portland.  The first wife of Nicklous, Lizzie Hohnstein who died in Nebraska, was reburied at the Rose City Cemetery in Portland.

Nicklous died on April 25, 1971 in Portland and was interred with Matilda at Rose City Cemetery. 

Sources

Ancestry.com
Norka Database.
Last updated February 4, 2021.
Copyright © 1998-2023 Steven H. Schreiber
  • Home
    • About This Website
    • Reviews
  • History
    • Historical Timeline
    • Migration to Russia
    • Emigration from Russia
    • Settlement in America
    • Migration to Portland
    • Little Russia
    • A Short History of Albina
    • World War I
    • The Volga Relief Society >
      • Portland Volga Relief Society Subscribers 1921
    • World War II
    • Assimilation and Dispersion
  • Beliefs
    • Churches >
      • Albina Seventh-day Adventist Church
      • First United Mennonite Baptist Church
      • Ebenezer German Congregational Church
      • Free Evangelical Brethren Church >
        • German Evangelical Congregational Brethren Church
      • Second German Baptist Church
      • St. Pauls Evangelical and Reformed Church
      • Second German Congregational Church >
        • Evangelical Congregational Church
      • Zion German Congregational Church >
        • Rivercrest Community Church
    • Pastors
    • The Brethren
    • Denominations >
      • German Reformed Church
      • German Evangelical Synod of North America
      • Evangelical and Reformed Church
      • German Congregational Church
      • Seventh-day Adventists
      • United Church of Christ
  • People
    • Our People
    • Notables
    • Pioneers 1881-1892
    • Stories
    • Photographs
    • Help Identify These People
  • Community
    • Characteristics
    • Businesses >
      • Bakeries Retailers and Services
      • Garbage Haulers
      • Grocery and Meat Markets
      • Restaurants >
        • Helsers on Alberta
        • McCormick & Schmicks
        • Wildwood
      • Saloons and Taverns
      • Suppliers and Manufacturers
    • Employers
    • Education
    • Sports
    • Maps
    • Documentary
  • Traditions
    • Foods
    • Folk Medicine
    • Expressions
    • Weddings
    • Holidays
    • Folk Music
    • Funerals and Burial Sites
  • Resources
    • Family Research
    • Books and Video
    • Works Cited