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SCHIMELFENIG, Charles (1888-1933)

SCHIMELFENIG

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 12/18/2018 at 09:53:58

Charles A. Schimelfenig
(December 25, 1888 – September 10, 1933)

[Copied from a scrapbook at the Warren County Historical Society Library, Indianola, Iowa]
Major Chas A. Schimelfenig Killed By Car
He and His Wife Meet Sudden Death at Troy, N. Y., In Crossing Street Sunday Night
Major Charles A. Schimelfenig, 44, son of A. F. Schimelfenig of Indianola, second in command at the government arsenal at Watervlict, N. Y., and his wife, were struck by an automobile and instantly killed at Troy, N. Y., last Sunday night, according to a telegram received from the Chief of Police at Troy. Only meager details of the tragedy have been received by the family here. Major Schimelfenig and his wife had gone to Troy for a visit with friends. In leaving the home some time later in the evening they started to cross to the other side of the street where their car was parked. Near the center of the pavement they were struck by an automobile driven at a high rate of speed and were killed instantly.
Burial at West Point
News of the fatality reached Indianola in a telegram to Mayor N. D. Gordon about 1 o’clock Monday morning, and he instructed City Marshall Tom Schooler to notify the family. Complete funeral arrangements had not been made at 3 o’clock Tuesday afternoon but the services will probably be held at Watervliet. Burial will be in the cemetery at West Point where Major Schimelfenig graduated in 1911.
Adam Schimelfenig and his two daughters, Mrs. A. F. Lungren and Miss Margaret Schimelfenig, left for New York Tuesday night, after receiving a telegram from Mr. Lungren who left Indianola Monday morning from Des Moines where he took an airplane from the Des Moines airport for New York.
Confers With Officers
Upon his arrival in Chicago, Mr. Lungren wired the family here that he was unable to make airplane connections for New York and he boarded the Twentieth Century limited for Albany. He arrived in Albany. [part of text illegible]
A telegram from Mr. Lungren was received Tuesday afternoon stating that Major Schimelfenig had informed a Major Bowers, a warm personal friend, within the past month that he wanted to be buried in the cemetery at West Point. He also expressed the same wish to Major McGregor, commandant at Watervlict arsenal. [part of text illegible]
Major Schimelfenig will be buried with full military honors.
Charlie Schimelfenig was born in Indianola Dec. 25, 1888. Educated in the public schools here, he graduated from the Indianola high school in 1905 and matriculated at Simpson college the following fall.
Always popular in school, he became an outstanding man on the campus where he was prominent in numerous activities. It was here that he was given the nickname “Butch” which clung to him throughout the years, and by which he was affectionately greeted by his friends at each visit to Indianola. In the army he was familiarly greeted as “Shim” by his fellow officers.
A Fine Student
At Simpson college he affiliated with the Kappa Theta Psi fraternity, and frequently visited the fraternity house during visits to Indianola. He made an excellent scholastic record here during the two years he was enrolled as a student. In the spring of 1907 he received an appointment to West Point where he graduated in 1911. The following fall at the Simpson convocation he received the degree of A. B.
At West Point he majored in engineering. Only superior students are accepted in this branch of service, but his scholastic standing was such that he was eligible for a commission in the engineering corps. The very same year that he graduated congress cut down the number of engineers and he was assigned to another branch of the service.
Sent Overseas
After receiving his commission as second lieutenant, he was stationed at Fortress Monroe, Va., for six months, after which he was assigned to duty in the Philippines where he remained for four years. Upon his return to the States in 1915 he was transferred to the government arsenal at Rock Island where he remained until 1917 when the war broke out. He had been elevated to the rank of captain when he was sent overseas, assigned to duty in the ordinance department. Upon his arrival in France, Captain Schimelfenig was sent to Coblenz, as a lieutenant colonel and was given charge of the ordinance for an army corps. Later he did a like service for an entire army. He remained overseas for two years and nine months, a part of the time with the army of occupation. His rank reported to that of a captain after the war. Upon his return to America he was appointed a member of the staff of the United States Army which is separate from a second military staff on duty with troops.


 

Warren Obituaries maintained by Karen S. Velau.
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