Manchester NH’s Hot Dog Kings: The Schoenland Family

Today we still know it as frankfurter, dog, hotdog, frank, sausage, wiener, pig in a blanket, bowwow, or wiener-wurst. Growing up in Manchester, New Hampshire, and in

W.F. Schonland & Son building on Blaine Street in Manchester NH, circa 1950. Photo by Pete Caikauskas Sr. Used with permission of family (Dave Caikauskas).

many other parts of New England, we also called them Schonland’s franks.  Even though they are now produced and sold by Kayem Foods who purchased the brand in 1987, their products still have the family name of Schonland on the package.

The Schonland hotdog itself is probably better known than the actual people who first produced it.  The Kayem history states that Schonland franks and sausages “have graced” our tables since 1883. That is the date when the Schonland company was officially created.  But the expertise in curing and making sausage and hotdogs goes back to Germany before 1855.

Carl Heinrich Schoenland, better known as Charles Henry Schonland was born in Saxony,

W.F. Schonland & Son – unidentified employees at Blaine Street facility in Manchester NH, circa 1950. Photo by Pete Caikauskas Sr. Used with permission of family (Dave Caikauskas).

Germany on 4 May 1836. He had a common school education, and was employed as a butcher and sausage maker. In 1855 he emigrated to the United States, settling in Lawrence Massachusetts. On 24 Oct 1867 as “Henry Schoenland,” he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. At first he worked in the cotton mill where work was plentiful, but moved on to do what he knew well–work curing hams and other meat products in Cambridge MA.

He removed to Manchester, at first working out of his house, then setting up his first manufacturing building at 14 Walker Street, off Second Street. In 1884 Charles’ oldest son William F. Schonland joined him in Manchester, learning the curing and sausage business, and helping to build it into the largest company of its kind in New England. Charles Sr. died in 1914, and in 1924 son William F. moved the company to Blaine Street (#14 and 20).

The W.F. Schonland & Son company advertised heavily in the newspapers from the 1950s through the 1980s.  In a  1973 Nashua Telegraph an advertisement offer including a very creative one: “Team up with Schonlands and we’ll send you Bobby Orr…and Phil Esposito, and Ken Hodge, and Johnny Bucyk, for only 25 cents…” ‘[Editor’s note: These were 8-1/2 x 11 portraits of then hockey sports heroes].

In 1987 the Kayem Company purchased the Schonland Manufacturing company.  In 1997 they moved the manufacturing process to its headquarters in Chelsea MA.

According to the web site, Hot Dogs of Maine: Charles Sr.’s sons “Charles and Richard Schonland started Schonland Brothers in 1891 on Fore Street [in Portland, Maine] and later moved to Union St in 1895. They originated the Red Natural Casing Hot Dogs to differentiate their product from the competition. In 1935 Joseph Jordan purchased Schonland Brothers and the Schonland Brothers Brand continued as a separate product line until 1943 when the WWII meat shortage forced operations to be merged. Not to be confused with their father’s company Schonland’s Franks and Sausages….”

GENEALOGY OF THE SCHOENLAND / SCHONLAND FAMILY
                                 OF MANCHESTER NH

Carl Heinrich aka Charles Henry Schoenland, son of Wilhelm & Christina Schoenland, was born in Saxony, Germany on 4 May 1836, and died 14 January 1912 in Manchester NH. He had a common school education, and was employed as a butcher and sausage maker. He married (in Saxony) to Julia Hoppe. She was born 28 December 1834/1837 and died between 1910 (when she is shown on the census) and 1913 (when her husband died and is shown a widow. Though he had moved to Lawrence MA, he spent the last 5 months of his life in Manchester where he died. While living in Lawrence MA, he was a republican member of the board of aldermen for three terms. Six months before his death he returned to Manchester. He was buried in Lawrence MA.  In 1910 living in Manchester NH, in 1910 back in Lawrence MA.
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1865 US Census > MA > Middlesex > Cambridge
Henry Schoenland 29 Germany Butcher
Julia Schoenland 27 Germany
William F. Schoenland 6 Mass
Henry C. Schoenland 6 NH
Richard R Schoenland 4 Mass
Louisa Schoenland 2 Mass
Charles Schoenland 1 Mass
Crisoph Phfochner 18 Germany M domestic
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1885 Manchester City Directory
Schoenland William, butcher, house 168 Shirley W.M.
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1890 Manchester City Directory
Schonland William F. sausage manuf. 14 Walker, W.M. house 235 South River, do.
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1905-1923 Manchester City Directory
Sausage Manufacturers
Schonland William F 14 Walker
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1924 Manchester City Directory
Schonland Anna M (Mrs. William F
died September 16, 1923
Company at 14 Blaine Street
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1938 20 Blaine Street
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1960 Manchester City Directory
SCHONLAND W F SONS INC (Inc NH ’25)
Arthur F. Schonland Pres,
Charles H. Schonland V-Pres,
Sausage Manufacturers 20 Blaine,
Tel National 4-4533
(See Yellow Page 68)
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Children of Charles Henry & Julia (Hoppe) Schoenland:
1. +William Frederick Schoenland, b. 17 October 1857 in Lawrence MA.
2. Henry Charles Schoenland, b. 16 March 1859 in E. Cambridge MA; d. 2 Aug 1919 in Lawrence MA; m. 10 Nov 1880 to AUgusta Anna Guenther. They had 2 sons, Frederick and Henry Charles.
3. Richard R. Schoenland, b 18 March 1861 in Manchester NH; married Helen A.Geisler. She b abt 1863 in Germany, immigrated 1873. They had 8 children: Carl Frederick, Edward, Richard R. Jr., Helene, Mildred L., Richard P., Ellen and Herbert Emery.
4. Louisa Schoenland, b abt 1863 in E. Cambridge MA; married 3 Nov 1886 in Lawrence MA to Frederic Scheer of Manchester NH, son of Frederick E. & Louisa Scheer; had 3 children (SCHEER): Maybelle C., Frederick H. and Myrtle L.
5. Charles Schoenland, b 10 Nov 1864 E. Cambridge MA MA; m. Mary A. Schaarschmidt. She b. abt 1867 in Germany, immigrated in 1873. Children: Erna M., Gertrude A., Robert R., Frieda J.
6. Minnie Schoenland, b 28 June 1868 in Lawrence MA; m. 3 November 1891 in Lawrence MA to Max Trumpold, son of August & Christina Trumpold, editor of a German newspaper in Lawrence MA
7. Frederick S.”Fred” Schoenland, b abt 1874 MA, d. 9 Nov 1916 in Lewiston MA; m. Rosa A. “Mattie” Franck. She b. abt 1876 Germany. Children: Marion L. and Beatrice R.1940 living in Methuen MA, former residence Lawrence MA.   He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Portland Cumberland Co., Maine.
8. Theodore Schoenland, b 19 June 1875 in Lawrence MA; d. 23 Feb 1907 in Green, Summit Co. Ohio; he m. Emelia Helen Vorholz. Children: Louisa T. b abt 1898 Lawrence MA, m. 5 Sep 1916 in Moore, Fergus Co. Montana to James J. Manley, son of Dave & Elizabeth (Stevens) Manley
9. Robert Schoenland, b 9 Feb 1879 in Lawrence MA; d. Portland ME. He m. 20 June 1899 in Lawrence MA to Mary Lena Oeser, dau of Louis & Elizabeth (Stoll) Oeser. Chil: Albert G.

Photograph of William F. Schonland, who led his sausage company to be the largest in New England.

William Frederick Schonland, son of Charles H. & Julia (Hoppe) Schoenland, was b. 17 October 1857 in Lawrence MA, and died 8 Feb 1931 in Manchester NH. He married 10 Nov 1883 in Boston MA to Anna Marie Rabe, daughter of Ferdinand and Caroline (Pshor) Rabe. She was b. in Germany 22 Feb 1862, and died 16 September 1923 in Manchester NH. She is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery. He attended school until age 16 then was employed in his father’s business. In 1875 he traveled west for four years. In 1884 he returned to Manchester, working again for his father, this time engaged in the curing and packing of meats and the manufacture of sausages. In 1908 he had the largest establishment of its kind in the state. Politically he was an Independent, and was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Turner and Maennerchor societies, the Harugari Club, and the Working Men’s Relief Society. He resided at 400 Mast Street. [Editor’s note: The 1920 Manchester NH City Directory shows “Maennerchor Singing Society, organized 1883, meets every fourth Friday night and rehearsal every Monday evening in Turner Hall….” The Harugari Club of Manchester was a singing society incorporated in 1913 for fraternal charitable, benevolent, and social purposes…. the Turner’s Relif Society of Manchester NH incorporated the same year, both by Manchester men of German origin.]
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1910 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 235 Turner Street
Schonland, William F Head M W 52 m1x 27 yrs MA Ger Ger Mfg Sausaage
Schonland, Anna wife F W 46 m1x 27 yrs 4 ch 4 living Ger Ger Ger
Schonland, Charles H. son M W 25 single NH MA Ger musician theater
Schonland, William F. son M W 24 single NH MA Ger sausage maker
Schonland, Edward son M W 19 single NH MA Ger sausage maker
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Children of William F. & Anna (Rabe) Schoenland:
1. Charles Henry Schonland, b 25 Sep 1884 NH, died October 1969 in NH; noted pianist; member of the First Regiment Band.
2. William Frederick Schonland, b 25 Nov 1885 Manchester NH; flutist and piccolo player; member of the First Regiment Band. He married 26 Dec 1934 in Bedford NH to widow, Helen Brown-Averill, dau of William & Elizabeth (Emerson) Brown. She was b. 1 June 1893 in Barre VT, and d. May 1983 NH.
3. Arthur Ferdinand Schonland, b. 26 May 1888 Manchester NH, died March 1970 NH; clarionet player; member of the First Regiment Band; he married 25 Nov 1911 in Manchester NH to Maria Linn “Lena” Gaam, dau of Carl H. & Ernestina (Meyer) Gaam. Occupation: butcher. Their daughter Anna A. Schonland b abt 1913 NH; their son Arthur b 2 Nov 1913, d. 16 March 1922, 8 yrs old of diptheria.
[son Arthurs death]
4. Edward Richard Schonland, b 22 May 1890 in Manchester NH; m. Olga Schricker. She b. abt 1898 NH. Their dau Mildred Ruth Schonland, b 16 July 1924 and d. 24 July 1924 of congenital enlarged thymus, buried Pine Grove Cemetery

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This story was published on 25 June 2014.   One year later John Clayton published this wonderful story about this same family on Ink Link: “Lets be frank about the hot dog.”