Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameWilliam Louis Charles Schorr 
Birth25 Feb 1870, Buffalo, Erie Co, NY
Census7 Jun 1900, Buffalo, Erie Co, NY
Memoroll#1026, pg 10
Census24 Apr 1910, San Francisco, CA
Memoroll#100, pg 8
Census7 Jan 1920, Reno, Washoe Co, NV
Memoroll#1005, pg 4
Census17 Apr 1930, Reno, Washoe Co, NV
Memoroll#1297, pg 2
Census5 Apr 1940, Reno, Washoe Co, NV
Memoroll#2281, pg 136
Death1 Jul 1941, Reno, Washoe Co, NV
BurialEast Lawn Memorial Park, Sacramento, Sacramento Co, CA
Memocremated
OccupationSheet Metal worker
Misc. Notes
Son of Theodore H. Schorr and Henrietta Peters, both born in New York.
1930 census states that he was first married at age 24.
Working in Buffalo with his wife and daughter in 1900.
Doing sheet metal work in construction San Francisco in 1910.
They adopted and raised Ellen’s son Alfred after her 1919 divorce in Reno; so that he was both their grandson and adopted son.
Listed as a metal worker in a tin shop in 1920 and 1930 Reno census, although he is listed as William Shore in 1920. In 1930, they were renting a house on East 4th St in Reno, with only Alfred living with them. And then just the two of them at 69 and 70 in 1940.
[Obituary] Reno Evening Gazette - Wed, 2 July 1941, pg 20
SCHORR - In Reno, July 1, 1941, William Louis Schorr; husband of Mrs. Emma Schorr of Reno; father of Mrs. Ellen M. Coon of Los Angeles, Calif.; brother of Theodore and George Schorr of Buffalo, NY; grandfather of Al Schorr of Reno; great grandfather of Carolyn and Sandra Schorr of Reno. Aged seventy years, six months and nine days. A native of Buffalo, NY.
Mr. Schorr had made his home in Reno for the past 24 years, during which time he was engaged in the sheet metal business for a number of years, operating his own business. Prior to his arriving in Reno, he was employed as foreman by several large sheet metal firms in San Francisco. He had been in good health until two weeks ago.
Friends are invited to attend the funeral service Thursday afternoon at three o’clock at the O’Brien-Rogers chapel. Dr. Robert W. Caswell, officiating. Final rites at East Lawn crematory, Sacramento, Calif. O’Brien-Rogers company in charge of arrangements.
1930 census states that he was first married at age 24.
Working in Buffalo with his wife and daughter in 1900.
Doing sheet metal work in construction San Francisco in 1910.
They adopted and raised Ellen’s son Alfred after her 1919 divorce in Reno; so that he was both their grandson and adopted son.
Listed as a metal worker in a tin shop in 1920 and 1930 Reno census, although he is listed as William Shore in 1920. In 1930, they were renting a house on East 4th St in Reno, with only Alfred living with them. And then just the two of them at 69 and 70 in 1940.
[Obituary] Reno Evening Gazette - Wed, 2 July 1941, pg 20
SCHORR - In Reno, July 1, 1941, William Louis Schorr; husband of Mrs. Emma Schorr of Reno; father of Mrs. Ellen M. Coon of Los Angeles, Calif.; brother of Theodore and George Schorr of Buffalo, NY; grandfather of Al Schorr of Reno; great grandfather of Carolyn and Sandra Schorr of Reno. Aged seventy years, six months and nine days. A native of Buffalo, NY.
Mr. Schorr had made his home in Reno for the past 24 years, during which time he was engaged in the sheet metal business for a number of years, operating his own business. Prior to his arriving in Reno, he was employed as foreman by several large sheet metal firms in San Francisco. He had been in good health until two weeks ago.
Friends are invited to attend the funeral service Thursday afternoon at three o’clock at the O’Brien-Rogers chapel. Dr. Robert W. Caswell, officiating. Final rites at East Lawn crematory, Sacramento, Calif. O’Brien-Rogers company in charge of arrangements.
Spouses
Birth12 Dec 1869, Buffalo, Erie Co, NY
MemoHerman St. Buffalo
Death4 Nov 1947, Los Angeles Co, CA
BurialEast Lawn Memorial Park, Sacramento, Sacramento Co, CA
MemoCremated
Misc. Notes
Her parents were Heinrich “Henry” Reipe (1829 Hanover, Prussia/Germany-1914 Buffalo, NY) and Helene “Ellen” J. McTague (1849 England, Irish parents-1926 Buffalo, NY).
She is listed with them in Buffalo, NY at age 10 in 1880.
The family story is that James Brennan had a relationship with Emma and is the father of Ellen, even though William raised her as his own. This is confirmed by her listing as Emma Brennan (20, NY) living with James’ family in the 1892 NY state census. This was right after her daughter Ellen was born on 11 Jan 1892. Emma was also listed as Emma Brennan on her marriage record to William.
In 1900 she is listed as married nine years (sic), with her husband Wm Schorr and daughter Ellen, working in a candy store. Also living with them is her younger sister, Helene E. Reipe (b May 1877). Strangely, she filed for divorce from James Brennan on 15 Aug 1901, after which he was served papers on Jan 20th 1902; as published in The Buffalo Review - Sat, 8 Mar 1902, pg 9.
It is suspected that they may have fudged the marriage date for William and Emma, which is supported by the following story:
William had a club foot, and families worried about that trait being passed along. When Dorothy was pregnant with Sandy, Emma very shyly and painfully told Dorothy that she shouldn't worry that the baby would have a club foot because William was not Al's real grandfather. Sandy remembers this story from her own mother very clearly. She said the reason Emma was so pained at telling the story was because people didn't like to talk about divorce. They wondered whether Emma and James Brennan might not have been actually married, but Sandy says Emma was so proper and sweet she can't imagine her having a child out of wedlock. Also, the 1930 census states that she was first married at age 20.
By 1910 the 3 of them had moved to San Francisco.
In 1920 she and her husband are living in Reno, and her daughter and grandson are living with them.
They were still in Reno in 1930, on 4th St, with just Alfred living with them and using the Schorr surname.
And then just the two of them at 69 and 70 in 1940.
Died of (untreated) breast cancer.
[Obituary] Reno Gazette-Journal - Thurs, 6 Nov 1947, pg 4
Mrs. Schorr Dies In Los Angeles
Resident of Reno from 1907 until last year, Mrs. Emma Schorr died Tuesday in Los Angeles. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the chapel at East Lawn, Sacramento.
Mrs. Schorr was born in New York 78 years ago. She and her husband, William Schorr, came to Reno in 1907. Mr. Schorr died in Reno in 1921. A year ago Mrs. Schorr moved to Los Angeles to make her home with her daughter, Mrs. E. M. Coon.
Besides her daughter, she is survived by a grandson, Alfred Schorr of Reno, and two great grandchildren, Carolyn and Sandra Schorr.
She is listed with them in Buffalo, NY at age 10 in 1880.
The family story is that James Brennan had a relationship with Emma and is the father of Ellen, even though William raised her as his own. This is confirmed by her listing as Emma Brennan (20, NY) living with James’ family in the 1892 NY state census. This was right after her daughter Ellen was born on 11 Jan 1892. Emma was also listed as Emma Brennan on her marriage record to William.
In 1900 she is listed as married nine years (sic), with her husband Wm Schorr and daughter Ellen, working in a candy store. Also living with them is her younger sister, Helene E. Reipe (b May 1877). Strangely, she filed for divorce from James Brennan on 15 Aug 1901, after which he was served papers on Jan 20th 1902; as published in The Buffalo Review - Sat, 8 Mar 1902, pg 9.
It is suspected that they may have fudged the marriage date for William and Emma, which is supported by the following story:
William had a club foot, and families worried about that trait being passed along. When Dorothy was pregnant with Sandy, Emma very shyly and painfully told Dorothy that she shouldn't worry that the baby would have a club foot because William was not Al's real grandfather. Sandy remembers this story from her own mother very clearly. She said the reason Emma was so pained at telling the story was because people didn't like to talk about divorce. They wondered whether Emma and James Brennan might not have been actually married, but Sandy says Emma was so proper and sweet she can't imagine her having a child out of wedlock. Also, the 1930 census states that she was first married at age 20.
By 1910 the 3 of them had moved to San Francisco.
In 1920 she and her husband are living in Reno, and her daughter and grandson are living with them.
They were still in Reno in 1930, on 4th St, with just Alfred living with them and using the Schorr surname.
And then just the two of them at 69 and 70 in 1940.
Died of (untreated) breast cancer.
[Obituary] Reno Gazette-Journal - Thurs, 6 Nov 1947, pg 4
Mrs. Schorr Dies In Los Angeles
Resident of Reno from 1907 until last year, Mrs. Emma Schorr died Tuesday in Los Angeles. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the chapel at East Lawn, Sacramento.
Mrs. Schorr was born in New York 78 years ago. She and her husband, William Schorr, came to Reno in 1907. Mr. Schorr died in Reno in 1921. A year ago Mrs. Schorr moved to Los Angeles to make her home with her daughter, Mrs. E. M. Coon.
Besides her daughter, she is survived by a grandson, Alfred Schorr of Reno, and two great grandchildren, Carolyn and Sandra Schorr.
Marriage20 Oct 1895, Manhattan, New York City, NY
ChildrenEllen Myrtle (Adopted) (1892-1957)
Alfred Marshall (Adopted) (1913-1990)