Following is one of the Biographies and Stories which where gathered by Charles Sumner McKamy in the 1950s for publication in a Crawford County History Book. Unfortunately he passed away before the book was published.
Fred C. Schroeder was born at Blue Island, Illinois on September 28th, 1886. He was the seventh son in the family. Carl Schroeder, the father of Fred C. Schroeder, was born in the Province of Mecklenberg-Schwerin, Germany, April 3rd, 1838. His father served in some of the Napoleonic Wars, and was in the Army of General Blucher in the battle of Waterloo at the defeat of Napoleon.
The father of Fred C. Schroeder immigrated to the United States in the year 1868 and came to Chicago, Ill., was married there to Doris Quade. In the year 1887, he purchased a farm near Moccasin, Ill. where he resided until his death in 1922. Fred C. Schroeder attended the Grade School at Moccasin, Ill. when it was possible to do so as roads were bad and had to walk more than two miles.
Having lost his mother at the age of six, they had to make it the best way possible. Many were the hardship that had to be endured as the father and eight sons batched for a period of eleven years. As one of the older brothers was old enough to find work, they left home.
In April 1900, I united with the Lutheran Church, to whose teachings I still adhere. In February 1903, I went to Chenoa, Ill. and was employed on farms there for about five years, then I went to the State of Idaho and later to the Dakotas for a number of years.
On Sept. 4th, 1917, I was inducted in the Army at Bloomington, Ill, having come back to the state of Ill. as then I was employed in the state of Iowa. I spent a few weeks at Camp Dodge, Iowa and in Oct. 1917 was transferred to Camp Logan, Houston, Texas and was assigned to a Machine Gun Co., 132 Infantry, which formerly was the Second Ill. National Guard Regiment. January 18, 1918, I was appointed Sergeant, serving as same until discharged.
I sailed for France in May 1918 and was moved to the Somme River Front immediately. I became incapacitated in July 1918 and was first taken to the British Hospital somewhere on the Somme River, and later taken to the Australian Hospital at Abbeyville, France, and after it was hit in an air raid, was evacuate to London, England. I was discharged from the hospital in Oct 1918 and left immediately for France once more. After the Armistice was signed, I was sent home and was discharged on Jan. 14th, 1918 at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio. Returning to Bloomington, Ill. for a few months later and reentered a Veteran's Hospital in Chicago, Ill. from which I was discharged in Oct. 1920 as being improved.
Staying at Chenoa, Ill. for a few weeks, not being able to do any manual labor, I decided to go to school and try and get some learning that I could not get when I was younger. So at the age of 32 years, I entered the University of Illinois, which I attended for three years and then had to quit as I was not a graduate from any high school and could not become a matriculated student at the University.
I was sent by the School to do extension work in the Dairy field and was sent to Robinson, Illinois and became a Tester for the Crawford County Jersey Cow Test Association for whom I worked four years.
In October 1927, I was united in marriage to Anna Mary Conrad, whose ancestors came to Crawford County in 1815. To this union three children were born: Harry Lee Schroeder who is as employee of the Sohio Oil Co., Cincinnati, Ohio; Marilyn A. and Frances Y.
In February 1928, I was sworn in as State Police, serving until March 1933. In April 1934, I was elected as Assistant Supervisor, serving four years. In December 1938, I was appointed as Deputy Sheriff for four years, serving as Sheriff from December 1942 until December 1946. In April 1947, I was elected as Highway Commissioner for four years. In April 1951 I was reelected as Highway commission and reelected in 1955 for another four-year term.