The Scheele Clan

Mathias & Mathilda Scheele

 After my visit with Kermit Scheele, I was able to really begin sinking my teeth into adding more people and information into the Scheele branches of my tree.  Mathias and Mathilda (Stielow-pronounced "stee-low) Scheele are my 2nd Great Grandparents on my mother's side and are currently the furthest back I go with that family.

Scheele Family Farm

They lived on a farm northwest of Big Stone City, SD until 1911 when they moved into town. 

Mathias Scheele and his horses

 Mathias and Mathilda had six children, five girls and one boy.  The picture below does not show their youngest child, Irene.  This picture was taken before 1909, the year Irene was born.  Irene died at the young age of 28 from a pulmonary ailment.

Mathias Scheele family, pre-1909

Family names that fall under the Scheele branches include Maack, Madden, Rammer, Kargleder, Stodolski, and Johnson.  These, of course, break down even further to Slobe, Reymund, Vosburg, Hammerstrom and others.


It has been a huge learning experience working on these families whom I was not overly familiar with.  We have some pretty amazing people in our family and I am proud to be getting to know some of them.  Facebook has made it possible to meet, at least virtually, many relatives I would have never met at all.

If you are a descendant of Mathias Scheele, please feel free to add something to this story.  Also, if you have any old pictures you wish to share, please do that as well.  Don't be afraid to add some new pictures as well!

War Without a Rifle

Private Kermit Scheele

Back in July my wife and I visited my1st cousin 2X removed on my Mother's side, Kermit Scheele.  Kermit is 88-years-old and lives in an assisted living apartment in Washington, DC with his dog, Ling Ling.  During our visit, Kermit  told us about his experience in World War II.

It seems he was drafted in June of 1943 and processed into the Army in Minneapolis, MN.  In January of 1944, he was sent over to England.  When he got there, he had no idea where he was or what he was to do.  A duty Captain, from Michigan, welcomed him and sent him to some barracks to get situated.  While he was there, one of his duties was to pick up Anti-Aircraft brass (casings of the shells fired at the German bombers).

He was later sent to Cheltham and then on to Cherburg, France during Bastille Day.  There, he was responsible for escorting a group of 12 female journalists who were traveling around getting stories to send to a Soldier's hometown.  Kermit was never issued a rifle or even fired one and never did have one his whole time in Europe.

The same Captain (now a Colonel) that met him upon arrival put Kermit in for a commission and he became a 2nd Lieutenant in the Adjutant General Corps.  Kermit was discharged from the Regular Army and entered the Reserves in Richmond, VA where he served until 1953.