Frederick A. Schroeder
| Frederick A. Schroeder | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 18th Mayor of Brooklyn | |
|
In office 1876–1877 |
|
| Preceded by | John W. Hunter |
| Succeeded by | James Howell |
| New York State Senate | |
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In office 1880–1881 |
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| Preceded by | John C. Jacobs |
| Succeeded by | Charles H. Russell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
March 9, 1833 Trier, Germany |
| Died | December 1, 1899 (aged 66) |
| Cause of death | pneumonia |
| Resting place | Green-Wood Cemetery |
| Nationality | German-American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Jane Rusher |
| Occupation | Cigar manufacturer |
Frederick A. Schroeder (March 9, 1833 – December 1, 1899) was an American industrialist and politician of German descent. As mayor of Brooklyn—before the city's merger with New York—and New York state senator, Schroeder earned a reputation for his fight against the political machine of the Brooklyn ring and for more efficient city government.
Frederick A. Schroeder was born in Trier, Germany. His father Michael Schroeder was a merchant who later worked as a surveyor. From 1841, Schroeder was a pupil of the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium in Trier, one of Germany's oldest institutions of secondary education, from which Karl Marx had graduated in 1835. Schroeder's academic achievements, however, were poor. In 1848, he dropped out of the school. In the same year, Schroeder's mother, Salomé née Abel, died. One year later, Schroeder, together with his father and two sisters, left Trier and emigrated to the USA. Frederick A. Schroeder's oldest brother stayed in Germany, but joined the rest of the family a few years later. The decision of the Schroeder family to leave Germany was linked to the events of the revolution of 1848. This claim is made, inter alia, in Schroeder's obituary in the York Times Michael Schroeder seems to have sympathized with the democratic cause. The family arrived in the USA on May 10, 1849 and settled in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Even before leaving Germany, Schroeder seems to have learned the trade of a cigar worker. After his arrival in America, Schroeder started earning money by rolling cigars. Already in 1852 Schroeder was able to found his own Tobacco Manufacture. In 1863, Schroeder took on Isidore M. Bon as a partner and continued his business under the firm "Schroeder & Bon".
In 1867 the firm of Schroeder & Bon switched its business activities from the production of cigars to the importation of tobacco leaves. The firm—and Schroeder personally—are credited with the introduction of shade tobacco, then an important innovation.
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