.
Sam was born in Ananyev in the Ukraine on July 3, 1902. The family would later move to Lutz. The family name was Poticha. Grandpa Schneider's female cousin was married to a man named Schneider. That's how the family chose that name and lived as Schneider in the United States.
Sam started at Chouteau Elementary School in St. Louis. He would later attend reform Jewish congregations but never completed his bar mitzvah.
Sam's Grandfather Abraham and father David were tailors for the Russian military. Sam, along with sisters Ann and Ada and brother Ben and Mother Miriam came to America and arrived in St. Louis on February 22, 1906. Sam's father David (who had preceded them to the United States) sent the money for the trip. The family came through Ellis Island on February 19, 1906 on the S. S. America, a ship of the Hamburg American Line. The Hamburg American agents arranged passage and shepherded them through for a fee of $15/person.
As a youngster in St. Louis, Sam remembered hearing William Jennings Bryan at the Tabernacle on Easton Avenue at Goodfellow in St. Louis. Sam graduated from Soldan High School in 1920 at the age of 18. He worked as a salesman for Wohl Shoe Company. He attended college for a short time but dropped out. He later worked for his brother Ben at Crone Millinery and traveled as a salesman in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Brother Paul would also join Sam and Ben at Crone's. Along with brothers Ben and Paul, they would eventually form Schneider Brothers Millinery in 1923. The St. Louis company gradually expanded from the St. Louis territory to include other states such as Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky and Mississippi. This business lasted for over 70 years.
Sam courted Faye Shapiro of Greensburg, PA for about a year before they married. They met at a Sunday social in St. Louis where the girls usually brought food. Sam traveled on the road for a number of years and never expected to marry. While courting, Sam would take Faye to listen to music, enjoy wine, and have a good time. They loved that entertainment. Sam proposed to Faye in the Spring of 1924 and they were married on June 24, 1924 in Pittsburgh, PA. While in Greensburg, Sam had gotten drunk the night before and missed the traditional uffruf at the synagogue preceding the wedding.
During their married life, Sam always loved the German beer garden restaurants and pubs and would frequent them. He loved that format and music so much that he actually recreated a German beer hall in the basement of their new Ladue home. The room was constructed of dark walnut panelling, included an antique register and was lined with wonderful, collectible porcelain beer steins and other memorabilia. They would have parties and guests often. Sam loved to sing and would, on many occasions, write and recite his own poetry. Oh, and he loved his seltzer water at every meal.
One of Sam's special moments in life was in 1996. Sam and his brother Paul Schneider were the subject of a local NBC TV affiliate station spring feature in which the brothers tried on some of the ladies Easter hats they were offering through their Schneider Brothers Millinery hat business. This "cute" feature made its way to one of the producers of the Jay Leno TONIGHT SHOW. They were invited to make a guest appearance on the show on October 2, 1996. This national celebrity appearance was one of the highlights of their lives. At the time, Sam was 94 and Paul was 90. A photo from that evening can be seen at the right.
Sam enjoyed good health up until his last 2 years and passed away at the age of 98.
Grandparents:
Abraham Poticha
Miriam Poticha
Spouse:
Faye Shapiro Schneider Married: June 24, 1934
Children:
Lewis Michael Schneider
Sally Louise Schneider Stiefel
Dr. Arthur Joshua Schneider
Sam was born in Ananyev in the Ukraine on July 3, 1902. The family would later move to Lutz. The family name was Poticha. Grandpa Schneider's female cousin was married to a man named Schneider. That's how the family chose that name and lived as Schneider in the United States.
Sam started at Chouteau Elementary School in St. Louis. He would later attend reform Jewish congregations but never completed his bar mitzvah.
Sam's Grandfather Abraham and father David were tailors for the Russian military. Sam, along with sisters Ann and Ada and brother Ben and Mother Miriam came to America and arrived in St. Louis on February 22, 1906. Sam's father David (who had preceded them to the United States) sent the money for the trip. The family came through Ellis Island on February 19, 1906 on the S. S. America, a ship of the Hamburg American Line. The Hamburg American agents arranged passage and shepherded them through for a fee of $15/person.
As a youngster in St. Louis, Sam remembered hearing William Jennings Bryan at the Tabernacle on Easton Avenue at Goodfellow in St. Louis. Sam graduated from Soldan High School in 1920 at the age of 18. He worked as a salesman for Wohl Shoe Company. He attended college for a short time but dropped out. He later worked for his brother Ben at Crone Millinery and traveled as a salesman in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Brother Paul would also join Sam and Ben at Crone's. Along with brothers Ben and Paul, they would eventually form Schneider Brothers Millinery in 1923. The St. Louis company gradually expanded from the St. Louis territory to include other states such as Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky and Mississippi. This business lasted for over 70 years.
Sam courted Faye Shapiro of Greensburg, PA for about a year before they married. They met at a Sunday social in St. Louis where the girls usually brought food. Sam traveled on the road for a number of years and never expected to marry. While courting, Sam would take Faye to listen to music, enjoy wine, and have a good time. They loved that entertainment. Sam proposed to Faye in the Spring of 1924 and they were married on June 24, 1924 in Pittsburgh, PA. While in Greensburg, Sam had gotten drunk the night before and missed the traditional uffruf at the synagogue preceding the wedding.
During their married life, Sam always loved the German beer garden restaurants and pubs and would frequent them. He loved that format and music so much that he actually recreated a German beer hall in the basement of their new Ladue home. The room was constructed of dark walnut panelling, included an antique register and was lined with wonderful, collectible porcelain beer steins and other memorabilia. They would have parties and guests often. Sam loved to sing and would, on many occasions, write and recite his own poetry. Oh, and he loved his seltzer water at every meal.
One of Sam's special moments in life was in 1996. Sam and his brother Paul Schneider were the subject of a local NBC TV affiliate station spring feature in which the brothers tried on some of the ladies Easter hats they were offering through their Schneider Brothers Millinery hat business. This "cute" feature made its way to one of the producers of the Jay Leno TONIGHT SHOW. They were invited to make a guest appearance on the show on October 2, 1996. This national celebrity appearance was one of the highlights of their lives. At the time, Sam was 94 and Paul was 90. A photo from that evening can be seen at the right.
Sam enjoyed good health up until his last 2 years and passed away at the age of 98.
Grandparents:
Abraham Poticha
Miriam Poticha
Spouse:
Faye Shapiro Schneider Married: June 24, 1934
Children:
Lewis Michael Schneider
Sally Louise Schneider Stiefel
Dr. Arthur Joshua Schneider
.
Sam was born in Ananyev in the Ukraine on July 3, 1902. The family would later move to Lutz. The family name was Poticha. Grandpa Schneider's female cousin was married to a man named Schneider. That's how the family chose that name and lived as Schneider in the United States.
Sam started at Chouteau Elementary School in St. Louis. He would later attend reform Jewish congregations but never completed his bar mitzvah.
Sam's Grandfather Abraham and father David were tailors for the Russian military. Sam, along with sisters Ann and Ada and brother Ben and Mother Miriam came to America and arrived in St. Louis on February 22, 1906. Sam's father David (who had preceded them to the United States) sent the money for the trip. The family came through Ellis Island on February 19, 1906 on the S. S. America, a ship of the Hamburg American Line. The Hamburg American agents arranged passage and shepherded them through for a fee of $15/person.
As a youngster in St. Louis, Sam remembered hearing William Jennings Bryan at the Tabernacle on Easton Avenue at Goodfellow in St. Louis. Sam graduated from Soldan High School in 1920 at the age of 18. He worked as a salesman for Wohl Shoe Company. He attended college for a short time but dropped out. He later worked for his brother Ben at Crone Millinery and traveled as a salesman in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Brother Paul would also join Sam and Ben at Crone's. Along with brothers Ben and Paul, they would eventually form Schneider Brothers Millinery in 1923. The St. Louis company gradually expanded from the St. Louis territory to include other states such as Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky and Mississippi. This business lasted for over 70 years.
Sam courted Faye Shapiro of Greensburg, PA for about a year before they married. They met at a Sunday social in St. Louis where the girls usually brought food. Sam traveled on the road for a number of years and never expected to marry. While courting, Sam would take Faye to listen to music, enjoy wine, and have a good time. They loved that entertainment. Sam proposed to Faye in the Spring of 1924 and they were married on June 24, 1924 in Pittsburgh, PA. While in Greensburg, Sam had gotten drunk the night before and missed the traditional uffruf at the synagogue preceding the wedding.
During their married life, Sam always loved the German beer garden restaurants and pubs and would frequent them. He loved that format and music so much that he actually recreated a German beer hall in the basement of their new Ladue home. The room was constructed of dark walnut panelling, included an antique register and was lined with wonderful, collectible porcelain beer steins and other memorabilia. They would have parties and guests often. Sam loved to sing and would, on many occasions, write and recite his own poetry. Oh, and he loved his seltzer water at every meal.
One of Sam's special moments in life was in 1996. Sam and his brother Paul Schneider were the subject of a local NBC TV affiliate station spring feature in which the brothers tried on some of the ladies Easter hats they were offering through their Schneider Brothers Millinery hat business. This "cute" feature made its way to one of the producers of the Jay Leno TONIGHT SHOW. They were invited to make a guest appearance on the show on October 2, 1996. This national celebrity appearance was one of the highlights of their lives. At the time, Sam was 94 and Paul was 90. A photo from that evening can be seen at the right.
Sam enjoyed good health up until his last 2 years and passed away at the age of 98.
Grandparents:
Abraham Poticha
Miriam Poticha
Spouse:
Faye Shapiro Schneider Married: June 24, 1934
Children:
Lewis Michael Schneider
Sally Louise Schneider Stiefel
Dr. Arthur Joshua Schneider
Sam was born in Ananyev in the Ukraine on July 3, 1902. The family would later move to Lutz. The family name was Poticha. Grandpa Schneider's female cousin was married to a man named Schneider. That's how the family chose that name and lived as Schneider in the United States.
Sam started at Chouteau Elementary School in St. Louis. He would later attend reform Jewish congregations but never completed his bar mitzvah.
Sam's Grandfather Abraham and father David were tailors for the Russian military. Sam, along with sisters Ann and Ada and brother Ben and Mother Miriam came to America and arrived in St. Louis on February 22, 1906. Sam's father David (who had preceded them to the United States) sent the money for the trip. The family came through Ellis Island on February 19, 1906 on the S. S. America, a ship of the Hamburg American Line. The Hamburg American agents arranged passage and shepherded them through for a fee of $15/person.
As a youngster in St. Louis, Sam remembered hearing William Jennings Bryan at the Tabernacle on Easton Avenue at Goodfellow in St. Louis. Sam graduated from Soldan High School in 1920 at the age of 18. He worked as a salesman for Wohl Shoe Company. He attended college for a short time but dropped out. He later worked for his brother Ben at Crone Millinery and traveled as a salesman in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Brother Paul would also join Sam and Ben at Crone's. Along with brothers Ben and Paul, they would eventually form Schneider Brothers Millinery in 1923. The St. Louis company gradually expanded from the St. Louis territory to include other states such as Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky and Mississippi. This business lasted for over 70 years.
Sam courted Faye Shapiro of Greensburg, PA for about a year before they married. They met at a Sunday social in St. Louis where the girls usually brought food. Sam traveled on the road for a number of years and never expected to marry. While courting, Sam would take Faye to listen to music, enjoy wine, and have a good time. They loved that entertainment. Sam proposed to Faye in the Spring of 1924 and they were married on June 24, 1924 in Pittsburgh, PA. While in Greensburg, Sam had gotten drunk the night before and missed the traditional uffruf at the synagogue preceding the wedding.
During their married life, Sam always loved the German beer garden restaurants and pubs and would frequent them. He loved that format and music so much that he actually recreated a German beer hall in the basement of their new Ladue home. The room was constructed of dark walnut panelling, included an antique register and was lined with wonderful, collectible porcelain beer steins and other memorabilia. They would have parties and guests often. Sam loved to sing and would, on many occasions, write and recite his own poetry. Oh, and he loved his seltzer water at every meal.
One of Sam's special moments in life was in 1996. Sam and his brother Paul Schneider were the subject of a local NBC TV affiliate station spring feature in which the brothers tried on some of the ladies Easter hats they were offering through their Schneider Brothers Millinery hat business. This "cute" feature made its way to one of the producers of the Jay Leno TONIGHT SHOW. They were invited to make a guest appearance on the show on October 2, 1996. This national celebrity appearance was one of the highlights of their lives. At the time, Sam was 94 and Paul was 90. A photo from that evening can be seen at the right.
Sam enjoyed good health up until his last 2 years and passed away at the age of 98.
Grandparents:
Abraham Poticha
Miriam Poticha
Spouse:
Faye Shapiro Schneider Married: June 24, 1934
Children:
Lewis Michael Schneider
Sally Louise Schneider Stiefel
Dr. Arthur Joshua Schneider
