David Hinkle Schlegel

The Schlegel family name originated in Germany meaning “hammer.” That’s not too far from the occupation David’s father had as a miller, one who grinds a grain to make flour. David was the last of seven children, and everyone except one daughter was given their mother’s maiden name as their middle name.

They all grew up in rural Berks County, Pennsylvania, north of Reading. Like his siblings, David was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hamburg. When he was two years old his oldest brother was 20 and two others were working in a grist mill as teenagers. Most of them remained in the local area but David pursued a career as a bookkeeper, which brought him to Philadelphia after his high school days were over.

He kept the books for Crane Ice Cream Company which got off the ground in 1896, named after its chief investor, Robert Crane. Originally at 18th and Filbert Streets, the company built a larger plant at 256 South 23rd Street, shown here. Unfortunately Crane’s ice cream business didn’t survive the Great Depression in the 1930s. But the building is still there, most of which has been repurposed as the “Ice Cream Factory Apartments.” 

David wasn’t in the marketing department so he can’t take credit for their slogan. It bears a strong resemblance to one used by a prominent evening newspaper in the mid-20th century which proclaimed, “Nearly everybody reads the Bulletin.”

Just before his 27th birthday he stood with pride beside Mary Galbraith White as they spoke their matrimonial vows at Third Presbyterian Church. They settled in Germantown, finishing 1905 with great joy and hope, but as sure as the sun shines, the rain must fall. David’s father died the next year, but on the bright side, their first child, Dorothy, was born in October. His mother died in 1907 but then Dorothy died of pneumonia a week before Christmas of that year.

Mary became pregnant again in 1908 and their second daughter was named after her. David Jr. was born in 1912 but tuberculosis cut his life short after 18 months. He and Dorothy were buried here at the edge of Section 141 just behind Mausoleum Hill.

After America’s entry in the first World War in 1917 the Selective Service System began registration of male citizens ages 21-31. By September of 1918 men between 18 and 45 had to register, so David complied, being a month shy of turning 40 years old. He was described physically as short, stout, and with gray hair. He was now the assistant general manager and secretary of the company. The 1920 census lists him as secretary/treasurer, with his mother-in-law and sister-in-law also living in the home. They were both named Sarah White.

David had come as far as he could in the business on behalf of Robert Crane. His skills in accounting and financial management were sharpened, and he was a proven leader. So he presumably cashed out his company stock (or whatever his ownership share was after more than 20 years) and struck out on his own. The Schlegels went west to Cleveland, Ohio, where two investors were looking for a third partner who could establish and operate the same kind of business.

The Cleveland Ice Cream & Dairy Company was incorporated in November of 1922. By the following April their new logo was displayed in a variety of newspaper advertisements. (The man’s image is that of Revolutionary War General Moses Cleaveland, after whom the city was named.) 

The premium product was well received and became a local favorite during the Roaring Twenties. The business prospered, and so did the Schlegels, even at the height of the Depression. They were able to send Mary to a private school in Massachusetts and to Miss Illman’s School in Philadelphia. In 1930 the society page of the newspaper mentioned that they had just returned from a pre-Christmas cruise to the Caribbean, including an extended stay in Nassau and Havana.

Sister-in-law Sarah had also moved with the family to Cleveland, working many years at David’s business, and remaining in Ohio the rest of her days. The family was actively involved at the Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights, part of the United Church of Christ. Their pastor officiated at Mary’s wedding in 1934 and at her mother’s funeral in 1942. 

At this point David could have retired but he didn’t. He led the firm in a new direction, becoming a subsidiary of the Bowman Dairy Company of Chicago. This family-owned business was the largest distributor of milk in Chicago throughout the first half of the 20th century. They added ice cream to their product line in 1938 and acquired other dairies in Wisconsin and the Midwest. 

What they didn’t do was totally abandon the local connection, as shown in this rebranding of the company name. Eventually they dropped the bow and arrow design, opting for simple product packaging like this carton from the 1950s. A declining home delivery market contributed to the downfall of many dairies in the 1960s, so Bowman’s was sold to the Dean Foods Company in 1966.

David never did officially retire, but was persuaded to remain as board chairman. He did so for nearly 15 years, but found time for a hunting and fishing club in Canada and serving with the local Rotary organization. His death in 1959 at age 80 was caused by pulmonary edema, or fluid in the lungs. After the memorial service in Shaker Heights, his daughter saw to it that he would be buried in the family plot here at Mount Moriah.