Brief biographies of the figurines on display in ... - University Library

103
MRS. RICHARD MICHAELIS
(Clara Leist)
Clara Leist Michaelis was born July 25, 1849, at
Berlin, Germany, where she received an excellent education.
On July 2, 1867, she was married to Richard
Michaelis, a young journalist, with whom she came to
<strong>the</strong> United States in 1868, first living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
<strong>the</strong>n, after 1870, in Chicago. During <strong>the</strong> Chicago
fire <strong>the</strong> young family lost all its possessions, but made
good through redoubled energy and industry. Having a
fine literary as well as business talent, Clara Michaelis
assisted her husband greatly in <strong>the</strong> founding and building
up <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> German newspaper, "Die Freie Presse,"
and later, in <strong>the</strong> acquiring <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> "Illinois Staatszeitung."
For many years she was active, editorially, on
<strong>the</strong> newspaper, "Die Frauenzeitung, " a supplement to
<strong>the</strong> Sunday paper, "Daheim," in which she strove for
those ideals <strong>of</strong> womanhood and mo<strong>the</strong>rhood which make
for <strong>the</strong> true happiness <strong>of</strong> family life. Through this publication
she became widely known in German-American
circles, and exerted a most beneficial influence in many
homes. Many <strong>of</strong> her editorials and short stories were
translated from <strong>the</strong> German into <strong>the</strong> English and o<strong>the</strong>r
languages.
After <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> her husband in 1909, she lived in
retirement, partly in Medford, Wisconsin, partly in Chicago.
After 1914, her permanent residence was again in
Chicago. During <strong>the</strong> last years <strong>of</strong> her life her deeply religious
and humanitarian nature found expression in
many benevolences which she practised privately and by
means <strong>of</strong> ten benevolent organizations in which she held
membership.
Mrs. Clara Leist Michaelis died in Chicago, February
17, 1922.