Stephen T. Schoonmaker

Brief Biography:

STEPHEN T. SCHOONMAKER(1894-1918) was born in San Francisco, Cal. on July 8,1894. His family moved east in 1898 and located in Bergen County, New Jersey. At the age of 17, he enlisted in Co. G, New Jersey National Guard on December 26, 1911. He was active in his regiment and when they went to the Mexican Border in 1916 he was 1st Sergeant. Shortly after  the United States entered World War I in April, 1917, Sergeant Schoonmaker was sent to Officers Training School at Fort Meyer, Virginia where he was commissioned First Lieutenant in Infantry, on August 14, 1917. Two weeks later he sailed for overseas with the famous 101st Infantry, 26th (YANKEE) Division, -- the first National Guard regiment to arrive in France. On May 30, 1918, Lieutenant Schoonmaker participated in a large raid into the enemy's lines to the Rupt-de-mad, which resulted in a complete success. For this he received the Silver Star Citation and a personal citation from Major General Edwards, Division Commander. He also saw action in the Battles of Champagne-Marne; Chemin des Dames; Toul Boucq; and at Verdun. Commissioned Captain on September 24, 1918 he was killed in action on October 24 in the Verdun Offensive and is buried at Bois de la Reine, Montfaucon-Etaine, France. R. I. P. From: Capt. Stephen S. T. Schoonmaker Post, 25th anniversary year book; Teaneck, N.J. : Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Post no. 1429, 1951. p.10

American Battle Monuments Commission

1. Stephen T. Schoonmaker

Ancestry.com

1. 1900 United States Federal Census
2. 1910 United States Federal Census
3. U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989
4. WWI, WWII, and Korean War Casulty Listings

Find A Grave Website

1. CAPT. Stephen T. Schoonmaker

Veterans.hackensackschools.org

1. Brief Information
2. "Ted" Schoonmaker was lucky marksman (PDF) - The Evening Record, 7/23/1917
3. Lieut. "Ted" Schoonmaker has narrow escape from "105" shell (PDF)- The Evening Record, 4/12/1918
4. Former Lieutenant of Old Company G has been promoted with citation ( ) - The Evening Record, 11/23/1918

Photos of Stephen Townsend Schoonmaker

1. 
   Capt. Steven Townsend (Ted) Schoonmaker, stationed at the time in France, sent home this postcard dated September 22, 1918, with the tents that were his barracks positions behind him. Unfortunately, 34 days later he would be killed in battle, 17 days before the end of World War I, never to see Hackensack again. In addition to living in Hackensack, Schoonmaker spent part of his growing years in neighboring Teaneck, which dedicated Schoonmaker Road and Post 1429, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, in his honor. From: Images of America: Hackensack, By Barbara, J. Gooding, et. al. Arcadia, 2009. p. 119
2. From: Images of America: Hackensack, By Barbara, J. Gooding, et. al. Arcadia, 2009. p. 120
3. 
   World War I US Army Captain Steven T. Schoonmaker, from whom the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post was named - From: The Teaneck One-Hundred Year Book: Celebrating the Teaneck, New Jersey, Centennial 1895-1995, p. 126
4. 
   Portrait of Capt. Steven T. Schoonmaker - From: Capt. Stephen S. T. Schoonmaker Post, 25th anniversary year book; Teaneck, N.J. : Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Post no. 1429, 1951. p.10