Max Schayer and family

     

Max Schayer                                            Max's wife Maude "Gertude" (Stout) Schayer.

Max Leopold "Maxie" Schayer (1855-1904)
Lot OSC / Plot 655 Highland Cemetery New Castle Colorado
Born September 12, 1855 - Kempen, Germany
Died February 20, 1904 - New Castle, Colorado
Wife - Maude Gertrude (Stout) Schayer
Children - Leopold & Josephine Schayer
Max Schayer immigrated to the U.S. in 1873. His occupation was a Pharmacist and he opened the first drug store in New Castle in 1886. Located on Main Street it was known as the Max Schayer Drug Store, later it would be named the New Castle Drug Company. Max was very involved in the early development of New Castle and a recognizable town leader. He was elected to serve on the Town Council from 1891-1893 and 1900-1901. New Castle newspapers of the day spoke highly of Max and it was clear from those articles he was well respected and genuinely loved by members of the community. His passing, at the relatively young age of 49, appears to be a result of a chemical/drug induced suicide. At the time he had suffered financial setbacks and was deeply in debt. On the night of February 20, 1904, his wife, Gertrude, attended a card party at her sister's house. When she arrived home at 2 a.m. she found Max dead by the baby's crib. The town's citizens were extremely shocked and saddened by his passing. A big thank you to Carol Herwick Crawford McManus for the information and photos associated with Mr. Schayer.

1887 Keystone Club that became the Pharmacy ~ Circa 1887: The Keystone Club Saloon occupied the corner of New Castle's 4th & Main Street. The Keystone did not last long and Max Schayer, who opened New Castle's first drug store in 1886, acquired the building and moved his drug store into it after the Keystone closed. Max was a popular and highly respected business leader in New Castle's early years and was heavily involved in the early operations of New Castle government. He operated the business until 1904 when sadly he took his own life with a mixture of drugs due to financial problems, he was only 49 years old. The drug store would later be acquired and operated by William "Doc" Marshall. Doc Marshall would also become a popular and active business leader in New Castle's early years and served as the Town's Mayor in 1920. Ironically Doc Marshall would also take his own life by a self inflicted gun shot. Doris Flynn would later acquire the drug store and operate it in this location until the late 1960's when she moved the business to the corner of 3rd & Main Street. The original drug store building was razed in the early 1980's. Michael Watts constructed a beautiful new brick building on the site in 2005.

  Building in 1973

1938 photo of the Drug Store originally opened by Max Schayer and a medicine bottle from Max Schayer's Drug Store.

Old tokens from the New Castle Pharmacy Company.

 

 

Circa 1892 - This portrait is of some of New Castle's earliest influencial leaders. (L-R) Al Beardsley, New Castle's first Town Attorney and responsible for providing the legal work in setting up the Town's original governmental operations. John MacRae, one of New Castle's early Mayors. he also served as the Garfield County Treasurer, John W. Ritter, New Castle's 2nd Mayor and partner to John MacRae in the Ritter & MacRae General Store, Ritter would become the recognized leader of the community for many years. Sam Streeter was the general manager of the H.R. Kamm General Store and later the owner of the Livery Barn on Main Street. Sitting in front is Max Schayer, who owned the first drug store in town and was involved with the early town government.

 

New building constructed at the site of the Keystone Club in 2005

 

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