Sophia Mack Standerwick

Sophia Mack Standerwick was born on 20 August 1862 in Staten Island, Richmond, New York. She was the second of six children born to Henry Fischer Standerwick (a clerk) and Harriet Francis Gurnee (whose father was born in France in 1820).

In 1870, Sophie and her family lived in the town of Middletown, Richmond, New York. On 16 May 1879, the town clerk of Middletown, Richmond, New York sent Sophie (age 16) a letter that read:

You have been appointed a Teacher of Public School District No. 2 By the full Board of Trustees of said District, and you are to take the Place of Miss Garretts in the Colored School. You are to Commence on the first day of June 1879. By Order of the Trustees.

I Am Yours Very Respectfully 

Michael F. Donnelly 

 District Clerk

On 5 June, the 1880 census shows Sophie (age 17) was a school teacher in Richmond, New York.  On 1 September 1884, the Board of Education abolished the separate colored schools. "In the mean time, in response to an appeal made by colored citizens, an act was passed by the [state] Legislature prohibiting the abolition of the two remaining schools, turning them over to the control of the Trustees in the wards in which they were situated and providing that they should be 'open fort he education of pupils for whom admission is sought, without regard to race or color.'"* On 12 August 1884, Sophie (age 21) received the following notice:

MEMORANDUM OF HIRING

This is to Certify, That we have this day engaged Sophie Standerwick (a duly licensed teacher) to teach the public school of District No. 2 towns of Middletown & Southfield county of Richmond for the term of one year commencing Sep 6th of 89 at a Yearly compensation of Five hundred dollars, payable in ten payments - monthly

Dated Aug 12th 1884 

 On 30 September1889, Sophie (age 27) received the following notice:

MEMORANDUM OF HIRING

This is to Certify, That we have this day engaged Sophie Standerwick (a duly licensed teacher) to teach the public school of District No. 2 towns of Middletown & Southfield county of Richmond for the term of one year commencing Aug 20th of 84 [her 22 birthday] at a compensation of Forty One 66/100 dollars, payable on or before the first of the Month

Dated Sep 30th 1889

On 20 August 1890 Sophia Mack Standerwick (at age 28) married Maurice Stadtfeld (also 28), who was a baptist minister. Witnesses to the marriage included William Standerwick (Sophie's brother? and R. M. Stadtfeld). They were married in the Village of Edgewater, Staten Island, New York.

 After their marriage, Maurice was assigned to a Baptist parish in Minnesota for three years. During this time, on 13 August 1891, their daughter Hattie (Harriet Marguerite) was born in Byron, Olmsted, Minnesota. The family spent five years at South Dover, Dutchess, New York where their second daughter, Lucy Standerwick, was born 28 Oct 1895. On 8 June 1900 the family lived in the Town of Chester, Middlesex, Connecticut, where Maurice served as pastor of the Baptist Church. (Photo below is of Maurice and family in the Chester parsonage.)

In the Fall of 1906 the family moved to Fairview Avenue in Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island where Maurice served for seven years as pastor of the Phenix Baptist Church.  The 1910 census showed them still living at this location. In 1918, their daughter Lucy married Raymond Henry Page.

From Phenix, Maurice went to Brooklyn, NY where Maurice served as pastor of Euclid Avenue Baptist Church.  They then spent 13 1/2 in Brewster, NY. In July of 1930, their daughter, Harriet, married John Scheuring.

Maurice retired in March 1932 (at the age of 70) after 43 years of service and came to Harris, Rhode Island to live.  He was a member of the Kent County Rhode Island Minister's Circle.

Maurice died on 27 September 1933 at the age of 71 in West Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island. Maurice was buried at Greenewood Cemetery in Coventry, Kent, Rhode Island.

Sophie died on 1 November 1949 at the age of 87. She was buried in Coventry, Kent, Rhode Island.




* The New York public school: being a history of free education in the city of ..., pg. 177, By Archie Emerson Palmer