Auguste Trier Schacht was born in 1856 in Elmshorn,
Germany, which is near Hamburg. She lived until 1934. My
father, Adam Heineman, remembered visiting her, his
grandmother. He recalled her as a very elegant lady. He was
told that she was a wonderful pianist and had a band that
played for dances at clubs in Portland when she was young. In
his memoirs my father wrote,” I do remember one big dinner
at her home on a holiday, probably Christmas or
Thanksgiving, when I was quite small. It seemed like a very
elegant affair to me and I remember getting money for singing
during the dinner.”
The Schacht family home at 733 SW Vista Avenue (originally
171 Ford Street) was designed by Emil and was built in about
1901. Before that the family lived on NW 14th Street. The
Northwest area was known as “slab town” because of the
waste wood from the lumber mills, stacked along the curb in
front of the houses, to be used during the Winter as firewood.
The family was very much a part of high society in Portland
and were active members of the Multnomah Athletic Club.
Very involved in music, the Schachts would have an open
house on Sundays. Mrs. Schacht would play her piano and
invite other musicians to accompany her.
Frequently, quartets would hold performances in her home. A
large quantity of sheet music for quartets was discovered when
the home was sold. The sheet music was donated to the Oregon
Historical Society.
of the Schacht home.
a very busy mother. With the help of her live-in maid, Louisa, the household ran like a good German
home. Louisa was originally from Austria. When Auguste was journeying to Portland from Germany
with her three children (at that time), they were in the St. Louis train station when they saw this
young girl crying. Her purse had been stolen and she did not speak English and didn’t know what to
do. Auguste said, “Come with me.” She spent the rest of her life with the family. She was a
wonderful cook and did sewing for many people in the neighborhood. In fact she raised the last
daughter, Margaret. Emil really wanted another son, so when she was born, he didn’t even give her
a name. He completely ignored her. Her birth certificate said “female, unnamed”. When Margaret
was about ten years old, she went to
Austria with Louisa and stayed there about a year.
A note was prepared by Auguste which was to be opened after her death (May 14, 1934):
“My name before marriage, Auguste Trier, born the 30th of November 1856. Daughter of Rosa
Sussmann, born in Elmshorn, married to Albert Trier, born in Adchaffenburg in Bavaria, South
Germany. I forget what year they were married. Father died about 1882 and my dear Mother died
about 1885. I was married April 5th, 1880, came to America 1883 [1885] with my family, went to
Portland, Oregon where I have resided ever since. Our dear good Papa (Emil) died 4th of March,
1925. I suppose that is all I have to say hoping that everything will be straighten alright. I hate to
leave you but hope my time be here soon. I have nothing to look forward, am old, done my days work
and I know there will be happiness in store for you some day. I forgot our dear Papa (Emil) was born
in the year 1854 in Sommerland, a big farm in Schleswig Holstein, Germany. His parents name
Emilie (Bermann), I forgot her maiden name, she was born in Leipzig, Germany, his Father’s name,
Jacob Schacht, born in Sommerland (I never met him, he was dead [died June 22, 1859] when I
married my dear husband Emil Furchtegott Schacht. Mother”
