09/06/2026
We were recently gifted a wonderful collection of more than 100 photographs, along with several letters, from Dylan Skora. The collection includes photos and correspondence connected to the Jebsen and Moss families, giving us a glimpse into Blue Island’s past through words and images from the 1880s through the 1960s.
One of the photos in the collection features who we believe is Martin Schippel standing in front of his flour, feed, hay, & grain business in Blue Island’s Opera House building. We believe the man on the right is John Zacharias, a former mayor of Blue Island and the original owner of the Opera House.
Zacharias also owned a flour and feed business, and though we aren't sure exactly how at this point, it appears the two were related. It's possible that John handed off this business to Martin while he focused on the banking business he was building with his partners (which would eventually become the First National Bank of Blue Island) and furthering his local political career.
We were able to match the storefront to a photograph in our collection showing the Opera House, where the business can be seen in the lower right corner.
Here’s a little of Martin’s story:
• Martin was born in Auma, Germany, on December 23, 1870, and immigrated to the United States, settling in Blue Island in 1885 at the age of 14.
• He married Anna Marie Andres on April 22, 1898.
• In June of 1909, Martin was one of three incorporators of the Blue Island Power Boat Club, a nonprofit organization formed to promote motor boating.
• By 1920, Martin and Anna were living at 201 Western Avenue (now 13161 Western), renting an apartment in the Schreiber Hardware Building. Martin was working as an assistant engineer for the public service company.
• By 1930, the couple had moved to 13150 Western Avenue, renting an apartment in the Print Shop building. Martin had by then been promoted to engineer for the public service company.
• Martin died in June of 1934 at the age of 58. Anna lived until 1949.
We’re grateful to Dylan for preserving and sharing this collection with us. Photos like this help put faces, businesses and stories to the places that have shaped Blue Island over the years—and we’re always excited when a new piece of our community’s history comes to light!
