background


	The story of Sylvan Lake could hardly be told without telling some of the historical background of the Schwerman family.

	Henry Schwerman was born in Hanover, Germany on February 25, 1833. When he was 21 he decided to try his fortune in America. He arrived in Lake County in 1854 and bought 40 acres of wild land in Fremont township. He married Caroline Blume in 1861 and had 9 children. By 1891 he owned 245 acres of land.
				This is a portion of the Fremont township land map for 1895. It shows the section Henry Schwerman owned. The road that cuts through the middle of his property is Gilmer Rd. The lower stream would later be the feed for our Sylvan Lake and the upper stream would feed Contryside Lake. Move your mouse over the map to see the same section from the 1939 map.