Schayer Family Papers

Charles M. (1837-1890) and Ricka Saft (1847-1921) Schayer endured a seven week journey to the Colorado Territory in 1865. They were German Jews, like most of the pioneer Colorado Jewish settlers. Charles Schayer helped found Temple Emanuel and the Denver Lodge of the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith. He was also the founder of the Hebrew Cemetery Association in 1873, creating a permanent structure for the early Colorado Jewish community. Their daughter, Hattie Schayer Friedenthal (1868-1922) attended medical school and became a prominent writer, vice-president of the Sheltering Home for Jewish Children, president of the Denver National Council of Jewish Women, and president of the Hebrew Benevolent Society. From 1918 to 1922, she was the editor of the Intermountain Jewish News. Their son Milton M. Schayer was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1876 and died in Denver in 1935. He entered the stock and bond business, and in 1920 founded the Bankers Building and Loan Association, and served as its first president and treasurer. Milton's son Charles M. Schayer was president of Charles M. Schayer & Co., a Denver freight and custom house brokers firm.

Milton Schayer was active in many civic and religious organizations. He was director of the Denver Chamber of Commerce, which designated him Denver’s “most valuable citizen” in 1928. He was a member of Temple Emanuel, president of the Central Jewish Aid Society, and president of the Denver Lodge of B’nai B’rith. He was a member of the Masons, the Denver Press Club, the Philosophical Society, and the Colorado Bankers Association. He wrote a weekly syndicated column titled “Things to Think About,” which appeared in the Intermountain Jewish News and a number of East Coast newspapers.

Schayer was married twice, first to Elsie Reinach, who died in 1919, and then to Jane S. Bear. He had two children, Helen Elsie and Charles Milton. Charles Milton Schayer was born in Denver in 1913 and died in 1997. He married Faye Greenberg (1915-2009) of Pueblo, Colorado, on August 31, 1941. They had two children Charles M. Schayer III and Karen (Mrs. Rodney) Horton. Charles Schayer graduated from the University of Denver in 1934 and Faye Greenberg Schayer graduated from the University in 1941.

Charles Schayer was president of the Jewish Culture Foundation of the University of Denver, trustee of the Central City Opera Association, a national board member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, president of the Town Club, secretary of Temple Emanuel, assistant secretary of Children's Asthma Research Institute and Hospital, president of the National Asthma Center from 1975 to 1980, and vice chairman of National Jewish Hospital/National Asthma Center. Faye Schayer was one of the founders of the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society at the University of Denver and had a major role in the development of the Mizel Museum. She served as president of the RMJHS and vice-president of the American Historical Society.