Schieren was born on February 28, 1842, in
Neuss,
Rhine Province,
Kingdom of Prussia. He was the son of businessman John Nikolous Schieren and Wilhelmina Langenbach. His father was an active supporter of the
German Revolution of 1848, and was a close compatriot with
Carl Schurz,
Friedrich Hecker, and
Hugo Wesendonck. After the Revolution failed, the father was forced to immigrate to America in 1849, settling in
Brooklyn, New York. In 1856, Schieren joined his father in America and settled with him in Brooklyn. He spent several years working in the cigar manufacturing business with his father. In 1864, he began working in a leather belting house under Philip F. Pasquay in
New York City. When Pasquay died a year later, Schieren became the manager, a position he held for the next three years. With the money he saved during that time, he established the Charles A. Schieren Company, which in time became one of the largest tanning and belt manufacturing companies in the country. He also worked as a trustee of the
Brooklyn Trust Company, a director of the Germania Life Insurance Company and the Nassau National Bank, president of the
Brooklyn Academy of Music, and trustee, First Vice-president, and President of the Germania Savings Bank. He also developed several inventions related to belt manufacturing, and wrote several books on the subject. Schieren was a member of the
English Lutheran Church, and was an active supporter of the Lutheran church in the United States. In 1865, he married Marie Louise Bramm, an active supporter of several charitable organizations. Their children were Charles A. Jr., Ida May, George Arthur, and Harrie Victor. The sons all worked in their father's company, with Charles Jr. succeeding his father as company president, George as vice-president, and Harrie as secretary and treasurer. and she died at home a day later. They were buried together in
Green-Wood Cemetery. == References ==