Schmidt, Wolfgang 1836-1899

SCHMIDT, STAADT

Posted By: S. Ferrall, IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 3/13/2011 at 07:04:27

Wolfgang Schmidt, of Elkader, at the head of Schmidt Bros., proprietors of the Elkader flouring mills, died on Friday, March 10, aged 62 years. He came to this country in 1847, and in 1848 to Clayton county, residing for a number of years in Garnavillo and Read township.

~Elgin Echo, March 23, 1899

Mrs. Godfrey Staadt attended the funeral of her uncle, Wolfgang Schmidt, at Elkader, Monday afternoon. Mr. Schmidt was one of Clayton county's early settlers, locating in Garnavillo in 1848. He was an honorable man and in his death Elkader loses a highly esteemed citizen.

~Postville Graphic (Allamakee county), March 16, 1899

Notes:
He was born in Bavaria in 1836. He used native stone to build a brewery in Elkader in 1871. The beer was stored in deep, limestone caves in the side of a high hill overlooking Elkader, behind the brewery. The brewery was closed down in the 1880's when Iowa enacted prohibition. The brewery did not reopen after prohibition was lifted, and was torn down in the mid-1940's. Wolfgang built a large brick, German-style, house hear the brewery and raised his 10 children there.

~Cedar Rapids Gazette, May 6, 1951; article about a concrete building block factory opening at the site of the Schmidt brewery in Elkader