Frederick Schmidt

SCHMIDT, SCHUHKNECHT, KUNZE, HAGERMAN, HOFFMAN

Posted By: Barbara Gehlsen Nugent (email)
Date: 8/24/2011 at 15:31:05

History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 2, by James Whitcomb Ellis, 1910. Biographical Sketches

FREDERICK SCHMIDT.

In Frederick Schmidt the best stock and farming interests of Jackson county find a worthy representative. He owns a well improved tract of two hundred and twenty acres in Fairfield township, on which he lives, and from its cultivation he gathers every year golden harvests to which are a fitting recompense for his unabating labor. He was born in Clinton county, Iowa, December 21, 1863, and is a son of Carl and Fredericka (Schuhknecht) Schmidt, both natives of Germany. They came to the United States in 1857 and, making their way to Iowa, located at Lyons, Clinton county, where they resided until 1872. In that year they removed to Jackson county, which remained their home throughout the balance of their lives. The father died in 1887, while the mother survived him about thirteen years, passing away in November, 1900. Of the children born to them nine are still living.

Frederick Schmidt completed the education begun in the schools of Fulton, Illinois, and obtained practical training for the work of later years while he assisted his father in operating the farm. He remained at home until he was twenty-seven years of age, when he went to Minnesota and bought one hundred and sixty acres in Lincoln county. After two years' sojourn there, however, he sold his land and returned to Jackson county, Iowa, which has since been his home. For three years he operated a rented place and then purchased one hundred and forty acres of the farm he now owns. It was only partly improved at the time, but its soil was rich and arable, and, being brought to a high state of cultivation, has made Mr. Schmidt large returns for his labor, so that he has been able to add eighty acres to its area, making a total of two hundred and forty cares of some of the best land in Fairfield township. He has made stock raising his specialty, and as his industry has ever been the measure of his success he deserves to be numbered among the well-to-do farmers of Fairfield township.

Mr. Schmidt has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Mary Kunze in her maidenhood, a native of this county and a daughter of Fred and Mary Kunze. She passed away June 11, 1900, and is survived by her three children, namely Leroy, Charlotte and Viola. In 1902 Mr. Schmidt married Mrs. Louise (Hagerman) Hoffman, the widow of William Hoffman and a daughter of Henry and Mary (Kunze) Hagerman. Her parents were natives of the fatherland and on coming to this country settled in Jackson county, Iowa, where they are still living. Mrs. Schmidt was born in Van Buren township, this county. There are two children of second union, Harold H. and Lester L., and Mrs. Schmidt has a son by her former marriage, George E. G., who is living with his mother and stepfather. Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt are members of the Lutheran church, and their lives are in harmony with its teachings. Politically Mr. Schmidt gives his support to the democratic party, and while not an office seeker he rendered the community efficient service during the year he was township clerk and during the three terms he acted as school director. He has lived quietly, but he has realized that true success comes only from industry, perseverance and honorable dealings and so the prosperity which he now enjoys is well merited and carries with it the high regard of his friends.