SCHMIDT, REV. FREDERICK

SCHMIDT, VYVERBERG, MCCREARY

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 9/13/2004 at 12:53:26

Biography reproduced from page 536 of the History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa published in 1884:

Rev. Frederick Schmidt is a native of Prussia. He was born in Saar Bruecken, Rhine province, March 21, 1832, and is the son of Christian and Charlotte Schmidt. He lived with his parents until 1849, when he came to America. He landed in New Orleans, after being forty-nine days in making the trip across the ocean. From there he took passage on a steamboat and went to Cincinnati, where he remained about six months; thence to Platteville, Wis. In 1850 he went up into the pineries on the Menomonee river and staid there eight months. He then returned to Platteville and remained until 1857. While there he joined the German Congregational Church and afterwards joined the Old School Presbyterian. In 1854-5-6, he went through a theological course in Dubuque, Iowa. In 1857 he was licensed to preach. His first appointment was in Clayton City and McGregor, Iowa, and Wyalusing, Wis. In 1858 he was sent to Lyons. In 1859 he went to Monroe and Beloit, Wis. In 1860 he was called to Muscatine, Iowa, where he remained until 1865, when he went to Mr. Pleasant and Burlington, Iowa, where he remained until 1873. He then went to Riley Center, Kan., and remained there until the fall of 1882. He then came to Kossuth Co., Iowa, and settled in the village of Ramsey. He preaches in three different places in Ramsey township. As they have no church as yet, he holds services in school houses. He is now (1884) gathering funds to build a church, to be 28x40 feet in size, and cost about $1,200. His congregation numbers from eighteen to twenty families. Rev. Mr. Schmidt was married June 1, 1857, to Adrianna Vyverberg, a native of Holland, by Rev. A. Van Vliet. This union was blessed with nine children—Charlotte, Augustinus, August, Frederick T., Werner A., Calvin, Hannah, Sophia, and William. Augustinus, August and William are dead. Charlotte is married to A. C. McCreary, and resides in Kansas. In politics Rev. Mr. Schmidt is a republican.