Pike Township Family Stories
NICHOLAS SCHMITT
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 359
Lone Tree Reporter, 20 January 1983Reaching 100 years in life is quite a feat to some folks. But to Nicholas “Nick” Schmitt it isn’t anything special, just ask him!
“I’ve been asked my secret to a long life,” said Nick, “but I don’t think I’ve done anything different than anybody else.”
Nick was born Jan. 25, 1883 to George and Elizabeth Attig Schmitt on a farm (now the Herbert Schmitt residence) about three and one-half miles east of Lone Tree. He was one of nine children, five boys and four girls, who spent their lives in this area. Nick, now is the only remaining member of his family.
Farming has been a lifetime career for Nick, except for a brief period when he thought stenography might pave the way to success.
“When I was 21, I left home one winter to attend Highland Park College in Des Moines to learn shorthand,” said Nick. However, his plans changed just before he would have graduated.
“I asked college officials how much I could expect to make monthly with my new skill,” recalled Nick. “When they told me $40 a month was the average salary I quit on the spot. I could earn $40 per month working on the farm and not have to pay room and board!”
Nick returned to the home farm and began what would be a lifelong career. Three years later, on June 19, 1907, he married Lena Timmerman, who passed away in 1970. They raised three sons, George, Albert and Harold, who are all engaged in farming east of Lone Tree. Nick has three grandchildren and one great grandson.
Following marriage, Nick went into farming with his brother, Louis, for a few years then went on his own at a farmstead north of his parents’ farm where he is currently living. At that time corn and oats were bringing about 50 cents per bushel, hogs were about $4 per 100 wt. and picking corn by hand usually yielded about 60 bushels per acre.
The main products raised on the Schmitt farm included livestock, cattle and hogs, and grain, corn and oats. Nick said soybeans didn’t enter the farm scene until the 1930s.
Looking back over the farm industry during the past 100 years, Nick said the biggest change has been from horses to self-mechanized equipment. Nick’s career began totally utilizing horse-drawn equipment.
“I bought my first tractor around 1920,” said Nick. “It was a Waterloo Boy, a company eventually purchased by John Deere. I used that tractor to primarily pull a jointly-owned thrasher and continued using horses to plow, disc, cultivate and harvest.”
Several more tractors were purchased over the next 22 e\years to perform more heavy work, such as plowing and disking. However, Nick continued to utilize horses for light work until 1956 when his operation went completely mechanized.
Nick has been retired from actual farming for about 16 years. During that time Nick has kept himself busy around the farm. He raised and tended garden until the last two-three years but failing eyesight coupled with impaired hearing has slowly curtailed many of his former activities.
“I didn’t ever think I’d reach 100 years old,” said Nick. “And certainly my mother didn’t expect me to live this long. As a child I had malaria and was sick off and on until I was about 15. I’ve also been plagued by some heart problems. That’s why I never expected to reach 100.”
When asked about what he would be doing in the future, Nick replied, “I don’t think much about the future. I just take each day as it comes.”
NICHOLAS SCHMITT
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 226
By Nell SchmittPike township’s only centenarian, Nicholas Schmitt, died at his home on Saturday, 26 November 1983.
He was the son of George Schmitt and Elizabeth Attig Schmitt, born 25 January 1883 in Nichols. His marriage to Paulena Hunt took place 19 June 1907 in Muscatine.
Mr. Schmitt was a member of the Farm Bureau. He had been a township trustee and school director in Pike township. He was a member of Zion Lutheran church in Muscatine. He had farmed all his life.
Survivors include three sons, George Schmitt, Albert Schmitt and Harold Schmitt, three grandchildren and one great grandson who was his namesake, Nicholas Schmitt.
His wife, one daughter, five brothers and four sisters died earlier.
Burial was in the Lone Tree cemetery. Pallbearers were Gary Schmitt, Ron Schmitt of Nichols, Robert Viner of West Liberty, Andrew Wehde of Iowa City, Lloyd Schmitt of Muscatine and Daryl Wieland of Oxford.
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