Charles Schmidt, p. 1398

CHARLES SCHMIDT, than whom there has not been a more enterprising and respected citizen in South Strabane township, was a native of Germany, born in Wurtemberg, April 29, 1820. His father, Frederick Schmidt, was of the same place, where he married, and reared a large family of children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth. Charles Schmidt remained under the parental roof, receiving his education at the school of the neighborhood, until he was twenty years of age, when he was drafted into the German army, in which he served nine years, a portion of the time in the corps of infantry sharpshooters, he being then a corporal. He was tailor of his company for a time, and then was appointed shoemaker, a trade he had learned of his father, and having made some improvement in the arrangement of the knapsack, he was promoted to general master of all saddlers in his regiment, a position of honor and profit. On leaving the army in 1849, Mr. Schmidt emigrated to America, landing at New York, in which city he spent a short time, then proceeded to Philadelphia, and from there to Baltimore, where he remained eight years. Here he attended school in order to make himself conversant with the English language, and was engaged in the business of maker and fitter of fine shoes; in which he was eminently successful. In 1858 he went to Pittsburgh, where for two years he worked at his trade, shoemaking, and then came to Washington, this county, remaining in the city two years, at the end of which time he purchased the farm property in South Strabane township, which by assiduous labor he improved from a wild state to its present fertile condition. Here he successfully carried on farming and the cultivation of the grape, having an extensive vineyard, and, in connection, the largest wine cellar in Washington county, stored with choice native wines of his own manufacture.

On December 3, 1850, Mr. Schmidt was married to Wilhelmina Dittis, of Baltimore, Md., daughter of John and Margaret Dittis, and to this union have been born the following named children: Charles, Caroline (Mrs. George Becker), Francis and Mary (Mrs. John Becker). Mr. Schmidt was called from earth February 14, 1892, and his business and farm are now being conducted by his son Francis. He had been a Democrat ever since receiving his franchise, and was an active worker in his party. He was a justice of the peace for ten years, and served as school director for several terms.

Text taken from page 1398 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).

Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]

>