Paul N. Schmitt, a leading educator of Marshall county, and the present county superintendent, was born in Chicago, Ill., August 17, 1879. He is a son of John and Catherine (Gieres) Schmitt, natives of Luxemberg, Germany. The father was a shoemaker in his native land, having learned his trade in Paris, France, and worked at it since coming to this country. In 1871 he immigrated to America, and about a year later Catherine Gieres also came to America, locating in Chicago. John Schmitt and Catherine Gieres were married in Chicago, and in 1880 came to Kansas, locating at Marysville, where he engaged in custom shoe making, but with the advent of factory made shoes, he turned his attention more to repairing and now runs a repair shop in connection with his shoe store in Marysville.

Paul N. Schmitt, the subject of this sketch, was reared in Marysville, attending the common schools and the high school and later took a course in the Normal Academy at Marysville, and in the meantime assisted his father in the shoe business. He completed the normal course in 1897, when he entered St. Benedict's College at Atchison, where he pursued his studies two years. He then taught school a year, when he took a course in the St. Joseph Business University at St. Joseph, Mo., and after that taught in the rural districts of Marshall county several terms. He then taught one year at Bigelow, when he accepted the principalship of the Oketo schools, where he remained three years. While at the latter place he made many improvements and raised the standard of the schools there. During his first year he added the ninth grade work, and the second year the tenth grade work, and during the last year raised the standard to the eleventh grade. His work along general educational lines has been no less progressive than the splendid showing that he made with the Oketo schools.

Mr. Schmitt was married January 29, 1904, to Miss Veronica, daughter of Peter and Susan (Schmidler) Koppes, the former a native of Luxemberg, Germany, and the latter of Wisconsin, of German descent. Mr. Koppes came to Kansas about 1857, located a farm, and after a few years returned to Wisconsin, where he was married, and brought his bride to Kansas, and followed farming and stock raising in Marshall county until 1906, when he removed to Marysville and lived retired until his death, July 29, 1913. The wife and mother now resides at Marysville.

Mrs. Schmitt was born on the old homestead which her father located on Horseshoe creek, in Marshall county, and received her education in the district schools and the Normal School at Marysville. She was a teacher for a number of years and taught three years in the rural schools of Marshall county, four years in the city schools of Herkimer, and two years in the primary department of the Marysville city schools. To Mr. and Mrs. Schmitt have been born three children: Cecilie, aged eight years; Agnes, aged five, and Adelaide, aged eighteen months. Mr. Schmitt was appointed census enumerator for Clear Fork township, Marshall county, in 1910, and performed this task in addition to his regular school work. In 1912 he was elected county superintendent of schools. He is a progressive and practical educator, and his administration is notable for its efficiency. Mr. and Mrs. Schmitt are communicants of the Catholic church.