Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 678 - 683 

THEODORE SCHMIDT. The subject of this history is one of the prominent citizens of Goddard, and the owner and proprietor of the Tremont House of that place. He is a native of the Duchy of Nassau, Germany, born Dec. 11, 1842, and the son of Louis and Mary Schmidt, natives of that portion of the German Empire.

            Our subject in his childhood lived in that beautiful land of his birth, not many miles distant from the classic waters of the River Rhine, and imbibed the first elements of his education beneath the genial skies of the German Fatherland. At the age of nine years he came to America with his parents and their family, who crossed the stormy breast of the wild Atlantic in search of the fortune denied to them upon their native soil, which is over-run by a despotic military government. On reaching this country they came westward and settled in Macoupin County, Ill., where his father has resided ever since on a farm. The mother of the family died in the year 1866. They were the parents of six children, of whom the following is a record: Louis came to America with his parents in 1851; he is married, is a mason by trade, and lives in Illinois. Ferdinand is married, and has a family of four children, and is a farmer near Carlinville, Ill.; the next child is Theodore, the subject of this sketch; Peter made his home with his parents up to the time of his death, which took place in January, 1886; Charles is now at home on the family homestead, in Illinois; Catherine is married, has a family of three children, and is living upon a farm in Macoupin County, Ill.

            The subject of our sketch finished his education in the district schools of the county in the Prairie State where his parents had settled, and lent his assistance toward carrying on the farm of his father in his earlier manhood. He remained at home thus engaged until he was past twenty-two years of age, and Feb. 5, 1865, was united in marriage with Miss Emma Sidway, a native of Studbridgeshire, England, born July 9, 1848, and the daughter of John and Sebra Sidway, who were natives also of Albion. She came to America in 1852, with her parents, who settled in Macoupin County, Ill., on a farm where they both died, her father in 1871, and her mother in 1853. Of her brothers and sisters, there is preserved the following record: Thomas, who is married, and is engaged in farming near St. Charles, Winona Co., Minn.; Jennie, who married Fred Frisby, who is a member of the police force of St. Louis; Samuel, who is married, and is the editor of the Dyersburg Gazette, in the town of that name in Tennessee; and one child who died in infancy. The subject of this history remained a resident of the State of Illinois until 1872, when he came to Kansas, and located near St. Mark, this county, homesteading a claim of 160 acres, which he proved up on, and finally sold, and purchased an improved farm of 160 acres on the Cowskin Creek, and paid for the same some $1,500. For a period covering some five years he remained upon the latter place, engaged in farming and stock-raising, and then disposing of his property, returned to the neighborhood of St. Mark, buying eighty acres of land in that vicinity, and was engaged in tilling the soil there for two more years. At the expiration of that time, having sold the place, he removed to Goddard, and purchasing some lots, erected the Tremont House, and furnished the hotel throughout in an excellent manner. He leased the property to J. Turner, who operated it for about sixteen months, at the end of which time Mr. Schmidt took possession of it, and has since that time been acting the part of mine host. The interests and comfort of his guests are the great objects that he is striving for, and no more genial and pleasant landlord can be found in a wide range of country. The house is well fitted up, is convenient and comfortable, and the cuisine is unexceptionable. He derives a considerable revenue from land-seekers, who come to this portion of country in search of homes, but draws a large patronage from the community who surround the village, and who make that place their model town.

            To Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt there have been born a family of nine children, viz: Theodore, William Stephen, Henry, Annie, Thomas, Samuel, Elsie, Blanche and Guy. Theodore W. was born May 23, 1866, and died at the age of fifteen months, in Illinois; William Stephen was born May 7, 1886, and departed this life Aug. 18, 1886; Henry was born Aug. 14, 1870, and is remaining at home and in attendance upon the district school of that place; Annie was born May 2, 1872, and was called to the land beyond the grave Aug. 19, 1872, in Illinois; Thomas died in Kansas; Samuel, the date of whose birth was Jan. 5, 1876, was born on the Cowskin Creek, in Kansas, and is now at home with his parents; Elsie, who was born May 23, 1881, died at St. Mark, Aug. 21, 1881; Blanche, who is at home, was born Dec. 27, 1882; and Guy, May 27, 1887.

            The subject of our sketch is a Democrat, politically, and a stanch adherent to the principles formulated by Thomas Jefferson, the founder of that party. He is a member of the Roman Catholic Church, having been reared in that faith from early childhood. His wife is a Protestant, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a most estimable, hospitable and noble woman.

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