schmidtl  
 

Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",  published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.

     LEO L. SCHMIDT resides in Moses coulee, about sixteen miles south from Douglas postoffice.  He has a very fine estate which is irrigated from a creek in the coulee and thus is made to produce abundant crops of alfalfa, red clover and timothy.  In addition to this, Mr. Schmidt has a large fruit orchard which brings fine returns each year.  He raises a large band of stock and is one of the prosperous men of Douglas county.
     Leo L. Schmidt was born in Davenport, Iowa, on March 18, 1869, the son of August F. and Mary S. Schmidt, natives of Holstein, Germany and Denmark, respectively.  They came to the United States when young and settled in Iowa.  Our subject received his education in the common schools and in the business college at Davenport, Iowa, and there remained until he had gained his majority.  At that time, he determined to see the west and accordingly turned his face to the setting sun and traveled until convinced that Douglas county was the place to settle.  He bought his present farm from Otto G. Smith, who in turn had purchased it from Mr. Ward, who settled upon it in 1883.  Mr. Schmidt has about eighty acres of land planted to hay and fruit.  The place is well improved, having commodious buildings, and a fine eight-room house, handsomely painted and surrounded with trees and shrubbery.  His cattle are all graded and he has some very fine specimens.  Mr. Schmidt has one brother and two sisters, Otto B., Mrs. Dora Smith and Mrs. Emma Witt.
     In Davenport, Iowa, on May 1, 1900, Mr. Schmidt married Miss Emma E., the daughter of Peter L. and Cacielie Peters, natives of Holstein, Germany.  Mrs. Schmidt was born on March 7, 1869.  She has one brother and six sisters, named as follows: John L., Mrs. Katherine Langbehn, Mrs. Sophia Wolflin.  Mrs. Anna Martin, Mrs. Cacielie Enke, Mrs. Hellen Thiessen, and Bertha.  To Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt two children have been born: Walter A. on February 4, 1901; and Zella E., on May 19, 1902.  Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt were both raised under the influence of the Lutheran church and are excellent people.  Their place contains several Indian burying grounds and was a rendezvous for the early inhabitants of this country.
 
 

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