G. F. Schmidt - Goodspeed
Rankin Family History Project
Goodspeed's History of Southeast Missouri

G. F. Schmidt


G. F. Schmidt, a prominent citizen of Altenburgh, Mo., was born in 1834, in the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburgh, Germany. He is the son of Joachim and Mary Schmidt.

Joachim Schmidt was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, in 1795, and was a locksmith by trade. He with he family left the fatherland and immigrated to America, and after a thirteen weeks� voyage, landed in New Orleans in January, 1839 Going from thence to St. Louis they remained until spring when they came to Perry County. There he located on a farm and followed agricultural pursuits the remainder of his life, passing away in 1870.

His widow who was born in 1805, is still alive, and is remarkably strong and active for one of her age. She has two children living: G. F. Schmidt received a limited education in the German congregational schools and the night schools at Altenburgh, which he has greatly improved by business experience and much reading.

He followed agricultural pursuits until 1862, when he commenced his commercial career as a clerk in a store, but he possessed too much enterprise to long work for others. In the spring of 1863, he, in partnership with Dr. Buenger, purchased a store which they managed until 1867, when they dissolved partnership and Mr. Schmidt engaged in business alone at his present place in Altenburgh. Since then he has operated a first-class general merchandise store and controls a large patronage from the surrounding country.

In 1865 he wedded Wilhelmine Seibel, a native of the county by whom he has five children: Mary, Ernest, Emanuel, Louisa, and Clara. Squire Schmidt is a man of more than ordinary intelligence, and is esteemed and honored by those who know him.

He has held the office of Justice of the peace for more than ten years and has rendered decisions in many important cases. For the past eight years he has been a notary public.

Politically he is a Democrat, and religiously is a Lutheran. He has accumulated some property, and is one of those men of Teutonic blood who appreciate Republican institutions, and confirms his appreciation by good citizenship.

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The Goodspeed Publishing Company compiled a series of histories of various counties in the U.S. in the late 19th century. The information in the History of Southeast Missouri, published in 1888, was provided by the contemporary residents of Perry County and her neighboring counties. The biographies are a valuable source of genealogical information, despite a few minor inaccuracies. We are glad to present the transcribed biographies here for anyone researching Perry County's history.

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