Joseph L. Schmidt

Obituary: Teutopolis Press - June 25, 1953

JOSEPH L SCHMIDT Dies At Home In Green Creek

Joseph L Schmidt who would have been 97 years old in November passed away Monday at 12:30 o'clock. Mr. Schmidt who had been in failing health the past two years was seriously since Friday evening.

He was born November 5th, 1856 at St, Libory, St. Clair County; Illinois the son of the late Henry Schmidt and Catherine Bertke Schmidt. He moved to Effingham County with his parents when a small

Mr. Schmidt was married to Anna Jansen in 1883 and to this union five children were born: Mrs. Frank (Elizabeth) Meyer, Mrs. Henry (Catherine) Hoene, Anthony Schmidt and Lawrence Schmidt, all of St. Mary's north of Effingham who survive him and Mrs. Ben (Cecilia) Wesselman who preceded him in death.

His wife preceded him in death on October 20, 1895. He married Malania Jansen Kaufmann in 1901 and she preceded him in death on October 31, 1937. He leaves 29 grandchildren and 66 great grandchildren. A sister-in-law, Mrs, Henry Schmidt who resides in Cottonwood, Idaho, also ear- survives him.

A solemn requiem high mass will be sung Thursday morning at nine o'clock in St. Mary's church of Green Creek and burial will be in the church cemetery. The mass will be sung by the children's choir. Pall-bearers will be the grandchildren of the deceased, Sylvester Meyer, Alphonse and Allie Wesselman, Herman Hoene, Joseph Schmidt, and Norbert Schmidt. Servers at the mass will be Paul Schmidt, Robert Schmidt, Harold Kaufman, Anthony Niebrugge and Vincent Niebrugge.

The rosary was recited at the Habing Funeral Home where the body lies in state on Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock with the Holy Name Society attending and on Wednesday evening at 8 o'clock by the Altar Society. The body of Mr. Schmidt will remain at the funeral home until time of funeral.

Birth: Nov. 5, 1856 Saint Libory St. Clair County Illinois, USA

Death: Jun. 20, 1953 Green Creek Effingham County Illinois, USA

Joseph L. Schmidt was born in 1856 in St. Clair County, Illinois, the son of Herman Henry and Catherine Bertke Schmidt. By the 1860 census, the Schmidts moved to Effingham County, Illinois. Joseph's father died when he was just 4, leaving his mother to raise three daughters, Catherine, Elizabeth and Anna, and two sons, Joseph and Henry. Joseph's sister Bernadine was born after her father's death. Joseph's mother later married Clemens Albers.

Joseph worked as a carpenter and in 1883 married Anna H. Jansen in Effingham County. They had three daughters, Elizabeth, Catherine and Cecilia, born in Effingham County, and two sons, Anthony and Laurence, born in Florida. Anna died in October 1895, and Joseph married Anna's sister, Melania Jansen Kaufman, in 1901. She preceded him in death on Oct. 31, 1937. His daughter Celia Wesselman also preceded him in death. Joseph was very active at St. Mary Help of Christians Church, serving as the church janitor and bell ringer in his later years. He alerted the community by ringing the bell when the church caught fire in 1936. He died at age 96, outliving all his siblings. At his death he had 29 grandchildren and 66 great-grandchildren.