Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-12-08
AUGUST W. SCHMIDT.

/
his demise came as a surprise TO his ac-
quaintances, for though be had not
been robust for q number of years he
had been in his usual health up to San-
day evening. On Sunday afternoon
some of his children visited him and
found him engaged in reading an
j historical account of the Franco-Prus-
sian war. To them he appeared to be
feeling as well as usual, and retired at
900 O clock. For a number of years he
had been subject to some extent with
dizzy spells, and sometimes during the
| night he was troubled with shortness of
breath. At about twelve o'clock Sun
day night Mrs. Schmidt was awakened
by moaning and thinking her husband
had another attack of one of these
| spells, she tried to arouse him, but
/! found that the hand of death was
reckoning him. She called her son
Fred. who resides at home, and he
fastened across the street to his brother
| Albert's home and informed him of the
fears entertained by them, and he in
turn summoned the other children.
All were at his bedside when the dis
| solution came.
The funeral will be held Wednesday
at 200 o'clock from the family resi-
dence Rev. f. Werhahn, pastor of St.
Stephens Lutheran church, will con-
| duct the service. The funeral will be
attended by members of the A o. u. w.
of which society deceased had long
been a member.
Mr.. Schmidts mountaineering in
Wausau and Marathon county was
very large, built up from an association
with our people for over half century.
| He was man of many resources, and
triumphed where others failed. This
he accomplished by exercising good
| Judgment and backing the same with
perseverance and zeal. The following,
prepared by one who knew him well.
gives the history of his life:
august W. Schmidt was born at
| Deutsch Kronekreis, in Prussia. Ger
many, Sept. 10th, 1880 As boy he be-
came deeply interested in the move
ment which eliminated in the revolu-
| ton of 1S48, and was an ardent be-
lever in the republican form of govern
nent. This led him finally to the
| United States, and he arrived in Wau-
sau, August 22d, 1856, and in Septem-
Der of that year he settled in the town
| of Berlin, in what is now part of the
August Uecher and the Bauman farms
| The entire country was then dense
| forest. A number of sturdy German
about this same time, all very poor
| There were no roads and the settlers
were obliged to pack all their provisions
| on their backs from Wausau fordng
streams, and making their way through
the forest. There was no market for
any of the timber upon the lands, and
the settlers were obliged to clear their
land and burn the timber without the
aid of horses or cattle. The labor was
severe, and progress necessarily slow.
There was very little outside encourage
ment. The old lumbermen and the
| lum beriack of those days looked with
contempt upon the men who were so
foolish as to think farms could be
made in this heavily timbered country
Mr.. Schmidts first team was cattle,
which he raised from calves. In Jan
uary, 1859, he was married to Charlotte
H. Neuman, who with her parents
| came to the town of Berlin about the
| same time as did Mr.. Schmidt, and
| they bravely gave their united efforts
| to the clearing of the land and the
| making of farm Later in life Mr..
Schmidt served this county in many
public capacities, but probably the
| greatest service he rendered to this
community was in the trying years
from 1856 to 1870. He was naturally
an optimist. He was always cheerful,
and always looked on the bright side of
things. His unfailing hopefulness, his
CHEEKY confidence, and his sturdy in
dustry, was an inspiration and help to
| all the pioneers. From the first he was
known as leader, not through any
effort of his own, for he was ever the
most modest of men, but because of
his serene courage and bis disposition
| to be helpful and useful to every one
about him. 1t was largely on his initia-
tive the town of Berlin was first organ
| lied, and he was the first town clerk of
that town, and held that position for
several years. He also represented tie
! town some years on the county board
of supervisors, and he served for five
years as one of the three commissioners
| of Marathon county at the time when
the county was under the commissioner
/ system. Mr.. Schmidt was the founder
| of the Berlin Fire Insurance Co which
he organized in 1874.
In 1873 Mr.. Schmidt was induced TO
accept the nomination upon the Green.
back ticket for the office of register OF
deeds. The democratic party at that
| time had an overwhelming majority,
but to MIR Schmidt's surprise he was
elected, and he was thereafter reelected
to this office almost without opposition
until the year 1890, when he declined q
re denomination. Mr.. Schmidt was q
very efficient officer, AID the records IN
the register of deeds Office for the
twelve years of his incumbency are
models of accuracy and neatness. Dur
ing his residence ia Wausau MIR
Schmidt served the city as alderman
and about he time of his retirement
from Office the German American bank
of this city was organized, and Mr.
Schmidt was chosen as one Of its direc
tors, and upon its reorganization as
national bank. under the name o.
National German American bank ht
was reelected director, and held thai
position until the year 1900, when he re
signed because of failing health. Hi'
associates on the board of directors d