Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-03
PRELATE'S OLD
NURSE IS DEAD
Mrs. Schmitt Cared for Arch
bishop COrrigan When lie
Was an Infant.
MEMBER OF ST. MARY'S
CHURCH EIGHTY YEARS
Fifty Years Daily Attendant at
. Early Morning Services in
High Street Edifice.

Mrs. Elizabeth Sehmitt, for almost
eighty years a communicate of st.
Mary's Church, on High street, OF
which she was a pioneer member, is
dead at her home, at 4s Spruce street.
She passed away Monday night, four
days prior to the ninetieth anniver-
sary of her birth. In her girlhood
days she often cared for the late
Archbishop Michael A. Corrigan, OF
New York. when he was an infant.
At that time she was member OF
the household of the prelate's father,
Thomas Corrigan, of this city.
Mrs. Schmitt was a native of the
city of Fulde, Germany. She came TO
this country with her parents more
than eighty years ago and saw New
ark grow from a mere viilage TO 81 "a
great city Her family attended ST.
Johns Church when that was the
sole Catholic edifiee in this section.
At the time she arrived in Newark all
OF the district south of Broad and
Marshall streets was farm land. she
often told of these days, and her COM
parsons of old times in Newark with
modern developments were always
Interesting to her many friends.
The funeral of Mrs. Schmitt Will be
held on Saturday from the church she
!
qulem will be offered and the inter-
ment will be made in St Marys
Cemetery. She was the Oldest living
member of the parish, II Is said, at
the time of her death.
Mrs. Schmitt was noted for her de-
votion to her religious faith For fifty
years she attended mass daily, al
most invariably being present at the
$50 a. m. service. No matter how
ferhf hn
arose at daybreak or before and made
her way to the High street edifice.
She was one of the founders of st.
Marys, being a parishioner ever since
the church was organized In frame
building at Howard and Court streets.
Mrs. Schmitt's maiden name was
Wolf. She Is the last of the original
family Of that name. She was moth
er-in-law of County Tax Commission
4er John B. Oelkers, grandmother OF
Alderman-elect Joseph Schmelz, of
the Fifth ward, an aunt of John c.
Wolf, who for years had charge OF
the Union News stand at the Broad
street station of the New Jersey Gen.
trail Railroad, and George J. Wolf
now a resident of the Vailsburg
section.
When she was sixteen years old
Miss Wolf entered the employ of the
Corrigan family. Thomas Corrigar
conducted general store on Market
street, near Broad. Miss Wolf fire.
. quently cared for the children of the
: family. The children included, be-
! sides the future Catholic prelate, tive
other boys who became priests and
won distinction In their church. They
were Rev. George w. Corrigan, now
rector of st. Joseph's Church, this
city, and Rev. James II. Corrigan
The latter was formerly vice-presi-
dent of Seton Hall and died in 1891
Archbishop Corrigan died in 1902.
Miss Wolf remained with the Cor.
rigan family until she was married
: to Augustin Schmitt. For many year:
after her marriage she retained hel
close personal friendship with thu
members of the Corrigan family ant
the archbishop frequently showed hi
esteem for the old family nurse
Mrs. Schmitt occupied the home a
48 Spruce street ever since she wa:
married. The house was built for tn,
bride and she lived there for sixty
five years since her wedding. Sh,
had been a widow for forty-five year.
Ind is survived by four children, four
teen grandchildren and twelve great
grandchildren.
Up to the time of her death Mrs
Schmitt retained wonderful mem
DRY. She often related how she com
planned of residing in Spruce stree
after her marriage, because 1t wa
too far from the centre of the town.
A month ago Mrs. Schmitt suffere
an attack of feebleness and was or
dered to remain in bed. Despite tn
hopes of her relatives that she woul
rally and recover sufficiently to cele
brate her ninetieth birthday mex
Friday, her strength gave way Mon
day night and she succumbed to tn
infirmities of old age. Less than fly
minutes before she expired Mr.:
! Schmitt was holding a conversatio
with Tax Commissioner Oelkers. TIL
end came after slight fit of cough
ing, brought on by drinking water.
Mrs. Schmitt is survived by thre
daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Hopper, {
Chicago; Miss Louisa Schmitt an
Miss Anna Schmitt, of this city, an
one son, Joseph Schmitt. of Manches
ter, N. II. Three other children WEI
born to her but she outlived them.