Biography of 	Schmidt, Gustavus and Charles Edourad; Mariestad, Sweden; now Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller February 1998

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Schmidt, Gustavus and Charles Edouard.--It is seldom that a father 
and his son achieve eminence in the practice of law in the same court.  
The settled character of the population of New Orleans contributes 
more tdward this result than most other sections of the United States, 
where the tide of emigration is ever flowing and for this reason sons 
succeed fathers in eminence here more often than in any other city of 
the nation.  A conspicuous example of this was Gustavus and Charles 
Edouard Schmidt, late prominent and scholarly attorneys of the New 
Orleans bar. Gustavus Schmidt was born at Mariestad, Sweden, June 16, 
1795, and died, at Old Sweet Springs, Monroe county, W. Va., Sept. 20, 
1877.  His father, Hans Christian Schmidt, born in the province of 
Scania, was secretary of the prefecture of Skaraborg and was afterwards 
judge of the Aulic court for the south of Sweden.  His mother's name 
was Sigrid Katharina Morck, of a family noted as owners of extensive 
iron mines.  An elder brother of Gustavus Schmidt, Karl Christian 
Schmidt, was the editor-in-chief of the leading law journal of  Sweden 
for 30 years, and a distinguished member of that kingdom.  He also was 
private councilor to King Oscar.  After receiving private instructions 
he attended the public classical school in Jonkoping until he reached 
his 16th year, when he entered the Swedish military navy, which he left 
at 20 years to try his fortune in America.  In 1829 he settled in New 
Orleans and took up the practice of law, in which he became one of the 
leaders in the Louisiana bar.  In 1831 he married Miss Melaine Seghers, 
daughter of Dominique Seghers, of Brussels, a prominent lawyer.  Mr. 
Schmidt was a linguist and also published many law books of great value.  
Charles Edouard Schmidt, son of Gustavus, was born in New Orleans, 
Feb. 29, 1832, and died at Capon Springs, W. Va., Aug. 20, 1891.  He 
was educated, at Spring Hill college, Alabama, and later received a 
degree of LL. B. at the University of Louisiana in 1852.  He at once 
began the study of law in the practice of which he rose rapidly and 
acquired a large and lucrative business.  After a career of more than 
30 years he died at the age of 59, full of honors and in high public
 regard as one of the most learned and profound lawyers of the New 
Orleans bar.  His fidelity through a long life of professional and 
social engagements and his kindly nature acquired for him a large 
circle of warm personal friends.  May 10, 1869, he married Louise 
Helene Leda Hincks, daughter of the late Hon. John W. Hincks and Louise 
Helene Lambert.  Mr. Schmidt left only 1 child, a daughter, Marie Louise, 
born July 10, 1876, now the wife of Col. H. J. de la Vergne.  Before the 
Schmidt family lived in Sweden, where they were for several generations, 
it is to be found in Silesia, and their coat of arms is ''A shield, 
sable field, with a lion of gold holding in his front paws a sun of 
gold."

Source:  Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, 
Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic 
Form (volume 3), pp. 125-126.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  
Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.

Note:  Source has paintings of both individuals described.