Bio of Schmidt, John C. (b.1833) Wabasha Co., MN
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1884.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab1.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Schmidt, John C., brewer, Lake City. Lake City brewery, now owned and
operated by John C. Schmidt & Co., was first started in 1861 by John
Mingus in a small frame building, where the present one now stands, on the
corner of Gardner and Center streets. He was succeeded by the Wise
Brothers, who built the present stone structure, in size 24x75 feet, and
twenty feet high. Mr. Schmidt purchased this property in 1876, and in 1877
associated with him his present partner, Mr. Fred Lange. They are now
doing a prosperous business; have a first-class outfit, with a capacity of
twelve hundred barrels per year. Mr. Schmidt was born in Schweren,
Mecklenberg, Germany, in 1833, and was reared on a farm. He was married
October 15, 1855 to Miss Julia Lange, a native of the same place. On April
28, 1857, he with his wife and two children sailed from the city of
Hamburg on the ship Bremen for America, and landed in New York on June 9.
On the 11th of the next April they first set their feet on Minnesota soil
at Read's Landing. Mr. Schmidt at once made a claim to one hundred and
sixty acres of government land in the township of West Albany, and with
his ax and an ox team began to make a home for his family. His land, being
covered with a growth of oak timber and grubs, required the incessant
labor of years to clear and fit it for use, but his strong arms and
determined will were equal to the task, and Mr. Schmidt in time had (what
he could not have made for himself in his native land) a good farm. This
farm was finally sold, and a prairie farm of a one hundred and sixty acres
was purchased in the town of Lake . This he still retains. Mr. Schmidt
gave the writer a little of his early experiences in Minnesota, and after
repeated solicitations, consented that the following incident pass into
history: "of course," said he, "we could not raise all we needed on a new
and unimproved farm, and not having money to buy my bread the first year,
I took a job of cutting and putting up hay for a man near Read's Landing.
Not understanding English very well, and the tricks of trade still less, I
agreed to take my pay in groceries, supposing that included flour. When
the work was done I called for my pay, and the wily merchant inquired what
I would have. I named over the articles, including flour. He gave me all
but the flour, saying that article was cash, and he must have cash for it,
so I took my groceries and went home to find my family without bread. Of
course I could not remain under such circumstances, so I went back to the
river and secured a job with a raftsman on a keelboat, and in a few days
had the price of one hundred pounds of flour, which I purchased, and
carried from Read's Landing to my humble home on my back, a distance of
fourteen miles." Such fidelity and devotion to a family is meritorious,
and commands their lasting respect and esteem. Mrs. Schmidt also nobly did
her part in their struggles to make a home and rear their family, and is
now suitably rewarded with comfort and plenty. They have six children
living, whose names in the order of their birth are: Mary (now the wife of
Lewis Hagen), Edward, August, Julia, Clara and Ida.
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Sorry this biography has not been transcribed yet.

If the biography you want is not yet done, please e-mail me at 
BarbaraTimm@aol.com