SCHMEDDING BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== SCHMEDDING, John Bernard - b: 1850 near Germantown, Henry Co, MO source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 392 residence: Deepwater Twp John Bernard Schmedding. Eighty-four years ago the four Schmedding brothers, John, Theodore, Garrett and Bernard, came to Henry County and founded the Germantown settlement. They erected the first Catholic Church on Schmedding land in 1834 and also assisted in the building of the present church prior to the Civil War. Theodore Schmedding later went to the Osage Mission at St. Thomas in Kansas and died there. The others remained in Henry County and reared families and assisted materially in the development of the county. As the years passed, others came from Germany and a large settlement has grown up and prospered in the neighborhood of Germantown, extending over three adjoining townships and reaching over the line into Bates County to the westward. The Schmedding family originated in Westphalia, Germany, and the Schmedding brothers crossed the Atlantic in a sailing vessel in 1831. They walked to their destination from Lexington, Missouri, to Henry County. John Bernard Schmedding, Montrose, Missouri, is owner of 400 acres of land, consisting of three farms and with three sets of improvements, 320 acres of which is located northwest of Germantown and eighty acres just west of Montrose is a worthy descendant of pioneer stock. He was born near Germantown, Henry County, August 12, 1850, and is the son of John Bernard (born 1800, died 1865) and Elizabeth (Walbert) Schmedding (born 1807, died 1872). His mother was born in Westphalia, Germany, and came to America when a young lady and was married to John B. Schmedding in Osage County. To John Bernard and Elizabeth Schmedding were born five children: Bertha, died in infancy; Annie, wife of Anton Mucke, died in Henry County; Henry, died in 1862; John Bernard, subject of this review; Joseph H., a resident of Germantown. There were no free schools in this section of Henry County during the boyhood days of John Bernard or "Barney" Schmedding. He and his brother, Joseph, managed the home place of the family until Barney was married. He then settled upon his own land and made a division of 880 acres of land which he and Joseph H. owned together and farmed in common after the death of their mother. John Bernard received 400 acres and the brothers gave a sister a tract of 160 acres, which they improved for her. For three years after his marriage, Mr. Schmedding lived in a log house and then erected a handsome house, which was his place of residence until the fall of 1911, when he and Mrs. Schmedding moved to a pretty cottage home in Montrose. Mr. Schmedding was married in 1880 to Miss Nora Buckley, who was born in Canada December 14, 1863, the daughter of Michael and Helen (Quilligan) Buckley, both of whom were natives of Ireland. The Buckleys immigrated to Canada and from Canada came to the United States in 1868. They resided at Jacksonville, Illinois, for two years and then came to Henry County, settling upon a farm nine miles north of Montrose. Michael Buckley died April 22, 1907, aged sixty-seven years. Helen Buckley died February 22, 1911, aged seventy-seven years. They were parents of four children: Mrs. Nora Schmedding; Mrs. Catherine Carver, Walker township; Mrs. Mary Matheny, Montrose, Missouri; Ella, is deceased. The children born to John Bernard and Nora Schmedding are: John, Joseph H., Lee, Lawrence, Nina Viola and William Edwin. John is a farmer in Deepwater township, married Lena Cook and has five children: Edith, Geneva, Marcellus, Mildred and Edwin. Joseph H. lives on the home place, married first time to Edith Cook, who died, leaving two children: Josephine and Bernard. His second wife was Minnie Towns. Lee Schmedding is deceased. Lawrence lives on the home place, married Hilda Licher, and has three children: Harry, Amanda Fredericka, Erschell Justin. Nina Viola is deceased. William Edwin, born November 16, 1891, is now a member of the National Army and after undergoing training at Camp Funston is now in France fighting on behalf of world freedom. He is a member of the 355th Supply Company, 89th Division, National Army. He went to France June 2, 1918. The Republican party has always had the support of Mr. Schmedding and he has served as justice of the peace of Deepwater township. He and all of his family are members of the Catholic Church. Mr. Schmedding is the oldest native born citizen of the southern part of Henry County. ==================================================================== SCHMEDDING, Joseph - b: 1852 Germantown, Henry Co, MO source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 428 residence: Deepwater Twp Joseph Schmedding. To the Schmedding family or to the ancestors of the present members of the family in Deepwater township belongs the honor of having established the Germantown settlement and of having erected the first Catholic Church in Henry County or in western Missouri. Gerhardt, Theodore, Herman, Bernard and John Schmedding, brothers who were all born in Germany, immigrated to this country from their native land in the early twenties, and John Schmedding came to Missouri from New Orleans and purchased a farm of eighty acres in Warren County. About 1832 he joined his brothers at the new settlement in the northern part of Deepwater township in Henry County and his name has ever since been linked with the early history of this section of the county. Joseph Schmedding, subject of this review, was born at Germantown, Deepwater township, April 20, 1852, and is the son of John and Elizabeth (Walbert) Schmedding, both of whom were natives of Germany. John Schmedding was born in 1800 and died in 1864. Mrs. Elizabeth Schmedding departed this life in 1876. After coming to Henry County in 1832 John Schmedding entered free Government land, and here reared his family. There were three children in the family of John and Elizabeth Schmedding: Joseph, subject of this sketch; J. Bernard, Montrose, Missouri; and Henry, deceased. There were no free schools in this section of Henry County before the Civil War time and the education of Joseph Schmedding was of necessity limited. He has always been a farmer and he came into possession of the old home place of his parents. Mr. Schmedding formerly owned 400 acres of land but has recently sold some of his land and now owns a tract of 170 acres upon which he erected a new frame house in 1912. In 1886 the marriage of Joseph Schmedding and Mary Myers took place. Mrs. Mary Schmedding was born August 28, 1865, in Bates County, Missouri, and is the daughter of Morris and Mary (Schmedding) Myers, the former of whom was a native of Germany and the latter was born in the Germantown neighborhood, the daughter of Barney Schmedding, pioneer. To Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Schmedding have been born eight children: Catharine, Nebraska City, Nebraska; Mrs. Lavina Stewart, Walthill, Thurston County, Nebraska; Henry, Winnebago, Nebraska; Clements B., a merchant in Germantown; Charles, Winnebago, Nebraska; Mrs. Anna Cook, Henry County; Bernardina and George (twins), at home; Mrs. Lavina Stewart has four children: Angeline, Josephine, Marion and Nina Stewart. Henry Schmedding married Mary Rotert and has two children: Maurice and Dennis. Charles Schmedding married Therese Rotert and has one child, Emmet. Mrs. Anna Cook has one child, Leroy Cook. Mr. Schmedding was formerly a Democrat but of late years has espoused the cause of the Republican party. He and his family are members of the Germantown Catholic Church and he is fraternally affiliated with the Woodmen of the World. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by the Henry County MOGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/henryco.html Contact the Henry County Coordinator for comments or corrections. ====================================================================