Holmes-Warren County OhArchives Obituaries.....Schmidt, Christina Margaretha December 23, 1897 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Patricia Fry Huston pfhuston@yahoo.com February 1, 2007, 3:37 pm Obituary Millersburg newspaper Christina Margaretha Schmidt( maiden name Scharr) was born Dec. 8, 1807, in Wurtemburg, Germany, and died in Winesburg, O., on Thursday evening, Dec 23, 1897, aged 90 years and 20 days. She was the oldest person in paint Twp. In 1817, at the age o ten years, she emigrated with her parents to America, landing at Philadelphia, Pa. where on account of the extreme poverty of her parents she was hired out by her father to serve as a domestic for a term of seven years to pay for her passage across the ocean. It is almost unnecessary to say that she served those seven years faithfully. As might be expected her school days were very few, nevertheless she managed to learn to read and write. She could read until within the last few years of her life, as was seen by many of her relatives and friends while she was reading her old , well worn large-print Bible. As to the writing she had such a limited knowledge of the letters that she soon forget how to write, and hence was compelled to "make her mark." On March 26, 1926, she was married to John Michael Schmidt (a baker by trade) in Philadelphia, Pa. by Rev. Schaeffer. In the spring of 1827 her husband in company with Rev. William Smith and Frederick Habbold came to Paint township, Holmes County, O., Grandmother Smith staying in Philadelphia till the following year. The above mentioned three men kept "bachelors' hall" during that year at a place a rod or two south of the bridge close to Henry Mayfahrt's on the Winesburg Mt. Hope road. The reason this place was selected was because there was a good spring there. During their one year's "batching" Grandfather Schmidt with the help of others managed to build a small cabin on the 200-acre farm he had bought in the wilderness, and make what necessary preparations he could for the coming of his wife. In the spring of 1828 Grandmother Schmidt with their oldest daughter, Catherine(hen a child a year old), came on a "Stage or "Stage Coach" form Philadelphia, Pa., to Dalton., Wayne County,O.,(from whence she was taken by her husband in a wagon to where is now Winesburg, but then woods). the "stage" was drawn by four horses and would comfortably seat nine persons. The trip took them twelve days. In that year (1828) there was only one house standing on the present site of Winesburg. Their nearest neighbor was Wilson Buckmaster, an Irishman, who lived on the old Strubble place now owned by John Hill. In those days it was no uncommon thing to go two or three miles to visit a neighbor on Sunday as was the case when she and her husband would visit at old Henry Lowe's, the farm now being owned by William DeBerry. Industrious, economical, contented and conscientious, they lived a happy life until the death of her husband on Oct. 16, 1866, separated them. She was the mother of twelve children, ten of whom(four sons and six daughters) survive her, and all of whom with the exception of William, who reside at Dexter, Iowa, attended the funeral. Besides these, Sixty grandchildren, about forty-nine great grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild making in all one hundred and twenty descendents that live to mourn her loss. During her long life she was blessed with good health and a clear mind. For these she was profoundly thankful to God. She often said in her old age: "The good lord means it well with me to give me such a good mind." When she could no longer read her Bible, she would have her children or grandchildren read to her. Many a time she would be heard repeating some bible verses, some song, or praying. About two weeks before her death she was attacked by a severe cold which settled on her lings and ended her life here on earth, only to see the dawn of the glorious life in heaven. The funeral was held on Sunday Dec. 26, 1897, internment being made in the Schmidt family lot(Winesburg Cemetery). The funeral sermon, which was very touching and spiritual, was preached by Rev. George Deckinger of the German Evangelical Zion's church, Winesburg. Text Jon. 5:26- "Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season. The writer can vouch for the correctness of the sketch of the early part of her life, as a grandmother had related this besides many pleasant incidents of her early life to me, herself nine years ago. May we, one all, as we cherish her many deeds of love and kindness, strive with all our hearts to live such lives that we can meet her in heaven, is the ardent desire of the writer. Dear is the spot where Christians sleep, and sweet the strains that angles pour; O, why should we in anguish weep? She is not gone before. Farewell We meet no more this side of heaven, The parting scene is o'er, the last sad look is given Farewell! Farewell And we shall meet in heaven above. Arthur H. Schmidt Additional Comments: Copied from the book " An authentic History of Winesburg, Holmes, Ohio" SKETCHES OF EARLIEST PIONEERS AND OTHEF WINESBURG'S FIRST WOMAN SETTLER MRS. JOHN M. SMITH (1807-1897). Born in Wuertemberg, German In 1814 (at the age of seven) she came across the ocean to Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and was hired out to serve seven years for her transportatic across the Atlantic. She got very little schooling, just enough to read her Bible and to write a little. But as the years went by she forgot how to write and in signing her name to deeds and receipts for interest received, she, like her old friend and neighbor,Mrs Christian Smith, had to "make he mark." My grandmother being the first woman in the vicinity of Winesburg had a thrilling experience. During the absence of grandfather for a day of log rolling near Ragersville, Ohio,an Indian came to her cabin where she was alone with her two-year-old daughter Katherine during a storm. TheIndian, as well as she, seemed to be frightened. She was the only one of the four "bachelors" families (the first settlers of Winesburg) who was alive and attended the first Winesburg Reunion September 1, 1897, a few months before her death. William M. Smith, son of Christian Smith, introduced her. During her long life she was blessed with good health and a clear mind to the verv end, for which shelor wHicn she was profoundly thankful. She often said in her old age: "The good Lord means it well with me to give me such a good mind." When she could no longer see well enough to read her Bible, she would have her children or grandchildren read to her. Many a time she would be heard repeating some Bible verses, some hymn, or praying. She died December 23, 1897, when past 90, and was buried beside her husband in the old Winesburg cemetery. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/oh/holmes/obits/s/schmidt1586ob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ohfiles/ File size: 7.3 Kb