Joseph Schmidt, 1866

stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org on Thu, 15 Feb 2001

Surname: SCHMIDT, HERALY, SCHEEKELMAN, POMPO

----Source: History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918), by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

JOSEPH SCHMIDT, who is prosperously engaged in agriculture and stock raising in section 7, York Township, was born in Bion, Germany, June 19, 1866, son of John and Anna (Heraly) Schmidt. The father was a farmer and blacksmith, who died in Germany, about 1869, at the age of 52 years, or thereabouts. He left eight children: John, Anna, Elizabeth, Martin Johann, Kate, Joseph and Anna. The mother dying at the age of 64, the sons and one daughter, Anna, now Mrs. Geo. Scheekelman, of York Township, came to the United States, the other daughters remaining in Germany. Joseph left Germany in 1886. He had received so there and had been brought up to farming. Arriving in Jefferson County, Wis., $13 in debt, he at once sought work and was employed six months on a farm. Then he came to Clark County and for two months worked in the woods, afterwards for two years in a sawmill in York Township. At the end of that time he went to Montana, where he worked on the railroad a few months.

Returning to this state, he found work in a logging camp at Butternut, Ashland County, later coming from that place to Clark County. Here he worked on different farms and in Heine's sawmill. Then he went to the vicinity of Longwood, where he spent one winter in the woods and one summer in haying. In 1892 Mr. Schmidt made a more important move, from which dates his present prosperity. This was his purchase of forty acres of land in section 7, York Township. True, at first the prospects did not look very favorable, for the land was covered with timber and there were no buildings on it, though fifteen acres were chopped; so pioneer work had to be done, and plenty of it. Mr. Schmidt, however, was not the man to stand still and suck his thumb when there was work to be done. He got busy at once and made such progress that by the end of the first year he had four acres cleared and had built a log stable for a pair of oxen which he had. In the meanwhile he boarded with neighbors, paying for his board with work. At the time of his marriage in 1893, he had a small frame house built, and owned a cow and heifer, a horse team and a few young stock. He has since increased the size of his farm to 220 acres, the last sixty acres he bought being cleared. He himself has cleared the rest. Five years ago he erected a brick house of seven rooms.

In 1906 he built a basement barn 36 by 70 feet, and an addition 32 by 30 feet. He has also put up a tool shed, 70 by 22 feet, and a chicken house, 16 by 28 feet in size. He keeps a good grade of stock, including Holstein cattle. His horses are also good, and as a farmer he is doing a successful business.

Mr. Schmidt was united in marriage, Oct. 10, 1893, with Mary Pompo, who was born in Germany, Mar. 19, 1872, daughter of Paul and Anna Pompo, who were also born in Germany and settled in Independence, Trempealeau County, Wis., in 1872, having reached America after a six weeks' voyage across the ocean. Mr. Pompo became a farmer in Trempealeau County, and he and his wife remained there. They had six children: Lizzie, Julia, Mary, John, Rose and Kate. Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt are the parents of eight children: John, Rosa, Alice, Andrew, Elsie, Edward, George and Margaret. The family are members of the Catholic Church at Loyal.