Person talk:Leonard Schmidt (1)

Brick Wall Efforts [19 November 2012]

• First record of Leonhard is his 1848 marriage to Elisabetha Betz
• he is also deeded land by his father-in-law, Heinrich Betz.
• He may have had a sister, Maria, who shows up as godmother to his daughter.
• Another clue is that in 1846, Henry Betz (father of Leonard's wife) was the grantor and Frederick Schmidt & Catherine, his wife, as the grantee. The date of record was Mar. 20, 1846 and the date of instrument was Mar. 20, 1846. Possible relation to Leonhard?
• 1860 census "b Baden"
• 1870 census "b Baden"

Passenger List possibilities [19 November 2012]

1. "Pioneer" from Bremen to Baltimore arr 2 Sep 1841; what appear to be brothers -- Louis (26) and Leonhard (19) both of Kircheim, farmers. This is a new one I hadn't seen before. There is a Kirchheim in Baden (near Heidelberg). A bit young for my Buffalo Leonhard. I can't easily find these two together in 1850 but many of these men became SMITH, so it won't be easy. There is a Lewis Smith, right age, in Baltimore.
2. "Utica" from ?? to NYC arr 9 Apr 1842 Leonhard Schmidt, 27 of France (!); no Schmidts immediately nearby.
3. "New Hampshire" from Antwerp to NY arr 21 Apr 1847; age 24; Country of Origin: Deutschland; Family Identification: 567251; Microfilm Serial Number: M237; Microfilm Roll Number: 66
4. "Barque Charlotte Caroline" from Bremen to NY arr 6 Feb 1837; age 15 of Germany; Film M237; Roll 32, List 53
5. "Davenport" Bremen to NY arr 11 Jul 1848; age 27, of Deutschland; Family Identification: 1141466; Microfilm Serial Number: M237; Microfilm Roll Number: 74. Passenger list image on Ancestry calls him a "joiner"; in 1850 and 1870 census, Leonhard was mason; stonemason, respectively. He is not travelling (at least close by) with any other Schmidt. Out of curiosity, I sought the Heinr. Bischoff two rows above; he is in South Carolina in 1850. (There was at least one Bischoff in Buffalo in 1850.)

John Schmidt [27 November 2012]

Jillaine, have you investigated a connection between Leonard and John Schmidt? Here are some details for John Schmidt and a John C[onrad] Vielhauer (who was living in their household in 1850).

• 1850 census

John Schmidt, 34 [abt 1816], Germany

Catherin Schmidt, 31 [abt 1819], Germany

Cunrad Vielhauser, 20 [abt 1830], Germany

• 1860 Census - Buffalo Ward 6

image 156 of 210 John Schmidt, 43 (born abt 1817 in Baden) & Catherine Schmidt, 40

image 160 of 210 Lehnhard Schmith born abt 1819 in Baden

• 1870 Census - Buffalo Ward 6

image 212 of 300 John Schmidt, 53 (born abt 1817 in Baden); Catharine Schmidt, 50

image 233 of 300 Leonhard born in Baden

• Obituary for John C Vielhauer "LOSE PIONEER Death Claims Man Who Became Interested in Early Planing Mill" --Jennifer (JBS66) 12:56, 26 November 2012 (EST)

Jennifer, thanks for the suggestion. The Vielhauser obit had one interesting clue-- that he came in 1847. That's when I believe Leonhard did. Of course, boatloads of people came in 1847, but still... I started to peruse my old records. I'd compiled a list of early Buffalo Schmidts but John wasn't one of them. I don't see him or Catherine showing up in the records of the church Leonard went to, either. Although from the census records, looks like they didn't have kids, so they're not likely to show up recording baptisms. I'll keep an eye out for them. Thanks! This is exactly the kind of fresh-eye contribution I'm seeking. Jillaine 23:12, 26 November 2012 (EST)

Hi, Jilaine,

You've already identified two potential siblings (Frederick and Maria). Have you followed them down (if not back in time) to at least the grandchildren, or even great-grandchildren? (People leaving German states at this time often had to have "Passports" to leave, and I had one show up in another family branch. You might also get the mention of a town or village in obits, local histories, etc.)

Same thing for any associates, following them down a couple of generations, to see if they come from a specific town in Baden. Regina Erhardt Fassnacht in the 1870 Census is fromWürttemberg, but could be worth following down for all her kids anyway. Could she be (related to?) the Regin[us] Hadar who witnessed the wedding? (I share your frustration with reading early German church records, by the way, especially those where the handwriting looks like nothing more than a slightly bumpy line.)

Other associates could include witnesses to deeds, as well as godparents to other children, who could be cousins with different family names, or just from the same town/village. What about other stone masons as possible associates, since he presumably would have had to learn the trade?

What about early German language newspapers, are they available? (The New York Genweb site for Buffalo suggests the Special Collections Room at the main branch of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library and the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society research library, but doesn't give dates, or what is available. Sometimes they have obits that don't show up in English language newspapers.)

Being in Buffalo also reminded me of John Philip Coletta's Only a Few Bones, since his Ring family started from Buffalo. He gives some early histories that might be useful for background, if you haven't already checked them (ftnt 1, p. 356). (He also found the town where his ancestors were born from the death certificate of a "probable" cousin.)

As for passenger lists, a lot of single young men during this time period don't show up on passenger lists. According to a family story for one of my ancestors, they worked their way across as crew members. I don't know how you deal with that, but passenger lists won't give you the name of a village or town, in any event. Naturalization records for this period also won't give you the name of a town, although you might get the name of a sponsor, another associate.

--GayelKnott 13:06, 27 November 2012 (EST)