Carl Schmidt (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carl Schmidt
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From Soldiers' and Citizens' Album of Biographical Record (1888)
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| County Judge of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin | |
| In office January 4, 1886 – January 7, 1888 |
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| Preceded by | Reuben D. Smart |
| Succeeded by | Emil Baensch |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate | |
| In office January 1, 1872 – January 4, 1875 |
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| Preceded by | Francis Little |
| Succeeded by | John Schuette |
| Constituency | 15th district |
| In office January 2, 1871 – January 1, 1872 |
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| Preceded by | George B. Reed |
| Succeeded by | James H. Foster |
| Constituency | 19th district |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Manitowoc 3rd district |
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| In office January 3, 1870 – January 2, 1871 |
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| Preceded by | Jabez L. Fobes |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Rankin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 30, 1835 Luebbecke, Westphalia, Prussia |
| Died | January 7, 1888 (aged 52) Manitowoc, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Resting place | Evergreen Cemetery, Manitowoc, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | married |
| Children |
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| Occupation | Newspaper publisher |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Volunteers Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank | Captain, USV |
| Unit | 9th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Carl Heinrich (Henry) Schmidt (born September 30, 1835 – died January 7, 1888) was an immigrant from Germany who became a newspaper publisher and a politician in the Democratic Party. He served in the government of Wisconsin, first in the State Assembly and later in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing Manitowoc County in the 1870s.
Contents
Early Life and Newspaper Work
Carl Schmidt was born on September 30, 1835, in a place called Province of Westphalia, which was part of Prussia (now in western Germany). He learned how to be a printer in Prussia. In 1854, when he was 19, he moved to the United States with his family.
They first lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for a short time. There, Carl worked at a German newspaper called Der Seebote. After that, he moved to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and worked as a foreman (a supervisor) at two other newspapers, the Wisconsin Demokrat and the Manitowoc Tribune.
Just a few months later, with help from his father, Carl bought the equipment to start his own newspaper. In July 1855, he launched Der Nord-Westen, which was also a German-language newspaper. He ran this paper until 1860. Then, he sold his business to join the army.
Serving in the Civil War
When the American Civil War began, Carl Schmidt joined a group of German-speaking volunteers. These volunteers became part of the 9th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, which was mostly made up of German speakers. When the regiment was being formed, Carl was made the first sergeant in Company B.
The 9th Wisconsin Infantry officially joined the army in January 1862. They were sent to Kansas and became part of the Army of the Frontier. This army fought in the western parts of the war, especially in areas west of the Mississippi River.
Carl Schmidt was well-known for his work as the acting quartermaster of his regiment in 1864. A quartermaster is in charge of supplies. He was in command of the supply center in Little Rock, Arkansas. During the Red River campaign, when news came that the army was retreating and running out of food, Carl quickly put together a supply train. He led this train himself to meet the army and give them the supplies they desperately needed.
In January 1863, Carl was promoted to second lieutenant in Company K. Later, in the summer of 1864, he was promoted again to captain of Company F. He finished his three-year service in December 1864 and left the army.
Political Career in Wisconsin
After the war, Carl Schmidt bought back his printing business and started publishing Der Nord-Westen again. He continued to run the newspaper for the rest of his life.
He also became involved in local government. In 1867, he was elected as a trustee for the village of Manitowoc. He lost his re-election bid in 1868. However, in 1869, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a member of the Democratic Party.
In 1870, Carl Schmidt represented Manitowoc County's 3rd Assembly district in the state legislature. While he was serving in the Assembly, Manitowoc officially became a city. Carl ran for mayor in the city's very first mayoral election in April 1870, but he was defeated by Peter Johnston.
Later that year, he ran for the Wisconsin State Senate in the 19th Senate district as a Democrat. Even though Manitowoc County usually voted Democratic, the election was very close. This was because some Democrats in the county were unhappy with their party's leaders. Carl won with 47% of the votes, beating a Republican candidate and another Democrat who ran independently.
During his first year in the Senate, the districts were reorganized. His 19th Senate district was renamed the 15th district, but the area it covered stayed the same. Carl won re-election in 1872, serving another term. He did not run for a third term in 1874.
Throughout the 1870s, Carl Schmidt held several other local jobs. He served as an alderman (a city council member), a county supervisor, and a justice of the peace (a local judge). In 1885, he was elected as a county judge. He was still serving as a judge when he passed away in January 1888.
Family Life
Carl Henry Schmidt had a younger brother named Carl Gottlieb Schmidt. His brother was also a well-known German American newspaper publisher in Wisconsin. After Carl Henry Schmidt died, his brother took over publishing Der Nord-Westen newspaper.
Carl Schmidt was survived by his wife and their five children.
