California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


JOHN A. SCHMIDT. � A loyal American citizen of foreign parentage, 
whose life illustrates the splendid opportunities offered by the United States 
of America to rising youth, is John A. Schmidt, who has been a resident of 
Fresno County since 1907, and who lives two miles north of Reedley. He is 
a native of Kansas, where he was born on October 4, 1877. He attended the 
grammar schools of his native State and graduated from the high school. 
Later, too, he spent a couple of years at college, and then for a while he 
taught school. 

His parents were Andrew and Anna Schmidt, native Germans who were 
born on Russian territory, and who immigrated to the United States in 
1873. They pushed West to Kansas, and in that inviting commonwealth they 
made their home and lived the lives of farmer folk. They were hard-work- 
ing, thrifty people, and successfully reared a family of thirteen children. 
Seven of these are still living, and one, John A., the subject of our story, is 
a resident of the Pacific Slope. 

John A. Schmidt owns a fine ranch of forty acres, which he devotes to 
grapes, apricots and alfalfa. He farms scientifically, availing himself of 
every improvement in method or apparatus ; he takes pride in maintaining a 
model place, and the high quality of his products speaks for him. Mr. 
Schmidt is by nature public-spirited, and for years he has taken a deep in- 
terest in civic affairs in Fresno County. His fellow citizens have honored 
him with the office of deputy assessor of the Alta district, which he has 
held, to everybody*s satisfaction, for six years. He has served as clerk of 
the school board in the Fink district since 1915, for which he is peculiarly 
fitted by his experience as a teacher. 

In 1903, Mr. Schmidt was married to Miss Anna, the daughter of Peter 
Funk ; and by his estimable wife he has had twelve children. The living are : 
Arthur L., Ernest A., Samuel H., Ruby E., Alice E., Grace P., Harold W., 
Stella R., John W., and Waldo W. Mrs. Schmidt, who also once lived in 
Kansas, attends with her husband the Mennonite Church. Both have many 
friends and well-wishers, who value their kind-heartedness and neighborly 
disposition.