In December 1885, the Christian Schmid family moved to West St. Paul Township and purchased seventeen acres of land from Daniel Laschinger. They also began to attend the Salem Evangelical Kirche located just across Salem Church Road where Christian was a trustee for several years thereafter.
In 1854, Johann Georg and Anna Barbara (Schenk) Schmid left their home in Bergfelden Wütemberg and sailed from London to New York. The ship’s manifest lists the family under the name “Smiteh” with a German origin and a destination of USA.
In the manifest list it is believed that George and Barbara are the parents of Christian, Christine, Elizabeth and Jacob Schmid.
Once in New York they proceeded by covered wagon to Fort Snelling where they resided waiting for an opportunity to purchase land for their farm. By 1855 they had obtained 80 acres of farmland in Carver County near Chaska where they became founding members of the Moravian Church in January 1858. Christian was later confirmed there.
Christian married Margaretha Willmsen on June 17, 1866 at the home of his parents. A minister from the Moravian Church of Chaska performed the ceremony.
In 1879 Christian and Margaretha moved to the southwest quarter of section 8 of Benton Township within Carver County. Christian’s mother, Anna Barbara Schmid died December 17, 1880 in St. Paul and was interred at the Lake Auburn Moravian Church cemetery next to her husband’s grave.
In December 1885, the Christian Schmid family moved to West St. Paul township, purchased seventeen acres of land from Daniel Laschinger, and began to attend Salem Evangelical Kirche located just across Salem Church Road. Margaretha Schmid died of lung fever on May 11, 1904 at her home in West St. Paul Township of Dakota County and was interred at the Salem Evangelical Kirche Friedhof two days later.
Translation of Margaretha’s tombstone at Salem EV Cemetery:
Margaretha wife of Christian Schmid*
Born March 13th 1846
Died May 11, 1904
After his wife’s death, Christian married Barbar (Leidig) Engel in 1905. He died of asthma on March 31, 1924 and was interred three days later at Riverview Cemetery, St. Paul.
*In 1916 this grave was moved to Riverview Cemetery and today the Michael and Rosina Haberoth family graves are at this location.