William S. Schmitt Biography



As published in
"The City of Kenosha and Kenosha County Wisconsin: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement"
by Frank H. Lyman Vol. 2, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1916.




William S. Schmitt, who for seven years has been conducting a bakery in Kenosha, his native city, was born November 28, 1871, a son of John and Margaret (Barnick) Schmitt, both of whom were natives of Germany. On coming to the new world in 1852 John Schmitt made his way to Kenosha, where he established a grocery and general store. He started in business here in 1858 and continued active therein for forty years or until he sold out to his sons, spending his remaining days in retirement from active business cares. He died in Kenosha in 1900 and left behind him the record of a well spent and useful life. He was active in politics as a supporter of the democratic party and he served as a member of the Kenosha school board. He was also a member of the old volunteer fire department of the city about 1860. His wife, then Miss Margaret Barnick, came to the United States with her parents in 1848 and is still living in Kenosha at the age of seventy-eight years. She was married in this city in 1858 and became the mother of eleven children, six of whom are yet living, five being residents of Kenosha.

At the usual age William S. Schmitt became a public school pupil and passed through consecutive grades to the high school. After entering business circles he established a grocery and saloon, which he conducted for fifteen years. On the expiration of that period he turned his attention to the bakery trade and has owned and conducted a bakery in Kenosha for seven years. He erected a brick building thirty by one hundred and fifty feet and two stories in height and now has a well equipped plant supplied with necessary machinery and all modern equipment for carrying on a successful bakery business.

In 1896 Mr. Schmitt was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Sauber, who was born in Kenosha, and they have become parents of six children, who are still living, William, Paul, Leona, Arthur, John and Dolores, all yet at home; and two deceased, Catherine and Edwin. The family are communicants of St. James Catholic church and Mr. Schmitt is connected with the Catholic Order of Foresters, with the Elks and with the Moose. He has long been an active factor in business circles and is still interested in the saloon with his brothers, Peter R. and John P., under the firm name of Schmitt Brothers, at 214 Main street. He has erected a fine home on Exchange street, where he now resides. A residence of forty-five years in Kenosha has made him well known and there are many of his fellow townsmen who count him among their warm friends.

Typed by: Marilyn Allis