Wilhelm Schmidt and Mary Mueller

This is a summary of what I know about my Great Uncle Wilhelm and his wife Mary Mueller.

My Grandfather Herman Schmidt had two brothers, Wilhelm and August.  All three were born in Bessarabia.  Wilhelm was born in 1888, and died in 1931. He married Mary Mueller in Spokane, Washington on February 29. 1910.  Mary was born on November 28, 1894 in Volhynia, Bessarabia.  She died on December 13, 1981 in Chilliwack, British Columbia at the age of 87.

Willhelm emigrated from Bessarabia to Quebec, Canada on August 21, 1907 on the ship Montezuma, which departed from Antwerp, Belgium with the destination shown as Winnipeg. Manitoba.  He had stayed behind in Bessarabia after brothers Herman and August left for Canada.  However, per the family story, he left after his father Ludwig remarried.  Apparently he didn't get along with the new wife.  Living conditions were also getting worse, with the German "boys" being drafted into the Russia Army and priviledges that had been granted to the German settlers were rescinded.  Many young Germans escaped (or legally emigrated) to avoid fighting in the Russian Army.

Wilhelm (William or Bill) changed his name to Bill Smith when he applied for a homestead in Canada.  Because of ill feelings toward the German immigrants, others pushed ahead in line, and thus had the opportunity of selecting better farmland.  It was not uncommon for German immigrants to make this change to avoid discrimination.  His brother August did the same thing.

Wilhelm initially immigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and he found employment working for a woodlot owned by George Mueller.  George and his wife Margaret Siefried had several children, and Mary was the oldest and thus had the responsibility of raising her younger siblings.  She clearly resented having this as her job, and when Wilhelm suggested eloping, she took him up on his offer, and they took the train to Spokane, Washington.  They stayed in the Spokane area for two years, with Wilhelm working in a foundry, and Mary working in a laundry.

They then moved to the Queen Mary district in Canada.  They arrived on October 31, 1912 and found everything frozen.  They build a pole frame building with straw as insulation and lived there until spring, when they built a log house, and later a larger house on their homestead.  This homestead was apparently in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada since this is shown as Mary's residence in 1916.

Their daughter Frieda Martha Smith was born on August 27, 1914 in Biggar, Saskatchewan, Canada. (1914-2004)

Their son William August (Bill) was born on August 8, 1919 in Biggar, Saskatchewan, Canada. (1919-1988)

Their daughter Alice Margaret (Toots) was born on  November 23, 1923 in Biggar, Saskatchewan, Canada. (1923-2004)

Wilhelm (Bill Smith) passed away on September 21, 1931 in Biggar, Saskatchewan, Canada at the age of 43.  They had been married for 21 years.  Bill had been seriously injured in a farming accident, when cultivating with a horse.  The horse was spooked and ran away with Bill hanging on to the reins, and in front of the cultivator.  He was pulled under the cultivator, and suffered injuries that eventually contributed to his death from pneumonia.

Mary then married Daniel Leroy (Roy) Meyers (1888-1973) on November 23, 1943, and they had two children together.  Her husband Roy Meyers passed away on October 11, 1973 in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada at the age or 85.  They had been married 29 years.