Schmidt, Johannes (John) and Catharine Riehl family

Title:  Johannes (John) and Catharine Riehl Schmidt family fonds

Physical description: 1 cm of textual material

Biographical history:  Johannes (d. 1817) and Catharine (Riehl) (c.1783-1851) Schmidt lived in Muhlhausen, Alsace; the couple had three children: John, George and Catharine. After Johannes' death, Catharine married Jacob Linhart, with whom she had four more children. In 1828, the family immigrated to Canada. George was ordained in 1840 and is considered the first minister of Shantz Mennonite Church.

Scope and content:

• Family register of Johannes and Catharine Schmidt detailing the family's move from Muhlhausen, Alsace to Wilmot Township, Ontario
• Notes on the family history of George Schmidt and Salome (Becker) Schmidt
• Family register for George and Salome Schmidt
• Plans and a program for a Schmitt family reunion, 1931

Custodial history: A photocopy of the register of Johannes and Catharine Schmidt was received from the Archives of the Mennonite Church in Goshen, Ind. (Archives of the Mennonite Church classification: Hist.Mss.1/439 folder 1/47), and was later replaced in 2021 by the original document transferred from the Archives of the Mennonite Church. The other items were received from Ralph Shantz in 2020.