J. (John) Robert Schmidt, a.k.a. James Butler, died December 17, 2014 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, unexpectedly, but precipitated by lifelong illnesses.
J. Robert was born on August 29, 1949 at Graham Hospital in Canton, Fulton County, Illinois. He was the son of John T. and Winifred (Orton) Schmidt, owners of the Few Acres Farm No. 2 (later the WinJon Angus Farm) of Elmwood Township, Peoria County, Illinois. He was a descendant of Captain James Wasson, who at age fourteen fought as a private in the Battle of Saratoga during the American Revolution, and who later served as a captain of militia from Princetown, Schenectady County, New York. He was also descended from the Reverend Nathaniel Brewster and his wife Sarah Ludlow, who was herself of the lineage of King Edward I of England. Rev. Brewster was a member of the first graduating class of Harvard University in 1642, and was the first minister (serving from 1665 to 1690) of the Setauket Presbyterian Church at Brookhaven, Long Island, New York.
"Robbie" attended Illinois Central College in Peoria, Illinois, and Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. In his youth, he was active in politics, being a leader in and winning the National Young Republican Award in 1972. During his final semester, he left Western Illinois University for Washington, D.C., where he worked in the office of Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen, Minority Leader of the United States Senate; for the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and as a speechwriter and press aide to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. His specialty was public relations. Of late, believing the Republican Party had totally abandoned its ideals and the best interests of the American people, he had backed Independent and Libertarian candidates, and was an active supporter of President Barack Obama.
In addition to politics and history, Robbie was particularly interested in films and in directing plays. He remembered the music, lyrics, and words to all songs, poems, plays, and films he had ever heard, read, seen, or directed, and could sing or recount them at will. His specialty was rhyming and alliteration; he could keep a rhyme going indefinitely in the many songs and poems he composed. He came up with the phase "nattering nabobs of negativism" attributed to William Safire while working as a speechwriter under him. In later years, this accomplishment came to disturb him. He spent his entire life reading, and could recall (often to the exact page) the details of what he had read. Critical thinking was his strong point; he was a born leader.
Robbie was a lay preacher with the Free Methodist Church for three years in Brasstown, North Carolina.
For 50 years, starting in 1964, Robbie was a genealogical researcher, and from 1975 on was also engaged in historical research. He had a mail order business for many years, converting it on-line in 2000. He has several genealogical books and pamphlets listed in the Library of Congress and found in the major historical libraries, such as the Newberry Library in Chicago, Illinois.
He was a member of the National Genealogical Society, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, The New York Genealogical And Biographical Society,Three Villages Historical Society (Setauket, New York), Orange County Genealogical Society (Goshen, New York), Schenectady County Historical Society (Schenectady, New York), Peoria County Genealogical Society (Peoria, Illinois), Fulton County Historical And Genealogical Society (Canton, Illinois), Palatines to America German Genealogical Society (Illinois Chapter), The Scottish Genealogy Society (Edinburgh, Scotland), Northumberland & Durham Family History Society (Newcastle Upon Tyne, England), and the Kent County Family History Society (Canterbury, England). He was also a member of the Titanic Historical Society, the True West (Alamo) Historical Society, and the Big Horn County (Battle of the Little Bighorn) Historical Society.
On April 4, 1977, Robbie married Heidi Laine Butler in Peoria, Illinois. She survives, as does his brother, William E. Schmidt of Delavan, Illinois; his sister, Lynden D. Schmidt of Peoria, Illinois; and a host of cousins of every degree (1st to 15th), of whom there are many thousands.
A visitation will be held at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City, Iowa on Thursday, February 5th from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. A graveside service will follow at 1:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Iowa City with Rev. Lynn Williams officiating.
Donations may be made to the Iowa State Historical Library in Iowa City, Iowa.
J. Robert was born on August 29, 1949 at Graham Hospital in Canton, Fulton County, Illinois. He was the son of John T. and Winifred (Orton) Schmidt, owners of the Few Acres Farm No. 2 (later the WinJon Angus Farm) of Elmwood Township, Peoria County, Illinois. He was a descendant of Captain James Wasson, who at age fourteen fought as a private in the Battle of Saratoga during the American Revolution, and who later served as a captain of militia from Princetown, Schenectady County, New York. He was also descended from the Reverend Nathaniel Brewster and his wife Sarah Ludlow, who was herself of the lineage of King Edward I of England. Rev. Brewster was a member of the first graduating class of Harvard University in 1642, and was the first minister (serving from 1665 to 1690) of the Setauket Presbyterian Church at Brookhaven, Long Island, New York.
"Robbie" attended Illinois Central College in Peoria, Illinois, and Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. In his youth, he was active in politics, being a leader in and winning the National Young Republican Award in 1972. During his final semester, he left Western Illinois University for Washington, D.C., where he worked in the office of Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen, Minority Leader of the United States Senate; for the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and as a speechwriter and press aide to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. His specialty was public relations. Of late, believing the Republican Party had totally abandoned its ideals and the best interests of the American people, he had backed Independent and Libertarian candidates, and was an active supporter of President Barack Obama.
In addition to politics and history, Robbie was particularly interested in films and in directing plays. He remembered the music, lyrics, and words to all songs, poems, plays, and films he had ever heard, read, seen, or directed, and could sing or recount them at will. His specialty was rhyming and alliteration; he could keep a rhyme going indefinitely in the many songs and poems he composed. He came up with the phase "nattering nabobs of negativism" attributed to William Safire while working as a speechwriter under him. In later years, this accomplishment came to disturb him. He spent his entire life reading, and could recall (often to the exact page) the details of what he had read. Critical thinking was his strong point; he was a born leader.
Robbie was a lay preacher with the Free Methodist Church for three years in Brasstown, North Carolina.
For 50 years, starting in 1964, Robbie was a genealogical researcher, and from 1975 on was also engaged in historical research. He had a mail order business for many years, converting it on-line in 2000. He has several genealogical books and pamphlets listed in the Library of Congress and found in the major historical libraries, such as the Newberry Library in Chicago, Illinois.
He was a member of the National Genealogical Society, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, The New York Genealogical And Biographical Society,Three Villages Historical Society (Setauket, New York), Orange County Genealogical Society (Goshen, New York), Schenectady County Historical Society (Schenectady, New York), Peoria County Genealogical Society (Peoria, Illinois), Fulton County Historical And Genealogical Society (Canton, Illinois), Palatines to America German Genealogical Society (Illinois Chapter), The Scottish Genealogy Society (Edinburgh, Scotland), Northumberland & Durham Family History Society (Newcastle Upon Tyne, England), and the Kent County Family History Society (Canterbury, England). He was also a member of the Titanic Historical Society, the True West (Alamo) Historical Society, and the Big Horn County (Battle of the Little Bighorn) Historical Society.
On April 4, 1977, Robbie married Heidi Laine Butler in Peoria, Illinois. She survives, as does his brother, William E. Schmidt of Delavan, Illinois; his sister, Lynden D. Schmidt of Peoria, Illinois; and a host of cousins of every degree (1st to 15th), of whom there are many thousands.
A visitation will be held at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City, Iowa on Thursday, February 5th from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. A graveside service will follow at 1:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Iowa City with Rev. Lynn Williams officiating.
Donations may be made to the Iowa State Historical Library in Iowa City, Iowa.
J. (John) Robert Schmidt, a.k.a. James Butler, died December 17, 2014 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, unexpectedly, but precipitated by lifelong illnesses.
J. Robert was born on August 29, 1949 at Graham Hospital in Canton, Fulton County, Illinois. He was the son of John T. and Winifred (Orton) Schmidt, owners of the Few Acres Farm No. 2 (later the WinJon Angus Farm) of Elmwood Township, Peoria County, Illinois. He was a descendant of Captain James Wasson, who at age fourteen fought as a private in the Battle of Saratoga during the American Revolution, and who later served as a captain of militia from Princetown, Schenectady County, New York. He was also descended from the Reverend Nathaniel Brewster and his wife Sarah Ludlow, who was herself of the lineage of King Edward I of England. Rev. Brewster was a member of the first graduating class of Harvard University in 1642, and was the first minister (serving from 1665 to 1690) of the Setauket Presbyterian Church at Brookhaven, Long Island, New York.
"Robbie" attended Illinois Central College in Peoria, Illinois, and Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. In his youth, he was active in politics, being a leader in and winning the National Young Republican Award in 1972. During his final semester, he left Western Illinois University for Washington, D.C., where he worked in the office of Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen, Minority Leader of the United States Senate; for the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and as a speechwriter and press aide to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. His specialty was public relations. Of late, believing the Republican Party had totally abandoned its ideals and the best interests of the American people, he had backed Independent and Libertarian candidates, and was an active supporter of President Barack Obama.
In addition to politics and history, Robbie was particularly interested in films and in directing plays. He remembered the music, lyrics, and words to all songs, poems, plays, and films he had ever heard, read, seen, or directed, and could sing or recount them at will. His specialty was rhyming and alliteration; he could keep a rhyme going indefinitely in the many songs and poems he composed. He came up with the phase "nattering nabobs of negativism" attributed to William Safire while working as a speechwriter under him. In later years, this accomplishment came to disturb him. He spent his entire life reading, and could recall (often to the exact page) the details of what he had read. Critical thinking was his strong point; he was a born leader.
Robbie was a lay preacher with the Free Methodist Church for three years in Brasstown, North Carolina.
For 50 years, starting in 1964, Robbie was a genealogical researcher, and from 1975 on was also engaged in historical research. He had a mail order business for many years, converting it on-line in 2000. He has several genealogical books and pamphlets listed in the Library of Congress and found in the major historical libraries, such as the Newberry Library in Chicago, Illinois.
He was a member of the National Genealogical Society, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, The New York Genealogical And Biographical Society,Three Villages Historical Society (Setauket, New York), Orange County Genealogical Society (Goshen, New York), Schenectady County Historical Society (Schenectady, New York), Peoria County Genealogical Society (Peoria, Illinois), Fulton County Historical And Genealogical Society (Canton, Illinois), Palatines to America German Genealogical Society (Illinois Chapter), The Scottish Genealogy Society (Edinburgh, Scotland), Northumberland & Durham Family History Society (Newcastle Upon Tyne, England), and the Kent County Family History Society (Canterbury, England). He was also a member of the Titanic Historical Society, the True West (Alamo) Historical Society, and the Big Horn County (Battle of the Little Bighorn) Historical Society.
On April 4, 1977, Robbie married Heidi Laine Butler in Peoria, Illinois. She survives, as does his brother, William E. Schmidt of Delavan, Illinois; his sister, Lynden D. Schmidt of Peoria, Illinois; and a host of cousins of every degree (1st to 15th), of whom there are many thousands.
A visitation will be held at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City, Iowa on Thursday, February 5th from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. A graveside service will follow at 1:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Iowa City with Rev. Lynn Williams officiating.
Donations may be made to the Iowa State Historical Library in Iowa City, Iowa.
J. Robert was born on August 29, 1949 at Graham Hospital in Canton, Fulton County, Illinois. He was the son of John T. and Winifred (Orton) Schmidt, owners of the Few Acres Farm No. 2 (later the WinJon Angus Farm) of Elmwood Township, Peoria County, Illinois. He was a descendant of Captain James Wasson, who at age fourteen fought as a private in the Battle of Saratoga during the American Revolution, and who later served as a captain of militia from Princetown, Schenectady County, New York. He was also descended from the Reverend Nathaniel Brewster and his wife Sarah Ludlow, who was herself of the lineage of King Edward I of England. Rev. Brewster was a member of the first graduating class of Harvard University in 1642, and was the first minister (serving from 1665 to 1690) of the Setauket Presbyterian Church at Brookhaven, Long Island, New York.
"Robbie" attended Illinois Central College in Peoria, Illinois, and Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. In his youth, he was active in politics, being a leader in and winning the National Young Republican Award in 1972. During his final semester, he left Western Illinois University for Washington, D.C., where he worked in the office of Senator Everett McKinley Dirksen, Minority Leader of the United States Senate; for the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and as a speechwriter and press aide to Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. His specialty was public relations. Of late, believing the Republican Party had totally abandoned its ideals and the best interests of the American people, he had backed Independent and Libertarian candidates, and was an active supporter of President Barack Obama.
In addition to politics and history, Robbie was particularly interested in films and in directing plays. He remembered the music, lyrics, and words to all songs, poems, plays, and films he had ever heard, read, seen, or directed, and could sing or recount them at will. His specialty was rhyming and alliteration; he could keep a rhyme going indefinitely in the many songs and poems he composed. He came up with the phase "nattering nabobs of negativism" attributed to William Safire while working as a speechwriter under him. In later years, this accomplishment came to disturb him. He spent his entire life reading, and could recall (often to the exact page) the details of what he had read. Critical thinking was his strong point; he was a born leader.
Robbie was a lay preacher with the Free Methodist Church for three years in Brasstown, North Carolina.
For 50 years, starting in 1964, Robbie was a genealogical researcher, and from 1975 on was also engaged in historical research. He had a mail order business for many years, converting it on-line in 2000. He has several genealogical books and pamphlets listed in the Library of Congress and found in the major historical libraries, such as the Newberry Library in Chicago, Illinois.
He was a member of the National Genealogical Society, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, The New York Genealogical And Biographical Society,Three Villages Historical Society (Setauket, New York), Orange County Genealogical Society (Goshen, New York), Schenectady County Historical Society (Schenectady, New York), Peoria County Genealogical Society (Peoria, Illinois), Fulton County Historical And Genealogical Society (Canton, Illinois), Palatines to America German Genealogical Society (Illinois Chapter), The Scottish Genealogy Society (Edinburgh, Scotland), Northumberland & Durham Family History Society (Newcastle Upon Tyne, England), and the Kent County Family History Society (Canterbury, England). He was also a member of the Titanic Historical Society, the True West (Alamo) Historical Society, and the Big Horn County (Battle of the Little Bighorn) Historical Society.
On April 4, 1977, Robbie married Heidi Laine Butler in Peoria, Illinois. She survives, as does his brother, William E. Schmidt of Delavan, Illinois; his sister, Lynden D. Schmidt of Peoria, Illinois; and a host of cousins of every degree (1st to 15th), of whom there are many thousands.
A visitation will be held at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City, Iowa on Thursday, February 5th from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. A graveside service will follow at 1:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Iowa City with Rev. Lynn Williams officiating.
Donations may be made to the Iowa State Historical Library in Iowa City, Iowa.
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