PIONEER IN WEST SIDE AREA PASSES SATURDAY

ANTHONY F. SCHMIDT, 82, lifelong resident of Grand Rapids and last of the five Schmidt Brothers Grocers and Meat store, one of the early large stores on the west side, died early Saturday morning at his home, 10 Straight ave., NW. Mr. Schmidt had suffered a heart attack late Friday night.

Mr. Schmidt died in the house built about 1895 on the site of his father's grocery store. The father, PETER SCHMIDT, came to Grand Rapids in 1856 and built his small grocery store 85 years ago in the then sparsely settled section of the town.

Born June 16, 1861, Mr. Schmidt was old enough at the time of the Civil war to recall later that he had seen soldiers drilling on the land at the corner of Wealthy st. and Straight ave., NW.

As a boy, the young Schmidt helped in the family store. He was the youngest brother who organized the SCHMIDT BROTHERS GROCERS AND MEAT STORE about 1875.

The store, which was the only one of its kind on Fulton st., W., was a large general store in the country style. Farmers came from the surrounding farms to purchase such diverse merchandise as feed and grave monuments as well as food supplies.

In 1900 the five brothers broke up their partnership, each taking a part of the merchandise and setting up a store of his own. Mr. Schmidt organized a dry goods and notions store on Fulton st., W., which operated until 1925. He retired in 1926.

Mr. Schmidt was a lifelong member of St. Mary's church and a member of St. Joseph Aid society and the Holy Name society of the church. He was a past member of Elks lodge No. 48.

Surviving are two sons, LEO C. and ALEX SCHMIDT; four daughters, MRS. NICK KIEFER, MRS. THEODORE FRISKEY, MRS. CHRISTIAN SCHNEIDER, all of Grand Rapids, and MRS. JOHN KEWEST of Chicago; four grandchildren. His wife, JOSEPHINE, died in 1939.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's church. Burial will be in Mount Calvary cemetery.

GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Sun., Mar. 14, 1943, Pg. 3, Cols. 5-6, Art. 2

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SCHMIDT – ANTHONY F. SCHMIDT, aged 82, a native and lifelong resident of Grand Rapids, died unexpectedly early Saturday morning at his home, 10 Straight ave., NW. He is survived by two sons, LEO C. and ALEX SCHMIDT; four daughters, MRS. NICK KIEFER, MRS. THEODORA FRISKEY and MRS. CHRISTIAN SCHNEIDER, all of Grand Rapids, and MRS. JOHN KEWEST of Chicago, and 14 grandchildren. The deceased was a member of the St. Joseph Aid society and the Holy Name society of St. Mary's church, where funeral services will be held Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. Interment in Mt. Calvary cemetery. Mr. Schmidt reposes at the late residence, where members of the societies and friends will recite the Rosary Monday evening at 7:30. Arrangements by Alt.

GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Sun., Mar. 14, 1943, Pg.11, Cols. 1, Obit. 2

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KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN, MARRIAGE RECORDS (1890), Pg. 433, Record No. 3301 - ANTHONY F. SCHMIDT & JOSIE HOMRICH, married 30 September 1890, Grand Rapids, Kent Co., MI. ANTHONY (General Merchant), 29, b. Grand Rapids, is the son of PETER SCHMIDT & CATHERINE GELTZ [GOELZ]. JOSIE, 20, b. Byron Tp., Kent Co., Mich., is the daughter of SEBASTIAN HOMRICH & EMMA SIMON.

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MICHIGAN, DEATH CERTIFICATES, 1921-1952
Name: Anthony Frank Schmidt
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 13 Mar 1943
Event Place: Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 81
Marital Status: Widowed
Birth Date: 16 Jun 1861
Birthplace: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Birth Year (Estimated): 1862
Father's Name: Peter Schmidt
Mother's Name: Katherine Goels