HISTORY OF MANITOWOC COUNTY


engaged in the saloon business. In politics he was a democrat and was active
in
the public life of his community. He died in the '8os, while his wife passed
away in i893. They were the parents of two children, Mrs. Voshardt and Mrs.
William Nash. To Mr. and Mrs. Voshardt was born a son, Orme, whose birth
occurred January 5, I885. He was educated in the schools of Kewaunee and
ten
years ago, when his father died, he came to Two Rivers, where he entered
the
employ of the Hamilton Manufacturing Company and has since been connected
with this firm.
Mr. Voshardt was a devoted husband and father, regarding no sacrifice on
his part too great that would promote the welfare and happiness of his wife
and
child. At all times he manifested a public-spirited devotion to the general
welfare and was closely identified with city and county interests. Progress
was
his watchword and this characteristic of his life was manifest during his
con-
nection with the city council and with the school board. It was said of him
that "The current of his life was so even and peaceful that it attracted
compara-
tively little notice in the turmoil of human affairs, yet he pursued his
way with
such patient and persistent industry, care and force that he far outstripped
in
material success many others who were provided with better opportunities."
His life was indeed well and worthily spent and the high regard entertained
for
him was justly won.
HERMAN SCHMIEDEKE.
Herman Schmiedeke, of the firm of Schmiedeke Brothers, who are engaged
in the manufacture of harness at 807 York street, is one of Manitowoc's esti-
mable native sons. His birth occurred on the 4th of July, i866, his parents
being
Herman and Christina (Knospe) Schmiedeke. The father was born and reared
in Kirchhaim, Germany, and there he learned the harness maker's trade.
The unsettled conditions existing in the fatherland in the early '50s very
much affected commercial and industrial conditions, and Mr. Schmiedeke became
so dissatisfied that he determined to come to the United States in I855.
As le
had not sufficient means to pay his passage he borrowed money and went to
Hamburg to take the steamer. There he encountered fresh difficulties, the
gov-
ernment officials trying to hold him as the country was on the verge of war
and
needed all its able-bodied men. He managed to make his escape and take pas-
sage on a boat bound for Liverpool, experiencing many hardships on the way.
He reached the English port too late to catch the sailing vessel he had expected
to take, as the boat was already booked by as many passengers as she could
ac-
commodate before his arrival This necessitated a sojourn in Liverpool of
eleven days, and as he had barely enough money to pay his passage to New
York, his mode of living during that period of waiting could not be termed
lux-
urious. At the next opportunity he took passage on a boat commanded by Cap-
tain Gilchrist and four weeks later they dropped anchor in New York harbor.
As he had not the money to provide himself with sufficient food for the trip,
Mr. Schmiedeke made friends with some of his countrymen, who shared their
rations with him. When they reached New York, he saw the other passengers


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