Maria B. Duerksen
Married Name:
Maria Duerksen Schmidt
Born: May 24, 1858
Place: Alexanderthal, Russia
Died: March 1, 1928
Place: Hillsboro, Kansas
MOTHER:
Aganetha Balzer
FATHER:
Johann Duerksen
SIBLINGS:
Johann J. Duerksen
Heinrich J. Duerksen
Helena B. Duerksen
Peter J. Duerksen
Katherina B. Duerksen
Jacob J. Duerksen (1/16/1867-1/25/1867)
Cornelius B. Duerksen
Aganetha Duerksen
Gerhard J. Duerksen
Eva B. Duerksen
Anna B. Duerksen
Susanna B. Duerksen
David B. Duerksen
SPOUSE:
Johann H. Schmidt (12/10/1849 - 11/30/1930)
Married: May 20, 1898
Place: __________
CHILDREN:
Peter Schmidt (1/16/1880 - 1/31/1881)
Johann Schmidt (9/14/1882 - 9/15/1882)
Peter Schmidt (9/14/1882 - 9/15/1882)
Eva Schmidt (11/18/1885 - 11/18/1885)
Gerhard Schmidt (6/23/1889-10/26/1949)
BIOGRAPHY
Maria was born on May 24, 1858 in Alexanderthal, Russia to Johann and Aganetha (Balzer) Duerksen. She was the first of fourteen children born to this marriage.
Back Row: Maria and Johann
Front Row: Aganetha, Mother Aganetha, Eva, Father Johann, Gerhard, Cornelius
A TRIBUTE TO JOHANN H. and MARIA (DUERKSEN) SCHMIDT
Written by Granddaughter Hulda E. Myers
My grandparents, Johann H. and Maria B. Duerksen Schmidt, came to the United States from South Russia with their parents as a colony of Mennonite people to flee the compulsory military service of the Russian government. This move shows me that they had a strong faith in God, our Heavenly Father, and also a strong determination to practice their faith.
My grandparents were married in the United States and set up housekeeping on the farm where my brothers and sisters and I were born.
My parents, G.M. and Sara Epp Schmidt, moved in with our grandparents when they married. They all lived together in one house until after Waldemar was born.
I am sure that we never appreciated or rather I did not appreciate them as much as I should have. As we get older we can see these things.
Grandma Schmidt would back some molasses cookies which Waldemar and I enjoyed to the nth degree. And we would go over to grandma's house to eat them. Now when Mom would take this same recipe of molasses cookies and bake them, we did not like them nearly as well.
Grandpa Schmidt had a Jersey cow which he would milk morning and night as long as he was able. He also had a nice garden. He would not only hoe the garden but also about a 12-inch strip on the outside of the fence. It always made the garden look so neat.
Another thing I remember very vividly was shaving time for Grandpa Schmidt. He always used a straight edge razor. Waldemar and I were never allowed at their house when it was shaving time. Grandpa Schmidt was quite unsteady with his hands.
Grandma Schmidt died very suddenly on March 1, 1928. This left a big wound and void. Then Waldemar followed six months later.
Grandpa Schmidt moved back into our house. He was quite frail. He went to live in the nursing home in Goessel before Wallie was born.
School started in September and I started high school at Goessel. I went to see Grandpa every day. I sat by the hours and listened to him tell of the times when they first came to the United States. I am sorry to say I do not remember what he talked about in detail. Oh how nice it would be now if there had been a device like a tape recorder. But that was not invented at that time. I most certainly wish that I could remember all that he told. I never grew tired of listening to him.
Grandpa Schmidt passed away in the fall of 1930. This left another big empty spot in my life.
