ALBERT H. SCHMIDT (d. 1953)

Heart Ailment Proves Fatal to Judge Albert H. Schmidt
Ill Since Last Year, Former Jurist Died
Judge Albert H. Schmidt, 78, prominent jurist and civic leader, president of
the Manitowoc County Bar Association, and former municipal judge, died Monday
morning at the Holy Family Hospital.
Judge Schmidt had been ill since late in September, 1952. He collapsed in the
lobby of the Hotel Manitowoc Sept. 25, just before he was to preside at a Ladies
Night dinner program for the Attorneys. He was moved to the hospital suffering
from a heart condition.
The judge recuperated and returned to his home, 701 Jay St., and even resumed
his law practise and his duties as revisor of the municipal code book, a post
to which he was named by the City Council. However, his heart condition became
aggravated and he was again removed to the hospital.
Pioneered City Schools
Judge Schmidt, a member of the county bar for 55 years, was active in the
Fraternal Order of Eagles, holding local, state and grand aerie offices in the
order, was one of the pioneers in the adoption of the city system of schools in
Manitowoc, and one of the founders of Citizenship Day in 1939.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Urbanek and Schlei Funeral
Home. Dr. C. H. Phipps of the First Presbyterian Church will officiate and
interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home after Wednesday noon.
Judge Schmidt was born in this city in 1875, a son of the late Henry and Julia
Schmidt. He was graduated from the old South Side High school and enrolled at
the University of Wisconsin. He took the four year civic historical course and
the three year law course and was graduated in 1898.
Joined Law Firm
In his senior year he won the senior oratorical content later representing the
state university in the Northern Oratorical League contest. He was also
commencement orator of the senior class.
He was a member of the Forum and Philomanthia Debating societies and was elected
president of the latter in 1986.
Returning to Manitowoc, he was admitted to the bar June 14, 1898, and later became
a member of the law firm of Sedgwick, Sedgwick and Schmidt. His hobby in his young
years was hiking and he organized the Manitowoc Hiking Club, whose members walked
to nearby cities during the summer months.
Won Long Fight
At the time Manitowoc citizens embarked on a campaign to adopt the city system of
schools, shortly after the turn of the century, he joined with the late John
Schmidtman and Frank A. Miller in organizing the campaign to consolidate the old
school districts into one central school unit. The fight of 12 years finally ended
after a trip to the state supreme court, in adoption of the modern school system.
Judge Schmidt was a member and served as the first president of the Fire and Police
Commission and aided in reorganization of the department that put fire department
under civil service.
He was elected judge of the Municipal Court in 1905 and served 28 years until 1933
when he retired, to resume private practice.
Past Aerie President
Judge Schmidt’s fraternal affiliations were the Eagles and the Knights of Pythias.
He was a past president of the Manitowoc aerie of Eagles serving from 1920 to 1922
and later served two terms as president of the state aerie of the order. He was a
justice of the grand aerie of Eagles for several years.
He was one of the sponsors of
(Continued on Page 2) SCHMIDT (continued from Page 1)
the Eagles movement for mothers’ pension and old age insurance. He was a member
of the state and national old age pension commissions of the order.
He served as one of the first counselors of the Wisconsin branch of American Institute
of Criminal Law and Criminology which was the first institution of its kind founded
on a sate basis in the United States.
Congressional Recognition
In politics Judge Schmidt was an ardent Republican in 1934 his name was advanced by
Eighth district Republicans as a candidate for Congress. He took an active campaign
in party campaigns, filling many speaking dates not only in the county and state but
in other states.
When Citizenship Day was launched in Manitowoc County in 1939—first in the nation—
Judge Schmidt, with Dr. R.J. Colbert of the University of Wisconsin, was one of the
founders of this program which has now expanded across the United States and is
observed yearly now by act of Congress, as “I an an American Day.”
This yearly observance marks induction of young people who have attained their 21st
birthdays the preceding year, into citizenship.
Named Bar President
In 1948 Judge Schmidt was honored by the County Bar Association at the annual outing,
for 50 years of practice in the county. The judge was always active in promoting the
yearly picnic and dinner of county attorneys, serving as chairman of the committee
for years. He promoted the feature of presenting neckties to honored guest at these
dinners.
Last year the Bar Association honored Judge Schmidt by naming him president.
For the past two years Judge Schmidt has been active in recodifying the municipal
book on ordinances and bringing them up to date. He continued active in this work
until moved to the hospital two weeks ago.
Judge Schmidt never married.
He made his home with a sister, Miss Mathilda Schmidt at 701 Jay St.
Surviving Judge Schmidt are two sisters, Miss Mathilda, and Mrs. Fred C. Borcherdt,
both of this city; and a brother, William F., of Portland, Oregon.
Manitowoc Herald Times, March 2, 1953 P.2
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[Albert J./d. 03-02-1953/age 77 yrs./bur. on John F. Zinns lot]