Fr. Winfrid Schmidt (1851-1911)

Father Winfrid Schmidt passed away July 16, 1911.

Father Winfrid, sometimes spelled Winfried, was born in Germany in 1851. He came to the United States and to St. Vincent College, Westmoreland, Penn., where “he took a professorship for six years.” Upon his resignation he came to St. Benedict’s. Father Winfrid was a teacher to St. Benedict’s. Father Winfrid was a teacher at the College in philosophy and theology. In addition he was an avid and expert collector of botanical and etymological specimens. He became pastor of St. Mary’s Parish, Des Moines, Iowa, and after 28 years of service died there of a heart ailment aggravated by the “intense heat,” as his obituary puts it.

At his funeral in Des Moines was a large crowd, which was treated to two Funeral homilies, one in English and the other in German delivered by Father Burk of Burlington, Iowa. No doubt Father Thomas Burk, O.S.B., of the Abbey. There was an equally large gathering for his burial in Atchison.