Schmidt, Gustavus and Charles Edourad

Submitted by Mike Miller

Schmidt, Gustavus and Charles Edouard.--It is seldom that a father and his son achieve eminence in the practice of law in the same court. The settled character of the population of New Orleans contributes more tdward this result than most other sections of the United States, where the tide of emigration is ever flowing and for this reason sons succeed fathers in eminence here more often than in any other city of the nation. A conspicuous example of this was Gustavus and Charles Edouard Schmidt, late prominent and scholarly attorneys of the New Orleans bar. Gustavus Schmidt was born at Mariestad, Sweden, June 16, 1795, and died, at Old Sweet Springs, Monroe county, W. Va., Sept. 20, 1877. His father, Hans Christian Schmidt, born in the province of Scania, was secretary of the prefecture of Skaraborg and was afterwards judge of the Aulic court for the south of Sweden. His mother's name was Sigrid Katharina Morck, of a family noted as owners of extensive iron mines. An elder brother of Gustavus Schmidt, Karl Christian Schmidt, was the editor-in-chief of the leading law journal of Sweden for 30 years, and a distinguished member of that kingdom. He also was private councilor to King Oscar. After receiving private instructions he attended the public classical school in Jonkoping until he reached his 16th year, when he entered the Swedish military navy, which he left at 20 years to try his fortune in America. In 1829 he settled in New Orleans and took up the practice of law, in which he became one of the leaders in the Louisiana bar. In 1831 he married Miss Melaine Seghers, daughter of Dominique Seghers, of Brussels, a prominent lawyer. Mr. Schmidt was a linguist and also published many law books of great value. Charles Edouard Schmidt, son of Gustavus, was born in New Orleans, Feb. 29, 1832, and died at Capon Springs, W. Va., Aug. 20, 1891. He was educated, at Spring Hill college, Alabama, and later received a degree of LL. B. at the University of Louisiana in 1852. He at once began the study of law in the practice of which he rose rapidly and acquired a large and lucrative business. After a career of more than 30 years he died at the age of 59, full of honors and in high public regard as one of the most learned and profound lawyers of the New Orleans bar. His fidelity through a long life of professional and social engagements and his kindly nature acquired for him a large circle of warm personal friends. May 10, 1869, he married Louise Helene Leda Hincks, daughter of the late Hon. John W. Hincks and Louise Helene Lambert. Mr. Schmidt left only 1 child, a daughter, Marie Louise, born July 10, 1876, now the wife of Col. H. J. de la Vergne. Before the Schmidt family lived in Sweden, where they were for several generations, it is to be found in Silesia, and their coat of arms is ''A shield, sable field, with a lion of gold holding in his front paws a sun of gold."

Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 125-126. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.

Note: Source has paintings of both individuals described.