Biography of Charles Schmipff, pages 585 / 586.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

Charles Schmipff, farmer and stock-raiser, is one of the prominent pioneers 
of Fairfield Township.  He is a native of Germany, born Sept. 8, 1822, a son 
of Michael and Elizabeth (Keller) Schmipff.  When he was eleven years of age 
his parents came to the United States, and after a short stay in New York 
City went to Albany, then to Buffalo, and from there to Cleveland, Ohio, and 
thence to Stark County, locating in Austinburg, where his father bought a 
tannery.  Charles spent his youth in his father’s tannery, and when 
seventeen years of age went to Paris, Ohio, and began to learn the wagon-
maker’s trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years.  He then worked at 
his trade till his marriage in 1846, and then moved to Steuben County, Ind., 
and the following spring entered forty acres of Government land in Smithfield 
Township, De Kalb County, on which he lived four years, clearing a part of 
it.  He then sold his farm and bought the one in section 3, Fairfield Township, 
where he now lives, and a second time began to make a farm out of the timber 
land of De Kalb County.  In connection with farming he has worked at his 
trade, and by his industrious habits and frugality has accumulated a good 
property.  He was married Jan. 18, 1846, to Eliza Ann Bair, daughter of 
Daniel Bair, one of the early settlers of Stark County, Ohio.  To them 
have been born thirteen children, eleven of whom are living---Alonzo, 
Melissa, Catherine, Susan, Amanda, Elizabeth, Mary, Charles, Electa, 
Daniel H., Cora R.  The deceased are Eliza and Martin.  Mr. and Mrs. Schmipff 
are members of the German Reform church.  In politics he is a Democrat.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com