Charles Philip and Laura (Webber) Schmidt were married April 7th, 1901 at Davenport, North Dakota at which time he was with the Northern Pacific Railway Company In November 1901, he was transferred to Hannaford, North Dakota to be agent and telegrapher. Mr. Schmidt who was better known to his trains-men friends as "Charlie, " was born at Fort Shaw, Montana, April 24, 1876. In 1881 his folks moved to Sunrise, Minnesota, and in 1887, his folks again moved to North Branch, Minnesota Mrs. Schmidt was born in Inwood, Ontario, Canada, July 13, 1874. She was in later years raised and educated by an Aunt, Mrs. Belle Ellis of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She taught school in North Branch, Minnesota This is where Mr. Schmidt started working in the depot as helper and was taught telegraphy.
When they came to Hannaford from Davenport in 1901, there was no place to live so they tried living in the depot. Later the Claus Jacksons took them in. They asked them to stay with them until a place could be found. One day Mrs. Jackson said "Why don't you go over and ask this bachelor next door if he will sell you his house.€ It was a four room house, two rooms down and two up, and no water on the place. This became the Schmidt house.
To them six children were born:
Dorothy, Mary Phyllis, Philip, Helen, Kathleen and Laura Jean. All six of them became avid Sunday School pupils of the Presbyterian church which was built in 1903, and all attended the Hannaford Public School which is still in use. This school was built in 1907.
In the parents early days there was much social life, dinner parties, whist playing, dancing, chatauquas, circuses, church suppers, ice cream socials, traveling medicine shows - some of them having their own railroad cars, fourth of July celebrations, the first July celebration was 1896. In the later years Mr. Schmidt was the one to set off the fire works at night. In those days at the Schmidt household to have watermelon and ice cream on the fourth of July was a real treat.
Mr. Schmidt always took an active part in music. There were three bands. he had the leadership of the Hannaford Brass Band and was active in this for a number of years. He played cornet and could hit high " C, " he also could play tenor banjo, guitar, mandolin and chord on the piano.
There was another sport Mr. Schmidt enjoyed with his fellow friends, and that was Fall hunting of geese, ducks and prairie chicken. He and Mr. Nordeng used to go every chance they had. There seemed to be no limit those days. His last hunting license was issued September 30, 1932 by Mollie Moe, Deputy - County Auditor.
The trains held a fascination for the children. There was sort of a bay window in the depot and if any of the children were at the depot at train time, they were not allowed on the platform but could look out at the trains sitting in the bay window.
one of the hardships was the maintaining of the Northern Pacific Pump House in the severe winter months. There were two big engines that would pump the water up the hill to the water tank that was located right beside the tracks. In the dead of winter there had to be heat at the pump house so the water would not freeze and also easier for the engines to start. Several trips a day had to be made to keep those fires going as there were two stoves.
Mrs. Schmidt was rather a quiet and demure woman, she didn't like the prairies at all and really thought she would never live here all her life, but she did! In the summers she would take the children and go see her mother in Chicago and back to North Branch and Eau Claire. She was a very active person in church work, also the Degree of Honor Lodge and was on the School Board for many years. What more can one say of the prairie wives and mothers in the early 1900's. They were stable, trustworthy and worked hard to raise their families.
June 1951 the Schmidts celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding anniversary, all their children came. This was held in the Presbyterian Church. They also celebrated their 60th, a few friends gathered at the home for this. Mr. Schmidt retired in 1946, having worked for the Northern Pacific for 45 years in Hannaford. They continued to live in Hannaford until Mrs. Schmidt's passing in 1963 at the age of 89. Mr. Schmidt could not live alone so went to California where he had two daughters, he passed away in 1967 at the age of 91. One of their daughters, Mary Phyllis Bloom, died in 1973.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 156