Peter Schmidt: chairman of the Molotschna Mennonite Agricultural Association and chairman of the Molotschna Mennonite School Council; b. 23 October 1817 in Steinbach, Molotschna Settlement, South Russia, the second of twelve children of Peter Daniel Schmidt (29 November 1789 – 12 May 1856) and Anna (Wiens) Schmidt (20 March 1796 – 4 November 1870). He was a brother of Nikolai Schmidt, founder of the Templer movement among the Mennonites. Peter married Marie Martens (8 October 1821, Halbstadt, Molotschna Settlement, South Russia – 30 October 1895, Steinbach Estate, Molotschna Settlement, South Russia) on 3 March 1842 in Steinbach, Molotschna Settlement. She was the daughter of Wilhelm Martens (31 December 1781 – 10 June 1845) and Justina (Willms) Martens (7 September 1795 – 24 February 1828). Peter and Marie had ten children, with the youngest five living to adulthood: Anna, Maria, Peter, Nicolai, and Katharina. Peter d. 11 May 1876 on the Steinbach Estate, Molotschna Settlement, South Russia.

Peter owned and lived on the estate Steinbach, where he had his office. He was a grandson of Klaas K. Wiens (1768-1820), the founder of the Steinbach estate. He established a secondary school on this estate, taught by Peter Neufeld. Peter Schmidt was very influential in the cultural life of the Mennonites of the Molotschna settlement, and served as chairman of the Molotschna Mennonite Agricultural Association from 1850 until 1869.

Son Peter Schmidt (1860-1910) was an elder of the Steinbach congregation in the Molotschna Settlement.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 467. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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MLA style: Krahn, Cornelius and Richard D. Thiessen. "Schmidt, Peter (1817-1876)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 2007. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 09 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/S355288.html>

APA style: Krahn, Cornelius and Richard D. Thiessen. (February 2007). "Schmidt, Peter (1817-1876)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 09 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/S355288.html>