William August Schmitt

William August Schmitt was born September 12, 1902, the son of William Schmitt and Margaret Diehl, and the grandson of Stephen Schmitt and Amelia. He was born in the Bronx, and baptized at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at 389 E150th Street. At some point, they moved to Brooklyn, where he grew up, and then to Richmond Hill in Queens, NY.

In his younger days, he apparently had a wild side, telling his grandsons William Francis Schmitt and John Patrick Schmitt stories about running liquor from Canada during Prohibition (and quickly changing the subject when his wife, Marguerite, came into the room).

The Schmitt family and the Brierton family were connected when, on September 2, 1928, he married Marguerite Agatha Brierton in a small ceremony held in the Sacristy at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle on 60th Street in Manhattan. Witnesses at the ceremony were Mildred and Francis Meehan (probably Mildred's brother). We do not know how they met, but apparently the family was not altogether pleased with his selection of an Irish girl. At the time of the marriage, many in the family were not aware of it and were told of a November (false) date once the news of the marriage was broken to the families.

He was a Civil Engineer, and was a supervisor on the construction of what was first known as the Interboro Parkway (now the Jackie Robinson Parkway). During the depression, he and Marguerite would struggle when there were not projects going on and had easier times when projects generated demand for his skills.

In later years, he worked for the New York City Board of Education and was an officer in his union.

He and Marguerite had 4 children; William Jude Schmitt, Marion Joan Schmitt, Harry Joseph Schmitt, and Margaret Jane Schmitt.

William August Schmitt delighted in the time he spent with his grandchildren, developing an interest in football and attending New York Jet games with William Jude Schmitt, William Francis Schmitt, and John Patrick Schmitt, and giving the latter two personalized tours of New York City that gave them a real sense of the city that he loved.

In the late 1960's and early 1970's, William August Schmitt developed heart problems requiring several hospitalizations. He died on Thanksgiving morning, November 25, 1973 and was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery.