William O. Schmidt was born in Davenport June 9, 1856.  His parents, John and Margaretta Schmidt, natives of Bavaria, came to America in 1834 and located in Davenport about 1849.  John Schmidt was one of the important merchants for many years of Davenport and was one of the founders and a member of the first board of directors, of the First National Bank of this city,  which was the first institution of the kind organized in the United States.  His son, William, was a graduate of the public and high school of Davenport.  He graduated from the law department of the Iowa State University in 1877 and was admitted to practice in the supreme court in June of that year.  He read law with the firm of Putnam & Rogers.  He was a member of the Iowa legislature.  He became a successful lawyer. Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L