History of Detroit, a chronicle of its progress, its industries, its institutions, and the people of the fair City of the straits, / by Paul Leake ... [Vol. 3]

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HISTORY OF DETROIT

Superior. After two years identification with that line of enterprise he
began to learn the carpenter's trade. On the 1st of June, 1870, he
abandoned all other projects and joined the police force, continuing
a member of that department during the long intervening years to the
present time. In 1886 he was promoted to the office of "roundsman;
six years later he was made sergeant; and on the 7th of June, 1897, was
promoted to the rank of captain. He has proved a most valuable
adjunct to the police force of Detroit and as a citizen he is everywhere
accorded the confidence and high regard of all who know him.
Captain Spillane retains a deep and abiding interest in his old
comrades in arms and signifies the same by membership in the Grand
Army of the Republic, in which he is a past commander of Fairbanks
Post, one of the largest posts in Michigan. At the coming state G. A. R.
meeting to be held at Port Huron, Michigan, in the summer of 1912
he will become a candidate for the office of department commander,
the highest honor the state branch of the organization can offer. His
chance of election to this office is splendid and if he becomes its incumbent he will discharge the duties connected therewith with all of honor
and distinction. In politics he accords a staunch allegiance to the principles and policies for which the Republican party stands sponsor and
while he has never manifested aught of desire for political preferment
of any description he is ever on the qui vive to advance progress and
improvement. Captain Spillane is genial in his associations, affable
in his address, generous in his judgement of his fellow men, and courteous to all. As a citizen and enthusiast of his town, it is but just to
say that communities will prosper and grow in proportion as they put
a premium on men of his mould.
TRAUGOTT SCHMIDT. It has previously been the privilege of the writer
to prepare a memoir concerning the honored citizen whose name introduces this article and of whose character and services he is deeply appreciative through personal knowledge. Under these conditions there
can be no inconsistency in reproducing, with but minor paraphrase, the
tribute originally prepared.
The great empire of Germany has contributed a most valuable element to the cosmopolitan social fabric of our American republic, which
has had much to gain and nothing to lose through this source. Among
those of German birth and lineage who have attained to success and
precedence in connection with productive business affairs in the city of
Detroit was the late Traugott Schmidt, who was a citizen of sterling
character, honored by all who knew him and influential in both civic
and commercial life.
Mr. Scliiidt was born in the province of Reuss, Germany, in tilh
year 1830, and was a son of (arl ('. and Suisanna (Plarre) Seclliiidt, who
likewise were natives of the same province, where they passed their entire
lives. There the Schmidt faitly had been engaged in the tanning business tfor more than twelve generations, and the family was founded in
the province of Reuss in the fourteenth century of the Christian era.
the original orthography of the namle having been Czeiicz.
The subject of this memoir was afforded the advantages of the excellent schools of his native land but early began to acquire experience
in connection witli tile practical affairs of life. As a boy and youth lie
learned the tanner's trale in his father's establishment, where he remained until lie had attained to the age of nineteen years, when, in
1849, lie came to America, as he had beome convinced that here were
offered better opportunities for tie achllieving of su'cess through I)ersonlal
effort along nlormal liies of enterprise. After passing one year in the