John J. Schmitz was born June 1, 1868.

The 1870 United States census showed John Smith (Schmitz, age 2, born in Wisconsin) living with his parents John (age 40, born in Prussia, farmer) and Gertrude (age 39, born in Bavaria) in Woodville, Calumet County, Wisconsin. His other siblings were Agnes (age 12, born in Wisconsin), Theodore (age 11, born in Wisconsin), Adam (age 9, born in Wisconsin), Herman (age 7, born in Wisconsin), Joseph (age 6, born in Wisconsin), Henry (age 5, born in Wisconsin), and Anna (age 3 months, born in Wisconsin).

The 1880 United States census showed John Smith (Schmitz, age 12, born in Wisconsin) living with his parents John (age 50, born in Prussia, farmer) and Gertrude (age 49, born in Prussia) in Woodville, Calumet County, Wisconsin. His other siblings were Theodore (age 21, born in Wisconsin), Adam (age 20, born in Wisconsin), Herman(age 6, born in Wisconsin), Joseph (age 16, born in Wisconsin), Henry (age 14, born in Wisconsin), Anna (age 10, born in Wisconsin), and Elizabeth (age 8, born in Wisconsin).

The 1895 Minnesota census showed John Schmitz (age 27, born in Wisconsin, farmer) married to Mary (age 21, born in Indiana) and living in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. A son, Math (age 1, born in Illinois), also lived with the couple.

The 1900 United States census showed John Schmitz (age 31, born in June 1868 in Wisconsin, brick yard owner) married to Mary (age 25, born in June 1874 in Indiana) and living in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. Children Mattie (age 5, born in June 1894 in Illinois), Rudolph (age 4, born in July 1895 in Minnesota), Lorenz (age 3, born in September 1896 in Wisconsin), and Rosa (age 1 month, born in April 1900 in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.

The 1910 United States census showed John Schmitz (age 42, born in Wisconsin, brick maker) married to Mary (age 36, born in Indiana) and living in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. Children Matt (age 16, born in Illinois, brick maker), Rudolph (age 15, born in Minnesota), Lawrence (age 14, born in Wisconsin), Rose (age 10, born in Minnesota), Raymond (age 8, born in Minnesota), Molly (age 6, born in Minnesota), Antoine (age 4, born in Minnesota), and Rupert (age 11 months, born in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.

John Schmitz’s mother (Anna Gertrude Ott, born April 22, 1832, in Germany) died June 3, 1914, in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. John Schmitz’s father (also John, born February 16, 1831, in Germany) died July 5, 1918, in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota.

The 1920 United States census showed John Schmitz (age 51, born in Wisconsin, painter) married to Mary K. (age 45, born in Indiana) and living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Children Mathias (age 25, born in Illinois), Rose (age 19, born in Minnesota), Raymond (age 17, born in Minnesota), Amalia (age 15, born in Minnesota), Anthony (age 13, born in Minnesota), and Rupert (age 10, born in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.

The 1930 United States census showed John Schmitz (age 61, born in Wisconsin, painter) married to Marie (age 55, born in Indiana) and living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Children Rupert (age 30, born in Minnesota) and Iola (age 13, born in Wisconsin) also lived with the couple.

John Schmitz died March 18, 1954, in Oconomowoc, Waukesha, Wisconsin.