Wilhelmine Karoline Fredericke Schmidt
Caroline 1844 - 1933
Wilhelmine Karoline Frederike Schmidt, born 16 June 1844 to Johann George Heinrich Schmidt and Johanne Christine Agnes Staps in Ebersdorf, Germany, oldest of four daughters. Other daughters are Minna, born 1846, Pauline, 1849, and Marie Augusta, born about 1895.Her Father was head coachman and Postillion of the Prince of Reuss Ebersdort, Prince Heinrich LXII (72). Grandmother grew up in this household as a maid and a companion of the daughter of this Prince Heinrich. She was educated by this family and traveled with them always. She had the privilege of visiting practically all of the countries of Europe and attending the finest schools.
Grandmother, or Grandma, as she was known by all the family, married Ernest Peters, a Lieutenant in the German Army, and to them was born four children, Frieda, Otto, Robert and John Carl. She later divorced her husband and joined the LDS Church and came to this country with her three boys, John being the youngest about 4 or 5 years old. The daughter, Freida. had died before leaving Germany.
Caroline's grandson, LaMar Foremaster, recalls her great testimony of the Gospel. She and her three young sons stood on the docks of her beloved country. disowned by her family. Suddenly Caroline's family came with blankets, food, and money to help her come to America. She came to Utah where she met again and married Frederick (Fuhrmeister) Foremaster, who had converted her while he was on a mission in Germany. They were married in the St. George LDS Temple 5 January 1881 as a plural wife. This same day he also adopted her children and they were sealed to them in the Temple.
They lived for a short time in St. George and then they moved to Manti, Sanpete County, Utah where Frederick worked on the Temple. While they were living there a baby daughter, Mantelina was born on October 6, 1881. They moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, and their son, Joseph, was born there the 30th of June, 1883. Mantelina died in September 1883.
At that time there was much contention over polygamy. The United States officers were arresting all the men they could find that were practicing it. Many families were moving to Mexico. Frederick decided that they would go. They came to St. George in 1886 and after a short visit started for Mexico. They got as far as Fredonia, Arizona, where a new community was just starting and Frederick decided to stay there. A few farmers had cone down from Kanab, Utah, some 5 or 6 miles to the north, and put in a dam in the Kanab Creek and tried farming. The adventure proved successful and one or two farmers built their homes down where the fields are now. More people decided to move down so a town meeting was called to decide on a site for the new town. The present site was decided upon. Brother Hortt was the first to build and Frederick Foremaster was the second one to build his home, then Brother Brown, Brother Jensen and Brother Pratt. Soon there was quite a village. With all these new homes going up, Frederick no doubt had plenty to do along with his farming. So here he was established with his second family. Here he died July 4, 1892 and was buried in the Fredonia cemetery near the grave of his grandson, Hyrum.
Grandma had a very difficult life in raising her family. Soon after the passing of her husband, she moved with her boys to Alamo, Nevada. This was in the early 1900's. Grandma was always very devout in her religious duties and was a very strong-willed person. She was one who was always working on her genealogy. She had much of it done but lost it all when her home was destroyed by fire.
Emma Richard Foremaster, grand daughter-in-law. remembers being told as a child that Robert and Otto had helped ranchers in their cattle drives prior to both men developing a crippling disease in their later lives. Otto later ran a grocery store in a wheelchair. He had to trust everyone to be honest and get their own supplies, then he would collect the money. He was very generous to the little children when they came to buy candy. LaMar remembers as a child living with Caroline and helping to dress Otto. He was grateful to share in the household of these faithful pioneers.
Robert (or Bob) was an industrious son and did most of the gardening. He had to crawl up and down the rows to weed and water. Bob carried an automatic revolver and watched for gophers. If he saw the dirt pushing up, the gopher was a "goner!" Bob had multiple talents he shared. He cut hair, mended shoes, sharpened straightbladed razors and was wheeled into dances to play the harmonica and accordion. He was an industrious man!
Therssa Stewart Wadsworth relates that Caroline lived with John for awhile and worked in Otto's store. She said Caroline was a vigorous, thrifty woman, hard working and always had a beautiful garden.
John helped his father with the sheep as a small boy. He was a farmer and merchant operating a small store in Alamo for 34 years. He married Margaret E. Cox and they were the parents of twelve children.
Joseph is the father of LaMar, Harold, Viola and Lloyd.
People were fascinated by Caroline's German accent, and every month she devotedly bore her testimony and always said, "And bless my Joseph in the desert." (meaning her youngest son) She visited with Joseph and Margery Foremaster in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1928 and lived with then about a year. Caroline passed away in Alamo, Nevada, April 9, 1933 and is buried in the Alamo Cemetery.
(Taken from notes of Alvin Foremaster and LouJean Martin - 1987)