Michel Schodts

23-year-old Michel Schodts left his native Belgium at the beginning of November 1859. He was born on 30 May 1836 in Antwerp. On 25 December 1859, Michel arrived in New Orleans, where he worked as an accountant for about three years.

In 1862, the man relocated to Matamoros, Mexico. Mr. Michel worked as a clerk at an import company, and sometime later, he became a partner running the business.

In the year 1866, Michel Schodts married Miss Susana Diaz. The couple's daughter Marie Isabel was born on 18 April 1867 (1).

Elena was born in 1869 in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The girl was stillborn (?)/died on 4 September of the same year (2). Sadly, her mother Susana died too.

After their passing, Mr. Schodts, together with little Isabel, moved to Brownsville, TX. Possibly, the man remarried (?) and had another child (3), Joseph G. (born on 11 August 1871 in Texas).

By 1880, Mary Isabel attended a boarding school at the Convent of Incarnate Word in Brownsville, Cameron, TX (4).

Michel Schodts developed a very successful trade business (lumber and other building materials). His Lumber, Bone, and Hide Yard (5) covered one block and was situated between 10th and 11th Street (on Jackson Street). 

 

Clipping source: Wheeler, Jessie O. The Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 385, Ed. 1, Friday, May 17, 1895, newspaper, May 17, 1895; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth84673/: accessed September 1, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

 

The man also worked as a County Clerk.

On 2 April 1891, Mary Isabel married Mr. Fred B Armstrong, ornithologist and taxidermist. The couple had eight children (6).

14 January 1892, Michel Schodts was granted American citizenship. About two months later, the man applied for a passport at the American Consulate in Matamoros. He was planning to visit Europe (7).

 

 

In 1896, on 29 April, Mr. Schodts, together with a friend, was coming back from the local saloon, where the men played a card game. The friend got into his house. Mr. Schodts was shot to death at the gate of his household. 

 

 

Clipping source: Ousley, Clarence. Galveston Tribune. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 95, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 1, 1896, newspaper, March 1, 1896; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1264731/: accessed September 1, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rosenberg Library. 

 

Clipping source: Wheeler, Jesse O. The Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 206, Ed. 1, Monday, April 12, 1897, newspaper, April 12, 1897; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth115921/: accessed September 1, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .  

 

The killer was said to be a hired assassin from Mexico. Despite the reward offered by Marie Isabel, the assassin was never caught, and the killing of Mr. Schodts remained unexplained.

 

Clipping source: Wheeler, Jesse O. The Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 37, Ed. 1, Saturday, August 15, 1896, newspaper, August 15, 1896; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth61958/: accessed September 1, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; . 

 

After the death of Mr. Schodts, Marie Isabel ran his business.

 

Clipping source: Wheeler, Jesse O. The Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 96, Ed. 1, Friday, October 23, 1896, newspaper, October 23, 1896; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth62012/: accessed September 1, 2023), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

Source:
1. "México, Tamaulipas, Registro Civil, 1800-2002", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGMP-5Q7G : 18 February 2021), Miguel Schodts in entry for Maria Isabel Schodts Dias, 1870.
2. "México, Tamaulipas, Registro Civil, 1800-2002", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGMP-TFFP : 18 February 2021), Miguel Schodtes in entry for Elena Schodtes Diaz, 1869.
3. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3S9-W75: 27 March 2023), Michael Schodts in entry for Joseph G Schodts, 1949.
4. "United States Census, 1880", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFFR-XBT : Thu Aug 03 08:32:35 UTC 2023), Entry for Mary Shorthorn and Joana Quenssy, 1880.
5. Historical Landmarks of Brownsville Part 2, University of Texas at Brownsville Texas Southmost College, 2004.
6, Texas Handbook Online
7. "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-76MG : 16 March 2018), Michael Schodts, 18 May 1892; citing Passport Application, United States, source certificate #, Passport Applications, 1795-1905., 391, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "The Texians and the Texans. The Belgian Texans", The University of Texas at San Antonio, Institute of Texan Cultures, 1975.
• "The Indian Wars and  Pioneers of Texas", John Henry Brown, L E Daniell, Publisher, Austin, TX, 1880.