Bonnots Mill

Family Hometown

    Bonnots Mill was the home town of the Joseph and Helen Schmid family.  The first 9 family reunions were held in Bonnots Mill, at St. Louis' Parish Hall.  Therefore, Bonnots Mill earns a special web page on both web sites, the reunion site and this family site.

    These photos may bring back some happy memories.

  Bonnots Mill is a very scenic town.     

  Awesome picture of the Church up on the hill.  Be sure to click on the picture to get the full-sized view.

    Bonnots Mill as seen from the road above, leading into town.

    Is this Hill Street or Church Street?  It sure is a long way up, but once you've walked the hill the scenery is just beautiful.  But wait, walk up to the grotto and then to the parish hall grounds, and the view becomes breathtaking.

    St. Louis Parish grotto.  Walk carefully up the rest of the hill.

    The walk down into town is much easier.  Catch the view of the river.  You can walk to the boat launch too.  

  Heading back into the town.  What is the street name for the photo below? 

    This is The Schmid House, remodeled.  Remember sleeping upstairs on those hot summer nights, under the hot tin roof?  It was spooky listening to the rain.  What are your memories of visits to this home?  Okay, beyond the out house! (Send memory letters to be posted in the "Mail Bag" portion of our web site).

The Dauphine Hotel is now being operated as a B&B.  Click on the blue, underlined link to visit the web site for the hotel.  Surf that site for a little more history on the town of Bonnots Mill.

    (Looks like one of the above pictures, just a different season).  The State of Missouri had all of our family in mind when they printed the 1977 map, Bonnots Mill made front cover.  The state must have known that 1977 was a year for a reunion.  This is a good reminder that all roads lead to home.  Come join us at the SCHMID FAMILY TRIENNIAL REUNION.  However, now you need to study the map to find the road to Wardsville!

    A kid's life growing up in a small town is much different than a kid in the city.

    After moving to Bonnots Mill, I loved going back to the farm and being with my sister, Mary and hubby, Rudolph.

    Some days Mary would pack a lunch and we would go to the field (by a creek) and have lunch with Rudolph. In the evening we would go to the barn and watch Ruddy feed the horses and milk the cow. When we came in, Mary would make this delicious milk soup.

    Paul and Dick would also spend some days with them. They were happy to see Dick come because he loved to chop wood.

    Joe and Opal lived upstairs at our house for some time. On the morning of December 24, 1928, Mom arranged for either Frank or Heinie (can't remember) to take me out to Mary's. When we came home in the evening, Arbell had been born. What a surprise! I was 6 years old and didn't even know Opal was going to have a baby. When Arbell learned to crawl and walk, I think she spent more time downstairs than she did upstairs. Her grandpa knew how to spoil babies.

    As I was growing up, Frank spent most of the time working away from home. He worked mostly on the river - pile driving and dike work.

    When Heinie and Cele were going together, Cele and I would wind up the old Victrola and dance. She taught me the one-step. Heinie and Cele also lived with my parents for a while. Jim was born (in a hospital) while they lived there. My parents had another baby to spoil.

  (July 1991 - Dick, Clara and Paul).  Paul and Dick had their own friends. I remember they played a lot of cards at our house. I was never included. I was just their little sister.

   Shortly after Wilfrid and I married, Wilfrid enlisted in the Navy. Bonnie was born at home the next year and guess what - my parents had another baby to spoil. Wilfrid was discharged from the Navy in the fall of 1945. We were still living in Bonnots Mill the next year when Greg was born (in St. Mary's hospital in Jefferson City). Tim, Sue, Jim and Mike were all born in the St. Louis area.