Edith Schmidt

Edith Marie Schmidt is one of Eliza’s best friends. They were friends for a long time and they were the ones that introduced their new friend Paulita with them.

Background


Edith Marie Schmidt was born in August 7th, 1862 in Westfalen, Germany to John and Mary Schmidt. Her parents were ranchers from Westfalen Germany that immigrated to De Baca County, they worked as cattle barriers. Edith had three siblings, William, Mary and Walter Schmidt. Her uncle lived in Fort Sumner as well and the two have a close relationship.

Appearance wise, Edith was good looking, not attractive by anyone’s standards, but she was able to catch some admirers by young men around her age. Edith loved writing (and according to Eliza, she even interviewed famous people around New Mexico). Edith came from a moderate economic family.

Meeting Eliza
According to Eliza, She met Edith by a joke (ridiculous as it sounds) She and Eliza became close ever since and when the four friends became close, they both did jobs together cleaning dishes in the Dance-halls of Fort Sumner. Edith was the oldest out of the four and the most wisest. She was moderate and polite, and mature and well-liked.

Relationship with Billy the Kid


Edith was the first one to have a “crush” on Billy Antrim (Billy the Kid) The two met in 1877 but the two never fell in love but they were friends, Edith was the first one to describe what Billy looked like) In her words “He was brimming over with lighthearted gaiety and good humor. He always looked as if he had just stepped out of a band box. In a broad brimmed white hat, dark coat and vest, gray trousers worn over his boots, gray flannel shirt and black four in hand tie, and sometimes, would you believe it?, a flower in his lapel and quite the dandy” she wrote romantically when she described him and what they did together. She said that Billy was polite and well-mannered and nothing you might expect a “bad guy” would be.

Billy liked her and he even brought her gifts, but the two never had a relationship or any sorts. The two rode horses together and talked for long periods of time (according to Edith she was only “interviewing” him).

Edith’s hideout
When Eliza had to escape from Chris Neisen, the four escaped to Edith’s ranch which in the aftermath of the Lincoln County war, they brought the captives (which were Billy’s gang) she apparently gave up her bedroom so they could sleep in.

Later Life
Years after Billy’s death, Edith moved to the in California where she met another German Migrant named William Robert. They moved to where they owned a cattle ranch there. in 1895 they had their first child Reinhart Robert who died of a miscarriage. The two ended up giving birth to John and Fred.

Edith and William divorced and she married his brother Baldwin Robert von Stegman, the two made their oil business in.

Edith lived a fairly comfortable life in the rest of her adult years, she eventually died in 1934 in her ranch in King City. She was 74 years old.

Edith is the only person whos grave isn't in Fort Sumner.

Quotes in German

 * Er war voller unbeschwerter Fröhlichkeit und guter Laune. Er sah immer so aus, als wäre er gerade aus einer Bandkiste getreten.  In einem weißen Hut mit breiter Krempe, einem dunklen Mantel und einer Weste, einer grauen Hose über den Stiefeln, einem grauen Flanellhemd und einer schwarzen Krawatte mit vier Händen, und manchmal, würden Sie es glauben?, Eine Blume in seinem Revers und ein ziemlicher Dandy (detailing about Billy in German) (the sentence in German may not be accurate)