Hello,
my grandfather's grandfather lived a very eventful life and because of this we do not know very much about him.
I would be very grateful if you could give me further information about some stations in his life.
Here is some information about him:
Birth: 3rd of January 1869 in Eysölden, Germany, Death: 17th of April in 1937 in Den Haag, Netherlands
He was brewer and possessed some breweries in Stuttgart and in Hof Bavaria. When the brewery in Hof burnt down, he immigrated in the Netherlands and from there (Rotterdam) he took a sailing boat to South America. This must have been in 1903.
He landed in Argentina in Buenos Aires and tried to grow sheep. After that trial he went to Venezuela and after that to Guadaljara in Mexico. There he tried to build up a factory for soda water.
After that he immigrated in the United States where he got the brewer in the Joliet Citizens Brewery which was led by the Brothers Brown. That must have been in the times of the First World War when he arrived there (around 1914 to 1918). In 1923 he returned to the Netherlands and married his second wife in Den Haag.
I do not know when he changed his name from Michael Schmidt in Max Smithberger, but when he was in Illinois, his name was already changed.
I am searching specially for information around his trip to South America, Mexico and the USA.
If you have got some information, do not hesitate to contact me.
I am looking forward to many answers. (Your answers may be written in German, English or French if possible!)
Thanks and best wishes,
Sandra
