James Andrew Schmiechen, 86, passed away in Holland, Michigan on October 29, 2026 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. He was born in Washington, Texas on January 23, 1940 to Rev. Kurt J. and Charlotte (Wulff) Schmiechen. When he was still an infant, his father was called to a church in Slinger, Wisconsin before relocating the family to St. Louis, Missouri. Summers were spent at his grandfather’s cottage on Lake Winnebago near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
After graduating from high school in St. Louis in 1958, he earned a B.A. from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois, then an M.A. from Illinois State University in Bloomington, Illinois, and a PhD. in British Economic History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While at Illinois, his doctoral studies were directed by preeminent British historian Walter Arnstein and he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the London School of Economics at the University of London, London, England. In the late 1970s he took a teaching position in the Department of History at Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan where he enjoyed a 30-year tenure, retiring as a distinguished Professor Emeritus in 2009. His academic publications included books published by University of Illinois Press, Yale University Press, and Saugatuck-Douglas History Society, as well as numerous articles in scholarly publications. In 1984 he was invited to spend a year as Visiting Exchange Professor at Strathclyde University, Glasgow, Scotland, an honor that was repeated in 1992.
In the mid-1990s Dr. Schmiechen began an illustrious association with the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society where he became recognized as one of the foremost authorities on the area’s history, spearheading a number of landmark initiatives, including the purchase of the Old School House in Douglas, Michigan, which now serves as the Saugatuck-Douglas History Center headquarters, curating award winning museum exhibitions, and authoring a number of books on the architecture and history of the Saugatuck-Douglas area.
He is survived by his twin brother, John David Schmiechen (Theodore) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; his sister, Elizabeth Miller (the late Gary) of Malone, Wisconsin; numerous nieces and nephews; and his beloved life-long friends Ken Carls (Nick Valenziano) and Mark Neidlinger (Steve Merouse). He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Richard K. Schmiechen (David Haugland).
A private memorial gathering will be held at a later date. Memorial gifts may be made to the Saugatuck-Douglas History Center or the Alzheimer’s Association.
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