History
My maternal grandmother's maiden name was Schmedling. As far as I understand, this is a Norwegianised version of Schmiedling, which was the name used by our ancestor who emigrated from Pomerania. It comes from middle high German where "schmied" means smith and "ling" means descendant.
The figure underneath starts with my ancestor Michael Schmiedling (or Schmälling in some sources), who was probably born around 1750, his wife Lotte, born Resin, and shows their descendants. Michael and Lotte lived in Pomerania, a region by the southern shore of the Baltic Sea which is now split between Germany and Poland, and which throughout history has been ruled by multiple different nations, princes and dukes.
According to the story I've been told, Michael ended up in prison after taking part in an illegal duel. Subsequently, his wife and son, Johan Ludwig, then travelled to Denmark where Johan Ludwig got married to Kirsten Christensdatter Lund. They built and operated windmills and built dikes near Hjørring in Jutland. In 1806 they had their first child who was my ancestor Johan Fredrich, born on the island of Torseng, or Tåsinge as it is now called. He later settled in Norway, in Bolga near Kristiansund, where he purchased land, built a watermill (Bolgen Mølle) and brewery. Johan Fredrich and Birgitte Marie Grønbech were my great-great-great grandparents. As a curious coincidence, his brother, Frantz Ferdinand, got married to Birgitte Marie's sister, Elisabeth Margrethe.
As can be seen in the "family wheel" figure underneath, they modified the family name somewhat over time, from Schmälling to Schmiedling, and thereafter to Schmedling in Norway, and to Schmelling in Denmark. Smidling is also used. We assume that Schmeling was the original variant of the family name. See also this German Wikipedia article about the noble family Schmeling.
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Famous people
From what I understand, Gerardo Schmedling Torres (1946 - 2004) was a kind of New Age humanist/philosopher and author from Colombia. There is an incredible number of web pages about him and his books, but almost all these pages are in Spanish.
I should also mention craftswoman Fredrikke Schmedling (1862 - 1952) who was known for her work with the medieval craft of what is called "leather wallpaper" in English, although it was also used for furniture and other items. See also article here (Norwegian).
More locally known in the Kristiansund area was Markus Elias Schmedling, son of previously mentioned Frantz Ferdinand. He was a photographer and bookbinder, emigrated to the USA in 1880, specifically Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he worked as a photographer, but he later returned to Norway and built a house in Flatsetsundet on Frei island.
If we assume that Schmeling is another variant of the family name, then a family relationship with the famous heavyweight boxer Max Schmeling (1905 - 2005) (see also WikiTree) seems quite likely. His Schmeling ancestors come from Pomerania as well.
Letter from Johan Ludwig Schmedling II
Johan Ludwig Schmedling, who was the grandson of Johan Ludwig Schmiedling, moved to Bilbao in Spain where he was a businessman. There he used the name Juan Luis, which was probably an easier name for locals to pronounce. Via his descendant Erling Solem we have received a copy of a letter he sent to his descendants in Norway. We don't know the date of this letter, but the letterhead suggests it must have been some time after 1880. Underneath I have made an attempt at deciphering his handwriting and translating from German to English.
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Deciphered handwriting
Some places the handwriting is a little unclear, the copy is bad quality, and certain words in the margins have been cut off. My interpretations and conjectures are given in square brackets and footnotes, and I've also added links to further info about some of the places mentioned.
Juan Luis Schmedling
Bilbao de ___ de 188_
Stammältern
Michal von Schmälling (Schmedling) einer von
sechs Brüdern, geboren auf dem Gute Tasendorph
zwischen Stargat[Stargard / Stargordt] und Regenwalde - der Vater
starb früh und die Kinder zogen nach Berlin
wo sie lustig lebten und das Gut in grossen
Schulden versetzten.
Michal von Schmälling verheirathete sich gegen
den Willen der Schwiegerältern mit Lotte Resin
bei Grüffenberg[Greifenberg?], ihr Bruder war der Besitzer (Ei-
genthumer) von. Standarmins Muhle[Mühle] bei Belgrad[Belgard] (Zw[Zweifel)?]
auf welchem die Schwester geboren.
Die Kinder von Michal von Schmälling waren:
Johan Ludwig
heir. mit Kirsten Chri-
sdatter von Waldemar
Schloss i Jylland Danmark
Carl Ernst
Lieutenant
nach Ostreich
verreist
Frantz
frűh gestorben
Lotte
verheir. mit einem Sohn[???]
Baumeister in Wollin
Johan Ludwig wurde in 1806 auf Waldemar Schloss
in Jylland (Dänemark) mit Kirsten Christensdatter
verheirathet und deren Kinder waren: Johan Fried-
rich - Christian[1] - Trine[2] - Erik - Franz[3] - Hanna[4] - Lotte[5]
Carl[6] und Mine[7] - welche theils in Dänemark, theils
in Norwegen wohnten, aber jetzt meistentheils ver-
storben. -
Der Tradition nach war Michal von Schmedling
(Schmælling) reich verheirathet - war Officier - machte
[in] einer Truppen Manövre, einen grossen Subordination fehler wonach Duell oder Ůberfall statt fand - wurde arrestirt - worauf Johan Ludwig nebst der Mutter (a[an-] [Frage] von Michal) unter fingirten Namen nach Hol- stein (damals Dänemark) flohen. - aus Grunden, a[als?] man sich vielleicht denken kann, machte der Johan Ludvig welcher mit seiner Mutter nach Dänemark geflohen und woselbst er in 1806 verheirathet wurde, bei seinem Tode keine Mittheilung űber die Familie und als nac- her einer der Söhne Erik, sämtliche vorgefundenem Papiere genommen um sich nach Deutschland zu be geben um Auskünfte einzuholen, ist derselbe nach dem man von ihm aus Stockholm Nachricht hat von wo aus er sich nach Deutschland begeben [wur-] de, spurlos verschwunden. - Schreiben dieses. Johan Ludwig Schmed[ling,] Sohn das Arkiteckten Franz Ferdinand, welcher vor a[???] Jahren in Norwegen starb, Enkel der nach Dänemark geflohenen Johan Ludwig, ist Kaufmann und seit einen Reihe vor Jahren in Spanien wohnhaft. -
1. Christian Ludvig 2. Inger Cathrine Margrethe 3. Frantz Ferdinand 4. Karen Johanne 5. Christine Charlotte 6. Carl Wilhelm 7. Wilhelmine Erstine
English translation
The focus of the translation is on meaning rather than word-for-word correctness.
Juan Luis Schmedling
Bilbao de ___ de 188_
Ancestors
Michal von Schmälling (Schmedling), one of
six brothers, born on the Tasendorph manor
between Stargat[Stargard / Stargordt] and Regenwalde - the father
died early and the children moved to Berlin
where they lived extravagantly and put the manor in great debt.
Michal von Schmälling married with Lotte Resin
against the will of the in-laws
by Grüffenberg[Greifenberg?], her brother was the possessor (owner)
of Standermin's Mill near Belgrade[he probably means Belgard] (doubt)
where upon the sister was born.
Michal von Schmälling's children were:
Johan Ludwig
married to Kirsten Chri-
sdatter from Waldemar
Castle in Jutland Denmark
Carl Ernst
lieutenant
travelled to
Austria
Frantz
died early
Lotte
married to son of
construction master in Wollin
Johan Ludwig was married in 1806 on Waldemar Castle
in Jutland (Denmark) to Kirsten Christensdatter
and their children were: Johan Fried-
rich - Christian[1] - Trine[2] - Erik - Franz[3] - Hanna[4] - Lotte[5]
Carl[6] og Mine[7] - some lived in Denmark and some
in Norway, but now most of them have
passed away. -
According to tradition, Michal von Schmedling
(Schmælling) married to wealth - was an officer - made
a major mistake during a troop manouver
which lead to a duel or assault taking place - was
arrested - whereupon Johan Ludwig and his mother
(request from Michal) fled under ficticious names to Hol-
stein (then Denmark). - From reasons
which one might imagine, until Johan Ludwig,
who fled to Denmark with his mother
and where he was married in 1806,
died, he never sent any messages to the family [in Pomerania].
After his death one of Erik's sons took all
documents they had found to embark on a journey to Germany to
obtain information, after which
they received news about him [Erik's son] from Stockholm,
from which he left for Germany
and disappeared without a trace. -
Write this. Johan Ludwig Schme[ling,]
son of the architect Franz Ferdinand who
passed away some years ago in Norway, is the grandson of the
Johan Ludwig who fled to Denmark, is a merchant/businessman and has
lived in Spain for a number of years.
1. Christian Ludvig 2. Inger Cathrine Margrethe 3. Frantz Ferdinand 4. Karen Johanne 5. Christine Charlotte 6. Carl Wilhelm 7. Wilhelmine Erstine
Not everything in the letter is certain to be 100% correct. For example, it says that Waldemar Castle is located in Jutland, but as we know, in reality it's on the island of Torseng, or Tåsinge as it is now called, by Funen.
My personal hypothesis is that Johan Ludwig dictated while someone else actually did the writing. For example, look at the somewhat strange last paragraph which starts with "Schreiben dieses" (write this).