Surnames: Sill, Christian, Goeltz, Lamont, Steinwand, Messer, Peterson, Hopp, Prange, Neuman, Baugart, Nichols, Whittingham, Baumgart, Kowalk, Goff

----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 10/24/1957

Sill, Frank J. (11 Sept. 1877 - 17 Oct. 1957)

Frank J. Sill, a Colby rural route mail carrier for 26 years prior to his retirement 10 years ago, died at the Marshfield, Wisconsin Hospital last Thursday at 7:50 A.M., at the age of 80 years. Funeral services were conducted in Zion Lutheran church Monday afternoon, Rev. William R. Christian officiating, and internment was made in the Colby (Colby, Clark Co. Wis.) Cemetery. Pall bearers were Frank Goeltz, Sr., Frank Goeltz, Jr., Angus Lamont, Sr., and Joe Steinwand of Colby, A. E. Messer of Spencer and John M. Peterson of Neillsville.

Mr. Sill was born on September 11, 1877, in Stettin, Germany, and came to the United States at an early age. He had made Colby his home since 1881. After receiving his education in the Colby schools, he worked at the Colby cheese box factory until 1921 when he became a rural mail carrier. His first wife, the former Hannah Hopp, died in 1910. Later, he married Emma Prange, who also preceded him in death a few years ago.

Surviving are a daughter, Alma Sill of Chippewa Falls, and three sons, Otto of Kansas City, Mo., and Paul and Norman of Racine. Also a brother, Louis, of Chippewa Falls, and a grand daughter, Betty Sill. One son, Arnold, preceded him in death.

Mr. Sill was well and favorably known here for his honest and congenial disposition as well as his devotion to his duties as mail carrier. There are still many people in Colby who can remember the days before snow was removed from highways when Frank Sill and Frank Goeltz, Sr., delivered mail with snow-snakes in winter. Both had a reputation for getting the mail through, when highways were covered with snow and drifts, when others couldn’t.

Out of town people here for the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Prange and Mr. and Mrs. Lavern Prange of Ridgeland, Mrs. Emil Neuman of Barron, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Sill of Chippewa Falls, Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Baugart of Wisconsin Rapids, Mrs. John Nichols and Mrs. Percy Whittingham of Milwaukee, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Baumgart, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Kowalk, Mrs. Inez Goff and Mrs. Vera Neuman of Owen, Miss Helen Baumgart of West Bend, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Sill of Kansas City, Mo., Norman Sill and Paul Sill of Racine.

St. Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield, Wisconsin, 1923