Obit: Sholtz/Schultz, William (1872 - 1917)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Sholtz, Kissling, Krause, Hunter

----Source: Granton News (Granton, Clark County, Wis.) 02/09/1917

Sholtz/Schultz, William (1872 - 3 FEB 1917)

(*Note - Windfall Cemetery listing says Schultz; birth date from Windfall Cemetery list)

William Sholtz, a farmer living some 6 miles from here on the south boundary of the town of Grant (Clark Co., Wis.), was found frozen to death last Saturday afternoon near his home.  It appears that Sholtz, who had been working in the lumber camps up north, came to Neillsville Thursday afternoon in response to news from his wife that some of the children were sick.  After taking supper with his sister Elsie, living there, he started to walk to his home, a distance of about 10 miles, leaving Neillsville at 7 o’clock that night.  The thermometer at that time registered nearly 30 below zero and the man managed to walk to within a mile and a quarter of his home when he numbered tot eh intense cold and was there found about 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon.

Two children of Theodore Kissling, a neighbor, driving tot eh Shortville store that afternoon, had the horses shy at an object buried in the snow of the road and on the return trip the animals all but refused to pass this spot, which so frightened them.  Upon arriving home the children told their father of the team’s peculiar action and Mr. Kissling thought best to investigate and at once started out.  Thus he discovered the body of the man in the snow, which, after the snow and ice had been removed from the face, proved to be the body of his neighbor, Wm. Sholtz.  He notified the authorities of his gruesome find and the body was taken to Neillsville and to an undertaking establishment where it took several days to get it in shape for burial.  Indications from the tracks to the snow about the frozen figure proved that after the poor fellow had first fallen he made to ineffectual  attempts to arise and struggle forward.

Some 18 or 20 years ago in company with one of his brothers-in-law, coming home from Fairchild with a team in severe weather. Sholtz all but succumbed to the cold.  Long before they reached home, Sholtz had come to benumbed to talk or answer to talk and when the home was reached he had to be carried into the house and carefully nursed back to life.

Deceased is survived by his wife, she who was Miss Mary Krause, is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Krause Sr. and by eight children, namely Paul, Clarence, Jesse, John, Leland, Edna, Laona and Vivian, Edna alone being married.  She is Mrs. John Hunter of Route 4.  Clarence is gown up and is at Cottonwood, S.D., having employment and arrived home Tuesday in response to the news.  The other children are all at home.  The mother is since Saturday confined to her bed as the result of the shock of her husband’s death.

Deceased too leaves an aged mother and two brothers, Paul and Herman, living west of Neillsville and 2 married sister, Elsie and Amelia, whom we believe live in Neillsville.

The funeral will be held tomorrow, Saturday afternoon, and interment will be made here in the Windfall Cemetery.