Bio: Schilling, Wm. C., Pastor (1843 -1927)
Poster: R. Lipprandt
Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Dake, Hoffmann, Naumann, Nolte, Schilling, Sueltflow

----Source: The Centennial Booklet of Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church, 1876 - 1976, page 3 & 4

Schilling, William Christian (August 21, 1843 - May 20 1927)

Pastor William Christian Schilling was born on August 21, 1843 at Berndorf, Waldeck, Germany.

He immigrated to the United States in 1860 at the age of 17. In 1874, he graduated from the Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis and was assigned to serve three congregations in Wisconsin as pastor: St. Paul’s in Stevens Point, where he was ordained on July 26, 1874 by Rev. J. J. Hoffmann, St. John’s at Almond and St. Paul’s at Amherst. He also served preaching stations at Junction City, Auburndale, Spencer, Colby, Greenleaf, Dorchester, Medford, Butternut, Ashland and other places while he was pastor of these congregations.

Records indicate that Pastor Schilling served as a traveling missionary from Stevens Point to Ashland along the railroad line and that at one time, he had fourteen known preaching stations.

On January 26, 1876, Pastor Schilling was married to Karoline Nolte in St. Louis, and their marriage was blessed with two sons and six daughters

Upon inquiry, Rev. Oscar Naumann, President of the Wisconsin Synod found that his name appeared in the 1885 issue of the “Gemeinde Blatt Kalender” published by the Wisconsin Synod, where he is listed as a pastor in the Missouri Synod.

On September 11, 1887, he was installed as pastor in Woodland, Wisconsin.

On November 24th, he began to serve Zion congregation in Green Isle, Minnesota and on May 23, 1893, he was installed as pastor in Loganville, Wisconsin.

From 1900 to 1906, he also served as Mission Director of the Wisconsin District to the Missouri Synod.

Because of deafness, he resigned as pastor in 1914.

Pastor Schilling passed away in Milwaukee on May 20, 1927 at the age of 84 years. Funeral services were held in St. Paul’s Church, Stevens Point and his body was laid to rest in Forest Cemetery there, awaiting the day of resurrection to be with God, whom he so zealously served in this lifetime.

At the time of the organization of Immanuel’s congregation (September 26, 1876), Pastor Schilling was a young man of thirty years, but he began to serve the Lutherans in Medford in Word and Sacrament already in 1875.