Bio: Spiegel, Rev. William (1876 – 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Spiegel, Breahmer, Esslinger

---Source: History of Marathon County Wisconsin and Representative Citizens, by Louis Marchetti, 1913.

---Spiegel, Rev. William (9 September 1876 – 19??)

REV. WILLIAM SPIEGEL, pastor of St. Stephanus German Evangelical Lutheran Church, at Wausau, Wis., is generally recognized as one of the ablest, most zealous and scholarly members of the Lutheran clergy in the state. He was born at Ridgeway, Lenawee County, Mich., September 9, 1876, and is a son of Carl and Ernesta (Breahmer) Spiegel.  

Carl Spiegel was born in Germany and was given excellent educational advantages there. He was reared on a farm and continued to engage in agricultural pursuits after coming to the United States when twenty-three years of age. At Ridgeway, Mich., he married Ernesta Breahmer, who was also born in Germany, a daughter of Frederick Breahmer, who spent his last years at Ridgeway, where his venerable widow still lives. Carl Spiegel and wife now live retired at Blissfield, Mich. Of their family of eight children seven are living and William was the first born.  

William Spiegel first attended the public school in Lenawee county but the instruction secured there did not satisfy his craving.-for knowledge and when sixteen years of age he entered the Lutheran college at Waverly, la., where he remained until he was graduated, after which, for three years he was a student in the Lutheran Seminary, at Dubuque, Ia., graduating with the class of 1900. He immediately entered upon ministerial work and was assigned to a large mission field at Swanton, O., where he worked with faithfulness and encouraging success for five years. He then accepted a call to Versailles, Ind., and remained there for five years, in the fall of 1910 coming to St. Stephanus, at Wausau. In every field he has added to the material prosperity of the parish over which he has had charge and has increased membership, and at Versailles not only remodeled the church edifice but built a parochial school house. Since coming to his present charge he has aroused interest in every line of church work with the result of a larger congregation and such an addition to the school that an additional teacher has been required. He is wise, sympathetic and judicial in his communication with his congregation and his display of thoughtful care for both the material and spiritual life of his people has won their respect and affection.  

In 1901 Rev. Spiegel was married to Miss Amelia Esslinger, a daughter of Charles Esslinger, of Dubuque, Ia., and they have six children, namely: Rosa, Carl, John, Werner, Ruth and Weaker.