William Fredrich Johann Hildebrandt

Male 1891 - 1911  (20 years)


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  • Name William Fredrich Johann Hildebrandt 
    Born 12 Jan 1891  Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died Oct 1911 
    Cause: Accidental gunshot wound 
    Buried Trinity Ev. Lutheran Cemetery, Kaukauna, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I281081  Little Chute Genealogy
    Last Modified 20 Sep 2017 

    Father William J Hildebrandt,   b. 25 Nov 1852, Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Mar 1932, Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years) 
    Mother Katherine Schneider,   b. 15 Apr 1856, Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 03 Jan 1939, Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years) 
    Family ID F75225  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Kaukauna Times
      10-18-1911

      GUN SHOT FATAL.
      William Hildebrant Dies From Accidental Discharge of Gun.
      Charge of Shot Enters Leg Which Was Followed by Amputation and Then Blood Poison

      "In the midst of life we are in death." Is a trite saying and never more so than in the present instance where a favorite young man in the flower of health was called to his everlasting home by the accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of one of his comrades.
      William Hildebrandt received the full charge of the fine shot driven by a load of smokeless powder through the calf of his right leg, the poison from which caused his death. Otto Dreger was cleaning his gun at Adolph Hildebrandt's boat house just below the new Thilmany plant, and as the mechanism worked hard he put in a couple of loaded shells to make it work right and was trying to break it over when the hammer was hit in some manner discharging the weapon at close range-not over a foot distance, the charge tearing its way clean, through the fleshy part of the leg, breaking one of the bones and fearfully mangling the limb, especially at the point where it came through. It struck the leg about two inches higher than the place it left after passing completely through the limb leaving a ragged and torn wound hard to dress and bleeding badly. Young Hildebrandt seeing the weapon pointing towards him had walked around out of the range of it twice and then finally stood leaning against the wall when he felt the sudden impact on his leg and at once realized he was shot and ran outdoors. Physicians were with him in a very short time and he was removed to Drs. Lord and Meyer's office and thence to his home on Tobacnoir street after the wound was properly dressed.

      The accident took place about eight o'clock Sunday morning and Monday morning he was taken to St. Elizabeth's hospital at Appleton where that evening the limb was amputated above the knee to the hope of prolonging his days. His chances of life were almost hopeless, although he lived until Thursday morning at 3:45 o'clock.

      Wednesday, when the Rev. Hinnenthal administered the sacrament was the first he realized that to him life was short indeed, that his joyous youthful dreams were never to come true and that he must pass into the presence of his Maker forever. He resigned himself to the great change and bid his dear ones and friends who came to see him a last farewell.

      William Hildebrandt, Jr., the son of Mrs. And Mrs. William Hildebrandt, was born in Kaukauna, January 12, 1891, being nearly 21 years of age. At the age of 14 years he left school to help earn a living for his parents-his father being a cripple, and at this tender age he showed the true manly traits seldom shown in boys so young. He began early to work at the Union Bag company's mill at printing bags and then at the Thilmany printing department for a while where his steady faithful character was recognized and he was promoted to one of the paper machines where he held the position of backtender when he met his death.

      In recognition of his worth his fellow employees raised quite a sum of money to help defray his funeral expenses.

      The funeral ceremonies are to be held at Trinity Ev. Luth. Church Sunday afternoon at two o'clock.

      Surviving are his parents, his sisters and brothers, Mrs. Olga Arps, Clara, Adolph and Harold Hildebrandt.

      The pallbearers were chosen from among his late intimate friends and are as follows: Charles Busse, Arthur Konrad, Walter Bussard, Albert Klammer, Henry Kindler and Otto Nichlaus.