Source: Portraits and Bios

Christian William Stoelting is one of the enterprising and progressive farmers of Herman Township, and owns a well-improved farm on section 33. He was born April 26, 1823 in Zwollenburg, Lipp-Detmold, Germany, being the son of Frederick C. Stoelting, who was a farmer by occupation. The mother died when our subject was a young child of about three years, and the father's death occurred when he was in his twentieth year.

At the age of sixteen, Mr. Stoelting determined to learn the shoemaker's trace, and in 1845, in company with a brother and sister, he set sail from Bremen, and at the end of six weeks on the broad Atlantic arrived in New Orleans. He worked at his trade for some nine years in Indianapolis, Ind., and in that city married Louisa Libking, who died in 1849.

While a resident of Louisville, Ky., in 1853, our subject met and married Frances L. Schmidt, their marriage being celebrated September 30. The lady was born on the 14th of February, 1835 in Runkel, Nassau, Germany, and was brought by her parents, Christian W. and Margaret (Ganz) Nolting, to the United States when two years of age. The parents are deceased, and were buried in Louisville. In 1854, with his wife, Mr. Stoelting came to Sheboygan County, and purchased for $1,000 a tract of eighty acres, where he has since continued to live. He has added eighty acres more, and in addition to his agricultural duties has for some twenty years worked at his trade of a shoemaker on his farm. He has made shoes for all the children of the neighborhood, and among his relics is a small shoe of his make, the entire upper of which is in one piece, without a seam in it. When he settled on his farm only twenty acres had been cleared, and the country was quite wild. In 1855, a bear was shot just in front of his house as it was carrying off a pig. Bruin was a straggler, being the last seen in this section. When Mr. Stoelting came to the United States he had to borrow money with which to pay his passage, but by the exercise of his sturdy German characteristics he has achieved a gratifying success.

To Mr. and Mrs. Stoelting were born seventeen children, two of whom died in infancy. Pauline, wife of Herman Martin, died July 10, 1888, and Conrad died May 27, 1879. Those living are as follows: Charles W., a physician of Oconto, Wis.; Ferdinand S., a tinner of Storm Lake, Iowa; Edward, a carpenter of Shaler, Iowa; Dinah L., wife of Herman Martin; Anna M., at home; Matilda, now Mrs. John Cutter, a resident of St. Louis, Mo.; Amelia B., and Meta C., who are engaged in dressmaking in St. Louis; August T., a painter of Sheboygan; Lydia H., a dressmaker of Storm Lake, Iowa; Sarah F., wife of John Henning, of Sheboygan; and Benjamin and Ottoma W., who are at home. All of the family are members of the Reformed Church, and have been contributors to the Mission House. In his political views, Mr. Stoelting is a Democrat and has served as Township Treasurer. He has been Treasurer of Herman Township Fire Insurance Company for the past twenty-one years.

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