Page 20 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2023 - Online Magazine

Slaton
History

The

HERMAN and MARY

SCHILLING FAMILY

by Michele Schilling Houston

arly in the last century, Herman After reading the newspaper
Schilling’s family came from ad, both Herman Schilling
EGermany—first to Brenham, and Henry Kitten (Mary's
TX, then to Nazareth, then to Slaton. dad) were among the many
Herman was the first of his family to Catholic men who came to
move to Slaton in 1912. The rest of the see the vast land available at week ended, Herman bought a buggy,
family followed in the ensuing years. Slaton. Herman moved there in 1914. fixed it up and painted it. The love
His first thought was to raise horses, bug had bitten!
Mary Kitten’s family came from but he found the land unsuitable for
Indiana, to Nebraska, then to Slaton that and became a cotton and maize Herman and Mary were married
in 1916. farmer. Herman and friends, John and on January 22, 1918. They were the
Louie Steffens, lived in a dugout while first couple to wed in the second St.
In 1912, the Most Reverand Joseph Joseph's church building that Herman
Reisdorff decided to establish building their respective small homes. helped build. Herman received
Catholicism in the Slaton Territory. Because the land was cheap, plentiful, notice to report for duty in the armed
Father Reisdorff put an ad in a and able to support a large family, services on their wedding day, but
German newspaper, Der Lantman. Henry moved his family to Slaton in the postmaster thoughtfully held it
Acreage in Slaton would be available 1916. On July 4, 1916, there was a big till the next day. Fortunately for the
for $3.25 an acre for a Catholic man. celebration, and Herman asked Mary newlyweds, the war ended before he
Father Reisdorff had an agreement for a date; but he had to borrow a had to report for active duty.
with a Mr. Klattenhoff, that he would buggy to take Mary home because he
receive a commission on all land sold only had a saddle horse. Before the Early in their marriage, Mary had a
to Catholic families. miscarriage and was told she would
never have another child, but God
had other plans—Herman and Mary
went on to have 12 children. The first
three were born on their first farm—
three miles north of town. (One of
their granddaughters and her family
reside there now.) Besides the cotton
and maize crops, they also grew
strawberries and peaches and raised
cows, chickens, and hogs.

In 1924, Herman bought a 320-
acre farm, four miles southwest of
Slaton, where the other nine children
were born. Their son, Ronnie, and

20 Lubbock Senior Link