The Courtship of Rebecca Tucker and William Schultz
While Rebecca was visiting her sister Hattie in Montana, she was taken to see a copper smelter operation. While there a machine with a large wheel was whirling and the wind caught her cotton white voile and drew one of her legs into the machine and broke her kneecap. The kneecap was shattered and some of the bone fell onto the floor. She was taken by horse unit to the Catholic hospital in Helena, along with the shattered knee fragments, which were wrapped up in a dirty cloth. There a young French doctor by the name of Saint Jean, who took the fragments of bone and fitted them together, and with a small drill bored holes in the bones – then wired them together with a silver wire. (All her life you could see the silver wire through the skin) The kneecap was then put into place and the leg was closed. She was in traction and treatment for five months.
While in the hospital, a young man, William Schultz, was brought in with both wrists broken, from a fall. His arms were bound across his chest so that he had no use of them. The Sisters of Charity who operated the hospital brought him in and introduced him to Rebecca. They asked Rebecca if she would feed him with a spoon, which she did. Later William asked one of the Sisters to bring a large white daisy from the garden and put it between Rebecca’s big toe and the second toe (while she was still in traction) so everyone could see it. Thus a romance was born… When Rebecca was discharged, she was still on crutches. Eight months after her accident, and three months out of the hospital, William and Rebecca were married in Helena, Montana on 25 Oct 1898. Rebecca was still on crutches when she, William and Charles Schultz (his brother) moved to Dawson City. Rebecca was still on crutches even tho she was pregnant, and did not give up the crutches until Gladys was a few months old. In Dawson City, William and Charles had a gold mining claim in the territory.
Written by Gladys Lucille Schultz Wepfer, daughter to William and Rebecca
Rebecca Tucker Schultz and William Chambers Schultz History
Rebecca and William were married 25 Oct 1898 in Helena, Montana. William Schultz was born on Staten Island, New York. At nineteen his family moved to Montana.
After Rebecca was married, she, her husband William and his brother, Charles Schultz, went to Dawson City in the Yukon Territory. They were there until the winter of 1900, when they returned to Tacoma, Washington. Rebecca and William’s daughter Gladys was born 28 Aug 1900. There was only one child. Later they moved to Portland, where he was employed by a company that did electrical, heating, refrigeration and plumbing (1900-1904). The company sent him and his family to Walla Walla, WA. to put heat in the new V.A. Hospital. Another company contacted William and hired him away from the Portland Company. The family continued to live in Walla Walla, after the death of William on 28 July 1943.
About 1944, Edward Calkins, who had been a long fine friend and neighbor and was a widower, asked Rebecca to marry him, which she did on 27 May 1944. They sold their homes in Walla Walla and eventually moved to San Mateo, because Gladys and her husband, Edward Herbert Wepfer, were living there. Rebecca developed lung cancer and died 19 Oct 1948. Mr. Calkins, who was about 15 years Rebecca’s senior, died of grief over her illness on 11 Oct 1948 and was buried eight days before Rebecca (19 Oct 1948). They were in rooms across the hall from each other in the hospital.
Written by Gladys Lucille Schultz Wepfer , daughter to Rebecca and William
My Personal Thanks to my cousin, Jerry. This is his line of descent and I appreciate him filling in some blanks. I believe that I have a marriage certificate for this couple (Tucker-Schultz), somewhere. I will try to find it and post it here with this story.
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