The Proeger Family · Generation 4 — Earl's great-grandparents and their siblings

William John Schultz

Son of Pauline Augusta Betcher Schultz · 1886–1972

William John Schultz

Probable

Son of Pauline Augusta Betcher Schultz · 1886–1972

Born
at Abilene
Parents
Pauline Augusta Betcher Schultz
Sources
2

Research status

Research status: PROBABLE as a son of Pauline Augusta Betcher Schultz and her husband Herman Schultz, and so a brother of Minnie Mae Schultz Coffman and of Otto Herman Schultz. The evidence is strong: the index of his own Texas death record names his father as Herman Schultz and his mother as Pauline Betcher, the same two names that Minnie Mae’s death certificate gives; and the index of the 1900 census of Taylor County lists Willie as a son in the household of Herman and Pauline Shultz, with Carl, Otto and Phillip S1724. It stays Probable because every record is an index: no image of the death record or of the census page has been read.

Evidence: The index of his Texas death record gives William J. Schultz, born 22 January 1886 at Abilene, died 26 March 1972 at Abilene, father Herman Schultz and mother Pauline Betcher; the Social Security and Find a Grave indexes agree on the dates; the index of the 1900 census of Taylor County lists Willie as a son of Herman and Pauline Shultz (S1724). The evidence is strong. Weak or missing: Every record is an index and no image has been read; a different William J. Schultz, born at Brenham in 1886 to a Herman Schultz and Minnie Wolf, has to be kept apart. Not yet confirmed. Know more? Confirm or correct this →

Life in the order the records give it

Death1972
William John Schultz died on 26 March 1972 at Abilene, Taylor County, Texas, aged 86. He was born at Abilene on 22 January 1886. Both days come from the index of the Texas death records; the Social Security Death Index gives the same day of birth and March 1972, and the Find a Grave index gives William John Schultz, 1886–1972, buried at Abilene S1724.
Death1961
The notice of his brother Otto’s funeral in 1961 names a brother Will among the survivors; it is known here from the machine-read text of the page only S1721.
Death1886
He is not the William J. Schultz who was born on 1 February 1886 at Brenham, Texas, and died in 1969 at Alvin. That man’s father was also a Herman Schultz, but his mother was Minnie Wolf. The mother’s name, the day of birth and the place tell the two apart.
Census2026
History of this card. 11 Oct 2026
card written when he was added to the family tree, from the Texas death, Social Security, Find a Grave and 1900 census indexes (S1724).

Family parents, marriages, children, siblings

Parents
Son of Pauline Augusta Betcher Schultz. His father, Herman Schultz, is not yet in this record.

Open questions what is probable, weak or missing — confirm or correct it

Weak or missing
What is weak or missing: every record here is an index, and no image has been read; the 1900 census index calls him Willie and spells the family name Shultz; and a man of the same name, the same year of birth and a father of the same first name lived at Brenham and Alvin. His wife, if he had one, and any children are not named here. Know more, or think this is wrong? Use “Add to this record”.
Cited on this card S1721 S1724 Card added 2026-10-11

In the record Generation 4 — Earl's great-grandparents and their siblings

William John Schultz · Sources

Citations

Sources cited on this card

2 of the record's sources are cited here. The numbering is the record's own; the full list, with where else each is cited, is at Sources.

  1. S1721Funeral notice — Otto H. Schultz, 76, Abilene Reporter-News, Thursday 25 May 1961, p. 24. Newspapers.com, image 761784218. Machine-read text of the page, read on 4 October 2026; the page image itself has not been read. Probable Otto H. Schultz, 76, lifelong Abilene resident and former owner of Schultz Dry Goods Co., died on Wednesday in Hendrick Memorial Hospital after a two-month illness; born 16 September 1884 at Abilene; partner in the Anderson-Schultz Dry Goods Co. in 1913, sole owner within two years, retired 1957; married Victoria Galbraith at Abilene in 1918; home 749 Butternut Street; funeral by the pastor of First Methodist Church, burial at Elmwood Memorial Park. Survivors include three brothers, Will, Carl and Phil, and one sister, Mrs. Minnie Coffman of 426 Elm Street. ⚠ Machine-read text only; it prints the wife’s first name as “Victor”. The notice does not name his parents. His sons and grandchildren are not named here. Serves the card of Otto Herman Schultz.
  2. S1724Indexes — William John Schultz, born Abilene, Texas, 22 January 1886; died Abilene, Taylor County, Texas, 26 March 1972. FamilySearch: “Texas Deaths” index (K3FC-DBN); Social Security Death Index (JLXJ-C22); Find a Grave index (QVGP-JDYK); 1900 census index, Justice Precinct 1, Taylor County (M356-4GD). Indexes read on 4 October 2026; no image read. Probable Deaths: William J. Schultz, born 22 Jan 1886 at Abilene, died 26 Mar 1972 at Abilene; father Herman Schultz, mother Pauline Betcher. Social Security: born 22 Jan 1886, died Mar 1972. Find a Grave: William John Schultz, 1886–1972, buried at Abilene. 1900: Herman and Pauline Shultz with Carl, Otto, Willie and Phillip. ⚠ Index only: no image has been read. A different William J. Schultz, born 1 February 1886 at Brenham and died 1969 at Alvin, had a father Herman Schultz and a mother Minnie Wolf; he is not this man. Serves the card of William John Schultz.

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Compiled for the Proeger family

Living adults appear by name and relationship, with the year only: no full date of birth and no home town on any page that search engines index, and a living person’s own page is kept out of search engines. Minors appear by name only — no date of birth, no birth year, no age, no school, no place, no address, no other identifying detail. A minor may be named and may appear in a family photograph; nothing further about them is published. Where it is not established whether someone is an adult or a minor, the minor rule applies.

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