Biography

The first time that Milton Boice Kirchhoff was listed in a government census he was not yet four years old. The 1905 Wisconsin state census described Milton’s race as black, as well as that of his mother Esther Jane “Nettie” Scott, and his brother Calvin. The 1910 federal census was perhaps more precise when it described “Nettie,” Calvin, Milton, and Leo (Milton’s youngest brother) as “mulatto.” In 1920, Milton again lived with his parents and this time the census taker described him and his mother and younger brother as octoroon. That same year the census taker in Connecticut, in slight contrast, described Milton’s brother Calvin as mulatto. It was the last time that Milton or any member of the Kirchhoff family was listed as anything other than white. Milton’s mixed racial heritage came from his German born immigrant father, Richard Kirchhoff, and his mixed racial mother, Esther who went by the name Nettie in LDS records. [1]

The Kirchhoff’s were founding members of the Oshkosh, Wisconsin LDS branch when it was organized on 24 July 1904. Milton would turn three just two days later and likely accompanied his parents to the branch founding. Milton grew up accustomed to enjoying the company of LDS missionaries who were frequent visitors at the Kirchhoff home. It may be coincidence, or maybe not, that Milton’s middle name was the same as the last name of the missionary who confirmed Milton’s mother a member of the LDS faith, Elder John E. Boice. In any case, if Elder James Grant’s missionary journal is an accurate representation, the Kirchhoffs were favorites among the missionaries. Grant visited the Kirchhoffs at least thirty-six times over the course of his stay in Oshkosh, between November 1903 and March 1904, when Milton was two years old. [2]

In fact, Milton was sick when Grant arrived in Oshkosh and at least a part of the reasons for Grant’s early visits to their home was to check on Milton’s health, to give him blessings of health, and to help Richard and Nettie care for their sick boy. On 18 November 1903, Grant wrote, “In the evening we called on Bro. Kirchoff and found one of ther children sick; they went and got a botle of sweet oil and we Consecrated it and adminsterd to the child.” Three days later Grant recorded, “visit Brother Kirchoff to see how his children was and we found them better.” [3]

The good health did not last, however. On 19 December, Grant and his companion Elder Albert Green learned that Milton was “very sick”. Grant wrote, “we both went down and adminesterd to him and he seemed to rest all rite. After, Elder Green came home and I stayed with him till morning but about one a clock he got worse.” On Christmas day the missionaries again “went to Curkoffs in the after noon and Elder Green set up with ther sick boy Mittie and before leaving we admisterd to him that night.” [4] The day after Christmas they

“went down and Adminesterd to the sick boy and set up with him all night <Dec 27> and he seemed lots beter in the morning. Had prers with them and brekfas and then went home to my room and slept a while. In the after noon . . . went down to Brother Curkoff and adminesterd to the boy and had prars and come home again.” [5]

Milton’s sickness dragged on for another two weeks and eventually spread to the rest of the family. Grant and his companion Albert Green continued to assist the young family to regain their health. On 16 January 1904, Grant “went down to Brother Kirchhoff and found boy getting better but him and wife was sick and Elder Green set up with them and I came back and went to bed.” It wasn’t until January 18^th that the family returned to full health. As Grant put it, “called to see Kirchhoff in morning and they was all better.” [6]

In addition to frequently hosting the missionaries, Milton’s parents were heavily involved in the life of the Oshkosh branch. Milton was listed on the Sunday School rolls in the branch when his mother served as Sunday School Secretary. [7] Milton and Calvin were baptized on the same day, 21 June 1914, when Milton was a month shy of his thirteenth birthday. There is no record of their younger brother, Leo, joining them in the faith. [8] Elder John Henry Franke, a German born immigrant, baptized and confirmed both Calvin and Milton in 1914, likely after he established a friendship with the boys’ father Richard, who was also from Germany and also spoke German as his native language. [9]

Milton received an eighth grade education and by the time he was eighteen he worked as a tray maker in a trunk factory. That is the job he held in 1922 when he married Erma Schumann, a chocolate dipper by trade. He was 20 years old at the time and she was 18. They lived in Oshkosh for the rest of their lives where they raised a daughter and a son, Lorraine and Robert. By 1940 Milton worked as a machinist in the iron industry and had earned $1,800 the previous year. Erma continued to work part time as a chocolate dipper and made $240. At some point Milton transitioned to work as a stock room clerk for Rockwell Standard Corporation, a manufacturing conglomerate with facilities in Oshkosh. [10]

It is difficult to determine how long Milton maintained an affiliation with Mormonism. A justice of the peace in Menomonee County, Michigan, performed his wedding in 1922, and the last time he was listed on an LDS Census record was in June 1935. [11] By 1953, the local newspaper noted that Erma, Milton’s wife, was a member of the Mary Martha Society at the local Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oshkosh. In 1958, the same newspaper reported that Milton was a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church Men’s Club Golf League where he played golf alongside the Reverend Ray Stry. When Milton died in 1961 his obituary stated that he was a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church and noted that his golf friend and religious leader, Reverend Stry, presided at his funeral. He was laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery in Oshkosh. [12]

By W. Paul Reeve

Primary Sources

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Record of Members Collection. CR 375 8, box 7701, folder 1, images 300-301; box 4166, folder 1, image 106. Church History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Franke, John Henry. Early Mormon Missionary database. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Grant, James. Missionary Journal, 1903-1904. MS 19933. Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Kirchhoff.” Presiding Bishopric stake and mission census, 1914-1935. CR 4 311. Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Kirchhoff, Milton. Marriage to Erma Schumann. 5 July 1922. Menomonee County. Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952.

“Kirchhoff, Milton B.” The Oshkosh Northwestern, 18 March 1961, 4.

“Mary Martha Group to Assist Mobile Unit,” The Oshkosh Northwestern, 4 September 1953, 7.

Milton B. Kirchhoff,” The Oshkosh Northwestern, 16 March 1961, 4.

Oshkosh Branch, Wisconsin. Northern States Mission. Record of Members, Historical, 1904-1907. CR 375 8, WR 4685. Church History Library, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.

“Pace Opening Play in Golf League,” The Oshkosh Northwestern, 30 May 1958, 12.

United States, Census. 1910, Wisconsin, Winnebago County, Oshkosh.

United States, Census. 1920, Wisconsin, Winnebago County, Oshkosh.

United States, Census. 1930, Wisconsin, Winnebago County, Oshkosh.

United States, Census. 1940, Wisconsin, Winnebago County, Oshkosh.

Wisconsin, State Census, 1905. Database on-line at Ancestry.com. Originals at Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin.

Documents

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