Arthur was born in Sheboygan, WI and lived nearby his maternal grandparents. After his mother's death in 1879, his family moved to Concordia, MO where his father remarried. He wanted to be a doctor, but his father wanted him to be a pastor. Between 1887 and 1892 he attended St. Paul's College in his hometown of Concordia, and Concordia College in Fort Wayne, IN. He graduated in 1895 from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, and was ordained and installed as pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran in Japan, MO by Rev. E.T. Richter.
Agnes was born in New Wells, MO. Arthur and Agnes were married in Washington, MO by Agnes' father, Rev. Eduard Lehmann.
Later that year he accepted a call to St. John Lutheran in Stuttgart, AR. He installed his father-in-law to succeed him at St. Matthew on 11 September 1898, and was installed at St. John by Rev. M. Schmidt on 9 November. He was installed at his next church in Ruma, IL by Rev. O. Richter on 6 December 1903 and at St. Mark Lutheran in Steeleville, IL by Rev. G. Erdmann on 20 June 1909. From 1911 to 1941 he pastored Zion Lutheran in Wanda (Juniata), NE near Hastings, where he was installed by Rev. W. Landgraf on 1 October. He was first vice-president of the Southern Nebraska District from 1921 to 1924. He was installed at Immanuel Lutheran in Burns, WY near the the northeast border on 1 October 1941, where he served until 1943. Semi-retired, he worked two other short times at Immanuel in 1947 and 1955. At other times he and his wife lived with son Marcus in Venango, NE and Denver, CO; son Oscar in Columbus and Omaha, NE; and daughter Esther in Hastings, NE.
|
Zion Lutheran Church where Arthur Wilk was pastor (1911-1941), Wanda, NE
|
