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Nicholas T. Schilling, born in Bavaria on Nov. 28, 1845, came as a small child with his parents to the United States. He served in the Civil War (1861-65) as a youthful volunteer in the Maryland cavalry. In 1872, he received his M.D. degree from the chicago Medical college. When he came to Cedar Bayou (20 mi. SW) in 1874 he worked in a brick factory, earning funds to set up practice, and revealed his skill by treating an accident victim on the job. His first office was a lean-to behind a mercantile store. In 1883 he married Linna E. Gaillard (d. 1922). For some years he practiced from the family residence, then in 1890 built this office nearby, arranging it in ideal order for his treatments, library, and copious records. Besides his general practice, he fitted eyeglasses and performed dentistry. He traveled far and wide to call on patients, and often accepted his fees in the form of vegetables, fruit, livestock, and farm labor. His son John grew up to assist in the practice and later became a physician in Houston. Dr. N. T. Schilling died in 1919. His daughter Annie kept the office intact until she died in 1966. Then structure and contents, donated to Chambers County, came here by barge to be preserved as a museum. (1976) |
