Christian Friedrich Wilhelm Spilker, 1841–1904
and Karoline Louise Charlotte Krehmeier, 1842–1925

Born on 25 January 1841 in Rothenuffeln, no. 17, Westfalen, Christian Friedrich Wilhelm Spilker was the son of Karl Heinrich Wilhelm Spilker and Anne Marie Elisabeth (Euler) Spilker. Christian came to America on 11 July 1865 on the ship Hansa, landing in New York with his mother and brother, Ernst Heinrich Wilhelm Spilker. Karoline arrived in New York on 25 October 1864 on the Bremen with many other families from the Bergkirchen area.

Christian first settled in Washington County, Illinois, where his mother died on 21 September 1865. Christian married Karoline Louise Charlotte Krehmeier on 26 July 1866 in Washington County. She was born in Wulferdingsen, no. 8, Westfalen, on 20 October 1842, the daughter of Ernst Heinrich Gottlieb Krehmeier and Anne Marie Louise Karoline (Ahrensmeyer) Krehmeier. They both previously attended the Evangelical Church in Bergkirchen, Westfalen.

Christian and Karoline moved to St. Louis about 1868 and started a family. They lived at 1409 Benton Street where they are enumerated in subdivision 19, 11th ward of St. Louis in the 1870 census. The Spilkers had five children, all born in St. Louis:

• Anna Christine Spilker was born on 17 July 1869. She married Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Noel on 1 January 1886 in Cherokee County, Kansas, and she died on 16 August 1941 in Vernon County, Missouri.
• Emma Friedericke Spilker was born on 1 February 1871 and died on 6 November 1876 in St. Louis.
• Marie Fredricke Caroline Spilker was born on 15 March 1873. She married Wilhelm Heinrich Rittmann on 21 May 1891 in Arkansas County, Arkansas, and she died on 20 January 1949 in Ulm, Prairie County, Arkansas.
• Heinrich Friedrich Wilhelm Spilker was born on 1 June 1875. He married Maria Catherine Kirchhoff on 9 December 1906 in Stuttgart, Arkansas County, Arkansas. He died on 10 September 1938 in Stuttgart.
• Heinrich Friedrich Ludwig Spilker was born on 7 July 1878 and died on 2 July 1894 in Ulm, Prairie County, Arkansas.