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REV. WILLIAM D. (W.D.) WALLER PASTOR AT GOLDEN'S METHODIST CHURCH, 1914 - 1916. |
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| Early Years... William D. Waller was born on August 10, 1868 1 into a Roman Catholic family in India. The Waller family had lived in India for many generations in service of the British Empire. 2 William was one of five siblings. There were brothers Alfred and Harry, and sisters Eva and Mae. 2 Will and Alfred were converted and called to preach after hearing Methodist Bishop Thoburn preach in Calcutta. In turn, the brothers led the whole family in converting to Methodism. The Waller family would eventually move to America. 2 Will and Alfred both entered the Methodist Ministerial Course of Study. Afterwards, Bishop Thoburn appointed Will to serve the Seaman's Haven in Calcutta. Later, William would also serve in Kampti and Karachi (Pakistan). 2 |
 Rev. William D. Waller |
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Once, needing a pianist for worship services, Rev. Will asked Annie Nielsen to play. In time they would fall in love, marry, and have two sons: Edmund ('Teddy') and Hans. 2 Unfortunately, Teddy had hemophilia, a blood disease, which would cause the family to return to New York, and then to Colorado in 1897. Teddy would die at age 18. Hans would graduate from Golden High School and from the State College in Ft. Collins. 2 Left: Teddy, Annie, and Rev. William Waller at their cabin in Estes Park, Colorado. |
| Colorado Ministries | Rev. William Waller pastored 44 1/2 years serving nine Methodist churches - eight in Colorado, and one in New Mexico. 2 |
| These congregations were: Denver (Cameron), Golden, Longmont, Holyoke, Yuma, Julesburg, Wray, Ft. Lupton, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. 2 Rev. William Waller's career was distinguished. Waller was known as a great scholar and he was sensitive and progressive in his preaching and teaching. 2 Interestingly, Will's brothers and sisters settled in Colorado as well. Rev. Alfred Waller also had a distinguished ministerial career, serving a total of 44 years in Methodist ministry. 30 of those were in Colorado. 2 Right: Rev. William D. Waller near his cabin in Estes Park. |
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| Rev. William D. Waller passed away on June 23, 1953. 1 He was nearly 85 years of age. | ||
| Related Information | Rev. William Waller's son Hans had one daughter - Patricia Waller. In 1948, Patricia married Rev. Vern L. Klingman. When Rev. Klingman was appointed as a Wesley Minister to |
| the Golden Methodist Church in 1949, Pat and Vern would live in the same house at the parsonage where their Grandparents had lived some 35 years earlier! 2 Rev. Vern Klingman would serve Golden for five years and would document important information about the early Golden Methodist church during his first year. Information on Rev. Vern Klingman and his wife Pat -- granddaughter of Rev. William D. Waller -- is available here [click]. Rev. Vern Klingman's historical manuscript -- "Before Organization to 1880" -- is available here [click]. |
| Bibliography | ||
| 1 | Journal of the Rocky Mountain Conference | |
| Memoirs, 2001. | ||
| 2 | Patricia and Rev. Vern L. Klingman, D.T. | |
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Materials provided to the Golden First United Methodist Church prior to the 140th Anniversary Celebration of Golden Methodism. Spring, 1999. |
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Last Revised: March 31, 2005.