Dr. Otto J. Wilhelmi, Jr., devoting his attention largely to the practice of surgery in St. Louis, was born in this city October 16, 1891, a son of Otto J. Wilhelmi, who is a native of Franklin county, Missouri, and a grandson of Julius Wilhelmi, founder of the Missouri branch of the family and of German descent. The grandfather came to America and settled at Washington, Franklin county, Missouri, there residing to the time of his death. The father was reared and educated in this state, pursuing his studies in the Washington University and afterward going abroad for further study in Germany, France and Italy. Upon the completion of his preparation he took up the profession of architecture, in which he has since been engaged, and is today an architect of national reputation, having won notable eminence in his chosen calling. For some time he was the architect for the St. Louis public schools and several of the most beautiful and attractive school buildings of the city stand as monuments to his skill and handiwork. He was also one of the founders and originators of the St. Louis Crematory. During the period of the Civil war he served as a drummer boy. He married Amelia Stifel, who was born in St. Louis, a daughter of Christopher A. Stifel, who was of German descent and belonged to one of the old and prominent families of this city. At the time of the Civil war he joined a Missouri regiment, of which he became colonel. His daughter, Mrs. Wilhelmi, is still a resident of St. Louis and by her marriage has become the mother of three sons and three daughters.
Dr. Wilhelmi, the fifth child of the family, pursued a public school education until graduated from the McKinley high school in January, 1911. He also attended the Washington University and the St. Louis University, being a student in the former from 1911 until 1915 and in the latter from 1915 until 1917. He completed his course in the Washington University with the Bachelor of Science degree and in the St. Louis University won his M. D. degree in 1917. Following his graduation he served as junior interne and a part of the time as senior interne in the St. Louis City Hospital, thus acting from 1917 until August, 1918, when he entered the army and was assigned to the duties of commander of Field Hospital No. 236 of the Ninth Division, located at Camp Sheridan, Alabama. He was afterward sent to the Sixty-seventh Infantry at Camp McClellan, Alabama, as battalion surgeon and there remained until the close of the war, being discharged February 22, 1919, with a recommendation for promotion to a captaincy. Since his return he has been associated with Dr, John R. Caulk, specializing in genito-urinary surgery. He belongs to the St.’ Louis ,Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Association, the American Medical Association and the American Urologicgl Association. He is on the out-patient urological staff of the Barnes Hospital and is also associated with the Red Cross genito-urinary out-patient clinic at Washington University.
Dr. Wilhelmi gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He belongs to the Missouri Beta Chapter of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon and he also has membership in the Sunset Hill Country Club and the Triple A Golf Club. He finds his diversion and recreation in outdoor sports, greatly enjoying swimming, boating, tennis and golf.