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Biographies
(Transcribed by Sharon Wick)
 Source:
A Portrait and Biographical Record of
Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio
Containing Biographical Sketches of Many Prominent and
Representative Citizens,
together with Biographies and Portraits of all the
Presidents of the United States
and Biographies of the Governors of Ohio
CHICAGO: A. W. BOWEN & CO.
1896
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HENRY GOECKE, the subject
of our memoir, was born July 18, 1851.
JOHN B. GOECKE his father, was born in Germany, May
29, 1826. At an early age he came to America with his
parents, landing in the city of Baltimore in 1835, coming
thence direct to Auglaize county, Ohio, where he located.
At the age of fifteen years he began to learn the
carpenter's trade with Mr. Dickerman at Minster,
which he completed, becoming, also, a expert wood carver.
He bought fifty acres of land where the town of Saint John
is now located. In November, 1849, he was married to
Miss Mary Asman, a native of Germany; to them were
born the following children: Henry, our
subject; Elizabeth, married; Katherine,
unmarried; Agnes, married; Annie, unmarried;
John, deceased; one that died in infancy; Rosa,
unmarried; John, married, and Joseph,
unmarried.
John B. Goecke, was a reliable democrat in
politics, and a member of Saint John's Catholic church.
He was successful as a carpenter, and made the original
altar for Saint John's church, at Saint John, and that for
Saint Mary's church at Casella, and left his family in good
circumstances, notwithstanding that, in 1850, his new
two-story dwelling, with all its contents, was destroyed by
fire, with no insurance, and that he had been a very liberal
and charitable man. He died in 1885. His wife is
still living on the old homestead, a good and consistent
member of Saint John's Catholic church.
Henry Goecke, the immediate subject of this
memoir, was born in Marion township, Mercer county, Ohio.
At an early age he learned the carpenter trade, at which he
was uniformly successful. In the year 1883 he began
business at Saint John as a dealer in furniture and as a
undertaker. On May 16, 1876, he was married to Miss
Katie Pulskamp, and the following children have been
born to them: John H., born June 20, 1877, died July
18, 1878; Justina, born May 19, 1879; Edward,
born June 1, 1881; Herman F., born Mar. 23, 1883;
Agnes M., born July 16, 1885, died Apr. 15, 1888;
Albert J. B., born Oct. 7, 1881, died June 26, 1888;
Clara A., born Apr. 1, 1889; Anna M. F., born
Oct. 24, 1891; Martina B., born Feb. 1, 1894, died
June 18, 1894; Hildegard, born Nov. 8, 1895.
Mr. Goecke owns a farm of twelve acres, besides
a brick-yard in full operation. He furnished the brick
for Saint John's church, and also for the convent. He
has held the office of township treasurer for about twelve
years; he is also treasurer of Saint John's church, and also
for the convent. He has held the office of township
treasurer for about twelve years; he is also treasurer of
Saint John's Catholic church, of which he is a devout
member, and is held in high esteem by his friends and
neighbors.
Katherine Pulskamp, the wife
of our subject, was born Sept. 10, 1855.
Herman
Pulskamp, her father, was born July 25, 1830, in
Matzen, Germany. He was reared on a farm, and when
fifteen years of age came with his father's family to
America, landing in the city of New York. From this
city he went to Saint Peter's, Ind., and in 1848 moved to
Cincinnati, Ohio, when he learned the wagon making trade.
He was married in that city, in 1852, to Miss Mary
Schaffer, a native of Germany, and a devout member of
the Catholic church. To this union were born the
following children: Katie, wife of our subject;
Herman, married; John B., married; Bernard,
married; George Edward; Mary, Louie, Josa, and
Frederick, the last four deceased. On July 1,
1886, his wife entered into rest. Two years later, in
1888, he again married, taking as his wife Miss Mary A.
Frey, a native of Germany, and a devout member of Saint
Mary's Catholic church. In political affiliation
Mr. Pulskamp is a democrat, in religion he professes the
Catholic faith, and is a faithful member of Saint John's
church. He came from Cincinnati to Saint John in 1861,
where he still continues plying his trade industriously.
He has filled the office of justice of the peace for several
terms, and also that of township clerk. In 1875 he was
elected county treasurer, and in 1876 removed to Celina to
take charge of his office. In 1882 he was chosen as
probate judge, and again chosen for a second term. He
has also served as school director, and as councilman.
His education as acquired in the schools of Cincinnati.
Aug. 21, 1891, at Celina, he was gathered to his fathers, in
the sixty-first year of his age, full of honors, mourned by
his family, and greatly respected by his neighbors.
Katherine Pulskamp resided with her parents
until her marriage with Mr. Goecke; she is a devout
member of Saint John's church.
Source:
A Portrait & Biographical Record of Mercer and Van Wert
Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. - 1896 -
Page 290 |
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J. B. GOECKE,
the subject of this memoir, was born June 12, 1858, in Saint
John, Marion township, Mercer county, Ohio, was reared on a
farm, and experienced the usual vicissitudes of a pioneer
farmer's boy; he was sent to the district school upon
arriving at the proper age, for a limited period during the
winter months, and acquired a fairly good common-school
education. During the spring and summer months he, of
course, assisted in the labors of the farm and continued to
work for his father until the age of thirty-five years.
In 1885 he undertook the management of the tile yard of his
mother, with eminently satisfactory results, for some eight
years. In the year of 1893, while a resident of Saint
John, he learned the shoemaker's trade, and is now carrying
on the boot and shoe business in Saint John, and is the only
cobbler in the place, and by his fair dealing, and genial
manner, has made a success in this line. He is now the
owner of considerable real-estate, including three dwellings
in Saint John. Nov. 29, 1882, he was married to
Miss Annie Vehorn, and to this union have been born the
following-named children: Freddie, born in 1884;
Julian, born in 1886; Elenore, born in 1887;
Rosina, born in 1888, deceased; Jane, born in
1891; Leah, died in infancy, and Vincent, born
in 1895. Religiously, Mr. Goecke is a devout
member of Saint John Catholic church and politically is a
stanch democrat. Mrs. Goecke is also a faithful
member of Saint John's Catholic church.
Annie Vehorn, the wife of Mr. Goecke, was
born in Marion township, Feb. 7, 1864, and lived with her
parents on the home place until her marriage.
Barney Vehorn, her father, was born in Saint John in the
year 1840, and reared on his father's farm of 100 acres; he
lived and labored thereon until his marriage to Miss
Lizzie Bercke, who was born in Marion township. To
this couple was born the following children; Annie,
wife of our subject; John, Mary, Christine, and
Rosa, all married; Philomena; Ennice;
Ferdinand; George, died in infancy; and Edward,
who also died in infancy. Barney Vehorn is
still a resident of Saint John, a liberal-hearted citizen
respected by all, and a consistent member of Saint John's
Catholic church, of which his wife was also a devout member.
Source:
A Portrait & Biographical Record of Mercer and Van Wert
Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. - 1896 -
Page 291 |
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FREDERICK GREEN
Source:
A Portrait & Biographical Record of Mercer and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W.
Bowen & Co. - 1896 - Page 280 |
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ANTON B. GROTHJAN, senior member of the firm of
Grothjan & Hein, Celina, blacksmiths, wagon
manufacturers and dealers in buggies and carriages, was born
in Minster, Auglaize county, O., Sept. 12, 1859. His
parents were
John and Agnes Grothjans both of whom were natives of
Osnabruck, Germany, and came to the United States about
1845. They at first located at Saint Louis, Mo. and
after spending some time in that city removed to Minster.
Here Mr. JOHN GROTHJAN helped
to construct the old Miami canal, by which he earned
sufficient money to purchase a farm of sixty acres, upon
which he began farming and followed that occupation the rest
of his life. He died in 1875 in his seventy-second
year, and his widow, who still survives, is in her
seventy-ninth year. Both were members of the Catholic
church, and were the parents of ten children, four of whom
still live, as follows: John, of Shelby county,
Ohio; Caroline, widow of Joseph Housfeld, of
Minster, Ohio; Barney, of Minster, and Anton B.,
the subject of this sketch.
Anton B. Grothjan was reared on his father's
farm and received his education in the district schools, in
both English and German. When sixteen years of age he
began an apprenticeship to the blacksmith trade at Minster,
and served three years. After finishing his
apprenticeship he still remained at Minster one year, and in
1879 removed to Celina and entered the employ of William
Cron, with whom he remained two years and a half.
For some time after this he worked for Barney Grieve,
but soon returned to Mr. Cron, with whom he remained
until 1886, when he went into business for himself.
When retiring this time from the employment of Mr. Cron
he had been with him altogether seven years and ten months,
and had acquired great skill at his trade in all its
departments, and a full knowledge of the business.
Upon establishing himself in business he formed a
partnership with John Hein, and they began where they
are still located, on Main street, two doors north of the
city hall. They own the buildings in which their
business is carried on, and the ground on which they stand.
These buildings consist of a frame shop 28x50 feet in size,
and a two-story brick building forty feet square, in the
rear of the frame. The front shop is used for the
blacksmithing department, while the two story brick in the
rear is utilized for the wood working and painting
departments, and as a repository for buggies and carriages.
The business of this firm is on a substantial foundation and
is honestly and fairly conducted, by which means they have
gained the confidence of the surrounding community to a
remarkable degree. Honest work and honest dealing must
in the nature of things make business friends.
Mr. Grothjan was married Feb. 1, 1883, to
Miss Rosa Leifeld, who was born at St. Henry's, Mercer
county, Ohio. To their marriage there have been born
five children, as follows: Agnes, Jerome, Eulalie,
Lucile and Harold. Mr. Grothjan is a member
of the German Aid society, and he and his family are members
of Saint Mary's Roman Catholic church.
Source: A Portrait & Biographical Record of
Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W.
Bowen & Co. - 1896 - Page 293 |
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HENRY LEWIS GROVE, a prominent and progressive
farmer of Black Creek township, Mercer county, Ohio, was
born in Washington county, Md., Aug. 7, 1837. He is a
son of
HENRY & Margaret (Spickler)
Grove, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania,
Sept. 13, 1807, his father, John, being also a native
of Pennsylvania and of Holland descent.
John Grove was a wealthy land owner of Washington
county, Md., and married Barbara Fultz, of Frederick
county, Md., but of German descent. To John and
Barbara Grove there were born seven children, Henry
the father of the subject of this sketch, being the first
born. He was a very prominent man in his county, was
highly regarded as a man and was a Mennonite in religion.
HENRY GROVE was brought up in his
father's farm, was educated in German in Maryland, and
married in 1834 Margaret Spickler, a daughter of
Frederick and Mary (Bergener) Spickler, the parents of
the former of whom came from Switzerland in 1817, and
settled in Bucks county, Pa., where Frederick was
born. His great-grandfather on his mother's side was
scalped by Indians, and her father also met with the same
cruel fate. Henry Grove and his wife,
Margaret, were the parents of the following children:
Martin, a carpenter and traveler, now living in Iowa;
Henry Lewis, the subject of this sketch; Samuel,
deceased; Mary, wife of Enoch Thomas, a
farmer, carpenter and justice of the peace of Noble county,
Ind.; John, a farmer of Black Creek township, Mercer
county, Ohio, and Margaret, deceased. The
mother of these children was born in Bucks county, Pa., was
educated in the German language, and by her own efforts
acquired a knowledge of the English language. She was
an unusually intelligent woman, was much respected, was a
Lutheran in religion, and died Dec. 8, 1878, nearly
seventy-two years of age.
After their marriage Henry Grove and his wife
lived in Maryland until 1843, when they removed to Knox
county, Ohio, where he worked at his trade, that of
carpenter, and also on a farm. In 1865 he removed his
family of Mercer county, where two years before he had
purchased seventy-five acres of land that was entirely
covered with timber and of course wholly unimproved.
Upon this farm he passed the remainder of his life, clearing
and improving the land and building such structures thereon
as were needed to protect his family and his stock from the
elements, and dying Mar. 9, 1879. In religious faith
he was a member of the Lutheran church, in politics a
democrat, and took an active and prominent part in political
affairs. He held the office of township trustee four
terms, and such other offices as he was willing to fill.
Henry Lewis Grove was reared
on the farm, and was educated in the Knox county common
schools, and later in the high school of Frederickstown.
In 1861 he began teaching school in Morrow county, and
afterward taught twenty-two terms in Black Creek township,
Mercer county, twelve of which terms were in one district,
and in the meantime was carrying on his farming operations.
He was married May 7, 1878, to Mary Ann Allison, who
was born in Perry county, Ohio, July 8, 1846, a daughter of
John F. and Emily Jane (Thorpe) Allison. To this
marriage there were born seven children as follows:
Anthony, deceased; Hulda, born Apr. 16, 1881;
Clara, born Jan. 28, 1883; Mary Elizabeth,
born Apr. 1, 1886; Margaret Arabelle, born
Nov. 18, 1888; Henry Byron, born Feb. 2, 1890;
and John Frank, born May 4, 1894. After
his marriage Mr. Grove settled on his present
farm, and has lived there ever since. Beside carrying
on his farming operations, he has taught school, and is one
of the most successful teachers, as well as one of the most
progressive farmers, in the county. Politically he is
a democrat, and has held the office of township trustee, but
is not in any sense of the word, an office-seeker. He
is at present a member of the Christian church, and is
superintendent of the Sunday school, having held that
position for many yeas. In him the church has a strong
friend and an active supporter, he being always ready to aid
in any manner or in any thing whatever that may need
assistance.
JOHN F. ALLISON, father of
Mrs. Grove, was born, in 1816, in Pennsylvania.
His father was Thomas Allison, a native of
Pennsylvania and of Germany ancestry. He was a farmer
by occupation, and married Mary Ann House, by whom he
became the father of twelve children, John F. being
the second in order of birth. John F. Allison
was reared on a farm, was well educated, and for several
years worked at the shoemaker's trade. He also for
several years kept a saloon. He removed in his boyhood
days with his parents to Perry county, Ohio, where he
married Emily Jane Thorpe, daughter of James
Reuben and Sarah (Peach) Thorpe. To this marriage
there were born eleven children, as follows: Nelson,
deceased; Sarah Ellen; Cornell, deceased; Mary
Ann; James Reuben, a farmer of Black Creek township;
Willis Albert, a farmer of Black Creek township;
Benjamin Franklin, of Black Creek township; Charles,
deceased; Thomas, deceased; John, deceased;
and Mina, wife of Daniel Woollet, of Black
Creek township. Sarah Thorpe, the wife of
James Reuben Thorpe, was born in Perry county, Ohio, in
the year 1826.
After his marriage John F. Allison located and
lived for some years in Perry county, and in 1849 removed to
Mercer county. Here he entered eighty acres of
government land, which he cleared and improved, and to which
he added eighty fertile acres more. To this latter
eighty-acre tract he moved his family and lived upon it
until his death. Early in his life he was a member of
the Baptist church, but later he united with the United
Brethren church. He was always prominent in his
church, and was for a time class-leader and steward.
His wife was also a member of this church, and was in every
way an excellent woman. She died in March, 1874.
Mr. Allison was a democrat in his political belief,
and, like his father, who served in the war of 1812, was
always a man of strong love of country. He was a very
industrious man, and by his own careful management
accumulated a comfortable property. He was a man
liberal in his views and charitable in disposition.
His death occurred in August, 1877. Mr. Grove
was educated in the public schools of Mercer county, and
took care of her parents during the later years of their
lives. It may be said, also, that she reared three of
the younger children. She is a member of the United
Brethren church, and is a true, good and affectionate wife
and mother.
Source: A Portrait & Biographical Record of
Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W.
Bowen & Co. - 1896 - Page 294 |
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ALBERT GULDE, a prominent merchant of Saint
Henry, Mercer county, Ohio, was born in Germany, Apr. 3,
1834, and is a son of Anton and Elizabeth (Fles) Gulde.
Anton Gulde was born in the same place in 1796, was
reared and educated there, and became a maker of fine
furniture. He married Elizabeth Fles, who was
born in 1795, and by her had had nine children, as follows:
Fiedel, a farmer of Germany; a farmer of Germany;
Frances, deceased wife of Martin Hauck, a farmer
of Germany;
Helen, deceased wife of Fritz Ott; Sophia,
deceased; Franz deceased; Anna, deceased;
George, deceased; Albert, the subject of this
sketch; and Magdalena, deceased. Anton Gulde
was a wealthy land owner, his property descending to his
eldest son of accordance with a law of Germany, which also
prevailed in many European countries, which also prevailed
in many European countries, but no trace of which was found
in Roman law. He died in 1848, a member of the
Catholic church. His wife died, when the subject of
this sketch was six years old, in 1840.
Albert Gulde was reared on a farm by an elder
sister, was educated in Germany, but acquired a good
knowledge of the English language after he left the schools
in Germany. When he was fourteen years old he began
working for his living, learning the shoemaker's trade, and
having completed his apprenticeship in two yeas, then went
to Switzerland, where he worked at his trade during the
years 1849 and 1850. Then, on account of a law having
been passed in Germany, which provided that any German who
remained in Switzerland should forfeit all his property in
Germany, he returned to his native country in November,
1851, and located on the line between Wurtemberg and
Bavaria, in the town of Leikisch, where he remained two
months, and then, being out of work, he made a tour all
through the northern part of Germany, passing through many
of the most important cities and towns, in search of work,
traveling on foot. Among the cities and towns visited
in this way were the following: Ulm, Stuttgart,
Heilbrun, Heidelberg, Mannheim, Frankfort-on-the Main,
Coblenz, Hamburg, Mecklenburg, and North Hauser, in which
latter place he worked seven years, or until he came to the
United States. Going to Bremen in September, 1858, he
there embarked for this country on the Bremen, a vessel
commanded by Capt. Weisel, and made the voyage across
the ocean in thirteen days - a remarkably quick trip for
that day. Landing in New York, he remained there three
days, and went thence to Philadelphia, where he worked at
his trade two years. Then, passing through Cincinnati
and St. Louis, he went to New Orleans where he worked until
after the fall of Fort Sumter. The Confederates then
tried to draft him into the rebel army; but, being unwilling
to served in the Confederate cause, he left New Orleans the
same evening they tried to draft him, and came up the river
to Cincinnati, where he worked at his trade until the
following September, on the 15th of which month he enlisted
in the Seventeenth Missouri volunteer infantry, and joined
his regiment at Saint Louis. Thence he went to
Sedalia, his first battle being that of Pea Ridge. He was
also in the battle on the Little Red River, another at
Cotton Plant, going from there to Fort Jackson and Helena.
His regiment was in the siege of Vicksburg, but he was then
sick in the hospital at Mound City, whence he went to
Memphis, where he joined his regiment. Going then to
Corinth and to Chickasaw station, he was afterward in the
following engagements: Lookout Mountain, Missionary
Ridge, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, the battle of Atlanta, and
at Jonesboro. Here he received orders to go to Saint
Louis, and he was there discharged, having seen three years'
hard service in the army of his country. He was a
sharpshooter six months, and during this time he slightly
wounded Resaca, Ga., but other wise he was not injured,
neither was he ever taken prisoner, nor sick in hospital,
except for about three months.
Having been discharged from the army, in September,
1864, Mr. Gulde returned to Ohio and worked at his
trade in Cincinnati about six years. On September 20,
1865, he married Sophia Slusser, who was born in
Carthagena and who is a daughter of Frank Anton and
Dorothea Slusser. To this marriage there were born
ten children, of whom three grew to maturity, as follows:
Sophia, deceased wife of J. J. Roemer; Josie,
living at home, and Adelaide. The mother of
these children died in 1885, after which Mr. Gulde
lived a widower seven years.
In 1870 Mr. Gulde went to Covington, Ky., where
he started a notion store and also worked at his trade.
In 187 he went to Carrollton, Ky., bought a house and lot,
and there opened a notion and dry-goods store, remaining
there engaged in business twelve years. In 1884, on
account of ill health, he left Kentucky, located at Saint
Henry, Mercer county, Ohio, bought his present place, and
embarked in the general merchandise business, and has ever
since been profitably engaged therein.
Sept. 7, 1892, he was married to Mrs. Frances Murtz
neé Schroeder,
who had one daughter, Katie. Mrs. Murtz was
born in Saint John's, Oct. 22, 1862, and was reared in
Sebastian. She is a daughter of Frederick and Katie
Schroeder. To this marriage of the subject there
has been born one child, Otto. Politically
Mr. Gulde is a democrat, and while living in Carrollton,
Ky., served as a member of the board of education; and, as a
Catholic, as trustee of his church. He has always been
a hard-working, industrious man, and has enjoyed the
confidence of his fellow-citizens to a remarkable degree.
Since residing at Saint Henry Mr. Gulde has been a
member of the board of education.
Source: A Portrait & Biographical Record of
Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W.
Bowen & Co. - 1896 - Page 296 |
NOTES:
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