Groh, Peter

Other Events:

• Immigration: 11 May 1855, New York, New York, New York, USA; on the ship Agnes from Bremen
• Military Service: Between 17 Apr 1861 and 21 Aug 1861; Civil War, Company G, 1st Wisconsin Infantry
• 1863 Civil War Registration: 1863
• 1870 Census: 1870, Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA
• 1880 Census: 1880, Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA
• 1900 Census: 1900, Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA

Notes:

Other Info or Events:
Children;

Anton Groh
Son
Jul 1864 in Town Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
21 Apr 1917 in Town Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Peter Joseph Groh
Son
20 Jan 1866 in Town Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
3 Apr 1885 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin

William Willie Cornelius Groh
Son
5 Jan 1868 in Meeme, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States of America
20 Jul 1928 in St. Nazianz, Eaton Township, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Louisa Louise Groh
Daughter
2 Jul 1871 in Town Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
3 Oct 1948 in Town Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Anna Groh
Daughter
1 Jan 1875 in Town Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
28 Apr 1882 in Town Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Margaret "Maggie" Groh
Daughter
22 Jan 1877 in Town Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
23 Dec 1951 in Town Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin

Andrew Groh
Son
24 Mar 1880 in St Nazianz, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA
21 Jun 1942 in St Nazianz, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA

Frank Bernard Groh
Son
02 Nov 1882 in Town Meeme, Manitowoc, Wisconsin
30 May 1973 in Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, United States of America

Biography:
Peter Groh and The Civil War written by his son Frank Groh
PETER GROH AND THE CIVIL WAR As written by Frank Groh, his son.My father, Peter Groh, came to America from Germany in 1857 on a sail ship. He landed in New York City after a two month trip across the Atlantic . He went directly to Meeme, which is a township in Manitowoc County . He stayed a few days with some distant relative by the name of Michael Herr, who operated a hotel, general store, saloon and post office on the Green Bay Road. This was one of the roadside stopping places for travelers from Milwaukee to Green Bay. There was no railroad that far north.Sh ortly after my father's arrival, he and another friend set out to find work as hired hands on a farm. They started south on foot and found work on a farm near the Illinois border. Douglas Fowler, the land owner, a very prominent man in his community, had 1,000 acres of prairie land. Mr. Fowler was a Connecticut Yankee, who left that state because of worn out soil due to lack of crop rotation. All the work having to do with the raising of grain and sheep, which were the mainstays of the farm, were done by hand. He sponsored the first Burlington Railroad, but failed in his first attempt. The household was carried on in an early American style. All the men had to wash up in an anti-room, change shoes, and wear a coat at the dinner table. The man of the house had to care for carbing the meat. If Mr. Fowler was out for the day, which happened quite frequently, one of the hired men had to take his place. This my father did quite often.Th e Fowlers had a large library which the hired hands had access to on Sundays. My father made good use of these books and tried to teach himself the English language. In the summer he would take the books and sit under a shade tree and study. He did very well in learning the English language. The Fowler family also had a piano which was very scarce in those days. This also helped the hired men to pass many lonely hours on the farm.A diary was kept of all the work that was done each day. The men had to report their work completed to Mrs. Fowler every evening. The monthly pay to each man was $12.00. For this they put in many long and hard hours.In 1860 a depression set in due to the recent invention of the reaper, and the men's pay was cut. Of course, this the men did not like. My father and his friend quit their job and decided to go to Minnesota . They had heard that there was plenty work and better pay there. They set out on foot and traveled along the highway, but they were soon disillusioned. The farther they got, the worse things got. Many other men had the same idea as they did, but they were all fooled. They had no choice but to joint the knights of the road -- beg, steal eggs which they found in fence corners, break into school houses, make a meal and stay for the night, and move on the next day. The beggars or Knights of the Road got so bad that the farmers had to sit on their front porches with their shot guns to keep them away. They finally decided to get on a barge and go down the Mississippi River. They landed in East St. Louis, where they found work splitting hickory logs for axe handles, etc. This proved a failure as the wood was so hard to split and they were paid piece-meal. They decided to quit this job because of the poor pay and the fact that the boss was very abusive and drunk most of the time. He was always boasting about the two barrels of 15 cent whiskey a gallon he had in his cellar. (This was a very good grade at that time.)At this time the war rumors were going strong and the government called for volunteers. My father and friend came back to Wisconsin , where they were among the first men to enlist. The enlistment was for three months as the slogan was "We'll eat up the South for breakfast". They took their basic training such as it was, at Milwaukee . Before their swearing in, they were given one more chance to back out, but my father was determined to go through with his decision. The army was poorly organized in the beginning, which caused a lot of hardships. Their Commanding officer was Colonel Starkweather, who later became General Starkweather. The army was not equipped with cooking facilities so the meals were catered. Each soldier had to keep his own utensils clean. Many of the boys just took a piece of bread and wiped them out and threw the bread under the table. The officer in charge severely reprimanded the men for this abuse and reminded them that when they get into real action they would be glad to have this bread. Their main gripe was that they wanted better conditions. The training was of short duration, and after six weeks they were ready to move into action. A great sendoff was given in each large city such as Racine , Chicago , Cleveland , etc. When they arrived at Harpers Ferry, they crossed the Potomac River by foot. Here they had their first battle - the Battle of Falling Waters. They lost two men in the skirmish. Due to poor organization, the army ran out of food and supplies. They were told not to drink the water because it was poisoned. Many of the boys went into cornfields and ate corn stalks. How they wished for the bread that they had thrown under the tables in Milwaukee . Finally the food did arrive, but it was partly spoiled and full of worms. My father's friend was a butcher by trade, so the boys went out at night and killed some cattle so they would not starve and have something to eat.My father often recalled that guard duty at night in the South was very spooky due to the night noises from the swamps and low lands. Shortly after the battle of Falling Waters, they were called into the Battle of Bull Run. By the time they got there, they were no longer needed.I might mention that they had a mascot, an American Bald Eagle, who was with the outfit all through the war. He would fly high during the battle and would always come back again when all was quiet. He was hit several times but never seriously. After the war he was cared for at Madison . After he died he was mounted and placed in the Capitol Building , but when the fire destroyed the Capitol, he was burned so badly that now only a few feathers remain.S oon their three month enlistment ended and my father received his discharge. He did not care to re-enlist as he was very sick with malaria. He returned to his former boss, Douglas Fowler, who welcomed him with open arms as laborers had become very scarce. Many of the working men had hired themselves out as substitutes for the army at from $300.00 to $600.00. My father suffered very much from malaria and was unable to work very steady. Mrs. Fowler, a very sympathetic woman, was told by a neighbor lady about a "wonder" prescription that would help my father. He took just one dose of the drug (which was probably quinine) and it made him better. He never again had another attack of malaria. Now he was feeling so much better. He decided to return to Meeme and there he married my mother. I think he knew her from Germany , as her name was Anna Herr - some distant relative to the people he stayed with when he first came to the United States. As the record has it, they were married in a log church which was built in 1863. They were the first couple to be married in that church. The date recorded is February 17, 1863. He bought 80 acres of land which was nearly all woods, a little log house and an old barn for $800.00. He had very little cash, so he had to borrow most of the money. At this time interest rates were 8%. They bought a few household items and set up housekeeping. When they were married, my mother's mother and her sister came to live with them. It was a rough start because everything was so expensive. They bought a few little pigs which ran loose around their place. In fall the family got fat eating beechnuts and acorns. For a whole year they were without milk. They made a drink out of roasted acorns, barley and rye, but it was a poor coffee substitute. They lived mostly on soups and vegetables. They had only a few acres of land cleared where they sowed some rye and what for bread.No w they started to clear the land and chop down the trees. They made big piles and burned the logs. They kept the fire going day and night, which meant getting up during the night, rolling the logs together and stirring the fire. Wood had little value, although some people had horses or oxen would haul the wood to a pier, which was about eight miles away, on the shores of Lake Michigan. This wood was picked up by steamships for firing their engines. The war began to get very serious and all able-bodied men were being drafted, even the ones that had already served their time. My father and a friend tried to evade this draft. They made up their minds to leave home. My father left my mother and the rest of the family and started out for the Northern Woods. In order to avoid being noticed, they would travel by night. They went as far as the lake and then followed the shore line, but that almost became a tragedy. As they were walking along the shore, a sudden storm arose and nearly swept them into the lake. They scrambled up the bank, but were all soaked, which did not feel very good, as it was December and late at night. As luck had it, they saw a light in a little shanty and headed for that. The occupants were some French people and they were very kind to them. They stayed for the night and the next morning they were sent further into the woods where they found work in a lumber camp. My father often told how the drivers of the wagons were so cruel to the animals. In a short time, they had two yoke of oxen worked to death. The drivers would use poles with a spear at the end and poke them until they would bellow. The dead oxen would be hauled into the woods for the wolves to have a feast over. On these nights the wolves would be heard howling all night.De tectives would come into the camp and look for the draft evaders, but the foreman would always cover for my father and tell the detectives that only French Canadian people were working there. It seems that they were not as thorough as they should have been. When spring came, logging ceased and log rolling started. The logs were floated down the river to the various saw mills. This ended their job, so they started for home.On their return home they found only old men and women around. All able bodied men were gone to war. My father felt uneasy the first few days. He decided to put on my mother's clothes and work around the farm. One day when he was repairing a fence, the neighbor saw him and came to talk to him. Naturally he was very embarrassed, so he explained his plight to his neighbor, who promised not to say a word. My father did not feel very much at ease after this incident and so a few days later he left home again. He packed a few clothes in a gunny sack and hit the road with no destination in mind. He just kept walking and when he was near Chicago he heard some shooting. When he inquired as to what it was all about, he was told that Richmond had surrendered. He returned to his home and faced some more hard times as prices went way out of line. My parents worked together and saved and survived it all.Late r I learned that General Starkweather, my father's commanding officer bought land near Fowler Lake , where he operated a stock farm. The lake was named after my father's first boss, Douglas Fowler.

Immigration:
Name:Peter Groh
Arrival Date:11 May 1855
Birth Date:abt 1836
Age:19
Gender:Male
Ethnicity/ Nationality:Bavarian (German)
Place of Origin:Bavaria
Port of Departure:Bremen, Germany
Destination:Wisconsin
Port of Arrival:New York, New York
Ship Name:Agnes

Military Service:
Name:Peter Groh
Side:Union
Regiment State/Origin:Wisconsin
Regiment Name:1 Wisconsin Infantry
Regiment Name Expanded:1st Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry
Company:G
Rank In:Private
Rank In Expanded:Private
Rank Out:Private
Rank Out Expanded:Private
Film Number:M559 roll 11

Name:Peter Groh
Residence:Wisconsin
Enlistment Date:17 Apr 1861
Rank at enlistment:Private
State Served:Wisconsin
Survived the War?:Yes
Service Record:Enlisted in Company G, Wisconsin 1st Infantry Regiment on 17 Apr 1861.Mustered out on 21 Aug 1861 at Milwaukee, WI.
Sources:Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers: War of the Rebellion

1863 Civil War Registration:
Name:Peter Groh
Residence:Meeme, Wisconsin
Class:1
Congressional District:5th
Age on 1 July 1863:24
Estimated Birth Year:abt 1839
Race:White
Marital Status:Married
Place of Birth:Germany

1870 Census:
Peter Groh34
Anna Groh25
Anton Groh6
Joseph Groh5
William Groh1
Margrete Herr46
Adam Herr23
Mary Herr16

1880 Census:
Peter Groh44
Anna Groh35
Anton Groh15
Joseph Groh14
Willie Groh11
Louisa Groh8
Anna Groh5
Maggie Groh3
Andrew Groh3m
Margaretta Herr58

1900 Census:
Anton Groh35
Anna Groh31
Anna L Groh6
Peter Groh64
Frank Groh17
Maggie Groh23
Margereta Herr76

Peter — Herr, Anna. Anna was born 1 Jan 1845, Alzenau, , Bayern, Germany; died 28 Mar 1893, St. Nazianz, Manitowoc, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1920 Census: 1920, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
• 1930 Census: 1930, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
• 1940 Census: 1940, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
• Biography: Aft 30 May 1973

Notes:

1920 Census:
Frank Groh 37
Mamie Groh 28
Helen Marie Groh 5
Jerome Groh 4
Monica Groh 2

1930 Census:
Frank Groh 47
Marnie Groh 38
Helen M Groh 16
Monica Groh 12
Ronould Groh 8
Anthony Groh 6
James Groh 5
Dorothy Groh 0

1940 Census:
Frank B Groh57
Mary Groh48
Helen Marie Groh26
Monica F Groh22
Romuald P Groh18
Anthony J Groh16
James A Groh14
Dorothy M Groh12

Biography:
IN MEMORIAM June 1, 1973 - by Father Ephraim Hertel, O.F.M. Devoted and loving wife and mother, Mamie, loyal sons and daughters, in-laws and grandchildren, other relatives and friends of the deceased, Frank Groh. I extend to you my deepest sympathy in the great loss you have sustained in having to give up one most dear to you, 'one who loved you and enjoyed being with you, and whom I know you loved and enjoyed having with you. I feel with you the pain and grief that you must have. That is the meaning of the word "sympathy." I feel with you, and I join you in your prayers for the repose of his soul. For, as Christians, we have assembled this morning to pray for, and pay our last respects to, an esteemed old gentlemen, who reached the ripe old age of ninety, active and interested, and interesting to the end. But, as Christians, we will not yield to grief like the others who have no hope, as we read in one of St. Paul's letters. We do have hope, more than hope; we have the definite assurance of Jesus Himself; we find it in the Gospel of St. John, read to you yesterday evening: "I go to prepare a place for you," Jesus said. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again, and I will take you to Myself; that where I am, there also you may be." Jesus has come to take Frank to Himself. When I came to Appleton three years ago, I did not come into a strange land, with all strange faces. One couple in particular knew me well from way, way back on the farm. Frank and Mamie Groh originated from the same area as my parents, the town of Meeme, Spring Valley, St. Nazianz, School Hill. They were about the same age, and good friends of my parents, and often visited us on the farm. Frank usually reminded me of this when we got into conversation, and for me it was a nice thing to be reminded of. It showed that my parents had good taste in choosing their friends. Frank was a man of many parts and talents and accomplishments. But, to me, what was most outstanding was that he was a deeply religious man; he took God seriously. He wrote in his "memories" that when he became engaged, the first thing he did was to kneel down and pray that he would be a good husband, It reminds me of the Bible story of Tobias, who prayed thus with his wife, Sara, on their wedding night: Blessed are you, 0 God of our fathers; praised be your name forever and ever. Let the heavens and all creation praise you forever. You made Adam and you gave him his wife, Eve, to be his help and support; and from these two the human race descended. You said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. Let us make him a partner like himself.' Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine, not because of lust, but for a noble purpose. Call down your mercy on me and on her and allow us to live together to a happy old age. They said together, "Amen, Amen," and went to bed for the night. And I read in his "memories" that this man and his wife went to Mass daily for forty years, until he was no longer able to drive a car. Who can beat that record? Occasionally, in the past few years he was weak or ill, and couldn't even come on Sundays. But, as soon as he was half - recovered, he was back here again to be with his God and Maker. He was here last Sunday. I remember distinctly seeing him in this front pew. And at Communion time I gave him his 'last Communion, his last Sacrament; neither he nor I knew it then. And there are the spiritual angles he pursued: in the Knights of Columbus, the Monte Alverno Retreat House, the Holy Name Society, the St. Joseph Cemetery Association. At all times he kept his feet on the ground, with his eyes focused on heaven. What a tremendous model for our admiration and imitation: a bumble man, a practical and hardworking man, a holy man. He was good to his wife and children and friends, good to his God, good to his parish, good to all of us. He could say, as did Jesus of Himself, as related in the Gospel of St. John 13,15: "I have given you an example, that as I have done, so you also should do." And for our own edification and meditation, allow me to quote these thoughts from the former interment service: "0 God, great and omnipotent judge of the living and the dead, before Whom we are all to appear after this short life, to' 'render an account of our works, let our hearts, we pray You,' be deeply moved at this sight of death. And while we consign the body of the deceased to the earth, let us be mindful of our own frailty and mortality, that walking in your fear, and in the ways f your commandments, we may, after our departure from this world, also experience a merciful judgment, and rejoice in everlasting happiness." And this final prayer: "Grant, 0 Lord, we pray you, that while we regret the departure of our brother, your servant, out of this life, we may bear in mind that we are most certainly to follow him. Give us the grace to make ready for that last hour by a devout and holy life. Teach us how to watch and pray, that when Your summons comes, we may go forth fearlessly to meet the Bridegroom, and enter with Him into life everlasting. Through Christ our Lord. Amen."

THE MEMORIES OF F. B. GROH
First of all, I want to thank God for a colorful life with its joys and sorrows, successes and failures, and with constant prayers I have withstood all of it.I was born November 2, 1882, in the Town of Meeme, Manitowoc County, in a home that was fifteen years old at the time. My father showed me a number of times where the big pine tree stood, which he cut down to furnish all the lumber needed to build the house. The stump measured four feet in diameter. When I think of it now, the house had a nice open stairway and a fancy front door which was very seldom used. In those days, people would enter the kitchen first and later on were taken to the parlor. Our house was cold. We had neither storm windows nor insulation until later. In winter when we arose, we would find the water in the pail frozen. We had no fire during the night for fear the house would burn, so each night we took precautions to extinguish the fire. We had no mattresses, just bags filled with straw which were changed once a year with new cut straw at threshing time. In the winter we had feather beds to keep us warm.Now I will try to tell you - whoever reads this - what I know of my childhood. My earliest memory is when I was in a baby buggy in the garden with my mother, when she asked my sister Margaret to put me to bed and she said a short prayer in German.The English version is as follows: "I am tired. Let me go to sleep and please let fourteen angels go with me. Two at my head, Two at my feet, two at my right, two at my left, two to cover me, two to wake me, and two to guide me to Heavenly paradise."The next incident I recall was when I was three years old. My brother came home from the woods where he was cutting logs and was sick. Going through the kitchen door, he vomited and was terribly sick for several days but had no pain. He just couldn't keep anything in his stomach. A few days later my folks asked the neighbors to go and get a doctor for him. He got up and said he would like to go and see the horses which he loved so dearly. Returning, he went upstairs to his room and died immediately. All I remember is my dad taking my hand, leading me to the parlor where he was waked, but I do not remember any details of the funeral.Our family consisted of Anton, Joseph, William, Andrew, yours truly, Louisa, Annie, and Margaret. I never knew my sister Annie, who had already gone to the great beyond at the age of seven. The cause of her death was diphtheria.Andrew and I were pretty good pals. We would make a lot of noise at times. Grandma would say, "I wish you were in Heaven and I with you."Andrew and I made our own toys. We made wagon with rough tools, as we were not allowed to use any of the good tools. Our hammer was a stone, and nails we would gather from the ash piles. One Christmas we received a sled, but we had already made our own.We always found a way to play. During the summer at harvest time we hauled hay or grain which consisted of grass tied in bundles in our handmade wagon and we threshed on our own handmade outfit.Here, I would like to describe an incident about our dear old Grandma, who didn't have a cent to her name and who lived with us. She was going to visit her daughter, Aunt Mary Scharenbroeck, and asked Andrew and me to go along, as there was a cousin our age. It was only about a mile and a half away. A short cut made it only a mile, but it meant going up a steep hill. Well, when we got to the hill, I asked Grandma to give me a piggy-back ride up that steep hill. When I think of it, I feel ashamed because Grandma had a hunchback, but she did it. It was fall and going through the woods filled with beechnut, hickory, and butternut trees, you should have seen and heard the noise of the squirrels of all descriptions. It made you scared.When we reached the top, the view was breathtaking. Lake Michigan was in view as was the city of Sheboygan, which is twenty miles away - even Holy Name Church was plain to see.When we arrived at our cousin's house, we would go out to the back of their house, where there was a deep ravine. I would say, at least fifty to sixty feet deep and there we would play.At four o'clock, Grandma would tell our aunt to put on the coffee before it was time to go home. Our aunt would serve coffee, cookies, and bread with honey. We never had honey at home so this was a delicacy which tasted so good. These trips were repeated often but not always the way this trip was described.When my father married my mother, he took in Grandma and Aunt Scharenbroeck. My brother, William, would tell us how grandma would stand in a wash tub in the old log house and drive out the snakes with a broom.I will now try to give you a short resume of my school days. I started school at the age of five. The school was located about three quarters of a mile from home alongside a forest. We had a wooden trough where we would mold clay figures of birds, nests, etc. We would also soak beans in water and use toothpicks to make chairs, tables, etc. and we were taught the ABC's with some other subjects for the first year. I did get along well because I always like math. I received several prizes in spelling, since we had a spell down every Friday. Our education at the time consisted mostly of Reading, Grammar, History and Geography. If we were to write for a diploma, we would have to take up English Literature and I recall we studied "The Great Stone Face".Recreation at school was chiefly, baseball, "pump-pump, pull away" (which I would say is ground hockey) and "drop the handkerchief." The cut over woods was a fine hangout in the fall when the thorn apples and beechnuts were ripe. We would also dig Indian potatoes which was an intriguing past time because it was necessary to find a plant with white flowers and then very carefully follow the fine root to find the potato which was the size of a cherry. In the spring we would hunt for the beech-nut sprouts. They were delicious as were the new leaves from the trees. Our teachers were mostly female who came from Irish Meeme and I would say they were very good. We had one young teacher from Manitowoc who was only eighteen years old and we became very good friends. At the end of the school year, she gave me her pet canary, and that summer I received a letter from her from Denver in which she described a concert she had heard on one of Edison's first phonographs.At the age of nine, I had to go to the parochial school for three years, which I did not like as well because we had to walk three miles each way. In winter this was a real hardship because we seldom received a ride. Once when we received a ride, the couple gave us some candy which was a treat. While in the Catholic school we used to play in the old tumbledown log church. According to the church records, my parents were the first couple married in the log church on February 17, 1861.My going to the Catholic school was uneventful. At the age of eleven I was ready to make my First Holy Communion. This was against the wishes of the nun, but the priest said I was ready. There were eleven of us, three girls and eight boys, and we all had our dinner at Seikels. We were confirmed a few weeks later by Bishop Katzer at St. Wendel's Church. There is only one of my classmates living, but who is now all crippled with arthritis.At the age of thirteen I went back to the public school, which was more interesting. That year I took the job of building the fire in the school every morning arriving at eight o'clock. The stove was a big box stove which would get red hot to warm the room. My pay for the season was $5.00.Being close to the woods, many a squirrel came along the rail fence across the road so we always went after them and killed quite a few. Sometimes they would get under the Baptist Church which was in line with the fence. One did not get a chance to get away and was caught by a neighbor boy. The squirrel bit his thumb but he hung on to the squirrel while the other boys went to a neighbor, Ed Williams, to get a cage. We kept the squirrel in school until spring when, although it had become quite tame, it died.My brother, Andrew, and I went fishing a number of times during the summer at a mill pond, which was about a mile from our home. We were not always anxious to go because we never had any luck, but one time we found a new place and pulled out over forty sunfish, as we called them. Then we found another spot where we caught what we called a pickerel which weighed over two pounds. We were so happy we went right home and came back in the afternoon again and caught another.Butchering time was always a great event in late fall. Adam Stein was the butcher who went from home to home to do the killing and to make the sausages. He brought his sausage recipe from Germany, which is still used by the Brost Brothers, who are the great, great grandchildren and who still operate a busy market at School Hill.We were fascinated as we watched the cleaning of the casings for the sausage, head cheese and summer sausage. They did not have a grinder but used two cleavers and kept on chopping until the meat was fine enough to fill the casings which was done using a funnel and doing the stuffing by hand. Adam Stein had been my dad's companion in the Civil War and they would talk over old times, which we kids enjoyed.Christmas followed soon after the butchering. This was always a happy event. The presents were few, but we were used to that. There might be a new slate, pencil box, a red handkerchief, or a mouth organ. The tree was trimmed with stick candy and a few ornaments. There was a bag of mixed nuts. One year we got a sled.When we had enjoyed our gifts, my mother and dad would start rehearsing the Christmas songs, since they were good singers and always led the choir. Mass was always at five o'clock in the morning. It was so wonderful to get in the bob sleigh filled with straw and blankets and to hear those sleigh bells and look up at the starlit skies. After Mass mother would take us to the crib, which she had purchased at Silver Lake and of which she was very proud and I must say it was a pretty crib. At noon we would go to Aunt Scharenbrock's for dinner or they would come to our place.In 1887, my dad bought his first McCormick grain binder named after the inventor. It was exciting to see how the grain was cut and was moved up a little elevator where it was caught by two arms which compacted it into a bundle. When the bundle was the size it was set for, a cam would be tripped and it was tied and thrown out. It was a marvelous thing and we would follow the binder for a long time.Of course, after harvest, threshing would start, which was also interesting in many ways. My father belonged to a farmer's company which consisted of eight farmers who bought a 12-horse power threshing machine. When everyone was ready, they would go from place to place to do the threshing. It would take about two weeks. Each farmer had to supply two men and two horses. William Jenkins would always drive the horses. Most of the farmers were Yankees and would take it easy. They would do their chores and then go threshing until five o'clock. In later years they bought a steam engine. All the work was done in a crude way. I was the bundle cutter at many places and the straw stacker, which was the job I liked best.It might be of interest that our lunches consisted of bread, cheese at 11¢ a pound, sausage at 9¢ cents a pound, coffee and beer and also apple kuchen. For dinner it was always fresh meat, sometimes veal, but mostly mutton, beef roasts, potatoes, vegetables and always pie of some kind, but mostly apple pie since it was fall.By the time the threshing was done, it was time for the fall harvest: cut the corn, dig potatoes, pick apples, etc., As a rule ye always made two or three barrels of cider. It takes twelve bushels of apples for a barrel of cider. After it was fermented in the winter, we would syphon it into another container and let it stand again for several months before we would drink it. Making the sauerkraut was also a big job.If there was time left in the fall, the folks would clear cutover land. I remember well how I helped my mother pick up sticks and old stumps and burn them. Sometimes the whole neighborhood would be in smoke because everyone was doing the same thing.In the 1880's a change came in the dairy business because the cream separator had been invented and the butter business took a boom, which cut the cheese prices so many cheese factories changed into butter factories. In 1893, my brother, William, was a cheese maker so he decided with a few of his buddies to go to Madison and attend the dairy school, to learn butter making and to operate the various machines. The same year, my sister, Louisa, had gone to Appleton to work for Mrs. Henry Glueckstein, who had a baby. She was the aunt of Hildegarde Sell, the chanteuse and entertainer. William and Louisa both came home a few days apart. My mother was so glad to see them. During that evening when my brother came home, my mother had a stroke while going to bed. They revived her, but she complained of a severe headache and a doctor was called. The doctor did not know too much about her case and the next evening she had another attack and she died at eleven o'clock. We were called to her bedside and I took her by the arm and cried so loud that she opened her eyes once more and that was the end. What a shock not to have her anymore and I was only nine years old.The morning after she died my dad drove to Cleveland to a furniture store to buy a coffin for $28. In the meantime the neighbor ladies had prepared my mother for the coffin and I remember them placing a coin on each eye to keep them closed until the body was cold, when the coins were removed.The news of my mother's death spread fast as it was announced at all the cheese factories and the neighbors sent their children from house to house to spread the news. My mother was well known because she did the cooking for Michael Herr whenever he had a dance. It was the custom for every boy to take his girl to dinner which was twenty-five cents. My dad would do the bartending.All the people felt sorry for us because mother was only forty-eight years old, very active and well liked. There were 106 buggies in the funeral procession and not all the people could get into the church. It certainly left a deep wound in our family.I want to mention here that my mother was a very religious person. Shortly after each of her children was born she would carry the baby to the Loretto Chapel in St. Nazianz, a distance of eight miles, without having breakfast. My dad picked her up later.In June of the same year, my oldest brother Anton was married and the young bride lived with us. I liked her. My advice though for a young couple would be never to move in with older people.In 1893, the World's Fair ended in Chicago and on the closing date my dad, my brother, William, and a few of their friends attended the last celebration, which they enjoyed. They marvelled at the ferris wheel on which they had a ride; Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in which Bill Cody was the main attraction; and the Ringling Brothers Circus show.The Buffalo Bill Wild West Show came to Sheboygan in 1894, so my dad took my brother, Andrew, and me to the show. My dad wanted us to have a special treat so he gave us a ride on the horse car, which was pulled by four horses. We paid five cents for a ride to the end of the city and five cents for the return trip and it was fun. A few years later the electric trolley came into existence. When the horsecar was overloaded, it would sometimes run off the track, and everybody would get out and lift it back on the tracks again.The Wild West Show was very good because, as you know, Bill Cody was an excellent marksman. There were many performers such as rough riders, heavy lifting acts and a lot of shooting. For the next few years it became an annual event for the boys.The Fourth of July was always celebrated with firecrackers and fire works, such as Roman candles, sky rockets and wheels, snakes, etc. Our neighbors, the Germains, would come at times to watch our fireworks. Since it was my brother Anton's birthday, my dad would get an eighth of beer and it was just great. Decoration Day was another day which my father enjoyed. His buddy, Adam Stein, would call for him and they went to the various cemeteries to place a flag on the graves of their comrades which lasted all day.Now that I was fourteen years old, I became the hired man for my brother, Anton, who owned the farm. My job was to get up at 4:30 in the morning, feed the four horses and clean their stalls, put on the harnesses and haul the milk to the cheese factory, which was over a mile away. Then we had breakfast and did the regular farm work. The salary I received was $10 per month, but we didn't receive our pay until the end of the season. The first year I received $80 and put $65 in the bank but I ran short $5 until the next pay. Then I received $11 per month and one winter I worked for my board.Now when I think back I really don't know how I did it, I had to work so hard. The first year was the hardest. I had to carry water for four horses three times a day and at times we had a cow or two in the barn that had to be taken care of.Here I will deviate and tell you of the suffering people endured. My sister-in-law was in labor so a mid-wife was called and my sister-in-law was in labor a whole day, when it became apparent a doctor was needed. My dad and I drove nine miles for a doctor. It was the first week in January and raining and the roads were muddy. We started at 1:00 in the morning. It was so dark, I had to stand all the way in the back of the buggy and hold the lantern so my dad could see the roads. We very seldom traveled this road. We found the doctor home and he came driving his two swift horses. After his examination, he said he would need another doctor and suggested getting his brother in Kiel, which was another twelve miles away. We went to the neighbor, the Germains who had a fast horse and they drove to Kiel and the doctor came in the afternoon. There were no telephones. My sister-in-law was sick for a long time and the doctor came every day for a whole month and then ever so often for a year. His charges were $200.Now I will tell you how I became interested in playing the Organ. My brother, William, decided we should have an organ in church, but there was no one to play it, so he made up his mind to take lessons in St. Nazianz from Professor Schimmel who was the church organist there. While in St. Nazianz he boarded with Katie and John Miller. Katie was our sister-in-law as sister to Anton's wife and mother of my future wife. After William had the basics in playing the organ, he could practice on his own. He then solicited every member of the parish for a donation and came up with $55 which is the price of the organ, I think. During the winter the organ was idle, so I begged my father to buy one for our home. We saw an ad in the paper for organs and sent for the catalog. We selected one for $35 and I took lessons from my brother. With a lot of practice I knew enough to do a little playing. Later, I played the organ in church and led the choir until I left home in 1907.My life as a hired man was interesting in the beginning, but as the years rolled on, it became dull. As I grew older, I began to realize that the future was not bright for me. Social life was just nil. We rarely went to a dance. Ida Sell would come over in the evening on occasions when my sister, Margaret, was home, and we would sing and play the organ, which was later replaced with a piano. The songs we sang were: "Darling I am growing Old," "Silver Threads among the Gold," "Hello, Central, give me Heaven for my Mommie's there," "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree," "Clover Blossoms," "Down by the Old Mill Stream," "School Days," and a few German songs. We would not forget "After the Ball." Sometimes on a Sunday evening, I would join a number of the boys and we would go to a saloon, drink beer, smoke cigars, and talk foolish. Everyone bought a round of beer, six for a quarter. When we left the bartender would give us a nightcap, which, as a rule, was a shot of whiskey. It was always three miles to walk home.One time I had a foolish idea I would start a chicken farm, so I had a hen and a rooster sent from Janesville for a price of $7. The hen never laid an egg. She must have been older than me, so that was a flop. I really had to work hard. The folks went away for two days, and I had to milk all the cows, so I got up at 3:30 in the morning to get all the required chores done. This I would not like to do often.I also recall that I spent one 3rd, 4th, and 5th of July going to picnics and dances and usually I stayed until they played "Home, Sweet Home." By the time I got home, it was time to get up, so for two nights I didn't see a bed, but then I started to walk in my sleep and they let me go to bed. Such a life. I had to work hard. One summer I shocked one thousand bushels of barley and nine hundred bushels of oats. I had to go some to get it done.Now I was getting out of my teens and beginning to think of a future and a home of my own, but where was I to get the money to buy a farm and, furthermore, I wasn't interested in farming. I started to hurt all over and wasn't feeling good so they said I should see a doctor. One day I decided to make an appointment with Dr. O'Brien. After his examination, he said I was coming down with typhoid and went home prepared to become real sick, but never did. After several months, I decided to see Dr. Sieger, who said it was my appendix. Should I have the operation or should I wait, but then decided I should go through with it since my brother, Joseph, had died very suddenly with a burst appendix. The date was set for December 3, 1905, and a doctor from Sheboygan was to do the job for $100. He was a former veterinarian. He put me on the kitchen table and started giving me ether. I had to count to 100 and I was gone. When I awoke, I was very dry, but could have no water. Such torture! After vomitting for a day, I was sorry I had the operation. On the ninth day the doctor took out the stitches and found that an infection had set in. He said he would have to reopen the incision, and sat on my legs while he tore open the incision with his instruments. I had to stay in bed three weeks. This left my abdomen weak and I had to wear a support, which was terribly uncomfortable in the summer. Once again, I was so tired of farm work with no future outlook.One day a former classmate of mine from the public school came to our house and told me about business college, since he had just received a nice bookkeeping job for a wholesale liquor house. He convinced me to try, but I thought at 25 years, I was too old to go to school. On October 1, 1907, I left home to go to Sheboygan Business College. I was real happy about the change because of dating disappointments, but I still held out hope for Mamie Miller, who could just change her mind.The rooming house in Sheboygan was at Tresters, an older couple who did good cooking, washing, ironing, and mending for $13 per month. My roommate was Oscar Loersch, who was a bookkeeper for Dillinham Mfg. and there were four other roomers besides their own son. It was a very congenial crowd and on our birthdays, it was the custom for us to furnish an eighth barrel of beer and Tresters furnished the herring and crackers. It all turned out to be a happy event.As everybody knows, Sheboygan has many singing societies and you can imagine how good the voices get after a few beers and the boys would invite me as their guest occasionally. I especially remember the concert by one of the Lutheran Church Choirs.I enjoyed this new living very much. There was so much music around all the time. In the spring, a German band would go from block to block. There were also many lame and blind people playing for a hand out, on street corners. I remember one blind man playing the violin so beautifully with such a large audience the police had to stop in because the crowds were endangering traffic. When a musician died, the band would follow the hearse, which was another new experience.At school, I got along fine and made good progress and I was glad to have made the change. My subjects were bookkeeping, mental arithmetic, commercial law, and special addition. Then my course was ended but there was a depression and jobs were few. Mr. Schaafs took a liking to me and made me an offer. I was to invest $2,000 in his business college in Sheboygan and he would promise me 10% on the investment. It was my job to go out and solicit new students and he would give me $50 per month and room and board and I accepted his terms. In a short time, he bought a home and about two acres of land just outside the city and we all moved out of town. Then he bought a horse and buggy and I would go out in the country and do soliciting. It was quite a deal. I traveled as far as St. John, Chilton, and Hilbert. The results were not entirely satisfactory for me to be real happy, although, one boy Joe Braun who I solicited eventually became the treasurer of the Kohler Company, which was to my credit. Of course, many of the girls made good.After a year of that work, it was suggested I go away to school to get an idea of how other schools work and learn a little more. I looked for ads in magazines and found one of Ferris Institute, Big Rapids, Michigan. It was just what I wanted as I also wanted to get away from people I knew and adjust to being sway from home environment. In October I took the Car Ferry from Manitowoc to Ludington, which was a good experience. It was also my first boat ride and I was not sea sick. When I landed at Big Rapids, I was directed to a rooming house run by Mrs. Womple. I had a private room with a wood burning stove and my next move was to go to the wood market where the farmers brought their wood. I bought a bundle for $1.50 and the farmer delivered it to my door with his team of oxen. This school, Ferris Institute, was different. Each morning we would gather in an assembly room where someone gave a reading or lecture. Mr. Ferris gave excellent lectures. He was later to become Governor of Michigan. He was also my Mental Arithmetic teacher and I was well pleased with my new move.Everyone got tired of Mrs. Womple's boiled beef and potatoes so we began to look for a new boarding house. We found one with Mrs. Taggert for $14.00 per month which was a dollar more. There were fourteen of us at the table and five of us in a room. It was crowded but we all got along so good together. At night the Protestants before going to sleep would read their bible and I would kneel and say my prayers. We respected on another.I enjoyed it here. There was a piano and a girl who played while the boys sang. I attended only one social event and that was a sleigh ride to Clear Lake given by the Columbus Club. I had a blind date and her name was Mamie Schaefer. There were four horses hitched to the bob sleigh. When we arrived at the resort, there was a piano but no one to play except myself. After considerable coaxing, I played but knew only a few selections but they kept begging me to repeat them over and over, while they danced. Then we had coffee and doughnuts. Everybody had a good time.In March, my brother, Anton had a heart attack and I was called home to take care of the farm until he was better. In that summer, I returned to Sheboygan and resumed the same routine, helping beginners with their bookkeeping and doing some soliciting. I was sent to Boyne City, Michigan, in July since one of my friends from Ferris Institute wanted to take a course at our business college and I was sent to solicit him. On this trip, I had fun and experienced a thunderstorm on the lake. Thunder sounded so different on the lake. We landed at Frankfort and were taken across the harbor in a small boat to our hotel. The next day I had to cross a small lake, about an hour's ride, which was a short cut to Boyne City, Mich.I was entertained royally by my friend, Omar Jones. I never ate so much ice cream in all my life. A month later he came to Sheboygan and started our school.Not long after this, Mr. Hanson, President of the Citizens State Bank of Sheboygan, asked Mr. Schaafs if he could hire me for soliciting bank accounts. I welcomed this offer because I wanted a change. I was to go from house to house and talk about savings accounts and distribute small savings banks. That was something different and my beginning pay was $60 per month, which I thought was good.After I was on the job a few weeks, we were shocked one morning to learn of the death of the cashier of the oldest and largest banks in Sheboygan and it closed its doors. Now our bank was faced with a problem wondering whether they would ever reopen. They never did. Fearing a run on our bank the assistant cashier and myself were asked to go to Milwaukee and bring back $20,000. Each of us was given a gun and a small satchel and off we went on the trolley. The Marine National Bank had already sent $40,000 by express to the various bands and we returned empty handed. Only one person withdrew $2,000.Then Mr. Hanson asked me to solicit the farmers and the livery stable furnished me with a horse and buggy. I took a box of cigars and distributed them to the farmers. I bought a fur lined overcoat for $20 and a pair of fur lined mittens for $3 since it was winter work. Later on, I stayed in the bank and took care of the savings ledger s and small fire insurance policies. I loved my work. The banks were open on Wednesday and Saturday evenings from 7:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. On Saturday nights, we went to the corner saloon for beer and a free lunch of hot beef or sauerbraten.Now a new life came into existence as Mamie Miller decided to have dates with me. She had been working in Evanston and when she returned we had our first date. It was with Mr. and Mrs. Schaafs and we went to Borne Park, which was a Health Center with a large swimming pool fed by an artesian well, which was very salty. We all went into the water. Bathing suits at that time consisted of more clothes than now - even stockings, but it was fun. I remember Mamie screamed as she got out of the water thinking someone was pulling her down, but it was only the weight of her wet clothes. Afterwards, we had a ham sandwitch and coffee and Mamie went home the next day. I entertained myself with fond memories.Miles kept us apart but we wrote every day and about once a month, I would hire a horse and buggy and go to visit her. One day in May as I was preparing to leave her, she said, "I will go home with you and your dad can bring me back." Then, I knew she cared and we became engaged that night. We kissed and parted. Returning to my room, I knelt down and prayed that I should be a good husband.Now I had to make sure my position at the bank was permanent and asked Mr. Hanson if he was going to keep me on and he asked me "why?" and I disclosed our plans to be married. On my next visit with Mamie we set the date for August 20, 1912.The next step was to find a place to live. After work, I would walk around the city looking for the neighborhood where I thought we would like to live. On Niagara Avenue I found a house. Although it was not yet completed, I was given assurance that it would be finished before our wedding date. The house had hot water heating, and an open stairway. The downstairs was all finished with white birch, a nice china cabinet, and an artificial fireplace and the price was $3,500. I paid $50 down. It was the second house from Lake Michigan. Upon completion, the contractor told me he had sold it too cheap and wanted to give me my money back, but we made a settlement and I paid him $3,550. It was my dream home. I still had $500 in the bank.My last rooming house was with the Clarks who operated a nickel show, which I attended often and enjoyed. They had some vaudeville acts and a silent movie, with stories of a dog like "Lassie."Henry Heckerman who also stayed with the Clarks and I were good friends. We had our breakfast together at the Ballview Hotel, which as a rule consisted of shredded wheat, rolls, and pancakes. Mr. Clark died shortly before we were married but Mrs. Clark kept us on until I got married. She broke up housekeeping and offered me the dresser, which I had in my room, for $14. I took it and we still have it.I told the boss in the bank that I was 29 years old and never had a high ball so the last Saturday evening they took me to De Wilde's and we had several.Well, the big day was coming up fast. On Monday, I went to St. Nazianz and in the evening we went to church for confession and a short instruction at the parish house by Father Eistanch. The next day was August 20, 1912, and the weather was a little hazy in the morning, but it cleared and it was a nice day.The wedding nearly had to be postponed because Mamie fell in the cellar and hurt her foot. She could hardly get on her shoes and even on our wedding day limped a little going up to the altar, but she looked so nice in her dress which she had made for $10. It had a long train which was unusual at the time. Dr. OBrien had his chauffeur drive us to church in his J.I.. Case car and later we had a chicken dinner at her mother's house.My dad and brother were unable to attend the wedding because of illness, so in the afternoon, we again had the pleasure of being driven to our farm, eight miles away. On the way a little girl saw us pass while she was picking wild flowers. On our return she offered them to my bride. It was a nice old fashioned bouquet.The afternoon of the wedding day was spent with guests. The next day we took back chairs, tables, etc., which we had used for the occasion. We packed our presents, and whatever we were taking along, and Mamie' s father later hauled them to Sheboygan by wagon. We were taken by buggy and Mamie cried as she said "Good-by." I felt sorry for her, but it was only for a moment and then she was happy.We had a lot of fun and Mamie loved to prepare the meals and plan her own menu. Each morning we had three hot rolls delivered to our door and at the end of the month we received a bill for twelve cents a dozen. We did a little furniture shopping and bought a dining room table with six chairs, a few rockers and davenport for which I remember we paid $20.Our neighbors were commercial fisherman and had big boats driven by steam. They were nice people and came to see us often and several times brought us delicious fresh smoked trout.We were happy and had enough company so we did not get lonesome. Later, we had several friends room with us - Philomena Mallman and Rose Salm. For a short time, a civil engineer lived with us and he told us what a beautiful city Appleton was. He had charge of building the first concrete road between Appleton and Menasha. When he left, he gave me a picture of the project, which I still have.Being close to the lake, we could watch the waves and during a storm, they would sometimes get to thirty feet and splash against the ice chunks.In 1914 we had lots of excitement as our first child, Helen Marie, was born on February 28. What a joy! She was a pretty baby, at least we thought so. Dr. Van De Zante came to the house and mother said it wasn't bad. She was born at 11:30 in the evening and we were all in bed dreaming of this great wonder. Mamie's mother stayed with us for about two weeks and then Mamie managed alone as the baby was good and easy to care for.Now I felt I should have a raise in my salary, so I made up my mind to ask Mr. Hanson for one. He told me I couldn't do more work than I was already doing, and I was not too surprised by his reply because he was tight.Well, now was the time to think over my dream of having my own bank, but where? I took a map and checked a lot of little towns, which had no banks and came up with the Town of Freedom and Sherwood. Because Sherwood had a railroad station, I set my mind on it. On Memorial Day, I made up my mind to see the place, but being a total stranger, I had to have some recommendation. I turned to my pastor, Father Thill, and he gave me a good sendoff. To make it authentic, he put the Church seal on it. I had talked this move over with Mamie and she was happy I had so much ambition to better ourselves.Ed Liebl, who had worked at the bank with me went along. We went by train from Manitowoc to Sherwood, and our first destination was to see the pastor and present our credentials. He was very friendly and happy to hear the news and took us to a few business men for their reaction which we found favorable. Our plans were kept confidential. I told them that when I had my vacation, I would come and sell the stock and apply for the charter. My brother Andrew took me in his auto, a Jack son, and we had several blowouts before we got there.Tony Mueller took me around to various people and by noon, we had all the stock sold - $10,000. In the evening, we had our meeting. I felt very uncomfortable, as I never conducted a meeting before, but I got through it and mailed out the application for our charter that night. The next day, the Hilbert Bank heard of it and they tried to undo my work. They also applied, but since we were first, we received our charter in a short time. This made us rivals and they tried many ways to annoy me, but I stuck to my guns.After we had our charter, I told my boss and he was surprised to know I had the nerve, but said I could stay with him until I would open my bank. "I know you will do good," he said, "because you have been a good solicitor, but yol4r bank will never be a million dollar bank." I agreed as the Citizens Bank had just topped the million mark. How little did we know. At the present time, the Sherwood bank is over four million.I had to get busy with the construction. I went to Weeks, an architect, who drew up a design for which he asked $40. We persuaded Henry Stoeser to sell us the corner lot for $500 which was a lot of money, but the location was ideal. Local people suggested Greg Schindler as the contractor. We drove to Appleton to see some of his work and then engaged him to put up the building for $2,400 in 1914. After I became more acquainted with the village people I suggested we wire the bank for electricity, as I could see this was sure to me. Within two years, the village had the power line go through the town.In the meantime I was busy with lots of deals. We bought the bank fixtures from the Winters Mfg. Co., in Sheboygan - vault, safe, furniture, etc. I had many requests from the Milwaukee banks to keep an account with them. One day on the invitation of Hugo Kiel from the Second Ward Bank in Milwaukee I came to visit them. He took me out for dinner, which was another experience. I do not recall what we had for dinner, but I remember French pastry on the menu, which I tried but found it much too sweet.All was progressing well and the time had come to get ready for the opening. This meant moving. I had rented our house to a teacher for $25 per month. Right after Christmas we started to move but what a let-down. I had rented an old house for $15 per month. We took the train to Manitowoc and stayed overnight with Uncle P.A. Miller who took us to the Soo Line Depot the next morning and our new home in Sherwood. There we met Mamie's dad with our belongings, set up a kitchen wood stove, a coal stove, and started housekeeping once again but under much more primitive circumstances. Going to the pump for water, chopping wood for the kitchen stove, kerosene light and even at that we couldn't see, so Mamie's dad sent us a gas light which helped a lot. The house was cold and we took rags and stuffed them in the cracks at the front door, which we didn't use again until spring. There was an outside toilet. What a let down! But it didn't stop my dream.The bank was to open shortly after January 1, 1915, but due to the delay of the bank examiner, it was a little later. My former boss, Mr. Hanson, sent me a nice bouquet of flowers for the opening, which made me happy. If I remember correctly, Father Jackle received No. 1 certificate of deposit. He was a very dear friend until his death in Manitowoc, where he was stationed.Right from the start, the bank did well and were able to pay a dividend the first year. My aim was also to get new life into the village and I wanted Peter Westenberger, who had a wagon shop, to go into another business because the auto was now coming into being. My friend in Sheboygan was interested in starting a factory, but Mr. Westenberger wanted the new organization to take over all his stock for which we had no use so the deal was cancelled.Mamie's brother, Peter, was just married and wanted to be on his own, so he moved to Sherwood and started the sheet metal shop. He was very successful and shortly afterward built a home. We moved into a remodeled home a few blocks away, which was much nicer. I still had more ambition, so I bought a lot to build a house some day. I also wanted to play tennis, so I bought two extra lots for a tennis court. We were going to have another baby, so we had to look for a doctor and the Sherwood people recommended Dr. Dorn. We did not like him. He had his office in Stockbridge and he was a drunkard but we could not hurt the Sherwood people's feelings. He was drunk when he came for the delivery and later had to leave the house because he had become sick, but we were happy with Jerome born on September 25, 1915.In 1916, I made up my mind to build a home of our own again and I started to dig the basement by hand getting up early in the morning and after banking hours until dark. Then I had a farmer come with a plow and scraper and we finished the basement for the masons to start their work. It was hard work, but I enjoyed every minute of it.Events never stood still very long for me. One evening the Directors of the Outagamie County Bank came to ask me to take over the Cashier's job, as Mr. Schiller who was in charge was getting old and wanted to retire. This was a big decision. After thinking it over for a few days, I made up my mind to investigate. After going over the securities, it didn't seem so bad and my salary would be $25 more which seemed a lot of money those days. I knew there were some bad papers but I thought I could work them out and we made a deal.But there were problems connected with the change. The house was half finished and I had to get a replacement for my job. I found the man, who was the Depot Agent, a nice bright boy, who was married and lived in the village.I hated to give up the new house which was to have an indoor toilet and was wired for electricity. I also had the idea of digging a ditch, then laying tiles for about 250 feet to a swamp for our sewer water. Pollution wasn't in existence. We received permission from Jack Stoeser to go through his property. Several people chipped in, who were adjoining and with the help of Mamie's brother, Peter, and a sewer digger by the name of Jack Waits from Appleton, this was accomplished.Now we had to make plans to move to Appleton. Rental property was scarce but we finally rented the great big house on the corner of Fifth and Walnut. At least we had a place to land. George Gosz, a farmer moved us on October 16, 1916. The roads were muddy. Nick Maurer took us by car. George Gosz charged me $5, but Maurer's always did everything gratis. The rooms were just too big for the little furniture we had and the curtains didn't fit, etc., so we didn't even unpack our things and started looking around again. Finally, we found a little cottage on Morrison Street, where we stayed for three years until Mrs. Meyer, the landlady, wanted the house for her own son, who was to move to Appleton from Shawano. This time we looked for a place to buy and we landed at 614 West Third Street, another big house for which we paid $3,500, but I could see possibilities in it. I did a lot of changing, converting it to an upper and lower flat. It really is too long a story to tell, but the time it was completed, I had put in over $10,000. The house in Sherwood was sold for what I had put into it, excluding my labor.I will try to describe some of my work in the bank. It was in worse shape than I expected and it meant a lot of hard work and long hours. There were so many questionable papers. I traveled to Duluth as we had some securities on some lots, which actually were in Morgan. A new cement factory had just started and I sold the lots for what we had in them. On my way home I stopped at Rice Lake, where we had more questionable securities, but no soap here. Later, I sold these to the Konz Box and Lumber Co. at no loss. I also stopped at Ladysmith, where a former cashier of the bank owed us $250. and when his note came due again, he paid. There was another loss involving someone who had forged notes and who had committed suicide.There was labor trouble right from the start. I had a fine young man as a teller, but he was so nervous and had so many shortages. One day I asked him to be more careful and he quit.Janitors would quit so I had to do the work myself, either late at night or early in the morning until I found someone again.It took several years before there was any progress. One of the directors asked me one day, if I thought of closing shop, but I replied, "Not at this time" because all the bad stuff was gone and I could see just a little improvement. Then one year I remember we gained $80, 000 in deposits. Growth continued until one day when we became involved in the Toy Company of America. I just hate to think of this mess. I lost $18,000 which was everything we had. To top it all off on Friday they told me my last day would be Monday and they gave me two months salary. What a shock! I want to mention here the bank examiner said they had done me an injustice, but it was for the best. The bank never suffered a loss, they even gained several thousands. March 17, 1925, was the end of a bad dream.Nobody knows the anguish mother and I suffered those years even before this blow: sickness and the deaths of two children. William Peter was circumcised; infection set in and he died. Jerome was sick with diptheria on the day I appeared in court in Oshkosh for the bank on a note of $5,000 to the Wisconsin Northern Railroad, which was taken over by the Soo Line, and Mr. Dohr called to tell me Jerome had died. Another shock.During this time of agony, I was crossing the street in the middle of the block near the bank, when I was hit by a car and broke my wrist, which Dr. Dehne set. That evening I got infection in my hand and discovered a small stone had lodged in my hand. One lady asked mother if I wanted to commit suicide. Such talk.I was out of a job. What to do. During the time I was trying to make up my mind, Eugene Walsh asked me to sell life insurance. This was just about the last thing I wanted to do, but as a last resort I started with the Prudential Life Insurance in April,l925. They had just come out with a new policy, whereby you paid half of the premium for the first five years and then the full amount on policies of $5,000 and up. It was hard work. I didn't like selling life insurance; I preferred fire and auto insurance, but in a year's time I had sold $125,000.My good friend, Walter Zwicker, told me one day, if I would get the agency for the Mill Owners Mutual Insurance Company of Des Moines, Iowa, he would give me all his insurance covering the Zwicker Knitting Mills. When I wrote to the company, they replied they already had an agent in Appleton, which I knew. Walter would not do business with him, so Walter went to Chicago to intercede for me. The company then sent Jess Green, their Wisconsin representative, to see me. I must say Jess Green was the best salesman I had ever met and he put me on my feet. The company also had special policies for churches, schools, and public buildings and paid 30% dividend at the end of the term. My largest policies were Capuchin properties, Lakeland College and St. Elizabeth Hospital. I wrote so much insurance and was awarded so many prizes, in the form of electrical appliances, one year I didn't know what to do with them all. The company's headlines for one month extolled my success.St. Joseph Cemetery was in need of a new superintendent to replace Herman Langenberg who was getting old and wanted to resign. Father Pacificus asked me if I wanted the job and I accepted at $50 per month plus a downtown office. Previously, I had taken over the travel agency for Henry Reuter. Once again I was in business on Nov. 1, 1926.At first I was hesitant about accepting the cemetery job because there were so many complaints about Mr. Langenberg, but I needed the money and as time went on, I enjoyed that work the most.Once again I started to dream about improving the cemetery beginning with the Crucifixion Group. John Williamson, who was the sexton, and I went to look for stones with a horse driven cart. One day the horse fell and couldn't get up. The rendering company came and hauled him away, so I bought a truck.After the Crucifixion Group was completed I wanted to build a grotto and wrote to the Franciscan Fathers in Washington, who sent me a detailed picture which I copied. Once again John hauled stones from beyond the Sherwood area, where the nice limestone s were. John was a hard worker and did a good job in putting it up.Next came the Stations of the Cross, which I had seen in La Crosse. Father Alphonse told of the plans at Sunday Mass, asking for donors. When I arrived home Clara Kloepfl had called to say she would donate one. This project meant more stonework, this time going as far away as to New Holstein for the stones. John was again busy doing an excellent job. The statues were imported from Germany through Bill Stier, who ran the religious goods store on the corner of Lawrence and. Walnut Streets.In 1927, I attended my first cemetery convention in Cleveland, Ohio, where I met some of the Milwaukee men. I particularly liked Herb Gausewitz, who thought we should have a state association of cemetery administrators, so in 1928 we organized with twenty-eight members. At this writing there are only three charter members remaining. I served as secretary and treasurer for fifteen years and as president for two years in succession, which had not happened before nor since.The last cemetery project I had was the construction of an internment chapel as a pioneer in the field. I have written articles in the American Cemetery magazine on trees for which I received many compliments, and I wrote an article on the Progress of a small cemetery in the Catholic Cemetery Magazine which appealed to the Chicago people. They commented that I dared do things 25 years ago, which they just have dared to do now. This is just before the convention in Kansas City, which I attended with Rome. We were taken to breakfast by these people after Mass, so they could consult with us. Shortly after they built a chapel for over a million dollars. Now there are many, but I feel I have made an accomplishment in this field.I was always interested in church work and in 1924 was elected President of the Holy Name Society, which met in the old St. Joseph Hall.At first it was only an annual meeting but I had read about monthly Holy Name breakfasts with speakers in Milwaukee and announced that we would do the same. This inspired the men and we had a drive for members. Within a short time we had 250 members and the Bishop came to enroll them, which gave me great pleasure. The young ladies of the parish served coffee and doughnuts. Our meetings were always short. We had a good spiritual director, Father Camillus. Our annual banquets were always fun and a highlight to look forward to.In 1932 Mrs. John Merkel called me to talk over a project she had in mind. She had fourteen acres she wanted to donate to the Third Order of St. Francis for an old folks home. On presenting her idea to the Bishop, he ruled it out. I told the Capuchin Fathers about her offer and they suggested a retreat house which was accepted and Father Gilbert was put in charge of organizing the project. I was asked to take charge of all the land deals since the lots did not go down to the river. We were able to buy the two lots for $500 each from the owners in Chicago but there were mortgages on them and further entanglements so it took awhile until all was clear.When the architect was hired 1 had a request to make. I wanted an open stairway at the entrance leading to the foyer and tower which was of a Spanish design. The whole project cost $85,000. At the present time, the price would run about four times that amount. I also solicited the money for the bell, which I purchased used while I was attending a convention in Cincinnati.During the war, I made a move at the Knights of Columbus meeting to do some extra praying for our boys of the Council. I suggested an all-night vigil once a month. I had to do some talking but with help of John Heinzkell we were able to undertake this program. It was my obligation to see that someone was at the Church too during his appointed hour. Not one of our boys of 607 were lost in battle.My last assignment was to take care of an old couple who had consulted with the Capuchin Fathers. They were not too compatible. She was a miser and hoarder. When the husband became ill, I arranged for him to be taken to the hospital. The husband died shortly after he entered the hospital and the wife died about a year later. Before she died she had me take care of her financial matters. She gave me orders to take the securities which she had under her pillow. I picked up $65,000 in mortgages. She told me about some gold which I was to find in the cupboard. Then she asked me to help her make out a will, which eventually was prepared by Ray Dohr. All was left to charity: St. Joseph Church, Sacred Heart Church, St. Therese Church and the Retreat House, each receiving over $6,000. She gave a nice amount to the missions, old folks' homes and to St. Elizabeth Hospital. She remembered me with $500.There were many, but I must relate an incident about this couple which amused me. She never gave him any beer and because of his illness he was always dry. One day, I brought him two bottles and he reached out with both hands, he was so happy. She said that he had nearly died during the night and that she asked him to forgive her everything so that he would go right to heaven. He said, "I will not." She asked him why and he replied because she wouldn't give him any beer. She never gave him the second bottle.Now that we had the $500 we had to decide what we would do with it. After talking it over, we both decided a new home would be nice. Mother wondered where we would get the rest of the money. My plan was to mortgage our home and to borrow on my life insurance. We found a lot nearby, but it was a hole and, although it was not an attractive site, it had possibilities. The deal was made for $1,000 for the lot, 70 x 135 feet.Our requisitions for a house included a fireplace, a side porch, an open stairway, lots of windows, a bay in the kitchen and, of course, a large boys' room and girls' room. Monica and I drew up the plans which we submitted for bids. Lieber Lumber Company was awarded the bid at $6,500 complete.The lot needed 236 truck loads of ground. Our three boys hauled 85 of the loads. I did a lot of the ground work getting up at 4:30 o'clock and working until 6:00 o'clock in the morning. Mother always had my bath ready so I could be refreshed. Breakfast was on the table so that by 7:00 o'clock, I was on my way to the cemetery to lay out the day's work. In August, 1940, we moved to our new home, and it was a happy day for the whole family. The time to enjoy our new home was shortened for the boys, who were soon to leave for military service.In 1953, we were in a terrible automobile accident, when I ran into a tree near Sheboygan. Mother was badly hurt - two broken legs, smashed hip, broken arm, a deep wound at the end of her spine, severe face lacerations and some brain damage which paralyzed her one side for a time. She was in the hospital in Sheboygan for three months and at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Appleton for nine months and nine days. I visited her two and three times daily. She suffered severe pain from the infection in her hip and at the end of her spine for almost a year. Her spine drained, even after leaving the hospital, so I took care of it while she was at home. I always made breakfast for her for a long time until she was able to get up and help herself.In 1954, I sold the insurance business to Rome for $5,000, but continued to work for him, keeping the books for the cemetery until January 1, 1967, when I retired. Since then I gave all of my time to my hobby of wood carving and to working in the yard.I have gone to daily Mass for forty years until March, 1968, when I had pneumonia and that was also the time I stopped driving my car; that is, they would not let me. Mother always accompanied me.These are the highlights of my life written in my 90th year. Again, I thank God for a colorful life with a clear mind and good family and good health up to now as I finish this writing on June 23, 1972. * * ** ** *"GRANDPA'S WOLF STORY" The children and grandchildren always enjoyed hearing the true story of the wolf. So here it is:When I was a boy, we had a garden a few hundred feet from the house because of the chickens. One day, when my grandma was working in the garden an animal came after her. She ran home and called my dad and brother, William. My dad whistled through his fingers for Pinky, the dog. They took clubs and went after the animal which, at times would fight with the dog. That gave them a chance to get close and to hit him just before he crowded through a rail fence. My dad gave him a blow over his back which made him lame. They followed him to a big swamp where he tried to jump at my dad who hit him over the head and killed him. They did not know what kind of an animal it was. They put it on the wagon and hauled it to a neighbor, Quincy Danforth, who owned the cheese factory. He said it was a gray timber wolf which had killed so many sheep around the neighborhood. The people in the whole area were glad my dad had killed the wolf. After that he was always introduced as the man that killed the wolf with the club.THE DEPRESSION OF THE 1890'sIt might be of interest to know about the depression during President Cleveland's last administration when we had free tariff. Hogs were $2.75 per hundred, calves at $1.00 to $1.25, cows were sold for $8.00 and $9.00 per head, bulls at $6.00 and $7.00. Many of the cows were shipped to Superior miners who milked the cows during summer and in fall they butchered them. We sold milk at 25¢ per 100 lbs., eggs 7¢ and 8¢ per dozen, butter 10¢ a pound, oats 10¢ per bushel, wheat 35¢, barley l9¢ and 20¢ per bushel, potatoes 10¢ per bushel and a poor market. Labor in factories was from 75¢ to $1.25 per day for a 10 and 12 hour day. Cheese was 6¢ and 7¢, and so on. These were tough days.
PETER GROH AND THE CIVIL WAR
As written by Frank Groh, his son.My father, Peter Groh, came to America from Germany in 1857 on a sail ship. He landed in New York City after a two month trip across the Atlantic. He went directly to Meeme, which is a township in Manitowoc County. He stayed a few days with some distant relative by the name of Michael Herr, who operated a hotel, general store, saloon and post office on the Green Bay Road. This was one of the roadside stopping places for travelers from Milwaukee to Green Bay. There was no railroad that far north.Shortly after my father's arrival, he and another friend set out to find work as hired hands on a farm. They started south on foot and found work on a farm near the Illinois border. Douglas Fowler, the land owner, a very prominent man in his community,

Frank married Miller, Mary Christina "Mamie" 20 Aug 1912, St. Nazianz, Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Mary (daughter of Miller, John and Koening, Katheine "Kate") was born 9 Dec 1891; died 10 May 1985. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Obituary: 12 May 2011; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

Obituary:
Helen Marie Peerenboom, Menomonee Falls, died on May 10, 2011, at Brewster Village in Grand Chute, WI, on the 26th anniversary of her mother's death. Helen was born February 28, 1914, in Sheboygan, WI, the first of nine children born to Mary (Miller) and Frank Bernard Groh. The family subsequently moved to Appleton, where she was raised. As a young woman, she worked at the Groh Insurance Agency and Banta Company for several years before marrying Karl Peerenboom of Appleton on February 9, 1948. They moved to Menomonee Falls in 1950 where she lived for 60 years.
Helen will be remembered for her gregarious and generous nature. Additionally, many in the Falls will remember the picnic table in her side yard that she delighted in decorating so creatively for every holiday. Passersby often stopped to admire it.
Helen was proud of her family and she is survived by her three children: Mark (Beth Spencer) Peerenboom, (Appleton), Nancy (Randy Krause) Peerenboom, (Poynette), and Peter (Sue) Peerenboom, (Erin). She is additionally survived by 6 grandchildren, Mark (Liz Galiardo) Spencer, (Jersey City), Jeff Spencer, (Minneapolis), Brooke Krause, (Minneapolis), Andy Krause, (Madison), Jessica Peerenboom, (Erin), and Derek Peerenboom, (Erin), and one great grandchild, Austin Spencer, (Jersey City) as well as, her sister, Dorothy Sullivan, (Menasha), and brothers, Jim Groh, (Grafton), and Tony (Joan) Groh, (Brookfield).
Helen was a past President of the General Federated Women's Club, a charter member of the Menomonee Falls Historical Society, and was active in Girl Scouting. She was a steady supporter of her parish, St Mary's. Helen took pleasure in traveling including family camping trips to Dauphin and Sanibel Islands. She enjoyed playing in several bridge clubs, gardening when she was able, and in her later years, her special after Mass breakfast club. She was an excellent cook and seamstress, and sharp of mind into her last days. Throughout her life she maintained an interest in world events and was often curious and open to all the changes her long life encountered. Helen adapted with humor.
The family would like to especially thank her lifelong friend and physician, Dr. Quermit, special friends, Mike Salamone, Barbara and Steve Kaainoa, and the staff at Brewster Village for assisting them in the care of this most precious person at this very important last passage of her life.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and brothers, Jerome and Rome Groh (Appleton), a sister, Monica Koren, (Chicago) three brothers-in-law, Robert Sullivan (Menasha), Joseph Koren, (Chicago), and Robert Peerenboom (Appleton) and her sister-in law, Rosalie Peerenboom (Appleton). A nephew and two infant brothers predeceased her.
A visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. will precede the Mass of Resurrection on Friday, May 13, at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Church, N89W16297 Cleveland Ave., Menomonee Falls, WI. Father Greg Greiten will be the celebrant. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to St. Ben's, St Mary's Church, or a charity of your choice.
SCHMIDT & BARTELT
A.A. Schmidt & Sons
Funeral and
Cremation Services
Menomonee Falls
262-251-3630

Helen married Peerenboom, Karl W. 9 Feb 1948. Karl (son of Peerenboom, Willard Vincent and Schleicher, Laura) was born 23 Dec 1914; died 26 Oct 1993, Menomonee Falls, Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Obituary: 14 Nov 1923; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

Obituary:
See Image
Name:Jerome J. Groh
Death Date:1923
Burial Place:Appleton, WI
Cemetery:St. Joseph
Publication Date:14 Nov 1923
Publication Place:Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
Publication Title:Post-Crescent

Other Events:

• Education - High School: 1935, Appleton, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA

Notes:

Education - High School:
Appleton High School Class of 1935

Monica — Koren, Joseph. Joseph was born 23 Nov 1914; died 7 Sep 1994, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA. [Group Sheet]

Anthony married Hermsen, Joan (daughter of Hermsen, George Martin and Gloudemans, Johanna Mary "Anna") [Group Sheet]

James — Kamps, Virginia "Ginny". (daughter of Kamps, Harold Henry and Lally, Virginia) [Group Sheet]

Dorothy married Sullivan, Robert [Group Sheet]

Richard married Hildreth, Elizabeth "Betsy" [Group Sheet]