- ANDREW GEHRKE, who has been a resident of Seymour township for more than a quarter of a century, is one of the self-made men of Outagamie county, having come to this section in humble circumstances, and through sheer perseverance and industry has worked his way to the front ranks of agriculturists of his section. Mr. Gehrke is a native of Germany, born August 11, 1847, a son of Christ and Christina (Mannke) Gehrke, the former of whom died in 1872, aged fifty-four years, and the latter in 1855, when thirty-seven years of age. They had three children: Margaret, Louisa and Andrew. Christ Gehrke was married a second time to Gottliebe Templin, by whom he had six children, namely: Afrizma, Carolina, Helena, Jacob, John and Fred. Andrew Gehrke received his education in the schools of his native country, after leaving which he learned the trade of tailor from his father, and followed that profession in Germany until 1871, in which year he was married to Caroline Schrul. They then came to the United States, and for some time Mr. Gehrke followed his trade in Milwaukee, later going to Menominee, Michigan, where he obtained employment in the sawmills. Here his wife died, leaving him with children named: Charles, Bertha, Tina and August, of whom the latter three are now deceased, and Mr. Gehrke was married a second time to Tina Abraham. In 1886, Mr. Gehrke decided to try his fortune at farming, he having been unfortunate in other undertakings, and he accordingly purchased eighty acres of wild land in Seymour township. At this time he was very much discouraged, his business ventures having put him $800 in debt, but he settled down to clear the land, and soon had it under cultivation and on a paying basis. Thus encouraged, he purchased another tract of eighty acres, which he also cleared, and here built a frame house, a barn 36x100 feet and a stable 30x60 feet. Later, Mr. Gehrke turned the management of this place over to his son Charles, and moved to a nearby tract, just beyond Seymour, on section 33, twenty acres being in Seymour township and one acre within the city limits. There were no buildings on this property, but Mr. Gehrke soon erected a seven-room house, and a barn 30x70 feet, with basement under all, and here he carries on general gardening. The barn was burned in 1910, but this he has since replaced. Mr. Gehrke is a member of the Lutheran Church. He takes a keen interest in public questions of the day, but he has never aspired to office.
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1847 - 1934 (86 years)
1910 Census
