HERMAN E. GERKEN

The subject's parents, Herman and Mary (Manke) Gerken, who were natives of Hanover, Germany, were entitled to the distinction of having been the first Low German speaking people to settle in Freedom Township, Henry County, Ohio, in 1857. Nine years afterwards the father bought one hundred and twenty acres of land, which he cultivated and on which he resided during the remainder of his days. His death occurred in 1894, while his wife survived until 1905.

Of their seven children, Herman F. is the fourth in order of birth, his natal day having been August 20, 1865. He was reared upon the home farm and attended the common schools and the Lutheran parish school, thus securing a good education. At the age of twenty-two years he began to learn the trade of carpenter, being so engaged until 1892, when he bought the William Huner farm, comprising forty acres, and commenced agricultural operations on his own account. He also received from the parental estate forty acres more, lying just across the road from his own, the whole comprising a splendid estate, when he greatly improved and which he operated with marked success.

In 1892 Mr. Gerken married Miss Minnie Bischoff, the daughter of Brun and Lizzie (Gerken) Bischoff, whose deaths occurred in their native Germany in 1871 within weeks of each other. To Mr. and Mrs. Gerken were born eleven children: Ella, Otto, Alfred, Martha, Magdalena, Anna, Arnold, Minnie, Mathilda, Ida, and Richard. They had forty-one grandchildren.

In politics Mr. Gerken was a Democrat, but never held public office. In religion the family adhered to the St. John's Lutheran Church of Freedom Township. Mr. Gerken was a man of sterling integrity and strong traits of character and won and retained the sincere respect of all who knew him.

Mr. Gerken passed away in 1917. The children with their mother stayed on the farm until Mrs. Gerken passed away in 1932.

In 1929 Arnold Gerken married Martha Arps, daughter of Fred and Ida (Elling) Arps, and after the mother's death they lived on the farm until it was sold to Herman R. Gerken in 1939. In 1941 Arnold Gerken bought the Frederick Kruse farm in Freedom Township, Section 26.

To Mr. and Mrs. Gerken were born six children: Elevera of New Carlisle, Ohio; Lorna of Ridgeville Corners, Ohio; Lois of Napoleon, Ohio; LaVerne of Liberty Center, Ohio; Lester, Vermillion, Ohio; and Edith of Napoleon, Ohio. They are all members of the Lutheran Church.

There are seventeen grandchildren.

Submitted by: LaVerne Gerken