HENRY FREDRICK GRUNHAGEN - GRUENHAGEN - GREENHAGEN

Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Greenhagen

Henry Fredrick Grühagen, called Fredrick, was born near Hanover, Germany, on October 21, 1847. The spelling of Grünhagen was changed to just like it sounded, Gruenhagen, when the typewriter was invented, in order to leave off the vowel dots. Later when Henry, son of Fredrick, went to the army during World War I, the spelling was again changed to Greenhagen.

Mr. Gruenhagen left Germany at the age of 17, because of a very unpopular war going on at the time. Stowing away on a cattle boat, he was not discovered until half way across the ocean. Realizing it was too late to turn back, the crew made Fredrick work his passage to America. When he finally arrived at his Uncle's house in eastern Toledo, he owned only a gold watch and 10c. Having learned how to work on a boat already, he found jobs on Toledo docks and on boats on Lake Erie. He also helped in the construction of the Erie Canal and on the canal boats, eventually working his way down to Freedom Township.

Here he settled on a farm west of Gerald, where there were only 5 acres of cleared woods and an old log cabin for his home. He began construction of a new log cabin, but decided to be married before its completion. The upstairs of the cabin, being a big open floor yet, it was decided the wedding dance would be held there. The dance lasted a whole week with friends and neighbors going home only long enough to do chores and sleep a little before returning. Mr. Gruenhagen died in 1924, at the age of 77.

He was survived by 4 sons: Deitrick, Fredrich, William, and Henry; and 4 daughters: Mrs. Fredrick Warncke, Mrs. Carl Norden, Mrs. William Kruse, and Mrs. Harvey Kreiger.

Mr. Henry Greenhagen, youngest son, had 2 sons: Rueben and Delbert, and 4 daughters: Mrs. George Roehrig, Josephine - who died in 1939, Mrs. Paul Winover, and Miss Jean Greenhagen.

Mr. Delbert Greenhagen has 2 sons, David and Jerry, and 2 daughters, Mrs. Terry Vollmar and Mrs. Dennis Myers. Three of his children also have children. David's son is Eric, Mrs. Vollmar's daughter is Corrinne, and Mrs. Myers' son is Aaron.

Submitted by Delbert Greenhagen