Marie married Johann GRUBER Sr., son of Johann Ferdinand GRUBER and Anna Katherine CHRIST, on 23 Jan 1858 in Allamakee county, Iowa. Johann was born 5 Dec 1827 in Neulussheim, Germany. He died 20 Jun 1900 in Lansing, Iowa and was buried in Lansing.
Johann Gruber was a brother of Thomas A. Gruber who married Christina Margaretha Engelhorn. John and Marie Agnes lived on a farm in Lansing Township. Marie moved to Lansing from the home farm about 1901.
Johann emigrated to America, to Ohio in 1854 and to Allamakee county
in 1855. He was a good farmer and a well-known and highly respected
citizen of the Lansing community, active in community affairs. He was
a member and officer in Humbolt Lodge A.O.U.W. (Ancient Order of United
Workmen), member of German societies and a member of the Lutheran Church.
They had seven children:
John Gruber received a common school education in the Allamakee county schools. He lived on his father's farm in Lansing Township until about the age of 35. He then lived in Lansing, where he was an employee of the Capoli Button Works. He was a button cutter for this factory for more than 28 years.
(There were three button factories in Lansing, utilizing the abundance of fresh water clams in the Mississippi River. The Capoli Button Works was one of the most complete plants of its kind along the river and "has everything for the health and comfort of its employees and the most modern machinery to do the work." In 1913 the Capoli Works employed 75 people. "A source of great profit to some fortunate individuals is the finding of an occasional pearl of great price.")
John married Wilhelmina TROENDLE, daughter of Fridolin TROENDLE and Martha SCHMIDT, on 8 May 1900 in Lansing, Iowa. Wilhelmina was born about 1864 in Lansing, Iowa. She died about 1940 and was buried in Lansing, Iowa.
John and Wilhelmina Troendle Gruber were Catholics; they had no children of their own but raised a niece of Wilhelmina Troendle, Anna, from the time she was nine years old.
Catherine did not marry. She lived the later years of her life with her sister in Dubuque. She was buried in Linwood Cemetery in Dubuque.
Elizabeth was educated in the common schools of Allamakee county. She went to Dubuque, Iowa in 1890 to live and find employment. She was employed as a domestic in the home of a great aunt, Mrs. Joseph Platz (Christina Engelhorn) for six or more years. At the death of her great aunt and uncle in 1901 she received a legacy of $20,000. This caused a considerable stir in Lansing at the time as evidenced by news items in the Lansing papers - "Lansing Girl Gets Fortune." Elizabeth was a member of the Lady Orioles and was a trustee of that organization for 15 years.
Elizabeth married Cornelius WITTER, son of Ludwig WITTER and Louise ROWDEBUSH, on 13 May 1900 in Dubuque, Iowa. Cornelius was born 28 Jul 1868 in Germany. He died 26 May 1946 in Dubuque, Iowa and was buried 28 May 1946 in Dubuque. Cornelius and Elizabeth were members of St. John's Lutheran Church.
Cornelius Witter came to Dubuque as a small child with his parents. He was a carpenter and contractor in Dubuque. They had no children of their own, but raised a nephew, William Theodore Ashbaugh, in their home after the death of his mother. [See #15 below in Third Generation]
Henry Gruber received his common school education and grew to adulthood in Allamakee county. When a young man he went to Bird City, Kansas and later, early 1886, to Alliance, Nebraska. He must have gone back to Bird City because Lelsie Benjamin was born there in 1893. At the time of his death in 1901, Henry was a well-known restaurant man in Bayard, Nebraska. He died in a smallpox epidemic in western Nebraska. The Gering (Nebraska) Courier reported; "All church and lodge meetings are called off for the present. No dances were held New Years Eve, and other steps in the way of reducing likelihood of contagion have very wisely been taken by the board of health. School will not open either, until matters settle down to a normal condition once more."
Henry married Anna Virginia ASHTON, daughter of Ephraim Tobias ASHTON and Mary Jane BROWN, on 15 Sep 1891 in St. Francis, Kansas. Anna was born 27 Apr 1861 in Fulton county, Illinois. She died 15 Apr 1934 in Modesto, California and was buried 17 Apr 1934 in Modesto.
They had the following children:
Christena died at her home in Scottsbluff after a brief illness shortly after the birth of Theodore who was then raised by Cornelius and Elizabeth Gruber Witter.
Christena married William Edward ASHBAUGH on 22 Oct 1889. William was born 17 Jun 1852 in Sac City, Sac, Iowa. He died 17 Feb 1931 in Minatare, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska and was buried 19 Feb 1931 in Minatare, Scotts Bluff, Nebraska.
William Ashbaugh was a blacksmith in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. He retired in about 1911. William was was well-known and highly respected in the community, having moved there from Alliance in about 1903 or 1904.
They had the following children:
Bertha married Frank SCHMIDT Jr., son of Frank SCHMIDT and Anna MEEKERS, on 15 Nov 1898 in Lansing, Iowa. Frank was born 9 Dec 1873. He died 25 Mar 1903.
According to the "Lansing Mirror" in a news item about her marriage to Frank, Bertha is "well trained along the lines of economy and good management, laying aside all those frivolous fancies which so many young women dote on at the present day and which are after all but a source of useless expense. She is well qualified to make the husband of her choice a good and wise helpmate." And, "Frank is one of the most gentlemanly and upright men it has ever been our good fortune to know. He is industrious and saving, realizing there is much in life for a young man to accomplish if he but goes about in the right way."
They had one child:
Charles Carl Gruber was educated in the common schools of Allamakee county and later took over operation of his father's farm in Lansing Township. Charles and Dora were members of the German Presbyterian Church.
Charles married Dorothia Maria MEYER, daughter of August MEYER and Margaretha DETTMERS, on 22 Nov 1898 in French Creek, Iowa. Dorothia was born 13 Feb 1878 in Hanover, Germany. She died 27 Jun 1960 in Waukon, Iowa and was buried 30 Jun 1960 in Lansing, Iowa.
Dorothia came to the U.S. from Germany with her parents at the age of nine and to Iowa at the age of 13. The 1920 census listing indicates she was born in Hanover. The 1915 Iowa census reported she had been in the U.S. for 27 years which would suggest she came to America when she was ten years old.
They had three children:
Verna married her third cousin (1) William Charles BARTHELD, son of Frederick F. BARTHELD and Anna Katherine SCHAFER, on 11 May 1920 in Lansing, Iowa. William was born 9 Sep 1894 in Center Twp, Allamakee county, Iowa. He died 17 Jul 1948 in Knoxville, Iowa and was buried in Lansing, Iowa.
William attended the rural schools of Allamakee County and worked on the farm until entering service in World War I. After their marriage the Barthelds spent most of their years at Burlington, Iowa where William was employed.
William Charles and Verna Agnes were third cousins. William Charles Bartheld was a grandson of Engelhardt and Elizabeth Engelhorn Bartheld in the Mathias Line.
Verna also married (2) Sidney SWANSON in 1958. Sidney died 1962.
The Grubers came to Modesto from Berkeley, California on their honeymoon in 1917. They operated a dairy and fruit farm near Modesto, California. Leslie was a member of the Geneva Presbyterian Church, the Dry Creek and Pomona Granges and the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau.
Leslie married Alice Gordon BRIGDEN, daughter of Edward James BRIGDEN and Theresa Evalina SANCHEZ, on 20 Jun 1917 in Berkeley, California. Alice was born 30 Sep 1894 in San Francisco, California. She died 1 Feb 1980 in Modesto, California.
They had two children:
Robert married Pearl Virginia CHAPMAN, daughter of Charles CHAPMAN and Dellia REYNOLDS, on 26 Nov 1955 in Reno, Nevada. Pearl was born 25 Jun 1910 in Bloomfield, Indiana.
Theresa married Bruce Dean VINCENT, son of Glen Park VINCENT and Ada GRANGE, on 12 Apr 1952 in Modesto, California. Bruce was born 28 Jun 1931 in San Francisco, California.
Theresa attended the public schools in Modesto. She was active in the youth organizations in her school and church. She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and takes an active part in church affairs.
Bruce and Theresa farmed at Modesto, raising grain, fruit and nut crops, and sheep. Their main operation was an egg laying enterprise operated on a contract basis, at times with as many as 22,000 laying hens.
Mary was in the nursery business with her husband in the Riego, Placer county area, California.
Mary married Donly Clifford GRAY Sr., son of Harvey P. GRAY and Emma C. HURD, on 20 Dec 1917 in Berkeley, Alameda, California. The marriage ended in divorce. Donly was born 2 Dec 1879 in Lemoore, California. He died 20 May 1969 in Elverta, California.
They had two children:
Donly married Helen Louise MOON on 24 Jun 1941 in Elverta, California. Helen was born 2 Dec 1924 in Bayard, Nebraska.
Philip married Genevieve Elizabeth VALINE before 1949. Genevieve was born 6 Feb 1923.
William Theodore was raised in the home of his aunt, Elizabeth (Gruber) Witter in Dubuque after the death of his mother in 1906. It is assumed he was born in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, where his father was a blacksmith.
William married Margaret RUCHTE. The marriage ended in divorce. Margaret died 1950.
They had six children:
Ruth married Bill BIERWIRTH.
Lou married Roger STAEVEN, Stoven (?).
Nancy married Daniel A. NICHOLAS.
Elsie was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church and the Farm Bureau Women of Morning Sun, Iowa.
Elsie married Joseph Ben SIMMONS on 23 Nov 1932 in Dubuque, Iowa. Joseph was born 5 May 1902 in Huntingdon,Tennessee.
They had two children:
Allen married Marilee MALCORN on 2 Mar 1952 in Oakville, Iowa. Marilee was born 26 May 1933 in Wapello, Iowa.
Charles married Betty Lou MOREHEAD on 22 Aug 1953 in Burlington, Iowa. Betty was born 3 May 1936 in Wapello, Iowa.
Ervin C. Gruber was a farmer in Allamakee county near Lansing and operated the "home farm" that had been his father's and grandfather's.
Ervin married (1) Cecelia Mary WAGNER on 9 Oct 1939. Cecelia was born 11 Oct 1913 in Nashua, Iowa. She died 25 Jul 1952 in La Crosse, WisconsinI and was buried 28 Jul 1952 in La Crosse.
Cecelia was a member of the Rosary Society and the Catholic Women's League.
They had four children:
Mary married Robert MEFFERD.
Ervin also married (2) Laura WITHER on 3 Feb 1962.