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Family
Marriage: Children:
  1. George Gfroerer (Gfrörer): Birth: 2 MAR 1859 in Sand Creek, Scott County, Minnesota.

  2. Henry Gfroerer (Gfrörer): Birth: 1 MAR 1861 in Jordan, Minnesota. Death: 16 OCT 1903 in St. John’s Cemetery

  3. John Joseph Gfroerer (Gfrörer): Birth: 16 AUG 1863 in Jordan, Minnesota. Death: in as an infant

  4. Anna Rosa “Rose” Gfroerer (Gfrörer): Birth: 16 AUG 1863 in Jordan, Minnesota. Death: in as a small child

  5. Maria Magdolena Gfroerer (Gfrörer): Birth: 18 DEC 1866 in Jordan, Minnesota. Death: in as a child

  6. Ana Katharina Gfroerer (Gfrörer): Birth: 9 APR 1868 in Jordan, Minnesota. Death: 22 JAN 1871 in Jordan, Minnesota

  7. Frank Gfroerer (Gfrörer): Birth: 10 JUL 1870 in Jordan, Minnesota.

  8. Joseph Gfroerer (Gfrörer): Birth: 17 DEC 1872 in Jordan, Minnesota.

  9. Mary Ann Gfroerer (Gfrörer): Birth: 30 NOV 1874 in Jordan, Minnesota. Death: 6 NOV 1958 in Olympia, Washington

  10. unnamed boy Gfroerer (Gfrörer): Birth: 23 NOV 1879. Death: 24 NOV 1879


Notes
a. Note:   N30 “When 17 years old she came to America and for some years resided in Boston, then moving west to Jordan, Minn., and in 1861(sic) was married to Jos. Gfroerer, who died in 1895. In 1884 the family came to Milbank and the deceased made this her home continuously from that time until her death.” —Milbank Newspaper dated 2/28/1918 Note with regard to her marriage, two of her children (George and Henry) were born before she and Joseph were married in the Catholic Church. They had previously been married by a Protestant minister before the two oldest boys were born. Apparently at the time they did not know that the Catholic Church did not recognize this marriage as valid. According to the 1910 census, she had been naturalized in 1877. It also noted that she spoke English. “I was first married to Joseph Gfrorer (sic) at Pasco (sic) RI Jany 8th 1858 but not by a Priest but a Protestant Minister. Finding this was not a valid marriage as viewed by our church I was again married to said Gfrorer by a Catholic Priest in Jordan, Minn. about April 25th 1861. There is no public record of either of these marriages and I can find but one person who was present when I was so married. All the property owned by me is my home where I now live which I regard as worth not to exceed $270.00 and a little personal property worth not to exceed $29.00. Aside from this I have no income whatsoever or other means of support.” Walburga apparently did not know that the following entry existed in the records of St. John’s Church in Jordan, Minnesota: “AD 1861 die 13 Maii in matrimonium conjunxit Josephum Gfrierer (sic) et Walburga Bertesch, present. Test. Constantin Holzer.” At any rate, she must have eventually obtained her pension, because there is a record of her last payment of $25.00 having been sent 4 January 1918. According to her obituary, “She had been in failing health for more than a year past, but able to be up and about her home a while every day. On last Friday morning, her 83rd birthday, she rose about nine o’clock, and after a hearty breakfast insisted on assisting with some of the lighter work about the house and pealed (sic) some potatoes for dinner. About 1:30 she was seized with a fainting spell but seemed to rally for a time, but an hour later suffered a stroke of apoplexy, and with the exception of a short period of about half an hour that afternoon, remained unconscious until death mercifully relieved her of her sufferings.” Apparently her son Frank (who never married) lived with her until her death; the two of them are listed in the 1910 census as living together, he 40 and head of household, she 75 years old. Full quotation from the Milbank, South Dakota Newspaper, Thursday, February 28, 1918: Death of Mrs. Gfroerer Mrs. Wolborga [sic] Gfroerer, one of the oldest and a highly respected citizen of Milbank, died at her home in this city at 3:15 o’clock last Saturday afternoon, aged 83 years and one day. Deceased was born in Wettenburg [sic], Germany, February 22, 1835. When 17 years old she came to America and for some years resided in Boston, then moving west to Jordan, Minn., and in 1861 was married to Jos. Gfroerer, who died in 1895. In 1894 the family came to Milbank and the deceased made this her home continuously from that time until her death. She had been in failing health for more than a year past, but able to be up and about her home a while every day. On last Friday morning, her 83rd birthday, she rose about nine o’clock, and after a hearty breakfast insisted on assisting with some of the lighter work about the house and pealed [sic] potatoes for the dinner. About 11:30 she was seized with a fainting spell, but seemed to rally for a time, but an hour later suffered a stroke of apoplexy, and with the exception of a short period of about half an hour that afternoon, remained unconscious until death mercifully relieved her of her suffering. Mrs. Gfroerer leaves to mourn her going three children, Frank, who has lived at home with her, Mrs. Jacob Ginsbach, Centuria, Wis., and Joseph, Chehalis, Wash. Mrs. Ginsbach arrived here Saturday afternoon on train No. 1, less than an hour after her mother’s death, and of course her disappointment at not being able to see her mother alive was extremely keen. Joseph was unable to be here for the funeral, which was held from St. Lawrence Church at 10 o’clock Tuesday morning with a solemn requiem mass, Rev. J. J. O’Neill celebrant. Interment was in St. Lawrence cemetery.


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