Gross, Mary A. (1823-1896)

GROSS

Posted By: Debra Scott Hierlmeier (email)
Date: 11/15/2008 at 18:36:56

Mary Ann Gross

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.212, Pleasant Twp.)
Mary Ann Gross, Avoca, is a native of Alsace, Germany, born August 2, 1823, the only child of Joseph and Mary Anna (Goler) Littolff, both natives of Alsace, Germany, where they both died. Her father was a shoemaker by trade; born in 1771 and died in 1847.
Subject received her education in her native town in Alsace, Germany, where she was married May 7, 1846 to Dominick Gross, a carpenter by trade, born in 1822, son of John and Neine (Koelin) Gross, natives of Alsace, Germany.
Dominick and Mary Gross resided in Iowa Scott County, from 1853 to 1873, farming there seven years, the remainder of the time residing in Le Claire, that county where Mr. Gross followed his trade. In 1873, they removed to this county and settled in this township, where Mr. Gross bought 160 acres of land at $8.50 per acre; in 1876, 160 acres at $10 per acre, and in 1877, 160 acres at $10 per acre. Mr. and Mrs. Gross were blessed with seven children: Dominick, Joseph, John, Delia, Helena, Julia, and George. They also took two children to raise--Michael Morrison and Maggie Senn. The boys have improved the farm, and two of them--Joseph and John--have bought 160 acres of land, paying $17 per acre for forty acres and for the remaining 120 acres $20 per acre. The home farm is well improved; there is a good dwelling house and a large number of trees on the place. Mrs. Gross is a member of the Catholic Church.