Grau, Leonard 1862-1942 and Wives' Families

GRAU, GANDY, BRANDT, BRAUNT, WINDERS, MEYERS, BARKHUFF

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - Volunteer (email)
Date: 11/11/2024 at 16:06:27

Grau, Leonard 1862-1942 and Wives' Families

This story was taken from pages 395-396 of the Ireton Centennial Book (1882-1982). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added by Wilma J. Vande Berg. Names referenced as where found.

Leonard Grau was born to John and Mary Grau in 1862 in Tama Co., Ia. He married Lucy Winders and moved to Sioux Co., near Ireton. They had one son, Clarence, (married Tillie Voss), and a daughter, Grace. Grace was adopted by Oren Post. Lucy (Winders) Grau passed away in 1889. Clarence Grau spent his adult life in LeMars, Ia.

In 1890 Leonard Grau married Cecelia Gandy, daughter of Elias and Leydiann Gandy. They farmed northwest of Ireton. They had 4 children; Leonard Jr., Earl, Lillian, and Vernon. Cecelia Gandy Grau died Nov. 16, 1904 near Ireton, Ia. and is buried here. Leonard Jr. died in infancy.

Earl Grau married Maude Weinrich. To this union was born three children; Leonard, Eileen, and Delores.

Lillian married Herman Harms and lives in Brunsville, Ia. Their children were: Mildred; twins, Willis and Wilma; and Genevieve.

Vernon Grau married Lola Lean Oct. 1, 1919 and farmed on a farm south of Ireton. They had 3 children: Russell, Robert, and Marjorie. Russell Grau married Marjorie Rembe. They live in Sioux City. Robert died in infancy. Marjorie died when a young girl.

Leonard Grau farmed most of his life. A few years after Cecilia Grau’s death he moved to LeMars, Ia. where he married Minnie Meaves. After her death he moved to Calif. where he passed away Oct. 2, 1942. At the time of his death he was married to Nettie Wilson.
(end of story in the Ireton Book)

RESEARCH Notes: From ancestry.com's public member trees submitted by other than this submitter. Also from local archive found on this web page.

Leonard V. Grau Jr. was born Apr 19, 1862 Indian Village, Tama Co, IA died Sep 28, 1942 Long Beach, Los Angeles CA. He was the son of Leonard Grau Sr. 1823-1886 and Anna Maria Brandt 'Mary' 1827-1906. He had four wives:

Wife #1. Lucy J. Winders born 9 Dec 1863 Ilinois died 14 Mar 1889 Ireton, Sioux Co, IA. Her parents not given. Leonard and Anna 'Mary' Grau had three children:
1 Clarence Grau born 11 Oct 1885 Marshalltown, Iowa died 1 Nov 1972 Le Mars IA. He married Matilda A. Voss 1888-1961.
2 Male Grau infant 1887
3 Grace Grau (adopted as a Post) born 26 Feb 1889 Ireton IA died 21 Dec 1982 Pasadena CA

Wife # 2. Cecelia Deford Gandy born 7 May 1865 DeKalb Co, IL died 16 Nov 1904 Sioux City IA, she was the daughter of Elias Gandy 1834-1919 and Lydia Ann Cunningham 1936-1913. Leonard and Cecelia had four children;
1 Leonard Grau III 1891-1892
2 Earl Clayton Grau born 25 Dec 1892 Ireton Sioux IA died 16 Apr 1967 Baldwin Park, L. A. CA. He was married to Maude Ethel Weinrich 1893-1966. They had children – Leonard Earl Grau 1917-1917, Infant Grau 1918-1918, Leonard Earl Grau 1920-1989, Ileen Marjorie Grau 1923 and one other not named.
3 Lillian Margaret Grau born 21 Dec 1894 Ireton IA died 21 Oct 1994 Le Mars IA. She married Herman John Harms 1895-1985. They had children – Mildred Lisle Harms 1918-1997, Herbert Carl Harms 1920, Wilma Jeanette Harms 1923-2003, Twin, Willis Herman Harms 1923-2002, Genevieve Ardith Harms 1929-2006 and Joan Arlene Harms 1931-1931.
4 Claude Vernon Grau born 5 Aug 1896 Ireton IA died 23 May 1982 Le Mars IA. He married Lola Esther Lean 1897-1984. They had children – Russell Vincent Grau 1920-1998, Robert Leonard Grau 1922-1922, Marjorie Louise Grau 1927-1935 and one other not named.

Wife #3. Wilhemina Caroline Meyers 'Minnie' born 25 Aug 1869 IA died 26 Jun 1918 Le Mars IA . She had two former husbands Frederick Johann Schrader and Charles F. Shaw.

Wife # 4. Jeannetta Barkhuff born 19 May 1870 Fayette Co. IA died 16 Feb 1940 Los Angeles CA. Former husband George A. Wilson. Leonard and Jeannetta were married in 1910.

OBITUARY OF LEONARD GRAU
Source: Find A Grave Birth: April 19, 1862 Death: October 5, 1942
Leonard was the son of German immigrants Leonard & Anna "Mary" (Brandt/Braunt) Grau. He was the 7th of 12 children.
He married 4 times and had 6 children. One child, Grace, from his first marriage he adopted out to the Oren G. Post family. Leonard's first wife died less than a month after Grace was born. So, he was left with a 4 year old son, Clarence, and less than one month old baby Grace.
Oren and his wife Mary adopted Grace and moved to Pasadena, California by 1900. Grace died 21 December, 1982 in Pasadena, California. She may have never known she was adopted?
Leonard was married 4 times: 1st wife, Lucy J. Winders, 2nd wife Cecelia Deford Gandy, 3rd wife Minnie G. Meaves and 4th wife Nettie B. Wilson
He was buried Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Ireton, Sioux County, Iowa.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hawarden Independent
Thursday, Oct. 8, 1942
Hawarden, Iowa
Former Ireton Resident Buried Here
Mention was made last week of the death of Leonard Grau, 80, who passed away at his home in Long Beach, Calif., Sept. 28, after an illness of several months.
His remains were brought to Le Mars and funeral services were held from the Mauer Funeral home last Friday afternoon with Rev. R. R. Hunger officiating. Interment was made in the Pleasant Hill cemetery in Ireton. Many from Ireton attended the services at Le Mars. His nephew, Lester Long, accompanied the remains to Le Mars.
Leonard Grau was born April 19, 1862, in a log cabin near Tama, Ia., and grew to manhood on the homestead. He was married to Lucy Winters Dec. 25, 1884, and three children were born to this union. They came to Plymouth county in October 1887 and lived there a short time before coming to Sioux county. Mrs. Grau died in March 1888. Mr. Grau was married to Miss Ceila Gandy in March 1889 and four children were born to them, one dying in infancy.
Mr. Grau followed the occupation of farming and made a success of his calling. After the death of his wife Celia he left the farm and lived in Ireton for a time. In Sept. 1909 he moved to Le Mars where he operated a dairy farm until 1914. Later he moved into Le Mars and in 1919 went to Long Beach, Calif., to live.
He is survived by three sons, Clarence of Le Mars; Earl of Los Angeles, Calif.; and Vernon of Richmond, Ky.; a daughter, Mrs. Lillian Harms of Brunsville, a brother and three sisters.
~Obituary transcribed & submitted by D. Snow.

OBITUARY OF LUCY GRAU
Source: Find A Grave Birth: December 9, 1863
Death: March 14, 1889
Lucy was the first wife of Leonard Grau Jr. Together they had 2 children; Clarence & Grace. Lucy died less than one month after Grace was born. Leonard then adopted out Grace to the Oren G. Post family.
Lucy was the daughter of Hiram and Hetta (Tice) Winders.
Lucy was laid to rest at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Ireon, Sioux County, Iowa.

OBITUARY OF CECILIA GRAU
Ireton Weekly Ledger Nov 26, 1904
The family chain is broken; the fourth link is gone. Cecelia D. Gandy Grau was born in DeKalb County Ill, Mary 7th 1865, and died Nov 16th 1904. In September 1866 her parents moved to Tama County, Iowa, where she lived until her marriage with Leonard Grau which was Feb 18, 1890. They moved to Sioux County the same month of their marriage and have resided here ever since. While a resident of Montour, Tama County, she graduated from the public school in 1884.
Celia leaves to mourn her loss a loving husband, Leonard Grau, three children, Earl, Lilly and Vernon; her father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Elias Gandy, of Ireton; four sisters, Laura H. Gandy of Ireton, Mrs. Lottie E. Henrie of Maple Park IL., Mrs. Edith A Grau of Ireton, Mrs. Lena May Vreeland of Montour IA and four brothers, W. L. Gandy of Ireton, G. W. Gandy of Tama, and L. L. and A. B. Gandy of Montour, besides a large circle of friends.
The funeral services were conducted by Rev. H. F. Wallace at the First Presbyterian church. The choir consisting of Mrs. S. H. Carr, Mrs. H. B. Smith, H. B. Smith and Mr. Belden with Mrs. W. S. Scott organist, sang beautiful songs which were favorites with the deceased in her girlhood days.
The remains were laid to rest in the Pleasant Hill cemetery and the pall bearers being D. A. Wheeler, H.E. Wing, J. H. Pryor, T. C. Parker, Thos. Lean and F. J. Parrott. One who was beloved has passed to that golden shore to await the coming of those who are left behind. A loving wife, a dutiful daughter and a kind mother.