GRUBE, C. W.

GRUBE, BERTRAM, GALLNICK, STOYKE, EHLKE, TOETER

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 7/14/2006 at 11:41:40

C. W. Grube, who makes his home on section 32, Union township, Mitchell county, is a self-made man who has worked his way upward from a very humble financial position. He started out to earn his living as a farm hand, and by persistent energy has advanced step by step. Whatever success he has achieved is the reward of his own labors and now for a number of years he has been regarded as one of the representative business men of his part of the state.

He was born December 16, 1866, in Brunswick, Germany, a son of Frederick and Louise (Bertram) Grube, who came to the United States in 1867, making their way into the interior of the country. They settled in Columbia county, Wisconsin, where they lived for five years, and then removed to Freeborn county, Minnesota, where they continued to make their home. The father, who was born on the 1st of November, 1838, passed away in that county on the 25th of March, 1915. His widow, however, still survives and yet occupies the old homestead. She is now seventy-seven years of age, her birth having occurred on the 19th of December, 1840. They were the parents of ten children, eight of whom are living in America, Frederick, the first born, having passed away, while August, the seventh in order of birth, died at the age of twenty-four years. The others are: Louise, the wife of John Gallnick, a resident of Waverly, Iowa; C. W., of this review; Dora, the wife of Fred Stoyke, of Lakefield, Minnesota; Julia Anna, the wife of John Ehlke, living in Union township, Mitchell county; William, who makes his home in Freeborn county, Minnesota; Hugo, living in San Benito, Texas; Alwina, who is with her mother; and Henning, who is upon the homestead farm.

C. W. Grube is indebted to the public school system of Freeborn county, Minnesota, for the educational privileges which he enjoyed. He was but a year old when brought to the new world and was but a young lad when the famiiy removed from Wisconsin to Minnesota. He afterward earned his way through St. Ansgar's Seminary. While difficulties and obstacles beset his path, he overcame these by determined and resolute effort and the same spirit of perseverance has enabled him to work his way upward in the business world to success. On the ist of December, 1889, he became a resident of Union township, Mitchell county, and entered the employ of Henry Toeter, for whom he worked for four years. He afterward rented land for a year and subsequently made a trade for eighty acres of Minnesota land. He became the owner of one hundred and eighty-one acres in Otranto township, Mitchell county, and cultivated that place for five years, after which he spent five years in the further development and improvement of the Toeter place in Union township. Turning to commercial pursuits, he spent the next twelve years in the conduct of a hardware store and for one year he engaged in raising grain. He also became a dealer in automobiles, handling the Studebaker and Ford cars. In 1915 he purchased thirteen lots near the town of Toeterville and upon that tract of land built a fine modern residence, supplied with the latest improvements and conveniences. It is a most attractive home and stands as evidence of his business ability and worth.

On the 27th of September, 1893, Mr. Grube was united in marriage to Miss Emma Toeter, a daughter of Henry Toeter, and they have become the parents of six children: Laura, who is a graduate of the schools of Waverly, Iowa; Alice, who attended school at Waverly; Henry, who will graduate with the class of 1918; Eleanor, who is in school at St. Ansgar, having now reached the high school; August: and Adelheid.

Mr. Grube has ever been a stanch champion of the cause of education and has been president, treasurer and a director of his school district. His religious faith is that of the German Lutheran church, in which he is an active worker. He has served as one of its trustees for six years. In politics he votes independently and does not seek public office, preferring to concentrate his time and efforts upon his business affairs. Aside from his other interests he is a stockholder of the Union Bank of Toeterville. He displays sound judgment in the conduct of his business interests and his indefatigable enterprise has constituted the foundation upon which he has builded his present prosperity.

Source: History of Mithchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1918, Vol. II, page 297.