Winker.net - Gerhard & Margaret Richter

Gerhard Richter Margaret Grun Married: July 1868, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Children: 

                     | Claudius
                     | Jacob
                     | John
Gerhard Richter \    | Frederick
      &          }---| Catherine
Margaret Grun   /    | Theresa
                     | Joseph
                     | Barbara
                     | Elizabeth

From History of Stearns County, 1915, pg 927

GERHARD RICHTER, for many years a blacksmith in Melrose, was born in Germany, on the Rhine, May 1, 1843, son of John and Elisabeth (Schreiner) Richter. He came to America in 1865, having at the same time thoroughly mastered the trade of a blacksmith. Upon landing he came directly to St. Cloud, where he followed his trade as a helper to Peter Shedler, one of the first blacksmiths in that place. A year later, Mr. Richter established a shop for himself in Richmond, also in this county. In 1872 he moved to Melrose, where he conducted a shop until 1912, when he retired. He was one of the earliest councilmen of Melrose, a school director nine years, and census enumerator tow different times, once for the state of Minnesota, and once for the United States government. Mr. Richter was married at St. Cloud in 1868, to Margaret Grun, born in Germany, on the Rhine, July 4, 1845, daughter of Jacob and Appalonia (Lohskiel) Grun. Mr. and Mrs. Richter have had nine children, of whom there are living, seven: Claudius (deceased), Jacob, John, Frederick (deceased), Catherine, Theresa, Joseph, Barbara, and Elizabeth.

John Richter and his wife, the parents of Gerhard Richter, came to St. Cloud in 1866, and spent the remainder of their days on a farm on the St. Augusta road, south of St. Cloud. They had seven children: Catherine (deceased), Barbara, Catherine, Elizabeth, Bernard and Mary.

Jacob and Appalonia (Lohskiel) Grun were born in Germany. Jacob was a cabinet maker by trade. He lost his wife when the daughter, Margaret, was but eight months of age. Thus bereft, Jacob never remarried, but remained a widower until his death at the age of seventy. In the family there were four children: Francis, Margaret (deceased), Susan and Margaret.

Margaret, now the wife of Gerhard Richter, is the only one living. She came to St. Cloud in 1867 with a small colony of people seeking homes in the new country.

From History of the Upper Mississippi Valley, 1881, pg 437-438:

GERHARD RICHTER was born in the province of Rhine, Prussia, on the 1st of May, 1843. When quite young, he went to Oberstgegen, where he served a three years apprenticeship to the blacksmith trade, after which he traveled for the same length of time still working at his trade in different cities of Prussia. In 1865, he came to America, arriving at St. Cloud in December of the same year, but only remained a short time, going to Clearwater, Wright county. In 1866, he removed to Richmond, Stearns county, where he remained six years; at that place and Clearwater he was blacksmith for the "Minnesota Stage Company." On the 17th of January, 1872, he came to Melrose, and has since been engaged in the manufacture of wagons, and general blacksmithing; he is also engaged in the sale of farm machinery. Mr. Richter was married, in July, 1868, to Miss M. Grunn, of St. Cloud.

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