Fred L. H. Gericke
Fred L. H. Gericke, whose operations along agricultural lines
are proving highly successful, is the owner of two hundred and
twenty acres of land in Franklin township, Allamakee county. He
is one of Iowa’s native sons, his birth occurring in Clayton
county, near Farmersburg, on the 13th of September, 1878, his
parents being John and Mary (Klinge) Gericke. He was reared to
agricultural life early becoming familiar with the tasks that
usually fall to the farm lad. In the acquirement of an education
he attended school in Marion township, Clayton county, and later
was a student at Wesgrove, Post township, this county. At the
comparatively early age of seventeen years he left school and
began working as a farm hand in the employ of neighboring
farmers, in the meantime, however, continuing to reside with his
parents. Thus he continued until his marriage, when desiring to
engage in agriculture of his own account, he purchased a farm and
began its operation. From the very first he has been successful
and is now the owner of a fine tract of land of two hundred and
twenty acres, twenty acres of which are in timber. The remainder
of the tract is all under cultivation and has been highly
developed, owing to the careful supervision and progressive
methods of Mr. Gericke. General farming and stock-raising fully
occupy his time and attention although he is interested as a
stockholder in the farmers store, the Postville Creamery and the
Canning Factory.
It was on the 26th of March, 1907, that Mr. Gericke was united in
marriage to Miss Lucy Heins, who was also a native of Clayton
county, born April 7, 1889, a daughter of William and Minnie
(Lange) Heins. The father was born near Clayton Center, March 5,
1863, while the mother’s birth occurred in Germany, July 24,
1866. The father has been a lifelong farmer and at an early day
became a landowner in Clayton county. He has resided on his
present farm since 1887 and is still active in its operation,
devoting his entire time and attention to general farming and
stock-raising, although in the past he has held various local
township offices. His daughter Lucy was the second in order of
birth in a family of four children, and in early life attended
the Springfield school, near Postville, in the acquirement of her
education. By her marriage to Mr. Gericke she has become the
mother of two children, Milo W. J. And Clinda M. L., the former
born on the 14th of April, 1908, and the latter on the 22d of
May, 1910. The family are members of the Lutheran church of
Postville, and Mr. Gericke gives his political allegiance to the
democratic party. He has never aspired to any office. Although he
is public-spirited in a large degree, preferring tat his
political service should be fulfilled as a private citizen rather
than as a public servant. Manifesting, from the very beginning of
his business career those traits- energy, industry and
perseverance- that seldom fail to accomplish gratifying results,
he has won for himself an excellent place among the younger
generation of agriculturists of Franklin township, while the
honorable principles which he has ever followed in his relations
with his fellowmen have won for him the confidence, respect and
good-will of all with whom he has come in contact.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
Return to 1913 biographies index