Today’s birthday lady was a granddaughter of among the very first German Lutheran pastors to settle in East Perry County, Rev. Carl Gruber. The Gruber Group that has actually been pointed out on this blog site typically was called after this Rev. Gruber. He was the very first pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Uniontown. He was not the only Lutheran pastor in his household. 2 kids, Rev. Theodore Gruber and Rev. Gotthold Gruber, were each pastors that served in a number of areas around the nation. Both of them are buried in the exact same cemetery in Seward County, Nebraska. Below is a brief bio of Pastor Theodore Gruber.

The initial Gruber household is discovered on the guest list of the Johann Georg that landed in New Orleans in November of 1839. Theodore was simply 7 years of ages when he pertained to America.

Today, I will inform the story of a child of Rev. Theodore Gruber. Clara Gruber was born upon February 5, 1859, so today would be her 164th birthday. Her mom was Fredericke (Kipp) Gruber. Clara was most likely baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Friedenberg since her daddy was the pastor of that church from 1857-1864, however there is no baptism details for her in the Friedenberg Remembrances book. Clara is discovered in the 1860 census at the age of 1. Her household was residing in the Cinque Hommes Town where her daddy is called a Lutheran minister.

Below is an image taken of Pastor Theodore Gruber that is discovered in the Friedenberg Remembrances book.

The bio revealed above suggests this household invested a long time in the cities of California and Washington, Missouri, however when the next census was taken in 1870, we discover the Gruber’s living in the Hampton Town which is discovered in East Moline, Illinois. Pastor Gruber was most likely serving Zion Lutheran Church, which had actually been developed in 1852. Clara was 11 years of ages at the time. Her daddy was called an instructor and minister.

We will now change our attention to the guy who would end up being Clara’s partner. His name was William Grots, who was born upon July 10, 1855, the boy of Conrad and Sophia (Muess) Grots. William’s later obituary states that he was born in Clayton Center, Iowa and pertained to Nebraska at the age of 12 with his household. William was still residing in Iowa when the 1860 census was taken. His daddy was a wagonmaker in the Read Town, which is where Clayton Center lay.

We discover William in the 1870 census living in Seward, Nebraska. His daddy was a farmer.

William Grots wed Clara Gruber on July 20, 1877 in Nebraska. At that time, Clara’s daddy was the pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Middle Creek, Nebraska. Middle Creek lies in Seward County in between Seward and Lincoln. When I participated in Concordia, Seward, I typically rode previous Immanuel Lutheran Church on United States Highway 34. The 1908 plat map listed below from the H Precinct in Seward County reveals where that church lay. Right around the church and school were some parcels owned by Gruber’s.

Here is an image of Immanuel Lutheran Church that I swiped from their Facebook page.

Throughout my more youthful years, there was a time when I did some pen and ink illustrations. I would utilize a photo I had actually taken and effort to draw it. I bear in mind that I had actually taken an image of Immanuel, Middle Creek and had actually begun doing an illustration of it. After a fair bit of browsing with the aid of my other half (who actually understands where things remain in our home), I discovered that insufficient illustration. It is revealed here. I have not discovered the picture, and for the time being, I have actually deserted the search.

We can have a look at a Nebraska marital relationship record for William and Clara. Clara’s daddy carried out the wedding event.

William’s obituary states that this couple had 5 kids. In the 1880 census, we discover the Grots household living in the H Precinct. They had 2 children at that time, and William was a farmer.

In 1885, Rev. Theodore Gruber left the church in Middle Creek to develop a brand-new church that was likewise situated in Seward County. That church would be called St. Paul Lutheran Church. A history of that parish outlines Pastor Gruber ending up being the very first pastor contacted us to that church.

Rev. Gruber passed away in 1889, and was buried in the St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery.

An obituary for Pastor Gruber is discovered on his Findagrave.com entry.

Theodore’s bro, Gotthold, would later on be buried in this exact same cemetery. I might need to inform his story on this blog site sooner or later. The map listed below programs the relative areas of St. Paul Lutheran Church (the enigma) and Immanuel Lutheran Church, Middle Creek (the improperly drawn red circle).

Back to the Grots’s. When the 1900 census was taken, we discover the Grots family with 5 kids. William is called a property owner in this entry.

In the 1910 census, we see simply 2 kids coping with William and Clara. Both William and Clara are called retired farmers. Their boy, Willie, was a bank accountant. William’s mom was likewise in the family.

The Grots couple had actually relocated to the city of Lincoln, Nebraska prior to the 1920 census was taken. That is where we discover William, Clara, their child, Ida, and William’s 96 year-old mom living when this entry was made.

William Grots passed away in 1929 at the age of 73. His obituary offers more information about a few of his achievements throughout his life which were rather remarkable.

Clara Grots is discovered in the 1930 census as a widow living in Garland, Nebraska. She was living by herself.

Clara Grots passed away in 1937 at the age of 78. Both William and Clara are buried in the Germantown Cemetery in Garland, Nebraska. The town of Garland was when called Germantown.

Rev. Carl Gruber and his 2 kids, Theodore and Gotthold, each had the credibility of developing Lutheran churches any place they went. Along his method, Pastor Theodore Gruber dropped off among his children near Garland, Nebraska, and now you understand her story.

I did get one unforeseen surprise while investigating this story. While scrolling through the pictures on Zion, East Moline’s Facebook page searching for an image of their old church, I encountered the image revealed listed below. The guy in the image was explained in the caption as being Vicar Frank Lucas. Rev. Frank Lucas is the contemporary pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Altenburg.