Frederick Krebs

As printed in 1887

FREDERICK KREBS, farmer, was born in Wernigersock. Prussia, in 1820, and is the son of Henry and Louisa (Spe,ar) Krebs. Henry Krebs was born in Prussia, but his wife was a native of Hanover. He w.as a garden;- near the village mentioned, where he and his wife lived and died. They were the parents of seven children, of whom our subject is the only one now living.

Frederick Krebs, our subject, w.as reared and educated in Prussia, and while a resident of that country was engaged in the same business as his father, except that to this was added a knowledge of hothouse gardening, and this of itself is a wonderful science. The propagation of plants and gathering of seeds, which were sent throughout almost the whole world, was for many years his business. He was educated in German and Latin in the schools of his native country, and from his majority was enlisted in the German army, in which he served three years. His inonej was carefully

'r\ saved, both from his service and from his labor until a small sii'n of cash was at his command, when efforts were again made to place him in the ranks, Init being on good terms with the military officers he was given a pass, and with his money in his pocket he sailed from Bremen JIarch 15, 1848. After a seven weeks' voyage he hailed with delight the shores o£ America. He landed at New York, and hearing that many market gardeners were located at Cincinnati, Ohio, he purchased passage to that city, but in going down North River his boat was wrecked in the night, and he escaped only with his life and a part of his clothes. A valuable.trunk full of the choicest seeds was lost. He was taken from the wreck to Albany, N. Y., and at once engaged with John Kittle, an English farmer, for $4 per month, as he was desirous of learning the English language. Me worked for Kittle one year, and then went to Connecticut, from whence he returned two years later and began work again for Mr. Kittle at $11 per month.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

For some years Mr. Krebs has served upon the School Hoard, yet even now he cannot read the English language well. In his own language he is well educated, and all his children have been given a good common-school education. Success has crowned the life of Frederick Krebs. and he is known and honored among the best people of the

county for his honesty and purity in private and public life. Wilhelm, their fourth son, is somewhere in the West, but his whereabouts is unknown.

Mr. and Mrs. Krebs are both Free-thinkers in the fullest sense. They love Protestant institutions and freedom in eveytliing, both political and religious.

As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Washington County, Iowa, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and (1887). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.