John Glab

As printed in 1911

John Glab, one of Dubuque county's highly respected citizens, is a native of Germany, his birth occurring in the village of Guegesheim, of Hesse-Darmstadt, November 11, 1834. He was one of a family of six children born to Christoph and Elizabeth Glab, both of whom were descended from old German families, and who in 1854 immigrated to the United States and located on a farm in Dubuque county. The father was an honest, conscientious man, a credit to any community, and after a long and useful life of eighty-eight years passed away on the old homestead in 1888. His wife died ten years before, at the age of seventy-eight. Their son, John, the immediate subject of this review, received his schooling in the public institutions of his native country, and after coming to America worked for a time in a lead mine in this county. He then followed teaming for a while, and subsequently freighted wood on the Mississippi river until 1865. He then bought a distillery and a flour mill, but disposed of same after successfully operating them five years, and in 1870 established himself in the manufacture of vinegar and pickles, which industry he continued for a period of thirty-six years. The building he occupied is now one of Dubuque's hostelries, known as the Glab House. Mr. Glab has always taken an active interest in local affairs of importance, and served as alderman from his ward during 1883 and 1884, and as mayor of Dubuque

S8o HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY in 1885 and 1886. In religion he is an adherent of the Roman Catholic faith and is a member of St. Mary's church. On December 7

1 86 1, at Dubuque, he was united in marriage with Miss Louise Wagner, daughter of Peter Wagner, who died on the voyage from Germany to this country. To Mr. and Mrs. Glab four sons and two daughters have been born, as follows: John Nicholas, who died in 1897, aged thirty-seven; Lena, wife of B. D. Heeb, capitalist residing in California; Henry, of St. Louis; Lulu, who married F. K. Matterson, deceased, and now resides with her father; Leo F., a plumber of this city; and Morris P., a news agent. MnGlab's residence is at 846 West Fifth street, his home for the past forty years. For the past eight years Mr. Glab has been justice of the peace in Dubuque.

Prof. George F. Gerken, in charge of the parochial school at New Vienna, is a native of Dubuque County, Iowa, a son of Henry and Anna (Winter) Gerken and a grandson of Herman Gerken. The latter came from the Prussian Province of Westphalia, Germany, to America and Dubuque county in 1850, and for a time followed carpentering. He later engaged in farming near Dyersville, and died in 1878, aged fifty-six years, preceded by his wife in

1862, and both are buried at Dyersville. Mrs. Anna Gerken's father, John Peter Winter, was born in the year 1816 at Niedersain, Nassau, Germany. He came to America in 1854, settling first at Dubuque, and in 1865 at New Vienna, following the trade of masonry. He died in the year 1896, preceded by his wife in 1888. They are both buried at New Vienna.

As printed in History of Dubuque County, Iowa; being a general survey of Dubuque County history, including a history of the city of Dubuque and special account of districts throughout the county, from the earliest (1911). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.