Gerhard Heinrich “Jerry” Bierbaum (1825-1907)

Gerhard Heinrich “Jerry” Bierbaum

Birth

26 Nov 1825

Wissingen, Landkreis Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, Germany

Death

23 Nov 1907 (aged 81)

Garnavillo, Clayton County, Iowa, USA

Burial

Pioneer Rock Cemetery

Ceres, Clayton County, Iowa, USA Add to Map

Memorial ID

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Emigrated to the US in 1842 to Ohio with his brother Johann Christoph. They moved to Clayton County, IA in 1846. He settled on a farm (on a claim originally made by Robert Gladden). Originally he paid a dollar an acre for 80 acres.
His parents and his other four siblings joined them in 1847 in Garnavillo, IA. All siblings were born in Wissingen, Hanover, Prussia. Wissingen is just to the east of Osnabruk on the route to the city of Hanover in modern Germany. His parents lived with him until their deaths.
He held several Garnavillo Township offices over the years.
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Death recorded at age 87 in Garnavillo with place of birth as Germany. Listed as married and a retired farmer. Cause of death listed as chronic cystitis.
Source: Register of deaths Volume A, Nov. 1897-June 1913, FHL film #1255482
-Transcribed by Steve & Neva Nelson for Clayton co. IAGenWeb from photocopies contributed by Constance Diamond
http://iagenweb.org/clayton
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1850 Census: Garnavillo Township district; Reel M432-182, pg 169A; enumerated on 8/9/1805 by Elipholib Price; HN 544 FN 544; Ln 1-8 list the following w/ occupation and place of birth: (comments in parentheses)
Bierbaum John 53 M Farmer Ger (his father)
Bierbaum Catharine 53 F Ger (his mother)
Bierbaum Garret 24 M Farmer 1,000 (value) Ger
Bierbaum Christopher 22 M Farmer Ger (brother)
Bierbaum Charles 19 M Cooper Ger (brother)
Bierbaum Frederick 16 M Farmer Ger (brother)
Bierbaum Catharine 13 F Ger (sister)
Bierbaum Mary 10 F Ger (sister)
Thus in 1850, his parents and all of his siblings lived on his farm. (Garret must be an attempt at spelling Gerhard; names were often anglicanized). It also indicated his young sisters attended school.
1860 census: farmer
1870: his children Caroline 14, Ellen 10, and Anna 8 at home
1880: Near Ceres house 133 in Grand Meadow, pg 17
1885: Garnavillo; pg 363; section of town 33 NE NE. Gerhard (59) farmer from Hanover with wife Caroline (48) house keeping. Also John (20) laborer, Anna (22) housekeeper, Henry (19) laborer, Margrette (17), Christoph (13), Minna (9) - all of whom were marked as born in Clayton Co.