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Gerhard Johann “George” Hinrichs

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Birth	:	20 Jun 1859 Germany
Death	:	8 Apr 1912 George, Lyon County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	First Baptist Church Cemetery, George, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate	:	43.3755000, -95.9780000
Description	:	"Gerhard was almost 22 when he decided ot immigrate to America. There to see Herhard off for his journey from Bremen were his uncle, Pupt Weinrank (Christina Hinrichs's brother) and Pupt's son, 13 year old Hinderk, both from Aurich. He boarded the steamship 'Kronprinz Friedrich Wilhelm' sometime in April of 1882. Gerhard's original ship manifest was found and he was listed as passenger #1064, a 22 year old male from Prussia with the occupation of farm and his destination was Cedar Falls, Iowa. It is told that Gerhard could splice rope and was given free passage in exchange for helping... Read More	"Gerhard was almost 22 when he decided ot immigrate to America. There to see Herhard off for his journey from Bremen were his uncle, Pupt Weinrank (Christina Hinrichs's brother) and Pupt's son, 13 year old Hinderk, both from Aurich. He boarded the steamship 'Kronprinz Friedrich Wilhelm' sometime in April of 1882. Gerhard's original ship manifest was found and he was listed as passenger #1064, a 22 year old male from Prussia with the occupation of farm and his destination was Cedar Falls, Iowa. It is told that Gerhard could splice rope and was given free passage in exchange for helping with the ship's riggings. His ship docked in New York on the night of April 30, 1882. The next morning passengers were allowed to disembark at Castle Gardens Immigration Station. One can only assume that Gerhard travelled by train to Cedar Falls and then on to Parkersburn and Allison. Gerhard did carpenter work in the Butler Center area with hi brother, Hinrich C. who arrived in the United States a year later in 1883. His breother died in 1885. It is said that Gerhard was urged by friends to buy land in Northwest Iowa. It is blieved that these friends were John and Elizabeth Stromberg. John's sister and brother-in-law, Revertje and John Weerman already resided in Lyon County with their family. Gerhard, while still living in Butler County, purchased the 90 acres of northwest Iowa land on October 9, 1888 from Konrad and Gretje Kruse who lived in Grundy County. It was the east 90 acres of the norhteast quarter of section 31 on Elgin Township. He paid $19 per acre. He paid for the land in cash and owned it free and clear from the onset. Three years later on March 27, 1891 in Lyon County, Gerhard married SIebentje (Seemje) Weerman, the daughter of John and Revertje Weerman. Gerhard, who had been an Evangelical Lutheran in Germany, had married into Baptist fmaily. He wa converted to the Baptist faith on April 30, 1893 and became a strong supporter of that church. In the year 1894, Gerhard sponsored a German family immigrating to America. The family was Gabbrand and Henrietta (Klassen) Jurrens and Gerhard was her cousin. We believe that Henrietta was the daughter of Evert and Gretje Hinrichs Klassen from Rechtsupweg, Germany. Gretje was one of the sisters of Gerhard's father, Harm, that stayed behind in Germany. Gerhard was bothered with arthritis and heard that land was selling cheap in Oklahoma where the weather was warmer which would be good for his rheumatism. On June 27, 1902, Gerhard Hinrichs sold his 90 acre famr in Lyon County, IA. On this farm, six children were born: Tena, John, Harm, Reverdina, Hinrich, and Frank. In the later part of August of 1902, the family packed up their belongings, supplies, and tools in two covered wagons and headed for Oklahoma. On October 1, 1902, Gerhard bought 160 acres of land at $25 per acre in Blaine County (northeast quarter of secont 35, Seay Township). On March 30, 1903, Gerhard bought his second farm (Kingfisher County, northeast quarter of section 31, River Township). Crops were poor on the Oklahoma land and by August of 1904, Gerhard had sold both farms and the family was heading back to Lyon County, IA. The trip back to Iowa would take 35 days. It would be another three years before Oklahoma would officially become a state. Years later Gerhard's son John was interviewed by two newpapers which printed the story of the Oklahoma trip. They were the 'Doon Press" 1971, Doon, IA, and the 'Sioux City Journal' December 31, 1979, Sioux City, Iowa. The following is the story of the Gerhard Hinrichs family trip from Oklahoma. It was printed in the 'Doon Press', Doon, Iowa in 1971. The editor was Harold Aardema. LYON COUNTY OR BUST, IN 1904, FROM OKLAHOMA IN COVERED WAGON It was the late summer of 1904 that John G. Hinrichs lived the greats adventure of his life. He was then eleven and already toughened to the life of a farmboy in those days of sweat and labor. That was the year his father, German immigrant Gerhard "George" Hinrichs decided to give up on his short stay in Oklahoma and return to Lyon County, Iowa. 'We left Oklahoma on Aug. 15, 1904 and 750 miles and 35 days later came back to George. There was Pa, Ma and us six kids and some household items, all in those two covered wagons and a suckling colt running behind.' John Hinrichs who lives on his farm 3 N ½ E of George is now 78 but he remembers well that slow trip home and the circumstances that lead to his family's move to that hard up farm in Oklahoma. Gerhard Hinrichs came to Lyon County in the early 1880's. He was disappointed to find that the English there were not raising corn but mostly wheat and using their spare time for sports. A Little Rock implement dealer told him that corn would probably never be raised in Lyon County. Gerhard ambitious to grow corn and troubled with what he called Rheumatism listened to a friend who urged him to go to Oklahoma to get the cure and to raise corn. Gerhard packed the kids and moved to Oklahoma where he bought a farm at $25 per acre. He stayed almost two years. His rheumatism was greatly improved but corn he did not raise much of. Off of 15 acres one season he harvested 15 bushes, on bushel per acre. He got only nine bushels to the acre on his 100 acre wheat land. He said, 'We go back to Lyon County, Iowa where we should have stayed.' 35 DAYS BY COVERED WAGON Gerhard sold his farm, and rigged two covered wagons drawn by his best horses. He packed what household goods and oats he could carry and loaded the family into the wagons, and left his dusty Oklahoma farm behind. The adventure began just 13 miles from home, at the ford in the Cimmeron river. Surprisingly, it had rained that night before and the river was swollen wide. To cross or take a 100 miles detour to the nearest bridge-that was the dilemma. The detour meant four days of travel. He took the river, his wife driving the rear team and wagon. 'We almost lost all,' said John. 'Then Pa sat under a tree and turned white and shook like a leaf. He said "Never again, I almost killed you all."' By day the family and wagons traveled, across roads that were more dirt trails. Twenty-five miles was an average day, across the red prairie of Oklahoma and then the endless wheat fields of Kansas. By night the family camped along the trail. The horses were unhitched and fed. The Hinrichs tried to stay near a farm, to water the horses and buy milk and other provisions that wouldn't keep. There was a small kerosene stove in one wagon but usually brick were laid up to forma fireplace and cooking was done out of doors. For most of the trip, eleven-year-old Johnnie drove the rear wagon. SEE ONE CAR It was in Kansas that the Hinrichs' saw the first car on their 35 day dirt trail trip. "We saw just one car and today you could travel that same distance in one big day and you wouldn't see a single covered wagon." A RUN-IN WITH TOUGHS It was also in Kansas that the Hinrich family had a close brush with four tough-looking would-be thieves. John recalls it like this: 'We went seven hours without seeing a farm place and finally we saw a poor looking house. Pa got out and looked inside. There was dirty dishes on the table but nobody home. We helped ourselves to water at the pump and camped nearby. When it got dark we saw lights and Pa and me went over to say hello, making up the excuse that we needed salt. There were four mean looking men inside and they were unfriendly. 'Pa said we had better hitch up and leave. It didn't look good. We were just hitched up and those four men came out and wanted to come into the wagon to see us chickens. Pa said no and showed his shotgun. The men started to argue among themselves about taking over the wagons. Two wanted to right then and two said "wait". I think the two cautious ones were afraid there might be able bodied men inside the second wagon and wanted to think it over. Pa whipped the horses and we rode off. Soon we came to a thick woods and Pa got off the seat and lead the horses through the pitch black night. We traveled like that all morning and then came to a small town where we slept until noon.' CROSSING THE MISSOURI The Hinrich's crossed the Missouri River at Yankton. The ferry had just then been replaced by a plank bridge without railings. 'We waited and were the second to cross the new bridge. There was an awful lot of swift current and no sides. Pa first thought he should tie the colt but later decided against it, just in case he would bolt and upset us in the river. That colt edges so close to its mother, it was funny to see.' CROSSING AT KLONDIKE It was on Sept 19, 1904 that the family's two wagons crossed the old wooden bridge over the Big Sioux River at Klondike. Said John, 'I never forgot that crossing at Klondike It was coming home and I often revisit the place to fish and think thoughts of that long trip that was so close to ending at the Klondike bridge.' That first year back in Iowa, Gerhard rented a farm eight miles north of George 1 east and 3/4 north on east side of the road. On April 3, 1905, they purchased a 160 acre farm located in Liberal Township, southeast quarter, section 11. He paid $70 per acre. On this farm, Gerhard and Siebente's last three children were born: Eliezabet, Wilkelm, and Nellie. Nellie was stillborn on Aug 2, 1909. On June 29, 1911, Gerhard bought a 160 acre farm in Roberts County, SD at $42 per acre. The legal description was sough 1/2 of the northeast 1/4 and the north 1/2 of the southeas 1/4 of section 35 in Geneseo Township. Gerhard suffered from severe stomach problems which were diagnosed as gallbladder attacks. The attacks continued to worsed and on April 8, 1912, he died. He reached the age of 52 years, 9 months, and 18 days. Gerhard was buried in the First German Baptist Church Cemetery, two miles north and one mile east of George, Iowa. The Roberts County, SD farm was sold during the depression year of 1932 for $1 and other considerable considerations. These considerations turned out to be lots 17, 18, 19, 20, and 22 in block 5 in George, IA with one of the lots having a home on it. The Depression was over and in 1941, Siebentje bought a 159 acre farm (Liberal Township, southeast quarter of section 14). Siebentje never saw the first annual payment made. She died from a massive stroke on January 5, 1942 at the age of 68 years, 8 months, and 14 days. She was buried beside her husband in the First German Baptist Church Cemetery in George, IA. Tena, Dena, Lizzie and Frank lived and farmed on teh home place of Gerhard after Siebentje died. Tena, Lizzie and Frank died on this farm. In March of 1978, Dena sold the farm to Gerhard's first grandson, George J. HInrichs. Dena died in the Good Samaritan Center in George, IA. The sons John, Harm, Henry and Willie were all married and settled with their own families." -Excerpt from Hinrichs-Henrichs Genealogy: From Germany to the United States 1750-1994 by Donald G. Hinrichs and Astrid Hinrichs Regnerus

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Gerhard Johann “George” Hinrichs's memorial?
Gerhard Johann “George” Hinrichs's memorial is located at: First Baptist Church Cemetery, George, Lyon County, USA.
When did Gerhard Johann “George” Hinrichs death?
Gerhard Johann “George” Hinrichs death on 8 Apr 1912 in George, Lyon County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Gerhard Johann “George” Hinrichs's memorial?
Latitude: 43.3755000
Longitude: -95.9780000

Family Members:

Spouse

Seemje Weerman Hinrichs

(1873 - 1942)

Children

(1892 - 1976)

(1893 - 1981)

(1895 - 1974)

(1898 - 1991)

(1902 - 1966)

(1905 - 1976)

(1909 - 1909)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. First Baptist Church Cemetery
George, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3755000, -95.9780000

2. Evergreen Cemetery
George, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3394012, -96.0164032

3. Zion Cemetery
Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4324989, -95.9969025

4. Zoar Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3593864, -95.8996582

5. Grant Township Cemetery
Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3903008, -95.8989029

6. First Presbyterian Church Cemetery
George, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3160591, -95.9707260

7. Hope Reformed Church Cemetery
George, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3296127, -96.0392609

8. Zion Lutheran Cemetery
George, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3306007, -95.8902969

9. Bethel Reformed Cemetery
Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4621086, -95.9978027

10. Pleasant View Cemetery
Little Rock, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4445686, -95.8757553

11. Quaker Cemetery
George, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2872900, -95.8706700

12. Hope Church Cemetery
Sibley, Osceola County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4193000, -95.8200000

13. Saint Marys Cemetery
Ashton, Osceola County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3156013, -95.8032990

14. Riverview Cemetery
Rock Rapids, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4127998, -96.1643982

15. Gilman Cemetery
Ashton, Osceola County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3139000, -95.8032990

16. Greenwood Cemetery
Matlock, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2308006, -95.9405975

17. Saint John Cemetery
Boyden, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2294006, -96.0152969

18. Saint Marys Cemetery
Ellsworth, Nobles County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5218200, -96.0342000

19. Grand Prairie Cemetery
Ellsworth, Nobles County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5243988, -96.0421982

20. Holy Name Cemetery
Rock Rapids, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4183006, -96.1864014

21. Apostolic Christian Faith Cemetery
Rock Rapids, Lyon County, USA
Coordinate: 43.4207918, -96.1854804

22. Holman Cemetery
Sibley, Osceola County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3905983, -95.7608032

23. Saint Andrews Catholic Cemetery
Sibley, Osceola County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3903008, -95.7583008

24. Sunrise Prairie Cemetery
Ellsworth, Nobles County, USA
Coordinate: 43.5139500, -95.8552900