https://content.mpl.org/digital/collection/wfb/id/1
Title: Volume 01: Town of Milwaukee settlers, 1850-1880. A-L
Creator: Bird, Mimi, 1933-2002
Coverage: 1850-1880
Description: Early history of the town of Milwaukee. Includes maps, photographs, directory listings and family histories
Subject (LCSH): Pioneers--1850-1870; Pioneers--1870-1880; Families; Maps
Subject (Local): Town of Milwaukee
Community: Town of Milwaukee; Bayside; Fox Point; Glendale; Shorewood; Whitefish Bay; River Hills
County: Milwaukee County
State: Wisconsin
Collection: Mimi Bird Historical Document Collection of Whitefish Bay
Submitte:r Whitefish Bay Public Library
Type: Text
Format: image/tiff
Extent: 535 pages
Language: eng
Rights: Important Copyright Information: By providing or allowing reproduction of materials from the digital collections, the Whitefish Bay Public Library does NOT grant permission to publish or exhibit. Reproductions are provided for personal research purposes only. They may not be copied or distributed. Written permission to publish must be obtained from copyright or literary rights owner and from the library for any publication or commercial use of copies. The researcher is responsible for compliance with the US Copyright Code (title 12 USC) and privacy rights outlined in Title 45 CFR 46.
Date digitized: 2011-09-01
Date modified: 2011-09-01
p1
[Town of Milwaukee comprises Bayside, Fox Point, Glendale, Shorewood River Hills East of 27th St./Range Line Rd., and Whitefish Bay]
Researched and Compiled by Mimi Bird
1982-1992
Archival materials, including the album were donated by the Friends of the Whitefish Bay Library
p3
p13
A section of land is a block of ground that measures one mile long and one mile wide.
The Land Ordinance of 1785 provided a framework for the ordinary settlement of the Northwest Territory, and the system of establishing townships and sections prevented boundary disputes.
This system was used in surveying all* the territories later acquired by the United States.
A township is six miles wide and six miles long. Within its bounds are 36 sections of land, each one mile wide and one mile long.
Each section is made up of 640 acres. A half-section of land measures 320 acres, whil£ there are 160 acres in a quarter-section. Half of a quarter-section is 80 acres.
The section system of land division is used in most of the United States, west of Ohio.
The land in present Whitefish Bay was surveyed during the summer of 1835; much of this land was sold in September 1835. The Village of Whitefish Bay, Fox Point, Glendale and Bayside are in Township 8 North Range 22 East. The Village of Shorewood is in Township 7.
In 1876, the area of the Town of Milwaukee was 8 miles in length, 4 miles wide at the southern end and about 3 miles wide at the northern end. The south line was the dividing line between the City of Milwaukee and the Town; the northern line was County Line Road; the east side was Lake Michigan and the western boundary was where the Towns of Wauwatosa and Granville began.
p15 Atlas of Wisconsin, H.F. Wailing, 1876
p17 Survey of 1835-07-21 ; Township No. 8N, Range No. 22
p19 Map of County of the Milwaukee, 1858, H.F. Walling - Surveyor ; Tyler Publisher
p21 Knell 5 Quarter Section Map, 1911
indicates lots owned by Louis Grober and Gustav Grober
Gottfried's land now on the site of Bayshore Mall, roughly where the Cheesecake Factory is, 5799 Bayshore Dr, Glendale Wi
p23 U.S. Topographical 1890, published 1892
p25 U.S. Topographical 1899, published 1901
p27 Map, 1876 indicates lot owned by G. Grober
p29 Map, 1869 indicates lot owned by G. Grober
p35 Map, 1876 indicates 2 lots owned by G. Grober, the one inherited by Gustav and the one further north inherited by L. Grober. You can see that the northern land is approximately boundaried by present day N Port Washington Rd & N Kent Ave, W Monrovia Ave & W Montclaire Ave
p43 Map of Whitefish Bay 1876 indicated lot owned by G. Grober
p44
Gustav Grober 15 acres Nov. 12, 1856 $1,500.00 (Our Gustav born in 1859, this must mean Gottfried)
p54
Grober 14,136,137,259-264,302,380,751,404,405,461,472,652,725,769,784
p56
Herman/Hermann/Herrmann/Hermon 101,116,152,153,154,218,261,302-305,409,422,528,594,687,780,823
p64
Loeffler 228,259,261,263,404-405,752
p72
Runkel/Runckel 261,302,652
p224 (internal p136)
Friedrich Dasso married Miss Wilhelmine Grober in Milwaukee on 2/25/1847. She was related to Gottfried Grober - see GROBER and Deed of 1853.
p354
To __ Grober from John F. and Friedericke Gruenhagen 6/12/1847 for $110.00 - the S1/2 NE1/4 Sec. 6 T7 beginning 44 links W of 1/4 Sec. post on E boundary of section, then 25° W along E side of Green Bay Rd 2 chains 82 links, W to W boundary of 1/4 sec, S 2 chains 55 links to SW corner of 1/4 Sec., then E to beginning = 10 acres. (This was a triangular piece on Green Bay Rd., 13th St. and present Glendale Ave. to Congress St. - E side of Green Bay Rd. - now part of Evergreen Cemetery).
Vol.68 p.91 QCD to correct error on 6/12/1847 for omitting Grober's first name - Gottfried - from John F. Gruenhagen for part of S1/2 SE1/4 Sec. 6 T7 R 22 E.
1850 town of Milw. census
Krover, Fred. 25 farmer Germany
Caroline 30 "
Herman 4 "
Hannah 2 Wisc.
Charles 14 Germany
Deed, 8/5/1853, between Wilhelmine Grober and her husband, Friedrich Dassow, Hannah Christina Grober and her husband Carl Meissner, Johann Gottfried Grober and Caroline his wife, Christiana Louise Grober and her husband Johann Kueth and Carl Traugett Grober, only heirs to estate of Christine Grober, deceased, of the first part and Christian Friedrich Grober of the second part, for $60.00 for SE1/4 SE1/4 Sec.15 T12 R22 E = 40 acres.
(Town 12 N Range 22 E was the Township of Belgium, Ozaukee Co., Wis. Christine Grober may have been the mother of the above mentioned heirs, and Christian Fried. Grober her husband, or another son.)
The Dassows lived near Gottfried and Caroline Grober on the 1850 census.)
Traugott Grober, son of Friedrich and Christine Grober, a laborer, living town of Milw., born Germany, marr. Marie Wellhausen in Milw. on 11/1/1857, dau. of Christian and Maria Wellhausen; Friedrich Johann Gottfried Grober marr. Caroline Louise Loeffler in Germany and lived in the town of Milw.; Wilhelmine Grober marr. Friederich Dassow in Milw. 2/25/1847.
Gottfried and Louise Karoline Grober to John Heinrich Gade on 5/7/1856 for $900.00 for S1/2 NE1/4 See 6 T7 R22 E, along E side of Green Bay Rd. and W to W boundary of the 1/4 section, then S 2 chains 55 links, etc. (same description as that above in the 1847 deed) = 10 acres and to keep the buildings, fences and improvements in good repair; land subj. to mortgage of $200.00 executed to Mary Kroeger Nov. 1855.
To Gottfried Grober on 11/12/1856 for $1500.00 - the part of Lot 4 in SE1/4 Sec. 29 T8 N R22 E = 15 acres, from Thomas and Mary P. Severn, being 80 rods x 30 rods, bounded by a line beginning at the NE corner of Lot 4, then W on the N line 80 rods,
p355 S 30 rods, E 80 rods and N 30 rods to the beginning.
To Gottfried Grober, Warranty Deed, from Thomas Severin 4/9/1857 for $30.00 for Lot 4 in SE1/4 SEc. 29 T8 N R22 E = 3 acres; Severn reserving from E side a strip of land 2 rods wide for uses and purposes of a public road (2 acres of this land went to the Milwaukee River). Grober's land, at this time, was on the E and W sides of Port Washington Rd., between W. LakeView Ave. and Day Ave. IF they went W of Lydell Ave. Bay Shore Shopping Mall is on this property today.
1860 town of Milw. census
Grober, Gottfried 36 farmer Saxony
Caroline 40 "
Herman 14 "
Amalia 11 Wisc.
Louis 10 "
Wilhelm 8 "
Albert 4 "
Getta 3 "
John 2 "
Gustav 1 "
To Carl Traugott Grober of town of Caledonia, Racine Co., Wisc. on 6/7/1863 for $20.00 for 1/2 acre in NW1/4 SW1/4 Sec. 35 T5 N R22 E. (I believe town 5 was in Oak Creek, Wisc.)
Gottfried and Caroline Grober to Thomas Severin on 4/20/1862 QCD for $300.00 for Lot 4 Sec. 29 T8 N R22, beginning at a post in the middle of the Port Washington Rd. in N line of Lot 4, then S 7-5/10 chains, W by land of Fred Schultz 5-5/10 chains to the low water mark of the Milw. River, NE by course of same, then E to said N line 2 chains to middle of Port Washington Rd. = 3 acres.
To Gottfried Grober 2/9/1870 for $1500.00 from James M. and Antoinette M. Wright for S1/2 S1/2 W1/2 NE1/4 Sec. 29 lying E of Washington Rd. = 6 acres and S1/2 W1/2 SE1/4 NE1/4 Sec. 29 = 10 acres and S1/2 W1/2 SE1/4 NE1/4 Sec. 29 = 10 acres.
(The 16 acres in the NE1/4 Sec. 29 were on the NW corner of present Lydell Ave. and W. Montclaire Ave., just north of the Town of Milw. Cemetery, W to Port Washington Rd., and became known as "Grober's Woods".)
1870 town of Milw. census (excluded b/c i'm lazy and this is easily obtained elsewhere)
p356 "Getta" (Henrietta) died in 1863; David died 1884. Herman died between the 1860 census and 1904 when Gottfried's will was made.
Friedrich Lui Grober, age 26, son of Gottfried and Caroline, born and living town of Milw., a farmer, marr. 5/21/1878 to Bertha Krocker, dau. of Charles and Christiana Krocker. Witnesses - William Grober and Emma Krueger. (They had Paul, Louis, Herbert and Arthur. Paul lived in the Waukesha-Muskego area.)
Albert Grober, son of Gottfried and Johanna Grober, born __, living town of Milw., a farmer, marr. 5/5/1879 to Wilhelmina Jens dau. of Henry and Mary Jens. Witnesses - Charles Krocker, John Grober, Elisabeth Jens, Malia(?)Grober, Frank Engler, Elisabeth Sele. Albert moved to Blue Mound Rd.
Wilhelm Grober, son of Gottfried and Amalia Grober, born and living town of Milw., marr. 7/26/1880 to Ida Dassow, dau. of Fritz Dassow. Witnesses - David Grober and Henry Rabbe.
Maria Grober, dau. of Friedrich and Caroline(Loeffler)Grober marr. 12/19/1880 to August Hoefs, son of Friedrich and Maria (Moritz)Hoefs, he a shoemaker born Daber, Pommer., living town of Milw. Witnesses - Ida Grootemaat Hoefs. (I do not know who Maria was, but assume she was same as Amalia - if so, she marries again to _Behrens according to Gottfried's will in 1904.)
Gustav Grober marr. Elisabeth Hermann, dau. of Chris, and Christine(Runkel)Hermann, she born 12/9/1859; she died 8/2/1912, from her death record. (Gustav born 5/19/1859)
John marr. Anna Rhinehart who came from "up north" (family history information); John and Anna lived in Bailey's Harbor, Wis., where they had a store. Both are buried in Bailey's Harbor.
Re: William Grober, son of Gottfried and Caroline: concerning title to real estate. William in court 6/30/1891. Friedrich Loeffler of City of Milw., grantee for part of SE1/4 Sec. 6 and of SW1/4 Sec. 5 T7 = 5 acres, executed by Jacob and Catherine Silbernagle on 9/9/1865. Loeffler,a widower, in turn, executed above land on 3/8/1882 to William Grober (V.175 Deeds p.353).
Friedrich Loeffler, 7/22/1891: "I'm 76 yrs. old, a retired farmer residing in town of Milw.; bought the above land in 1865 and occupied it 9/9/1867. Sold in 1882 to William Grober. The land was fenced for several years, but since I owned a 12 acre tract lying next to and S of my 5 acres, removed the fence.
I joined with my neighbors, about 18 yrs. ago, to have a survey. Stones were planted marking boundaries and marked the NW and E boundaries of above mentioned 5 acres, which still remain in position."
William Grober: "I'm age 39 yrs., living town of Milw., a farmer and have occupied the above said 5 acres since 1882."
William Kitzerow, age 61, a florist living in town of Milw., living about 1/2 mile from the 5 acres and know the above is true.
Adolph Ehlers, age 73 yrs., retired carpenter, living in town of Milw. since 1848, and know the above is true. Have lived about 1/4 mi. S for 43 years.
p357 Louisa Grober, born Germany 5/10/1820, wife of Gottfried Grober, died 8/31/1891 age 71 yrs., living 1397 Green Bay Ave., 13th Ward, buried Town of Milw. Cemetery, (from her death record)
Gotfried Grober, age 79 yrs. 11 mo.1 day, born 12/25/___ Germany, died 11/26/1904; husband of Caroline. Lived town of Milw., buried Union Cemetery (he is buried in the Town of Milwaukee Cemetery, however).
Gottfried Grober - WILL - dated 5/2/1904; he died 11/26/1904. Will proved 1/5/1905. Left no widow surviving; left a 15 acre farm - his homestead, being that part of Lot 4 in SE1/4 Sec. 29 T8 N R22 E as conveyed in Vol.54 Deeds p.412; appraised at $4500.00 Feb. 1905.
Heirs: $25.00 to Louis, deceased; died 7/7/1904, age 55, leaving Hulda Hambach 24 yrs., Paul Grober 21 yrs., Arthur Grober age 19 yrs., and Herbert Grober age 13 yrs., all living in town of Milw.; $50.00 to Hanna Amelia Buehrens of Menomonee Falls, Wise(Mrs. Jacob Behrens); $800.00 to Albert Grober of City of Milw.; $200.00 to John Grober of Door Co., Wis.; $25.00 to William Grober (place of residence not noted) and to Gustav of Milw., executor, the farm and anything else after debts are paid.
1902 town of Milw. directory - town 7
Grober, William gardener both living W side Green
William, Jr. laborer Bay Rd.,SE Sec. 6 (about
present Hope Ave.)
1902 town of Milw. directory - town 8
Grober, Louis saloon & park Port Wash.R.,SE1/4 Sec.29
Gustav gardener E side Port Wash.Rd.,
3 blks.N Silver Spring
Gottfried laborer ditto
William " ditto
1905 Town of Milw. census
Grober, William 53 farmer
Ida 47
Wm., Jr. 20
Grober, Edward 24 mail carrier
Selma 21
The above two families are iving on Green Bay Rd., N of Capitol Dr. William and Ida Grober sold to Edward and Selma Grober the SW1/4 Sec. 5 T7 land; Selma, a widow and joint tenant when Edward died 3/25/1915.
1905 town of Milw. census
Grober, Gustave 45 gardener
Elizabeth 44
William 20
p358 1905 census, cont'd.
George 18
Henry 17
Harvey 12
Alma 13
Dela 8 (Adella, marr. Herbert Westphal)
Edwin 10
Grober, Bertha 48 head of house (widow of Louis)
Paul 21
Arthur 19
Herbert 13
Gustav's home was built on Port Washington Rd. at the N end of present Bay Shore Shopping Center. When the shopping center was built, Gustav's son, Harvey, had the house moved to the W side of the road; I-43 expressway did not exist at that time. Several years later, when the freeway was built, the house was again moved, to its present location at 5457-59 N. Navajo Rd., Glendale. Built as a single family brick house, it became a duplex. Family members joked about leaving the house on wheels for its next move!
Edwin R. Grober had a duck pond on the Grober land, E side of Port Washington Rd., on site of present Bay Shore Mall, created when the family sold the sand and later the gravel on the land. The pond then became a dump site for the village of Whitefish Bay and later, due to rats and odors caused by the Grobers not covering the dump with sand at regular intervals, was declared a health hazard and closed in May 1945.
Edwin had Donald, Dale, Daryl and Carol. Information on Gustav's family and his siblings from Adella(Grober)Westfhal (Mrs. Herbert R.) and newspaper articles re: the dump site.
Dassow, Wilhelmine 7/16/1821 to 7/31/1897
(nee Grober; sister of Gottfried and wife of Friedrich Dassow. Name on same monument with Friedericka(Weitmann/Weichmann)Loeffler and husband Friedrich Loeffler - he a brother of Gottfried Grober's wife, Caroline(Loeffler) Grober.)
Grober, Gottfried 12/21/1824 to 11/26/1904
Caroline 5/10/1820 to 8/29/1891
Louis 8/19/1850 to 7/2/1901
Bertha 1856 to 1939(nee Krocker)
(Hugo ?) 1882 1882(children of Louis
Louis 1879-1881 and Bertha)
William 1852 to 1924
Ida 1858 to 1940
p359
Albert 1854 to 1921
Mina 1858 to 1944
Gustav 1859 to 1931 (all 3 names
Elizabeth 1860 to 1912 on one
Westfahl, Delbert 1935 - 1935 monument)
Grober, David 10/18/1862 to 1/10/1884
Henrietta 6/10/1856 to 5/18/1863
Henry 1888 to 1940 (sons of Gustav
William 1885 to 1941 and
Charles 1890 to 1948 Eliz. Grober)
Paul Carl Hugo Grober, born 7/26/1883, son of Louis and Bertha (Crocker/Krocker)Grober, a gardener, marr. to Martha _, died age 25 yrs. on 4/23/1909 of typhoid fever, (from his death record)
Harvey Grober died 8/7/1984, age 91 yrs., survived by sister Adella(Grober)Wesphal. Buried Wisc. Memorial Park.(obituary)
Adela(Grober)Westfal died 11/29/1987, aged 90 yrs., of Glendale; mother of Gerald(Alberta)Westfahl; grandsons David and Daniel; lifelong resident of Town of Milw. and Glendale; buried Wisc. Memorial Park. (obituary)
p478
Bertha Krocker, dau. of Charles and Christiana Krocker, marr. 4/22/1878 to Friedrich Lui(Louis)Grober, age 26, son of Gottfried and Carolina Grober; he born and living in town of Milw., a farmer.
p505
1850 town of Milw. census
Loeffler, Fred. 35 farmer Germany
Wernow, Henry 65 " "
Margaret 60 "
I don't know if the above three were related or if Fred was simply living with them.
To Fred. Loefler, 1/3/1853 for $360.00 for part of SE1/4 Sec. 6 and the southwards 1/4 Sec. 5 T7 N R22 E, beginning on the N of the SW corner Sec. 6 and SE1/4 Sec. 5. His land was on the W side of Green Bay Rd. at approximately present Olive St. Green Bay angles across Sections 5 and 6 - the N/S section line being 13th St.
1855 State of Wis. census - town of Milw.
Loeffler, F. F. 2 males, 2 females, all foreign born.
He is shown as living in the same area he was in on the 1850 and 1860 census.
I wasn't able to locate a marr. record for Friedrich Lefler, Loffler or Loeffler in Milw. Co. to Friedericke, below. It is possible that they were marr. in Germany and she came here after he did.
1860 town of Milw. census
Loeffler, Fried. 45 farmer Prussia
Friedericke 46 wife Mecklenberg
Wiechmann, Johann 72 laborer "
Maria 68 wife "
The Wiechmanns may be Friedericke's parents.
To Friedrich Loeffler, 9/9/1865 for $625.00 for SE1/4 Sec. 6 and of SW1/4 Sec. 5 T7 R22 E = 5 acres. He has increased his acreage to 17 acres now.
1870 town of Milw. census
Loeffler, Fredrich 55 farmer Prussia
Fredericke 56 wife Mecklenberg
1880 town of Milw. census
Loeffler, Friedrich 65 farmer Prussia
Friedericke 66 wife Mecklenberg
Grober, Wilhelm 27 Wisc.
Wilhelm is the son of Gottfried Grober, to whom Fried. Loeffler was related.
On 3/8/1882, Friedrich Loeffler, widower to Wilhelm Grober, both of Milw. Co., for $3000.00, the part of SE1/4 Sec. 6 and of the SW1/4 Sec. 5 T7 = 17 acres and Grober to keep a dwelling room and necessary support of Fried. Loeffler during his lifetime.
p506
Loeffler, Friedrich 2/19/1815 to 6/30/1897
"born in Sachsen"
Friedricka 2/13/1814 to 3/14/1881
Dassow, Wilhelmine 7/16/1821 to 7/30/1893
"nee Grober"
Wilhelmine Dassow was the wife of Fredrich Dassow; the Dassow, Loeffler and Grober families were interrelated through marriage and lived next to each other along Green Bay Rd. - the Grobers later moved north into Town 8 on Port Washington Rd.
Friedrich Grober marr. Caroline Loeffler, a sister of Friedrich Loeffler, in the 1840's, probably in Germany.