Fourth Generation

13. Wilhelm H. "William" GERKE was born on 5 June 1856 in Dransfeld, nach Gottingen, Hanover, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) Province, Preussen (Prussia).^4,5,6,25,26 (The church Family Register and the 1880 Census listed his birth place as "Hanover.") He emigrated on 28 May 1869 from Dransfeld, nach Gottingen, Hanover, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) Province, Preussen (Prussia).^4,5 on the ship Bark Everhard Delius, which sailed from Bremen to New York. He appeared in the census in 1870 in Adrian Township, Monroe County, WI.¹³ He was living with his sister Minnie and her family. William appeared in the census in 1880 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶ His occupation was listed as "Farmer." He appeared in the census in 1900 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁵ He was Lutheran in 1900 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁹ and was listed on the Memberbership Roster of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. William appeared in the census in 1910 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁸ He was naturalized on 7 November 1914 in Sparta, Sparta Township, Monroe County, WI.⁵⁰ He was granted his U.S. citizenship at the Circuit Court. He appeared in the census in 1920 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁴ He and his wife lived in the Second Ward. William died on 1 June 1929 at the age of 72 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^5,39 He was buried in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁹ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Wilhelm H. "William" GERKE and Karoline "Caroline" BEHRENS were married on 15 March 1877.^5,51 According to the 1900 Census, they had 12 children, of whom 11 were living at the time. Karoline "Caroline" BEHRENS, daughter of Friedrich H. BEHRENS and Wilhelmine U. RINGE, was born on 1 February 1856 in Detmold, Kreis Lippe, Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine Westphalia) Province, Preussen (Prussia).⁸ She emigrated in 1867 from Germany.⁴⁸ She was confirmed on 3 April 1870 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁸ Caroline appeared in the census in 1870 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.¹³ She appeared in the census in 1880 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶ She appeared in the census in 1900 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁵ Caroline appeared in the census in 1910 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁸ She appeared in the census in 1920 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁴ She appeared in the census in 1930 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴⁹ She was a widow and living alone at 1509 Stoughton Avenue. Caroline died in 1932 at the age of 76.³⁹ She was buried in 1932 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁹ in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Wilhelm H. "William" GERKE and Karoline "Caroline" BEHRENS had the following children:

49	i.	Wilhelmine Clara Sophia "Minna" GERKE was born on 7 September 1878 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.^{10,51,52,53,54} (Her gravestone lists her name as "Wilhelmine G. C.") She appeared in the census in 1880 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶ She was confirmed on 10 April 1892 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁵⁴ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Wilhelmine died on 6 March 1894 at the age of 15 in Wilton Township, Monroe County, WI.^10,21,52,53 She was buried on 7 March 1894 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^10,52,53
+50	ii.	Auguste Dorothea "Gusta" GERKE.
+51	iii.	Elise Louise "Lizzie" GERKE.
+52	iv.	Ernst Herman Wilhelm "Willie" GERKE Jr..
+53	v.	Karoline Elisa "Carrie" GERKE.
+54	vi.	Wilhelm Julius GERKE.
+55	vii.	Clara Margaretha Wilhelmine GERKE.
+56	viii.	Albert Carl Heinrich "Bert" GERKE.
+57	ix.	Ida Wilhelmine GERKE.
58	x.	(Unknown Child) GERKE died before June 1900.²⁵ (According to the 1900 Census, the parents of this child had 12 children, of whom 11 were living at the time of the census. It is possible that the twelfth child was Karoline's son from her first marriage to Ludwig Gerke, a brother of Wilhem's.)
+59	xi.	Johannes Heinrich Carl "John" GERKE.
+60	xii.	Ella Caroline Helene GERKE.