Fourth Generation

39. Helene "Lena" WILDE was born on 8 March 1864 in Brookfield, Waukesha County, WI.^{10,19,26,31,35,59,63,100,101} Helena "was the youngest child and the only one born in the United States. The rest were born in Germany." She appeared in the census in 1870 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^19,33 (She was not living with her parents during the 1880 Census, and it is not known where she resided.) She was confirmed on 25 March 1877 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁶³ at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Lena appeared in the census in 1880 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁹ She was living with her parents and her occupation was "Works on Farm." (She was listed as "Lina," age 18. So, it is possible that the census enumerator combined Lena and Tina into one record.) She appeared in the census in 1900 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁶ She appeared in the census in 1910 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁷ Lena appeared in the census in 1920 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴⁸ She appeared in the census in 1930 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁸² She died on 7 April 1946 at the age of 82 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^10,26,35,101 of a stroke. Lena was buried on 10 April 1946 in Norwalk, Monroe County, WI.^26,35,101 in the Pilgrim's Home Cemetery.

Helene "Lena" WILDE and Herman Heinrich GERKE were married on 6 May 1890 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^{10,26,35,47,100,102} at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Herman Heinrich GERKE, son of Heinrich O. GERKE and Christine Elisabeth KLINGE, was born on 30 September 1862 in Dransfeld, nach Gottingen, Hanover, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) Province, Preussen (Prussia).^{16,19,26,48,49,59,100} (His church marriage record lists his birth date as 30 Sep 1862. The 1900 Census and the Dwight Grabitske research lists his birth date as Sep 1862. The church record of his death and the Monroe County Heritage Book Article 1238 list his birth date as 30 Sep 1861.

His marriage record lists his birth place as Dransfeld Hanover. The Monroe County Heritage Book Article and the 1920 Census list it as Hanover; Dransfeld is near Hanover.) He emigrated on 26 May 1869 from Dransfeld, nach Gottingen, Hanover, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) Province, Preussen (Prussia).^16,26,102 Monroe County Heritage Book Article: "Herman came to the United States (from "Dransfeld, Hanover") with his father at the age of 7 with his three brothers: Ludwig, age 20; Frederick, age 18; and Wilhelm, age 12. They left the port of Bremen on the ship Bark Everhard Delius, and arrived in New York 26 May 1869. They journeyed to Tomah, WI, where they stayed with a sister and husband Julius and Wilhelmine (Gerke) Wendland, and brothers August and Heinrich Fredrich Gerke, who came here before them. The first Gerke's stayed with an Uncle Gus Klinge in Milwaukee, WI." He appeared in the census in 1870 in Adrian Township, Monroe County, WI.³³ He was living with his sister Minnie and her family. Herman appeared in the census in 1880 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁹ He was living in the household of his brother Henry. About 1890 he was a farmer in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^26,93 Herman stayed with Heinrich Gerke and worked as a hired hand, until he purchased a (80-acre) farm in the township of Ridgeville, section 13, where Welsey Gerke lives now. He appeared in the census in 1900 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.¹⁶ Herman was Lutheran in 1900 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁰ and was listed on the Memberbership Roster of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. He appeared in the census in 1910 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.²⁷ He appeared in the census in 1920 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.⁴⁸ Herman died on 31 December 1943 at the age of 81 in Ridgeville Township, Monroe County, WI.^26,102 He was buried on 3 January 1944 in Norwalk, Monroe County, WI.^26,42,49,102 in the Pilgrim's Home Cemetery.

Helene "Lena" WILDE and Herman Heinrich GERKE had the following children: