Brown County MN Archives Biographies.....Alwin, William G. 1865 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 22, 2014, 10:05 pm

Source: See Below
Author: L. A. Fritsche

                 WILLIAM G. ALWIN.

     William G. Alwin, well-known druggist and pharmacist, of New Ulm, this
county, is a native son of that city, having been born there on May 24,1865, son
of William and Wilhelmina (Gruening) Alwin, natives of Germany and early
settlers of Brown county, the latter of whom is still living here, being now
more than ninety years of age. Her husband died in 1910, for some years previous
to that date having been living retired in the city of New Ulm.

     William Alwin was born and reared in the province of Posen, fifth in order
of birth of the six children born to his parents, the others having been Mrs.
Katie Klingbeil, Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. Siefert, Mina and Michael, all of whom came
to America save the last named. William Alwin married Wilhelmina Gruening, who
was also born in Posen, eldest of the four children born to her parents, she
having had three brothers, Gottlieb, Herman and Edward, and in 1853, shortly
after their marriage, he and his wife came to the United States. For about a
year after coming to this side they were located in Milwaukee and then, in 1854,
came with a small party of others of their nationality to Minnesota, settling in
the New Ulm neighborhood, then practically all wilderness, being thus among the
very earliest pioneers of this section of the state.

     Upon locating here William Alwin pre-empted a tract of land on the Big
Cottonwood river, at the edge of New Ulm, and there established his home,
quickly becoming recognized as among the most substantial residents of that
neighborhood. During the time of the Indian uprising in 1862, he served as one
of the defenders of New Ulm and in many ways during his long and useful life
displayed his interest in the general welfare. Both William Alwin and his wife
were reared as Lutherans, but later transferred their connection to the German
Methodists and were among the charter members of the church of that faith in New
Ulm, in which church Mr. Alwin served as a trustee until his death. He made his
home on the Cottonwood river homestead until 1885, in which year he and his wife
retired from the farm and moved to New Ulm, where Mr. Alwin died in 1910. His
widow still survives him, being now past ninety years of age. They were the
parents of nine children, all of whom are still living, as follow: Fred, of
Sleepy Eye, this county; Herman, of St. Paul, this state; Adolph, of New Ulm;
Rudolph, of the same city; Emil, of Milnor, North Dakota; Albert, of Mound, this
state; Edward, of New Ulm; William G., the immediate subject of this
biographical sketch, and Elvina, who married Herman Breitkreutz, of Arlington,
in the neighboring county of Sibley.

     William G. Alwin was reared on the home farm on the outskirts of New Ulm,
receiving his education in the public schools of that city, and at the age of
fourteen went to St. Paul, where he entered the Adolph Stierle pharmacy, with
which he remained until he had acquired a thorough acquaintance with the drug
business. He then returned home and in 1892 bought the "City" drug store at New
Ulm, which he conducted until 1905, in which year he became connected with the
"Pioneer" drug store, his present popular place of business, where he has ever
since been quite successfully engaged.

     On November 29, 1899, William G. Alwin was united in marriage to Meta
Seiter, who was born in New Ulm, daughter of Adolph and Helen (Erd) Seiter, the
former a native of Germany and the latter of Cincinnati, Ohio, both now
deceased, who were the parents of thirteen children, Adolph, William, Otto,
Albert, Alma, Oscar, Ella, Ered, Emma, Meta and three who died in youth. To
William G. and Meta (Seiter) Alwin four children have been born, Howard Lind,
who died at the age of eighteen months; LaMyra, Norman and Robert. Mr. and Mrs.
Alwin are members of the New Ulm Turners Society, in the affairs of which they
take an active interest, and are held in high esteem by their many friends
hereabout. Mr. Alwin is a member of the local lodges of the Knights of Pythias
and of the Modern Woodmen of America and takes a warm interest in the affairs of
those popular organizations. He has long been recognized as one of the leading
business men of the city and occupies a prominent place in commercial circles in
New Ulm and throughout the county.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY MINNESOTA
ITS PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS

L. A. FRITSCHE. M. D.
Editor

With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Old Families

VOLUME II
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana


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