Brown County MN Archives Biographies.....Sprenger, Christian 1855 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 23, 2014, 9:52 pm

Source: See Below
Author: L. A. Fritsche

CHRISTIAN SPRENGER.

    Christian Sprenger, veteran clerk in the extensive mercantile establishment
of Crone Brothers at New Ulm, this county, and one of the best-known and most
popular figures in the commercial life of this section, was born on the Atlantic
ocean while his parents were on their way to this country, August 11, 1855, son
of Peter and Mary (Eigenberger) Sprenger, both natives of Bohemia, and has been
a resident of Brown county since the first year of his life.

    Peter Sprenger was reared in Bohemia, one of the seven children born to his
parents, farming people in that country, the children being Anton, Peter,
Weinzel, John, Joseph, Mary and Simon. There Peter Sprenger married Mary
Engenberger, [sic] who was the youngest of the three children born to her
parents, who later also came to the United States and became pioneers of
Delaware county, Iowa, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Their
three children were Joseph, Barbara and Mary. In the summer of 1855 Peter
Sprenger and his wife came to the United States and on the way over their first
child was born. Upon their arrival in this country the Sprengers immediately
came West and their first winter was spent in Iowa. Early in the following
spring, 1856, they came to Minnesota, locating in Brown county, where, in
Cottonwood township, they homesteaded a quarter of a section of land and there
established their home, thus becoming among the earliest settlers of that
section. Peter Sprenger was a good farmer and developed a valuable property on
his quarter section. During the Indian uprising in 1862 he was one of the
defenders of New Ulm and ever did his part in the work of promoting the best
interests of this region in pioneer days. He and his wife were devout Catholics
and were helpful in all local good works. Mrs. Sprenger died in 1884, at the age
of fifty-six years. In 1892 Peter Sprenger retired from the farm and moved to
New Ulm, where he spent his last days, his death occurring in 1904, he then
being past eighty years of age. He and his wife were the parents of six
children, namely: Christian, the immediate subject of this biographical sketch;
Catherine, deceased, who was the wife of Frank Schneider, of New Ulm; Mary, who
is the wife of John Liesenfeldt, of Park Rapids, this state; Anton, of Searls,
this county; Henry, of Webster City, Iowa, and John, deceased.

     Christian Sprenger was not a year old when his parents settled in this
county and he grew up on the home farm m Cottonwood township, receiving his
early education in the schools of New Ulm. When eighteen years of age he went to
Iowa, where for several years he made his home with his maternal grandparents,
working on the farm during the summers and going to school during the winters.
He then returned home and aided in the work of his father's farm for two years,
at the end of which time he went to work for Benke Brothers and was thus engaged
for a year, after which he returned to the home farm, where he remained another
year. He then, in 1880, began clerking in the store of Theodore Crone & Sons at
New Ulm, that store now being operated by Crone Brothers, and has ever since
been thus engaged, a period covering more than thirty-five years of continuous
service in the one store, during which time he has become one of the best-known
figures in commercial circles in this part of the state.

     On November 8, 1882, Christian Sprenger was united in marriage to Bertha
Gareis, who was born in Germany, second in order of birth of the eight children
born to her parents, John Gareis and Erederieka Backer, the others having been
Rosa, Rika, Susanna, Margaret, Margaret (second), John and Fred. John Gareis and
his family came to the United States in 1871 and located on a farm in Milford
township, this county, where he and his wife spent their last days, well-known
residents of that community. John Gareis was the son of George and Roseina
Gareis, who were the parents of four children, George, John, Johannes and Barbara.

     To Christian and Bertha (Gareis) Sprenger five children have been born, as
follow: Emil, who is a linotype operator at Toledo, Ohio; Edward, who lives in
St. Paul, this state; Leo, proprietor of a men's furnishing store in New Ulm;
Chrysinthia, who is at home, and Alphonse, also at home. Mr. and Mrs. Sprenger
are earnest members of the Catholic church and their children have been reared
in that faith, the family being held in high regard throughout this community.
Mr. Sprenger is a member of the St. Joseph Society of the Catholic church, in
the affairs of which he takes a warm interest.


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


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/brown/bios/sprenger400gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/

File size: 5.5 Kb