GRIEFE BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== GRIEFE, Fred H. - b: 1862 Lippe-Detmoldt, Germany source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 558 residence: Springfield Twp Fred H. Griefe - Henry County has many true American citizens of German birth who came to this land of opportunity poor in purse, with no knowledge of the language and customs of the country and have become prosperous and are thoroughly in sympathy with American institutions and American ideals. We doubt very much if throughout the length and breadth of Henry County, where there are hundreds of well-to-do and contented farmer citizens of German birth or ancestry, there is a single one who is not thoroughly loyal to his adopted country. Fred H. Griefe, large land owner of Springfield township, is one of this large population who left Germany to escape the restrictions which hampered men of his class and kept them ground down to poverty through all of their lives. He has risen in the short space of thirty-eight years from being a common farm hand at a wage of $8.00 per month, to become one of the wealthy and progressive land owners of Henry County and is a citizen of truest worth and integrity. Fred H. Griefe was born in Lippe-Detmoldt, Germany, July 18, 1862, the son of Fred and Caroline (Tunnermann) Griefe, to whom four children were born: Caroline, widow of G. Scheele, Windsor, Missouri; Henrietta, wife of Christ Uhlenbock, Springfield township; Fred H., subject of this sketch; Henry, a merchant at Windsor, Missouri. The father of these children died in Germany in 1869. Fred H. Griefe was the second of the family to leave his native land, coming here in 1880. He first worked for two years and then sent for his mother and the rest of the family, who joined him in this county. Mrs. Caroline Griefe died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Christ Uhlenbock, in 1897 at the age of seventy-one years. Mr. Griefe began his career in Henry County as a farm hand at $8.00 per month. For a period of sixteen years he worked as farm laborer, eleven years with one employer. He purchased his first land in 1896, eighty acres in section 11, Springfield township. From this small beginning his large farm has grown, with the exercise of hard work, economy and good management, to the grand total of 554 acres. The Griefe farm is one of the best improved, most fertile and the best kept places in Henry County. Each year of Mr. Griefe's ownership has added to its value. In November, 1886, Fred H. Griefe and Miss Catherine Balke were united in marriage. Mrs. Catherine Griefe was born near Roseland, Springfield township, October 16, 1864, the daughter of John and Mary (Streeby) Balke, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in Henry County, both now deceased. To the marriage of Fred H. and Catherine Griefe were born children as follow: John W. and Charley, deceased; Lelia, at home with her parents. Mr. Griefe is a Republican. He and Mrs. Griefe attend divine services at the Methodist Church. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Anti-Horse Thief Association. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by the Henry County MOGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/henryco.html Contact the Henry County Coordinator for comments or corrections. ====================================================================