Nicholas Howard Gramling
Silver Bow County
History of Montana, Sanders, 1913

Nicholas Howard Gramling began life for himself way 
down in the valley of limited circumstances but through 
untiring industry he is one of the most active and 
prosperous real estate men of Butte and is resident 
and general manager of the Montana Orchard Land 
Company.  Of German parentage he was born March 
22, 1862 in Waukesha County, Wisconsin where his 
childhood days were spent.

John Gramling, his father was born and reared in 
Bavaria Germany.  a little while after his marriage 
to Josephine Scholl, he started with his young wife 
for America and while en route the birth of their 
first child, Peter occurred.  With his family he 
settled in Wisconsin becoming a pioneer of Waukesha 
County.  In common with his few neighbors he suffered 
all the privations and hardships of frontier life and 
during the Indian wars of that early period fought the 
savages in many a battle.  He cleared and improved 
a homestead and on his farm resided until his death 
at the age of eighty seven.  His wife too, has passed 
to the life beyond, her death having occurred in 1903 
on the home farm.

Having completed his studies in the district schools, 
Nicholas H. Gramling, tired of farm life at the age of 
fourteen, ran away from home determined to seek more 
congenial employment.  Going to Milwaukee, he was 
fortunate enough to find a place wherein he could 
make use of his native mechanical ability and tastes, 
for five years serving as an apprentice at the trades 
of blacksmith and machinist.  He followed his trade 
in many of the large cities of the middle west.  On 
January 21, 1887, Mr. Gramling located permanently in 
Butte Montana, a city with whose growth he was 
evidently destined to become associated.  Until 
1900 he followed his trade, the first three years 
of his residence in this vicinity having his shop 
in South Butte.

In 1901 Mr. Gramling, with the Hoffman Brothers 
embarked in the real estate business and in this 
line of work has prospered. He is an extensive land 
holder, some of his most valuable lands being in the 
fruit district of Carbon County.  Mr. Gramling with Mr. 
R.C. Ross organized in February 1912 the Montana-Wyoming 
Land Company.  This company while but recently organized 
has had a remarkably successful career.  Their sales 
during the first six months exceeded a quarter of a 
million dollars.

Mr. Gramling was married April 20, 1887 at Lacrosse 
Wisconsin to Amy A. Hoffman, who was born in Wisconsin, 
a daughter of Frank Hoffman, who during his life was a 
man of such prominence in local and state affairs and 
had the distinction of serving as a member of the first 
legislative assembly of Wisconsin.

Mr. and Mrs. Gramling have one child, Ferne Amy Gramling, 
who was born in Butte, June 18, 1888.  Miss Gramling is a 
woman of rare talent and accomplishments and has acquired 
distinction in musical and theatrical circles.  The 
quality of her voice is mezzo-soprano of singular 
clarity and richness and yet timorous in one of the 
longest ranges of any singer of the present day.