The Gerken-Larson Heritage:

The 19th and 20th Centuries

A Family History

Herman Gerken (1819-1875)
Henry Gerken (1855-1914)
Ewald Gerken (1895-1956)
Joan (Gerken) Larson (1926-1994)
Thomas Larson (1962-)

Researched and written by
Tom Larson

George Gerken (1884-1957) was a son of Henry and Anna (Winter) Gerken, my great-grandparents, and a brother to my grandfather Ewald Gerken. He married Anna M. Ruemmele, and they lived at Cincinnati, Ohio. T.L.

George and Anna (Ruemmele) Gerken

George Gerken
George Francis Gerken was born on October 28, 1884, to Henry and Anna (Winter) Gerken, at New Vienna, Iowa. He was the third of nine children. George's brothers and sisters were Louis, Mary Anna, Hubert "Hub," Wilhelmina "Minnie," Irma, Alphonse, Ewald, and Zita.

George and Anna Gerken and child
George grew up in New Vienna, Iowa, and attended the St. Boniface parochial school at New Vienna during boyhood days. For a time he was employed as a painter by Jacob Summer In 1907 he went to St. Francis, Wisconsin, and entered the Catholic Normal School, from which he graduated in 1909 with his diploma as teacher. He then returned to New Vienna and the following year was appointed in charge of the parochial school in that village, and also to fill the position as organist at the St. Boniface Church.

The 1910 U.S. census has the George Gerken household in New Vienna consisting of George, age 25, with an occupation of professor, school, and Irma L. Gerken, his sister, age 19, as housekeeper.

George Gerken was the last professor to teach at St. Boniface School, and he had charge of the upper grade boys until 1922, when the entire school was placed under the direction of the Sisters. Professor Gerken was a Democrat in his political views. George Gerken served as the New Vienna town recorder for terms beginning in 1920 and 1922. He contributed $50 to help bring the railroad from Dyersville to New Vienna. The rail was completed but remained in operation for less than a year, in 1913.

Marriage to Anna M. Ruemmele.
George F. Gerken married Anna M. Ruemmele on July 18, 1911. Anna Ruemmele was born on March 7, 1889.*
* = Anna may have been a daughter of Anton and Mary (Meyer) Ruemmele, of Dyersville ,Iowa.

George and Anna Gerken lived at New Vienna, Iowa, and then moved to Dubuque, Iowa, for a time. At Dubuque they lived at 2331 Jackson Street, the same residence that his younger brother Ewald and his family would later occupy for a time. George and Anna Gerken moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1929. George taught English and was the church organist at St. Clement's Parish in Cincinnati.

Anna Gerken dies.
Anna M. Gerken died on November 18, 1952.

George Gerken dies.
George F. Gerken died on February 28, 1957, at Cincinnati, Ohio.

Picture above: at center, Esther on her wedding day in 1943 to Gene Ryan; Anna and George Gerken at right, and unidentified couple at left.

Picture at left: George and Anna Gerken, seated, on their wedding day in 1911. Attendants, standing, Hubert "Hub" Gerken and Rose Kramer

Children of George and Anna (Ruemmele) Gerken:

Inez Gerken. Inez lived at Cincinnati, Ohio.
Esther Gerken was born on April 29, 1915, daughter of George and Anna (Ruemmele) Gerken. Esther Gerken married Eugene Ryan on May 20, 1943. Eugene Ryan, who was called "Gene," was born on November 13, 1913. Gene and Esther Ryan moved to Chicago, Illinois, from Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1943. Gene and Esther Ryan had four children: Mary Ryan, Judy Ryan, Patricia Ryan, and Elizabeth Ryan. Esther was the Executive Secretary to the Superintendent of High School District 214 from 1960 to 1980.
Eugene G. "Gene" Ryan, 53, died in December 1966, with a last residence of Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Esther G. Ryan, 87, of Chicago, Illinois, died on March 24, 2003. Funeral services were held in Cincinnati, Ohio, on March 29. Memorials were directed to Maryhaven Nursing Home in Glenview, Illinois.
Esther Ryan was survived by her four daughters, Mary (John) Healy, Judy Body, Patricia Mayenschein, and Elizabeth (Ted) Reese; thirteen grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Source: Esther Ryan obituary from the Chicago Tribune, accessed at http://www.legacy.com/ on November 19, 2008.
Ivo J. Gerken was born on May 26, 1918, son of George and Anna (Ruemmele) Gerken. Ivo Gerken married Juanita Lammers. Juanita Lammers was born in 1922, in Cincinnati, Ohio, daughter of Raymond and Cecelia "Mimi" Lammers. Ivo and Juanita Gerken had two children: Bruce Gerken and Pam Gerken. Ivo inherited his father's musical skills and played the big string bass. Ivo ran the family music store, Ray Lammers Music, in downtown Cincinnati for 45 years. He retired as president of the firm in 1982.
Ivo Gerken died on March 22, 2000, at Cincinnati, Ohio. He had been suffering from Alzheimer's and for several months prior to his death was residing in a nursing home.

Sources include an early history of Dubuque County that had contained a brief biography of George Gerken, a volume chronicling the history of New Vienna and St. Boniface Parish, Dubuque city directories, and information provided by Bruce Gerken, a grandson of George and Anna Gerken. T.L.

Click here for the Gerken family history contents page.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tdlarson/gerken/henry/george/
Last revised February 14, 2009.