John B. H. and Anna (Roling) Gerken

John Bernard Herman Gerken was born on January 15, 1880, on the family homestead east of Dyersville, Iowa, the second of seven children born to William and Elizabeth (Sudmeier) Gerken. His siblings were Addie, Frank, Henry, Leo, Rudy, and Molly. Their mother Elizabeth died when John was eight years old, and his father William subsequently married Carolina Wuebbelt, and they had six children, Bill, Laura, Oscar, Thecla, Ludwig, and Oliva.

John received his education in the district and St. Francis grade schools and grew to young manhood in the community of Dyersville.

GERKEN-ROLING NUPTIALS
Wedding Ceremony Took Place in St. Francis Church Tuesday Morning.
The marriage of John Gerken and Miss Anna Margaret Roling took place at eight o'clock, Tuesday morning, October 16, 1906, in St. Francis Xavier Church of Dyersville. The ceremony was performed by the Reverend Father William Kunkel of Nashua, Iowa, a cousin of the groom. The attendants were Miss Kate Roling, sister of the bride, and John [?] Gerken, a brother of the groom. The bride wore an elegant gown of white silk and her maid a gown of white mull. Immediately following the church ceremony the wedding party repaired to the home of the groom's parents east of Dyersville where an elaborate reception was given to relatives and friends of the contracting parties. A sumptuous wedding feast was served and the day was one of pleasure to the guests.

The bride was described as a popular young lady of near Petersburg, Iowa, and held in high esteem by a large circle of friends. Anna Roling was born on on October 22, 1877, at Coesfeld, Westphalia, Germany, and at the age of 13, she came to the United States with her parents, Theodore and Caroline (Bruening) Roling. The Roling family settled at Petersburg. The groom was described as being well-known in the Dyersville vicinity and as a young man of excellent character, who had merited the esteem of all who know him. The young couple were the recipients of many valuable wedding gifts. They went to housekeeping at Woonsocket, South Dakota, to where the well wishes of their many friends followed them. The Dyersville Commercial extended congratulations.

Woonsocket was home to John E. Gerken, who was a first cousin to John B.H. Gerken's father William. John E. Gerken was engaged in the blacksmith business there, and perhaps John B.H. Gerken learned that trade from him. John B. H.'s brothers Frank and Henry also moved to Woonsocket for a time. The John B.H. Gerkens resided at Woonsocket for one year, after which they returned to Dyersville to live, where Mr. Gerken was engaged in the blacksmith business, which eventually was taken charge of by his son Alfred when illness prompted an early retirement circa 1932. His blacksmith shop was located on the riverbank just west of the bridge on Main Street in Dyersville.

John B. H. Gerken was a man of excellent character, upright and honest, and sincere of purpose, and he became an influential citizen. He took an active part in public affairs and for ten years was a member of the Dyersville city council. He was also a member of the local Court, Knights of Columbus, and was one of nine in the Gerken family who belonged to the K. of C. and were known as loyal Knights. He was a member of the Rosary Society, and was its president at his death. His home life was ideal; he was ever devoted to his wife and family, open-hearted and warmly hospitable. He was a staunch Catholic and adhered strictly to the teachings of his faith.

Mrs. Gerken was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, the Rosary Society, and the Order of Marthas.

DEATH SUMMONS JOHN B. H. GERKEN
Passed Away At His Home Early Wednesday--Funeral Saturday.
Dyersville citizens were stricken with sorrow Wednesday morning when it became known that ex-alderman John B. H. Gerken had passed away at his home, 106 W. DeWitt Street, at 3:15 that morning, November 6, 1935. Death followed an illness of about three years duration. Mr. Gerken was able to be around, as usual, during the day, and his summons was rather sudden, he being seized with a stroke a short time before his death. Deceased was a little over 55 years of age at the time of his demise.

Besides his sorrowing wife, he was survived by one son Alfred and three daughters, Emily, Mrs. John Oberbroeckling, and Misses Alma and Elizabeth at home. He was also survived by the following brothers and sisters: His Excellency, Archbishop R. Gerken, of Santa Fe, N. Mex.; Frank and Henry of Dyersville, Ia.; William of Worthington, Ia.; Oscar and Ludwig of Amarillo, Texas; Adelhide, Mrs. Alois Tegeler, of Nashua, Ia.; Mollie, Mrs. Ben Willenborg; Laura, Mrs. Ed Klostermann, of Dyersville, Ia.; Thecla, Mrs. Clem Bruggeman, of Petersburg, Ia.; Olivia, Mrs. Wm. P. Janssen, of Amarillo, Texas. One brother, the Reverend Father Leo Gerken, died July 10, 1923, while stationed at Cascade. He was also preceded in death by his parents.

The funeral took place on Saturday morning, November 9, 1935, at 9:30 o'clock from his late home to St. Francis Church in Dyersville, where requiem high mass was sung for the repose of his soul, after which interment was made in St. Francis Cemetery. His brother, His Excellency Archbishop Gerken, was unable to officiate at the Mass and be present at the funeral as he was confined to a hospital in Santa Fe by illness.

The death of Mr. Gerken removed from Dyersville's midst one of its honored and respected citizens. His loyalty and true spirit and admirable qualities will ever remain fresh in the memory of all who knew him. Heartfelt sympathy was extended by the Dyersville Commercial.

Mrs. Anna Gerken Passed Away at Dubuque Hospital.
Mrs. Anna M. Gerken, of 106 W. DeWitt, Dyersville, Iowa, died at Xavier Hospital in Dubuque, Iowa, on Thursday, December 6, 1956, at 5:35 p.m., after an illness of several months.

Among Mrs. Gerken's survivors are three daughters, Mrs. John (Emaline) Oberbroeckling, of New Vienna, Ia.; Miss Alma Gerken, of Dyersville, Ia.; and Mrs. William "Dick" (Elizabeth) Westhoff, of Monticello, Ia.; a son, Alfred Gerken, of Elkader, Ia.; ten grandchildren; one great-grandchild; two brothers, William Roling, of Dyersville, Ia., and Henry Roling, of Earlville, Ia.; and two sisters, Mrs. Andrew Mormann, of Cedar Rapids, Ia., and Mrs. Mary Boge, of Manchester, Ia. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, one daughter, one brother, and one sister.

Funeral services were held Monday, December 10, from the Steger Funeral Home to St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville, Iowa, at 9 a.m. Burial was in St. Francis Xavier Cemetery. The Right Reverend Monsignor M. M. Hoffman officiated at the Mass and graveside services.

Active pallbearers were all grandsons of the deceased, John, James, and Daniel Oberbroeckling; Robert Donovan; and Allan and David Westhoff. Honorary pallbearers representing the Catholic Daughters of America and the Order of Marthas were Mesdames Charles Unge, Charles Kramer, Kate Woestmann, Sue Henkels, Chas. Lippert, and Ray Hesselmann.

Children of John B. H. and Anna (Roling) Gerken:

Sources include news accounts of John and Anna Gerken's marriage and deaths from the Dyersville Commercial; obituaries for their children Emaline, Alfred, and Betty from the Dubuque Telegraph Herald; obituary for Alma Gerken from http://www.kramerfuneral.com/; interviews with their daughter Alma in Dyersville in the late 1970s; and A Family Tree of the William Gerken Family, updated by Sister Margaret Gerken in 1986.

When I visited Alma Gerken, she was living at Dyersville in a household that included her aunt Thecla (Gerken) Bruggeman in an upstairs apartment, and Miss Gerken supplied me with information, some of it written in her own excellent handwriting, about the descendants of John B.H. and Anna Gerken.

T.L.

© 2000-09 Tom Larson P.O. Box 141 Peosta, IA 52068-0141 http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tdlarson/gerken/william/johnbh.htm Last revised February 21, 2009.