My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Camden County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Mrs. Eliza J. Gerhardt, nee Wallace, is a resident of Russell Township, Camden Co., Mo. She was born in Benton County, Mo., in 1839, and is a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Rice) Wallace, the former of whom was born in Madison County, Mo., in 1809, and the latter in North Carolina in 1814. In 1838, when the country was new, the parents removed from Madison to Benton County, Mo., where they still live. Jacob Wallace, who is now seventy-nine years of age, is an active, well-preserved man for his years, and still delights to hunt as in his former days. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace are the parents of eight children, viz.: Eliza J. Gerhardt, Ellen Smith, George W., James, William, Mary Sally, John Wesley and Alzada Franklin, the two latter deceased. All four of the sons served in the Union army during the late Civil War, in which service John Wesley lost his life. Our subject spent her early life in her native county, and in 1856 married August Gerhardt, a native of Germany, who was born in 1834, and came to the United States when seventeen years of age. He first located in Cole County, Mo., but subsequently went to Benton County, where he worked at his trade of wagon-maker. In 1862 he enlisted in Company F, Eighth Missouri Cavalry, and served until the close of the war, receiving his discharge in 1865. Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Gerhardt, eight of whom are living, viz.: Johanna E. Derrick, Frederick J., Katherine E. Smith, Harmon W., Adolph N., Ulyssimus S. A., Laura and Pinky A. In 1874 Mr. Gerhardt engaged in a general merchandising business in Duroc, Mo., in partnership with Mr. Campbell, whose interest he afterward bought out, and in 1883 he moved to Coelleda, where he purchased the present home and built the store. He owned 160 acres of land, and built all the houses in the little town of Coelleda. Mr. Gerhardt served four years as justice of the peace in Benton County, and was a Republican in politics. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, while Mrs. Gerhardt is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.

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This family biography is one of 46 biographies included in The History of Camden County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Camden County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Camden County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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