My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Franklin County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  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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John H. Broeker, manufacturer of hand-made bricks of all kinds, and a member of the firm of H. H. Beinke & Broeker, commenced the business August 28, 1874, his partner at that time being Henry Michael. Mr. Broeker was born in Germany in 1831, and in 1857 came to the United States, and directly to Washington, Mo., where he worked as a day laborer. In 1866 he married Miss Louisa Baumhofer, who was born in Germany in 1846, and who bore him five children, three now living: John, Augusta and Minnie. Mrs. Broeker died in 1880, and since that time our subject’s daughters have been keeping house for him. Mr. Broeker’s partnership with Mr. Michael lasted until 1885, when the present organization was established and has since been in successful operation. During the existence of the first firm they made 300,000 bricks per annum, making in all 3,000,000, and for the past three seasons the present firm has made 1,000,000 or 333,000 per year. During the war Mr. Broeker was a strong Union man, and when hostilities opened he was a home guard three months. October 13, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Second Missouri Regiment Artillery, for three years or during the war. This company was commanded by Capt. Fox, and Mr. Broeker was in service one year and ten months, being mostly in St. Louis, at Jefferson Barracks. He was discharged in August, 1863, at St. Louis, his services being no longer needed. Mr. Broeker is a Republican in his political views, and a member of St. Peter’s Church.

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This family biography is one of 305 biographies included in The History of Franklin County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Franklin County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

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