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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 G. Droege, dealer in dry goods, clothing, groceries, queensware, merchant tailoring and furnishing goods of Washington, is a native of Hanover, Germany, born in 1843, and is the son of Fritz and Anna Elizabeth Droege, both natives of Hanover, Germany, born in 1808 and 1812, respectively. The father was a farmer, came to Franklin County, Mo., in 1854, and located on a farm five miles from Washington. He and three of his children died the same year with cholera. His wife afterward married William Tiemann, who died in 1884, aged seventy-eight. She was the mother of five children, only two now living: Joseph, who is farming in Franklin County, and John G. John G. was eleven years old when his parents came to the United States, and was reared and grew to manhood mostly on the farm. In 1864 he clerked in a grocery store in St Louis, and in 1865 and 1866 clerked for his step-father and worked on the farm times. In 1867 he established a general store in Washington, and in 1870 took Mr. J. D. Grothaus in as a partner; he bought out the latter’s interest in 1876, and has continued the present business since then. In 1868 he married Miss Mary G. Ekler, a native of Franklin County, Mo., born in 1848, and the daughter of Franz and Margaretha (Wagner) Ekler, who died in 1882 and 1854 respectively. To Mr. Droege and wife were born eight children: Anna E., Frank H., Mary G., Katharina M., William J., Margaretha M., Helena M. and Joseph A. Our subject has been in business in this place for the last twenty years, and is one of the substantial businessmen of Washington. In politics he is very conservative, voting for principle and not for party, but rather favors the Democratic platform. He and family are members of the Catholic 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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