John & Anna Enke family
Front row: Ida J, John C (father), Anna Marie (mother), Charles & Emma. Back row: Dora, Julia, Mary, Henry & Albert Julius.

Description

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In 1855 John was probably working with his brother, Frederick, after arriving from Germany. They started to clear property, build a shack to live in, and to open a stone quarry. John had attended school in Germany until he was 14. He was confirmed in the Lutheran Church and he had learned the masonry trade and worked as a mason until he emigrated to the United States in 1852. He worked as a stone mason and ran the stone quarry, lime kiln, and brickyard and assisted in building many of the buildings in Rochester. Together they had a hand in building the stone fence along the old Salem road in front of the George Baihly farm. Much of this fence was still standing in the 1990‘s. Anna Marie was brought up in the Catholic faith and came to the United States in 1854 with her parents. After John and Anna Marie were married, they lived in Rochester where several of their children were born. About 1865 they moved to the Council Bluffs, Iowa area. In 1871 they returned to Rochester because of Anna Marie\\\'s health. Dr. William Worrall Mayo operated on her eyes with good results. It was during this sojourn in Rochester that John bought a farm in Rochester Township, near the Salem town line. In 1876 he was Chairman of the Township Board of Supervisors. In 1878 or 1879 his brother Frederick took over his farm because John could not keep up the payments. John and his family then went west when that area opened up and established a homestead in Verdi township, Lincoln Co, Minnesota. They were accompanied by his brother-in-law, William Oker, and wife and family. John helped in organizing, and named, the village of Verdi and served as town clerk for a number of years. He was always active in local affairs. He was appointed Justice of the Peace. In 1889 he joined the Alliance Hail Insurance Co., was a director for eleven years and was an adjustor for the western part of Minnesota and Iowa. In 1894 he was appointed secretary of the R & B Commission of the State Legislature. In 1901 he built and ran a hotel in Verdi, which has since been taken down. He also helped start the Lake Benton News. In 1906 John and Anna Marie celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception and dance in their own hotel. Eight children and several relatives from Rochester were present. A hundred or more guests were present when John was presented a gold headed cane. In 1914 John and Anna Marie went to live with their daughter, Mary Enke McQueen. In 1916 they had their 60th anniversary but Anna was senile and confused and died in Verdi, 3 years later, from apoplexy (a stroke). She was buried on April 28, 1919. Anna was survived by her husband, eight children, 39 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren. The funeral was in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Verdi by Rev. T. S. Mondale. On March 13, 1920 John also died in Verdi from a stroke. His funeral was in the Church in Verdi by Rev. Shelly Robinson of Elkton, Minnesota. Both were buried in the Lake Benton Cemetery. William Oker, and wife and family. John helped in organizing, and named, the village of Verdi and served as town clerk for a number of years. He was always active in local affairs. He was appointed Justice of the Peace. In 1889 he joined the Alliance Hail Insurance Co., was a director for eleven years and was an adjustor for the western part of Minnesota and Iowa. In 1894 he was appointed secretary of the R & B Commission of the State Legislature. In 1901 he built and ran a hotel in Verdi, which has since been taken down. He also helped start the Lake Benton News. In 1906 John and Anna Marie celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception and dance in their own hotel. Eight children and several relatives from Rochester were present. A hundred or more guests were present when John was presented a gold headed cane. In 1914 John and Anna Marie went to live with their daughter, Mary Enke McQueen. In 1916 they had their 60th anniversary but Anna was senile and confused and died in Verdi, 3 years later, from apoplexy (a stroke). She was buried on April 28, 1919. Anna was survived by her husband, eight children, 39 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren. The funeral was in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Verdi by Rev. T. S. Mondale. On March 13, 1920 John also died in Verdi from a stroke. His funeral was in the Church in Verdi by Rev. Shelly Robinson of Elkton, Minnesota. Both were buried in the Lake Benton Cemetery. In 1855 John was probably working with his brother, Frederick, after arriving from Germany. They started to clear property, build a shack to live in, and to open a stone quarry. John had attended school in Germany until he was 14. He was confirmed in the Lutheran Church and he had learned the masonry trade and worked as a mason until he emigrated to the United States in 1852. He worked as a stone mason and ran the stone quarry, lime kiln, and brickyard and assisted in building many of the buildings in Rochester. Together they had a hand in building the stone fence along the old Salem road in front of the George Baihly farm. Much of this fence was still standing in the 1990‘s. Anna Marie was brought up in the Catholic faith and came to the United States in 1854 with her parents. After John and Anna Marie were married, they lived in Rochester where several of their children were born. About 1865 they moved to the Council Bluffs, Iowa area. In 1871 they returned to Rochester because of Anna Marie\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s health. Dr. William Worrall Mayo operated on her eyes with good results. It was during this sojourn in Rochester that John bought a farm in Rochester Township, near the Salem town line. In 1876 he was Chairman of the Township Board of Supervisors. In 1878 or 1879 his brother Frederick took over his farm because John could not keep up the payments. John and his family then went west when that area opened up and established a homestead in Verdi township, Lincoln Co, Minnesota. They were accompanied by his brother-in-law, William Oker, and wife and family. John helped in organizing, and named, the village of Verdi and served as town clerk for a number of years. He was always active in local affairs. He was appointed Justice of the Peace. In 1889 he joined the Alliance Hail Insurance Co., was a director for eleven years and was an adjustor for the western part of Minnesota and Iowa. In 1894 he was appointed secretary of the R & B Commission of the State Legislature. In 1901 he built and ran a hotel in Verdi, which has since been taken down. He also helped start the Lake Benton News. In 1906 John and Anna Marie celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception and dance in their own hotel. Eight children and several relatives from Rochester were present. A hundred or more guests were present when John was presented a gold headed cane. In 1914 John and Anna Marie went to live with their daughter, Mary Enke McQueen. In 1916 they had their 60th anniversary but Anna was senile and confused and died in Verdi, 3 years later, from apoplexy (a stroke). She was buried on April 28, 1919. Anna was survived by her husband, eight children, 39 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren. The funeral was in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Verdi by Rev. T. S. Mondale. On March 13, 1920 John also died in Verdi from a stroke. His funeral was in the Church in Verdi by Rev. Shelly Robinson of Elkton, Minnesota. Both were buried in the Lake Benton Cemetery.