SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

John Kroeff, Page 8

John Kroeff, who for more than forty years was actively engaged in the operation of a cooper shop in Sheboygan but is now living retired, was born in Germany, on the 8th of November, 1830. He is a son of John and Kate (Jergen) Kroeff, who passed their entire lives in Germany, where the father followed the slate-roofing trade.

Reared in a home of comfortable circumstances, John Kroeff obtained his early education in the Catholic parochial schools, following which he attended a seminary for two years. At the expiration of that time he laid aside his textbooks and learned the slater's trade, which he followed until he was twenty-two years of age. Feeling dissatisfied with conditions as he found them in his native land, he decided to come to America where he had been told many excellent opportunities awaited enterprising and ambitious young men. His father refusing to provide him with the means necessary to defray the expense of the journey he worked for his passage from Holland to New York city. Upon his arrival in the American metropolis his capital consisted of two dollars, but in a few hours he was robbed of this and was left penniless in a strange land. This experience tended to shorten his stay in the city and the next day he obtained employment on a ship bound for Chicago. Being unfamiliar with the customs and language of the country it was necessary for him to accept any employment that afforded him the means of earning a livlihood, so he obtained temporary work at the docks of one of the Chicago transportation companies loading boats. Later he entered a cooper shop, where he learned the trade, remaining in the service of the company for two years. He next entered into a contract with a man in Chicago to go to Mackinac island and make fish barrels. he remained there for about a year, and in the spring came to Sheboygan. Together with a friend he bought some lots on Michigan street and erected a cooper shop, that they operated for three years. Mr. Kroeff then disposed of his interest in the business to his nephew and bought some lots on the corner of Twelfth and Superior streets and established a shop that he conducted for over forty-two years. He met with very good success and built up an excellent trade, employing on an average from eight to ten men. About twelve years ago, having reached the age of more than seventy years, he disposed of his factory and withdrawing from active work has ever since lived retired. In the early days of the Civil war, in 1861, Mr. Kroeff was drafted into the Union army, but was released from service because of an injury he had sustained in boyhood.

In this city on the 19th of June, 1856, Mr. Kroeff was united in marriage to Miss Ursula Sommersberger, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Sommersberger, natives of Germany, who emigrated to the United States in 1851 and located on Pigeon river, this county, where they both passed awaw. Mrs. Kroeff is also deceased, her death having occurred on April 9, 1909. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Kroeff, as follows: Maria, who died in infancy; Maria, the wife of William Knauf, of Sheboygan; Anna, who married George Liebl, of this city; Josephine, the widow of Lawson Gage; Jennie, who became the wife of Charles Ullrich, also of this city; John, who is living at home with his father; Margaret, who is a nun in the Roman Catholic church; George, who is engaged in the tailoring business in Sheboygan; and Frank, who is in the coal and wood business at Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Mr. Kroeff is a communicant of the Roman Catholic church, as was also his wife, and belongs to Holy Name parish and for more than twenty years was one of the directors of that church. He is also a member of the St. Boniface Society, which he joined when he first arrived in the city nearly sixty years ago. Mr. Kroeff led a life of well directed activity for many years and in addition to his home and other interests in the city is a stockholder in the Bank of Sheboygan and he also owns mining property in Arizona. His political support he now accords the democratic party but for many years he voted the republican ticket and for four years was alderman from the eighth ward. He is highly regarded in the community as a man of integrity and during the long period of his business career manifested those qualities that enabled him to the respect and esteem of all.