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TAPS SOUNDED AND VETERAN HENRY FINKE
ANSWERED FINAL CALL Soldier of
the Civil War, Prominent Business Man, Respected Citizen
[from
“The Towpath” – April 1996]
On
August 27, 1861, at the age of eighteen, he was one of the first to enlist with
Company C, 37th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served the
entire four years of the Civil War, suffering many hardships and taking part
in many deadly conflicts. He was
discharged on August 20, 1865, as a First Lieutenant, having been elected to
that position in the week following his enlistment. He became an active member of the local post of the Grand Army
of the Republic at New Bremen. After
the war, Mr. Finke returned home to New Bremen and again became associated
with his father in the flour mill business.
On November 28, 1867, he married Louise
Wehrman. They had seven children, all
of whom are still living (1911). Together with
his father, they founded the woolen industry in New Bremen. In 1866, he assisted personally in the
erection of the woolen mills, taking personal charge of the business as soon
as the building was completed, and retaining that position until death. When the Bakhaus & Kuenzel Company was
organized in 1899 and assumed ownership of the mills, Mr. Finke was elected
Superintendent. He later became
Treasurer and retained that position until death. Keen insight into business affairs and sound judgment gave Mr.
Finke a prominent position with the wool manufacturers and dealers all over
the country. A Chicago firm declared
him the shrewdest wool-buyer with whom they had ever come into contact.
In 1886, Mr. Finke was one of the organizers of the Citizens
Building & Loan Association. He
was elected Secretary and later served as President. He devoted much time in this capacity to
the public good without remuneration.
Mr. Finke was
an active member of New Bremen's volunteer firemen, being a member of the
Cataract Fire Company which was formed around 1869 and was located in the
fire house on South Washington Street. Henry Finke was a man of positive
convictions and firm character, but was always kind to his loved ones and
ever ready to help the poor and needy. On Saturday, January 14, 1911, he celebrated his 68th birthday
surrounded by a number of his children and grandchildren, also being visited
by members and employees of the Woolen Mills. On Sunday morning, he rose at the usual time and ate breakfast
with his family. He had scarcely left
the table when he complained of feeling ill and within a few minutes, he had
passed away at the age of 68 years and 1 day. He is survived by his wife, 7 children, 15 grandchildren, a
brother, and 2 sisters. Funeral services were conducted in
Christ Church by Rev. Ph. Wittich.
His associates at Bakhaus & Kuenzel acted as pall bearers. Others attending his funeral were the old
veterans from New Bremen, Minster, St. Marys, Wapakoneta, and Lima along with
the members of the Volunteer Fire Dept. and the directors of the Citizens
Building & Loan Association. He
was laid to rest in German Protestant Cemetery. (New Bremen Sun - 1/20/1911) OBITUARY
LOUISE WEHRMAN
FINKE
A native of New
Bremen, Mrs. Finke was born February 16, 1849, to Fred and Marie (Schoenfeld)
Wehrman and named Marie Louise. Her
parents died of cholera, her father on July 22, 1849, and her mother on July 27,
1849. She was raised by a Mr. &
Mrs. Wilhelmi of Lock Two. On November 28, 1867, she married
Henry Finke, a veteran of the Civil War and later one of New Bremen's
foremost citizens and leading industrialists, prominently connected with The
Kuenzel Mills Co. Mr. Finke died in
1911 after 44 years of marriage.
Mr. & Mrs. Finke had seven
children: Mrs. Chris (Clara) Roettger - Otoe, Nebraska; Mrs. Charles
(Alice) Garmhausen - Warren, Ohio; Mrs. George (Laura) Kuenning - Columbus,
Ohio; Julius Finke - Omaha, Nebraska; Mrs. Fred (Minerva) Schroeder -
Grenola, Kansas; Arthur Finke; and Mrs. Fred (Pearl) Longworth, both of New
Bremen. Mrs. Finke was New Bremen's oldest
resident at 98 years, 4 months, and 3 days when she died June 19, 1947 at the
home of Mrs. Longworth on South Washington Street. She had 19 grandchildren,
32 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren - a total of 69
direct descendants. Funeral services were held at Vornholt
Funeral Home with the Rev. Lewis G. Fritz conducting services. She was buried in German Protestant
Cemetery beside her husband. (New
Bremen Sun - 6/27/1947) ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss How did the Finkes become associated
with Bakhaus and Kuenzel? Henry's
mother and his step-mother were both Kuenzels. His sister, Sophia Caroline Finke married a Dietrich William
Backhaus on January 31, 1879. William
Finke was a witness. [MARRIAGES: Maiden Name Index] |
