The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-12-06
Fought Against the indians,
First Mayor Of Norfolk
$1,000

Few men now living have had their
lives more closely connected with the
history and development of Norfolk
than Herman Gerecke, Norfolks first
mayor Coming to Norfolk in 1869, n
resident of the city for nearly forty
years, Herman Gerecke has seen Nor
folk grow from nothing, has seen the
rich north Nebraska country around
it develop into prosperous and i'm.
portant section of a big common
wealth, has seen towns history I'M.
fold from the first chapter.
Herman Gerecke is rightfully a pio-
neer of Nebraska. He came to the
state in the war times, a boy veteran
of the battle of Shiloh. In Nebraska
he was in the Indian wars and cam
paigned against the savage The story
of those days brings close the pioneer
days of Nebraska, really not far dis
tant, when the state was quite truly
on the frontier and the life of its peo-
pie was the frontier life.
Gerecke was in Norfolk almost at
the towns birth. Working at his
trade, Gerecke, with his own hands,
first frame building, the early mill,
the pioneer residences of Norfolk.
Herman Gerecke's part in Norfolk
did not cease when he laid away the
saw and hammer after helping put up
the first buildings of the new town.
In business and municipal affairs he
has been an active figure, doing his
share towards the towns progress.
Gerecke was Norfolk's first mayor,
serving three terms in all. He was
first elected in 1886 and again in 1889
and 1890 1t was during his occupancy
of the mayors chair that the sugar
: factory was built.
Herman Gerecke knows Norfolk.
He has seen the town in poverty and
struggle, as an inland town awaiting
the coming of the steam locomotive
and the system that was to make Nor
folk center in the northwest, he has
seen the town in the eXultance of the
boom days when many plans were con-
ceived and some carried out, he has
nineties and in the progress and pros
perity of the new century when the
old mill center on the Northfork is
8 coming into her own.
t 1t was on August %, 1914, in the lit
+ tie village of Zichtau in the province
t of SaXony in Prussia, Germany, that
o Herman Gerecke was born on a day
e that CHANGED to have been his mothers
e thirtieth birthday. His childhood
e days were spent in that little German
# village. He started to school wher
e seven and continued until his parents
s sailed from the old land.
o In August 1854 father and mother
(. with their five children left for the
Y west across the seas No ocean rae
r ers plowed through the seas in the
fifties. 1t was two months before the
O sailing ship landed in Quebec.
t. Mr.. Gereckes father moved at once
e to Hustisford, a small town in Dodge
II county, Wisconsin, about forty miles
e northwest of Milwaukee. Here the
D. father worked as a plasterer, bricl
e layer and stonemason and here thu
4, boy attended school until thirteen.
e Herman Gerecke when twelve year
g old was hired out to farmer for 50 ;
Il month Then for the sum of 500 HI
worked for a farmer for the who'll
year. save for three months when h
r was in school. When fifteen the Wis
consin lad went to work with his ia
Their and in time picked up the carper
ters trade.
1t was Wisconsin which furnishe
the first pioneers who came into tn
country about Norfolk. IXonia, wher
the first Norfolk colony originated
was only a few miles south of the vi
s lage where Mr.. Gerecke grew to youn
manhood.
The man who served as the frs
~ mayor of Norfolk was one OF the DO
OF soldiers who enlisted in 81. A lad c
es seventeen on December, 1861, he Ell
listed in Company ID of the SiXteent
Wisconsin infantry His war eXper
ne ence was short and dramatic.
80 The young soldier was wounded
w his first fight, the battle of Shiloh. II
~ was shot in the leg early in the actor
e. The hospital followed close upon tn
- whistle of the first rebel bullet.
~ In March, 1862, his regiment ha
~ been sent direct from Madison, wis
~ to Pittsburg Landing in Tennessee
~ where it was assigned to General Pre-
- tees brigade. The Wisconsin SC
a. diers had been south only little MOI
~ than a week when they were plunge
~, into the great two days fight as Sh
~ lob on the morning of April 6.
"a The attack came as an /entire SUI
)" prise. Gerecke out on picket guar
,e- heard the first charge and the fir
Rv shots on the union camp. Runnir
at back to camp he found all confusio
or. soldiers, aroused from their sleep