Henry Grashorn

Pioneer History Is Recalled

Additional facts connected with the life of the late Henry G. Grashorn, are gleaned from a descriptive history and biographical sketch of prominent people living in Portage county, where Mr. Grashorn lived prior to his death, which are of sufficient local interest to justify reprinting incidents hitherto not generally known of the life of one of the early settlers of Sheboygan county.

Mr. Grashorn was born in this city, September 13, 1859, a son of Lewis and Pauline (Brooksen) Grashorn. His father, born in Oldenberg, Germany, in 1818, came to the United States in 1849 and located in Wisconsin, but after a short stay returned to Germany and was married, his wife, who had been born on the English Channel in 1830 being at that time a resident of Germany. They came back to America in the same year and located at Oak Creek, now a suburb of Milwaukee, but after about two years removed to Sheboygan, near which city Lewis Grashorn owned a farm. He continued to be engaged in agricultural pursuits during the remainder of his life, and died in 1871, when in his fifty-fourth year. Mrs. Grashorn survived him for many years and passed away in 1905 on the old homestead that is still owned by the family.

Henry G. Grashorn remained on the farm near this city until 16 years of age, at which time he secured employment working on a railroad section at a wage of 90 cents a day. He later engaged in various pursuits in which he was ever successful.

In politics Mr. Grashorn was a republican, and had frequently been the incumbent of public offices. He was township clerk of Carson Township for two years and served for about fifteen years as deputy and under-sheriff. Largely through his efforts Junction City was incorporated, and at that time he became a member of the board of supervisors, a position which he held continuously until 1915 at which time he retired from active business life. He was religiously inclined to be independent, but had always supported good movements for worthy causes and had contributed to movements making for morality and better citizenship. His fraternal connections were with the Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Beavers.

In referring to his career the biographical sketch says: "Among the residents of Portage county who are now members of the retired colony, few have engaged in such a number of enterprises as has Henry G. Grashorn. His activities have led him to invade various fields of commercial endeavor. He has been an agriculturist, and has looked after large properties of his own and of others, having been repositary of important interests, has been the founder of enterprises of a financial character, and, until his retirement in 1915, was the incumbent of responsible posts in the public service. His career has been remarkable in many ways and has been characterized all the way through by self help, as the success which is his has been gained solely through his own initiative and resources.

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