1914 Delaware County History pgs. 252-253

Louis F. Gurke

Louis F. Gurke, of Oneida township, is one of those sturdy, upright citizens whom Germany has given to this country, and since coming to Delaware county he has not only won material prosperity but also the respect and good will of those who know him.  He was born in the fatherland on the 11th of November, 1851, a son of Frederick and Fredericka Gurke, both natives of Germany, where they spent their entire lives. 

Mr. Gurke of this review was educated in the schools of his native land and remained there until he was a young man of thirty-one years. Believing that the opportunities offered in his native land were not the equal of those to be found in this country, he emigrated to America in 1882 and made his way to this county. At first he worked as a hired hand upon farms in this locality, but after a few years rented land, to the cultivation of which he devoted his time and energies. He was determined, however, to become a landowner and so saved as much as possible from his income and in 1904 had sufficient capital to purchase the one hundred and sixty acres on section 22, Oneida township, where he now resides. He has erected a number of good buildings upon his farm and has in other ways improyed it, so that it is worth much more at the present time than when it came into his possession.  He makes a specialty of stock-raising and is finding that phase of
agriculture a very profitable one.

Mr. Gurke's marriage occurred in Germany and his wife was Miss Fredericka Esler, likewise a native of the fatherland. Her parents were John and Lena (Sletgard) Esler, lifelong residents of Germany. To Mr. and Mrs. Gurke were born six children: Anna M., the wife of Fred Glanz, of this county; William L., deceased; Carl W., at home; Minnie E., the wife of Charles Nagel; Ernest A.; and Clara E., at home, who attended the German Lutheran school at Delaware for two years. The parents are consistent members of the German Lutheran church, in which faith they were reared. Mr. Gurke is a republican and is stanch in his support of the principles of that party. He came to this country with no assets other than his integrity and ability and deserves much credit for the success which he has achieved.

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