Ozaukee County Documents


Grob/Marth Biography
great-great grandfather of Kent Peterson
Submitted by Kent Peterson
KAPeterson@wi.rr.com

Heinrich "Henry" Grob was born 16 September 1841 in Rossau, Canton Zurich, Switzerland. He emigrated to the United States in 1854 with his parents, Heinrich and Fanny Grob, and settled in Brookfield Township, Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Shortly before his 21st birthday he was enlisted by Capt. Trowbridge at Brookfield and joined Captain Herman Meyer's Co. H of the newly-formed 28th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered in 13 October 1862 at Camp Washburn, Milwaukee, and served his three-year term. He participated in the Yazoo Pass Expedition, Battle of Helena, Arkansas, and the capture of Spanish Fort, where his rifle was hit by a piece of shrapnel while it was in his hands. The barrel was bent, so Corpl. Grob discarded it in favor of an Amoskeag rifle that another man "wasn't using anymore". During the same battle, while he was in the rifle pits outside the fort, a rebel artillery shell landed right in front of his position, throwing up enough dirt to bury him alive. His comrades quickly dug him out, thus saving his life.

He was mustered out with his regiment at Madison, Wisconsin on 23 August 1865, and returned to Brookfield. He married Ernestine Marth 8 November 1867 in Cedarburg, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. Ernestine and her family had come to the U.S. from Germany just that summer. Shortly after their marriage, Henry and Ernestine relocated to Marathon County, Wisconsin, followed shortly thereafter by his parents. Henry tried his hand at farming for a time but soon moved to Wausau, where he was employed as a teamster and drayman.

Henry Grob was active in the Grand Army of the Republic, Lysander Cutler Post 55, Wausau, Wisconsin. He was mustered in on 1 October 1900 and served as Post Adjutant and Sr. Vice Commander. He was also a member of the 28th Regiment's annual reunion society, but apparently never attended any of the reunion events.

Heinrich died 18 December 1914 in Wausau, Marathon County, Wisconsin, and was buried 22 December 1914 in Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau. His grave marker has the G.A.R. logo engraved on the back.

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