Gerd Mönnich (H1) was born 3 May 1816 in Holle, Hude, Niedersachsen, Germany. Parents names unknown.
Gerd was baptized 12 May 1816 in Holle, Hude, Niedersachsen, Germany.
Gerd married Anna Osterloh (H2) on either 3 Aug or 3 Sep 1848 in Hude, Niedersachsen, Germany. Anna was born 2 Feb 1825 in Streek, Hatten, Niedersachsen, Germany to Johann Herman and Anna Maria (Meyer) Osterloh (H29 and H30).
Gerd and Anna had the following children:
- Gerhard Mönnich (H3) - born 13 Dec 1849 in Hude, Niedersachsen, Germany. He died at the age of 7 in 1856 in Blair, Washington, Nebraska Territory.
- Anna Marie "Mary" Mönnich (H4) - born 15 Nov 1850 in Hude, Niedersachsen, Germany. She died at the age of 71 in 1921 in Nebraska.
- Tönjes Mönnich - born 15 Sep 1852 in Hude, Niedersachsen, Germany. He died at the age of 1 on 8 Sep 1854.
- Heinrich Mönnich (H5) - born about Mar 1854 in Hude, Niedersachsen, Germany. He died before 1856.
- Hermann Mönnich - born 3 Nov 1855 in Iowa County, Iowa. He died at the age of 80 on 6 Jan 1936 in Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska.
- Georg Mönnich - born 28 Feb 1858 in Nebraska. He died at the age of 3 on 3 Sep 1861 in Nebraska.
- Heinrich Mönnich - born 26 Apr 1860 in Nebraska. He died in infancy on 3 Sep 1860 in Nebraska.
- Johann O. "John" Mönnich - born 25 Mar 1862 in Dodge County, Nebraska. He died at the age of 50 on 1912.
- Dorothea Catharina Mönnich - born 29 Nov 1865 in Dodge County, Nebraska. She died at the age of 79 on 9 Jan 1945.
- Bernhard Mönnich - born 20 Apr 1869 in Dodge, County, Nebraska. He died at the age of 70 on 19 Apr 1940 in Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska.
7 Aug 1854 - immigrated on the ship "Hansa" from Bremen, Germany and arrived in New York, New York.
1856 - Iowa State Census - Iowa County, Iowa (Occupation: Farmer)
1860 - US Federal Census - Logan Township, Washington, Nebraska (Occupation: Farmer)
1870 - US Federal Census - Logan Township, Dodge, Nebraska (Occupation: Farmer)
1860 - US Federal Census - Logan Township, Washington, Nebraska (Occupation: Farmer)
1870 - US Federal Census - Logan Township, Dodge, Nebraska (Occupation: Farmer)
Gerd died at the age of 61 on 22 Mar 1878 in Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska.
1880 - US Federal Census - Logan Township, Dodge, Nebraska (Occupation: Keeping House)
Anna died on either 2 Jun or 3 Jun 1907 in Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska. He was buried in Hooper Cemetery (Plot: Section 3, Lot 190, Grave 3), Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska [Find A Grave Memorial# 34086856].
The following biography was published 1 Mar 1900 in the Hooper Sentinel, Hooper, Dodge, Nebraska:
The First Settlers
A Little Biography and History of Some of the Early Pioneers
(Paper No. 1)
In a brief sketch of some of the early pioneers of this vicinity it is not intended to write any thing like a general history. In the space allotted this could not be done while to make anything like an authentic account would require much more time than we can give the subject now. What historical facts may be inserted are not to be considered only as having an indirect bearing on the sketches that may be presented.
Take the town of Hooper as a center and go in any direction you will, and the landscape is dotted over with fine farms brought to a high state of cultivation, comfortable buildings, many of them beautiful, attest to the industry of the owners. But this was not always the case. Less than a half century ago this country was simply known as part of the Great American desert and the possibility that this great state of Nebraska could ever be made to support a population of millions of people was not thought of by the most enthusiastic boomer.
Statistics show how far from correct was the popular belief. The credit of this is due in no small measure to the pioneers and it is of their early struggles we wish to write.
No attempt was made to settle the country prior to the year 1854 although there had been straggling settlements along the Missouri river induced by the travel to California. A few cattleman used the country for grazing purposes, but no farms were opened in this vicinity until about 1857. And so far as our information goes Gerhard Monnich and Gerhard Munderloh with their families were the first white settlers to plant their takes and declare for a permanent residence in what is now Everett Township and at the time was a part of Washington county. They were followed the next year by George Weigle and John Roggensack and their families.
Gerhard Monnich was born in Germany and came to the United States in the year 1854 settling first in Illinois, where he remained a short time. Lived in Iowa 2 years when he removed to Cuming City, Nebr., and came to what is now Dodge county in the spring of 1857, and located on S. W. 1/4 of section 1 town 19. At this time the nearest white settlement was at DeWittt and the nearest neighbor was a man by the name of Leister, distant 15 miles. Indians resented the encroachments of the whites and in June 1858 compelled them to leave their homes but they returned as soon as the scare was over. At the time of coming to Nebraska Mr. Monnich's family consisted of himself, wife and two children, Mary, now married to M. Von Seggern, and Herman.
Between the Indians and drought it was an uphill drag but with indomitable pluck and a confidence in the country he persevered and before his death, which occurred in 1878, he had the satisfaction of knowing that his judgement had been approved and the country even then and been "made to blossom as the rose." His widow and five children survive him. Herman and John are still living on the old place, or rather the old place with what had been added amounting in all to 960 acres. Bernard engaged in the real estate business and also postmaster at Hooper, Dora the wife of Casper Heller, and Mrs. Von Seggern of Wisner. In the year '57 crops were almost a total failure and the family were compelled to live on corn bread for breakfast, corn bread for dinner and corn bread for supper and all had to be ground in an ordinary coffee mill. The nearest mill was Fort Calhoun, 40 miles distant. The nearest market was Omaha and it took a good week to make the round trip with an ox team. When he first came here the government had not completed the survey of the land but in the summer of 1857 it was thrown open to settlement and the surveys made. Before this all land occupied was simply taken by what was alled "squatters right."
Buildings in those days were very primitive affairs. Being close to timber Mr. Monnich's first house was built of logs and slough grass being abundant the roof was put on with that. After the government had completed its survey the land was filed on and by paying $1.25 an acre a patent could be obtained. Afterward the homestead and timber acts allowed actual settlers to increase their holdings. This Mr. Monnich did and this was represented in his farm of 960 acres. For years no streams were bridged and when a trip to mill or market became an absolute necessity it was ford or swim. During the grasshopper years it almost came to a show down as to whether the "hoppers" were to take the country or the settlers, but by dint of hard work and much pinching the settlers worried through.
Many interesting items could be told of the trials of Mr. Monnich and his family in their endeavors to make a home for themselves but as this will necessarily follow in other papers it well be omitted here.