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Peter Heinrich Griess
P. Griess, grain dealer, Sutton, Neb. No better proof
of the advancement of Clay County, and especially the town of Sutton, within the
last ten years can be shown, than the dimensions which the grain traffic has
assumed. One of the largest dealers and best known business men of Sutton is P.
Griess, who was born in Russia February 14, 1851, and is the son of Henry and
Margaretha (Roemmich) Griess, both of whom were natives of Russia.
P. Griess was
the third of five living children, and was reared in Russia, attending school at
Odessa, where he remained four and a half years, and graduating from the school
in 1868. He then came with his parents to the United States, settled in Clay
County, Neb., in 1873, and for twelve years was engaged in farming. Since then
he has been in the grain business, is the owner of two elevators in Sutton, and
does all the grain business on the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad at
this point. He is the owner of 600 acres of land four and a half miles northwest
of Sutton, and has it all well improved.
He was married in 1870 to Miss Sophia
Grosshans, a native also of Russia, born September 17, 1850, and the fruits of
this union have been nine children: Theodore, Henry, John, William, Edward,
Albert, Ferdinand, Lydia and Gustave M.
In politics Mr. Griess is Democratic,
but cast his first presidential vote for R. B. Hayes.
As a farmer Mr. Griess was
one of the best in Clay County, and October 19, 1885, he removed to the town of
Sutton from his farm.
In 1888 he was elected a member of the Sutton school
board, and filled that position in a highly creditable manner.
He is one of the
old settlers of Clay County, and one of the leading citizens. He is a member of
the German Reformed Church.
Source: Biographical and historical memoirs of
Adams, Clay, Webster and Nuckolls Counties, Nebraska: comprising a condensed
history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the
same, a descriptive history of each of the counties mentioned, and numerous
biographical sketches of the citizens of such counties. Chicago: Goodspeed Pub.
Co., 1890.
Transcribed
and submitted by: Ida Maack Recu
Dr. Ferdinand Griess
Is one of the successful dentists engaged in
business in Sutton, in which town he was born and he is regarded as one of the
highly respected and enterprising citizens of that place. His birth occurred on
the 5th of November, 1883, his parents being Peter H. and Sophia (Grosshans)
Griess, extended mention of whom is made in the sketch of C. H. Griess to be
found on another page of this work.
Dr. Ferdinand Griess received his
education in the Sutton schools and then for two years engaged in the coal
business for his father. He saved enough of his earnings to enable him to
complete his education and decided upon the dental profession as a life work,
with the result that he entered the dental department of the State University,
receiving his degree in 1909. He then returned to his home in Sutton, where he
commenced practice and has built up a most enviable and lucrative
business.
On the 22d of June, 1910, Dr. Griess was married to Miss
Georgia Shivers [Shivvers], a native of Lincoln, Nebraska. To this union two
children have been born: Donald, who is six years of age; and Marjorie Jeanette,
two years of age.
Since age conferred upon Dr. Griess the right of
franchise he has been a stanch supporter of the democratic party, having firm
faith in the principles of that party as factors in good government.
He is a
consistent member of the German Reformed church, while his wife is a member of
the Congregational church.
Fraternally Dr. Griess is identified with the
Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, having membership in the York Lodge, and he
is likewise a member of Xi Psi Phi, a college fraternity.
In the line of his
profession he has been a member of the Nebraska State Dental Board for five
years. Dr. Griess has always been active in the civic affairs of the community
and for many years has been a member of the Sutton school board, which he is now
serving as secretary. He is the owner of some fine land in Clay county and as a
result of his extensive practice is financially independent. Since opening his
office in Sutton for the practice of his profession Dr. Griess has devoted his
entire attention to his work and is regarded as one of the most skillful and
popular members of his profession in the state.
Source: History of Hamilton and
Clay Counties, Nebraska. Editors George L. Burr & O. D. Buck, The S. J.
Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, 1921.)
Transmitted and submitted by: Ida Maack
Recu
Henry C. Griess
Is prominent in banking circles of Sutton as vice
president of the Sutton State Bank. A native of Nebraska, he was born in Clay
county, January 19, 1875, a son of Peter H. and Sophia (Grosshans)
Griess, both natives of Germany where they were married and resided until 1873.
In that year they emigrated to America and settled in Sutton, Nebraska, where
the father engaged in the grain and coal business. For a number of years he
conducted this business successfully but in the panic of 1895 met with severe
financial losses form which he never fully recovered. He was a liberal man and
during the panic offered every aid to his many friends. His family was a large
one and his sons speak of him as a comrade, for he was their constant companion
in his later life.
Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Griess, nine of
them boys, and all of the children are living but one daughter. They are
Theodore, a prominent banker and financier of Harvard; Henry C., whose name
initiates this review; John G., in the bank at Sutton; William, who is engaged
in the lumber and coal business in Sutton; Edward P., postmaster at Sutton,
Nebraska; Ferdinand, prominent in the dental profession of Sutton; Gustave, who
is engaged with his brother in the dental practice at Sutton; Edward P., who is
now serving as postmaster of Sutton and of whom further mention is made on
another page of this work; Albert, active in the lumber and coal business in
Sutton; and Lydia, who is the wife of J. A. Dennis, a merchant of Eldorado.
Throughout his life Mr. Griess was a stanch democrat and took an active part in
all local campaigns and movements of that party.
Henry C. Griess received
his education in the Sutton schools and at the age of seventeen years began
began working in a hardware store for twenty dollars per month. For fifteen
years he clerked in that store and then decided to enter the hardware business
on his own account. He was very successful in this venture and remained in that
connection until 1912, when he entered the bank of Sutton as assistant cashier.
His rise in the bank was rapid and soon he was made vice president of that
organization, in which office he is now serving.
On the 23rd of November,
1899, Mr. Griess was united in marriage to Miss Rosana Griess, a daughter of H.
P. Griess, an old settler of York county. As a business man her father had
achieved a substantial amount of success and in agricultural circles he had
taken an influential and leading part. Four children have been born to the union
of Mr. and Mrs. Griess: Alfred H., who is attending the State University at
Lincoln; Esther, a graduate of the Sutton high school with the class of 1921;
Helen, in school; and Otto, who is but four and one-half years of
age.
Since age conferred upon Mr. Griess the right of franchise he has
been a stanch supporter of the democratic party. The religious faith of the
family is that of the Free Reformed church, in the activities of which they take
a prominent part. Mr. Griess maintains an interest in agriculture as the owner
of farms in Fillmore, Clay and York counties and aside from his banking
interests he devotes some time to writing insurance.
Mr. Griess is a prominent
and progressive man and readily acknowledged a leading citizen of Sutton.
Source: History of Hamilton and Clay Counties, Nebraska. Editors George L. Burr
& O. D. Buck, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, 1921.
Transcribed and submitted by: Ida Maack Recu
William P. Griess
A well known lumberman of Sutton, was born
on a farm in Clay county, March 23, 1878. His education was completed in the
high school of Sutton and he started out to provide for his own support as a
clerk in the employ of L. H. Schaaf, with whom he continued for seven and a half
years.
In 1901 he embarked in business on his own account by establishing a
general store, including a line of hardware. He continued in that business until
July 1, 1913, when he disposed of his stock and went to Lewis, Iowa, where he
conducted a store for his brother-in-law for eight months. In May, 1914, he
returned to Sutton. Here on the 22 of January, 1915, he purchased the clothing
store of Rath & Fleming, which he conducted from 1915 until 1920, when he
disposed of the store to M. E. (unreadable).
Mr. Griess then took over his
father's coal business, which he conducted two years, and on the 1st of July,
1919, he and his brother Albert bought out the Sutton Lumber Company. He now
conducts a general lumber yard and also handles coal and has developed the
business to gratifying proportions.
On the 6th of December, 1900, Mr.
Griess was married to Wilhelmina Nuss, a native of Russia and a daughter of Fred
Nuss, who came to Clay county in 1875.
Here he purchased land, which he
cultivated throughout his remaining days, his death occurring on the home farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Griess have become parents of three children: Rudolph K., Hubert W.
and Talitha Sophia, all now in school.
The parents are members of the First
Reformed church and in politics Mr. Griess is a democrat but has never been an
aspirant for office, devoting his entire attention to the lumber business, which
he has carefully and wisely managed and which is bringing to him a substantial
return.
Source: History of Hamilton and Clay Counties, Nebraska. Editors George
L. Burr & O. D. Buck, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, Chicago, 1921.
Transcribed and submitted by Ida Maack Recu
Rudolph Otto Griess
Well known among the younger members of
the medical profession in Sutton is Dr. R. O. Griess who was born in that town
January 15, 1892, a son of Peter and Sophia (Grosshans) Griess, further mention
of whom is made in the sketch of Henry C. Griess to be found on another page of
this work.
Dr. R. O. Griess is indebted to the schools of Sutton for his
early education having graduated from the high school at Lincoln, remaining for
two years and then deciding upon the medical profession as his life work,
entered the State Medical College at Omaha, receiving his M. D. degree on May
26, 1919. He then returned to his home in Sutton, bought out the practice of Dr.
J. W. Thompson and has been practicing there ever since, building up an
extensive and lucrative patronage. For eighteen months before his removal to
Sutton for active practice Dr. Griess was an interne in the Methodist Episcopal
hospital at Omaha, Nebraska.
On the 8th of March, 1920, Dr. Griess was
united in marriage to Miss Marian Purdy, a native of Clarks, Nebraska, and a
daughter of Clark Purdy, an old settler of that vicinity.
The religious
faith of Dr. Griess is that of the German Reformed church and he is fraternally
connected with Phi Chi, a college organization.
In the line of his profession he
is a member of the American Medical Association and is fast becoming recognized
by leading members of his profession in the county as a most promising young
physician and surgeon.
Source: History of Hamilton and Clay Counties, Nebraska.
Editors George L. Burr & O. D. Buck, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company,
Chicago, 1921.
Transcribed
and submitted by: Ida Maack Recu
William Griess
Merchant, Sutton, Neb. Of the many prominent
and successful business men of foreign birth now residing in Clay county, none
are more deserving of mention than the subject of this sketch, who is not only a
prominent merchant, but has held a number of positions of trust in the county.
He is at present a member of the board of supervisors and is filling that
position in a capable and efficient manner.
His birth occurred in Russia on
November 7, 1852, and he is the son of Henry and Margaretha (Roemmich) Griess,
natives also of Russia. The father was born in August, 1819, and died in Sutton,
Neb., in February 1885. He was a farmer by occupation and followed this calling
in his native country for many years. After coming to America he was engaged in
the grain business in Sutton and was an active business man. The mother was born
in April, 1821, and died in Sutton in January, 1888. William Griess, the fourth
of five children, was early taught the duties of farm life, and received his
education at the Odessa Reform School where he spent four and a half years of
his life and from which he graduated in 1868. The family then emigrated to
America, settled in Clay County, Neb., in 1873, and William remained in the farm
for five years.
He then came to Sutton and for six years was engaged in the
grain business, continuing until 1885. In 1883, however, he engaged in the
general merchandising business and continued the two until 1885, since which
time he has been merchandising. His present business building was completed in
1888, and is of brick, 100x24 feet, and one of the best-furnished stores in this
part of Nebraska. He is doing a good business.
Mr. Griess is an uncompromising
Republican, and in 1888 was elected a member of the county board. He is also a
member of the Sutton council.
He was married in 1873 to Miss Kate Ochsner, a
native of Russia, born in 1856, and to them have been born six children: William
F., Lydia K., Maggie S., Mary A., Leon K. and Frieda H. Mr. Griess is an old
settler of Clay County, and one of its representative men. He and family are
members of the German Reformed Church. He still owns the farm four miles north
of Sutton, consisting of 500 acres of well-improved land.
Source: Biographical
and historical memoirs of Adams, Clay, Webster and Nuckolls Counties, Nebraska:
comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of
distinguished citizens of the same, a descriptive history of each of the
counties mentioned, and numerous biographical sketches of the citizens of such
counties. Chicago: Goodspeed Pub. Co., 1890.
Transcribed and submitted by: Ida Maack
Recu
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