Wilhelmine Plath Boock Obituaries & Passenger List

Obituary - Wilhelmine Boock

Rites for Mrs. Boock Mark Close of Life of Pioneer Who Braved Early Privation
Started Out Living In Home That Was Hole in Prairie Soil

The life of Mrs. Wilhelmine Boock, 84, for whom funeral services were held today, was a sage of wilderness reclaimed and transformed within three-quarters of a century into one of the most productive agricultural regions on the continent; a life caught up from old Prussia, where many of the "49'ers" left warlike Europe for a country beyond the Atlantic which promised liberty, religious freedom and opportunity.

Born in Prussia, January 16, 1855, the daughter of Carl and Wilhelmine Plath, she came to America with here parents in 1862. The family resided for a time near Montello, Wis., and then lured by the reports of the success of the German colony in New Ulm, Minnesota, came here about 1864. The father homesteaded in Prairieville township, near the present village of Evan. Two Years After Uprising This was a virgin region, unbroken by the plow, and Indians roamed about, the memorable Indian uprising having ravaged the territory but two years before.

Undaunted by the privations that confronted them, Mr. and Mrs. Plath set about as best they could to carve out a home. Their first home was in a crude hole dug in the prairie with a wagon box and sod for the roof. They lived int his primitive home until the father had hauled lumber from Eagle Lake by ox team to erect the first house. Life on the open prairie during the severe winters, which harrassed this region in the days of the early settlement period, was rigorous, but the hardy prioneers withstood the privations and rapidly transformed the prairies into productive agricultural fields.

The women assisted the men in arduous tasks. The children carried the burdens of older folk, but in the main they were happy for they had left Europe, its wars and its set ways behind and entered into the life of this new country, where the humblest could become great, through his own efforts in a few years. Attended School In New Ulm Mrs. Boock spent the early years of her girlhood on the farm in Prairieville township and later attended school in New Ulm and was confirmed in the Lutheran faith in St. Paul's Evangelical church here by Rev. G. Reim.

She was married to Frederick Boock when 16 years of age. Rev. Mr. Reim performed the ceremony in the Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Boock took up thier residence in New Ulm, where the former operated a blacksmith shop for many years, which later was enlarged into a machine shop. This was about where the Wichtel monument works is located and was a pretentious business in the early days. Husband Died Years Ago Mr. Boock died years ago and the widow was left with the care of a large family.

She was a resourceful woman and did not falter in her duties to her family and instilled in them the precepts of frugalness, honesty and fairness. She is survived by the following children: Mrs. Ad. Klause, St. Paul; Mrs. Wm. Ruemke, Hollywood, Calif.; A. P. Boock, New Ulm; Mrs. Herman Hart, Milwaukee, Wis.; Arthur L. Boock, Spencer, Wis.; Mrs. L. S. Broeker, Milwaukee, Wis.; Oscar Boock, Waterloo, Wis.; and George Boock, Huntington Park, Calif. Twelve grandchildren and nine great grandchildren also survive. Fractured Hip Oct. 3 On October 3, Mrs. Boock had the misfortune to fall and fracture a hip, while at Waterloo, Wis., visiting her son, Oscar Boock.

She was later taken to Milwaukee, where she was given attention in a hospital. So rugged was her constitution that it was thought she would recover from her injury. But a few days before her death she began to weaken and gradually her condition became more alarming until death ensued Tuesday morning. She is the last member of her family, as brothers and sisters all preceded her in death. Funeral services were held from St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran church this afternoon. Interment was made in the Lutheran cemetery.

Obituary - Wilhelmine Boock

Boock Rites Will be Held in Minnesota

Funeral services will be conducted at the Lutheran Church of New Ulm, Minn., at 2 p.m. Thursday for Mrs. Wilhelmina (sic.) Boock, 84, who died at Milwaukee Tuesday. The body lay in state at the Co-operative Funeral Home here until 11 o'clock this morning when it was taken to Spencer. Mrs. Boock, nee Wilhelmine Plath, was born in Posen, Germany, in 1855. She was married at New Ulm in 1871 to Christian F. Boock.

Surviving are seven children and one stepson. They are: George Boock, Huntington, Calif.; Mrs. Adolph Klause, St. Paul, Minn.; Mrs. William Ruemke, Hollywood, Calif.; A. P. Boock, New Ulm, Minn.; Mrs. Herman Hardt, Milwaukee; Arthur L. Boock, Spencer; Mrs. L. G. Brocker, Milwaukee; and Oscar M. Boock, Waterloo, Wis. There are also 15 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.


Hamburg Passenger List – Direct List – Band 18 – LDS Microfilm #472895, Page 257

Ship Washington embarked from Hamburg 1 Jun 1864 headed for Quebec

Plath, Carl Ludw. Age 49 Birthplace/Residence: Raczyn, Prussia Occupation: Arbeiter (laborer)
“ Wilhelmine “ 40 Frau
“ Amalie “ 16 Daughter
“ Gustav “ 18 Son
“ Daniel “ 14 Son
“ Wilhelmine “ 8 Daughter
“ Carl “ 3 Son
“ Louise “ ½ Daughter

This family came with several other families from Friedrichshorst, Prussia